Blood Storm Page 17

  “You?” She drew back just enough to see his face. “What do you mean?”

  “It was right there all along.” He kissed the baffled frown spreading across her brow. “While we were in Santa Fe, Greg mentioned an investigation into Grant’s actions. She was talking to someone at the lab besides your father. They were investigating the identity of the other party but Buckman’s phone system is pretty unique. They couldn’t hack into the internal program.”

  Awareness began to dawn in her eyes. “You knew this. . .and didn’t tell me?”

  Sam shrugged guiltily. “You were already worried. I didn’t want to scare you. You’ve been through so much.”

  Kate stiffened angrily. Sam had kept information from her. Important information. If she had known about Sharon Grant, she would have never contacted her for assistance.

  After a moment, she relaxed and shot him a sheepish grin. “It’s not any worse than me calling Jeff. . .twice.”

  His bruised face broke into a smile. “I guess this means we’re both human and capable of making mistakes.”

  Kate rested her head against his shoulder, momentarily placated by the comfort and closeness of his warm body. “Is Sharon Grant behind the bioterrorism plot? Why else would she have brought me here?” She answered her own question, and it was confirmed by Sam’s arm tightening around her shoulders.

  “At this point, I’m not certain who is involved,” he muttered in a low voice. “The waters keep getting muddier! We know Buckman is the leader because he incriminated himself in the diary your father found. I think Jeff Miller was his accomplice. But now it seems Sharon Grant is connected, as well. I’m beginning to wonder if there is anyone out there who is not involved in this damnable scheme.” His expression hardened. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

  “You can trust me.” Kate’s arms crept around his neck. “And I know I can trust you.”

  She felt the bunching of his muscles as he pulled her tight against his chest. “I do trust you,” he admitted in a low voice.

  Kate smiled, a strange mixture of happiness and fear flowing through her. Sam trusted her. It was a start.

  He rested his cheek against her head, his warm breath gently ruffling her hair. After a moment, he pulled back.

  “You have to get out of here. Escape.”

  “How? Even you can’t break through a steel door.”

  “I have something else in mind.”

  He pushed to his feet, gratefully accepting Kate’s hand for assistance. It took a moment for him to steady himself before he raised his eyes toward the painted window.

  “You’re small. I think you can squeeze through that opening.”

  Kate followed his gaze. “It’s too high, Sam. Neither of us could reach it.”

  He turned to face her. His mouth was set in a determined line that offered no room for argument. “If you stand on my shoulders, I can push you to the ledge.”

  “But what about you?”

  “One of us has to go for help. You can do this, Kate. Trust me.”

  He took a step toward her as she backed away, her eyes wide.

  “I won’t leave you.”

  Sam placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning down so their eyes were level. “It’s the only way, princess. Don’t fight me on this.”

  Kate shook her head. She fought to keep her voice steady. “Please don’t ask me to leave you. There has to be another way.”

  “We don’t have time to discuss this. The guy who locked you in here could be back at any second.”

  She shuddered involuntarily. “Okay,” she relented at last, her eyes still pleading for a retraction. “What do you want me to do?”

  Sam took a business card from his pocket, and pressed it into her hand. “Find a phone and call Greg Morris. Explain what’s happened. Tell him we need backup immediately.”

  Kate shoved the card into her pocket without looking at it. Sam’s life depended on her. She straightened her shoulders, a determined tilt to her chin.

  “I’m ready.”

  He smiled, his hand gently cupping her cheek. “That’s my girl. I’ll be waiting.”

  Kate felt her resolve crumble at his touch. What if she couldn’t find a phone? What if the rescue didn’t happen fast enough, and Sam was hurt? Or killed?

  She threw herself against him. She wanted to tell him how she felt in case there wasn’t a second chance. She couldn’t make the same mistake as she had with her father. . .waiting until it was too late to say those three words. She must tell him now, and damn the consequences.

  “I love you,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his shirt. “I won’t let you down.”

  He tried to pull away but Kate held on tight. Suddenly his mouth was showering kisses across her face. His lips warmed her eyes, her cheeks, her brow. She found herself whisked away on a cloud of happiness. Nothing mattered but this moment. This man.

  When at last Sam raised his head, his eyes burned with a new light. “If I don’t make you leave now, I won’t be responsible for what happens next,” he warned in husky tones.

  Kate nuzzled his lips one last time. “I expect a rain check,” she whispered hoarsely, grinning when she felt his embrace tighten.

  “And you’ll damn sure get one!”

  His promise left her excited for the moment they could be together, and worried that it might never come. The cold seemed to invade every inch of her body when his arms dropped away.

  Sam stepped under the window and motioned for her to follow.

  “Climb onto my shoulders when I bend down, and use the wall to steady your balance. I’ll push you to the ledge. Pull the window open as much as possible and try to slide through it.”

  Kate nodded, awkwardly placing her feet on his back as she positioned herself near his shoulders. It took several attempts before Sam successfully raised her to within reach of the ledge.

  She grasped the metal frame, wincing as she pushed against it. The sun spilled warmth into the musty room. Momentarily blinded by the bright light, she pushed against it one more time before it finally opened wide enough for her to squeeze through.

  “I’ve got it,” she called down to him. Her hands scraped at the ledge as she tried to slide through the window.

  “I’m going to push against your feet as you climb out. Try to get your head through the opening first so you can see the ground.”

  Kate felt a strong thrust under the balls of her feet. She pulled herself across the ledge, wiggling into a sitting position with her legs still dangling inside the room. Glancing over her shoulder, she spied an industrial trash container under the window. It would break her fall.

  Kate turned back and saw Sam watching nervously from a few feet away. With the sunlight filtering through the shadows, she noticed how pale and drawn he looked. Blood splattered the front of his shirt, most likely from the beating he had taken at the hotel.

  “Go! Someone’s coming!”

  Kate wasted no time in pulling her legs to the outside edge. Without second guessing her decision, she jumped to the trash container, landing with a loud bang on the lid before sliding to the ground.

  She was on the opposite side of the warehouse from where she had entered. Running to the fence, she squeezed through a small gap in the padlocked gate.

  Her heart pounded as if she were being chased by demons. Kate scurried to the street corner, making note of the name on a crooked sign atop a metal pole. She would need to report their location so the rescue team could find Sam.

  Kate spied a coin operated pay phone several feet away, attached to the side of a brick building.

  Please, please let it work! She ran toward it, her footsteps echoing hollowly against the concrete sidewalk.

  Picking up the handset, Kate mouthed a silent thank you as the dial tone hummed loudly in her ear. She dug into her pocket, extracting the card with Greg Morris’s information before dialing the number.

  After a long pause, a mechanical voice prompted her to insert c
oins into the phone. Kate froze. She frantically dug into her jeans pocket, extracting a few loose pennies. Despair blanketed her expression upon realizing she didn’t have enough money for the call.

  Don’t panic. She scanned the faded instructions on the front of the phone casing. She would make a collect call. Hopefully, Greg Morris would accept the charges.

  After instructing the operator to place the call, she waited impatiently for the line to connect. Following a long silence, she heard a recorded voice on the other end.

  “You’ve reached Greg Morris. I’m not in the office today, but you can leave a message and I’ll return your call tomorrow morning after 8 a.m. If this is an emergency, please dial 555-2435, and the dispatcher will be able to direct your call to the appropriate department for assistance.”

  Kate replaced the handset, tears stinging her eyes. Perhaps the local CIA agency would help. Surely someone there knew of the meeting Sam had arranged. For the second time, she pressed “O” on the numerical dial and spoke with an operator.

  “I need to place a collect call to the local CIA agency in Atlanta, Georgia,” she stated in a strained voice. “No, I don’t know the number or department. Can’t you look it up?”

  Kate paced anxiously in front of the phone, straining against the metal cord like a leash. Within minutes a friendly receptionist answered the call, listening quietly as the operator asked her to accept collect charges from a Kate Merrill.

  “I’m sorry, the CIA does not accept collect calls from unknown parties. If you have a contact name, I can transfer the call. Perhaps that person will accept the charges.”

  Kate hung up before the operator could relay the message. She felt the sun beating against the back of her neck but it failed to banish the cold and nausea squeezing her insides.

  There had to be someone who could help her. She tried to banish all thought of Jeff but his face kept weaving throughout her thoughts.

  What if he wasn’t part of this? Conrad and Sharon Grant might have lied to him just like they did her father. It was worth a try. She placed a collect call to Jeff’s number. To her relief he answered the phone and eagerly accepted the charges.

  “Kate! My God, where are you?”

  “I’m in Atlanta. We were kidnapped but Sam helped me escape. Please, Jeff, don’t let anyone hurt him.”

  “Take it easy! I need you to explain exactly what happened. I thought you were going to call me when you got here so we could arrange a meeting?”

  “I was, but we didn’t get in until late last night,” she lied. “I was in the lobby this morning and saw Buckman’s men forcing Sam into a black SUV. I called Sharon Grant to ask for help. She had me brought to a deserted warehouse where they’re holding Sam prisoner. It’s at the corner of Fremont and Lake. Please, help us. I’ll give you my dad’s notes and the formula for the vaccination . . .”

  The phone was suddenly ripped from her hand. Thick fingers dug into her skin, spinning her around and forcing her against the brick wall.

  Kate stared at the silver toothed goon, swallowing the sick realization that she was doomed.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  “Who are you calling?”

  When she didn’t answer, he grinned malevolently. “It doesn’t matter because you and your friend are going on a trip.” As he replaced the handset in the cradle, Kate could hear Jeff frantically calling her name.

  Kate closed her eyes against the inevitable. She failed to find help, and that meant no hope for her or Sam. They would likely be killed. Her misery was so acute it was a physical pain.

  The thug yanked her across the sidewalk.

  “Let me go!”

  She beat against his arm with her other hand. Her heels dug into the concrete in an attempt to halt their forward progress.

  Her kidnapper stopped and leaned in, his dark, angry face only inches away. “We can do this peacefully or I can knock you out and drag you back. Either way, you’re coming with me.”

  Kate flinched, certain he would follow through on his threat. “I’ll go, but there’s no reason to keep Sam captive. I’m the one you want, not him.”

  The man sneered, his grip loosening a fraction before he ran a stubby finger down her cheek. “You like his type, don’t you?”

  He shoved her against the brick wall, grinding his hard arousal into her stomach. Kate squirmed as she felt the rough edges of the masonry scrape across her flesh.

  “I’m going to teach you all about pleasure, Kate. Sometimes pain can be quite exciting.”

  The stench of his breath washed over her as she struggled to break free of his talon like grip. “Leave me alone,” she hissed, anger coloring her pale features, “or I’ll tell Sharon Grant you ‘damaged’ the goods.”

  To her relief, he stopped, his hand still wrapped snugly around her wrist. She watched the emotions play across his face in a silent battle until he slowly backed away. Kate could tell she had struck a nerve.

  After a moment of indecision, he pushed her in front of him and he pointed toward a large cargo van parked on the street. “Let’s go!”

  By the time they reached the van, Sam was being led from the warehouse by another man, taller and more slender than her captor. A pistol glinted in the thug’s hand as he nudged Sam in the back with the end of the barrel. His hands were bound tightly behind him. A gag had been stuffed in his mouth, preventing him from speaking.

  He glanced up, a sliver of dread cutting into his features as he saw her approach. Before Kate could speak, a bandana was shoved into her mouth and tied behind her head. Her hands were laced tightly together with a length of rope.

  Minutes later, both she and Sam were shoved into the back of the van. She heard the key lock the back doors.

  Kate struggled to sit when the engine started up. A small window separated the thugs from the back compartment. The two men faced straight ahead, apparently unconcerned about their passengers.

  Sam shook his head and nodded for Kate to remain down. He scooted to her side, turning his back so his hands were near her face. His fingers groped for the bandana wedged between her teeth.

  Kate moved her head toward him when she realized he was trying to loosen her gag. She nudged the fabric against his hand, sucking in a big gulp of air when it fell away. Turning her back to Sam, she repeated the same actions.

  “Thanks!” His hoarse whisper alerted her that she had successfully freed him of his gag. “Were you able to contact Greg Morris?”

  She shook her head, scooting next to him with her back against the side of the van. “I tried,” she explained in a low voice, “but his answering machine picked up. He was out for the day. Then I attempted to contact the CIA but they wouldn’t accept a collect call.”

  “Collect?” Sam blew out a short breath as he leaned his head against the metal panel. “Damn! I should have asked if you had coins for the phone.”

  “You had a lot on your mind,” she murmured. “How’s your head?”

  “It’s been better.” He closed his eyes tightly and expelled a long breath. “I guess we need to come up with a Plan B.”

  Kate nodded. “I did manage to talk to someone,” she offered hesitantly. “I called Jeff.” She winced at his loud groan. “He acted surprised that Conrad’s men had captured us. I think he’ll try to help.”

  Sam cast a derisive glance in her direction. “Yeah, like he helped us at Cal’s cabin and in Santa Fe.”

  “I heard concern in his voice,” she argued obstinately.

  “You’re so naïve, Kate! How can you be so trusting?”

  “I believe there’s good in everyone. Even you,” she teased softly.

  “Well, maybe you shouldn’t,” he ground out thickly. “If you had put less faith in me, we might not be in this situation.”

  Kate realized Sam was blaming himself for their predicament. The pain in his expression was more than she could bear and she quickly snuggled next to him.

  “Don’t take responsibility for this, Sam. It wasn’t your fa
ult. We’re victims of something neither of us could have foreseen. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I should never have allowed you to come with me.”

  “You couldn’t have stopped me,” he blustered, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “There is no way I would let you do this alone.”

  “Then maybe we should stop arguing about who was at fault and concentrate on how to get ourselves out of here.”

  “That’s why I adore you,” he whispered, nuzzling her ear. “You’re not only beautiful, but smart, too.”

  Adore me? He hadn’t said he loved her but at least he was getting closer. Kate’s mood lightened as she edged forward.

  “If I untie you, can you unlatch the doors?”

  He shook his head. “They locked us in. I can try to kick them open, but they’ll hear me.”

  “Then we’ll have to devise another plan.” Kate didn’t like feeling helpless. “Do you know where they’re taking us or what their intentions are?”

  “Not a clue, but I wouldn’t worry just yet. You should be safe until they find your father’s papers. Since they believe your bag is at the hotel, they’ll need to keep you healthy until you sign for it.”

  “And what about you?”

  “I’m more dispensable,” he shrugged.

  Her stomach felt like someone had buried their fist in it. Kate struggled to her knees.

  “I won’t cooperate unless they release you.”

  “You do exactly what they tell you and don’t worry about me,” he ordered sharply. “This is not the time or place to play the hero card.”

  “It’s not your decision, Sam Holden. I’m not a puppet on a string, dancing to your little whims.”

  He eyes grew wide then he suddenly grinned. “Come here.”

  She scooted closer.

  Sam leaned over and kissed her. “See, I can tell you what to do, and you obey like a dutiful…”

  Kate was sure he had been about to say “wife”. She arched one brow in mock disapproval. “I’m beginning to think you start arguments just so we can make up.”

  “When we get out of this mess, I’m going to test that theory.”