Captive, p.9
Captive, page 9
“And what does Kilgoray have that the village here at MacDuff’s Run doesn’t have?”
“Privacy.” She raised her brows. “Satisfied?”
“Not at all. But I believe you’re satisfied you’re telling me the truth. That’s enough for me until we get to this Kilgoray, and I can look it over myself. That pub doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Not too boring? I have an idea that might be a saving grace as far as you’re concerned.”
“Possible.”
“More than possible. Why else do you work for Palik?”
His smile faded. “Because Seth Caleb sent me to him when I was wounded after he broke me out of a Taliban prison. He gave Palik orders to get me well because he wouldn’t let the Taliban win by claiming they’d killed me. Palik did what he told him, and after I got out of the hospital, I found Palik a fairly good boss to work for…and he usually lets me run my own show.”
“That would do it.”
He added, “I thought you’d understand. Since you clearly aren’t prone to going along with the status quo yourself. When are you going to let me sample the ale at that pub in Kilgoray?”
“Tomorrow evening. I want everyone here to become accustomed to the sight of us together. We’ll work in the stable again tomorrow afternoon and then after dark we’ll hit the boat dock and head for Kilgoray. As I said, we should be back here before dinner.”
“So that’s when I get to be the taste taster?”
“Why not?” she asked as she handed him another journal. “In the meantime, you’ll have another day of searching for Fiona. Do you agree?”
He thought about it. “Except about taking a boat from the dock. You’ll go down to the dock by yourself. Give me forty minutes and I’ll fetch the boat I brought to the property and stashed in a cave in the cliffs. I’ll pick you up on the other side of the castle. That will be much more efficient and less noticeable.”
“I might like my way better.”
“Too bad. Compromise.”
“What if this is some kind of trick?” she asked warily.
“I could ask the same of you.” He added, “You said Caleb told you I was being sent here. Do you trust him?”
“Yes.”
“So do I. And I might have more reason than you. But if you want your way, we both have to compromise.”
She studied him for an instant and then handed him the journal. “Okay. However, I’ll be taking my Smith and Wesson as part of my compromise. If I get suspicious, I’ll shoot you.”
He laughed. “Seems fair.” He reluctantly accepted the journal. “But I’d much rather forget about Fiona for a little while. I’m really not good with these journals. I’m totally brilliant with computers. You’d be amazed. You’re sure we can’t leave for Kilgoray a little early? This is beginning to be annoying.”
“Apply yourself. If you find anything interesting MacDuff might even forgive you if he finds out about our trip to Kilgoray.” She wrinkled her nose. “And maybe you can tell me what those dot-and-dash codes are that I keep running across.”
“Codes?” He opened the book. “Weird. Your Fiona wrote in code?”
“Maybe. I can’t figure it out. Neither could MacDuff.” She looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you grinning?”
He was laughing out loud now as his gaze went through the pages in front of him. “Because I was thinking how much I’m going to enjoy explaining these ‘codes’ to our brilliant Earl of MacDuff’s Run.”
* * *
Dining Room
MacDuff’s Run
8:40 P.M.
MacDuff was frowning as he glanced up from the latest Fiona journal they’d found that afternoon. “Railway tracks? Not like any tracks I’ve seen. It looks more like dots and dashes.”
“Because they’re a bit primitive,” Rodland replied. “Probably constructed back in Fiona’s day. And for some reason I don’t believe Fiona wanted anyone to know what she was drawing in those books.” His shoulders lifted in a half shrug. “But I’ve seen even more primitive rail track construction when I was in the mountains between Kashmir and India. When I was a prisoner of the Taliban, the commander made a deal with the Kashmir government for them to use Taliban prisoners to do the labor on that stretch of rail from the jungles of the southern villages to the mountains.” He made a face. “Using the cheapest materials, and half the time we had to clear the poisonous vipers out from between the spikes. Not a fun project. I was glad to see Seth Caleb when MI6 sent him with a team to raid the encampment and get us out of there.” He turned to Jane. “Caleb didn’t tell you about that?”
She shook her head. “Caleb seldom talks about anything he does for MI6 or any other organization. I suppose he believes it’s safer for me.” She changed the subject. “But why would you think that Fiona wouldn’t want anyone to know about those railroad tracks?”
“Just a guess. All the other details in what she’s drawn in her diaries and journals appear to be clean and legible. It just seems unlikely that she’d do those tracks clumsily.”
“And you could be wrong,” MacDuff said.
Rodland grinned. “But that would make you right and I don’t think I could bear the disappointment. Look at them closely and I’m sure you’ll see what I saw.”
“I suppose they could be tracks,” Jane said reluctantly. “I’ll go through her other books and compare them.” She shook her head. “For Pete’s sake, I’m an artist. It’s humiliating that I couldn’t identify those dashes as railroad tracks.”
“That she didn’t want you or anyone else to identify,” Rodland said. “Don’t feel bad. I’ve got a hunch Fiona was probably very clever. Maybe your friend MacDuff is right about the two of you having a close bond of some sort.”
“Rodland,” Jane said warningly.
“Just a thought.” He smothered a smile as he immediately got to his feet. “But I’ll leave you to have dinner and discuss it while I check out the courtyard and upper bedroom area.”
“Why don’t we invite him to dinner, Jane?” MacDuff mused. “Maybe he’s not as objectionable as I first thought.”
“No thanks,” Rodland said. “Not unless it’s to be your taste tester. You had the right idea to begin with. You mustn’t raise my hopes now that you’ve convinced me to know my place in the laird’s scheme of things.” He winked at Jane. “Enjoy.” He strolled out of the dining room.
“I could call him back,” MacDuff said. “He seems to have a good work ethic. Fergus said the two of you appeared to be working very hard today. And then he came up with the rail ties. Perhaps you should pay more attention to his opinion.”
“Since it agrees with your own?”
“Now that you mention it.” MacDuff’s smile was mischievous. “Though he did temper it with a dig or two about my lack of discernment, too. But I can forgive him that since he obviously didn’t want to make you look bad in contrast. Should I call him back?”
She thought about it before she shook her head. Not a good idea. She didn’t want MacDuff to become too impressed by Rodland. She’d already found how sharp he could be. She’d prefer he fade into the background as far as MacDuff was concerned until she got what she wanted at Kilgoray. “He does work hard, but I’ve no desire to have to deal with the two of you at the dinner table. You’re difficult enough. Besides, Caleb didn’t send him here to entertain you.”
“No.” He lifted his wineglass to his lips. “I just thought you might want to hear Rodland reminisce about his heroic rescue at Caleb’s hands. Since you said he never talks about his missions, I thought you might be feeling cheated.”
“No, you didn’t. You merely had a hunch you might have found a way to cause a little trouble.”
“Ah, caught again.” MacDuff laughed. “So you intend to continue to use Rodland as slave labor?”
“Certainly not. I don’t believe in slave labor. But he did agree to work with me to find out what I could about Fiona. I’ll have him help me go back through all of Fiona’s journals and try to figure out why she was enamored with railroad tracks. There’s one more storage unit at the stable that might tell us something. Perhaps another couple of days of research and we’ll have answers.”
“Or perhaps not.” MacDuff looked suddenly thoughtful as he stared at her expression. “I’ve never seen you quite this on edge and driven. You’re usually very cool. Look, I realize you have reason, but is there something I can do?”
So much for trying to act normal around MacDuff. He knew her too well. “No, I’m tired of worrying about Caleb. I’m being a bother to you and all your employees here at the Run. I feel guilty and I want it to stop.” She held up her hand as he opened his lips to speak. “But it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ll just keep busy working on Fiona. It will at least give me something to do. Now can we sit down and have dinner?”
“I’m not allowed to offer comfort or discussion?”
She shook her head. “You’re doing too much already. Just ignore me until everything miraculously straightens itself out or I get Caleb back. Okay?”
He sighed. “I imagine that means I can’t indulge myself with attacking Caleb for the duration of your time with me?”
She nodded. “Absolutely not. Just ignore me.”
“If you insist, but you’re all that’s made these weeks interesting.” He was holding her chair for her. “As a reward I believe it’s only fair that you consider selling me the Mist Child…”
* * *
Railroad tracks…
Jane stopped just as she started to climb the staircase to her room after dinner. She’d believed she’d dismissed the thought of Rodland’s guesswork about Fiona and the code that was no code. She should have known that it would stay with her. She hated what an idiot she’d been not to know what seemed obvious to Rodland. It was the second mistake she’d made about Fiona.
Railroad tracks.
That didn’t mean she had to make any more mistakes. She whirled on the stairs and ran back down. Not when MacDuff had a library overflowing with ancient books about the property and all of Scotland itself. Fiona might even have been exposed to some of those books at one time or another. Or not. That didn’t mean Jane couldn’t explore and learn and find out if there was anything in them that could help her unveil a little of the mystery that was Fiona.
God knows, she doubted if she was going to be able to sleep tonight.
Not when she had no idea what was waiting for her tomorrow at Kilgoray.
* * *
“You were right to tell me to go after the woman,” Chiswick said when Bohdan picked up the phone later that night. “I just spent an interesting few hours with Jane MacGuire’s agent, Felicia Dillard, at her apartment in London. I couldn’t get in touch with MacGuire herself.” His voice was filled with satisfaction. “But it didn’t really make a difference because I got what you wanted. Seth Caleb goes to all MacGuire’s exhibits, and Dillard is sure that they’re lovers. At the moment she’s a guest at the estate of John Angus MacDuff, the Earl of MacDuff’s Run. That was the friend of Caleb’s who called him when he thought MacGuire was in trouble a couple years ago. So he might still be watching out for her.” He added softly, “Or Caleb could possibly be there, too, and we might be able to gather both of them in.”
“Or MacGuire could be MacDuff’s mistress and Caleb might not give a damn about her any longer,” Bohdan said sarcastically. “He probably got bored with her and gave her to MacDuff. Two years can be a lifetime. She might not be any use to us at all.”
“That’s not what her agent said,” Chiswick replied. “I spent a long time questioning Felicia Dillard and she swore that Caleb was still MacGuire’s lover.” He chuckled. “I even used some of your special techniques to make certain she was telling the truth. I knew you’d be skeptical. I guarantee that she wouldn’t have lied after what I put the bitch through.”
“You’re an amateur. You should have left her for me.”
“You were in a hurry. You’ll have MacGuire soon enough. I didn’t want to bother keeping Dillard alive when there was no reason. I got the information and then took her for a ride on a yacht I rented to go up to bonnie Scotland and scout out MacDuff’s Run. Unfortunately, if MacGuire survives, she’ll have to get another agent.”
“She won’t survive.”
“I didn’t think so. That’s why I didn’t want to have to deal with Felicia. I’m on my way to check out MacDuff’s Run, and exactly who is guarding it. If Caleb had anything to do with it, I imagine it’s been upgraded by now. He probably pulled in MI6. I did a little initial probing and got info about the general setup of the estate. The number of people occupying the castle and the village. It depends on how many additional guards are there, if we’re going to get lucky with Caleb as well as Jane MacGuire.” He paused. “I believe we have a chance to reel them in. I know there’s no way you want anyone to touch Caleb but you. But we both know how lethal he can be. If I get a chance, can I take him down?”
“Hell, no,” he snarled. “Not unless you want me to cut your nuts off. He’s mine. Stake out the place, get me the information, and I’ll go in and take him down.” But Chiswick might actually be close this time, he thought. He could feel the blood pumping through his veins as he considered it. It had been years since anyone had humiliated him the way Caleb had. He couldn’t wait to pound that son of a bitch into the ground. “But I’m going to trust you on this, and you’d better not fail me. I’ll be leaving Naples in a couple of days to join you. I’ll call you when I’m near enough to rendezvous with you at MacDuff’s Run.” He concluded, “So get your ass in gear and do your job,” then pressed DISCONNECT.
* * *
Courtyard Stable
Next Day
“It’s about time you got here.” Jane’s tone was caustic as Rodland came down the steps to the storage unit. “It’s almost two in the afternoon. Where have you been? So much for devoting your entire time to guarding me even if it meant battling MacDuff.”
“Stop complaining. MacDuff told me he was sending Fergus to watch over you.” He dropped to his knees beside her. “Besides, it was entirely your fault. I ran into MacDuff on my way here this morning and he was actually fairly civil to me.” He made a face. “Though he does have a puckish sense of humor and insisted that he show me the dungeon that he’d been threatening me with during our first encounter. When we got there, he bet me that I wouldn’t have been able to get out of the damn place.” He shrugged. “What could I do? I had to prove my worth, didn’t I? He wouldn’t have trusted you with me if I hadn’t.”
“So you let him lock you up?”
“It seemed the best thing to do.” He grinned. “But I made sure that it would work for us.”
She was frowning. “You got out of the dungeon?”
“His dungeon was a piece of cake after the prisons I’d occupied in Afghanistan. They didn’t know how to build them right in the good old days. But I deliberately stalled for an hour or two to make MacDuff feel good about how hard I was finding it. Then I was duly humble when I supposedly discovered the way out of his precious hoosegow. Though I let him know how upset you were going to be because I’d wasted all that time and we’d probably both have to work late going through these diaries. That should give us a little extra time if Kilgoray takes longer than you think it will.”
“It shouldn’t. But you’re right, it could help.” She smiled. “I guess perhaps I’ll forgive you for keeping MacDuff amused all morning.” She added thoughtfully, “But don’t be too sure that MacDuff was fooled. I’ve been in that dungeon, and he knows it’s possible to get out. He might have known you were playing him. He’s very sharp.”
He nodded. “There was always that possibility. However, I think there’s a decent chance that he was. If he wasn’t, then he was in a mood to let me play a game that he also enjoyed. At any rate, even though I’d won the bet he took me back to the castle for a brandy and we parted on good terms. That’s not bad.” He asked curiously, “You were in that dungeon?”
She shrugged. “I couldn’t resist. My father, Joe, is a detective and an expert in any number of restraint techniques from handcuffs to safes. He spent a summer when I was a teenager teaching me. It was great fun.”
“And so was showing up MacDuff when you came here?”
“We were friends, he was glad that I’d been taught a skill. It wasn’t a game between us. I wouldn’t have tried to show him up. But never underestimate him.”
“I won’t. I’m glad you warned me.” He gazed at the pile of volumes on the floor beside Jane. “You found more Fiona journals?”
She shook her head. “Historical books from MacDuff’s library. I went over most of them in my room last night, but I wanted to compare the contents with entries from Fiona’s diaries and journals. These are very good. They go back to the time of Cira and her arrival in a very savage Gaul from Herculaneum.”
“Cira. I’ve heard you mention her before.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. Even after two thousand years she still seems to dominate the Highlands and the MacDuff family. She wasn’t only colorful, but also the protectress. She’s always fascinated me.”
“Interesting. Maybe I’ll glance through it.”
“Careful. Cira’s never light reading. But you might be amused by some of the stories about her legendary treasure troves. However, you’d probably do better to check the more modern allusions in this book.” She made a face. “Those include any known references to railroads in the area at the time Fiona MacDuff was living near MacDuff’s Run.”
“It doesn’t surprise me you’d latch onto those rail tracks. Did it sting a little?”
“Of course it did. Now I have to know all about them.” She tilted her head. “And I’m getting there. The first railroads were built in England and Scotland between 1802 and 1826. From that time on it became the primary form of transportation in both areas. But I wasn’t interested in general history, I wanted to know why Fiona would have been intrigued by them.” She frowned thoughtfully. “And why she didn’t want anyone to know that she was.”
