The Face of Deception (17 page)

I cant believe they let Donnelli live to black-mail them. Why didnt they just force him to give up the tape and the skull?

He told them he put a copy of the tape and an explanation in the hands of a lawyer, who would send it immediately to the media if he disappeared or died of unnatural causes.

Then he died of a heart attack, and his son did disappear.

But they werent responsible, so they had to assume Donnelli Junior had made a better deal. I imagine the hunt for him was pretty intense. I was careful, but there might have been something that led them to believe Donnelli might have made con-tact with me. He shrugged. Maybe not. It could be they were looking for anything or anyone suspi-cious and I set off the alarm bell.

Its incredible. Why would they do away with Chadbourne?

I have no idea. I can only guess. He shrugged. Lisa Chadbournes a unique woman. Some people say that she would have made a better president than her husband. But the consensus is that the country isnt ready to accept a woman president yet, so she has to work behind the scenes. It must have grated on her to always stay in the background. And Ben Chad-bourne was a strong man himself. Maybe she wanted more control over him. More control of the country.

Thats a lot of maybes.

Theyre all I have to give you. All I can tell you is that I believe it happened. Will you do me a favor? Go to the library and pop in the videotapes in the top desk drawer. There are three of them with recent Chadbourne speeches and press conferences. Ive edited them for comparison. Id appreciate it if youd try to watch with an open mind.

And what do you expect me to see?

Just watch them.

Its crazy. Like some kind of

What can it hurt?

She was silent and then jerkily nodded her head. Okay. She headed for the door. Ill watch them.

As soon as she left, Logan crossed to the desk and dialed Gil at the carriage house. Shes finished. The skull is Chadbourne.

Gil cursed softly. I dont know why it comes as a shock. We knew it probably would be.

Hell, I watched her doing it and I felt the same way when I saw it.

How is she taking it?

Multiply your reaction by about a million and youd come close. Shes not sure she believes me. Cant blame her. I wouldnt after all the deceptions Ive laid on her. At least she agreed to look at the tapes. After she finishes, Ill have another go at her.

Do we have time?

God knows. But the ID on the skull is just the first crack in the door. We still need her and we need her to believe hes Chadbourne. After that, every-thing will fall in line. Are you ready to go?

Yep.

Tell Mark and Margaret to pack up everything. Get them out of here as soon as possible.

Done.

Logan replaced the receiver and moved to stand before Chadbournes skull. Poor bastard. He didnt deserve this fate. Logan had never agreed with his politics, but he had liked the man. No one could help but like Ben Chadbourne. He had dreamed dreams and tried to turn them into reality. He lacked practi-cality and probably would have increased the na-tional debt astronomically, but there werent many men who dreamed at all these days.

And those who did usually ended like this man staring back at him with bright glass eyes.

ELEVEN

It couldnt be true.

Chadbournehellip;

Eves gaze was fastened on the TV screen. The last tape was almost over. The face was the same, the mannerisms the same, even the voice and intonations seemed identical.

Lisa Chadbourne was present at almost every public function starting after November two years before, and Eve had begun to focus on her during the last tape.

Always charming, never losing her loving smile, her gaze always fastened on Chadbourne. Chad-bourne glancing frequently at her with affection and respect even in the midst

Eve suddenly sat upright in her chair.

She watched the tape for a few more minutes, jumped to her feet, and hurried across the room to rerun the tape from the beginning.

Shes signaling him, Eve said flatly when she walked back into the lab ten minutes later. A whole set of signals. When she smooths the front of her skirt, he cracks a joke. When she folds her hands on her lap, he gives a negative response. When she straightens the collar of her suit, its a yes. I dont know what the rest means, but those are pretty obvious. Whenever hes uncertain, she gives him the answer.

Yes.

You knew it. Why didnt you tell me to watch out for it?

I hoped youd find out for yourself.

Shes controlling him like a puppet, she said slowly.

Logans gaze narrowed on her face. And do you really believe the Ben Chadbourne who was elected to the presidency would let anyone else pull the strings?

She was silent a moment. No.

Then is it reasonable that man is not Ben Chadbourne?

Its not reasonable, its crazy. She paused. But it could be the truth.

Thank God. His sigh of relief came from deep in his chest. He moved toward the door. Pack up the skull. Theres a leather carrying case in the closet. Weve got to get out of here.

Not until we talk. You havent told me every-thing, have you?

No, well talk later. I dont know how much time we have right now. The only reason I risked staying this long is that I had to have your cooperation.

We do have time. For Gods sake, do you expect someone to break through those electric gates?

Maybe. His lips tightened grimly. It could happen. Anything could happen. Think about the power of the presidency. There isnt much that couldnt be covered up if you have enough clout. As long as they think they have Chadbournes skull, theyll go slowly, eliminate us one by one at their leisure. But as soon as they find out they have the wrong skull, theyre going to assume we have the right one. The gloves will come off. And theyll do anything to get the skull back and erase every witness.

A bolt of panic jolted through Eve. If she be-lieved that skull on the pedestal was Ben Chadbourne, then she had to believe the threat was as deadly as Logan said.

After all the lies he had told her, there was no way she could trust him, but she had created Chadbournes face with her own hands and mind. If she trusted her own skill and integrity, then she had to believe the skull was Ben Chadbourne.

She strode quickly across the room toward the pedestal. Get moving. Ill pack up the skull.

CHEVY CHASE

Kenner and six of his men will be here in ten min-utes in a chopper, Timwick told Fiske as he strode out of the lab. Youre going to Barrett House.

Fiske stiffened. I wont knuckle under to that prick Kenner again.

You wont have to knuckle to anyone. Its your game now. Kenners only instructions are to assist and clean up after you.

It was about time. Logan and Duncan?

And everyone else in the place. Margaret Wilson and the electronics man went to the airport earlier today. Well have to track them down later. Theyre relatively unimportant, or Logan wouldnt have per-mitted them to leave. But Price, Duncan, and Logan are still at Barrett House. Theyre your targets. Handle it any way you have to. We cant have anyone left alive who knows what they were doing there.

This was more like it. Clean and neat. Whoever Timwick had phoned clearly had more intelligence than he did. No witnesses?

No witnesses.

What the hell are you doing? Logan asked as he strode back into the lab carrying a duffel bag. That skull was supposed to be packed.

Eve repositioned the cameras. Taking some more shots of the head. I may need them.

Get them later.

Are you going to guarantee well be somewhere with technical equipment?

He hesitated. No.

Then, shut up. She took two more shots. Im hurrying as fast as I can.

We have to get out of here, Eve.

She took three shots of the left profile. That should be enough. Where are those photographs you said you had of Ben Chadbourne?

He reached into his duffel and brought out a brown envelope.

Are they current?

None taken more than four years ago. May we go now?

She stuffed the envelope in her purse, placed the skull in the leather box beside the pedestal, and fas-tened the latches. She pointed to the small metal box beside the cameras. Stuff that in your duffel. I may need it.

What is it?

Its the mixer. I can probably jerry-rig cameras, VCRs, and monitors, but a mixer is sometimes spe-cialized and more difficult. I may not

Never mind. Forget I asked. He picked up the mixer and put it in his duffel. Anything else?

She shook her head. Just grab Bens case. Ill get Mandy.

Mandy?

You have your priorities. I have mine. Mandys just as important to me as Ben Chadbourne.

Take whatever you like. Just get out of here.

Gil met them at the front entrance. Sorry, Ive got only one bag for you, Eve. With this shoulder, I cant manage anything else.

It doesnt matter. She started for the front door. Lets go.

Wait. Theres another Shit.

She heard it too. A low throbbing, becoming louder by the second. Helicopter rotors.

Logan went to the window. Theyll be landing in a few minutes. He ran toward the kitchen.

Eve followed him. Wheres Margaret? Weve got to

She and Mark left over an hour ago, Gil said. They should be at the airport by now. In three hours theyll be at a safe house in Sanibel, Florida.

Where are we going? Shouldnt we try to get to the limo?

No time. And theres bound to be someone watching outside the gate. Logan was opening the door of the walk-in pantry. Come on. He reached under one of the bottom shelves, lifted up a trapdoor, and tossed his duffel bag into the darkness. Dont ask questions. Just climb down the ladder.

She scrambled down the ladder and found herself in some kind of cellar with an earthen floor. Logan followed. Close the pantry door, Gil.

Done. Theyre in the house, John. I heard them at the front door.

Then get the hell down here and close the trap-door, John ordered.

Stand aside. Im tossing down the suitcase. A moment later the light was blocked as Gil closed the trapdoor and bolted it.

Running footsteps on the wood floor above them.

Shouts.

Where are we? she whispered. A cellar?

Yes, with a tunnel. Logans voice was almost inaudible as he set off down the passageway. You asked why I bought this particular house. It was used by the Underground Railroad to smuggle slaves out of the South before the Civil War. I had the beams rein-forced. The tunnel leads a half mile north and under-neath the fence to the woods. Stay close. I cant risk a flashlight until we get around the next curve.

He was walking so rapidly, she and Gil were al-most running to keep up with him.

They must be away from the house. She could no longer hear steps above them, she realized with relief.

Logans penlight suddenly illuminated the dark-ness in front of them. Run. Theyll be searching the house, and it wont be long before they find the trapdoor.

She was running, dammit.

Her breath was coming in labored pants.

She heard Gil cursing softly behind her.

He was wounded. How much longer could he keep up this pace?

Up ahead Logan was opening a door. Thank God.

Up the ladder.

Daylight.

A thick screen of shrubs hid the door, but light filtered through them.

Fresh air.

Outside.

Quick, Logan said. Just a little fartherhellip;

They followed Logan around the shrubs and deeper into the woods. Behind another screen of bushes, a car, an older model Ford with the blue paint beginning to chip.

Get in back. Logan placed Chadbournes case on the floor of the passenger seat and climbed in the drivers seat.

Eve sank into the backseat beside Gil and set Mandys case on the floor at her feet. She barely had the door shut, when Logan started the car and it began moving over the bumpy terrain. Jesus, what if they got a flat tire? Where are we going?

Theres a back road three miles away. Once we reach it, well circle the woods and head for the freeway. The car hit another bump. That should buy us a little time. Theyll probably use the heli-copter to try to spot us, but even if they do, the license plates on this car couldnt be traced to me.

If they even reached the road, Eve thought as they plowed over one more shrub.

Its okay. Gils gaze was fixed on her face. I had heavy-duty tires and a new engine put on this baby. Its not as decrepit as it looks.

Hows your shoulder? she asked.

Okay. He smiled slyly. But my spirits would be a hell of a lot better if it wasnt John doing the driving again.

No one in the tunnel. Kenner was climbing back up the ladder into the pantry. It leads to the woods. Ive sent two men to reconnoiter.