Captive, p.24
Captive, page 24
MacDuff gave a low whistle and then started to laugh. “What are you up to? Of course, I’ve heard the stories that there might be another Cira chest hidden somewhere in the hills. I even searched for it at one time. But I didn’t find it, and I decided that Cira had given me enough and I shouldn’t be greedy. Have you heard something?”
“No, just rumors. But Jane and I thought perhaps Cira might want to have any treasure she still has out there to be used to punish the people who had caused her family to suffer. What do you think?”
“Bohdan,” he murmured. “You’re going after the son of a bitch. You have a plan? You should really leave it in my hands. I’m much better able to handle it.”
“I don’t believe you can. You’re being greedy again.”
“You’re the one who is begging me. Do you realize what a risk I’d be taking? Just the insurance alone is going to cost me a fortune.”
“Now, I do believe you can handle that better than I can. Look, the treasure might not be used at all. Its prime value will be as a lure. We’ll take photos of it, and a few incriminating ones of me in the same photos with the treasure. Most of the time it will be in a safe in a railway car.” He paused. “Though I admit that it’s possible we’ll have to use it for other purposes if everything goes to hell.” Caleb got to his feet. “I’ll need the treasure no later than the day after tomorrow.”
“I didn’t say you’d get it.”
“You didn’t say I wouldn’t.”
MacDuff was swearing below his breath. “You’d better not leave me out of this. You saw what they did to the Run.”
“I saw it.” Caleb was heading for the door. “Look, MI6 doesn’t work well with others, and you have enough to do with protecting and keeping the repair work going on MacDuff’s Run. That doesn’t mean I won’t keep you in mind if I can find a way to do it.” He gave him a glance over his shoulder. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep your marines handy in case you need them…”
Chapter
15
Stable Storage Room
MacDuff’s Run
Two Days Later
I’d forgotten how dusty these rooms are,” Rodland said as he came down the curving staircase. “You don’t know how lucky you were that I put up with them. It was a great sacrifice.”
“Well, you haven’t had to put up with them for the last couple of days,” Jane said dryly. “I haven’t seen anything of you since I called. You didn’t even phone me.”
“I was busy. You couldn’t expect me to be at your beck and call. Caleb got to me first, so I had other fish to fry.” He squatted down on the step beside her, his gaze narrowed on her face. “You’re looking good…glowing. I always thought that was bullshit about pregnant women.” He frowned. “But should you be down here? Is the dust bad for you?”
“No, I take breaks down on the boat dock. But it is bad for me to not know what the hell is going on with you. I gave you an assignment.”
“I had to strike a balance.” He took out his phone and dialed photos. “Want to see your competition? This is Burton Adams. But so far, I’ve only been meeting him at the dark of night outside his apartment or in the men’s rooms of restaurants.” He showed her the photo of a slim, thirtyish man with a receding hairline. He was wearing an elegant white jacket over a navy silk shirt. “Bohdan and Chiswick are stashed in safe houses in a small town in Wales and they move almost every day. Adams has his own apartment nearby, but he doesn’t hang out with them.” He shrugged. “He’s a bit on the nervous side, but he took Palik’s money, and I don’t think he likes Bohdan or Chiswick. We’ll have to see if it works out for us. He’s very slick, but he can sometimes come off as sincere and enthusiastic. He’s got a meeting with Bohdan tomorrow and we’ve got to hope he can convince him. I’m going to make him wear a wire so that I can hear if he’s going to be okay. I had him spin his story for me once before and he was very believable.”
“If he’s not, he may end up dead.” She shivered. “And I chose him.” She gave Rodland back the phone. “And what story did you give Adams to spin for Bohdan? Did you get any hints from tracing MacClaren?”
“Actually, I did. MacClaren had a life completely different from the one he lived when he was with Fiona. He rented a two-room shack near the main railway station at the border. He got to know all the engineers and people who ran the trains. He spent most of the evenings he wasn’t with Fiona in a bar sketching them. He loved the life. He liked the people. That’s where he got to know Kevin Saldaron.
“And that’s where Saldaron hired him to paint his murals for the train car. MacClaren thought he was going to be working up in the foothills, but Saldaron sent him up to a branch of the main line located in the Highlands. It had been paid for by a rich stockholder in the company, a procedure that wasn’t that unusual. Money was everything in getting a new railway started. Saldaron transferred the railcar up to the Highland rail yard so the measurements would be correct. He said it was quiet up there and MacClaren would be able to concentrate. That was fine with MacClaren. All he knew was that he’d be close to Fiona and be able to work. Life was good.”
“But the branch was bought and paid for by Graeme,” Jane guessed. “And he had a reason that he wanted that diversion off the main track.”
“If he knew the treasure was hidden somewhere in that general direction, it would be very convenient,” Rodland said. “He would have time and leisure to grab this particular Cira treasure and not have to share it with Colin, the current laird of the Run. And he’d made arrangements to marry Fiona, one of the MacDuff women, and no one would question if he suddenly got an additional influx of cash.”
“Only his plans fell apart?” Jane was taking it step by step. “Fiona disappeared and at first he wouldn’t have suspected she had anything to do with stealing his treasure because MacClaren had left for America months before.” She added, “And Fiona had made certain Graeme believed she was reconciled to the marriage.”
“Then who was the culprit?” Rodland asked in a mock-hushed voice.
“Saldaron. He would have been on the suspect list, because he agreed to the spur arrangement and Graeme wouldn’t trust him not to have snooped.” She tilted her head. “Right?”
Rodland nodded. “That would be reasonable. Particularly since Saldaron’s home was ransacked two weeks later. The police found a few pieces of clothing belonging to Fiona when they searched the house. Saldaron knew better than to try to vindicate himself when it came to the laird’s niece. He packed up and left the next day.” He met Jane’s gaze. “Was it just in time to avoid getting killed by Graeme who thought he’d stolen his treasure? Or was he framed by MacClaren to draw the heat away from Fiona? It could have gone either way.”
“You mean you didn’t find out?”
“I only had a few days,” he protested. “But I’d bet the treasure was stolen from Graeme or he wouldn’t have shown up later in America looking for MacClaren and Fiona. MacClaren could have stolen the treasure himself to have a nest egg for his Fiona.”
“Or not.”
“Or not,” he agreed. “I know you prefer to believe in love’s young dream. But at any rate, I’m sure that Adams will embroider the story to suit himself and his audience. I guarantee that Bohdan doesn’t give a damn for love’s young dream. Adams will go for capturing you and Caleb and forcing you to tell him with whom or where that treasure can be found in the most painful way possible.”
“You always know how to cheer me up.”
“You don’t need anyone to do that. You’ll be floating on air if you and Caleb can bring Bohdan down.” He grinned. “And at least Adams can use that rail yard in the Highlands to make his story more authentic.” He winked at her. “And if you’re extremely lucky, I might free myself to help you a bit. I’ve been feeling quite like a second father lately toward that child you’re going to produce.”
“I’m touched. But it might be better if you just work at keeping Adams alive and let me take care of her.”
“Whatever you say.” He got to his feet. “It’s a girl?”
“I have no idea. Caleb appears to think so. It’s easier not to argue.”
“I’ve found that to be true.” He added, “But I’m glad that you don’t seem to be angry with him any longer.” He gazed at her curiously. “Or are you?”
“I might be. I haven’t had a chance to test the waters lately. We’ve both been busy for the past couple of days.” She was no longer smiling. “Be careful. I’m grateful that you’re doing this for us. But I don’t want it blowing up in your face. I’d much rather you come back and help me find a happy ending to Fiona’s story.”
“I’ve already given you that.”
“No, you haven’t. Not yet. You gave me too many question marks.”
“Then I’ll have to work on answering them.” He was grinning. “Did I tell you that I stopped in at the stable to say hello to Maisie?”
“No. That’s a surprise. I thought you were too busy to waste your time.”
“That wasn’t a waste. It was an investment. I can’t let her forget me. Face it, that horse and I have a history together. When all this is over, we have to come to terms with each other.”
“I can’t wait.”
“I can.” He laughed as he started back up the steps. “But not too long. I’ll call you after Adams has his meeting tomorrow. Don’t worry. It will be fine.”
Then he was gone. But she heard him talking to someone as he reached the stable level.
Caleb.
She tensed and then forced herself to relax. It wasn’t as if she was nervous about seeing him again. But she’d expected that he’d contact her sooner. No, admit it, she’d wanted to see him. It hurt her when things weren’t right with them. Even if she’d been the one who had taken the step back.
“Find anything interesting?” Caleb was coming down the steps toward her. “I ran into Rodland on the way down and he seems to have accomplished what you wanted.”
She nodded. “If that meeting tomorrow works out.” She looked down at the book in her hands. “Not exactly interesting. I’ve gone through most of these books several times and there’s nothing new for me. I’m just verifying everything in case I’ve missed something.”
“That’s valuable, too.” He paused. “I just came down to tell you that MacDuff has temporarily turned over a fairly impressive coffer of the Cira treasure to me. I’m taking a photo of some of the gems and having Rodland turn it over to Adams to impress Bohdan at his meeting.”
“The lure…” Jane murmured.
He nodded. “We’re on our way. After that meeting, we’ll have an idea about Bohdan’s numbers and personnel. But I think we should check out locations so there won’t be any surprises.”
“Locations?”
“Rodland didn’t mention that the branch in the Highlands still exists? I think the rail yard does, too. If Bohdan goes for the story, then he’ll be heading up there.”
“And expecting us to be there, too.” She grinned. “Counting our ill-gotten loot?”
“Presumably. We’ll probably still be safe in that area tomorrow. But once Bohdan makes a decision then he’ll be pouring men and weapons into the Highlands.”
“Then we’d better go tomorrow.” She closed the book and put it back on the shelf. “What time, Caleb?”
“Seven? I’ve got to talk to MI6 about a few emergency plans.” He held up his hand as he saw her frown. “Of which I’ll inform you when they come to fruition. Fair?”
“Fair.” She was beginning to get excited. “It’s coming together, isn’t it? And I’m eager to actually see the branch and see where it goes. Do you think that MacClaren’s mural train car will be there, too? That clerk said it was somewhere in the Highlands.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. But this isn’t actually the Highland yard, only a branch.” He was smiling. “But we can go hunting. I’ve been told I’m good at that.”
“I’ve heard rumors.” She took his hand as he helped her to her feet. “But be prepared, I might be the expert. I’ve got most of these Fiona facts memorized.”
“I’ll be prepared.” His hand tightened on hers. “Want to go and look at Cira’s treasures? Everything connected to Cira has always been special to you. Those jewels have been stuffed in that bank almost since the day MacDuff discovered where they were hidden. It must have been a long time since you’ve seen them.”
“Yes, it has. I remember how thrilled I was at the time.” The memories were flooding back to her. “It felt as if Cira was actually with us that day.” She suddenly turned and brushed a kiss on his cheek. “But we’ve seen so many things together, and most of them have been wonderful. And we have a chance to have a life that keeps on being just as wonderful.” She had turned and was running up the stairs. “I want that life, Caleb!”
* * *
The wire was in place.
Rodland carefully rechecked it. So far, so good. Then he leaned back in his chair and tried to listen critically. He was in the apartment across the street from the restaurant where the meeting was taking place. Adams had gone over the treasure story, shown Bohdan and Chiswick the photo of the jewels in the coffer, told them how he’d actually seen the safe in the train car where Caleb and Jane had placed it. He’d been amazingly persuasive for the last twenty minutes. But now he was going for the big guns. His voice was eager as he went in for the kill. “Why did I do it?” He repeated Bohdan’s question. “You’ve put a bounty on Caleb. I’m tired of everyone getting fat bonuses all around me. I want my share.”
“You haven’t complained before,” Bohdan said. “And this time you came to me. I find that…odd.”
“We’ve worked together in the past,” Adams said. “You’ve been pleased with the money I’ve poured into your pockets. I just got fed up with watching those stupid thugs you keep on call get all that cash when I knew that I deserved it more. So I set about figuring out how I could get you what you wanted.” He added silkily, “So you could pay me what I wanted.”
“And what did you decide to do?” Chiswick asked. “Don’t waste our time, Adams.”
“I used my brains instead of my muscles.” Adams’s voice was suddenly eager. “I asked myself why Caleb had stashed his woman at MacDuff’s castle, so I researched MacDuff and the fact that Caleb and the woman were frequent guests there. And then I found out about the treasure MacDuff had discovered several years ago and the fact that there were rumors of another treasure that was still out there in the hills just waiting to be found.”
“Go on.”
“You saw that photo of the treasure. The woman must have found it and was waiting for Caleb to come back to her. Then after you attacked the castle, he joined her at a deserted train station up in the hills. I followed them and located a train in the yard. I took the photo of the treasure. Yesterday I even had it verified by the same professor who examined the original treasure MacDuff found.” His voice became tense. “Don’t you understand? We can have it all. Caleb’s not going to leave that treasure. He’s going to stay there in that train yard until he can arrange to move it away from the castle. But you can come into those hills from the lakes to the north. Bring your men and go after what you want. Take the treasure and then do what you want with Caleb and the woman. All I want is the bonus you offered for catching Caleb, and a small portion of the treasure. That’s not too much to ask.”
“It sounds like a lot to me,” Bohdan said sarcastically. “You arrogant asshole.” He was silent. “But I might be persuaded to give you the bonus. Forget the percentage of the treasure. If I decide to take a chance that you’re not the stupid nerd I always thought you.”
“You’ll take the chance,” Adams said. “I can see how hungry you are. I’m hungry, too. Let me give you what we both need.”
Another silence. “He’s right, we could go to the Highlands by the northern route,” Chiswick finally said. “It would be fairly safe.”
Bohdan was cursing. “Send a man up to the Highlands and see if there’s any sign of Caleb. If he’s there, we’ll go after the treasure, too.” His voice was harsh. “We’ll head for the north tonight. It will probably take us all day to make our way down to MacDuff’s land from the lake country. And you’d better be right, Adams. Or you won’t live another day once we reach there.”
“I’m right.” Adams’s voice was a little high-pitched. “Do you think I’d take a chance if I wasn’t sure? You can trust me, Bohdan.”
“Yes, I can.” Bohdan’s tone was malicious. “Because you’re going with us.”
“I don’t do well on the trail. I thought I’d meet you when you reached—”
“Shut up. I’m tired of hearing your voice, Adams. Now get out of here.”
Rodland heard Adams’s breathing come sharp and shallow as he ran out of the office.
Rodland was already out of the apartment and in the car by the time Adams made it out of the restaurant and was running down the alley.
Adams jumped into the passenger seat. “Let’s get out of here. Did you hear him?” His voice was shaking. “This was a mistake. He’s going to kill me.”
“Not if you handle it right. You did a good job in there.” He was driving out of the alley and down a side street. “You’ll get the rest of your money, and you’ll never have to deal with Bohdan again.”
“He wants me to go with him and those butchers. I’ve seen what he lets them do to anyone he gets angry with. Sometimes I get nervous.” He moistened his lips. “He’d know if I was lying.”
“Just stay away from everyone when you’re on the road.” He was shaking his head vehemently and Rodland could see where this was going. “Take a chance. The cash is worth it.”
“I won’t do it,” Adams said. “Unless you’re able to find a way to go with me. You’ve said that you’ve done a lot of tracking. I want you nearby if I need you.”
And hold the son of a bitch’s hand all the way to the Highlands? Rodland thought in frustration.
“Do you hear me? I’m not going to risk my life. You have to do what I want.”
