The Senator's Choice (22 page)

Daniels stood up and stamped his foot. “Tell me you wouldn
’
t do the same thing for Allie if the shoe were on the other foot and I
’
ll march out of this office right now.”

Blackledge looked down and took a deep breath. “I feel for you, Jeffrey. I do. But you know that
’
s just something I can
’
t do in good conscience. Half of my platform is built around environmental issues. I
’
ve got a state full of tree huggers and I have to keep them happy one way or another. I
’
m not ready to give up my seat just yet.”

Daniels glared at him. “I thought you were a friend.” He looked Blackledge up and down. “Apparently I was wrong.”

He headed toward the door and jerked it open, storming down the hall back toward his office.

Daniels looked at his watch. The vote was scheduled for one o
’
clock the next day.

Once he returned to his office, he picked up the burner and dialed Matthews
’
number. No answer. He decided against leaving a message on voicemail. He
’
d call him back later, perhaps after he had dinner with Sarah.

Daniels had less than twenty-four hours to figure something out — and he was fresh out of ideas.

CHAPTER 32

LUKE WRESTLED WITH THE BINDINGS on his arms and legs. Apparently, earlier Dave had heard his comment to Sam about watching
Criminal Minds
re-runs and how much he hated them. He glanced at the television and watched the intro to the show roll on the screen, blaring across the room. It was like fingernails on the chalkboard to him.

“Comfy?” Dave asked with a laugh.

Luke glared at him. “You
’
re gonna pay for this.”

Dave threw his head back and chuckled. “No, my friend. I
’
m going to
get paid
for this. And part of the way I ensure that I get paid is to make sure you are safe and secure.” He looked Luke up and down. “I
’
m pretty sure my latest job does the trick.”

“I swear, you
’
re going to rue the day you ever accepted this assignment,” Luke said as he twitched and turned in a futile attempt to free himself.

“Maybe I should jam something into your mouth as well,” Dave said with a sneer.

Luke bit his lip and seethed. He didn
’
t need to be gagged. Dave would eventually leave and Sam would come in the room — and maybe he could convince Sam that he needed some relief from the ropes rubbing his wrists and ankles raw. Of the three men who
’
d taken him captive, Sam seemed the most likely to still possess some semblance of a heart.

Dave walked up to the head of Luke
’
s bed and slapped him in the face before seizing his face with his hand. “Don
’
t ever try to escape again. I might not be so generous next time.”

Luke closed his eyes, unable to watch Dave
’
s crooked grin any longer.

“That
’
s right, kid. Get some sleep. It
’
ll all be over with tomorrow — one way or another.”

Dave plodded out of the room and turned the light out, leaving Luke to his own thoughts in a room lit only by the day
’
s fading sun.

***

AN HOUR LATER, Sam entered Luke
’
s room to check on him.

“You need anything?” Sam asked.

“If you turn the television off, I
’
d be eternally grateful,” Luke said as he struggled to sit up.

Sam clicked the television off. “I hate that show too.”

“
See, we
’
re not so different after all,” Luke said. He swallowed hard as he lied. He was nothing like Sam or Dave or Bill. They were monsters in their own right. He was nothing like them. But this was hostage survival 101 — make yourself more human, endear yourself to one of the hostage takers. It was a long shot, but it was better than lying around and feeling sorry for yourself, which is what Luke wanted to do. But he knew better.

He wondered what his dad might be feeling at the moment, all those mixed emotions swirling inside of him. Losing mom was one thing, but he knew his dad wouldn
’
t want to lose him, too. But was anyone coming for him?

Nearly four days into the kidnapping, it didn
’
t feel like it. Luke felt isolated, alone. It seemed like a battle he
’
d have to fight — and win — all on his own.

“Do you think you could help me shuffle down the hall to the bathroom?” Luke asked. “
I don’
t want to get you in trouble.”

“I
’
ll untie you,”
Sam said.
“When nature calls …” Sam let his words hang in the air.

Luke eyed the knife on Sam
’
s belt, praying for an opportunity to take it from him without him looking. Sam was his only ally and he didn
’
t want to jeopardize his only true human contact during this crisis — but that knife would bring him something far more valuable than a friendship with Sam would: it would bring him freedom.

Sam untied his hands and feet and ushered Luke down the hall toward the bathroom.

Luke started to unzip his pants when he realized Sam was still watching with the door wide open. “Do you mind?” Luke said.

Sam shook his head and turned around. “I
’
m sorry. Didn
’
t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Carry on.”

Luke pulled his pants down and stared as Sam
’
s knife. He
’
d palmed it while walking down the hall. It was a trick he
’
d learned from one of his friends at school — and for the moment, it spelled victory. He had a necessary tool
and
the element of surprise. He wondered how long it
’
d be before Sam realized his knife was missing. Luke slid the knife into his sock and sat down on the toilet.

Then he prayed a little prayer.

CHAPTER 33

SETH MATTHEWS ADJUSTED his sunglasses as the sun glistened off Sanders Fork. The lengthy tributary of the Colorado River — which intersected with the rough river less than a mile north of their location — provided a dichotomy of opportunity and challenge, equally daunting and alluring for his team
’
s plan to rescue Luke. If he had his druthers, they
’
d storm the cabin now in a blazing gunfight, one he was sure they
’
d win. But at what cost?

If he lost anyone, he
’
d never forgive himself. And if he lost Luke? He didn
’
t want to think about it. That was the most unacceptable outcome of all. He wondered how Senator Daniels was holding up given the circumstances.

If he
’
d ever answer his phone, I
’
d ask him myself.

But Matthews
’
attempts to reach his brother-in-law resulted in the phone going straight for voicemail — and he didn
’
t want to jeopardize anything with a message.

All five members of the team crouched low behind a stretch of tall weeds along the riverbank, creating a natural blind. The cabin was located about a hundred yards east on the other side of the water. It remained visible but the thick pines surrounding it created a healthy buffer.

“See anything, Jones?” Matthews asked.

Jones peered through his binoculars. “Not yet.”

“Any movement in the house,
Zellers?”

“I
’
m seeing some movement upstairs, shifting shadows — but I can
’
t make out any targets yet.”

“They
’
re not
all
targets,
”
Shepherd said.
“
My friend
’
s in there.”

“We all have a friend in there,” Matthews said as he tousled Shepherd
’
s hair.

“Don
’
t do that. You know I hate it when you rub my head,” Shepherd whined. He pulled a comb out of his back pocket and began combing his hair.

“Really, Shepherd?” Hammond asked. “We
’
re on a stakeout and you
’
re primping?”

Shepherd
’
s eyes narrowed as he glared at Hammond. He spoke slowly and deliberately. “Don
’t touch my hair.
” He stopped and then dug out a small metal object from the steel briefcase behind him. He held it up and smiled at it with delight. “I might put one of these in your sleeping bag tonight.”

“What is that thing?” Hammond asked.

“You don
’
t want to know — and if you do, it
’
s too late,”
Shepherd quipped.

“Okay, knock it off. Let
’
s focus, you two,” Matthews said. “Now, Shepherd, have you got anything in that briefcase of yours that
’
s useful? Anything that can get us some eyes and ears over there so we can find out what
’
s going on?”

“Do I ever,” Shepherd said as a grin spread across his face. He hoisted a device that looked like a small mosquito out of the briefcase and handed it to Matthews.

“What am I supposed to do with this thing?” Matthews asked.

“Nothing. But don
’
t worry
— this little guy won
’
t bite.”

“I
’
d rather know what he can do.”

“He
’
s equipped with a thermal imaging camera and can travel up to two kilometers at speeds of 40 miles per hour. He takes three hundred and sixty degree pictures and creates no more than four decibels of sound. I
’
m working on a cloaking device as well in case—”

“
So he
’
ll be able to show us how many people are in the cabin?” Matthews interrupted.

“Yes, sir. If we get lucky, maybe we can get him inside.”

Intrigued with the device, Hammond grunted. “This little thing can do all that?”

“All without getting caught,”
Shepherd said.
“It can even tag something so we can track it using GPS.”

Matthews snapped his fingers. “Well, work your magic, Shepherd. We need their vehicle marked, and we need to know how many people are inside. And we don
’
t have much time.” He gestured for Shepherd to take the device and pointed toward the house.

“Just give me a second.” Shepherd typed on his laptop for a few moments before a screen opened up that showed what the device was seeing. “Now we
’
re ready.”

Shepherd picked up a control device and flicked it on. Within seconds the device took flight and hovered toward the cabin. The team crowded around him as they all studied the images transmitted back to the computer.

“Does this thing have audio?” Matthews asked.

“I was getting to that before you cut me off,”
Shepherd said.

“Sorry. Just turn it up so we can hear it.”

The hum from the blades that helped the device fly wasn
’
t even audible.
“Are you sure it
’
s even on?
” Matthews asked.

“
Patience.
”

As the device neared the cabin, the front door swung open. Out walked a man talking on his cell phone. The sudden activity prompted Shepherd to land it on a tree and wait. And watch — and listen.

The video zoomed in on an upstairs window.

“That
’
s Luke,” Shepherd said excitedly.

“What
’
s that on his face?” Zellers asked.

Matthews clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. “Do you need to ask?” He paused. “Those savages have beaten him.”

“Those monsters,” Hammond said. “Wait till I get my hands on them.”

Shepherd changed the field of view, focusing on the lower portion of that house. A man exited through the front door.

“Who
’
s that?” Zellers whispered.

“
Dave Dumas,
” Matthews answered as they all stared at the screen. “Now, hush. Let
’
s listen to what he
’
s saying.”