Rocky Mountain Mayhem (25 page)

Vivian sat up. “So it’s real?”

“Actually, the one he gave you was real, but
I switched that out yesterday when you went for the bike ride. What
you’re currently wearing is a fake.”

“Oh.” Disappointed.

Lucy leaned close to Vivian and looked at the
pendant. “How’d you get a fake made so quickly?”

“We didn’t. Replicas of all the jewelry came
out shortly after the theft. It’s typical in a case of this
profile. I simply had Cervantes deliver one to me that was in FBI
custody.”

Wendy looked out a front window. “But why
send these guys down the river with us and not tell us? I think I
can speak for all of us when I say we’ve been a little stressed
about Craig today.”

He looked at her and his eyes softened, ever
so slightly, at the corners. “We did not believe Craig was violent
and had hoped to catch him while he was attempting to catch up with
you. But this is a high-profile case — stealing money from a
foreign dignitary — and now that we know Craig is tied to the
crime, this investigation has now been kicked into high gear.”

Vivian’s stomach flipped. “I think I’m going
to be sick.”

Wendy reached around the counter and grabbed
a trash can. “Can we get some water over here please?” she
shouted.

Vivian stared into the white plastic bucket.
Snippets of torn receipts and old chewing gum stuck to the bottom.
She took a few deep breaths and handed it back. “I’m okay. I’m
okay.”

Kirsten came over with a bottle of water.

“Thanks,” Wendy said, cracking the cap open
and handing it to Vivian.

“So what do we do now?” Lucy asked. “He has
escalated about as high as you can in terms of dangerous.”

“I’ve got people searching the area near
those rapids, but it’s been more than an hour since the incident,”
Nelson said. “I doubt they’ll find anything.”

“But what do
we
do?” Kate asked.

“Right now I’ve got to collect some evidence,
then make some calls. Shick and Smith will stay with you for the
time being. Hayes and Finck will be close by. I don’t want you
going back to the hotel until I can be there.”

“How long will that be?” Wendy asked.

“At least an hour.”

“I need a drink,” Vivian said, standing up.
“And I’m still freezing.”

Wendy and Kate flanked her.

“There’s a burger joint down the street about
a block,” Kirsten said, then handed Agent Nelson an envelope
containing the rafting pictures. “You could totally walk, it’ll
probably help warm you up.” She handed another envelope to Vivian,
smiled gently and winked her bright blue eyes. “On the house.”

They walked outside, where Shick and Smith
were waiting. Nelson pulled his colleagues aside and spoke to them
quietly while the girls got their purses from the SUV.

Smith shook his head when Vivian started to
walk away from the SUV. “No walking. Take the car.”

The girls piled in and followed Shick and
Smith for the two-minute drive, then they parked next to Hayes and
Finck, who stayed in their car.

“I can’t believe this is the same Craig I
know,” Vivian said, kicking a rock in the parking lot. “He’s way
worse than I could have ever imagined and now he’s trying to kill
me.”

“Maybe he missed on purpose,” Kate said. “And
he’s just trying to scare you.”

Wendy stepped around a pot hole. “He wants
that necklace, that’s for sure, and it’d be harder to get if you
were dead. Besides, he wants you to run away with him.”

Vivian saw Shick cut his eyes to Smith. She
kicked the rock again.

Wendy linked arms with Vivian. “Let’s not
think about it anymore. They’re going to find him, I know they
will. Wade is not going to let anything happen to you.”

Vivian, Kate and Lucy all stopped
walking.

“Ooooohhhh…Wade.” Vivian said.

Wendy pulled her along and opened the door.
“I meant Agent Nelson.”

“Mmm hmmmm, sure you did,” Lucy said.

The small restaurant was nearly empty, and a
sign at the door told patrons to seat themselves. The girls took a
booth away from the windows near the back. The two agents sat
adjacent to them at a square table.

A woman who looked to be in her 70s ambled
over. Her hair was pulled up in a bun, and she wore a blue and
white checked cotton dress and apron that pictured one hand holding
a rolling pin, smacking the other hand. It read, “Don’t kiss the
cook, he’s mine.”

“What can I getcha?” Her dentures flapped a
little.

“I’d like a double rum and Coke, please,”
Vivian said.

Wendy ordered a draft beer. Lucy and Kate got
water.

“I’m not really hungry, but maybe we should
get cheesy fries or something,” Kate said.

“That sounds good,” Vivian said. “Can we get
some fried pickles, too?”

“Mmmm, yes,” Lucy said.

Kate looked over the menu. “I think I’ll get
a salad, but I’ll share.”

“Yippee!” Vivian joked.

The lady brought their drinks and took their
order, then went over to Shick and Smith.

Vivian listened as they ordered burgers with
the works. She took a long sip of her drink and grimaced.
That’s
strong
.

“This trip is getting worse and worse,”
Vivian said. “Maybe we
should
go home.”

Wendy slammed her beer down. “And risk dipwad
going back to Fort Worth? No way.”

“Yeah, we’re going to get him here,” Lucy
said.

“I just feel so bad. Y’all could have gotten
hurt, hell, even killed, out there today. I can’t ask you to do
this anymore.”

“Listen, Vivian,” Kate said, “there’s no way
we’re letting you go home to deal with this by yourself. We have
the chance to catch this asshole, and dammit, we’re gonna do
it.”

Strong words from Kate.

Vivian didn’t say anything for a while. The
other girls talked about their adventure on the river until the
appetizers came.

“Holy crap, the fried pickles are fantastic,”
Lucy said as she dunked one in the homemade ranch dressing.
“Mmmmmm.”

“Damn, they are good,” Wendy said and doused
a pickle slice in Tabasco.

The burgers were delivered and Vivian ordered
another double.

The door opened and a young couple walked in.
Vivian watched as Shick and Smith eyed them, then went back to work
on their burgers.

The door opened again and Agent Nelson
appeared. He sat at the table with Shick and Smith, talking to them
briefly, then he grabbed a few fries and walked out the door.

Vivian slid out of the booth and walked over
to Shick and Smith’s table. “What’d he say?”

Smith wiped his mouth with his napkin. “We’re
to meet him back at the hotel when we’re finished. No stops.”

“Did he say anything about what he
found?”

“He’ll debrief you back at the hotel,” Smith
said, then took another bite.

Vivian sat down with the girls and picked at
the remnants in her basket.

“What’d Agent Nelson say?” Wendy asked.

“
Wade
said he’d see us at the hotel
and give us the LD there.”

Wendy ignored the jibe and finished her
beer.

“Let’s pay out and hit the road,” Lucy said.
“I’m watchin’ you two yahoos drink and I can’t cuz I’m drivin’, not
to mention I’m under constant FBI surveillance. I’m ready for a
glass of wine.”

Smith walked over, apparently hearing Lucy’s
comment. “I’ll be driving your car, actually. Nelson’s orders.”

“You mean I could have been drinking this
whole time?”

“Looks like,” he said.

They paid their waitress and gave her a nice
tip.

“I hope she’s workin’ cuz she wants to and
not cuz she has to,” Lucy said.

“I have a feelin’ she’s working because the
cook kisses her,” Kate laughed.

They gave Hayes and Finck a five-minute head
start, then left the restaurant.

Smith adjusted Lucy’s seat all the way back,
cramming Vivian’s space. Lucy and Kate were in the back with her,
Wendy having claimed shotgun.

“You’d have more room back there if one of
you wanted to ride with Shick,” Smith said.

“Nah, we’re all about togetherness, thanks,”
Lucy said, propping her feet up on the console between him and
Wendy.

Smith kept up with Shick, who drove fast,
even through the hairpin turns. A little too fast for Vivian’s
heart.

They were about 10 miles from Breckenridge
when Vivian’s phone resonated with “When It’s Love” by Van
Halen.

“I didn’t program this ringtone and it’s a
number I don’t know,” she said.

Smith glanced at her in the rearview mirror.
“Answer it.”

“Hello?”

“How was your rafting trip today? That water
looked awfully chilly.”

VIVIAN’S heart raced and all she could do was
hit Smith’s seat in front of her.

“You know I was only trying to teach you a
lesson, right? Just show you that I’m in control here.”

Vivian tried to stay calm, but her voice
shook. “Yes, Craig.”

Smith waved his right hand in circles,
indicating she should try to keep him on the phone. “I know you
wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Good. I’m glad we’ve got that straight.”

She couldn’t think of what to say and
blurted, “We should talk. Seeing you in the spa, it brought
back…uh, I… I miss you.”

“Finally, you’re beginning to come
around.”

“Yes, and I want to see you.” She looked at
Smith in the rearview. “Can we meet?”

“There’s a place in Breckenridge called
Boarders. Be there in 20 minutes.”

“Sure. Okay, Boarders.”

“And wear your pretty necklace.”

“I have it on.”

“You need to be alone.”

“Craig, you know I’m here with my friends.
They’re with me in the car right now. I can’t come alone.”

He was silent.

“But I’ll talk to you alone when we get
there, okay?”

He hesitated, then said, “Fine.”

“We’ll meet you there in 20 minutes.” She
waited for his response.

“Vivian?” he said.

“Yeah.”

“I love you.”

She didn’t have a response to that and hung
up.

Smith immediately went to work, calling Shick
first, since he was only a few minutes ahead, then Nelson. Smith
put him on speakerphone.

“This is not a good idea,” Nelson said.
“There’s not enough time to prepare.”

“It’s all we’ve got right now,” Vivian
replied. “This may be the only chance we have to catch him. We
leave the day after tomorrow.”

“It’s too dangerous. He
shot
at you
today.”

Vivian took a deep breath. “He’ll be checking
my whereabouts with my phone. It’s our only option.”

A door slammed and Nelson cursed. “We don’t
have enough time or manpower. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“I’m not asking you to guarantee my safety,”
Vivian said. “I need to guarantee my children’s safety, and in
order to do that, we need to catch this jerk. Agents Smith and
Shick are with us, and Hayes and Finck are probably almost to
Breckenridge by now. Can we do this or not?”

The line was quiet. Finally, Nelson said,
“Smith, take me off speaker.”

Smith had a series of “yes, sir” and
“understood, sir” answers, then “10-4.”

Smith gave instructions to the girls as they
zoomed toward Breckenridge. “It’s got to look like the four of you
are arriving by yourselves, so I’m going to pull over in a few
minutes and get in with Shick. We need to get there and into
position before you show up. Lucy, Boarders is on Main Street on
the right side.”

“I know where it is.”

“Good, then take a few wrong turns in
Breckenridge getting there, about five minutes worth, then go to
the restaurant. Park as close to the front door as you can and
hurry inside. Finck will cover the door, and Shick will cover the
back. Hayes and I will be at the bar. Do not acknowledge us in any
way. Sit at a table close to the bar but where you can see the
front door. “

He looked at Vivian in the rearview mirror.
“Nelson is on his way and should get to the bar shortly after you
do. Our plan is to apprehend Craig outside or in the bar before you
get there. In case that doesn’t happen, when he arrives, don’t go
up to him. Hayes and I will secure him. You’re not to have any
interaction with him.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Vivian said. The
butterflies in her stomach felt like they were being dismantled by
a swarm of praying mantis.

“Nelson wants you to text him the number
Craig just called from. He’s going to try and trace it.”

“Okay,” Vivian said, and did as
instructed.

Smith pulled up behind Shick on the side of
the road and hopped out. “See you soon. And remember to get
lost!”

Lucy got back onto the highway and followed
them into Breckenridge. As they drove around “getting lost,” the
girls tried to reassure Vivian.

“Nelson is pissed,” Kate said. “The orders to
catch Craig must come from high up in the FBI’s organization.”

“Yep,” Wendy said. “Must be some political
thing with Thailand.”

“Can’t say I blame them. That’s a chunk of
change,” Vivian said, moving the fake pendant back and forth on the
chain.

“Let’s go get our man,” Lucy said as she
pulled into the Boarders parking lot.

They were not greeted by smiling agents and a
shackled Craig, as Vivian had hoped. She got out of the car and
looked around, then made her way to the door.

Hayes and Smith sat at the bar, and the girls
took a table close by. A waitress asked what they’d like to
drink.

Vivian shivered, unsure if it was still from
the frigid waters or her nerves, and ordered a hot chocolate and
Baileys.

Kate and Wendy did the same. Lucy added
peppermint schnapps to hers.

Vivian glanced around as they sipped their
liquor-laced cocoa, looking for Craig in disguise. He could not
have blended in with the Generation Y crowd. For that matter, the
girls didn’t fit in either, and Hayes and Smith stood out like two
Aggies in an Austin blues bar.