The Senator's Choice (21 page)

“What? Did my
devilishly
good looks give away my final destination?”
Hammond quipped.

“Let
’
s get in the truck. We
’
ve gotta get out of here before somebody sees us or the fire department or local law enforcement arrives and starts asking questions we don
’
t have any business answering.”

Matthews didn
’
t wait for the final door to slam before he jammed his foot on the gas and left the burning structure behind. He whipped the vehicle onto the main road and headed back toward the airfield.

“Any progress, Shepherd?” Matthews asked.

“Actually, I think I
’
ve got something.”

“Seriously?”

“So, I had to run a cross analysis of all the executives on the Ophion payroll likely to be able to afford a home in such a remote location with all the properties west of the Mississippi River since I
’
m using the factor that the kidnappers weren
’
t likely to retrace their steps again based on the probability of—”

“English, Shepherd. Just spit it out in English,” Matthews growled.

“I found a home located in Colorado due west of Denver that would fit the description in the Arapaho National Forest. The property even has a helipad.”

“Can you get visual confirmation that there
’
s a helicopter there right now?”

“
Give me a second.
” Shepherd pounded on his laptop keyboard. “Satellite imaging coming online.” He paused. “Yes, yes, I can. There is a helicopter there right now, though I can
’
t confirm if it
’
s the same one.”

“It
’
s the same one,” Matthews said. “Trust me.” He smiled for the first time in a few days, forgetting for just a minute the stakes and enjoying the hunt and the momentary pleasure of getting ahead of Luke
’
s kidnappers.”

He rubbed his face and let his grin grow. “
Boys, we
’
re gonna go get Luke back.”

Hammond broke into his falsetto voice and started crooning John Denver
’
s “Rocky Mountain High.” It didn
’
t last long. Matthews plugged in Shepherd
’
s phone and cranked up Rachmaninoff. He looked in the rearview mirror and watched Shepherd swaying to the strings with his eyes closed.

For once, no one complained.

CHAPTER 31

SENATOR DANIELS APPROACHED the pre-check security line at the Port Columbus International Airport but froze when he heard his name called by a familiar voice.

“Jeffrey! Jeffrey! Wait!” He spun around to see Sarah Roberts hustling toward him, suitcase in tow.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“
You weren
’
t going to leave without me, were you?”

“
Well, I
— you see, I—” he stopped and stared down at his shoes. “The truth is Sarah, I
’
ve been under a lot of stress this week and I didn
’
t want to trouble you.”

She folded her arms and cocked her head. “So you just thought you
’
d take off to Washington a day early without me? You know I
’
m here for you and you wouldn
’
t be burdening me with anything.”

“I know, but—”

She stamped her foot. “There
’
s not a single excuse that I
’
m going to accept. We
’
re in this thing together, me and you. That
’
s how couples work. At least, that
’
s now how
we
’
re
going to work.”

He smiled and shook his head. “
I don’
t know what I was thinking, Sarah. You know I want you by my side. You
’
re my best friend and I know you care.”

She stepped forward and gave him a hug. “So, before we get on this plane, share your burden with me.”

Daniels
’
face fell. “As much as I want to, I
’
m not sure I can, especially not here.”

“Why not?”

He glanced around the airport. “Security reasons.” He paused. “Why don
’
t I make a deal with you? I
’
ll tell you tonight over dinner? Capitol Grill?”

Her eyes widened. It was her favorite restaurant. “Deal.”

“Now, let
’
s hurry up before we miss our plane.”

***

AFTER DANIELS KISSED SARAH goodbye at the Washington National Airport baggage claim, he found his driver and headed to his office. He had a late afternoon meeting with Howard Blackledge, the kind of meeting he couldn
’
t afford to be late for.

Daniels once received a signed photograph of Bernie Bierman, who led Minnesota to three straight national titles in the 1930s and five overall. He
’
d tucked it into his briefcase before he left as a present for Blackledge. He didn
’
t care if he looked desperate — he just needed something to break the ice, something to remind his compatriot across the aisle that he was human, too.

Once he arrived, Daniels wasted no time in gathering his things from his office and heading down the hall to meet Blackledge. He nodded to the secretary as she waved him in.

“He
’
s expecting you,” she said.

Daniels nodded and opened the door.

“Jeffrey, how the heck are you?” Blackledge said as he offered his hand.

Daniels shook his hand and forced a smile. “I
’
m all right, but I
’
ve been better.”

“How are the boys?”

Daniels sighed.
“They
’
re surviving for the moment.” He paused. “What about you? How
’
s your daughter doing? I heard Allie made the All-ACC lacrosse team at Duke?”

Blackledge beamed. “You heard correctly. She
’
s quite the player. She even got accepted to Northwestern
’
s business program next year.”

“Does she want to be closer to home?”

“Not close enough for her mother
’
s tastes. She says Minnesota has a fine business program, but it
’
s not good enough for Allie. She
’
s set on greatness.”

“She takes after her father.”

Blackledge laughed.
“Well, you sure are buttering me up.”

“I
’
m not done,” Daniels said as he handed Blackledge the picture of the Minnesota coach.

“Is this really Bernie Bierman
’
s signature?
”

“I wouldn
’
t bring you a fake.”

“Wow. This is amazing. I can
’
t wait to put this up.” He paused. “So, what can I do for you?”

Daniels sat down. “
I don’
t really know how to say this, Howard, but none of this can leave the room. Do you understand?”

Blackledge nodded. “Go on.”

“So, as you know I
’
ve been championing the big pipeline vote tomorrow and see it as an opportunity to get people in my state back to work and—”

Blackledge threw his hands up. “Now, wait a minute. If you came here to convince me to join you, you
’
re wasting your time. There
’
s no way I can vote for that thing. My constituency will throw bricks threw my office window in Minneapolis.”

“Listen, Howard. I am but I
’
m not.”

“Come again?”

“Luke
’
s been kidnapped.”

Blackledge
’
s jaw dropped. “Kidnapped? By whom?”

“I can
’
t get into all that right now, but it
’
s somebody that doesn
’
t want this pipeline to go in for a number of reasons — like millions of them.”

“Have you involved the authorities?”

“They warned me if I did, they
’
d kill him.
”

Blackledge leaned forward. “But you
’
re doing something, right?”

“That
’
s why I
’
m here.”

“Well, what do you need?”

“
Your vote.
”

Blackledge huffed,
“I thought I just told you it was off limits.”

“I understand that, but what if I told you that I
’
d trade votes for you? Maybe you can spin it somehow as something good for the people of Minnesota.”

“Trade votes? What do you mean by that exactly?”

Daniels leaned forward and tapped his foot. “What I mean is that I
’
d cast a vote against the pipeline. It
’
s going to pass anyway, Howard. Can
’
t you help me out?”

“Now, wait a minute. It
’
s going to pass anyway? How do you know that?”

“I know where all the votes fall — that
’
s part of the reason for the target on my back and, subsequently, Luke
’
s back, too.”

“I
’
m not sure if I can do that,” Blackledge said as he shook his head.

“They
’
re going to kill Luke,” Daniels said as he rose to his feet and stamped his foot.

“
Kill
him? Really?”

“That
’
s what they
’
re threatening to do. And they have the money and the resources to get away with it. But I
’
m supposedly going to get him back if I cast my vote against it, regardless of the outcome.”

“And you believe the kidnapper?”

“Hope is all I
’
ve got at this point — and it
’
s a strong motivator.”

“
I don’
t know, Jeffrey. That
’
s a big gamble for me to take. I
’
d be the deciding vote if what you
’
re saying is true.”

“But they
’
re going to kill Luke. What would you think if Allie
’
s life were on the line? Would you be so worried about a political career?”

Blackledge buried his head in his hands and sighed. “Look, I get where you
’
re coming from, but I just can
’
t do it — out of principle.”

“To hell with principles, Howard. This is Luke
’
s life we
’
re talking about. It
’
s one stupid vote. You
’
ve overcome plenty of those in the past.”

Blackledge
’
s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were trying to win me over.”

“I understand. I wish it were easy, but it
’
s not. I
’
d save Luke myself if I could. But as it stands, I can
’
t. So, I
’
ll do anything to save Luke.”

“And that
’
s why they picked on you.”

“Now
’
s not the time to lecture me on my shortcomings as a senator.”

Blackledge sighed.
“We all have them. Every decision, every vote — each one is scrutinized, parsed by the press. But we knew that when we signed up for this role. And I
’
m not willing to bow my knee to the will of some homeland terrorist. It
’
ll only make us all susceptible to such antics in the future.”

Daniels felt his face getting hot. “You honestly think this is the first time this has ever happened? Desperate people do desperate things.”

“Yourself included — like ditching your convictions to save your son.”