Stalked (33 page)

Peter had picked the meeting spot, but it was only four blocks from his residence and Sean didn't like that. He had to assume that the Todd siblings knew where Peter lived. Sean had wanted to grab him at his apartment, but Peter was too nervous to give him the address. Sean had researched it while flying back to the city. Once he had Peter's new name, it was easy to learn everything about him: his residence, his employer, where he liked to shop.

Peter glanced over his shoulder and Sean's instincts buzzed. He surveyed the area but didn't see anyone following Peter. Unfortunately, there were a lot of people on the street. This must be Brooklyn's version of restaurant row.

Sean got out of his car and crossed the street to meet up with Peter.

“Charlie sent me,” he said.

Peter seemed both relieved and apprehensive.

Sean took his elbow and steered him toward his car. “Are you being followed?”

“I didn't see anyone.”

“But?”

“I felt something.”

Sean didn't dismiss Peter's concerns. Lucy had the same sixth sense about being watched, born of violence, and Peter may have developed the same instinct.

“I have a place; I just need to get you there. Do exactly what I say.” Sean handed him a burner phone. “If we get separated for any reason, get to a safe place and call the last dialed number.”

Peter pocketed the phone. He glanced at Sean and said, “Thank—” then stopped. He stared over Sean's shoulder. “Cami?”

Sean didn't look; he acted. His job was to protect Peter, not confront the Todds. He pushed Peter into the first storefront. It was a delicatessen and the patrons all stared at Sean when he walked straight through to the back ushering Peter in front of him.

He glanced once over his shoulder and saw a woman walk into the shop and glance around. He hadn't met Alexis Sanchez, aka Alexis Todd, when he'd visited Quantico the other day, but he had to assume that it was her—the same woman who'd passed herself off to Peter as Cami Jones for over a year.

The staff in the back yelled at Sean, “Get out! We'll call the police!”

Sean ignored them and continued maneuvering Peter through the kitchen, then the crammed supply room to the back door. He glanced through the security screen before opening it and slipping out with Peter.

“I should talk to her.”

“No,” Sean said.

“There has to be a reason.”

She's a nut job.
“Let's get you safe. Then I'll tell you everything.”

Peter hesitated, and Sean grabbed his arm and pulled him along. It was like he was in a daze, unsure what was going on or who to trust.

“Do you trust Charlie?”

“He saved my life.”

“Then trust me.”

Sean didn't know if both of the Todds were trailing them or if they had spotted him when he got out of the rental car. He couldn't risk going back to 3rd Avenue, so he asked, “Where's the closest subway station?”

“Ninety-fifth. It's only two blocks away.”

“Let's get moving.

Sean monitored their surroundings, assessing anyone who looked out of place. It was getting darker, which would help them disappear in the streets if necessary. But right now at dusk he felt too exposed.

He saw Alexis emerge from the shop and look both ways before she saw them. She picked up speed in the alley.

Sean waited until he and Peter turned the corner from the alley to the street, then said, “Faster.”

Sean had pre-purchased two MetroCards when he and Lucy were in New York on Saturday. He hadn't thought they'd need them but didn't like to go unprepared. He was glad he had them now.

He rounded the corner and they rushed down the steps to the 95th Street subway station. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a church and considered detouring there but dismissed it—he didn't know the layout, and considering it was near dark, the church might be locked. Sean didn't see Alexis, but that didn't mean she wasn't there or that she might not assume they went to the subway.

“Is there another entrance to the subway?”

“Yes.”

Either they could exit from the other side or Alexis could come down the other entrance and trap them. In fact, if both Alexis and Kip were trailing them, they could be boxed in. Damn, he shouldn't have come down here!

“Stay close.”

Sean glanced at the subway map. They were at the end of the R Line.

He said, “We're taking the first train and getting off at the next stop.”

“How did they find me?” Peter asked. “Did they follow you?” He didn't seem hostile, but there was an accusatory tone.

“They've been tracking you. Have been since March.”

Peter shook his head, but his eyes told Sean he believed him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He moved Peter to behind a pillar. Sean could see one of the main staircases, and the other was partly in view.

“I think I knew,” he said quietly.

Sean sent Lucy and Noah a quick text message.

At 95th St. Subway, Brook. Have PM. ATS pursuing.

“A couple of times I thought someone was watching me,” Peter continued, “but I'd been hiding for so long I didn't trust my instincts anymore. Do they know where I live?”

“Assume they do. No one followed me.”

“Charlie told you everything?”

“I needed to know what you faced in Syracuse, why you changed your name.”

“I don't understand why these people are coming after me.”

“You and me both.” Sean heard a train coming far down the tunnel. He didn't see Alexis or Kip on the stairs. There were only two people waiting, together, for the train. It was a quiet Monday night.

“Get ready,” he whispered. “Follow my orders.”

The train was closer, ten seconds or less. Peter took a step toward the platform and Sean grabbed his arm. “Stay.”

“FBI! Don't move!”

It was a female voice. Peter looked perplexed and turned to look toward the voice.

“No,” Sean said, but it was too late.

Alexis was running down the stairs, gun drawn.

“FBI! Everyone down.”

Shit.

The train was pulling fast into the station. Alexis glanced at it, and Sean pictured the attack against Theissen at the subway station in Queens. Was she planning on using the train as a diversion or a weapon?

Sean stayed behind the pillar, gun drawn.

“You said the FBI was helping,” Peter said.

“She's not FBI,” Sean told him.

Peter looked around the pillar. “Cami,” he whispered.

“Peter,” Alexis said. “Come to me. I'm here to help you.”

“Don't,” Sean said. He squeezed Peter's arm. “You can't trust her.”

Alexis shouted out, “Peter! We have to hurry or it'll be too late. Please, trust me.”

“Remember what Charlie found,” Sean said. He didn't know what Alexis's game was, but she'd most likely killed Tony Presidio and put Hans in a coma. “She lied to you. She killed an FBI agent.”

The train stopped at the platform. Several people got off. Alexis moved toward Sean and Peter. She didn't seem concerned about her own safety. Sean couldn't risk hitting an innocent bystander by firing in the station. He glanced toward the train. The warning to clear the doors alerted them that the train was about to depart.

Sean said, “Now!” He grabbed Peter and propelled him toward the open door.

“Peter!” Alexis shouted.

Sean heard gunfire and a searing bolt of pain shot up his calf. He rolled into the car; Peter stumbled and hit his head on the pole.

“Stay down!” Sean shouted.

Sean pushed back the pain and trained his gun toward the closing door. He saw Alexis's stunned expression. Then she raised the gun to fire again, aiming at Sean, not Peter. Two teenagers ran behind Alexis toward the exit, preventing Sean from having a clear shot.

Sean rolled away from the door as Alexis fired again. The bullet hit the side of the train as the doors closed.

No one else was in the car. Peter lay on the floor, unmoving.

“Are you hurt?” Sean asked.

Peter didn't say anything.

“Peter! Are you injured? Dammit, were you hit?” Sean crawled toward him.

“I'm okay,” he said, voice cracking. Shock.

“Are you sure?” Sean looked for visible signs of injury. Peter had a bump on his forehead from hitting the pole. Other than that, he was fine.

Sean waited until they were in the tunnel before he examined his own wound.

“You're bleeding,” Peter said.

Sean took out his pocketknife and cut off his jeans at the knee. The bullet had gone through the muscle in his calf, straight through. Not serious, but he needed to stop the bleeding.

He cut the jean scrap into strips and tied one as a tourniquet right below his knee. Then he took off his T-shirt and tied it tight around the open wound.

This wasn't the first time he'd been shot, nor would it be the worst, but damn, it hurt like hell. He pulled out his cell phone. No signal. He typed in a message to send as soon as he had one bar.

PM and I are on R train, will exit at Whitehall. Please meet there with first-aid kit.

“Peter, listen to me. Alexis Sanchez is not an FBI agent. She was at the FBI Academy for the past four weeks in training. Why, I have no idea. It may have been to collect information, or to target someone. She may have killed a federal agent, tried to kill another. Her sister was Camille Todd, who was kidnapped and murdered around the same time as your sister. I don't have all the answers, but if she has the chance, she will kill you.”

 

CHAPTER FORTY

Noah had been on the phone for the last ten minutes while driving to the Whitehall subway station in lower Manhattan, talking with NYPD and the FBI to determine what went on at the 95th Street subway stop. Police were already on the scene and Alexis Sanchez was gone. Suzanne and Detective DeLucca were getting a copy of the security tapes and Lucy hoped they provided some answers. She had a lot of questions.

Sean didn't say who'd been shot, but Lucy knew it was Sean. If it was Peter, Sean would have told her to call an ambulance.

As soon as they arrived, Noah flashed his badge at the cashier and he and Lucy were let through the kiosk. They ran down the stairs while Lucy dialed Sean. “We're here,” she said.

“I have Peter under the sign on the west side of the station.”

“West side,” Lucy said to Noah.

“I see him.”

Sean was sitting bare-chested on a bench, his bloody leg out in front of him. He had a hand on Peter, who looked like he wanted to bolt.

“It's not serious,” Sean said by way of greeting. “Just grazed.”

By the amount of blood, it wasn't just a graze.

“Lucy, escort Mr. McMahon to the car; I'll assist Rogan.”

“I can walk,” Sean said, standing. He hobbled toward the elevator.

“Manning,” Peter said. “I legally changed my name to Gray Manning. But I guess you can call me Peter.”

“We have a lot to discuss,” Noah said. “But I don't like this exposure.”

“I have a safe hotel,” Sean said.

“We're going to the Bureau,” Noah countered. He glanced at Peter, assessing, then looked at Lucy.

Lucy knew what Noah wanted. What kind of state of mind was Peter in?

“Peter,” she said softly, “we need to talk about what's been happening. You may have information that's vital to finding Kip Todd and Alexis Sanchez. Are you up for it? We wouldn't ask if it wasn't crucial.”

“Okay,” he said, still in a daze.

She nodded at Noah, and Noah said, “Just for a debrief. Then you can secure him, Rogan.” He looked at Sean's leg. “I can get a protective detail.”

“I'm fine.”

“Hardly,” Lucy muttered.

“I heard that.”

Noah drove and Lucy sat in the back with Sean. She turned on the lights and took off the shirt he had wrapped around his leg. “This isn't a graze,” she said.

“Do we need a hospital?” Noah asked.

“Yes,” Lucy said at the same time Sean said, “No.”

Sean said, “I'm not going to the hospital. The bleeding has stopped. It was a twenty-two. The hole isn't much bigger than a bee sting, and that's what it feels like.”

“You need stitches.”

“Maybe one stitch. You can handle that, princess.”

She glared at him. He smiled.

“Bureau,” Sean said. Lucy decided to let it go. There'd been a lot of blood, but Sean was right—the damage was minimal.

She cleaned and taped the entry and exit wounds, then bandaged the leg. “You should still get checked out.”

“Time enough when we catch the Todds,” Sean said.

“Were you followed?” Noah asked.

“No. Sanchez was following Peter. Where were you coming from?” Sean asked Peter.

“I had a staff meeting this afternoon; stopped at a place I often eat dinner. I didn't want to go home after talking to Charlie.”

“They could have followed him from school,” Sean said.

“How did they know where I teach? How'd they know my name?”

“I don't think they did, not at first,” Lucy said. “I haven't seen the evidence from Kip Todd's apartment, but going on what Suzanne said, he spotted you in the city back in March. He knew you were here.”

“It's a big city,” Noah said. “Peter was a needle.”

“Not really. Alexis, when she was Cami, knew Peter was studying early childhood education. It was reasonable to think that Peter had become a teacher. If they troll the Internet for staff, they might get a hit, but seeing Peter in the city narrowed them to this region.”

Sean said, “Never underestimate someone determined to find you. It's extremely difficult to go completely off the grid, even with a name change and new Social Security number.”

Noah added, “They may have hired someone to do it.”