COLLATERAL CASUALTIES (The Kate Huntington mystery series) (16 page)

            She gave him what she hoped was an encouraging look.

            “Hon, we’d like you to go with them. Help Maria keep them calm in a strange place.”

            Liz narrowed her eyes at her husband.

            Kate jumped in. “I know it’s a lot to ask, to just suddenly pick up and go. But whoever’s doing this is ruthless. We’ve got to get the kids beyond their reach. I’d feel so much better knowing you were with them. That it’s not just an elderly woman and an English-challenged nanny looking out for them.”

            “And if we don’t have to guard you, that frees up more resources to keep the rest of us safe,” Skip said.

            “The girls are covered,” Rob said. “Rose has a PI agency near Stanford sending two men to guard Sam. I called her and Shelley, and I talked to Dr. Sherman. He said they already have guards to keep poachers away from the dig. He’ll have one assigned to Shel at all times.”

            Liz’s eyes were still on her husband’s face. “How much danger is he in?”

            The question was aimed at Skip but Rob answered her. “Not nearly as much as Kate and Skip are.”

            “We’re not going to let anything happen to Rob,” Skip said softly.

            Liz turned to him. Her green eyes held his in a steady gaze. “I know you’ll do your damnedest to keep that promise.”

            Billy and Edie erupted from the kitchen and raced up the stairs. “Road trip!” Billy yelled. Maria trailed behind them.

            Rose came into the living room. “I’ve convinced them this is a big adventure. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in, though, that Mommy and Daddy aren’t going. Maria’s helping them pack a few things.”

            Kate’s throat closed for a moment. She looked at Skip. Her own worry and guilt were mirrored in his eyes.

            Liz leaned over and took her hand. “I’ll go with them.”

            Kate breathed a sigh of relief. She squeezed Liz’s hand. “Thank you.”

            Then the doorbell rang and she just about jumped out of her skin.
Damn! I’m a nervous wreck.

            Trying to get her breathing and heart rate under control, Kate hurried over to the door where Rose was standing on her tiptoes, trying to see out the peephole that was set at Kate’s eye level. Rose stepped aside and she looked out.

            Her heart raced again when she saw the Hispanic man standing on her porch. Then her brain belatedly sent the message that it was the bodyguard who had escorted her to Rob’s office earlier. “It’s Manny.”

            Rose opened the door and stepped outside.

            She was back in less than a minute. “Dark sedan, two men in it, watching the front of the house. They weren’t there before.” She turned to Liz. “No time for you to go to your house to pack. And you can’t use any credit or debit cards while you’re out there either.”

            Janice spoke up for the first time. “Liz, my things’ll be a bit big for you but you can alter them.”

            Before Liz could thank her, Rose turned to Kate and Skip. “You all need to act as normal as possible during the day, at least ’til the kids are well away from here. But it isn’t safe for you to sleep here tonight. You’re not going back home either, Rob.”

            Janice dangled her keys in the air. “I’ve got the perfect safe house. No furniture, but the carpet’s plush.”

            “These guys may have had somebody following you,” Rose said.

            “I looked at a bunch of places the last few days. How would they know which one I picked, or even that I picked any of them, since I came back here tonight.”

            Rose nodded.

            “We leave first,” Skip said. “Act like we’re just going out to dinner. Draw these guys after us. Lead them around town for awhile, then shake them. The cat will have to go with Liz and the kids.”

            “Okay,” Rose said. “I’ll follow you a few cars back. Keep an eye on your tail.”

            Mac came out of the study. “Four men on their way who’re willin’ to go to Ohio with us.”

            “That’s quite a sacrifice they’re willing to make for strangers,” Skip said.

            Mac shook his head. “Not for strangers, for my family. ’Sides they’re itchin’ for a bit of adventure.”

            “Don’t know how adventurous it’ll be, once you all are out there,” Kate said. “Thanks so much, Mac.”

            Skip stood up and grabbed Mac’s hand to shake it. “Yeah, thanks, man. Oh, and by the way, you’ve got a cat to deal with.”

            Mac grimaced.

            Skip turned to Kate. “Pack light, darlin’. We can’t look like we’re moving out or they’ll make a greater effort to follow us.”

            “I’ll get the cat,” Janice said. “I think I’ll slip her a quarter pill of Xanax to keep her quiet.”

            “I’m going out back now,” Rose said. “I’ll circle around and be in my car to follow when you leave, Skip.” She headed for the back door.

            Within minutes, Liz had stuffed some of Janice’s clothing into the duffle bag Kate provided. After depositing the cat carrier by the back door, Janice crammed a change of underwear in her pockets and a rolled-up blouse into her purse. Kate came out of the bedroom with a small tote bag that would pass as a purse.

            “I’m so sorry we dragged you into this, Janice.”

            The other woman waved her hand in the air. “Not your fault, and I owe you guys. Glad to be able to provide
you
with a roof for a few days.”

            Maria came down the stairs carrying a bulging tote bag. The children trailed behind, each with a backpack.

            Maria looked nervous but her mouth was set in a determined line. Kate gave her a hug.

            “
¡Dios mio!
You watch out, Kate.
Los Colombianos
, dey bad
hombres
.”

            “We’ll be careful.”

            Maria crossed herself.

            Kate plastered a bright smile on her face and turned to Edie and Billy. “You guys are going to have so much fun. You’re going to meet Uncle Rob’s mother!” She reached down to give Edie a hug. “You both be good now and listen to Maria and Aunt Liz, okay?”

            Skip scooped Edie up, as Kate hugged Billy.

            “Aren’t you and Mommy coming?” the little girl asked.

            “No, Pumkin,” Skip said gently, holding her tight. He planted a kiss on top of her head. “But we’ll be together again real soon. Either we’ll come get you, or Aunt Liz’ll bring you home in a few days.”

            He set Edie down and then swooped Billy up in the air over his head. “Be good, little man!” The child giggled and grinned down at his dad.

            Edie’s little face was pinched with worry. Kate shot Skip an anxious look. He set Billy back on his feet. Stooping down in front of both children, he faked a cheerful voice. “We’re going to play a game. You and Uncle Mac and Aunt Liz, you’re all on a secret mission. When Uncle Mac says it’s time to go out the back, you’ve got to be real quiet. Don’t make any sound at all, okay? Or the enemy agents might hear you.”

            Billy’s eyes lit up with excitement. Edie looked confused. Skip kissed her on the nose. “It’ll be fun, Pumkin. Now you two do exactly what Uncle Mac tells you. He’s the commando leader, okay?” They both nodded, Billy eagerly, Edie solemnly.

            Kate glanced over to where Liz and Rob were hugging and whispering their goodbyes. She quickly turned away, pretending she hadn’t seen Rob’s face as he’d reluctantly let his wife go.

            She heard Liz whisper, “Be careful, hon.” Then Liz started herding the children toward the laundry room and back door, helping them put on their little backpacks as they went.

            A throwaway phone rang in Mac’s pocket. He listened for a moment, spoke into it in a low voice, then disconnected. “My men are here. Let’s get this show on the road.” He picked up the cat carrier and peered in. Peaches was staggering around drunkenly. She let out a pathetic meow, then slumped over onto her side.

            “She gonna be okay?” Mac asked.

            “Yeah, I’ve given her Xanax before, to take her to the vet.”

            Mac nodded at Skip. He and Kate headed for the front door, Janice and Rob behind them.

            Walking down the sidewalk, they loudly debated which restaurant they should go to, then climbed into Skip’s Expedition. Once the doors were locked, Skip breathed a small sigh.

            Kate looked over at him. On the surface, he was his usual calm and collected self, but she suspected he was almost as big a wreck inside as she was.

            He glanced at her and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m going to drive around the commercial district awhile,” he said in a low voice. “Make it look like we’re still trying to decide where to eat. Then I’ll go to that Chinese place on York Road. We’ll go through to the back parking lot, then I’ll take off out the back exit and hopefully lose them.”

            Kate nodded. Matching his low volume, she said, “Why are we whispering?”

            “They might’ve planted a listening device on the truck somewhere.”

            Kate’s heart pounded. She felt a surge of rage at whoever was doing this to them. It was followed by a wave of frustration that she had no idea where to point that rage.

~~~~~~~

            While the others were leading the bad guys around town, Mac was turning on the radio in the kitchen and the TV in the living room. Then he joined Liz and the kids in the dark laundry room by the back door.

            Liz heard the purr of a vibrating phone coming from his pocket. He answered it. After listening for a moment, he whispered, “Love you too, honey bun.”

            Liz pretended she hadn’t heard him.

            “Okay, troops, time to move out,” Mac said to the kids, stooping down and peering into their faces. “I’m takin’ Maria and the cat first. You need to be totally silent when I open the door, okay? I’ll be back in a minute for you two.” Two small heads nodded.

            Standing, he punched a number into the phone in his hand. “We’re coming,” he whispered into it, then disconnected.

            He slowly opened the door, then picked up the cat carrier in one hand and motioned for Maria to follow him.

            Her bag was slung over her shoulder, the children’s car seats in her hands. She mumbled something in Spanish under her breath and went out the door. Liz carefully closed it behind them.

            Holding the children’s hands in the dark laundry room, she looked out the window in the door. Squinting, she could just barely see Mac and Maria as they slipped around the perimeter of the dark backyard under the pine trees. Then they disappeared behind the garage.

            In less than three minutes, Mac was tapping lightly on the door. Liz opened it.

            Picking Billy up, Mac put an index finger to his lips. He nodded at Liz and stepped back out the door. She slid the duffle bag onto her elbow and took Edie’s hand. With the other hand, she pulled the door closed quietly behind them. They started the circuit around the yard under the pines.

            Edie was dragging her feet, either from fatigue or anxiety. Liz tapped Mac’s shoulder, then motioned to the child. Mac handed Billy to her. “Shh,” Liz breathed in the little boy’s ear.

            Mac picked up Edie and whispered, “Not a sound.” He started moving forward again, Liz following as closely as she could.

            The area beside the garage was inky black. “Watch your step, sir,” a quiet voice came out of the darkness. Liz jumped and collided with Mac’s back.

            She sensed him stepping over something in his path. She put out her foot. It nudged up against a soft obstacle. She felt Billy being lifted from her arms as Mac whispered, “Quiet now, champ. Almost there.”

            A black man in Army battle fatigues materialized out of the darkness. Liz stifled a scream. He took her bag in one hand and her elbow with the other. “This way, ma’am,” he said quietly.

            He half lifted her over the unconscious body lying on the ground. At least she hoped the person was just unconscious. She shuddered as it sank in that this
was
life or death.

            Then she was being helped into the back of a dark Hummer in the alley. It was idling with no lights on, outside or in. Even the dashboard was dark.

            Liz could just barely see Edie in her booster seat. Maria was next to her, holding a finger to Billy’s lips as he sat on her lap. Mac climbed into the front passenger seat.

            Liz heard a quiet voice say, “We’ll clean up, sir. Right behind you.”

            Then the Hummer moved silently down the alley, its headlights still off. Liz looked out the back window and made out the outline of another truck behind them, also with its lights off.

            Maria was now kneeling on the floor of the Hummer, trying to get Billy to sit still in his car seat so she could strap him in. Liz turned to help her.

            The two vehicles crept along several side streets until they came out on a country road. The headlights came on behind them. A radio squawked. The driver picked it up from its holder on the dashboard. He mumbled into it, listened, then mumbled again.

            “All clear, sir,” he said as he switched on his headlights.

            “Uncle Mac?” Edie’s voice wavered.

            “It’s okay, little one,” Mac said. “We’re safe now.”

            “Were we good secret agents?” Billy asked.

            “The best, champ!”

            Liz sat back in her seat and let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

CHAPTER TWELVE

            The five of them sat in a circle on the plush carpet of Janice’s new living room. One of the throwaway cell phones was in the middle of the circle, set on speaker. Mac was on the other end. Kate heard faint road noises in the background as he reported on the only minor glitch, as he called it, in their departure from the house.