T is for Temptation (45 page)

“Two hours or thereabouts.”

Silence reigned in the elevator, both men distracted by their own thoughts. As they entered the suite, seconds later, Alex clapped a hand to his forehead.

“The jacket. Two hours. That’s it.”

At Jake’s furrowed brow, he added, “It appeared in my room sometime between the two-hour mark and us leaving for the Grosvenor. Tee must have begun regaining consciousness.”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, it’s not working.”

“Can you think of anything else that would explain it?”

Jake shook his head. “Okay, what’s the significance?”

“She might have had a chance to escape.”

“Let’s discuss this in the car on the way to her boarding school. I’ll arrange a rental and MapQuest the school’s address. You call
Dee
and get detailed directions to the cottage.”

It turned out 24/7 in the
UK
was something of a misnomer, and if it hadn’t been for George Brown finding another cousin, they’d have had to wait until dawn to obtain a car. Less than forty-five minutes later, they sped down the M4 en route to Tee’s boarding school.

At least the weather cooperated. The rain held off, and one by one, diamond stars twinkled against the charcoal sky. As they neared their destination, the highway grew more deserted, and Jake hit the accelerator, gambling on a lack of police presence.

Around
midnight
, his cell phone jangled. Glancing over at Alex’s sleeping features; Jake flipped his phone open and answered in a low murmur, “Mathews here.”

“Good and bad news,” Henry said without any preamble. “The hotline tip is valid. At least four witnesses place Tee at the
London
City
Airport
mid-afternoon today, unconscious and in a wheelchair. Both Graziella and the caretaker were with her, no sign of Inspector Flood.”

A jumping jackrabbit leaped in Jake’s chest, and the hand holding his phone grew so clammy, he had to curl his fingers around the base to keep it from slipping out of his grip. “And?”

Beside him, Alex jerked upright from a light doze, ran his fingers through his hair, and motioned for Jake to hit the speaker button. He did.

“They loaded her onto a private jet destined for
South America
,
Uruguay
, specifically. The plane took off around four this afternoon. ”

“
Uruguay
,” Jake repeated, his mind spinning into dark places.

“Arthur believes it’s a ruse to detract from the true destination. Right now they’re working through the night to determine the jet’s ownership, and Interpol’s working with air route traffic control centers to determine their precise location. We should know more within the hour.”

“Once we know their location, what happens next?”

“Try to determine where the jet will land and intercept them upon touchdown.”

“Okay, we’ll head back. I’ll call you as soon as we’re in the vicinity. We’ll come directly to your suite.”

Jake stabbed the end button. When he continued down the motorway and didn’t take the first exit to pull a U-turn, Alex asked, “Aren’t you turning around?”

“No. We’re only ten minutes away from the boarding school, and every instinct tells me she’s there. If I’d listened to my gut from the time this all started, Tee would be safe. I want to check this cottage out.”

“Might as well since we’re so close.” Alex yawned and arched his back, knuckling his spine. “We’ve agreed that none of the players so far possess the skills to head up this whole operation, Tony, Graziella, the caretaker. What about Inspector Flood?”

“He seemed too hotheaded.” Jake depressed the indicator and took his foot off the accelerator. “But, we don’t know enough about the man to rule him out entirely. And he’s definitely involved. How the hell did he know Graziella? Through Tony? I don’t think so.”

“The caretaker is a good two decades younger than Flood. Either Sir Arthur’s involved or there’s something connecting the four of them. I know you’re hesitant to consider Sir Arthur because of his friendship with Henry, but we have to add him to the pot.”

“What’s his motive? Money? According to Henry, his family’s wealthy, titled, and connected.”

As they left the main highway, urban lights dimmed, and the way ahead became shrouded in darkness. Around a sharp U-turn, the road narrowed into a country lane, and Jake slowed the car.

“Directions?”

“I’m checking my notes. We should approach a four-way stop soon. After that there’ll be a brook on our left and a field on the right. Hit the odometer as soon we spot the brook, and we get out at the two kilometer mark, climb over a fence, and walk due east. The cottage is about a ten-minute walk.”

Jake stabbed the power window button, and a moist, icy breeze wrapped around his throat and hands. A faint hint of manure added a dank texture to the air, and it thickened as the vehicle crawled forwards.

“This is it,” he said and exerted pressure on the foot brake.

“Fog,” Alex grumbled, and he swung the door open. “Mud. No, worse, cow crap. Perfect—fog and crap. All we need now is rain. Tee’d better be here.”

They clambered over the picket fence and surveyed the field. Tall brown grass, slick with dew, brushed against their pants as they strode forward.

“Are we ruling out Sir Arthur?”

“No. It’s too much of a coincidence, two Floods in the same organization.”

“You do realize the implications?”

“Yeah, Henry’s best friend could be his worst enemy.”

Rain sluiced their faces, the wind slanted rivulets, and within seconds they were drenched. From the moment he found out about Tee’s disappearance, Jake hadn’t allowed a second of doubt, a tinge of uncertainty into his mind. Restrained emotions filled him now, coating each sucking step, each hunched motion.

Bleakness, despair settled into every nook and cranny, the tic under his eye, an ache low in his belly, the jumping pulse at his throat. Nerves and muscles hitherto unknown flared a lighthouse beacon, tingling in preparation; his body crouched for the ultimate blow, a mortal delivery.

Life without Tee.

Not a tree dotted the field’s expanse, and the wind howled a mournful cry, whistling its grief, hammering misery into every pore until the effort of lifting a foot echoed the contemplation of life without Tee.

Empty. Joyless.

They reached the hut in less than ten minutes, and Jake realized he’d pinned everything on this small structure, this roof-caving-in woodsman’s pile of logs.

“Crap,” Alex muttered. “This thing’s going to fall apart if we so much as touch it.”

He didn’t respond, couldn’t.

Pulling a flashlight out of the pocket of his jacket, Alex switched the light on, and a narrow cone of light illuminated the four or five feet in front of them. A low chorus of moos rumbled across the pasture.

“Stand back.” Jake hit the windowpane, but it took three blows to break the glass. He inserted his hand into a jagged hole, unlatched the window, shoved it up, and stuck his head inside. The shadowed interior didn’t reveal anything. He lifted a leg through the window frame and heaved his body into the hut.

Alex followed and swung the torch in a wide circle.

Jake made out a square room with several lumpy, dusty armchairs scattered around a circular wooden coffee table.

“See anything?”

“No, look at that table.” Every word wounded, and even as he forced logical reasoning to the forefront, hopelessness set in, cratering his chest. “There’s at least an inch of dust on it. No one’s used this place for a while.”

“There’s another room.” Alex pointed to an arch on the other side of the cottage.

“Let’s check it out.” He ducked under the low curve, broke through a thick mass of cobwebs, and flicked the clinging, sticky threads from his hand. The small room smelled musty. The torch flickered.

“The battery must be low. Turn it off. Save it for the walk back.” Jake squinted at the lone piece of furniture in the room. “There’s something on the bed.”

The light from the lamp grew dimmer. It faded altogether a few seconds later.
Please, please
, he prayed, and with each plea, his heart hammered louder, until the din in his ears drowned movement, thought, until begging, bargaining became salvation.

Jake approached the bed with red-light-inching steps. His pulse sprinted to the final finish, and he held his breath, too afraid to hope. He knelt down at the side of the bed. In the pitch-blackness, all he could make out was a female form curled into a fetal position. Every instinct told him he’d found her.

“Christ, it is Tee, isn’t it?” Alex stood behind him. “I’ve never known anyone else who always smells of roses.”

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “Lavender. Roses, lavender, and musk, that special Tee smell. Thank God.” He rested his head on the mattress next to hers. “She’s unconscious, out cold.” He pressed his thumb against her wrist. “Her pulse is steady, but she’s freezing. Search around. See if you can find a blanket, buddy.”

Alex slipped out of his down jacket. “Here, put this on her. It’ll keep her warm.”

He covered Tee with the coat. “We can’t take her out in this weather. We’ll have to spend the rest of the night here.”

“Right. You stay with her. I’ll reconnoiter the other room.”

Jake crept onto the mattress, and it groaned under his weight. He lifted Tee onto his lap and pressed the jacket around her body. Her skin felt cold and clammy. He rubbed her shoulders. This was it then, church once a week for the rest of his life. He sent a silent thank you to God and buried his face in her damp hair.

“Should I call Henry?” Alex reentered the room. “We’ll wake him up.”

“If you were in his position, what would you want?”

“When you’re right, you’re right.” Alex pressed Henry’s number, and a companionable quiet reigned for a few seconds.

“Henry, it’s Alex Mayfield. Sorry to wake you up, but we thought you’d like to know we found Tee. She’s unhurt, but unconscious. We’re in a thatched hut located on the grounds of her old boarding school. It’s raining up a storm, and Jake doesn’t want to take her out in this weather. We’re going to spend the night here. We’ll call you in the morning before we leave.” Alex fell silent.

“Okay. Yes. I’ll let him know.” Alex hung up. “Henry’ll notify Sir Arthur. He’ll also call Tee’s mom and Dee. He wants us to bring her back first thing in the morning.”

“What time is it?”

“Nearly three.”

“The bed’s not too bad. Why don’t you get some sleep? I’ll stay here.”

“Sounds good. See you in the morning.”

The rising sun glowed through the thick covering of dust on the broken window. Dark circles under Tee’s eyes became apparent in the dawn’s radiance. Her skin held an ashen quality. Jake stroked her cheek.

Alex walked into the room. He glanced at him. “Has she woken yet?”

He shook his head. “Not once. She hasn’t even turned in her sleep.”

“It’ll
 
be a long haul to the car, carrying her.”

“What other choice do I have?”

“None,” Alex grumbled.

The sun limned the horizon as Jake stared at the blue-tipped sky. Yesterday’s rain may never have fallen except for the muddy earth beneath their feet. It didn’t take as long as he expected to reach the car and Tee felt like a gossamer angel in his arms.