“War?” Hannah asked.

  Rafe agreed. “Yes. A war against evil. It’s been going on forever. We have to keep trying, keep fighting, even if the enemy seems to be winning. Every battle counts. That’s what I meant before.”

  “I get it,” Hannah said. “I do. I just feel so outnumbered.”

  “Which we are,” Lucy said, sobering. “I’m going to put some distance between us and this last episode so we don’t get pulled over and arrested because of the altercation and brandishing a gun. I want to finish what we started and I think my friends in high places may be able to help.”

  “By tapping into the closed-circuit cameras at the strip mall?” Rafe asked, expecting to be correct.

  “Hah! That’s kid stuff.” As she steered into passing traffic, Lucy floored him by saying, “Satellite observation. I can give my people the proper coordinates, tell them what times to look, and have a clear enough picture of Fleming’s getaway car to read the letters on the license plate.”

  “Whoa. Are you kidding?”

  She laughed, made eye contact with her granddaughter in the back seat and winked. “I would never joke about something like that. The idea of an eye in the sky may not be comforting to regular people but it’s invaluable to folks like us.”

  “Once they ID him, do you think they’ll be able to find him in this sea of cars?” Hannah asked.

  Rafe answered. “In this case, that is my fondest hope.”

  “It was mine, too, until I was face-to-face with him,” Hannah admitted. “Right now I’d rather the police picked him up and I never had to see him again.”

  “As long as they can get him to reveal where he sent Kristy,” Rafe reminded her. “Time is running out for her.”

  FIFTEEN

  Once out of downtown and on the highway, Hannah got her bearings from the famous Gateway Arch that rose 630 feet above the banks of the Mississippi River. Night had fallen and with it came much cooler temperatures.

  She shivered and hugged Thor to share warmth. It helped that he had chosen to drape himself across her lap and had finally relaxed enough to doze. Truth to tell, her own eyelids felt so heavy she had to fight sleep.

  “I’m going to pull into a parking garage so we can all get some rest,” Lucy said.

  Hannah met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Sorry. I can’t seem to keep my eyes open.”

  “You expended a ton of energy today,” Rafe said. “We all did. Resting, even for a few hours, will help us stay at the top of our game. We can’t afford to let ourselves function at less than our best.”

  “It feels like it’s been weeks since the prison break,” Hannah said, yawning.

  Lucy huffed. “You’ve got that right. We’ve been through enough to wear out a marathon runner.” She took the next off-ramp. “First we’ll pick up some hot food and then I’ll find us a place to lay low.”

  “I’ll need to feed and walk Thor, too,” Hannah said. The mention of his name caused the big shepherd to lift his head and look at her. She quieted him with a gentle pat and he closed his eyes again.

  “I need to advise my boss, too,” Rafe said, “and find out if Andy’s okay. That hospital fiasco has to have taken a lot out of him.”

  “It’s nothing that finding his kidnapped daughter won’t fix,” Lucy offered. She looked at Hannah again. “How are you doing? Truly, not what you think we want to hear.”

  “I’m tired, of course.” She managed a genuine smile as she pondered her state of mind. “It’s kind of scary how being afraid and then winning a battle against the bad guys is starting to appeal to me. That’s counter intuitive, right? I mean, why should I be thinking about facing Deuce Fleming again when I already said that was the last thing I wanted?”

  “Because you’re beginning to believe we can beat him,” Rafe said. “That bothers me.”

  “Why?”

  “Promise you won’t get mad again?”

  “Promise,” Hannah told him.

  “Okay. It’s unsettling because it means you may act too brave when your previous escapes weren’t due to skill. Face it, Hannah, you were fortunate to survive. More than once. Please don’t count on yourself to bring him down. It’s going to take a team effort and outside aid to end his reign of terror for good. We thought we’d done that before and he managed to run his operation from inside Lyell.”

  “I understand what you’re saying. Really I do. It’s just, I don’t know...exciting?”

  Lucy tut-tutted and looked over at Rafe. “We should have figured out a way to leave her behind.”

  “Well, it’s too late now,” he replied. “Fleming has to be out of his mind about the scalding she gave him. There’s no way he’ll give up until he’s in custody.”

  “And maybe not then,” Hannah added. “I know. Just remember who made the first mistake that started all this.”

  No one rebutted that statement, nor had she expected them to. Fleming had so successfully coerced her that she’d gone against her sense of right and wrong and broken the law. That was how she and Gram had gotten sucked into this mess. Only Rafe was involved on purpose and that for a good cause, meaning none of the blame rested on him.

  Conversation ebbed until they had ordered and picked up their food to go. The enticing aromas roused Thor. He and Hannah ducked instinctively when the SUV entered a dimly lit parking structure. The spot Lucy chose for their respite was at the very top in a far corner. Hannah didn’t realize she’d been barely breathing until they stopped.

  Thor was antsy so she leashed him and immediately got out of the car, prepared to clean up after him, while the others divvied up the meals. It was good to be away from the reality of the vehicle, even for a few short minutes. Part of her wanted to be an active participant in the manhunt and rescue of Kristy, while another part of her wished she could just walk off into the night and be done with everything. She couldn’t, of course. It didn’t take an expert theologian to imagine the reasons why. And it didn’t take a cop or a former spy to convince her of the danger. She knew. She’d always known, deep down inside.

  Looking back, Hannah could see how her choice to minister to convicts via the dog rehab program had set the stage for this current drama. The initial error lay in who had gotten permission to participate, not in the idea, itself. Other prisons supported similar outside aid with great success. Hers had been wonderful for the first couple of years.

  Suddenly truth hit her. Rafe had been right. She was as much a victim of Deuce Fleming and his cohorts as poor Andy was. Their lives had been affected beyond reason when Fleming had become involved. He was the catalyst. They had to take him out, one way or another, or his list of victims would grow.

  Hannah closed her eyes and prayed. “Father, thank You for putting the three of us together this way. Please help us, help me to be who You want me to be and do what You put me here to do. Stay with us, Jesus. We trust in You.” And she did. With all her strength.

  She looked back at the parked black SUV and her heart swelled with emotion. With thanksgiving. The two people she was with were perfect for the job they all faced. Therefore, she could count herself as capable, too. They would do this, whatever it cost. Go wherever the tasks took them. Win.

  Fortified, changed and reassured, a new Hannah stood tall and started back toward the car.

  * * *

  Rafe had rolled down his window to listen and watch over Hannah and Thor from his vantage point in the front seat. If she had strayed too far away he would have gone after her, of course. That went without saying. The only reason he hadn’t insisted in the first place was because he’d sensed her need to be alone and think.

  In the interim, Lucy had received a report from her insiders. Fleming had chartered a private plane and made plans to leave the country, ostensibly with a group of young women who had volunteered for charity work abroad. Consensus was that many of these women had been either kidnapped or coerced. Everyone’s hope was that Kristy was among them and therefore still in the States.

  He handed Hannah a fresh alcohol wipe to clean her hands before passing her the paper sack containing her burger and fries. “Water or soda?” he asked her.

  “Water, please. And one of those empty plastic boxes so I can let Thor drink, too.” She put it on the floor for him, smiling when he splashed her foot. “My back seat buddy is a messy drinker.”

  “Just make sure you don’t accidentally lose your burger to him,” Rafe warned lightly. “He’s looking at it like a hungry wolf.”

  “Distant ancestor,” she quipped. “I’ll be careful. Dogs can’t have onions. They’re really bad for them.”

  “I didn’t know that.” Facing forward he took pains to remove any trace from a bite of his own meal before holding it out for the K-9. “Is this okay?”

  Hannah nodded. “Yes. Okay, Thor. It’s okay.”

  The dog’s whole mouth closed over the ends of Rafe’s fingers with an audible snap. “Whoa! Easy boy. I need that hand.”

  “Next time you want to feed him, give it to me and I’ll work on his manners.”

  “Good idea,” Rafe said as he cleaned his hand with another of the sanitary wipes. “He’s all yours.”

  Laughing, she ate more before breaking off a piece of bun. This, she offered in a closed fist so Thor had to be gentle to nose it out. By the third bite he looked as if he’d learned.

  Rafe waited until she’d finished eating before he began to fill her in on the latest details. “Our friends with the spy in the sky located the vehicle that got away from us and traced it to an old hotel outside town.”

  “Really? Are we going there?”

  “Not right away,” Lucy said. “We need to give our people time to get into position before anybody approaches.”

  “We can’t wait, Gram. What about Fleming? What if he escapes or hurts Kristy?”

  “We’re counting on the fact that she’s too valuable an asset to lose,” Lucy said with conviction. “He’s planning to fly abroad the day after tomorrow. According to reliable intel he’s waiting for the arrival of another batch of victims so they can all go together.”

  “He must be awfully sure of himself.”

  Rafe agreed. “He is. Always has been. My people are watching the airfield. He won’t get by them even if he changes plans and tries to leave early.”

  “What if he drives?”

  “We have that covered, too,” Lucy said. “What we need to do now is to get some sleep so we’re ready for tomorrow.”

  Frowning, Rafe caught her attention and gave a slight shake of his head to keep her from explaining further. There was more to the infiltration strategy the two agencies had been discussing and if they stuck with the notions they’d already presented, rest for Lucy and for him was imperative. So was keeping the details from Hannah until just before executing the risky plan. He had no doubt she was going to object in the strongest of terms and he wanted to save arguments for last.

  Sighing, he leaned his head back against the seat and pictured Hannah the moment she learned that a female law enforcement officer was going to take her place in the assault on the hotel. She was bound to go ballistic and he was not looking forward to trying to talk her down.

  * * *

  Sleep eluded Hannah—for about five minutes after she finished eating. Warm food and the plush seats soothed and calmed her.

  Thor curled up beside her and she rested one hand on his shoulders knowing that any disturbance would rouse him instantly. Reassured by that knowledge she sank into a deep sleep beyond dreams and awoke to see the sun rising outside the parking structure.

  Yawning, she stretched and looked around. Lucy and Rafe stood at a concrete railing. Because they were facing the eastern sky they were surrounded by haloes of warm light as if caressed by the morning. Their body language, however, did not carry the same image of peace. Lucy was leaning toward him, acting intent on making a point. He was shaking his head.

  Hannah snapped the leash on Thor and climbed out. The change in her companions when they saw her was unquestionable. They not only stepped apart, both were acting nonchalant, acting being the key word. She smiled. “Good morning. What’s up?”

  “We were just waiting for you,” Rafe said.

  Lucy agreed. “Right. There’s a public restroom on the ground floor.” She pointed. “Elevator’s over there. Want me to hold the dog for you?”

  “No. Thanks. Thor needs to be walked anyway. We’ll be back in a jiffy.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Rafe said. “Lucy can drive down and pick us up at street level. Then we can go grab breakfast.”

  His forced casual attitude gave Hannah the shivers. “Has there been any word on Fleming?”

  “Not since last night,” Rafe said.

  She didn’t quite believe him so she raised an eyebrow. “Really? Neither one of you even asked?”

  “I did check in,” Lucy offered. “There wasn’t much to report. No activity at the airfield.”

  “What about that hotel they were watching?”

  Rafe took her elbow and urged her toward the elevator. “I’ll fill you in while we ride down.”

  With a parting glance at her grandmother, Hannah complied. It was clear something was up although neither of her companions seemed as nervous as she figured they’d be if danger was imminent. Instead, they were acting reluctant to engage with her, as if there was some secret between them that was being kept from her, in particular.

  She stepped onto the elevator with Thor, pleased that his hesitation at the threshold was brief. The door slid closed. She turned to Rafe. “Okay. Let’s have it. What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I don’t believe you. And I don’t believe Gram, either. You two are up to something behind my back. Now what is it?”

  Unfortunately, the elevator reached the ground floor and the doors opened before she got an answer so she stopped him as soon as they’d stepped clear. “Well?”

  “It’s not carved in stone. It’s just...” He made a face. “Listen, it’s not something we sanctioned, okay? The feds and state people are basically running this op now.”

  “And?”

  Shrugging, Rafe stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “And, they’ve decided to use only trained personnel for the infiltration.”

  “So?” She didn’t like the feeling she was getting or the ideas flying through her head. Were they cutting her out? After everything she’d done and the way she’d stood up to Fleming on her own, were they actually going to force her to step away?

  “So, we’ll be met at the Randolph Bend of the Missouri River by members of the primary assault team. One of them will be a policewoman who resembles you as closely as possible. She’ll take over with Thor and stand in for you if it turns out we’re needed. They figure, with the dog involved, Fleming’s men won’t question the handler’s identity.”

  “This substitute is a K-9 officer?”

  “Um, I don’t know. I guess so. I mean, I’ve never met her.”

  “That’s what I figured.” Facing Rafe she spoke her mind. “People tend to underestimate somebody like me. Because I make the job look easy they think anybody can step into my shoes and do things just as well as I do. Well, they can’t. You and Gram should know that. You’ve seen proof.”

  “It wasn’t our idea.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Did you protest? Did you try to explain that I have certain skills worth considering? ”

  “We weren’t invited to discuss it,” Rafe countered. “We were just told about the plan and thankful to be allowed to be present.” He paused, apparently choosing his words carefully. “They could have cut us out completely.”

  “You mean like they’re cutting me out?”

  Hannah could tell it cost him dearly to say, “Yes.”

  SIXTEEN

  Tension inside the unmarked SUV was so high Rafe was surprised the air wasn’t actually vibrating. His senses were heightened by what they were about to do and he could tell that Lucy felt the same. As for Hannah, well, she was harder to read. Not that she was a good actress, he concluded. It was more a case of her emotions being on a roller coaster ride. At the topmost portion of the tracks she could be elated. Anybody could. It was when the coaster carried her to the bottom of the loops and turns that she seemed withdrawn and he hadn’t decided whether that meant anger or depression.

  In many ways, Rafe would have preferred that Hannah showed she was mad at their group’s plans even if that meant she was also furious with him and Lucy. Anger tended to heighten a person’s awareness while being down in the dumps had the opposite effect.

  Outlying portions of St. Louis had swallowed up a small historic settlement on Gabaret Island, one mile south of the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, yet it had somehow managed to retain its name and a spot on the map. Explorers Lewis and Clark would undoubtedly be shocked at the way their campsite had changed after more than two hundred years.

  “My GPS indicates we can drive across if we go north and use the bridge to Chouteau,” Lucy said.

  “Where is our first rendezvous taking place?” Rafe asked her.

  “Off Highway 70, a little way from the arch, where we won’t be so likely to draw attention,” the older woman answered. “Once we’re on the island there’s only thirteen hundred acres to hide in.”

  “Where are you supposed to be dumping me?” Hannah asked, sounding beyond miffed.

  Lucy frowned at Rafe. “You should never have told her.”

  “It was only fair,” he countered. “She’s been with us from the beginning. She was the beginning.”

  “Yes, well, I can’t say I’m unhappy about taking on a substitute human target for the Fleming gang to shoot at,” Lucy said. Hannah met and held her gaze in the rearview mirror but didn’t comment.