“By locking him up? Like a criminal?”
“He killed at least two people-Rosemary Weber and Dominic Theissen.”
Alexis stared at her defiantly. “So?”
“This is getting us nowhere,” Noah said. “DeLucca and I are going to put her in Holding until I can get a transport to federal prison.”
“Alexis,” Lucy said. “You killed a federal agent. That’s a death penalty charge. Help us stop your brother and I will help you.”
“So I can go to prison for the rest of my life?” she snapped sarcastically.
“Do you want your daughter to suffer for the rest of her life? Don’t you want to see her grow up?”
Alexis’s eyes teared. “Peter. Take care of Missy.”
Peter stared at her. “What?”
“She looks just like you,” Alexis whispered.
“Alexis,” Peter said quietly, squatting in front of her, “I don’t understand why you and Kip blamed the police for what happened to your sister. But I know your pain more than anyone.” He glanced at Lucy. “Lucy and I both understand. You can’t let him finish whatever he’s doing. It needs to end now.”
Tears streamed down Alexis’s cheeks. “I’m not going to turn on my brother.”
Peter stood and gazed down at her. “I understand.”
She sighed in relief. “Go, far away from New York.”
He shook his head.
“No. I’m staying here. I love my job. Those kids mean everything to me. I’ve been running since Rachel died. I’m not running anymore.”
“He will kill you,” Alexis said emphatically. “Don’t you understand? He’ll kill you. That’s all he wants now.”
Noah motioned for Lucy. She walked over to the small kitchen and he said in a low voice, “She’s stalling.”
“I think she’s torn. She honestly cares about Peter and doesn’t want him hurt.”
“She’s loyal to her brother.”
Lucy nodded.
“Something’s wrong. She might have come here to warn Peter, but she knows her brother’s near. Lucy, try to get the info out of her, but I’m calling in Tactical.” Noah stepped into the hall to make his calls.
Lucy walked back over to Alexis. “Where is your brother now?”
“I don’t know,” she said, looking at Peter.
“You do. I think you came here to warn Peter, but you know Kip is already on his way.”
She didn’t say anything.
Sean said, “Peter, come with me.”
Suzanne cut him off. “You’re hardly in prime condition. I’ll take you and Peter to the safe house, and you can babysit him.”
Sean was going to argue-he hated being out of the center of an operation-but he looked at Lucy and she nodded. “You’re not one hundred percent.”
“My eighty percent is better than most hundreds.” He winked. “But I’m with Peter. Be careful, Luce.”
Noah came back in. “We have a problem. Alexis mirrored your computer at Quantico, Lucy. Every communication that’s come in through your e-mail, she saw.”
Lucy turned to her. She felt violated and angry. But it explained how Alexis knew when to leave. “You knew Sean had sent me the sketch Peter had made at Syracuse.”
Alexis didn’t say anything, but her eyes revealed the truth.
Sean took Lucy’s phone. He opened it up, inspected it, then reset the system. “There’s no bug, but I reset the codes so nothing you send on the phone will go through your computer.”
“We can’t use the safe house Sean set up on the chance the intel has been compromised,” Noah said. “DeLucca has a place NYPD uses. He’s calling in an unmarked car to transport Peter, Sean, and Suzanne there. NYPD will cover the exterior. Lucy and I will take Sanchez to Bureau headquarters.”
Lucy turned back to Alexis. “You can stop this.”
Alexis shook her head. “No, I can’t.” She looked at Peter. “I’m sorry, Peter. I tried to save you. But you sided with the wrong people. I wish it were different.”
Peter was heartbroken and confused. Lucy took him aside. “Peter, don’t let her get into your head. This isn’t your fault. She’s playing by her own set of rules. To her, it’s Kip and Alexis against the world. She wanted you to join them. Because you didn’t, you’re the enemy. Don’t forget that.”
He didn’t say anything, but the pain in his eyes hurt Lucy. “I don’t want to run,” he said.
“You won’t have to. We’ll find him.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
“The cars are here,” Noah said.
It was after three in the morning, and the street had been quiet for thirty minutes. NYPD had searched the neighboring buildings and public areas and there was no sign of Kip Todd or any threat.
“We’re taking Alexis out first through the front. Two agents will take her to headquarters. Once we’re clear, I’ll call up and Suzanne, you come down with Peter. Keep your com line open, no unnecessary chatter. This guy hates cops. He’s not going to hold back if he has a shot.”
Lucy turned to Alexis. “This is your last chance. What is Kip planning?”
The woman stared at Peter.
Then she turned to Lucy and Noah. “Promise me I can see my daughter one last time.”
Noah nodded. “If you tell me the truth, I promise visitation rights for your daughter.”
“Just once. To tell her I love her. And to tell her about her father.” She glanced at Peter, then closed her eyes. “Kip was here earlier today. He wanted me to tell him when Peter got home, but I followed Peter from the subway station to warn him. When I saw Rogan, I panicked. I knew I had to steer Peter away from his apartment.
“I told Kip afterward that Rogan already made contact and I tried to take Peter out myself. He was angry because he wanted to do it. He told me to watch the apartment, and he was baiting the trap.”
“What trap?” Noah demanded.
“I don’t know. Just that he knew how to get Peter out of hiding.”
They all looked at Peter.
He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Sean swore. “Charlie.” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. “There’s no answer.”
Noah said, “I’ll have the Bureau contact the Syracuse police.”
“My plane is ten minutes away,” Sean said.
“I’m going,” Peter said.
“No,” Lucy and Noah said simultaneously.
“I’m not a prisoner, am I? Charlie is my only friend. He’s the only one who believed me. He’s the only one I trust. And I put him in danger by having him keep my secret.”
Lucy said, “Alexis put him in danger by mirroring my computer. That’s the only way they found out about how he helped you.”
Peter turned to Alexis and shook his head. “I forgive you, because if I don’t, I’ll be full of the same hate you are. But if anything happens to Charlie or his wife, I hope you get the death penalty, because you’re no better, no more noble, than the men who killed Rachel and Cami.” And he turned away.
They went down the stairs to the main floor, staying inside the small lobby until Joe DeLucca opened the door. “We’re clear, but keep moving.”
He walked in front of them, looking both ways. The passenger door opened and an agent got out. He showed Noah his credentials and opened the back door. Another agent got out and assisted Alexis inside. The two agents got back in and the car left.
“One down,” Joe said.
“Change of plans,” Noah said. “We’re going to Syracuse.”
Before he could explain, Sean came limping down the stairs. “I have Charlie Mead on the phone,” he said, and put the phone on speaker.
“Charlie, I have Agent Armstrong here.”
“I walked right into it. I’m sorry, Rogan.”
“Where are you?”
Another voice came on the phone. “I’ll exchange the cop for my sister and Peter McMahon.”
“I can’t do that,” Noah said. He mouthed to Sean, Are you tracing this call?
Sean nodded.
“Then the cop dies. And I’ll kill another cop every day until my sister is free and Peter is dead.”
“I have to talk to my boss,” Noah said.
“You have thirty minutes.”
“Where are you?”
“Exactly fourteen minutes away.” He hung up.