Captive, p.19
Captive, page 19
“Not Fiona. They would have both been too smart to make that mistake when they couldn’t be sure whether the hunt was still going on.” He smiled. “Her name was Maggie. A fine Scottish name from the Borderlands.” He added softly, “And one of the meanings is ‘she knows.’”
“I’m glad someone appreciated her.” Jane added thoughtfully, “So they decided that MacClaren was to completely leave the scene so he wouldn’t be under suspicion. Then he could find a place for both of them and arrange for Fiona to disappear six months later.”
“If that’s what you think happened.” He smiled. “I can only give you the bare facts. It’s up to you to twist them to suit yourself.”
“And I’ve already done that.” She frowned. “But I wonder how she got from MacDuff’s Run to America?”
“With help from MacClaren, of course. Just as he probably helped her to eliminate Graeme a few years later on that train in Montana when he was hunting her down.”
She nodded. “Too coincidental. I can see a confrontation happening. But it might have been Fiona, not MacClaren. If it was as passionate a love affair as it seemed, she would have wanted to protect what they had together.”
“‘If’? You haven’t read the letter?”
“Not yet. I meant to do it. But I’ve been a bit busy.” She added bitterly, “That’s an understatement. Bohdan managed to poison everything lately. We’ve got to stop him.” Her lips tightened. “And not let him take over our lives. I’ll read that letter, dammit. I promised MacDuff that I’d solve his Fiona mystery. It’s the least I can do after what he’s gone through for me. I’m dreading what I’m going to see at the castle.”
He nodded. “The damage isn’t a pretty sight.” He glanced out the windshield. “And we’re getting close to the road. You’ll be seeing it soon. You said you wanted to call Caleb?”
She was already reaching for her phone. “Pull onto the road as soon as possible. I’ll tell him I want to talk to him before we reach the gates.”
“Good idea. You might lose your train of thought. Not much left of those gates,” Rodland said. “I think I see Caleb just ahead…”
And Jane was already talking to him. “We’re right behind you. Could you rein in and let me talk to you? Rodland is stopping when we reach the road.”
“Any problem?”
“A misunderstanding. We’ll take care of it.” She ended the call.
“Brief and to the point.” Rodland was already stopping on the edge of the road. “Not necessarily warm.”
“I wasn’t aiming for warmth. I wanted clarity.” She opened the car door. “Caleb will understand. At the moment he’s probably rapidly going over in his mind all the things that I might be about to say.” She got out of the car. “And because he’s really quite brilliant and knows me very well, no doubt he’ll reach the right conclusion before I have a chance to go into it with him.” She was walking toward where Caleb was sitting on Jocko a short distance away. “I don’t think I’ll be long.”
“A misunderstanding?” Caleb was smiling faintly as she approached. “Then let’s take care of it. You didn’t like me doing the advance sweep to make certain we weren’t going to have company in that forest.”
“I told Rodland that you’d have it worked out before I had to open my lips. You probably knew it was a possibility before you told Rodland to saddle Jocko.” She looked him in the eyes. “You were very persuasive about the fact that you knew I’d be reasonable about never wanting the baby to be in danger and I was the natural guardian because I’m carrying that child. All that was true. I will be careful, but I won’t let you go riding off and taking chances that aren’t necessary. There will be times when I’ll have to make decisions, but this wasn’t one of them. I won’t lose this baby and I won’t lose you. You went alone today, and I could have been there and helped. Don’t do that again.”
“Do I dare ask what you’d do if I did?”
“I’d come after you. I almost did today. I won’t hesitate again.” She smiled crookedly. “The solution is that you find a way to use me to help, and you won’t have to worry about it.”
“Oh, I’ll worry.” He paused. “But I’m reading you loud and clear. I don’t believe we’ll have to have this conversation again.”
“Thank God,” she said wearily. “I didn’t want to face arguing with you. Because I’m going to have to get back in that car and go down to that burned-out gate and face MacDuff. It’s going to hurt, Caleb.”
“I know. I don’t want you to be alone.” He turned Jocko and gave him a kick. “Give me a five-minute start. I’ll meet you at the gate.”
She stood looking after him for a few moments and then turned and headed for the Range Rover.
“Everything okay?” Rodland asked as she got in the car. “He didn’t give you a hard time?”
“No, everything’s not okay.” She might still have problems with Caleb’s protective instinct, yet that wasn’t all bad. That moment when he’d reached out and told her he wanted to be with her at those burned-out gates had magically soothed and eased the pain she knew was coming. “But some things are a lot better than others.”
* * *
MacDuff’s Run
Caleb jumped off Jocko and was opening her car door as they pulled up at the gates. “I called MacDuff and I told him we’d meet him at his library. He’s busy with the local insurance adjustors down at the boat docks. There was some damage down there, too.”
Jane flinched as she gazed at the broken, blackened gates. “It makes me sick to see all this senseless destruction. Sick and angry.”
“Be angry, not sick,” Caleb said. “Anger translates to action, and we’ll have use for action very soon.” He turned to Rodland, who had come to stand beside them. “I assume you’ve seen more than enough of Bohdan’s work the last time you were here. Will you take Jocko back to the main stables and then come back and see what you can do to help MacDuff?”
“Sure, just what I had in mind,” he said flippantly. “You know how I adore dealing with horses. And MacDuff has had a soft spot for me since I showed up here to meddle in his business.” He waved his hand. “No problem. I’ll take care of it.” He went over to Jocko’s saddle and took Jane’s art case from the pommel. “But you might need this.” He came back and handed it to her. “You said you had some reading to do.” He took the horse’s reins and turned away. “And now I’ll see if I can find one of MacDuff’s grooms who I can con into taking this fine animal to that stable for me. I’m certain Jocko would be much happier with him.” A moment later she saw him strolling toward a group of workers near the fountain.
She turned back to Caleb. “Okay, I’ve braced myself. Take me for the grand tour.” She gazed at the destruction of what had been the beautiful front door. “But you did say that none of the paintings were stolen or damaged.”
He nodded. “I think you should see for yourself. You’re looking at the broken tiles and the burnt doors, but MacDuff is seeing the treasures that were left behind and how he can save what’s here. Even more, how he can build to make it even stronger and more beautiful.” He was nudging her toward the steps leading to the front door. “MacDuff is indomitable, and it will happen. It will be exciting to stay around and watch him do it.” He added softly as he pushed her through the shattered door into the grand hall, “And offer a little help now and then so that we’ll have our share of the great rebirth to come.” He was pulling her toward the gallery. “Now come and see that even a bastard like Bohdan couldn’t destroy those paintings.”
She was already in the gallery and gazing at the collection of the Old Masters and the portraits of MacDuff’s family through the centuries. He was right. It was vaguely comforting to see that this gallery and the paintings were just the same as before the attack. Comforting and yet engendering a fierce protectiveness to keep that status quo at any cost. She turned to Caleb. “But he’ll probably try again. We’ll stop him, Caleb.”
He nodded. “The drones surprised us. But Palik has guard units all over the castle and grounds now. No more surprises. They won’t be able to touch the Run again. MacDuff will be able to make his repairs in peace.” His lips tightened. “And we’ll be able to go on the hunt and reel the son of a bitch in.”
“It had better be soon,” she said. “Dr. Campbell may already be dead. You haven’t had a report from Palik about the unit he sent to Kilgoray yet?”
He shook his head. “But we may have time. Bohdan might not want to kill him right away. It sounded as if he wanted to use him.”
She flinched. “And that’s what I haven’t allowed myself to think about since that damn phone call. I liked Campbell; he was kind to me. I called him out of the blue asking for an appointment. I must have sounded desperate because he was very gentle and patient with me. I was so grateful he made time for me on his schedule.” She moistened her lips. “It would have been so much better if he hadn’t. None of this would have happened to him.”
“You would have found someone else. As you said, you were desperate. You had no idea that you were being followed.”
“I’m afraid for him, Caleb,” she whispered.
“I know, and it sucks,” he said roughly. He made a step toward her then stopped. “You won’t let me go after him and that’s the only way I can take care of it. Which means I have to wait for Palik to find him. Tell me what else I can do.”
She nodded quickly. “I’m not being fair. I just wish Palik would hurry.” She turned and moved toward the wall where Fiona’s portrait hung. She tried to change the subject. “You’ll be glad to know that, as ordered, Rodland tried to keep me entertained on the way here. He almost finished the MacClaren/Fiona story.”
“Almost?”
“I have to read a letter and fill in some blanks.”
“Did you like the way it turned out?”
“I like her, I like him. I found myself rooting for them. But I was frustrated about how the world was treating them until they took their fates into their own hands.”
“That’s the way it sometimes works out. So did they live happily ever after?”
“It wasn’t a fairy tale. I think it turned out to be a murder mystery. But they lived their lives the way they wanted to. I’d bet that they had a good time and a good life and tried not to hurt anyone if they could avoid it.”
“Except for the murder?”
“I’m sure that wasn’t their fault. He was supposed to have been a terrible man.”
He laughed. “I can’t wait until you fill me in on the rest of the tale. But I want you to check out the rest of the castle, so you’ll know that it’s in as good a shape as the gallery. Then we’re supposed to meet MacDuff in the library. Who knows? He might want to hear about Fiona’s murder mystery.”
She shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure it’s a murder mystery. It just makes sense that it might be. I won’t talk to MacDuff until I can tell him more than we know right now. I have to keep my promise.”
“You always do.” He brushed his lips across her temple. “Now let’s look around the castle at all the good things that are still here and then we’ll go talk to MacDuff.”
* * *
“You’ve caused a hell of a lot of trouble, Jane.” MacDuff was frowning as they walked into the library an hour later. “You should have come directly back here as soon as you knew the immediate danger was over. It was stupid of you to try tracking that damn sniper. Didn’t you realize that I’d be worried?”
“I resent that, MacDuff. It only would have been stupid if I hadn’t managed to catch the bastard. And how did I know if and when the immediate danger was over? The only immediate threat I could see was the man who had shot Rodland, and it seemed smart to take him out of the equation.” She walked across the room toward him. “And yes, I’m sorry you were worried, but I was busy, and I told you as soon as I could.” She reached out and grasped his hands in hers. Her voice was shaking as she looked up and met his eyes. “And I can’t tell you how sorry I am for my part in what happened here. It broke my heart.”
“Good God, you’re ready to burst into tears. That’s not like you at all.” He glanced over his shoulder at Caleb. “She’s embarrassing me. Can’t you do something?”
Caleb shook his head. “She can be like that sometimes. I tried my best. But you’ll have to deal with it.”
“No, he won’t.” Jane gave MacDuff a quick hug. “I won’t put him through it. It just had to be said.” She released him and took a step back. “But you will have to deal with the fact that I won’t let you go through this without me. I realize you can handle what happened here with your hands tied behind your back, but I can’t. You’ll have to let me help…after we take care of Bohdan.”
“That sounds reasonable.” His voice was gruff. “Now is all this emotional nonsense over? I wanted to tell you that you should move back into the castle. It will be repaired, and it’s now even better guarded, and you won’t have to worry about another attack.”
“I’m not worried,” she said. “There won’t be another attack unless we want it to happen.” Her lips tightened. “And it will never be here again. From now on we’re the ones who will be going on the assault.”
“We?” He glanced at Caleb again. “I’m not sure I like the way that sounds.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” he said dryly. “But I’d advise you not to go into it in-depth. You have enough problems right now.”
“When did I ever take advice from you?” MacDuff asked. “Occasionally, it’s true you can be useful, but everyone knows I’m much wiser. After Jane and I have a discussion, I’m sure she’ll agree with me.” He smiled down at Jane. “Now, where shall we go to have our talk? Could I get you a cup of tea?”
“No.” She smiled back at him. “And I have no intention of baring my soul to you. Caleb is right, I’m not giving you any more burdens.” She tilted her head. “Where shall we go? I’m going to let you take me around the property to all the unhappy places and destruction that will probably make me sad and angry. Caleb carefully avoided showing me any of those because he wanted me to see your brighter vision of the MacDuff’s Run to come.”
“Not a bad idea,” he said warily. “Better than usual for Caleb.”
“Kind,” she agreed. “But I have to see both sides so that I can be prepared for what’s on the horizon. I’ve always loved the Run. I will help you heal what they did here. However, I have to know the damage before I can do that.” She headed for the door. “Let’s get it over with. You’re a busy man.”
MacDuff followed her; his brows rose as he passed Caleb. “Join us?”
Jane answered for him. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. He’s also a busy man, and he has calls to make and plans regarding what we need to do about Bohdan. I wouldn’t want to take up more of his time.”
“Jane,” Caleb said.
“It’s true.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I’ve made demands you don’t like. I had to do it, but you don’t have to hold my hand through all the hours of the day.” She paused. “Campbell. Please, Caleb. Check on Campbell.”
She didn’t wait for an answer but left the library.
* * *
“Yes and no. No direct word on Campbell,” Palik said when Caleb reached him. “We know he disappeared from his home one evening after his office files were rifled by two thugs that afternoon. Jane had been seen going into the office by the owner of one of the food carts in the streets outside the building. The receptionist in the office was interrogated by them and identified Jane’s photo. She was beaten badly, but not killed. They must have been flashing that photo all over the village.”
“It was their second visit to the village and Bohdan was impatient,” Caleb said grimly. “Where does the ‘yes’ come into this?”
“We showed some photos ourselves, and we were just as determined as Bohdan’s scum. We had several photos of Campbell that we took from his home. We covered the village and all the outlying areas, and we got lucky because Campbell is also well known around the village. He appears to be a nice guy who has delivered quite a few babies to the villagers over the years. It became clear that the pier was out. He wasn’t taken anywhere by boat. But four separate people in the hill country thought they’d seen him walking with two other men toward the northern fishing lakes. One of them knew Campbell and spoke to him. He thought it strange that Campbell hadn’t answered him.”
“Did you follow up on it?”
“Of course. But that’s a lot of territory and it’s filled with small farms and those lakes where city folks come to spend weekends fishing. It will take time.”
“I don’t know how much time we’ll have,” Caleb said slowly. “I’m finding it a little odd that you were able to locate Campbell that easily.”
“I haven’t located him yet. Still, I see where you’re going. Only two men to hold a valuable prisoner? And we managed to do the initial tracking with no problem. Add the area where Campbell is presumably being held is going to be very difficult to explore or negotiate.” He paused. “Which means it could be a trap.”
“Very likely. And if it is, they’ll want to set the bait up in an appetizing way so that I’ll be lured into the trap,” Caleb said. “Which means if you send a sharp enough team down to the lake area and tell them to keep their eyes open, they should be able to spot Campbell.” He smiled sardonically. “Then we can only hope that we can pluck the good doctor out of the lion’s den before Bohdan lets loose the big cats.”
“You know as well as I do that it all could be for nothing. What do you think our chances are?”
“I’ve no idea. All I know is that we’ve got to try. Even if Campbell isn’t the good guy you tell me he is, Jane has a vested interest in keeping him alive. I won’t let her down.”
“Second question. Do you want me to be the one to go in and pull Campbell out?”
“No, I’ll do it myself. Just set up the operators to locate the place they’re hiding Campbell. You do what you do best and run the teams. You never can tell when a job is going to go to hell, and a little fine-tuning might become necessary.”
