6 A Thyme to Die (18 page)

Steve’s arms tightened around her. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

The cup of water was too cold to use for tea. Peggy saw a neglected heart-leaf philodendron that looked as though it hadn’t been cared for in ages. Despite all the thriving plants around it, the poor thing appeared near death.

She poured the cup of water on the plant and loosened the soil around the roots a little. She pinched off some of the shriveled brown leaves and took out the trash that people had left in its pot.

Steve waited patiently as she set the plant to rights. He’d seen her do this a hundred times at doctor’s offices and other professional buildings. Her gentle caring always made him smile.

“I need more hot water.” She saw him smiling at her. “I was trying to help the poor little thing. The water wasn’t hot anymore.”

“That’s okay. Let’s get some hot water and call Al. He has to know what’s going on.”

“If we make a mistake with this, the kidnapper could kill Tanya.”

“I know. Let us deal with it.”

“I think the kidnapper knows me, personally, I mean. He sounded like it.”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Or he saw the information about you on the Internet.”

“He said he was the one who leaked the information about the diamonds to the media.” Peggy got another cup of hot water and they walked quickly back to The Potting Shed exhibit. Steve had called Al as they’d walked through the crowd. He also called Norris, who was still on his way to their house.

“I figured it was better to let him go there,” Steve explained. “It looks more like the diamonds could be in the house instead of in your bag, or wherever you put them.”

By that time, they were standing close to Sam who caught their conversation.

“She put them down here on the floor by my feet,” he told Steve. “I haven’t moved since. I think I’ve lost ten good years of my life waiting for someone to come by and try to steal them. Please take them now.”

Steve and Peggy walked around and into the back of the exhibit. Sam was standing very still at the front, behind the table filled with information flyers.

“The garden bag, right?” Steve asked her.

“Of course.”

“You can move now, Sam. It’s fine.”

After Steve’s permission, Sam let out a long sigh then ran out of the exhibit toward the restrooms.

Selena laughed. “He looks so big and tough, but I swear I could take him.”

“What do we do now?” Peggy asked.

“We wait for Al.” Steve put his arm around her shoulders. “We’ll come up with a plan.”

Al arrived a few minutes later with a host of blue-uniformed officers and Police Chief Rodney Mickleson. Norris came a few minutes later with Millie Sanford and several FBI agents. They created a ring around the exhibit that clearly discouraged foot traffic.

“This better not take very long,” Selena said. “Sam will surely die when he sees it.”

Al, Chief Mickelson, and Steve huddled together at the back of the exhibit where the fake house ended behind the garden Sam had created.

Peggy waited impatiently, tapping her foot on the concrete floor. How long was it going to take for them to decide what to do? What if the kidnapper saw them meeting and decided to blow the whole thing off? She was worried about Tanya.
That poor girl.
Did she even know about her father’s death?

Finally, Steve and Al walked toward her. Chief Mickelson was on his cell phone.

“What’s going on?” Peggy asked.

“We’ve decided to go ahead with the drop,” Al told her.

“Against the better judgment of the FBI,” Steve added.

Peggy glanced uneasily between the two men. “What’s the problem?”

Al heaved a big sigh. “Chief Mickelson thinks you should do the drop, Peggy. We figure the kidnapper knows you or he wouldn’t have contacted you. Anything else might get the girl killed.”

“Doing it might get Peggy killed.” Steve stared at Al, anger in his gaze. “Just because this nutcase calls her doesn’t mean she should be out there. We could replace her with Agent Sanford who knows how to handle herself in this type of situation.”

“The kidnapper is obviously familiar with Peggy—we don’t know how familiar.” Al looked back at the female FBI agent. “Agent Sanford is probably a very good agent, but she doesn’t look like Peggy.”

“I don’t think she should do it.” Steve stood his ground.

“I don’t see how I
can’t
do it.” Peggy put her hand on his arm. “I know it’s dangerous, but Al is right. I don’t want to be responsible if something goes wrong.”

Steve grabbed her hand and they walked away from the exhibit toward the welcome center. “You aren’t trained for this. Anything can happen in these situations. Doing it this way puts the kidnapper in control. Do you understand that?”

She nodded. “Certainly. But if I can help, I want to. I’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I guess I don’t have any choice. Too many people have died already for these diamonds. Let’s make sure you’re not one of them, okay?”

“Okay.” She kissed him. “Thanks for worrying about me.”

Al, Steve, and Peggy left the convention center to go somewhere quiet so they could plan the operation. Peggy called Adam and asked for his help again. He gave it, reluctantly. She felt sure he wouldn’t be so quick to volunteer if the flower show came to Charlotte again next year.

They didn’t have much time to get ready. It was already three-thirty. The library wasn’t far, but traffic could be unreliable.

Steve had requisitioned a surveillance van. It was big and black, waiting in the parking lot for them. Peggy went in first. Norris was already inside, sitting in front of some equipment.

She rolled her eyes. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be responsible for her well-being.

“We’ll have the diamonds in this case.” Al showed her. “It has a tracking device that we can follow from the van. If he takes the case, don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about the girl either. Let us take care of that part.”

“It would be good for you to wear a vest too.” Steve held one up. It was black and not at all something that could be worn with a peach suit.

Peggy examined it as Steve helped her take off her jacket. She put on the vest and replaced the jacket over her top. The big black space on her chest was a dead giveaway.

She reached in her bag and pulled out a spring green scarf that she tied around her neck, letting the flowing ends of it hide the vest.

“It doesn’t matter how it looks,” Steve told her. “It will protect you. The most important thing—if there is any gunfire—lay down. Don’t get up. Don’t even lift your head. We’ll be right there if it happens, but things can go wrong very quickly.”

“And we have a listening device in case the kidnapper gets up close and personal.” Al installed the earpiece and let her take care of the rest. “If you see anything, or you’re afraid, say something. We’ll hear you.”

Norris lounged back in his chair. “Don’t you think that’s a tall order for her? I mean, she’s already terrified. She’s gonna blow it the minute she gets out there. I agree with Steve. We should put Millie in and take our chances.”

“You’re not taking any chances,” Peggy reminded him. “You’re going to be sitting inside this van where you don’t have to worry about anything happening to you. You handle your part. I can handle mine.”

They were big, brave words at a time when she wasn’t particularly feeling big and brave. She knew Steve was right and that a hundred things could happen that would mess up the whole thing up.

What choice did she have? She owed this to her old friend. She couldn’t save him, but maybe she could save his daughter.

Chapter Twenty-one

Ficus Benjamina

Commonly grown in offices and apartment buildings because it tolerates low light and poor care. The plant is also known as a weeping fig. It grows wild in the forests of India where it is known as Ben-ja. It is also known for losing its leaves after they turn yellow, creating an unattractive specimen. They are considered throw away plants as most indoor gardeners would rather than replace them than take care of them.

Peggy walked serenely into the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library on Seventh Street at exactly four p.m.

At least she hoped she looked serene. It was all she could do to keep her teeth from chattering. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her legs felt wobbly.

Pull yourself together
, she commanded.
You can do this.

The library wasn’t crowded. It was near the end of the school day. Most people were involved with their children, getting on and off buses and doing their homework, at that hour.

She was glad to see that the library was almost empty. There was a homeless man with all of his belongings gathered around him as he slept in one of the chairs by a window. Two librarians were chatting at the desk. Another woman was there browsing the Internet. One man was looking at the books on the sale cart.

Peggy pulled in a deep breath and slowly focused on the people around her. None of them looked familiar. Of course, they were only guessing that the kidnapper was someone she knew. They might find the man was a compete stranger. That could throw a wrench into their plans. They hadn’t said it, but she thought they were counting on her identifying the kidnapper before things could get ugly.

She took a seat away from the homeless man, next to a dusty ficus, and put the case that held the diamonds on the floor. She carefully dusted the little plant’s leaves.

Nothing happened.

Peggy waited with her hands trembling, hoping nothing was wrong. Her cell phone rang, making her jump. Both librarians’ heads swiveled toward her. One of them made a gesture that was probably
turn off your cell phone
. She was too nervous to be sure.

“Where are your cop friends?”

She glanced around. She didn’t see anyone else talking on a cell phone.

“I didn’t tell them. I got the diamonds together and came over. Where are you?”

“Never mind that. Come outside and start walking down Seventh Street.”

Peggy did as he said. She knew the only thing down that way was a parking deck.

“Don’t let him get you into the parking deck,” Steve said in her ear. “Make up some excuse. Tell him you’re scared of the dark. Anything.”

She didn’t reply. Her cell phone was still on. She wasn’t sure if the kidnapper would be able to hear her answer Steve.

“Okay,” the man on the phone said. “I can see you now. Continue walking.”

Peggy walked slowly past the library. She was almost to the large parking deck, trying to figure out what she was going to say if he asked her to go inside.

“Stop there. See that city trashcan next to you?”

“This one?” She pointed, wondering where he was.

“That’s right. Drop the case into the trashcan and walk away.”

“Which way?”

“Any way. I don’t care. Walk back up to the library.”

“Where’s Tanya?” Peggy demanded.

“Don’t push him,” Steve warned in her ear. “We’ve got him when he gets the case. Walk away.”

Peggy put the case into the trashcan. It was a tight fit. She hoped someone hadn’t seen her putting it in there and got to it before the kidnapper.

“I’ll call you later and tell you where you can pick up the girl,” the kidnapper said.

“I don’t think that’s good enough.” Peggy didn’t care what Steve said. She’d read about too many kidnappings that had ended badly because they couldn’t find the victim after the ransom was paid. What if the locater device in the case stopped working? They would have no idea where Tanya was.

“Look, I could kill her right now.”

“I’m still standing here next to the diamonds,” she argued. “I could take them and leave. I want better reassurance about Tanya.”

“Peggy—” Steve’s whispered warning sent a shiver down her spine.

“What are you doing?” Al said, grabbing the microphone from Steve. “Get out of there. Let us do our job.”

“Okay, okay. I get your point. Walk back to the library and I’ll let her out there.”

“All right,” she agreed. “But if I see you down here at the trashcan before I see her, I’ll call the police.”

The man on the phone swore. “Just do what I say. The girl will be there.”

Peggy started walking back toward the library. The man on the cell phone hung up. She kept glancing over her shoulder as she got near the corners of Seventh and Tryon Streets. She didn’t see any movement.

“Come over to the van,” Al said in the earpiece. “Your part is done.”

She stopped and waited, not feeling safe doing what Al had asked. If the man was still watching her, it could be enough to make him change his mind. She stood on the corner and kept watch, praying that he would keep his word and free Tanya.

“Peggy,” Steve said in her ear. “Come inside.”

She didn’t answer. A moment later, a fast-moving black SUV turned the corner where she stood. A door opened and Tanya tumbled out on the pavement. The SUV moved even faster, racing down Seventh Street to reach the diamonds.

Peggy helped Tanya to her feet. The girl was crying and scared. Together they removed the plastic ties that had bound her hands and the red blindfold that had probably kept her alive since she couldn’t see the kidnapper.