LITMIR.BIZ

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if they caught him. “We’ll debrief back at the office,” he concluded. “Now.”

      Nadia’s whole body burned with shame a few minutes later as she pulled her Volvo into a parking spot next to Lori’s in front of the First Strike offices. When she entered, she saw that Beau, Gavin and Rex were already there, along with a man she didn’t recognize. He was a robust-looking guy in his fifties with a tan and very short, silver hair. All the men were discussing something in hushed voices. They went silent when Nadia joined them, and she imagined they all stared at her with accusing eyes.

      Rex opened his mouth, but Nadia beat him to it. “I know, I screwed up.”

      “Monumentally.” His face was hard as quartz crystal, his jaw working. She could tell he was forcing himself not to explode. “When I give an order, I expect it to be followed.”

      Lori put her hand on Nadia’s arm. “Oh, Rex, shut up. This isn’t the Marines. Peter said he was going to let her see her baby out in the parking lot.”

      “I th-thought you would see what was happening,” Nadia added, feeling her excuse was a poor one. He was right to be angry with her—she shouldn’t have gone against the plan they’d laid out.

      The older man pulled out a chair for her. “I’m Ace McCullough. You want some coffee? You look a little shaken up.”

      “Some water. I can get it.” She started to rise, but Lori pushed her back down in the chair.

      “Just sit for a few minutes. I’ll get your water.” She shot an accusing look at her brother as she passed where he sat, perched on the edge of a desk.

      Rex took a deep breath, his muscular chest expanding beneath his black T-shirt. Nadia slid out of her windbreaker in deference to the office’s overactive heater.

      “Okay,” Rex said in a calmer voice. “Does Peter know Nadia went to someone for help?”

      “I doubt he knew I was following,” Beau said. “I never got close enough.”

      For the first time, Nadia noticed a huge black dog lying near Beau’s feet. A Rottweiler, she thought, remembering a story her grandmother had once told her about being chased by a Rottweiler when she was part of the Russian occupation force in Germany. Nadia kept one eye on the enormous dog, and it seemed to be studying her with equal parts curiosity and suspicion.

      “I doubt Peter was worried about me,” Lori said as she returned with a glass of water and handed it to Nadia, who murmured her thanks. “I was playing the ditzy college friend. I think I just spooked him because I didn’t cower and whimper when he tried to hit me.”

      “He hit you?” Rex sounded alarmed.

      Lori shrugged it off. “I said he tried. He may be strong, but he’s a totally unskilled fighter.”

      “He’s a bully and a coward,” Nadia interjected. “He wouldn’t have stood up to you if he’d realized you could beat him up.” The thought of a slender, pretty blonde beating the crud out of Peter pleased Nadia. “I wasn’t able to fight back like you can, and that’s what he’s used to.”

      “I could teach you—”

      “Focus, people,” Rex said. “Lori, were you able to find anything useful on the computer?”

      “Absolutely nothing. That’s why I came out to the mall—I thought I could be more use to you there. Peter is hiding behind a pretty thick curtain. I’ve seldom seen anyone disappear as thoroughly as he has, unless they’re dead. He must have support.”

      “Russian Mafia,” Nadia murmured.

      A collective groan rose up among the bounty hunters. “You didn’t think it was important to mention this before?” Rex asked.

      “I don’t know for sure he’s involved, but he must be working for someone,” Nadia said. “Given his political leanings, it would make sense he’s getting funds and support from someone or some group connected to Russia.”

      “This is a little…big,” Ace said, “even for you, Rex.”

      Nadia could see Rex didn’t like having his manly prowess questioned. But she also sensed he wouldn’t let his ego get in the way of common sense.

      “Maybe it’s time to go to the authorities,” Rex said grudgingly.

      “Not the local cops,” Gavin said, sounding alarmed. “Can you imagine the muddle Lyle Palmer could make of this case?”

      “Who’s Lyle Palmer?” Nadia asked.

      Lori answered. “Only the most incompetent detective in the state. He hates us because we’ve shown him up a few times, and his sole goal in life is to find reasons to arrest us.”

      “I was thinking we should take it higher,” Rex said. “Given the security level of Nadia’s work and Peter’s history, and the fact he’s obviously not working alone, the FBI or even Homeland Security might be interested.”

      Nadia felt panic rising in her throat at the thought of bringing anyone else into the loop. “Peter will go ballistic if he finds out,” she said. “You saw how he reacted today. When he thinks anything is going out of control, he reacts impulsively, and nothing would make him freak out faster than federal authorities. I’m afraid of what he might do to Lily if he gets frightened.”

      “I agree,” Gavin said. “He sounds like a complete loose cannon. If we go through proper channels, God knows what kind of federal yahoo might get assigned to Nadia’s case, blundering in like a trumpeting elephant.”

      Rex pursed his lips. The others looked thoughtful.

      “I could call a couple of friends,” Rex said. “Keep it unofficial. They could make quiet inquiries, see where there’s been any mention in Russian communiqués of the possible acquisition of top-secret technology.”

      He looked at Nadia. “I’ll let you make the decision.”

      “What’s the alternative?” Nadia asked.

      “We keep hammering away on our own,” he said. “We have lots of areas we haven’t explored, lots of ways to track Peter down. He must have friends, relatives, hobbies. He can be traced, and if we’re smart about it and a little bit lucky, we’ll find him and Lily.”

      Nadia felt the first stirrings of renewed hope. “He does have interests. I was married to him for three years. I know more about him than almost anyone.”

      Rex arched one eyebrow. “Then you’re saying you don’t want to bring in the authorities?”

      She took a deep breath. “Not yet. I made a demand—asking to see Lily. I want to give him a chance to comply with that demand. By changing the rules, we’ve got him off balance. If he doesn’t produce proof that Lily is alive, we can assume—” she swallowed, her throat suddenly dry as she was reminded of just what was at stake “—we can assume he isn’t able to. Then it won’t matter who we call. CIA, FBI, National Guard. Anybody we can think of. Anyone who’ll shoot to kill.”

      Chapter Three

      While Rex and Ace went through their lists of U.S. intelligence contacts, and with Nadia’s approval made some very cautious and diplomatic inquiries, Nadia sat down with pen and paper. Rex had given her instructions to make a list of everyone Peter knew. Then another list of his hobbies and interests. And a third of any place he frequented—churches, stores, bars. Rex had told her to write down everything that came to mind, no matter how trivial.

      Twenty minutes later, Rex was off the phone and Nadia had three formidable lists. She was surprised at how many potential leads she had come up with. Rex gathered the bounty hunters together again and they went over Nadia’s lists.

      “Peter thinks very highly of himself,” Nadia said when she was given the floor. Rex had asked her to describe his personality and habits to the rest of the team. “He is very

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