{"id":5615,"date":"2026-01-04T01:38:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T01:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/iris-johansen-dead-aim-johansen-iris\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T01:38:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T01:38:41","slug":"iris-johansen-dead-aim-johansen-iris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/iris-johansen-dead-aim-johansen-iris\/","title":{"rendered":"Iris Johansen – Dead Aim – Johansen, Iris"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Iris Johansen – Dead Aim

1

Arapahoe Junction, Colorado

October 15

“I know I’m late, dammit.” Alex Graham’s hand clenched on her cell phone. “I’ll get those pictures to you as soon as I can.”

“You’d get them to me sooner if you’d stop working in the rubble and start taking pictures of those rescue workers whose job it is to do it,” Jim Karak said sarcastically. “Old news is no news, Alex. That dam broke almost a week ago and the magazine goes to press in two days.”

“They’re still digging survivors from the landslide caused by the dam break.”

“Then you should be taking warm, heroic pictures instead of manning a shovel. You’re breaking one of the cardinal rules. You’re becoming part of the story.”

“There may be people alive beneath that-” It was no use. Karak had one priority and that was the story. “You’ll get the pictures.” She hung up and leaned back against the wall and rubbed her temple. God, she was tired. She’d be lucky if Karak didn’t call her back and tell her to find another magazine to publish her work. She wasn’t being fair and certainly not professional. If she hadn’t had a decent track record before this, Karak would have dumped her days ago.

“Problems?” Sarah Logan and her dog, Monty, were standing in the doorway of the trailer.

“A few.” Alex grimaced as she rose to her feet. “It seems I’m not doing my job. I’m not focusing on what’s important.”

“You could have fooled me.” Sarah filled Monty’s bowl with water and sat down on the floor beside him while he drank. “We found a baby alive in that hellhole this morning. I’d say that was pretty important.”

“Me too.” Alex smiled. “Screw Karak.”

Sarah didn’t return her smile. “I don’t want you to lose your job, Alex. I know how much your work means to you. There are other volunteers out there helping to dig.”

Alex lifted her brows. “Oh, then you have too much help?”

“You know there’s no such thing in a disaster like this. We have to work fast or- Okay, we need you. I just don’t want you to be hurt. God knows there’s enough pain in this world.”

And Sarah Logan witnessed a good deal of it, Alex thought. She and her golden retriever, Monty, were in a canine search-and-rescue team, and Alex had run across her on half a dozen disaster sites during the last five years. In the horror of natural and man-made tragedies, a strong bond of friendship had been forged. “I’ll be okay.”

“Your editor is right. This isn’t your job.” She shook her head. “Look at you. You’re covered in dirt from head to toe. Your hands are bleeding from that shovel and you haven’t slept in twenty-four hours.”

“Have you?”

Sarah ignored the question. “And it’s more than your hands that are bleeding. Take a step back, Alex. It will break you if you get too close to it. Believe me, I know.”

“It’s not as though I haven’t been to other disaster sites.”

“But then you weren’t as involved. You were taking photographs and helping in the first-aid tent. You weren’t uncovering the bodies of people you hoped would be alive'”

She didn’t want to think of those bodies. There had been too many in the last few days. “Yet you do it all the time. You could stay home and live soft, and yet every time there’s a call, you and Monty are off and running. I’m surprised your husband doesn’t raise hell.”

“He doesn’t like it, but he understands.” Sarah frowned. “But we’re not talking about me. I’ve watched you work and there’s no one more dedicated. You love what you do and you’ve told me a dozen times that your job is to tell the story. Don’t get sidetracked.”

“I’m not sidetracked. I’ll get it done.” She bent down and stroked Monty’s soft fur. “I just can’t- I’ll get it done.”

Sarah stared at her, troubled. “I don’t think you should accept assignments like this anymore. I’ve seen it coming since Ground Zero, but it’s getting worse. You’ve… changed.”

Steel and concrete and that stinging smoke that seemed to cover the world like a shroud.

“Ground Zero changed all of us.”

Sarah and Monty crawling among the ruins while Alex watched helplessly.

Sarah and Alex holding desperately to each other while the tears poured down their faces.

Sarah nodded. “But I had someone to go home to while I healed. I should have made you come with me.”

“Life had to go on. I had to go on.” She shrugged. “And if I took some baggage with me, then that’s the way it had to be. I’m usually okay. This one is rough. It’s brought back too many memories.”

“But it’s not the same,” Sarah said gently. “We’ve found survivors here, Alex. Seventy-two so far.”

“That’s not enough,” she whispered. “It’s never enough. I can’t stand by and let-” She cleared her throat and changed the subject. “Is it your rest time?”

Sarah shook her head. “I just had to get Monty some water. My canteen was empty. We still have a few hours to work until dark. It’s less dangerous for Monty if he can see clearly what’s out there.” She paused. “But we’ve just had two bits of good news. The President is coming here next week.”

“It’s about time. Vice President Shepard was here the day after the dam break.”

“Yeah, I was impressed. But it’s when the President shows up that FEMA and all the aid organizations get a boost.”

“That’s good.” She made a face. “Maybe I can convince Karak I was only waiting for Andreas to show up so that I could give him a really big story.” She shook her head. “Nah, I’m no good at lying. Besides, security is so tight around the President right now that I wouldn’t get within a mile of him.” “I’m surprised he’s coming at all. There was a bombing at the embassy in Mexico City last night.”

“The same terrorist group?”

Sarah nodded. “Matanza claimed it. And an effigy of Andreas was left burning on the lawn.”

“Bastards.” It was the third embassy attack by the Guatemalan terrorist group in the last six months. If it wasn’t the Middle East, it was Guatemala or Venezuela. Juan Cordoba and his Matanza group had always been rabid revolutionaries in their own country, but now-fueled by drug money and Al Qaeda support-they had grown powerful enough to take aim at Andreas and the administration that was trying to stabilize the party in power. It seemed impossible to Alex that there had ever been a time when her country hadn’t been surrounded by terror and ugliness and threats. Yet she could remember a childhood filled with trust and innocence and the belief that nothing really bad could come knocking on her door. The memory filled her with frustration and anger and immense sadness. “I hope your second bit of good news is better than your first.”

“Hey, you have to take the bitter with the sweet. At least Andreas isn’t letting anyone scare him into ignoring people who need him. He should be safe enough visiting this site. All the evidence points to a natural disaster here.” She smiled. “And the preliminary report on the ground on the other side of the dam says it appears to be fairly stable. They’re sending some teams up there tomorrow morning to do a final check. When the landslide buried this area, they were afraid the ground on the other side might be compromised.”

“Jesus. That’s all these poor people need. Another landslide.”

“They tried to evacuate everyone from that area just for safety’s sake. But it looks like they can go back home.” Sarah stroked Monty’s head. “Time to go back to work, boy.” She stood up and headed for the door. “And it’s a good time for you to take some photographs.”

“How bossy can you get?” Alex followed her and stood in the doorway, gazing out at the disaster site. Every time she looked at the devastation it made her sick. The Arapahoe Dam had broken five days earlier and the water had rushed down into the valley below, killing over a hundred and twenty people. But the series of landslides caused by the explosive force of the water on either side of the valley was the horror they were dealing with now. The rock slides had buried the homes and businesses of Arapahoe Junction under tons of rock, and the area was still so unstable the rescue had to be done painstakingly by hand, not machine. Her glance shifted across the jagged wreck of the dam to the hills on the other side. The rocky terrain looked blessedly sturdy in a shaky world.

Christ, she was glad there wasn’t going to be another horror piled on top of this one.

“Stop looking at it,” Sarah called back to her. “Take those photos.”

Sure, take the pictures. Ignore the fact that there might be more people alive under those rocks.

“Promise me,” Sarah said.

“I promise. I’ll take the damn photos. I’ll get them and send them out today.” She grabbed her shovel, which was leaning against the trailer. As Sarah had said, there was still light and the job on this side of the gorge was monumental. “But not now. I can’t do it now….”

It was late afternoon when Alex stopped working and went back to the trailer to get her camera.

She’d cut it close and she’d have to work fast to get the photos before dark. Well, if she didn’t get all she needed she’d improvise.

A helicopter was descending at the first-aid tent a few hundred yards away from the trailer and she waved at Ken Nader, the pilot, as he got out of the aircraft.

He waved back and called, “I brought you that special lens to replace the one you said you damaged.”

“Thanks. I don’t need it right now. I’ll be over later to get it.” She turned and started up the hill.

The hillside was still crawling with men and women carefully picking away at the rocks. She’d gotten to know a few of them this week as they’d worked side by side. Janet Delsey was a resident of the town that had been buried beneath the landslide. She’d been in Denver when the tragedy happened. She worked in the local library, and her parents had not been found yet.

Alex focused and took the picture.

Bill Adams was a truck driver who had been passing through when he’d heard about the dam. He’d parked his rig and volunteered to help.

She snapped the picture.

Carey Melway was a college student, full of idealism and hope, who had come down from Salt Lake City. Alex had watched him change from a kid to an adult in these last few days.

She took the picture.

She took four rolls of film in the next hour. The volunteers, the canine rescue teams, the flooded gorge.

“You left it a little late.” Sarah was carefully making her way down the side of the mountain, followed by Monty. “Are you going to have enough material?”

“Too much.” She looked at Janet Delsey again. “Do you think she has any chance of finding her parents alive?”

“A chance, if we can get to them in time. At least this isn’t a mud slide. There are pockets of air beneath those rocks.” She motioned for Monty. “I have to get down and feed him his dinner and vitamins. Are you almost finished?”

Alex shook her head. “I’ve got most of the human-interest shots, but I need a photograph that tells the big story, the scope of the rescue operation.”

She waved her hand. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”

Sarah was right. It was difficult to encompass the full depth of a tragedy when you were on top of it.

On top of it.

Her gaze flew across the gorge. The terrain was higher there and it probably afforded a view of both the flooded valley and the workers laboring on the landslide. Sarah had said they were ninety percent sure the ground over there was safe. If she could get across the gorge.

She couldn’t walk across it or swim across it. Which left only one other means of transportation.

She turned and hurried down the slope toward the firstaid tent.

The helicopter circled and then dipped closer to the trees. “If that ground looks even a little wobbly, I’m not leaving you here,” Ken Nader told Alex grimly. “You got the aerial shots. That should be enough for you. I don’t know why I let you talk me into this.”

“Because you’re a good guy and you knew I had to have these pictures. And you can see it’s safe here. The worst that can happen to me is if I fall down that slope into the floodwaters.” She grinned as she stowed her camera in her backpack. “And if I’m that clumsy, then I deserve to drown. Just go back to the first-aid tent in case they have an emergency and pick me up in an hour.”

“You’d better be here.” He set down in a glade in the trees. “I don’t like this, Alex.”

“It will be fine. I’m not stupid. I don’t take chances.” She jumped out of the helicopter. “Thanks, Ken.” She adjusted her backpack with her equipment, waved, and turned away. “One hour…”

It took her fifteen minutes before she could get out of the forest and start climbing the hill toward the huge red rock on the pinnacle she’d seen from the other side of the gorge.

The sun was going down and twilight was hovering. Hurry. Get up there before it’s dark.

She was quickly loading and adjusting her camera in the last few minutes before she reached the pinnacle.

Now, if she had enough light…

Oh, my God.

The entire valley was spread before her. The tops of houses drowned in the floodwaters below. Moving lanterns and floodlights dotted the site of the landslide. Men and women looking small and helpless as ants trying to stop the death and destruction.

She drew a deep, shaky breath, raised the camera, and took the picture.

Then she took another and another.

She didn’t stop until it was fully dark and she could see only the lanterns and floodlights.

How long had she been here? she wondered as she repacked her equipment and started down the hill. Probably too long, but she hadn’t heard Ken’s helicopter, so she still had time to get to the glade. He’d wait anyway. In spite of his threat, he wouldn’t leave her there.

Her pace quickened when she heard the rotors of the helicopter. Strange, she hadn’t seen the aircraft lights when she’d been looking out over the gorge. She supposed it could have been circling and come in from the east, but she couldn’t

“There’s Powers. Hurry up, for God’s sake.” A man’s voice, harsh, rough, coming from around the turn on the trail ahead.

She stopped in surprise. What the hell? It couldn’t be a camper in this time of crisis, but it could be one of the engineers or scientists who had been examining the remains of the dam. She slowly moved closer.

“That’s it. Let’s go.” Another voice, deeper, guttural. “Keep your flashlight on to guide him in.”

The helicopter was louder, descending, almost overhead.

Still no lights.

Something was definitely not as it should be.

She edged into the trees as she rounded the bend. Two men were standing in the clearing where Ken had dropped her, their flashlights held shoulder-high. A helicopter was now hovering close to the ground.

As it landed, a bright light pierced the darkness. Her gaze flew to the sky. Ken’s helicopter. The other helicopter had been so close she hadn’t noticed the sound of Ken’s approach.

But she saw it now. Ken’s lights beamed down on the helicopter and the men on the ground, lighting the glade with daylight clarity. It illuminated not only the men’s features but the rage and the fear in their expressions.

One man was shouting at the pilot. She couldn’t hear the words, but she saw the pilot lift a rifle.

My God, he was pointing

A fiery explosion lit the sky as the bullet hit Ken’s helicopter’s gas tank.

“No!” She didn’t know she screamed the word until the taller man whirled to face the trees where she was standing.

She ran.

She heard an oath and then a crashing in the bushes behind her.

She zigzagged through the trees.

Don’t go up the trail. She’d be trapped on the pinnacle.

Down the slope toward the flooded valley.

A bullet whistled by her ear.

They were closer.

Her chest was heaving as she struggled for breath.

The slope was steep here, and she lost her footing and slid ten feet down the incline.

“We don’t have the time. Powers wants us out of here. Get back to the helicopter and let it bury the bitch.”

She risked a look over her shoulder as she got to her feet. The men had turned and were climbing back up the slope. Then they were out of sight.

She couldn’t believe that they’d just abandoned the hunt and gone back up the slope. She had to get to the bottom of the hill and try to get across the flooded valley.

But why had they left? Why had they run out of time? Let it bury the bitch.

Bury.

Let it bury- Jesus.

The ground rumbled and then moved beneath her feet.

She glanced up at the top of the hill. Huge rocks were tumbling toward her down the hill.

Landslide.

It would be on her in seconds. No time to get out ofthe way. Bury the bitch.

Bury the bitch.

She’d be damned if she’d let those bastards bury her. Screw them.

She tore off her backpack and dropped it to the ground.

She ran to the edge of the slope and jumped the thirty feet into the floodwaters below.

St. Joseph’s Hospital

Denver, Colorado

She knew where she was the moment she opened her eyes. Lord, she hated hospitals. They reminded her of that night when her father

“Hey, it’s about time you woke up.” Sarah Logan smiled down at her. “How do you feel?”

How did she feel? She hurt all over and she was seeing Sarah through a haze. “Dizzy.”

“You should be. You got clunked by some debris that washed up on that roof you were clinging to and got a dandy concussion. You’ve been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours.”

“Water?”

“You don’t remember?”

She tried to concentrate through the pain. Swimming. She had been swimming. Dirty water. She had tried to climb to the top branches of a tree jutting out of the flood, but the branch had broken. She vaguely remembered managing to clamber to the roof of one of the housetops. “Some of it. I don’t remember being hit on the head. Is that all that’s wrong with me?”

“Bruises everywhere. Exposure. You must have been in that water for hours before they spotted you on the roof. You’re a mess.” She took Alex’s hand. “And you’re going to have to explain to the authorities how you got that way. Ken Nader’s helicopter blew up and crashed in a glade across the dam. Do you know anything about it?”

A rifle lifting, aiming at Ken s helicopter. A fiery explosion that lit the sky.

“They shot him.”

Sarah stiffened. “What? Who shot him?”

“There were three men. I think… it was the pilot who shot him. They did it…. I couldn’t believe it.” She closed her eyes. Running. Slipping and sliding down the slope.

Bury the bitch.

Her lids flew open. “Landslide. There was a landslide, wasn’t there? Was anyone else hurt?”

Sarah shook her head. “But the entire area is buried under a mountain of rock.”

“They wanted it buried. They did something….”

“What?”

“I don’t know. Dynamite? No, it wasn’t an explosion. I heard a low rumble and then the rocks- I don’t know what they did.”

“No one heard an explosion. Not after the helicopter crashed.”

“They did it. I know they did it.”

“I’m not saying they didn’t. I’m saying no one heard it.” “You believe me?”

“I’m scared to believe you. I hope you’ll go back to sleep and when you wake up you’ll tell me this was a bad dream. If you don’t, then, yes, I’ll believe you.” She patted Alex’s hand. “I’ve got to go back to the site. It’s time for my shift. You get some rest. After this is over, I want you to come home with me and recuperate. You’ll like our place. It’s on the ocean and it’s very peaceful.”

“How’s the rescue operation going?”

“Okay. Three more canine rescue teams arrived yesterday, and they’re a big help.” She paused. “We found Janet Delsey’s parents. They’re both dead.”

“Damn.” She felt the tears sting her eyes. “God, I’m sorry.” “We all are.”

She swallowed hard to ease the tightness of her throat. “I need to get back. When can I get out of here?”

“A day or two. You’ll have to talk to the police first. They want to make out a report on the helicopter crash.”

“Murder. It was murder.”

“Then tell them that.” She leaned forward and brushed a kiss on Alex’s forehead. “I’m glad you’re still in one piece. You scared me.”

“I want to see the police now.”

“I’ll call them when I leave. Though I think you should give it a few hours.”

“It’s been too long already.” Her lips tightened. “Ken would be alive now if I hadn’t asked him to take me over that gorge and pick me up. I want those bastards caught. I can’t let them-” She inhaled sharply as a thought occurred to her. “If they set off that landslide, couldn’t they have started the other one that buried the entire town?”

Sarah nodded grimly. “A very nasty possibility. But no one’s found traces of any sabotage. I hope to hell you’re wrong.”

“I do too. Why would anyone…” She shook her head. “I can’t think. Nothing makes sense.”

“Rest. You’re still pretty woozy. Just tell the police what happened and let them put the pieces together.”

She didn’t know if she could do anything else, Alex thought wearily. Her head was pounding and all she could see was Ken’s helicopter exploding “Thanks for coming,

Sarah.”

“Hey, we’re friends. You’d have been here for me. May I do anything else for you?”

“Camera… Lost my camera… Could you get me a replacement and special lenses until I’m able to choose one for myself?”

“Sure. I know what you use. And I may do such a good job of choosing one for you that you’ll decide to keep it.” Sarah moved toward the door. “Now I’ve got to go collect Monty from the security guard in the gift shop downstairs before he’s spoiled rotten. Everyone in the gift shop was giving him belly rubs.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning. If you need me, call me on my cell phone.”

“I know what kind of pressure you’re under. You don’t have to come back here.”

Sarah grinned. “I don’t have to do anything. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

______

“It’s quite a story,” Detective Dan Leopold said. “Is that all, Ms. Graham?”

“Isn’t it enough?” The detective had been polite but totally noncommittal as Alex told him what had happened at the dam. “For God’s sake, they murdered Ken Nader. They may have been responsible for that landslide that buried the town. Don’t you believe me?”

“Easy. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He added earnestly, “And I think there’s every chance there’s substance to your story. You’re a photojournalist who’s been in some rough spots, and you’re used to accurately reporting what you see. It’s just that we’ll have a few problems verifying.”

“What problems?”

“First, no one saw a second helicopter in the area.” “I told you, there were no lights.”

“Two, Nader’s helicopter crashed in the glade, and if there was any evidence of a second helicopter being there, the resulting fire must have destroyed it. Three, we haven’t found a conclusive cause for the explosion.” He paused. “No bullet was found.”

“Were you looking for one?”

“Na, good point. But our forensic team isn’t stupid. They look for everything. Naturally, I’ll tell them to go back and see if they can find anything that would corroborate what you’ve told me.”

“Dammit, I saw it.”

He nodded. “You also thought the same perpetrators started the landslides. Why would they do that?”

“How the hell do I know?”

“We’ve been told by the experts that the slide was probably caused by an aftershock to an area that was already unstable.”

“What? They just issued a report that there was a ninety percent chance the area was stable.”

“But not a hundred percent chance. They said they could have been wrong. We found no trace of explosive devices.”

“Look again. And look at Arapahoe Junction.”

“We will. I’m just telling you how it is.” His lips tightened grimly. “There’s no way we wouldn’t delve as deep as we can when it concerns a tragedy of that magnitude. Since the World Trade Center catastrophe, everyone is being damn careful. But there have been FBI, politicians, engineers, and scientists by the carload all over that site, trying to find out what happened to cause that dam break and the ensuing landslide. No one found any signs of sabotage. There were readings on the seismograph machines in San Francisco indicating a possible four-point-two earthquake in this area the night the dam broke.”

“It happened,” she said through her teeth. “I don’t know about the dam or Arapahoe Junction, but I know that second landslide was caused by the same men who killed Ken Nader.”

“Then I’m sure we’ll find some evidence to prove it. You said they called the pilot Powers? We’ll try to trace him. I’ll check out everything you’ve told me.” He stood up. “I’ll do my best. I’d like you to come to the precinct tomorrow and look through the mug books and databases of suspected terrorists. Will you do that?”

“You bet I will.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. You’ll have to get lucky to find them.”

“I have to try.” She met his gaze. “You have to try too. You can’t let them get away with it. You’re not even sure I’m telling the truth, are you?”

“I’m sure you think you are.” He wearily shook his head. “Look at it from my point of view. You’ve been in the hospital for two days suffering from concussion. Isn’t it possible that you might not remember things exactly as they occurred? It’s happened before with head-injury victims.”

“No, it’s not possible.”

He smiled. “Okay. It wouldn’t have made any difference anyway. I’d still do my job. Come on, Jerry, let’s get out of here.”

The lanky young sergeant in the corner, who’d been silent throughout the interview, rose to his feet. “Good night, Ms. Graham, I hope you feel better.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the precinct,” Detective Leopold said.

“Oh, I’ll be there.”

“Pretty crazy stuff,” Jerry Tedworth said to Leopold as soon as they’d left the hospital room. “Do you believe her?”

“She makes it hard for me not to. She’s smart and she’s strong and she absolutely believes what she’s telling us.”

“Like you said, she’s had a bad knock on the head.”

“Wishful thinking. I hope to hell she didn’t get it right.” “Why not?”

“Because if Arapahoe Junction and the dam were also targets, that would mean mass murder. Who commits mass murder? It takes a special kind of criminal. Nuts. Sociopaths. Terrorists. We don’t want to have to deal with a case like that.” He punched the button at the elevator. “We’d better hope she’s just having hallucinations.”

Breathe deep. Calm down.

Her head was pounding and Alex forced herself to unclench her fists. All this emotion wasn’t going to help anything. Leopold hadn’t been out of line in suspecting she might not have all her marbles at present. At least he had listened and promised he’d check into everything she’d told him. But it didn’t stop the anger and frustration she was feeling.

Anger and frustration and this haunting antiseptic smell of a hospital room.

Dad…

She quickly blocked the memory. Don’t think about her father. Jesus, she had to get out of here. She didn’t need that wound ripped open. Well, tomorrow she’d go to the police station and see if she could identify any pictures in the mug books.

If they were there, she’d know them. Every feature of those faces was engraved permanently on her memory.

“She’s being discharged tomorrow,” Lester said as soon as Powers answered the phone. “Two police detectives were there to see her tonight.”

Powers muttered an oath. “You should have gotten to her while she was unconscious.”

“I told you, her room’s right next to the nurses’ station. I couldn’t do it without being noticed. I’ll find a way to put her down tomorrow.”

“You’d better. If you’d been on time, I wouldn’t have had to take down that helicopter. And, dammit, she can recognize me.”

He didn’t care that the woman could also recognize both him and Decker, Lester thought. “Maybe you shouldn’t have come along.”

“And trust the two of you to do the job right? I had to be sure. It’s too important. I’m the one who has to report to Betworth.”

Bastard. “Well, you can trust me to do this one. I’ll let you know when she’s no longer a problem.” He hung up.

He leaned back against the brick wall and looked up at the seventh floor of St. Joseph’s Hospital. Too bad he hadn’t been able to reach Graham before she talked to the police.

Oh, well, he was used to doing damage control.

Sarah was waiting for Alex when she came out of the police station late the next afternoon. She was still wearing her work clothes and had obviously come straight from the site. “Any luck?”

Alex wearily shook her head. “It seemed as if there were thousands of faces…. They were all blurring together. But I’ll be coming back.”

“I know you will.” Sarah unlocked her car door and motioned for Monty to get in the backseat. “That’s a given. When?”

“Tomorrow.” She got into the passenger seat. “I’ll need to pick up my rental car at Arapahoe Junction so that I’ll be mobile. May I go back with you?”

Sarah nodded. “That’s why I’m here. I thought you’d want to go back.” She pulled away from the curb. “Why don’t you try to nap on the way up there? You probably shouldn’t even be out of the hospital yet.”

“You’re the one who should be sleeping.” Alex glanced back at the golden retriever, who was stretched out on the backseat. “Like Monty.”

“He needs it. Monty’s the one who does the work. I just go along for the ride.”

“Yeah, sure.” Alex stared unseeingly out the window. “Leopold isn’t sure that I’m not imagining everything. He says there’s no proof. Do you believe me, Sarah?”

“Damn straight I do. I called John after I left you last night. He’s going to try to light a fire under the FBI team who’s doing the investigation at the dam.”

If anyone could do that, it was Sarah’s husband, John Logan, Alex thought. He was a billionaire whose influence stretched from the political elite of Washington to Wall Street. “Good. Though I don’t know what the hell they’re going to find at the dam that they didn’t before. They went over that entire area with a fine-tooth comb.” She rubbed her temple. “But maybe they’ll be able to find the helicopter and pilot.”

“That’s possible.” Sarah gave her a sideways glance. “Now stop thinking and close your eyes, dammit.”

“What else did Logan say?”

“Quite a bit.” She made a face. “He said for me to go home.

He said it was bad enough that he had to worry about me on disaster sites, but he wasn’t about to let me run around with scumbags blowing up dams.”

“And you said?”

“Nothing. He didn’t expect me to cave. I told him I’d be home when the job was done.” Her expression became shadowed. “Which may be pretty soon. I think they’re going to change the status at Arapahoe from rescue to recovery tomorrow. They say there’s not much chance of there being anyone left alive.”

“Shit.”

“Right.” She drew a deep breath. “But even if the job is done, I’m not leaving you alone here. If you won’t come home with me, I’m staying with you.”

“No, I can’t blame your husband for being worried. He’s right. You have enough on your plate without worrying about me.”

“Shut up,” Sarah said. “We’ve discussed this before.” “I’m not your responsibility.”

Sarah didn’t answer.

God, she was stubborn.

Stubborn, loyal, and brave, and the best friend a woman could have. All good reasons to get her to go home to her husband and leave Alex to solve her own problems. But Alex couldn’t argue with her right now. She was so exhausted she could barely put two sentences together. She leaned her head back against the seat rest. “We’ll talk later.”

Sarah chuckled. “That’s what John said, and in exactly that tone.” She switched on the headlights as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. “And I’ll tell you what I told him. Don’t mess with me or I’ll sic my dog on you.”

Alex found herself smiling as she repeated, “We’ll talk later.”

“Go to sleep. It’s going to be another hour or so before we get to the site.”

Alex doubted she could sleep, but she fell silent, gazing out at the rolling foothills through which they were driving. This was wonderful country. Purple shadows, white peaks in the distance, such a beautiful place. Terrible things shouldn’t happen in beautiful places like this….

2

She woke with a start to full darkness.

Monty was barking, jumping back and forth on the back seat, trying to climb up to the back window.

She shook her head to clear it. “What’s wrong with him?” “I don’t know.” Sarah was looking at her rearview mirror.

“Maybe he doesn’t like that asshole tailgating me.”

Alex glanced behind her at the two brilliant headlights glaring from the car behind them. “Monty’s smart, but I doubt if he’s aware of traffic violations, Sarah.”

“You never know.” She frowned. “It’s not like him to–” Her expression cleared. “The idiot’s passing me, thank God. I’m going to let him do it. I don’t know what his hurry is; I’m doing the speed limit. You’d think that-” Monty lunged over to the side window, and his barking became frantically shrill as the car pulled almost even with them. “Easy, boy. It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t okay. Alex caught a glint of metal in the hand of the shadowy figure driving the other car. Oh, God, a gun. “Duck!” She reached over and pushed Sarah down and against the door.

The glass shattered.

Sarah gasped as the bullet struck her. Blood stained the shoulder of her sweater as she slumped forward.

The jeep skidded across the tarmac, the headlights spear ing the valley hundreds of feet below.

Alex grabbed the steering wheel, her foot reaching over to stomp on the brake as the jeep plunged offthe mountain road.

Death.

They were going to die.

The jeep plunged down the steep, rocky slope toward the waiting darkness.

The jeep stopped abruptly. Alex realized dazedly that it had hit a tree.

Monty was crawling over the back of the front seat, trying desperately to get to Sarah.

Sarah.

Blood was still running down Sarah’s arm and she was slumped against the door.

“Sarah…” She had to get Sarah out of the car and try to stop the bleeding.

She opened the passenger door and started to get out. Nothing was beneath her feet.

She looked down and swallowed hard as shock ran through her. The jeep was balanced on a jutting outcrop of the mountain, hundreds of feet above the valley. The vehicle had only been stopped from catapulting over the ledge by a scrawny pine tree balanced precariously at the edge of the slope. There was no way they could get out the passenger door. She reached over Sarah and pushed at her door. It opened a crack and then stuck. She opened the window. “Out, boy.”

He didn’t move.

“Dammit, out! I have to get her out of here!”

Monty looked at her a moment and then jumped out the window.

Alex crawled over Sarah. Monty was sitting quietly beside the car and whined when she wriggled out the window.

“I know. We’ll get her out.” She pulled the door, trying to get leverage to open it. It moved only a few inches. She pulled again, using all her strength. The door opened another foot. It would have to do.

She grabbed Sarah under the armpits and tugged. Awkward. So damn awkward. She tugged again. What if she was causing Sarah to bleed more? Don’t think about it. What else could she do? If that tree gave way, the jeep might topple over at any minute.

So get her out of the car. Get her against the cliff wall.

It took her another few minutes to pull Sarah out of the car and drag her across the ledge to comparative safety under the outcropping of the cliff wall.

Monty sat down beside Sarah and looked pleadingly at Alex.

“I know. I’ll try to help her.” She opened Sarah’s sweater and then her blouse. The wound was high and the bleeding wasn’t as bad as she’d feared, she realized with relief. “Stay with her, Monty.”

She went back to the jeep, grabbed Sarah’s handbag, and pulled out her cell phone.

Call 911. Tell them to come.

Tell them they had to come and save Sarah.

The 911 operator was quick and efficient, and it was frustrating how little information Alex could give her. “I don’t know where I am. Somewhere on Highway 30 between Denver and Arapahoe Junction. I told you, I woke up and-“

Someone was shining a flashlight down at them from the road above.

A man was silhouetted against the headlights of the car behind him.

Monty growled.

Her heart jumped. Keep calm. Don’t panic. He would have a difficult time reaching them even if he tried to descend the steep slope. And an accurate shot would be nearly impossible from that almost vertical angle.

“I’ll keep my cell line open,” she said to the 911 operator. “See if you can trace it. Maybe you can at least zero in on the closest tower.” She drew Monty closer to the cliff wall next to Sarah and hopefully out of range of that bastard above.

What if he did try to come down? She had no weapon. She’d left her gun behind in the trailer. God, she felt helpless. Like a sitting duck.

She wasn’t helpless, dammit. She would hear that bastard on the rock and she would fight. If nothing else, she’d tackle him or push him off the damn mountain. She ran to the jeep, got the first-aid kit and blanket out of the back. A weapon. What could she use as a weapon? The small shovel Sarah al ways kept in her vehicles. She grabbed the shovel and ran back to Sarah.

She dressed Sarah’s wound and covered her. Sweet Jesus, why didn’t she regain consciousness? Alex drew her protectively closer.

But her other hand tightened on the shovel.

Arapahoe Junction

A tall, muscular man straightened away from the door to Sarah’s hospital room as Alex came down the hall. “Ms. Graham? I’m John Logan.”

She recognized him immediately from the photos Sarah had shown her. But the photographs couldn’t capture the sheer dominant presence of the man. He had been frantic when Alex phoned him when they’d gotten to the hospital a few hours ago. Now he was fully in control and chilly, very chilly. How could she blame him, she thought wearily. He probably thought she was at fault for Sarah’s injury, and he was right. “The doctors say that Sarah will be fine. She’ll be out of here in a few days, but it will take another couple months to fully recuperate.”

“I know all that.” His words were curt. “What I don’t know is how I’m supposed to make sure she has the time to recuperate.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Sarah tells me you’re a good friend. Then you should know that her life is rescue. She needs to help people.” His lips tightened. “And it seems you’re the current project.”

“I told her I didn’t want her involved.”

“And did she listen? No, of course not. You’re not only in trouble, you’re her friend.” His tone became harsher. “Well, be a friend and get the hell out of her life for a while.”

Alex nodded. “I’ll talk to her again.”

“Haven’t you been listening to me? That won’t do the job. You’ve got to be tucked away safe somewhere so that she can get well without worrying about you. Have you got that?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t know what the devil you’re talking about.”

“I’m saying that I can’t have you running around with peo ple shooting at you.”

She grimaced. “I assure you that I’d like to avoid that too.”

“Good. Then here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to talk to the FBI and arrange for them to put you in a safe house while they investigate both the helicopter crash and the attempt on your and Sarah’s lives. You’ll be comfortable and secure and it will solve-” He stopped as he saw her shaking her head. “Why the hell not?”

“I have a job to do too. I can’t hide. I’ll be careful and I’ll accept FBI surveillance, but I won’t crawl in a hole and let those bastards intimidate me.”

“You think that damn story is worth the risk?”

“I think finding the people who hurt my friend is worth the risk. And if they also caused that landslide and dam break, there’s no question. I don’t think you’d let yourself be hidden away, would you?”

“I’d do anything I had to do to save Sarah.” He stared her directly in the eye. “Under other circumstances I might ad mire your attitude, but I can’t have you getting in the way. I love my wife and I won’t have her hurt again.”

“She won’t be hurt. I promise. I won’t let her near me.”

“That’s not good enough.” He muttered an oath. “Don’t you think I’m going to go after the bastards who shot Sarah? But I can’t do it now. I have to get her well first. Leave it to me.” She shook her head.

He drew a deep breath. “Think about it. Reconsider. I’m taking Sarah to our place by the ocean. When she gets well enough to ask questions, I want to be able to tell her you’re absolutely safe.”

“I’m sorry. There’s no use talking anymore. I can’t do it.” A multitude of expressions flitted over his face as he watched her open the door. “Believe me, I’m sorry too.”

He turned and strode toward the policeman standing guard down the hall.

That had almost sounded like a threat, Alex thought. Logan clearly liked his own way and was terribly concerned about Sarah. Well, so was she. She had been terrified all the way to the hospital until she’d gotten the word that Sarah was going to be all right.

Sarah’s eyes were closed as Alex approached the bed. But she must have sensed a presence, for her lids lifted. “Hi.”

“How do you feel?”

“Blurry. They’ve got me doped up.” Her voice was slurred.

“I think… Was John here?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Always wanted you to meet him.” “I’d rather it not have been like this.”

“Where’s Monty?”

“He’s curled up beside your bed. I raised hell until they let him stay. It helped that they knew you were one of the search-and-rescue teams. You and the other rescue workers are their heroes.”

“Bull. But thanks for Monty….” She yawned. “Sleepy.” “I’ll get out of here. I just wanted to see- I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Fine…” Her eyes were closing. Then she suddenly came awake. “Who was it? Who tried to hurt you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. He was gone by the time the fire department came.”

“Tell John. You could be… Might happen again.”

“Hey, I’m fine. Leopold called in the FBI and I’m going to be positively surrounded.” She brushed the hair from Sarah’s face. “And you were the one who got shot.”

“Bad aim?”

“He probably aimed for you because he wanted the car to go off the cliff and explode. There wouldn’t have been much evidence left.” She leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Now stop worrying and go to sleep. Everything will be fine. I’m going to go now. Leopold wants me to talk to Bob Jurgens, some FBI agent.”

“Good. But tell John.” She was dozing off again. “He’ll fix it. He’s good at fixing things.”

Alex had a sudden memory of Logan’s grim expression when she’d told him that she wasn’t going to do what he wanted. “I’m sure he is,” she murmured as she headed for the door. “And I imagine he’s pretty good at breaking things too.”

Sarah was sleeping.

Logan sat down in the visitor’s chair and covered her hand with his own. God, she looked fragile.

Don’t panic. The doctor said she was going to be fine.

He’d better be right. Logan wouldn’t be able to stand it if

Sarah was taken from

Stop it. She was going to get well.

Monty whimpered, got up, and put his chin on Logan’s knee.

“Shh.” He stroked the dog’s head. “We’ve got to let her sleep. We have to take care of her, boy.”

And he would take care of her. This wasn’t going to happen again. He couldn’t take any chance of Sarah being hurt. He would stay here beside her for a little while, holding her hand and celebrating the fact that she was alive and still with him.

And then he would phone Galen.

The White House

3:35 A.M.

“Could I speak to you for a moment, Mr. President?” Andreas leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.

God, he was tired. He must be getting old. “As long as you’re not here to tell me there’s been another bombing, Keller. I’m not up to that right now.”

The Secret Service man smiled faintly as he shook his head. “I beg to disagree. I’ve known you too long, sir. In an emergency you bounce right back.”

“Your confidence is gratifying,” Andreas said dryly. “If to tally misplaced. Why are you here, Keller?”

“It’s the trip to Arapahoe Junction, sir. There have been some developments that make me uneasy. I want to cancel your visit.”

Andreas stiffened. “What developments?”

“I told you about the recent landslide. It’s not safe.”

“Bullshit.” His gaze narrowed on Keller’s face. “You told me that the dam disaster was probably caused by an earthquake. This second landslide seems to indicate an aftershock. Has anything changed?”

“No, it’s the most likely explanation. There doesn’t appear to be anything suspicious.”

“Well, I want to go there and see for myself.”

“Sir, we weren’t compromised.”

“Compromised? What a nice clean word when you’re talk ing about the death of over a hundred people.” He met Keller’s gaze. “I’ll accept the possibility that natural disasters happen. I won’t accept the possibility that we may not be exploring every avenue to determine that’s what it really was.”

“The CIA assures me that there’s absolutely no sign there was terrorist involvement at Arapahoe Dam. Ben Danley says Cordoba and his Matanza group were too busy staging the bombing in Mexico City. They may be widespread, but it would take enormous resources to attack us on our own turf.

That hasn’t been their modus operandi in the past.”

“That doesn’t mean they can’t change. Maybe they’re graduating to the big leagues.”

“Mexico City was fairly big league, sir,” Keller said quietly. “Two of our embassy workers were killed. I know it pales in comparison to Arapahoe Junction, but I’d say Matanza was stepping up to the-“

“I know,” Andreas said. “I wasn’t thinking.” He was so tired it was difficult to focus. “So tell me the real reason you don’t want me to go to Arapahoe Dam.”

Keller hesitated. “It’s not just this trip. I believe you should stick close to the White House for the next few months.

I’ve proved I can keep you safe here. We’ve managed to foil two attempts on your life since the last election.”

“And I’m duly grateful.” He grimaced. “I’m particularly grateful you managed to keep the attempts from Chelsea.”

“I don’t want gratitude for doing my job. I’m only saying that the Matanza threats against you are becoming increasingly frequent and pointed. There’ll come a time when Cordoba and his group will have to put up or shut up and lose face among their fellow terrorists. I think that time is very

” near.

“So do I.”

“Then don’t go. The Vice President can make the trip. You know he’s offered to go wherever we think there may be a threat to you.”

“And I let Shepard stand in for me at two hot spots I’d rather have handled myself.”

“But it would be perfectly logical to let him go to Arapahoe.

He’s already visited there once with Homeland Security, right after the break. This would just be a follow-up. You could empower him to do anything you would do.”

“We don’t even know that there is a threat at Arapahoe. And I’m not going to let just the possibility that it might have been Matanza change my schedule. I’ve cooperated, I’ve given in to your restrictions more than I like, Keller. Since you have no proof, I’m going to Arapahoe Dam as planned.” He smiled as he bent over his desk. “It’s your baby. Protect me. I guarantee my wife will have your head if I lose mine.”

He sighed. “I don’t have the slightest doubt of that, Mr. President.”

Ben Danley got to his feet as Keller came out of Andreas’s office. “No luck?”

Keller shook his head. “He’s going.” He grimaced. “I might have had a leg to stand on if you and your CIA buddies hadn’t sworn that Matanza had nothing to do with the dam break. Want to change your mind?”

Danley shook his head. “I have to call them the way I see them. Unless new evidence surfaces, I have to stand by my intelligence reports.”

“Well, your intelligence reports could have been a little timelier about the Mexico City bombing.”

“I don’t have to take that from you, Keller,” he said coldly.

“You have no idea the problems we’re facing.”

“If I did, then I’d be better able to make judgment calls.

Under Homeland Security we’re supposed to be one big happy family.” He waved his hand as Danley opened his mouth to reply. “I don’t give a damn about anything the CIA does as long as you don’t get in my way.” He jerked his thumb at the door to Andreas’s office. “I like that stubborn son of a bitch. I’m going to make sure he stays alive.”

“How do you expect to do that if you can’t even keep him from wandering all over the country?” Danley didn’t wait for a reply as he headed for the door. “If there’s any change in the situation, I’ll let you know.”

Danley waited until he was driving down Pennsylvania Avenue before he placed the call to Betworth. “He’s going to Arapahoe. Since there’s no proof of sabotage, Keller couldn’t talk him out of it.”

“I didn’t think he’d be able to do it,” Betworth said. “Naturally Andreas would be suspicious. I thought the seismograph report might allay some of it, but evidently…” He was silent a moment, thinking. “And this Alex Graham business is troubling. I believe we’ll have to do some adjusting to our plans. I’ll let you know.” He hung up.

Stockton, Maine

The muscles of Judd Morgan’s spine tightened as he felt eyes watching him from outside the open window.

Runne?

He bent over the canvas, listening.

No, not Runne.

There wasn’t enough purple in the shadow of the man’s cloak. He added the smallest brush stroke before he called, “What the hell are you doing here, Galen?”

“How did you know it was me?”

He turned to face the window. “I know your footsteps.”

Galen chuckled. “And that’s why you left all those fallen leaves spread on the ground in front of the window.” He hoisted himself onto the windowsill and swung his legs over. “Snap, crackle, pop. Did I crunch loud enough for you?”

“You know you did.” Sean Galen could be as quiet and lethal as a panther when he made the effort. “You sounded like a hippopotamus.”

“I thought it wise to let you know I was coming. I’ve seen you react to the unexpected, and Elena wants me to come back in one piece.”

“How is Elena?”

“Fine. Strong. BeautifuL” “LethaL”

“Only when she’s betrayed. You’re lucky she didn’t follow you and cut your throat.”

Judd shrugged. “I did what I had to do. I tried to make sure no one was hurt.”

“And that you got away with thirty million in drug money.”

“I needed it.” He set his brush down. “Is that why you’re here? You want to save Elena the trouble of getting even?”

Galen shook his head. “She wouldn’t thank me for doing that. You’ll be glad to know she’s looking forward, not back, these days.”

“I am glad.” He smiled. “And relieved. I like Elena.” His smile faded. “And I like you, Galen. I’m sorry I had to disappoint you. You know why I had to have the money.”

“You needed bribe money to get the CIA’s hit men to take the sanction off you. Dammit, I was trying to pull strings to get you clear. Why couldn’t you wait?”

“It was taking too long. Another three months and they would have found me. They needed a scapegoat very badly, and dead meat is absolutely required in these situations.”

“Well, evidently the money hasn’t helped, or you wouldn’t be hiding out here in the woods.”

“I’m getting there. The cover-up went to the top on that North Korean sanction, and politicians have to be careful with a sudden influx of cash.”

“If they don’t find you before you get out from under.”

Galen paused. “Like I did.”

Judd smiled faintly. “But you’re extraordinarily qualified in that area.”

“You didn’t make it easy. You’ve moved four times in the last month.”

“How did you find me?”

“Your new obsession.” Galen’s gaze went to the painting on the easel. “You lived at my ranch for months. I knew you’d need paints and canvas and you particularly like the quality of the paints from that dealer in Nova Scotia.”

Judd nodded approvingly. “Very good. And the next ques tion is, why have you found me?”

“I have a job for you.”

Judd went still. “I take it you’re not hiring me to paint Elena’s portrait.”

“No way.”

“Then I have to refuse. I’m out of the business.”

“The wages are very high.”

“I don’t need money, Galen.”

“I don’t imagine you do, after the money you took from Chavez. But you need that sanction taken off you and I know a man who can do it.”

“For a price?” His lips twisted. “Who does he want taken down?”

Galen shook his head. “He wants someone kept alive.” Galen dropped into a chair and stretched out his legs. “Could I have a cup of coffee from the pot on that table? It was a damn cold walk from the road.”

“No one invited you to make it.” Judd crossed the room, poured him a cup, and took it to him. “If your man wants to pay me to keep someone alive, then he must think it’s going to be difficult to do it.”

“Not easy.” “Who?”

“Alex Graham.” “Never heard of him.”

“Her. She’s a photojournalist covering the dam break at

Arapahoe Junction.”

He went still. “Arapahoe Junction?”

“Even if you’ve been on the move you must have heard about the break.”

“Oh, yes. I’ve heard about it. And?”

“She claims she saw someone cause a landslide on the other side of the dam.”

“I thought the dam break was supposed to be an accident.” “They can’t find any evidence to the contrary, but the FBI isn’t taking any chances. An attempt was made on Graham’s life two nights ago. Her friend, Sarah Logan, was shot in stead.”

His brows lifted. “Logan?”

Galen nodded. “John Logan’s wife. She’s going to be fine, but he’s a tad upset. So upset he wants to make sure Alex Graham is nowhere near his wife until this mess is cleared up.”

“The woman is a target because she’s a witness? Then why don’t the police or the FBI put her in a safe house?”

“She won’t have it. Logan tried to persuade her, but she balked.”

“Then how am I supposed to keep her safe if she insists on staying in the open?”

Galen smiled. “I’ve never known you to quibble when an obstacle gets in your way. You’ll do whatever is necessary. I told you, Logan wants to make sure.”

“And Logan is going to get this sanction taken off me?” He shook his head. “He tried to pull strings before, but he struck out.”

“You didn’t give him enough time. He’s had the President’s ear since he’s been involved in Homeland Security. All you have to do is make sure Alex Graham remains safe and sound until the FBI finds out what the hell happened at Arapahoe

Dam.”

“And I assume I don’t get my payoff until the woman is considered out of danger?”

“That’s right.”

“Bullshit. If I make myself visible, I could get taken out while I’m playing bodyguard.”

“Maybe you could find a way to work around it. The payoff is worth it.”

Freedom. Yes, that would be worth almost any risk. He thought about it. It was tempting. Logan was an honest man and would keep his word. Judd wouldn’t admit it to Galen, but his own efforts to bribe his way to safety had come to a dead end lately. But he could see any number of possible pitfalls looming in a situation that involved working in the shadow of the FBI.

Arapahoe Junction…

He shook his head. “It’s not my scene. I’ll work out my problems my own way.”

“Look, this job’s important to me. Logan is my friend. Ac tually, he called me and asked me to do it.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“I promised I’d stay close to home, and I don’t want to worry Elena.” He paused and a smile lit his face. “She’s preg nant.”

“Congratulations.”

“We’re pretty happy about it.” His smile faded. “So I’m calling in debts. You could have gotten eliminated if I hadn’t given you a place to hide when they put out word of the sanc tion. You owe me, Judd.”

“What makes you think that means anything to me?” “Like I said, I know you.”

Judd shook his head. “No, you don’t.”

“Elena said that you once threatened to take her out if she got me into trouble.”

“Threats are easy.”

“And you didn’t mean it?”

Yes, he’d meant it. He didn’t permit himself to become close to many people, but Galen had barged into his life and made himself his friend. “Maybe.”

“That was hard to say, wasn’t it?”

Judd smiled faintly. “You’ve always insisted on thinking the best of me. Why? Do you hate to admit you’re wrong?”

“Probably. It would be a great blow to my self-esteem. You should be glad I don’t believe you’re the bastard Elena thinks you are. I don’t think you’d have sold us out for the money.”

“But I did sell you out.”

“Not really.” He paused. “If you had, I’d have made sure that you didn’t survive to paint any more pretty pictures.” Galen finished his coffee and stood up. He pulled a large manila envelope from his jacket pocket and dropped it on the coffee table. “A dossier on Alex Graham. I thought you might want to look it over. Now I’ll get out of here and leave you to think about the proposition.”

“I’ve already turned it down.”

“But that was before I appealed to your gentler side.” He started for the door and then stopped and gazed at the painting on the easel. It was of a slim, bearded man in Renaissance dress stepping out from behind a curtain. “That’s really very good. His expression is… exceptional. It’s mocking yet…” He thought about it. “Haunted.”

“But then, we’re all haunted by something, aren’t we?”

“And there’s a tension…. He looks lethal. Who is he sup posed to be?”

Judd shrugged. “No one in particular. I just woke up one morning and started to paint him.”

Galen was still studying it and suddenly snapped his fin gers. “He’s an assassin, a Renaissance assassin.”

“Is he?”

“Isn’t he?”

“I suppose he could be.” He smiled faintly. “But I assure you I had no intention of creating a self-portrait.”

“Remarkable…” Galen headed for the door. “Call me.”

Judd picked up his paintbrush as the door closed behind

Galen. He wouldn’t call him. Even if Arapahoe Junction weren’t involved, getting mixed up with a job like this would be a mistake. He was no bodyguard, and the last thing he wanted to do was try to protect this woman. He was having enough trouble protecting himself. There was no way he’d let himself be persuaded by sentiment.

Besides, he wanted to finish this painting. It had been driving him since he’d first started it last week. He didn’t need any interruptions.

He bent over the easel.

More shadow in the cloak.

More richness in the velvet of the doublet.

More torment in the face of the assassin.

Galen waited until he had crossed the state line into Massachusetts before he dialed Logan.

“I’ve found Morgan and made the offer,” he said as soon as he reached Logan. “It’s a possible.”

“You’re sure he’s the right man? He may be more danger ous than our shooter.”

“Almost certainly. That’s why you need him.”

“He’s a loose cannon.” Logan paused. “I never questioned you before when you told me he’d had a raw deal. But I’m questioning you now. There’s a hell of a lot at stake. The word is that he disobeyed orders and almost caused a diplomatic incident. That the sanction on that North Korean general was canceled and he went ahead and did it anyway.”

“It wasn’t canceled. Just deemed a mistake after the fact.”

“So he claimed.”

“And I believe him. He did what he was ordered to do, what the United States government trained him to do.” He added wearily, “My God, I’m sick to death of all this hypocrisy. They can’t have it both ways. The military picks up kids with potential and gives them a bunch of brainwashing about patriotism and duty and then sends them out to kill. If they have a good eye and steady nerves, they may even put them in the Airborne Rangers like they did Morgan. They taught him how to kill and blow up everything in sight and praised him for it. When he proved to be exceptional, they upped the ante and sent him alone behind enemy lines in the Middle East to take out the enemy. Do you know how many terrorists he’s killed in these last years? But exceptional also means expendable. He became a little hot, so the CIA picked him up for their dirty tricks and the cycle began again.”

Logan didn’t speak for a moment. “You like him.”

“Yes, I’ve always liked him. God knows why. And I wouldn’t have recommended him to you if I didn’t think he could do the job. He has great qualifications. He knows how to run, how to hide, and how to get rid of anyone in his way.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Logan said, “I’ve always been puzzled about the difficulty I ran into when I was trying to pull strings to get the heat off Morgan.”

“Puzzled?”

“It should have been easier. I’m no amateur when it comes to getting my own way with politicians and bureaucrats, but I ran into a stone wall when I mentioned his name.”

“They were trying to protect their asses.”

“Maybe. Or maybe not.”

“Look, do you want to use him or not?”

Another silence. “If you really think he’s the best man for the job. When will I know if he consents to do it?”

“When I do.”

“And you think he’ll go for it?”

“It’s hard to tell. Judd’s always been hard to read. I’ve got a hunch he’ll- I don’t know. I have to let him mull it over. I’ll call you.” He hung up the phone. He wasn’t about to commit himself to Logan. Even though Galen’s instincts were telling him he’d made an impact, Judd might still turn him down.

It had to be instinct. Judd’s face had all the expression of a slab of granite, and he sure as hell wasn’t predictable. Elena would testify to that fact. She’d probably never forgive him for the Chavez deal.

Elena. At the thought of her, his foot pressed harder on the accelerator. Forget about Judd and Alex Graham and everyone else. If he could get a quick flight out of Boston, he might be home with Elena tonight.

It was done.

God, he was tired. Judd rubbed his eyes as he propped his feet on the coffee table. It must be close to three in the morning, and he’d been working on the painting since Galen left hours ago.

Was it good? How the hell did he know? He supposed it was the best he could do at this particular stage. It was certainly better than he’d been able to do a year ago. He’d been sketching faces for years, but when he’d fled the Company and started to dedicate himself to painting, he’d been unable to do anything but landscapes and stilllifes. It was only recently he’d begun to bring people back into the mix, and now portraiture was becoming an obsession. It was fascinating to delve deep, to tear through the layers and find what lay beneath. Not many people were at all what they seemed on the surface, and painting them was like exploring a new territory. His gaze met the eyes of the assassin in the picture. He’d denied to Galen that this particular painting was a form of therapy, but perhaps he’d lied. He lifted his coffee cup in a toast and murmured, “Hello, brother.”

He took a drink of coffee and then grimaced. Cold and bitter. He should have made a fresh pot. He set the cup on the coffee table beside the envelope Galen had tossed there.

Arapahoe Dam.

Ignore the envelope. He had to look out for his own neck. Arapahoe Junction.

What the devil did he care if the woman was idiot enough to think she could tilt at windmills? He’d already made a decision that there was no way he was going to open that Pan dora’s box. He was in enough trouble.

What had she seen at Arapahoe Dam?

Oh, what the hell. He opened the envelope and drew out the dossier and three photos. He wouldn’t look at the photos. He had found as long as he didn’t look at the faces he could keep himself remote and unemotional.

He scanned the opening paragraphs, which described the events that had led to Logan’s offer, and then the dossier itself.

Alex Graham, age twenty-nine. Born and raised in Westacre, New Jersey, of middle-class parents who divorced when she was thirteen. Her mother, Ellen, was a computer information-systems specialist with IBM and her father, Michael, a fireman with the Newark fire department. A civil enough divorce. Though her mother retained custody, she’d spent every other weekend with her father. She won a photo contest sponsored by National Geographic at sixteen and was awarded a journalism scholarship to Columbia University when she graduated from high school. She’d quit college in her junior year and gone to photograph the horrendous earthquake in Tibet. The resulting photos had earned her acclaim and a place on the staff of Newsweek. From that point on it had been a steady climb upward in her chosen profession.

She was now a freelance photojournalist and contributed principally to World Life.

Her mother had died of emphysema three years after Alex left school, and her father was killed at the World Trade Center a few years later. She had been engaged once but never married.

All cut and dried, Judd thought. It read like an obituary. Which it might turn out to be if Alex Graham wasn’t very careful.

Not his problem. He tossed the dossier back on the table.

Let Galen get someone else for the job.

But Galen hadn’t said that when Judd was in trouble. He had stepped in and yanked him out from under the threat and kept him safe for months.

Forget it. This was the last job he should get near. They could very well be waiting for him. He couldn’t afford to be soft when it might put everything he valued in jeopardy. He picked up the photos and started to jam them back into the envelope. He wouldn’t look at them. He wouldn’t let Alex Graham become a real person to him. Judd wasn’t Galen, and he wouldn’t be a quixotic ass and pretend that he was anything but what life had made him. He would do what was best for himself and screw

Oh, shit.

The photo of Alex Graham was faceup, staring at him.

My God, what a remarkable face. She was not a beautiful woman, unless you considered strength beauty. Her short brown hair was clean and shining, pushed back and styled simply. Her high cheekbones were clean cut and her mouth wide and sensitive. Deep-set brown eyes sparkled with vitality and intensity. The snapshot had been taken somewhere in the mountains, and she was gazing out of the picture with a touch of defiance.

Why?

He glanced at the other photos. One was obviously a pass port photo, but the other one was at a disaster site and she looked exhausted and heartsick. Yet her eyes… Defiance and wariness. What was behind those barriers she was putting up?

It was just a face. Don’t let curiosity influence cool judgment. Don’t let her become a person to you. It was always a mistake to

Dammit, it was already too late.

Okay, she was alive for him. Then bend the situation to suit yourself. He knew how to make himself invisible. He could do the job and no one, not even Alex Graham, would be aware he was around. He could still stay apart and in full control.

His phone rang. “Hello.”

“Galen. Have you finished the painting?”

“Yes. Is that why you’re calling me at four in the morning?”

“Not exactly. But I didn’t want you to have any distrac tions getting in the way of the job.”

“I told you I wasn’t-“

“I thought you might have second thoughts.”

Judd stared down at the photograph of Alex Graham.

“Judd?”

“Maybe.”

Galen was silent for a moment. “How do I turn the maybe into a yes?”

“You and Logan let me do anything I have to do. If I have to take the gloves off, I don’t want anyone getting in my way. You see that I have a clear playing field.”

“He’s not going to agree to get the sanction taken off you yet.”

“I’m not talking about the past, only the present.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“You don’t want to know. It might jar you out of that cozy little cocoon you’re sharing with Elena. Just be ready to jump in case I need you.”

“Okay. I’ll call Logan. If there’s any problem, I’ll let you know.”

“Tonight. If I’m going to do this, it’s got to be right away. If this is a professional job, Graham is on borrowed time. I don’t want to waste any planning on a dead woman.”

“She’s not dead yet. If you don’t hear from me in an hour, it’s a go.” He hung up.

Jesus, he should have his head examined, Judd thought wearily. Why had he committed himself? Alex Graham meant nothing to him.

Because he was tired and angry and sick of being a target? Because lately he’d been tempted to just stay and wait for Runne to find him?

Judd leaned his head back on the couch, his gaze returning to the mocking face of the assassin in the painting. “Okay, so it’s not the brightest decision I’ve ever made….”

3Denver, Colorado

“None of them is here.” Alex wearily leaned back in the chair and gazed at Leopold across the desk. “Do you have any more mug shots?”

“None that meet your description. That’s why we have databases. You’d have been sitting in that chair for the next year if we’d let you do a random check.”

“They’ve got to have records. People who do things like this don’t go through life without stumbling over the law.”

“I agree. That’s why I’ve set up an appointment for you at the local FBI field office tomorrow morning. They have a much more extensive database.” Leopold poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her. “If you’re up to it.”

“I’m up to it.” She took a sip of coffee. “I’ve got to be up to it. They can’t get away with this.”

“Then we’ll find them. If the databases don’t pan out, we’ll call in a police artist and you can give us a description to work with.”

“Jesus, why didn’t I take their damn pictures that night? I didn’t even think of it. I saw Ken blow up and I-” She drew a shaky breath. “I screamed. Isn’t that pathetic? Instead of doing something useful. I screamed.”

“Even if you’d taken their pictures, your equipment is buried beneath that landslide.”

She made a face. “I can’t see you letting that stop you if you were convinced the dam was sabotaged. You’d bring in the cranes and every federal security organization in the country. Right?”

“Right.” Leopold smiled. “But you didn’t take their pictures, and all the experts are still saying there was no sabotage. We’ve never found proof that Nader’s helicopter was brought down. So all we have is an attempt on your life.” He held up his hand. “I don’t want to minimize the seriousness of that, you understand.”

“I know.” Leopold was a good guy and he had been as sympathetic and helpful as he could during the last few days. “The proof’s got to be there.”

“Then maybe the FBI can find it.” The phone rang and he answered it. A moment later he handed the phone to her. “Speak of the devil. Bob Jurgens. He wants to talk to you. Remember him? I introduced you to him at the hospitaL”

“Why shouldn’t I remember him? I wasn’t that banged up.” She remembered Jurgens very well. Smooth, polite, and very disapproving.

Jurgens’s voice was just as disapproving when she took the phone from Leopold. “I understand you’re not having much luck with identifying the men who attacked you. I think you’d better reconsider our offer to put you in protective custody. A safe house is the obvious solution. I have just the place that-“

“No. Not only no, but hell, no.” Her hand tightened on the phone. Why wouldn’t. he leave her alone? “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. Arapahoe Junction isn’t that much different than what happened at WTC. You give in to people like this and let them change your life and they win. I won’t let them win.”

“I’m sorry to hear you say that. I hope Leopold can per suade you to change your mind. I’ll be in touch.”

She handed the phone back to Leopold. “He wants to put me in some safe house and let me twiddle my thumbs while he completes his investigation.”

“So I understand. Personally, I don’t care much for those by-the-book FBI agents, but he appears to be very thorough and he’s got a team out there scouring the entire crash area.”

“He said he hoped you could convince me to let him tuck me away. Does he have you in his pocket?”

Leopold shook his head. “We try to work together, but we run our own show. I admit he did call and suggest I try to influence you. The safe house isn’t a bad idea.”

“It’s a very bad idea.” She stood up. “And it probably originated with John Logan.” She shook her head as she translated a flicker of expression on Leopold’s face. “You too?”

“He talked to me. I didn’t think you’d go along with it. I told him we had your security well in hand.”

“So you’re responsible for that blue unmarked Toyota that’s been following me since I left the hotel this morning?”

He grinned. “Busted. But how do you know it’s not some one more sinister than my humble self?”

“That’s why I’m telling you about it. Is it a Toyota?”

He nodded as he picked up the phone and dialed a num ber. “What color and model car are we using for the surveillance on Alex Graham?” He listened. “And the license number?” He jotted the number down on his pad. “Thanks.” He handed Alex the slip of paper. “This one is ours. If you suspect anyone else is following you, then get on the phone and call me right away.”

“Don’t worry.” She tucked the note in her purse. “I’ll yell if I even get a glimmer I’m in danger. I believe in letting the police earn those tax dollars. Particularly when it means keeping my neck intact.” She moved toward the door. “Thanks for everything, Detective.”

“Thank you.” Leopold walked her out of the office and down the steps. “I’ll just see you to your car. Wouldn’t want you to be cheated out of those tax dollars.”

Alex glanced in the rearview mirror as she turned the corner and approached the Golden Nugget Hotel.

The blue Toyota was still behind her, keeping a discreet one-block distance.

She turned left, went down the underground parking ramp, and parked beside the elevator doors. She glanced quickly around before getting out and punching the button for the elevator.

She tensed.

Another car was coming down the ramp.

The elevator doors opened and she quickly stepped inside and pushed the button for the seventh floor.

No response.

She pushed the button again.

The car was closer, coming down the last curve in the ramp. Her hand reached inside her bag for her.38 revolver.

Dammit, why didn’t the doors of the elevator

She stabbed the button again.

The car on the ramp came into view.

It was the blue Toyota.

She breathed a sigh of relief and released the grasp on her gun to wave at the driver behind the wheel.

He waved back. He parked in a space a short distance away as she punched the elevator button one more time.

At last the elevator doors slid shut.

Lester muttered a curse as he threw the radio-control device on the seat beside him. What the hell had happened? Decker had promised him the elevator doors would jam if he pressed the damn switch. He should have known better than to trust anyone but himself. Fucking screwup. Now he’d have to find a way to get into Graham’s hotel room.

He got out of the blue Toyota and strode toward the bank of elevators. He had to move fast. He pressed the button for the elevator. He didn’t know how much time he had left be fore

The doors of the elevator opened.

“Pardon me.”

He whirled to see a man coming down the emergency stairs.

“I do hate to spoil your plans,” the man said softly. “But I really can’t let you get in that elevator.”

Skit. Cop?

Lester’s hand dove into his jacket for his holstered Glock. “Too late.” Morgan shot him in the head.

Alex was just picking the phone up to call Sarah when the fire alarms in the hall started wailing.

She stiffened. A little too convenient? A fire was a great way to get someone out of a hotel room. She dialed the front desk. Busy.

She dialed Leopold at the precinct. “There’s a fire alarm going off at my hotel. Will you check and see if it’s legitimate?”

“I’m on it.” He hung up.

Well, if the alarm was legitimate she wasn’t going to stay here and burn up. She’d already gotten her handbag and camera equipment from the bedroom when the phone rang.

“The fire department is on the way. The hotel called and reported a fire in a car in the underground lot,” Leopold said when she picked up. “It reached the gas tank and exploded. The smoke has entered the ventilating system. They’re afraid there will be other explosions down there, so they’re evacuating the hoteL”

She headed for the door. “Then I’m out of here.”

“Good idea. I’ll have an officer meet you in the lobby.” The hall was only a little smoky, but it was filled with people heading for the emergency stairs at the end of the corridor.

“This way.” A teenage boy was motioning her forward.

“Don’t be scared. It’s only seven stories. We’ll get out.”

She smiled and nodded. “I’m sure we will.” She started down the concrete steps. “You go on. I’ll be fine.”

“No, I’ll stay with you.”

“Joseph.” A middle-aged woman was motioning him to come. “We don’t want to get separated.”

The teenager frowned. “She’s alone, Mom. She might need help.”

Sweet kid. “Go on,” Alex said. “I’m coming. I promise I won’t panic.”

“Joseph.” The boy’s mother’s voice was shrill. She was being pushed against the wall as more people flooded the steps from the exits on the other floors.

“Okay. Okay.” Joseph suddenly grabbed Alex’s arm and pulled her down the stairs. “Come on. You gotta come with us.”

“Really, I’ll be fine. You don’t-” She stopped arguing. The important thing was for all of them to get out of there.

Fifth floor.

The smoke was getting worse.

Fourth floor.

She could barely move in the shuffling crowd.

Third floor.

“Stand to one side, please. We have to get up the stairs.” It was a fireman pushing his way up the stairwell. “There’s been another fire reported on the fourth floor.”

She moved to huddle against the wall with the rest of the people on the stairs.

The fireman was below her, then beside her. He started to go past her and then stopped abruptly. The firefighter had cool blue eyes and a hard face, but his gaze was concerned as it searched her face. “You okay, ma’am? Are your lungs burning? You look like the smoke has gotten to you.”

“I scarcely-“

He reached out and took her wrist.

Warmth. Strength. Safety.

His fingers moved to the inside of her wrist. “Your pulse is going crazy. Do you have asthma or any respiratory problems?”

“N 0, nothing like-“

Christ, she was dizzy. Her knees were buckling….

But he was catching her. “Don’t you worry, ma’am. I’ll take good care of you.”

Cool blue eyes.

No, cold blue eyes, icy blue eyes…

Music.

Ravel, she recognized dimly. She liked Ravel. Dad had liked it too. He hadn’t cared for many classical selections, but he’d said Ravel was full of thunder….

Like her head. Damn, it was pounding.

“Open your eyes. I’ve got something that will make you feel better.”

She slowly opened her eyes.

Blue eyes. The fireman with blue eyes.

“It’s only aspirin.” He was holding a glass of water and two pills. “It will take care of the headache.”

“I’ll vote for that.” She swallowed the aspirins and water and handed the glass back to him. He wasn’t dressed in the fireman’s uniform anymore. He wore a red flannel shirt and jeans, but he still had that air of complete confidence that had impressed her on the stairs.

Stairs. She came abruptly wide awake. She wasn’t in the stairwell any longer. She was lying on a couch. She looked beyond him to see a fire leaping briskly in a huge stone fireplace that climbed to a rough-hewn beamed ceiling.

Definitely not a hotel room.

“Where am I?”

He set the glass down on the end table. “At a lodge in the mountains.”

“What?”

“The situation was heating up. It was necessary that I get you out of sight for a while.”

She sat up on the couch. “Who the hell are you?”

“Judd Morgan. Don’t worry, I’m no threat to you.”

And she was supposed to believe him? Even when she’d been only half conscious she was aware of-what? Coldness, confidence, an overpowering presence.

He nodded as he saw her expression. “Considering the company you’ve been keeping lately, I don’t wonder you’re suspicious. But if I’d meant you any harm, I’d have had every opportunity to put you down while you were sleeping.”

“And why was I sleeping? I felt perfectly normal. I shouldn’t have fallen-“

“Just a harmless sedative, but it kept you out for the length of time I needed it to. I had to get you out of there and in a safe environment, and that was the most efficient way to do it.”

“A sedative? You knocked me out?”

He shrugged. “Like I said, the most innocuous way of accomplishing an end. Even the headache will be gone soon.”

“Why would you do that?” A phrase suddenly sank home. “Safe environment?” Anger was quickly replacing the shock. “My God, are you with the police or FBI? I told them I wouldn’t go along with-” He was shaking his head. “Then why the devil would you do something like this?”

“John Logan made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

She looked at him incredulously. “He paid you to do this?” “Well, he didn’t tell me to snatch you. Only to make sure you were safe and his wife would know that.” He smiled. “Un fortunately, I couldn’t do one without the other.”

“You bastard. Kidnapping is a federal offense.”

He nodded. “So I’ve heard.” He moved across the room toward the kitchenette. “I’ve got a stew on the stove. It should be ready in fifteen minutes if you want to wash up.”

“I don’t want to wash up. I’m getting out of here.”

He shook his head. “Sorry, not possible. You don’t know where you are, and I have the keys to the Land Rover outside.

You could try to walk, but it’s started to snow and you’d probably not make it to anywhere near civilization before you got hypothermia.” He glanced at her handbag lying on the coffee table. “Oh, and I took the gun and telephone out of your bag. I didn’t think photographers carried deadly weapons as a rule, but I guess your work has taken you into some hot spots.” He moved over to the stove. “Fifteen minutes.”

She stared at Morgan in rage and frustration. She wanted to murder him. “They’ll be looking for you. Leopold was sending an officer to meet me in the lobby.”

He nodded.

“I’m not going to put up with this. I won’t be kept a prisoner so some son of a bitch like you can earn a few bucks.”

He didn’t answer.

She had another thought. “Jesus, you set that hotel on fire, didn’t you?”

“Just your rental car in the parking garage. I parked it far enough away from the other cars so that it wouldn’t cause more than a minor problem.”

“Just? Minor problem?” She was working her way through the scenario. “You had it all planned. You were probably the one who called the fire department. You even had a fireman’s uniform ready. Why?”

He didn’t look up from the stew he was stirring. “I always believe in being prepared. Your father was a fireman. I knew you’d be suspicious of anyone else, but you’d instinctively trust anyone who wore the uniform.”

She felt a chill go through her as she remembered how safe she’d felt when he touched her wrist in that stairwell. He had thought it all out and come up with a plan that had caught her at her most vulnerable.

She shook her head. “I still can’t believe Logan would authorize a kidnapping.”

“I told you, he didn’t exactly authorize it. I just made it part of the deal that he’d cover any action I thought necessary to protect you.” He shrugged. “There was an outside chance that you might not even have had to know I was around. But when I saw the way the situation was shaping up, I knew I had to get you away.”

“I don’t need you. I’m being protected by the police.”

He shook his head.

“Call Detective Leopold. He’ll tell you. Hell, they’ve been following me for two days.”

“I know. Blue Toyota. Two officers.”

She nodded. “One even followed me back to the hotel tonight.”

He shook his head. “They were taken out in the parking lot across from the precinct while you were inside this afternoon. The Toyota was driven out of the parking lot fifteen minutes after you went into the precinct, but not by the same men who drove it in. They went to the hotel and the driver left his partner there to do some fine-tuning to the elevator, then went back to the parking lot and waited for you to come out.”

“What?”

“They were both very good, very professional. I was im pressed.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “You’re saying that they killed the officers who were following me and took their place?”

He nodded. “There wasn’t time or opportunity to get rid of the bodies, so I imagine they’re in the trunk of the Toyota.” She shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”

“You will. It will just take a little while. Why should I lie?” “I don’t know. Any more than I know why you should tell me the truth.”

He looked down at the stew. “Ten minutes,” he said quietly. “Your bedroom is down the hall to the left. I don’t have any clothes for you, so I put some of my stuff in your bureau drawer. You’ll have to make do. I’m afraid I was a little unprepared. I didn’t want it to come to this.”

She slowly rose to her feet. “I’m going to make your life hell. This isn’t going to be worth your while.”

“You may be right. You’ve already caused me more prob lems than you know.”

“Good.” She grabbed her purse and camera bag, strode down the hall, and slammed the door of the bedroom. A moment later she was splashing water on her face in the adjoining bathroom. She wiped her face on the guest towel and then went into the bedroom and stared out at the heavily falling snow. Between the darkness and the snow she could barely see the mountains.

She doubted if the cold water was going to make her any sharper or more able to cope. She was still feeling fuzzy from that blasted sedative. What the devil had he given her?

Okay, try to think. This entire episode was like something from a bad movie. She went to the bed and checked her purse. No gun, no phone. Nothing that even resembled a weapon, unless you counted a ballpoint pen.

But there were probably knives in the kitchen.

She’d always hated the thought of knife wounds. She might not have to use a weapon. It was clear Morgan was intelligent enough to respect a threat. Play the situation by ear.

Logan. He was the one who’d hired Morgan. He could fire him. That was another path she could explore.

Well, she couldn’t accomplish anything by hiding here in the bedroom. She would face him, learn as much as she could from him, and then find a way to get out of here.

Decker watched the two morgue attendants slide Lester’s body into the hearse.

What the hell had happened?

A cold chill went through him. It didn’t matter what had happened. The woman was gone. Lester was dead and the police would probably ID him within hours. Powers would be furious.

Okay, think fast. Damage control. Find a hook and wriggle out from beneath the censure and punishment to come. He had to cover his ass.

Find the hook.

He hurried back into the hotel.

___________

“Sit down.” Morgan put a bowl of steaming stew down on a place mat at the kitchen table. “You must be hungry. I didn’t give you much time to eat dinner before I called in the alarm.”

“That was totally irresponsible. Someone could have been hurt.”

“It was a judgment call. There was a bigger chance of you being hurt if I didn’t get you out of there.” He sat down across the table from her. “So I got you out. Eat your stew.”

“How do I know you didn’t put something in it?” He smiled. “You don’t.”

But it wasn’t likely. As he’d said before, he could have killed her at any time while she was lying there helpless. She picked up her spoon and dipped it into the stew. “How long was I unconscious?”

“Not too long.” He offered her a bowl of rolls. “I’m not going to tell you how long because you’d immediately start trying to figure out how close we are to Denver. The less you know, the better for me.”

“I will get away from here.” She smiled through bared teeth. “And then I’ll make sure you and Logan are punished.”

“Logan too? But won’t that hurt your friend Sarah?”

“He had no right to-” But there was no way she could hurt Sarah. She drew a deep breath. She’d think about Logan later. “I’m not even sure Logan did hire you.”

“I know. That’s why I’m going to let you talk to him after dinner.”

“What?”

“This situation is going to be difficult enough. It will make it easier for both of us if you believe I’m here to protect, not hurt, you.” He took a bite of stew. “Anger is okay, but I don’t want you to be afraid of me. Fear sucks.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“Yes, you are.” He gave her a steady glance. “Not all the time. It comes and goes, but it’s there.”

“And who are you to analyze-” She stopped as she met his gaze. “I’d be stupid not to be wary of someone who’s just kidnapped me.”

“Be wary. Wary is smart.” He smiled slightly. “And you’re very smart.”

“How do you know?” She remembered the remark about her fireman father. “You’ve managed to get a dossier on me.” He nodded. “And it was very interesting reading.”

“I’m glad I could entertain you.”

“Entertain isn’t quite the word. Your career has led you into some pretty rough scrapes. It’s a wonder you were able to wriggle out of some of them.” He got up from the table to bring a pot of coffee from the counter. “For instance, when you shot that terrorist in Iran, I’d have bet against your chances of getting out of the country alive. You did all the wrong things to preserve your neck.”

“Like what?”

“You trusted someone in the Embassy to arrange to smuggle you out. The Embassy is always too visible. You waited two days to head for the border. It should have given the terrorist group time to find you. They must have had extremely poor intelligence and leadership.” He poured coffee into her cup. “And you didn’t kill your target.”

“I’m not a murderer. I was there to get a story. I shot AI

Habim in self-defense.”

“And because you didn’t kill him, he came after you again in Cairo. If the CIA hadn’t had you under surveillance, you could have been history.”

“Why do you think they had me under surveillance? Do you think I’m stupid? I knew Al Habim would come looking for me. I was hoping the CIA would catch him and be able to extract information.”

“Excellent.” He smiled. “But evidently the Company had reasons to want him dead. So you might as well have done it yourself and saved everyone the trouble.”

“Is that what you would have done?”

“Every case is different, but I tend to lean toward keeping myself alive and in one piece. The CIA is always a wild card. There are too many politicians with too many agendas whirling around them.”

“You talk as if you know.”

“I have a certain familiarity with them.” He lifted his cup to his lips. “I have a great admiration for many of their agents, but I’ve found that no one but me has quite the same desire to maintain my health and well-being.”

“I can see why,” she said through her teeth.

“My, what bitterness. Are you only tolerant when it concerns terrorists?”

“I’m not tolerant of anyone who interferes with my life or freedom.” She pushed back her chair. “And now I want to talk to John Logan. Call him.”

“Whatever you say. I’m surprised you waited this long.”

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “Logan? Judd Morgan. Alex Graham wants to talk to you.” He handed her the phone, rose to his feet, and began stacking the dishes. “Give him hell. I shouldn’t be the only one suffering.”

She ignored him. “Logan?”

“Sorry, Alex. I didn’t want to do this.”

She recognized his voice. Until this moment she hadn’t really believed what Morgan had said. “Bullshit. You tell this bastard to let me go.”

“I can’t do it. I told you where my priority lies. Sarah has to be safe, and if you won’t be sensible, then you’ll have to be-“

“Kidnapped?”

“Kept safe in spite of yourself.”

“And you think I’ll put up with it? I’m getting out of here, and when I do, I’m going to cause you so much trouble your head will spin.”

“I’m sure you will. But hopefully the FBI will have removed any threat to Sarah by that time. I’m pulling every string I know to find out who those men at Arapahoe Junction were.”

“And I’m supposed to sit here locked up with this asshole while you try to do something the FBI can’t?”

“I have a chance. I have a friend who specializes in that kind of information.”

“Another criminal like Morgan?”

“No, not like Morgan. I understand he has different talents.”

“Kidnapping.”

“It wasn’t supposed to come down to that. Morgan tells me that the situation called for more drastic measures than he’d planned.”

“But you agreed to it.”

“After the fact.” He paused. “He said it was the only way to keep you alive, and keeping you alive is the only way I can keep Sarah safe. That’s the only thing that’s important to me.”

“My God. Who the hell do you think you are?”

“A man who loves Sarah.” He paused. “As you do, Alex.”

“I told you I wouldn’t do anything to endanger her. What you’ve done is totally beyond the pale.” She looked at Morgan across the kitchen. “And you turned this… thug loose on me.” Morgan raised his brows. “Thug?” he murmured. “Isn’t that a rather antiquated term?”

“Tell him to let me go, Logan.”

“I can’t do that. Don’t worry, I’ve been assured you’re per fectly safe with him. He’s no threat.”

She would have laughed if she hadn’t been so angry. She didn’t know exactly who or what Judd Morgan was, but he was about as unthreatening as a coiled rattlesnake. “He’ll be no danger when I’m a thousand miles away from him or he’s behind bars.”

“Believe me, if I’d had any doubts about your safety, I’d have never made a deal with him. Do you think I don’t know I’d have to answer to Sarah if anything happened to you?”

“Sarah will be as furious as I am with you.”

“Maybe. But she’ll be alive.” He paused. “And you’ll be alive. The end justifies the means.”

“The hell it does.”

“We disagree. Is there anything else you’d like to say to me?”

“Let me go.”

“Anything else?”

“No, dammit, I want you to–” It was no use. She drew a deep breath. “How is Sarah?”

“Wonderful. Champing at the bit to get up. Nagging me to try to find out where the FBI has you hidden so she can come and see you.”

“Damn you.” She hung up the phone and glared at Morgan across the room. “And damn you, Morgan.”

“It must be very frustrating for you.” He crossed the room and took the phone from her. “And I’m sure Logan didn’t succeed in reassuring you that I’m Sir Lancelot and not Jack the Ripper.”

“No.”

“But you believe that Logan’s deal with me didn’t include any harm to you?”

“Maybe.”

“And that Logan, being the powerhouse he is, would be very upset if! broke my end of the bargain?”

“Possibly.”

“Then look at it this way. If I killed you and buried you in the snow, Logan would come after me with guns blazing. Doesn’t that give you a sense of security?”

She gazed at him incredulously. “Should it?”

He sighed. “I guess not. I was reaching.” He put the dishes in the dishwasher. “But I think you’re not as uneasy as you were before you spoke to Logan. Want your coffee now?”

“No.” She got to her feet. “I don’t want anything you can give me but out.”

“It’s possible you might get what you want.”

She stiffened. “What?”

“I have to think about it. Things aren’t shaping up the way I intended. I was planning on staying in the background, but I blew it at the hotel.”

“I agree.”

“No, not by taking you. That was necessary. But there are video cameras all over that hotel. I took out the ones in the garage, but I didn’t have time to get to the cameras in the stairwell.”

“Good. Then your face will be on every APB in the U.S.” “I was sure that would be your reaction. But it’s not the police I’m concerned about at present.”

“You don’t want those scumbags to target you too? Well, it serves you right.”

“Deserving or not, it doesn’t alter the fact that I have a problem.”

Her gaze narrowed on his face. “And you might betray

Logan to solve it?”

“Let’s say I might make adjustments to our agreement.” Hope flared. “Let me go and I’ll forget I ever saw you.” He shook his head.

“I don’t break my word.”

He studied her and then smiled. “No, I don’t think you do.” “Then let me go. You don’t want the trouble and I’ll be bigtime trouble.”

“A promise?”

Her smile was only a baring of her teeth. “Oh, yes.”

He chuckled. “My God, I wish you could meet Elena. I think you and she might be soul mates.”

“I’m not interested in meeting any of your friends.”

“It’s just as well. The last I heard, she wanted to cut my throat. I don’t need more than one of you to contend with at any given time.”

Her hands clenched into fists. “Are you going to let me go?”

His smile faded. “I have to consider the possibilities. I learned a long time ago that every action has a domino effect. I knew I should never have taken this job. Now if I let you go and you get killed, it will have a direct impact on me. One, Logan will be out for my head. Two, whoever is after you may think I’m part of the equation and target me. Three, the police may decide I’m involved in your demise and try to arrest me. Since I won’t have Logan to run interference, it would put me in a very precarious position and that would not be-“

“Oh, for God’s sake.”

“No, for Judd Morgan’s sake.” He added, “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I always look out for number one.”

“How surprising.”

“Sorry, we all can’t be heroes who run into burning buildings.”

“I’d never make that mistake.”

“You already did.”

A smoke-filled stairwell. His hand grasping her wrist. Safety.

“You took me by surprise.”

“Because you want to believe in heroes.”

“They exist. I’ve known quite a few.”

“Like your father.”

“Like my father.” She stared him in the eye. “And I’m not going to forgive you for dressing up and pretending you’re anything like him.”

“I didn’t think you would. I knew it would probably be a cardinal sin in your eyes.” He shrugged. “But there are sins and then there are sins. I’ve learned to view transgressions in perspective.” He turned on the dishwasher. “For instance, it would be a really great sin to pennit a man of my brilliance and talent to be taken down by those lowlifes who blew up Arapahoe Dam. I have to make sure such sacrilege doesn’t happen.”

“No matter who else gets hurt.”

“Oh, I didn’t say that.” He smiled. “Never make assump tions, Alex. It’s not a black-and-white world.” He turned away. “Now, if you’re sure you don’t want anything else from me, I believe I’ll go to the study and do a little work.”

“Planning your next heist?”

“Could be. Or maybe I’m going to think about domino effects.”

“Listen to me.” Her voice vibrated with urgency. “I have to get out of here. Those men killed innocent people. I can’t let them walk away. I won’t let them walk away. I saw them. I may be the only person who can make sure they’re punished.”

“It’s not your responsibility. Let the police and the FBI handle it.”

“It is my responsibility. When something like that disaster happens, it’s everyone’s responsibility. You can’t just stand on the sidelines and hope someone else-” She stopped and wearily shook her head. “Or maybe you can. You’re so damn cold. I can see you standing in the background, afraid to come any closer because something might touch you.”

“Do you want me to deny it? I’m very comfortable on the outside. It’s where I intend to stay.” He turned away. “All that emotion must have exhausted you. I’d suggest you go to your room and get some sleep. You probably still feel a little groggy from that sedative.”

“Wait.” She moistened her lips. “What are the chances of you changing your mind about your deal with Logan?”

He thought about it. “Probably not very high. But the pos sibility does exist.”

She watched in helpless frustration as he disappeared through a doorway opening off the living room.

No, not helpless. She would not be helpless.

She crossed the kitchen and opened the cutlery drawer. There was a scrawled note lying in the empty drawer. Sorry.

Damn him.

4″Here’s the tape. I got it right before the police team started their search.” Decker dropped the case on the desk in front of Powers. “Though I don’t know how much good it will do. The camera only got a back shot of him going up the stairs, and that big-ass fireman’s hat almost hid his face when he was carrying Graham out the second-floor exit.”

“It better do us a hell of a lot of good,” Powers said softly. “You screwed up. We lost Graham, and you left Lester’s body for the FBI to find.”

“I wasn’t supposed to be there,” Decker said defensively. “I did my job.”

“Then somebody undid it. Which is just as bad.” He picked up the tape. “I’ll send this to Washington to have it examined. You’d better hope they can ID that fireman. He’s the key to finding Graham.” He flipped open his phone. “I’m going to get a hell of a lot of heat from Betworth about this, and you can bet I’m not going to take it alone.”

Decker belligerently lifted his chin. “I’m not worried about Betworth.”

“No?” Powers dialed Betworth’s number. “And what about Runne?” He nodded as he saw the change of expression on Decker’s face. “Different story, isn’t it? You’re scared shitless of Runne.”

“I’m not scared. He’s just… weird.”

“Well, Betworth might decide to turn him loose on you, so I wouldn’t get too cocky.” Betworth answered the phone, and Powers deliberately made his tone cheerful. “Good news, we’re on our way to finding Graham.”

Idiots!

Charles Betworth muttered a curse as he hung up the phone.

Arapahoe Dam had been a nightmare from the beginning. It had not accomplished its principal aim, and the cleanup was proving to be a complete debacle. Powers was supposed to be a competent professional, but Betworth had seen no sign of it during these last weeks. It was time he made the move that he’d wanted to avoid.

He quickly dialed Danley. “I need you to meet me tonight. We have to do something about that situation we discussed. I’m afraid we’re going to have to escalate our time frame and go to Plan B.”

“Is that wise?”

He smothered his irritation. Danley had been skittish for the last two weeks and Betworth had had to keep the bastard calm. “I don’t believe we have a choice. Boldness sometimes carries the day. As long as you and Jurgens give the correct orders and make damn sure they’re carried out, we’ll be fine. We’ll discuss it tonight.” He hung up. Boldness would have to carry the day in this case. No reason why it wouldn’t work. All the preparations had been made. Of course, he’d have to call Guatemala City and make sure Cordoba

A discreet knock on the door before it opened. “I’m sorry to disturb you, sir.”

He glanced up to see Hannah Carter, his secretary, stand ing tentatively in the doorway. “What is it?”

“You have an appointment at the White House in ten minutes. You’re meeting with the Vice President and the Secretary of the Interior. I was afraid you’d forgot-“

“I did.” He forced a smile as he rose to his feet. “But I can always count on you to save my ass, Hannah.”

“I’ll call the Vice President’s secretary and tell her you were held up by the environmental people.” Hannah smiled back at him. “He’s been having real trouble for the past two months getting them to okay that bill approving massive shoring up of our infrastructure.”

“Brilliant. You should be doing this job, not me. I’m on my way.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

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Book Preview Iris Johansen – Dead Aim1Arapahoe Junction, ColoradoOctober 15“I know I’m late, dammit.” Alex Graham’s hand clenched on her cell phone. “I’ll get those pictures to you as soon as I can.”“You’d get them to me sooner if you’d stop working in the rubble and start taking pictures of those rescue workers whose job … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5614,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[383],"class_list":["post-5615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-iris-johansen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}