A Colby Christmas Rescue (Colby Agency: The Next Generation #1)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Excalibur Court, 8:30 a.m.

Jamie wiped the steam from the mirror. The shower had cleared her head a bit. She’d barely slept last night. She couldn’t stop thinking about Luke and how he must be feeling.

Her little brother was a good guy. His need to help others was so clear in his every decision. The fact that he wanted to be a doctor said so much about him. She had to make sure he came through this safely. No one should be kidnapped and held against his will, but Luke was one of the last people on the planet who deserved such treatment. Jamie wished she could claim credit for even ten percent of his good works. The man was always donating his time and/or ability to one cause or another.

There had been times when Jamie worried that this made him vulnerable. It wasn’t that she didn’t agree with the work he did, but he had to be more careful to protect himself. He was a Colby. This made him a target far more so than he wanted to admit. She’d warned him time and time again that he had to be careful. He shouldn’t just blindly trust anyone.

She scrubbed the towel over her skin. That wasn’t fair. Just because he had been targeted and taken hostage did not mean he hadn’t been careful.

When she’d dried her body and whipped her hair into a damp ponytail, she put on the jeans and sweatshirt that had been provided. Her host had thought of everything. Clothes. Shoes. Toiletries. The scariest part was that these were toiletries she would have chosen.

She suspected Abi had taken care of those details or at least helped with that part. Or maybe he’d been the one to think of it period. He was quite a diva when it came to personal comfort. No matter. She had carefully checked every single item for tracking devices and anything else that could be used to monitor her movements or subdue her in any way. As she’d done so, her mind had conjured images of her and Abi together...their bodies entwined.

She rolled her eyes and put the thought out of her head. She knew firsthand how he liked things. She and Abi had a thing for a little while late last year. It hadn’t been a big deal. She’d run into him after a long and exhausting assignment. She’d had a feeling he’d picked her out of the pack and zeroed in on her. Maybe she was being paranoid, but it had felt that way. There were plenty of others in the agency he could have targeted.

Of course, his decision to go after her had nothing to do with this current mission.

She gave her reflection one last look. There were several items on her to-do list today and she wasn’t standing for Abi getting in her way. He might be in charge of babysitting, but this was her op.

When she opened the bedroom door, the smell of coffee had her ready to moan. The house was a large one with five bedrooms—each with its own bath—and a large center great room with its impressive balcony and telescope. Oh, and the infinity pool was inspiring even in the window. The steam rising from it this morning told her it was heated.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Abi announced as bread popped out of the toaster.

“Who slept?” she grumbled. She felt confident her grandparents hadn’t slept last night either. Like her, they were probably terrified for Luke. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him.

She stilled, then glanced around the room. “Where’s Poe?”

“He’s having a look around outside. Checking out the ride that’s been provided to you.”

Of course he was. Men . “I have some things to do.”

Abi passed her a plate loaded with toast, each slice smeared with a plop of guacamole. “Great. I’ll go with you. Poe can hold down the fort.”

“Sorry, but where I go, Poe goes.” The toast actually looked quite good. He’d chopped up tomatoes and sprinkled them across the top. She took a bite. This time she did moan.

“You need coffee.”

As if it hadn’t been fourteen months, two weeks and three days since they’d seen each other, he prepared her a cup of coffee with exactly the right amount of almond milk creamer.

“What is it you want, Abi?” He was up to something. This was another thing that had kept her awake last night. It wasn’t like him to be so attentive unless he wanted something more than he’d stated. Then again, she supposed it was his job to keep her focused and content until the job was done. Whatever the case, trust was not something she would be tossing out for him.

“It’s my job to ensure you have everything you need and are fully prepared for the op.”

She decided the coffee was too good to spoil with a long conversation, so she ate her toast and drank it while it was hot. When she finished her coffee, she asked the burning question. “Why aren’t you doing the job? Why kidnap my brother and force me to do something I’m sure you can do yourself?” They had talked about this last night and the trust issue, but she still wasn’t convinced he’d been completely forthcoming on the subject.

Abi sipped his coffee and appeared to consider her question. “My employer wants the best and I assured him you are the very best. Think about it—this is not the sort of situation you wish to leave to chance.”

“Your employer has a family member who has an inoperable brain tumor.” It wasn’t a question. They had tiptoed around this issue yesterday too.

“What’s on your agenda?” Abi asked, ignoring her question. “You mentioned things you needed to do.”

She considered the man and wondered what in his life had formed his decision to go down this murky path. His father had been a high-ranking member of the Mossad and after retirement, his role in Israeli politics became noteworthy. But Abi had been raised by his mother in London and he had not chosen to serve either country in any capacity. He served only himself.

“Initial stop—my brother’s condo. I want to have a look around.”

“You believe there’s something more going on than what you’ve been told in your briefing?”

She took her cup and plate to the sink. If he was expecting her to do the dishes because he had cooked, he could forget it. “I don’t believe or disbelieve anything. I simply wish to have a look at my brother’s home.”

He gave a nod. “As you wish.”

“Later we can go over the plan.” She might as well understand how his employer expected this to go down.

“We won’t be going over the plan until we are ready to move.”

This she found troubling. “You’re assuming there’s no room for error in your plan. How can you be so sure the plan doesn’t need to be tweaked?”

“The plan is perfect.”

“There’s no such thing as a perfect plan,” she argued.

He smiled. “I’ll agree to disagree.”

The door opened and Poe joined them in the kitchen. “Morning.” He looked from her to Abi and back. “Everything okay?”

“We’re going to Luke’s condo to have a look around.”

He nodded, his expression giving nothing of his feelings away. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure.”

“Let’s take a walk,” Poe suggested. “Outside.”

“Sure.” She flashed a smile for Abi. “We’ll be just outside.” She wanted a look around out there anyway.

On the way out the door, Jamie grabbed her coat—the one provided with the other items for this op. Poe had nothing but the windbreaker he’d been wearing in LA. Not exactly suitable for December in Tennessee.

Once they were outside and walking around the infinity pool overlooking the wooded valley below, Poe turned to her. “What’s the deal between you and this guy?”

With all that was going on, this was what he needed to talk about?

“Nothing.” She surveyed the valley and the house that sat in the middle of those woods. The house was their target. Getting in and out of there with the surgeon in tow would never be easy. Whatever Abi thought, the sort of man who had a body double on staff no doubt had serious protection wherever he went. He would not go with Jamie willingly.

On top of the idea that there was a good chance they would end up dead just for trying to get to him, there was the idea of what would happen if they were successful. The authorities wouldn’t rest until they solved the case. Beyond that, there was the concern that the surgeon could end up injured or dead.

Luke could end up injured or dead.

So many things could go wrong.

“Come on, Jamie. I can see there’s a connection. How do you know this guy?”

“I bumped into him late last year after an assignment for the agency. He attempted to infiltrate my cover. The op was over, so I don’t know why he bothered. Maybe just to see if he could. To flirt.”

Poe held up his hands. “Maybe I don’t want to know.” He visibly shook himself. Maybe from the cold. “So I’ve thought about the layout down there.” He looked toward the surgeon’s home. “The security protocols he used the last time he hosted a party and his personal security team are detailed in the package Abi provided. The chances of getting in and out of there will be slim. Very slim.” He shook his head. “I have a really bad feeling about this.”

She smiled sadly. “It’s not like I have a choice. I have to try.”

“I did some research on Case as well. He’s not exactly known as Mr. Personality. I don’t think your friend’s employer understands that he could very well refuse to do the surgery.”

Jamie had considered this could be an issue. “I suppose we’ll just have to convince him somehow.”

“But we can’t make him,” Poe argued. “We can put a gun to his head, but we cannot make him do the surgery. Torturing him or shooting him won’t be an option.”

“You’re saying you don’t think the plan is a good one.”

He moved his head from side to side. “The doctor will need proper motivation.”

Jamie thought of the photos of the doctor and his family she had reviewed. “He has a kid. A little girl.”

Poe nodded. “Ten years old. Take the kid for leverage and there won’t be any trouble getting him to go along with whatever he’s asked to do. I’m guessing that’s why Abi isn’t sharing more details. He knows you aren’t going to like it.”

Fury roared through Jamie. “On top of that, it’s another reason why he isn’t doing this on his own. He’ll focus on the kid while you and I whisk away the surgeon.”

“That’s what I’m thinking. There’s a hell of a lot of room for error, especially with a kid in the mix. I don’t like this, Jamie.”

She swore. She hated when people used kids for leverage. “I don’t either.”

A quick review of their options was pretty straightforward: do as they were told or do as they were told. “We’ll go with the plan as far as we can,” she said, feeling suddenly tired. “From there, we’ll do what we have to do to ensure everyone survives.”

“This friend of yours,” Poe said. “Any suspicions he’ll double cross us when the job is done?”

“There’s always that chance. We just need to be ready for anything that comes our way.”

Jamie’s attention shifted to the house. Abi was watching them from the other side of the wall of glass. He knew a lot more than he was sharing.

The question was, would it get them killed?

Douglas Avenue, 10:20 a.m.

L UKE ’ S CONDO WAS a wreck. And as much as Luke despised housecleaning, this was more than just his indifference to chores. The place had been ransacked. She shouldn’t be surprised, and she wasn’t. Not really. More unsettled. This was Luke’s place. His things.

Jamie moved through the condo slowly, taking her time to look at any and all items. The space wasn’t that large so with both Poe and Abi prowling around it was on the cramped side.

She tidied the place as she went. Touching Luke’s things relieved her somehow. Relaxed her to a degree. He was her little brother. She loved him. She’d always taken care of him.

“There were three of them,” Poe said. “Two who pilfered through his things, one who interrogated him.”

Jamie hoped the interrogation hadn’t included any torture. “I haven’t spotted any blood.”

Poe shook his head. “Me either.”

This was good. She watched as Poe moved around the space, pausing to linger and then tracing his fingers over an item. Poe read crime scenes like no one she had ever met. Just being in the room and touching the victim’s things could pull him in deep enough to practically see through the eyes of the victim.

It was an uncanny gift.

Jamie moved on to her brother’s bedroom and picked through his things. She tidied what she could and made a pile of what should be in the laundry hamper.

“Finding anything relevant?”

She turned to find Abi propped in the open doorway. “Nothing yet.”

“It doesn’t appear anything—including your brother—was damaged in the search.”

“The question is, why did they need to search? If my brother was simply leverage, what were they looking for?”

“Perhaps—” Abi pushed away from the door and walked deeper into the room “—he refused to cooperate with their questions about you.”

“So they were looking through his underwear drawers for information on my whereabouts?”

A smirk twitched Abi’s lips. “One never knows about siblings.”

“Ha ha.” She smiled at the framed photo on the dresser. The fam—their mom and dad and the two of them. If anything had happened to Luke...

No, she couldn’t go there.

“I’m sure you knew how to find me,” she said as she exited the room.

Abi followed. “I suppose I should have mentioned as much.”

“You weren’t here when they picked up Luke?”

“I’m afraid not.”

That explained the search.

“Did you suggest they use my brother as leverage?” The thought made her furious. She clamped her jaw shut to prevent saying more than she should. Staying on good terms was imperative—at least for now. She could punch him in the face later. When this was done.

He made a big deal of appearing to consider her question. “I may have suggested the concept.”

She so wanted to kick his butt.

“Well, at least now I know who ruined my Christmas.”

She put the pile of soiled clothes in the hamper and walked to the kitchen. She took her time and had a look around. She didn’t really expect to find anything useful here, but she would be remiss if she didn’t go through the steps. At the front door, she paused to open the coat closet. She picked through the offerings until she found something suitable for Poe.

“You need this more than the windbreaker.” She passed the leather coat to him.

“Thanks.”

She turned to Abi. “Where are they keeping him?”

“I’m afraid I have no idea.”

Probably a lie. “Why can’t I see him? Verify that he’s okay.”

“You’ll see him when the op is complete. You have my word that he is okay.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” This man would say whatever he was paid to say. They both knew this to be true.

“I would certainly hope so.” He looked from her to Poe and back. “Are we ready to go back to the house?”

Jamie walked to her brother’s desk and sat down. She tapped the trackpad to wake the computer. It was up and running and required a password. She didn’t attempt to access the system. No need. Her brother was too smart to leave information too readily accessible. She opened the two shallow drawers and picked through them. Nothing of particular interest. Sharpies, pens. She hadn’t really expected there to be anything helpful as to his whereabouts, but she wanted to buy time. She was in no hurry to get back to the Excalibur house. But there was one other thing she wanted to find out.

“I’m finished.” She stood, pushed in her chair and headed for the door.

They locked up and descended the stairs that led down to the ground level. Jamie surveyed the street and postage-stamp-size yard that served two condos. The place was like her brother—efficient, well thought out, minimal. He didn’t like wasting time. And he didn’t like a lot of stuff.

Jamie settled into the passenger seat while Abi slid behind the steering wheel. Poe climbed in the back. She was sure he wasn’t very happy about being relegated to the back seat, but someone had to take one for the team.

“We should stop for lunch.” She shrugged. “Since we’re out, I mean.” Mostly, she just didn’t want to rush back to the house. And she’d like to see if anyone was following them. She hadn’t spotted anyone on the way here. Going back might be a different story.

Nashville was not Abi’s home turf. Jamie knew far more about this city than he did—only because her brother lived here. Despite being in charge, out here in the wild, Abi was just one of them.

“Why my brother and why me?” The story he’d given her up to now just didn’t fit in her opinion.

“Your reputation precedes you,” he said, absorbed in navigating traffic.

“I’m still not buying it.”

There was something he was leaving out. Something relevant. And even if there wasn’t, it kept him trying to assuage her concerns. She liked making him work for his comfort.

“Perhaps it’s best not to dwell on the whys and just do what we must do.”

“How did he find you?”

He glanced at her. Now there was a question he hadn’t been expecting. “I have a certain reputation.”

This was true. “What’re you doing? Advertising on the dark web now?”

“I shouldn’t answer that question.”

Keeping an eye on the exterior mirror on her side, she said, “I’m still not convinced of why they need us both.” She and Poe had discussed the idea of Dr. Case’s child being a target as well, which would certainly require more than one pair of hands.

But it didn’t have to be Jamie or her brother.

“We’ll have food delivered to the house,” he said as he pointed the car in that direction.

And there it was. This other thing that nagged at her. He wanted to keep her at the house until it was time for the op. Was he concerned something would happen? That she would be injured somehow, making her useless for the purposes of the operation?

As if fate had decided to answer her question, a black sedan appeared in the passenger-side mirror. It was a ways back, but she watched as he made turn after turn and the sedan did the same. Oh yeah. They had a tail.

“Does having me here have something to do with my grandmother?” She hadn’t considered the idea until now. The Colby name was internationally known. Mostly she was making conversation while she watched their tail.

“This only has to do with you and your participation in achieving the proper outcome. Trying to read something more into it is a waste of time.”

He was sticking to his story, which suggested he could possibly be telling the truth.

But she wasn’t ready to let him off the hook just yet.

“Your father was kidnapped as a child.”

The question startled her. Jamie glanced back at Poe. He knew about what her father had gone through. They were friends. Good friends. She’d shared more with him than she did with most. She shifted her attention to the driver. But she hadn’t shared any of that with this man. Finding this information wouldn’t be so difficult, but the question was why did he consider it relevant enough to look into?

“He was. He was taken at seven years old and wasn’t found until more than two decades later. My grandparents thought he was dead, so they had stopped looking.”

“You know what happened to him during that time?”

“Why are we talking about this?” Poe demanded.

“It’s okay,” she said to her friend. Then, to Abi, she said, “I do. Why do you ask?” To say this line of questioning was making her tense was an understatement. She did not like the idea of feeling a comparison between her father’s and her brother’s kidnapping situations. No one who knew those circumstances would.

“No reason. I was just curious.”

That was a lie. Until just this minute, she hadn’t really considered who his employer was. Now she was more than a little concerned. Was he somehow connected to her family? Or their past?

She suddenly wished she could speak to her dad.

“You ask a lot of questions,” Poe said, likely noting her uneasiness.

Abi laughed. “Curiosity killed the cat.”

He made a sharp turn and then gunned the accelerator. Oh, she got it now. He wanted to distract them from the fact that they had a tail.

“You got some idea of who our tail is?” She looked to Abi for his answer.

His jaw hardened. He never took failure well. “Not to worry. We will lose him.”

“Are you sure?”

He sent her a hard look and then took another treacherous turn.

This was a secret mission with a secret target and a secret benefactor. Who else could know their plan? At first, Jamie had wondered if it was part of some security detail. It didn’t appear to be someone Abi wanted on their tail.

As they drove, seemingly tail-free now, he watched the mirrors closely. Took several more unnecessary turns in Jamie’s opinion. She thought of the doctor—their target. He was just a man, but one with very special talents. At this time there was no one else like him in what he could do. He was uniquely necessary to fulfill a need that could be fulfilled no other way.

What was that ability worth? A lot, apparently. Enough to go to great lengths to make this happen.

There was still something—a piece she was missing. Perhaps it was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but she couldn’t shake the nagging sensation that there was something more she needed to know...to understand.

Poe could feel it too. She saw it in his eyes whenever they grilled Abi this way.

Jamie made a decision. She had to ask this burning question. “Before we move into position for the op, I’ll need to know the part you’re not telling me.”

Abi laughed. “You should let this foolish idea go. You have my word, Jamie. There is nothing else to know.”

Funny, that did not make her feel one iota better.

“And that answer,” she said, glancing at him, “is why I will never trust you, Abi.”

“You can trust me, Jamie. This is a simple matter of monumental importance. That’s all. The weight of the concept is misleading on a basic implementation level. Don’t overthink it.”

The man so loved throwing those opposing adjectives together.

“I hope you’re being straight with me, Abi. I don’t want either of us to regret this thing you’ve decided we must do.”

He flashed her one of those grins that made breathing difficult. “No regrets.”

Then why did she feel as if she regretted it already?