Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4) (39 page)

Phoebe shifted her body slightly, trying to see if she could see anything attached to Steve’s ankle. If she could just convince Hannah and Austin to allow her close to Steve, then maybe Phoebe stood a chance of getting a gun. It wouldn’t even the odds, but it was better than nothing.

Stewart’s phone rang again and all eyes went to Hannah. She walked it over to him, practically shoving it against his chest. Austin reclaimed his seat, although he was leaning forward in anticipation of what was about to happen. Phoebe figured they had no choice but to take it or else the agents might come busting in here anyway.

“Answer it. Say one wrong word and I’ll shoot you. Keep this up and if you promise to stick with our story, we’ll let you live.”

“Hello?” Stewart answered, his eyes never leaving Hannah’s face. His fear was evident and Phoebe didn’t blame him for going along. He was just trying to save his own skin, regardless of how cowardly it was. “I told you, they’re fine. You heard them.”

Phoebe couldn’t hear what was being said on the other line, and apparently Hannah didn’t like that either. She placed the barrel to Stewart’s head, causing him to jump and hold up his other hand. He looked frantically between Hannah and Phoebe until she finally understood what was happening. They wanted to speak directly to her.

“Hold on.” Stewart pulled the phone away from his ear and held the cell close to his chest. He lowered his voice to a whisper as he relayed what the agent was calling about. “He wants to speak directly with Phoebe and he refuses to bring in any media until he does.”

“That wasn’t the deal,” Hannah said, shaking her head emphatically.

“Hannah,” Phoebe cut in, taking a chance and knowing it was their last hope. “Ask them to put Lach on the phone. I’ll talk to him and tell him I’m fine. I would like to hear his voice before I die and I don’t think that’s asking too much of you. It will satisfy everyone.”

When Phoebe said the word
die
, her voice had caught. It hadn’t been for effect. She didn’t want her life to be over. She wanted to go to California and meet Lach’s family. She wanted the all American dream—a long engagement, a beautiful wedding where her father walked her down the aisle and her sister was maid of honor, a two-story house out in the suburbs, two point five kids, and a marriage that stood the test of time. Phoebe loved Lach and she needed him to know that.

“Fine.” Hannah motioned with her weapon for Stewart to have him start the conversation.

“Put Lach McKinnon on the phone. Phoebe can talk to him, but only for a few moments.”

Phoebe’s chest filled with hope and she scrambled to think of everything she wanted to say. She would tell him all she needed to and then add something that would hopefully give him insight as to what was really happening. She reached for the phone with a trembling hand.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“L
ach?”

His chest tightened and he bowed his head, drinking in the sound of her voice. It was filled with fear and seemed to call out to him for hope. It didn’t matter that the entire room could hear her. This conversation was between the two of them and to hell with everyone else. He would never lie to her and couldn’t promise her that everything would be all right when he didn’t know for sure. He’d only felt helpless like this once before, yet this was a thousand times worse.

“Phoebe, has he hurt you?”

“No.” Phoebe paused and Lach prayed that Stewart wasn’t taking the phone back already. He looked up from the speakerphone and across the room to where Crest was standing. The man had kept Lach sane enough to keep his mouth shut, enabling him to stay and be here for when she asked for him. He owed his boss a debt of gratitude. He heard Phoebe take a shaky breath. “Lach, I need you to know something. If—if this doesn’t work out, I need you to know that I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment you rescued me in Northern Africa. You made me realize that I didn’t have to live for a memory or the people around me. You gave me back my life and I would give anything to be able to spend it with you.”

“Phoebe—”

“I love you,” Phoebe whispered, but each word was said as if there were a period after it. Lach curled his fingers into his palms to prevent himself from slamming them down on the table. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. She wasn’t supposed to think her life was ending at any moment and that they wouldn’t get to see the future he hadn’t even taken time to mention. His fucking motto—
it is what it is
. He promised himself he’d change it if they could just get through this with her life intact. Before he could reply, she continued. “I’m sorry this had to turn out like your last assignment. I know how hard that was for you. If there was something that I could do to make this time different, I would.”

Phoebe broke off, as if someone were trying to take the phone away. Lach tensed, not wanting to lose contact with her. He hadn’t had a chance let her know that he felt the same before she’d brought up how he would feel after this was all said and done. She was worried about him when it was her life at stake.

“Phoebe?”

“Please, just let me say goodbye.” It sounded as if the phone was being jostled, but Lach exhaled slowly when he heard Phoebe once more. “Lach?”

“I love you, Phoebe.” Those words didn’t come close to encompassing what Lach felt, but those were the only ones he could get across. He had so much more to say to her, but no time. “I promise we’ll get you out of there.”

“Phoebe, could you please put Stewart back on the line?” Robbins asked, nodding his head toward Lach that he did a fine job in keeping the conversation going. Lach could see one of the technicians rewinding the call and enhancing the background to see if there were any remnants of conversation being held not picked up by the human ear. “Stewart? I appreciate your good faith. We’re working on getting the media…”

Lach tuned out the conversation as he walked back over to the window and where Crest was still standing. He felt like he’d been given a piece of heaven just in hearing her voice, only to have it taken away. He leaned his forearms and head against the window, grateful for the cold. He was angry that he and Phoebe had been cheated out of a moment in their lives that should have been special, not forced because of an idiot with daddy issues. He replayed their exchange over and over in his head. It wasn’t until the third time that he caught her message. Son of a bitch.

“Crest?” Lach pushed himself off of the glass and looked back toward the technician who was shaking his head that they’d picked up nothing. “Send Connor over to the prison to talk to Victor Ward. Jax needs to hit up Crescent and any family that Timothy has. Ethan needs to speak with anyone related to Austin Bentley. As for Taryn, we need her up here for a second opinion regarding the software. Someone other than Stewart Barnes is in control. We need to find out who it is.”

*   *   *   *

“Robbins, my men are out there searching right now for any lead of who might actually be the one in charge in that apartment.” Crest crossed his arms as he made his point known. “This is the only logical course of action. If Lach’s right, whoever it is will most likely take everyone out before the media are set up to hear Senator Barnes speak.”

Lach leaned against the wall and impatiently waited to hear the final verdict. Either way, he was going in. The best course of action was to take whoever had control by surprise, giving up the game. He was willing to risk his life, so he didn’t see what the problem was.

“Sir, I’ve been Phoebe’s second shift detail for months,” Thornton said, putting in his two cents. The four of them were far enough away from prying ears. “If Phoebe sent Lach a message, then she did.”

“You’re asking that I send a civilian into a hostage situation.” Agent Robbins shook his head at the reckless proposition that was being placed before him, setting his hands on his hips. “This isn’t protocol and you know it. McKinnon, you ran your own team. Imagine what my superiors will say if this goes belly up.”

“That I volunteered,” Lach replied, keeping his tone even. “If I’m right, it’s not going to matter what you do. Whoever is really controlling this situation will kill everyone in that apartment and it won’t matter. Give me an earpiece where you can monitor the situation. If I get killed, it’s on me.”

“Agent Robbins, this isn’t your typical hostage situation where you can negotiate with the hostage taker for hours,” Crest pointed out, motioning with his hand toward the electronics. “You’ve tried calling Barnes’ phone for the last forty-five minutes. He doesn’t answer anymore. He won’t. It’s not him and if McKinnon is willing to enter into a hostile situation to garner you more information, he’s your best bet.”

“This isn’t your run of the mill rescues. We’re talking about the daughter of a presidential nominee.” Agent Robbins looked around the room, as if hoping another answer would appear. “We haven’t even given this remotely the amount of time we should before making this kind of decision. When the equipment we need to electronically eavesdrop on them arrives, we’ll know more about what’s going on in there.”

“There isn’t any time,” Lach stressed, straightening his form. He didn’t do it to use his height as an advantage. He was running out of minutes on the clock and regardless of what Robbins said, Lach was going inside Phoebe’s apartment. “What have you got to lose?”

“A former Marine? A former special agent with the FBI Hostage Rescue Team?” Robbins met Lach’s gaze. “A good man who the media will put on a pedestal, effectively questioning my judgment and calling for my resignation if you get killed?”

“You and I both know that whatever happens here today will be spun for political reasons,” Lach answered, taking a step forward and only stopping when Crest held up a hand. This was waste of time. “I’ve been there and done that, Robbins. I have no doubt that you know what went down on my last mission with the Bureau. I’m telling you from experience that Stewart Barnes is not the perpetrator here. Let me prove it and you come out the hero. If I die, spin it to suit your needs. I don’t care how you make it happen, but I’m walking out of this room within four minutes.”

“And what of Phoebe and Kimmie Dunaway? If this goes south, you’ll be responsible for their deaths.”

“No,” Lach replied, knowing full well that whoever was holding a gun to Phoebe and her sister was the person accountable. “They’re dead if I don’t. Of that I have no doubt.”

“Son of a bitch.” Robbins held out his hand to Thornton, who then placed something in his open palm. The primary agent then held it out for Lach to take, much to his disapproval. “Keep this earpiece in place the entire time. We’ll be able to hear everything that is said. We’ll give you a key to Phoebe’s apartment, so you’ll have to unlock the door quickly and take them by surprise before they figure out you’re trying to get in and they try to forcefully keep you out.”

“Done.” Lach took the earpiece and situated the bit so that it wouldn’t be visible unless one actually looked for it. He’d shed his jacket a while ago, but he slipped his holster off and handed it over to Crest, who would take care of his back-up weapon. “I’ll go in unarmed. If I’m not shot upon entry, I’ll be patted down.”

“You don’t want to wait for your fellow agents to come back? What if they find nothing?” Agent Robbins asked, although he stepped away and gave Lach space to leave their closed circle. “Are you sure you want to risk this?”

“We don’t have time to waste. Besides, I should have had the courage to do this long before today.” Lach was already across the room and out the apartment door. Knowing that no one could hear him, he spoke the truth to himself. “Phoebe needs me to have the strength.”

*   *   *   *

Lach had made the decision to go through Phoebe’s apartment door and try to reason with whoever was responsible for this, yet it wasn’t until this moment as he faced the wood that his adrenaline spiked. Fear had taken hold earlier and had his gut twisted in a knot. His muscles were still tense but he did his damnedest to keep his heart rate steady. He didn’t doubt that he was making the right choice. He just hoped like hell it didn’t blow up in his face and get them all killed hours earlier than planned. He intended to tell Phoebe he loved her in person—
semper fi, do or die
.