The Senator's Choice (9 page)

In the living room, all the men crowded around the wide-screen monitor hanging from the ceiling —
and Shepherd.

“Space, people. We
’
re not taking turns on my microscope,”
Shepherd snapped.

“Did he just say what I think he said?” Jones said with a wry smile.

“Drop it, Jones,” Matthews said. He turned toward Shepherd as the men took several steps back. “Tell us what we
’
re looking at here.”

Shepherd stood to the right of the screen and began explaining. “So, I was able to hack into a few feeds and narrow down where these guys who kidnapped Luke were going. And it
’
s not Kobol, thank God.”

Zellers leaned over toward Jones. “Kobol?”

“It
’
s a
Battle Star Galactica
reference,”
Jones said.
“You know, Kobol, the distant planet where man originated from?”

Zellers leaned back and stared at Jones. “How do
you
know that?”

“Guys, pay attention,” Matthews said.

“So, where are they headed?” Hammond asked.

“I have many skills, but mind-reading isn
’
t one of them,”
Shepherd said.
“However, I located them heading east about two hours outside of Columbus on I-70 traffic cams.”

“Grab your gear,” Hammond said. “
We don’
t have any time to waste.”

Shepherd stamped his foot. “But I was just getting to the good part.”

“And what
’
s that?” Zellers asked. “The fact that they traded in the Camry for a spaceship?”

Shepherd glared at Zellers.
“No. It
’
s who I think they are.”

Zellers began gathering essential items and stuffing them into his pack. “Let
’
s load up. We
’
ll discuss this on the way.”

***

HAMMONDS AND ZELLERS took the lead SUV, followed by Jones, Shepherd and Matthews in the other. In a matter of minutes, they were both flying down I-70. Matthews
’
reasoning behind the two-car cavalcade was if they happened to get pulled over, at least one could continue on without incident. He
’
d never been given a chance to test his theory —and hoped he never would.

“So, what have you got, Shepherd?” Zellers said.

“Hopefully, a good picture of what you guys will be up against on the ground,” Shepherd responded through his com link.

“And that is—”

“Ophion
’
s hired hands.”

“Wait. Ophion? The investment company?”

“That
’
s the one.”

“What would they want in all of this?”

Shepherd pounded away on his keyboard and accessed several files he decrypted. “Ophion thought they could throw us off the trail since they were the ones who reported the Camry stolen — but it was their own car. I managed to get one good shot from a traffic cam of the driver and you wouldn
’
t believe who
’
s running this kidnapping operation.”

“Unless it
’
s Spock, I
’
ll believe anything,”
Jones said.

“
Funny, Jones,
”
Shepherd snapped.
“I ran the images through facial recognition and came up with Bill Franklin.”

“Bill Franklin? Of the Oak Creek murders?” Hammond asked.

“Oak Creek is just his most famous handiwork,”
Shepherd said.
“He
’
s been accused of more than a dozen murders, mostly of crime syndicate lieutenants. The Oak Creek deaths are the only ones that brought his name public. Law enforcement aren
’
t really concerned with someone picking off mafia members. But he crossed the line at Oak Creek. Those two girls were innocent.”

Matthews patted his star researcher on the shoulder. “That
’
s what you think.”

Shepherd turned toward Matthews and looked stunned. “What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, what are you talking about?” Hammond asked over the com.

“It
’
s not important right now,” Matthews responded. “But what is important right now is understanding just how dangerous Bill Franklin is and what he
’
s capable of as it pertains to Luke Daniels.”

“How many people were working with Franklin?” Hammond asked.

“I can
’
t say for certain since I was never able to find a clear shot of the vehicle, but there appears to be at least four people in the vehicle.”

“So, three hostiles and Luke?”

“Maybe,” Matthews cautioned. “We can
’
t make any assumptions at this point. We know what we know.”

“And what do we know about Ophion?”

Shepherd cleared his throat. “I know that they are a group that doesn
’
t mind hiring out someone to do the dirty work for them.”

“But
this
kind of dirty work?”

“Right now, it appears that they are more than capable of hiring Franklin and a couple of thugs to kidnap Luke.”

“But to what end?” Hammond asked.

“We can
’
t concern ourselves with the why at this point — only the what. And now we have to figure out how we
’
re going to get Luke back.”

***

THE NEXT TWO HOURS ticked by despite the fact that the team was flying down I-70 at 85 miles per hour. The team pressed on in silence until Shepherd shattered it with a shrill scream.

“Turn around now!”
Shepherd squawked.

“What was that?” Hammond asked through his com link.

“
Just a Shepherd moment,
” Matthews said as he watched Shepherd motion rapidly with his hand for Jones to turn the vehicle around. “I think there
’
s something he wants us to see.”

“What is it, Shepherd?” Zellers asked.

“I
’
ve been reviewing all these traffic cams to make sure we haven
’
t lost these guys, and they stopped at that exit back there and got gas. We must turn around.”

“Calm down, Shepherd,” Matthews said. “Did they get off at that exit and go somewhere else?”

“No, they kept going, but we need to check it out.”

“That only gives Franklin more of a lead, Shepherd,” Hammond said. “Let
’
s think about this.”

No, he
’
s right,” Matthews said. “We need to go back and check out that gas station.”

“
We don’
t have time to sift through security footage,” Zellers said.

“Of course, not. But perhaps Luke left us a clue.”

“Why do you think he left us a clue?” Hammond asked.

“Because I taught my nephew how.”

Hammond sighed.
“You
’
re the boss,” he said as he swung the vehicle around and did a U-turn in the interstate median. Jones followed suit.

Matthews
’
phone rang. It was the senator.

“What can you tell me?” Senator Daniels asked.

“At this point, not much more about Luke,” Matthews said. “We think we know who
’
s got him but we
’
re not sure why. Does the name Ophion ring a bell to you?”

Silence.

“Senator, are you there?” Matthews asked.

“Yes, I
’
m here — and, yes, Ophion does mean something to me. But I don
’
t have time to get into it right now. Just find Luke, okay?”

“Will do, but we
’
re going to need to know more about Ophion when you get a chance. We need to know what we
’
re getting ourselves into here.”

“
I understand. I
’
ll call you later.”

Moments later, the two SUVs roared into the parking lot of the gas station Shepherd identified.

“Zellers, you take the lead,” Matthews said. “If Luke left us any clues, you
’
ll know exactly where they
’
ll be.
”

CHAPTER 12

“GOOD EVENING, SENATOR,” the host at DeepWood restaurant said as Daniels and Sarah entered the building. “The usual table?”

Daniels shook his head. “Not tonight, Frederick. How about something more out in the open?”

Frederick leaned close to Daniels and winked. “
I don’
t blame you, sir. I
’
d want to show her off too.”

Sarah giggled nervously at the compliment, while Daniels forced a smile.

“Just give me a moment to set up one of these tables here,” Frederick said before scurrying away.

Sarah touched Daniels
’
arm. “I need to go freshen up. Be right back.”

Daniels watched her walk away and wondered what he did in life to deserve such a perfect woman in every way.

“Right this way, sir,” Frederick said as he led Daniels to his table. “Enjoy your meal.”

I wish I could.
Daniels wanted nothing more than to engage in deep conversations about art, music and food with Sarah. They shared so many interests that it often scared him. It was almost as if he was dating himself in some ways. And if Sarah discovered one of his interests that she didn
’
t share with him, she would spend the next two weeks researching it or learning about it and would suddenly share his penchant for it.

Sarah
’
s dedication to this practice was never more apparent than the last time they were dining at DeepWood six months ago and Columbus Blue Jackets
’
goalie Brock LaRose stopped by their table.

“Senator, it
’
s good to see you,” LaRose said. “Were you at the game last night?”

Before he could answer, Sarah butted in.

“Was he at the game? Are you kidding me? He nearly lost his voice from cheering so loudly.” She paused. “By the way, keep up the good work between the pipes. What is that? Three shutouts in a row now?”

LaRose
’
s eyes widened as he stared at Sarah. “Where did you find her, Senator? Any woman that knows her way around the ice is definitely a keeper.” He patted Daniels on the back. “Have a good night.”

Daniels, still shocked from her response, leaned in. “You knew who that was?”

She nodded. “I also know that he
’
s also shutout opponents three straight games only twice in his career until this week. He
’
s on fire.”

He looked at her, incredulous. “I thought you hadn
’
t even been to a hockey game until about a month ago.”

“True. But I thought I might better brush up on my hockey since you
’
re so into it.”

“Brush up on it? I
’
d say you
’
re only a step away from joining ESPN as a hockey analyst. That
’
s amazing.
”

“That
’
s not the first time I
’
ve been told that.”

Daniels was still thinking about that exchange when Sarah jolted him back to the present.

“Did you miss me?” she asked. “You look like a lost puppy dog right now.”

“Of course,” he said. “I was just thinking about the last time we were here and when we ran into Brock LaRose.”

“Too bad the Blue Jackets lost him in free agency,” she said. “He was spectacular in the playoffs.”

He shook his head. “
You weren
’
t just doing that to impress me, were you?”

“Doing what?”

“Learning all about hockey.”

She took a sip of water. “
I don’
t do anything to impress you, dear. I
’m just me
— and if that somehow impresses you, then I
’
ll take that as a compliment.”

Daniels jammed his hand into his empty pocket. He didn
’
t plan on it being empty. Quite the contrary. He wanted it to be filled with a jewelry case with an engagement ring nestled inside velvet. But he
’
d left the ring in his drawer at work. As much as he wanted to propose to her, he couldn
’
t. Not with his life, family and political future whirling in chaos.