Captive, p.8
Captive, page 8
Because as she’d spoken to Caleb it had occurred to her that she might have to go through this nightmare heading her way entirely alone…
* * *
Rome
“Seth Caleb.” Chiswick strode into Bohdan’s office and threw down a report on his desk. “I told you I’d find him.”
“It’s taken you long enough. You’ve bungled this incredibly, Chiswick,” Bohdan said sharply. “And you told me that you didn’t get any information about him out of Jennings before you killed him.”
“I didn’t, but I located his partner, Ray Pasternak, and he was more than willing to tell me what I wanted to know after I showed him the photos of what we did to Jennings. He was pissed off anyway because his buddies were ordered to back up Caleb and ended up dead.”
“Good. Stop bragging and tell me how quick I can get my hands on him. Where is the son of a bitch?” He was reaching for the report in front of him. “I’m going to—”
“The report’s not exactly about Caleb,” Chiswick said quickly. “Pasternak picked up some gossip from a Scotland Yard detective about a murder case he was sent to work on a few years ago at the request of some posh earl who was a friend of Seth Caleb’s.”
“How good a friend?”
“Good enough. Lord MacDuff gave Caleb a call and told him that Jane MacGuire, a woman Caleb was involved with at the time, might be a suspect. He dropped everything and was driving up to MacDuff’s estate in a matter of hours.” He tapped his finger on the photograph. “You can see why. Jane MacGuire. I wouldn’t kick her out of bed. Even if it turns out they’re no longer an item, it would be a weapon, wouldn’t it?”
“It might be. It wouldn’t be for me. A woman is just a woman. How fast can we get hold of her?”
“I’m checking on it. She’s an artist and lives in London. I’ve sent a man to track her down. In the meantime, I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to take a trip to MacDuff’s estate and see if I can find out what his connection is to Caleb. There’s a chance you might be able to use him. Caleb might not give a damn about those other agents we’ve been taking down.” He shrugged. “But he might pay attention if we hit him on a more personal level. MacDuff is supposed to be his friend. How do you think he’d react if we sent him MacDuff’s head? It might be just the goad we need to draw him out.”
“From what I’ve heard about Caleb he doesn’t need much goading,” Bohdan said dryly. “We just have to find the son of a bitch before he finds us.” He looked down at the photo again. “Though there’s something about breaking a woman that has an effect on some men. I’ve decided it has to do with the softness of their flesh and the way it reacts to pain. It could possibly bring up a sexual memory that confuses them.” His index finger moved across Jane’s face in the photo almost caressingly. “I’ve done a little experimenting with some of the whores here and it was interesting. I felt nothing, but it appeared to bother some of the other clients.”
But then Bohdan seldom felt anything, Chiswick thought. He was the coldest asshole on the face of the earth. He’d seen him torture one of his officers who had displeased him for three days in the square in the center of the city. He’d even offered a bonus to the man in the company who could come up with the most innovative way to inflict pain on the poor bastard. Chiswick couldn’t understand it. Torture had always been a means to an end to him. You did it to get what you wanted and then you disposed of the victim and walked away. Anything else was a waste of time. But of course, he’d never let Bohdan know how he felt. In Bohdan’s army there were no opinions except Bohdan’s. It wasn’t safe. “So do I go and see what I can find out in Scotland?”
“Try London first. The woman looks more promising.”
And he probably wanted to do more experimenting, Chiswick thought cynically. “Whatever you say.” He headed for the door. “I’ll have answers for you by tomorrow.”
* * *
MacDuff’s Run
Next Day
“I need you down here,” MacDuff said impatiently. “Right now, Jane. Drop whatever you’re doing and come and handle this package Caleb sent to make my life more difficult.”
“What package?”
“Sean Rodland. Don’t tell me he’s a surprise to you, too.”
“Not exactly. Caleb told me Palik was sending someone and that he was very efficient. But I can’t believe that you’d need help to handle anyone. What’s the problem?”
“I’m trying to decide whether to drown him or just throw him in the dungeon,” he said silkily. “But if you don’t come down and save him, I might call Caleb and tell him I’m going to send him gift-wrapped to Bohdan, and he can go after him.”
“I’ll be right down.” She cut the connection and was out of her room and running down the stairs. What the hell had Caleb done to her? She didn’t need problems with MacDuff after the sleepless night she’d just had.
MacDuff met her at the foot of the staircase. “That’s what I appreciate, cooperation and someone to realize who is presiding over things here at the Run. Evidently, Rodland has no conception of my position in the scheme of things.” He gestured to the man following him down the hall. “Sean Rodland. Jane MacGuire. Rodland was sent by Palik and strolled down here from the hills bold as brass to pay you a visit.” His lips tightened. “Though I don’t know how the hell he got on the property. I was about to ask him and tell him that no one sees you without going through me first. Perhaps you can explain it to him, Jane. You know what a reasonable, peaceful man I am.”
“When you get your own way.” She glanced at Rodland and then did a double take. He was possibly the most alive and intense individual she had ever seen. Lean and muscular, blue eyes, dark hair, cut close to keep from curling, and a lazy smile that was both warm and appealing. In spite of her irritation, she found herself smiling back. “You’re Sean Rodland? What did you do to MacDuff? I won’t have you being rude to him.”
Rodland shook his head. “I wouldn’t think of being rude to His Lordship, Ms. MacGuire.” He had a decided Irish accent. “He must have misunderstood.” He added solemnly, “But I had my orders, and I don’t deviate. I thought it only fair to advise him so that he could make adjustments.”
“I could make adjustments,” MacDuff repeated. “Did you hear that? I was generously telling him what role I might be able to give him in protecting the Run, and he wasn’t having any of it.”
“I have my orders,” Rodland repeated quietly. “Naturally I’ll be glad to help out if it doesn’t get in the way, but it can’t interfere.”
“Did it occur to you that I’m the one who gives the orders here?” MacDuff asked. “And no one makes a move without them. What would you do then?”
“Find a way,” he said gently. “I’m very good at that. And I want you to know I’d do it with all courtesy, sir.”
“What a relief,” MacDuff said sarcastically. “I’d hate the idea that you’d be rude as well as—” He abruptly stopped in exasperation. Then he started to laugh. “I think I’ve decided on the dungeon, Jane.”
“You might ask what his orders are first.” Jane was gazing at Rodland appraisingly. She was beginning to get an idea. “And he wasn’t really rude to you. Occasionally it’s good for you to have someone who won’t kowtow to you.”
“I beg your pardon?” He turned back to Rodland. “So okay, what were your orders?”
“To take care of Jane MacGuire,” Rodland replied. “Nothing must happen to her while she’s on my watch.” He smiled at Jane. “And it won’t. I guarantee it. But I can’t have my attention drawn anywhere else or I’ll hear from Palik. He gave me strict orders that I was to obey no one but her.” He made a face. “Which is most unusual for Palik. But he was on edge, and I owe him big time. I wasn’t about to argue.”
“Except with me,” MacDuff said sourly. “And I evidently don’t count if Seth Caleb is on the scene. I take it Palik’s nerves were due to Caleb?”
“I wouldn’t know, sir,” Rodland said. “I suppose it could be considering that Caleb is a valuable client. But Palik doesn’t confide in me.”
“Or anyone else.” He glanced at Jane. “Is this all right with you?”
“Or you’ll toss him in the dungeon?”
“I’m thinking about it. It would be interesting to see if he’d manage to escape. I don’t like the way he got past my guards. He’s a little too sure of himself.” His gaze narrowed on Rodland’s face. “I don’t believe I like it.”
“You’d like it if he was taking orders from you. You always appreciate confidence,” Jane said. “And I’m not in the mood for you to set any traps to punish him for doing what he was told. Let him alone, MacDuff.”
“Because he’s actually taking his orders from Caleb?”
She turned on Rodland. “Are you?”
He shook his head. “He took the time to give me an in-depth description of MacDuff’s Run when I asked, but my orders actually came from Palik. Caleb was in a hurry to get on his way to Naples.”
She gazed at him for a long minute. Why not? she thought recklessly. She could at least explore the possibility. He might be the key she’d been searching for during that sleepless night. She turned back to MacDuff. “Then he’s working for me. I rather like the idea of someone actually doing what I tell them to do. It might be pleasant not to worry about having every male on the property keeping an eagle eye every time I step out the door.”
He frowned. “That might still happen.”
She pressed her index finger on his chest. “Then I might be the one to toss someone into your dungeon.”
MacDuff suddenly grinned. “Now, I’d pay to see that.” He turned on his heel. “I’ll let you have your guard dog as long as he doesn’t get in my way. The minute he does, he’s out of here.” He glanced over his shoulder at Rodland. “And if you make a mistake with Jane, you won’t make another one. I’ll see you at dinner, Jane. I hope you won’t insist on inviting him to be your taste tester.”
“You can never tell,” she said, deadpan.
He shot her a resigned glance before he went out the door.
“How close was I to that dungeon?” Rodland asked.
“Not too close,” Jane said. “He wanted to make a statement because things haven’t been going his way lately.” She shrugged. “But he doesn’t bluff, so don’t even think about that.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.” He turned and looked at her. “So why did you decide to save my ass?”
“I told the truth: I like the idea of having someone to boss around if I find it necessary. I’m feeling a bit…smothered.”
“I can understand that.” He was studying her. “And?”
“You didn’t back down to MacDuff. I can’t say that for many people. He can be intimidating. And it occurred to me last night that I might need help to solve a particular problem. I remembered that Palik usually keeps men on his payroll who are trained to get things done. You impress me as being in that same category. Are you?”
“Perhaps. I don’t like to be pigeonholed. I prefer to stand alone.”
She shrugged. “Then I’ll make my own judgments. I’ll need you to answer a few questions. How did you get on the property without the guards intercepting you?”
“You might say it’s one of my specialties. I spent almost a year in the mountains of Afghanistan being hunted before they finally took me down. After I received Caleb’s basic instructions, it didn’t take me long to look the estate over and get my bearings.”
“How? Helicopter? Car? Boat?”
He didn’t speak for a moment. Then he replied slowly, “Boat.”
She frowned. “Then MacDuff will find it. We can probably scratch that off.”
He shook his head. “I was careful and tucked it away very neatly some distance from the castle. He’s welcome to try.” He added, “What difference does it make?”
“I need to know what I have to work with.”
“Now I have to ask a question. I’m curious about your ‘problem.’ Would it interfere with Palik’s directive?”
“Not to begin with, but it might escalate.” She met his eyes. “And it very well could cause him to have trouble with Caleb. He wouldn’t like that.”
Rodland gave a low whistle. “I can see that. I’ve not met many men that Palik wouldn’t want to cross, but Seth Caleb is one of them.” His eyes were suddenly gleaming with a hint of mischief. “What are you up to, Jane MacGuire?” he murmured. “I thought this job was going to prove boring. But now it’s taking on aspects that might be intriguing.”
“I’m giving you a chance to say no,” she said bluntly. “I may need to use you, and if I do, it won’t please MacDuff or Palik or Caleb.”
“Then why should I do it?”
“Because if you don’t, I’ll call MacDuff and he’ll find a way to make your life very uncomfortable here. And I’ll let Palik know that I don’t want you near me and won’t permit you on the property to do what he sent you here to do.”
“I can see that happening.” He was studying her. “Yet I’m not sure you’d do it. I think it would have to be very important for you to go to those lengths.”
Very perceptive, she thought. And as sharp as she’d first estimated. “It couldn’t be more important to me.”
“I believe you,” he said slowly. “Does that mean I might have to kill someone?”
“Of course not,” she said impatiently. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Just asking. I’d judge you to be very intense. What do you have in mind?”
“Only what you promised Palik you’d do. I’ve decided I need to leave MacDuff’s Run for a few hours. You’ll take me where I want to go. Do what I tell you. Keep me safe.” She paused. “And don’t talk to anyone about what you’re doing.”
“That last order is the one that could maybe get me seriously injured,” Rodland said. “The others are strictly in line with Palik’s directives. Would you care to tell me where I’m supposed to take you? I assume nowhere near Hugh Bohdan?”
“Nothing to do with Bohdan.”
“And what would you really do if I said no? Besides get me thrown into MacDuff’s dungeon.”
“Find a way to go by myself. It would just be easier if MacDuff thinks you’re with me.” She took a step closer to him. “Either way, it’s going to happen, Rodland. It has to happen.”
He was silent a moment. Then he shrugged. “I guess I’d better make certain it’s done right. When and where are we going? You said it involves blowing this magnificent family home of MacDuff’s for a time?”
She nodded. “But not right away. We’ll spend the afternoon over at the courtyard stables and you can help me look through some storage rooms for a few of MacDuff’s ancestral treasures. We’ll let MacDuff’s guards and stablemen see us working there.” Her lips twisted. “And that will also give me a chance to keep an eye on you and decide whether or not I’m making a mistake in trusting you. I’m not usually this impulsive.”
“That won’t give you enough time,” he said lightly. “I have hidden depths. Evidently so have you.” He gestured toward the door. “But we can both make the attempt. It should prove interesting…”
Chapter
6
Stable Courtyard
4:40 P.M.
When do I get to be a food taster?” Rodland asked her as he handed Jane another volume to add to the ones they’d already put in the box at the foot of the steps. “I’m getting bored. I need a little pizzazz in my life. I’m sure MacDuff would prefer me to risk my life imbibing cyanide rather than go blind going through all these moldy books. I think I’m developing an allergy.”
“Don’t be disrespectful.” She grinned. “MacDuff would be upset. I’ve told you the whole story about Fiona, and MacDuff’s belief that someday he’ll find some kind of proof that I’m one of his kin.” She took the book and leafed through it. “Or at least find that Fiona wasn’t thrown down a deep well by Papa dearest.”
“The MacDuffs don’t appear to be kind to their women. I don’t blame you for not wanting to claim them. You’re much better off sticking with me.”
“You can hardly blame MacDuff for my being a prisoner here. He’s doing everything he can to help keep me safe.”
“Well, I refuse to blame Seth Caleb,” he said dryly. “It’s not nearly as safe.”
“Then blame me. I’ve always been the captain of my fate. I make my own choices.” She shrugged. “Or stay out of it. It’s none of your business anyway.”
“But it is, since I agreed to go along with you into the great beyond.” He angled his head. “And I think I like you. Ordinarily I wouldn’t tolerate any form of blackmail, and you came close.” His eyes were gleaming slyly. “But I might forgive you if you tell me where the hell we’re going.”
“So you can decide whether you should change your mind?”
“No, I’ve already given my word. But I’d like to know if I need to make preparations. Particularly since MacDuff might decide I took a bribe from Bohdan and intend to kidnap you. Is that too much to ask?”
She slowly shook her head. “But I told you Bohdan has nothing to do with this.” She hesitated and then said, “I want you to take me to Kilgoray, a small village about ten miles down the coast from here. There’s something I want to do there, and it shouldn’t take more than an hour. Then we’ll be back on our way to MacDuff’s Run.” She added mockingly, “No villains waiting in the shadows. Just farmers and merchants and a friendly pub where I can park you while I go about my business.”
“You never mentioned going off and leaving me. We should talk about that.”
“I’ll be within view the entire time,” Jane said. “For heaven’s sake, I told you, it’s a small village. I’ve no intention of letting anything happen to me. If I thought there was any danger, I’d find another way to do this. You were only a convenience.”
