Hank slowed to a crawl on the busy Arlington street. "Val, who are you talking to?"
"I hear him." But there was no note of satisfaction in the caller's tone. "Good work. Bring him to Cold Ridge. It's your only chance, Val. Do you understand me? Your only chance. Manny's only chance. Do what you have to do. Just get Senator Callahan to Cold Ridge."
Her hands were like ice, her fingers gripping the phone as if it might suddenly fly itself out the window. She moaned in despair and frustration. "Don't you get it? I can't drive all the way to New England with a senator!"
Hank slammed on the brake and snatched the phone out of her hand. "Who the hell is this?" He listened a moment, then handed the phone back to her. "Get rid of him. Understood?"
She nodded, although she was past understanding anything.
"Cute trick," the caller said. "I told him I'd only talk to you. Val, be strong. I'm trying to help. The only way I can help is if you bring Hank Callahan to Cold Ridge tonight."
"But-"
"I know it sounds scary and strange." This time, she thought she sensed an undercurrent of friendliness, caring, in the otherwise unchanged voice. "But once I can reveal what I know, once you have the whole picture- both you and the senator will thank me. In the meantime, you must follow my instructions to the letter."
"If I don't?"
"Then you'll bear the responsibility for whatever happens. Good or bad. I'm being honest with you. I have the means to help your husband, but only if you're willing to do your part." A pause, calculated, she thought, to further unnerve her. "Mrs. Carrera, please don't mistake me. Some very bad people are after your husband."
"It's something like ten hours to Cold Ridge." She avoided looking at Hank next to her, felt her stomach muscles twist, aching, acid rising up in her throat. "We can take the shuttle and be there in a couple of hours."
But the caller didn't even hesitate. "You know that won't work. Too many air marshals. Drive all night. It'll be okay. Just do as I say. I'll call back when you're farther north and tell you where to bring the senator."
"What if I call the police the second I hang up? What if Hank does?"
"If either of you contacts the police-if you tell anyone-all bets are off, and you'll have to live with the consequences."
He hung up, and Val gulped for air, not thinking as she yanked open the glove compartment and fumbled for her Glock. She pulled it out and pointed it at Hank, who just stared at her, his jaw set, his teeth clenched. He wouldn't know it was unloaded."Val, for Christ's sake."
"Please." She didn't know what the hell she was doing. "We can't call the police. Something bad'll happen, and I couldn't live with myself-just drive to Cold Ridge. It's a long way. I'll-I'll figure out something in the meantime."
Hank was steely-eyed, outwardly calm. "Your hand's shaking. Mind not pointing that thing at me?"
She didn't lower the gun. She'd meant to check out Washington D.C. gun laws but hadn't gotten around to it. She was fairly certain that handguns, concealed or otherwise, were illegal in the nation's capital. But, kidnapping a U.S. senator was illegal everywhere.
"Hank-please, just do as I ask and let me think. I need you to drive us to New Hampshire tonight.You and me."
"I can't do that, Val. I have a wife. I have a job to do."
She pretended not to hear him. "Take I-95. It's an awful road, but it'll be the fastest."
"Why should I do as you say? What was that call all about? Val-"
"Goddamn it, Hank, my head's spinning. Give me a minute, okay? And get back on the road. Don't fuck with me right now. You know I can shoot."
"You won't shoot me."
"Not dead, but I can make you bleed."
He glanced at her. "And I can feed you that damn gun."
"You won't." She managed a faltering smile, even as she fought back tears. "You know I'm desperate. I'm- I'm trying to buy us some time. I don't know if this guy's on the level. If he is, great, at least he's on our side. If he's not-well, then we're screwed, anyway."
"Val, trust me. Talk to me." His voice was earnest, serious, and she remembered Manny telling her Hank Callahan was one of the coolest pilots under fire he'd ever seen. "Tell me what's going on. I can help."
"Just drive."
"Let me call the police."
"No. I can't risk it." Her head was throbbing, as if she had cobwebs growing in her skull, multiplying, squeezing her brain, so that she couldn't think. "Manny's incommunicado. Tyler's already in Cold Ridge. Eric-I talked to him a little while ago. He's in his dorm, asleep. I'm out of the loop. If I do something wrong-I couldn't live with myself."
"You're doing something wrong now."
"He-at least I think it's a he. Maybe not. Anyway, I'll get another call with more instructions when we're closer to Cold Ridge. Jesus, that's a long time."
"You're goddamn right it is."
"But you'll do it, won't you?"
Hank nodded tightly, turning onto the interstate. Traffic was heavy, endless rows of headlights and brake lights, the whoosh of passing cars and trucks, all of it adding to her confusion and anxiety. He had a thousand options, but Val suspected he wanted to buy himself some time to think, too. And he'd want to find out what was going on in Cold Ridge as much as she did.
He sighed at her with his first hint of real irritation. "Just put the fucking Glock away, will you?"
"The f-word, Hank?" She smiled faintly, not letting go of her gun. "If your constituents could hear you now."
Twenty-Four
Ty reached for the phone when it rang and answered it before he thought about where he was-in Carine's loft bed. But it was Antonia, as collected as ever despite the obvious note of concern in her voice. "Did I wake you?" she asked. "I called your place first. I thought you and Carine were staying there-never mind. Hank got your message and went over to Val's over two hours ago."
"What time is it now?"
"Almost midnight. He's not back, and I haven't heard from him."
Carine stirred, and Ty sat up. He had the inside of the bed, next to the slanted ceiling. "Did you call over there?"
"No answer. I'm trying not to overreact. Hank's cell isn't on, and I don't have Val's number." She sighed, her calm faltering. "Tyler, what the hell's going on? I know Val must be scared to death about Manny's situation. Have you talked to her?"
"Not tonight. Earlier today. The police were at her door-"
"We heard about that. They had a search warrant. Well, that's enough to frighten anyone. I've got the media here-they showed up not long after Hank left for Val's. They've made the connection between him and Manny. I think they're gone now."
Carine touched Ty's arm, and he gave her a reassuring nod, although he felt a twinge of uneasiness. Val Carrera was volatile on a good day-funny as hell when she wasn't depressed, but impulsive. And no one who knew her wanted to piss her off. "Antonia, is there anything I can do?"
"I don't know. I don't give a damn about the media, but-Hank-" She gulped in a breath, revealing some of the stress she was accustomed to keeping so carefully hidden. "He's sympathetic to Val's situation."
"We're all sympathetic, but it's late."
"I could go down to her apartment."
"Not alone."
Carine, impatient, motioned for the phone, and North handed it to her. "Antonia? What's up?" She listened a moment, then shook her head. "No, you listen to me for a change. Give Hank thirty minutes. If he doesn't get in touch with you, you don't go down to Val's. You sound the damn alarm."
Antonia called back twenty minutes later. Carine was in the kitchen making tea, debating whether or not to call Gus and get him up. Ty talked her out of it. He simply had to suggest she put on more water for tea-it put the same image in her head that he had, Gus and Stump in her cabin at one o'clock in the morning.
He could hear the relief in Antonia's voice. "Hank called. He and Val are on their way to Cold Ridge."