All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [72]
“Okay, we have our mobile unit in place,” Agent Hagan informed them.
Kennedy nodded, knowing he referred to a surveillance vehicle disguised as a telephone-company van. “How close are they to the house?” she asked. Her grandmother’s property was a good seven acres.
Hagan moved over to the table where a detailed map of the area was spread out. “The closest pole is here, which is approximately thirty to forty feet from your grandmother’s property line.”
“How about sneaking onto the property down here?” Mason asked, pointing to the wooded area by the pond.
“We’re already on that. Our second unit should be ready within the next few minutes.”
“Are you going with them?” Max and Kennedy asked in unison.
“Yes,” Mason answered.
“I’m coming with you,” Kennedy announced.
“There is no way I can authorize that,” Hagan said.
“I’m going, either with or without you,” she informed him with her chin lifted in determination.
Hagan matched her expression. “You’ll be tampering with a federal investigation. I strongly advise that you reconsider.”
Kennedy lowered her gaze and hoped that her look of contrition appeared genuine but, secretly, she still had every intention to follow.
“You’ll have to get up earlier if you plan to fool me,” Hagan admonished.
Kennedy abandoned her submissive act and once again met his direct gaze. “I’m going.”
The four-member circle grew silent, despite the intensity of the battle of wills between Hagan and Kennedy.
“You promise to stay out of the way?” Hagan asked, finally.
“Scout’s honor.” She held up one hand in the scout’s gesture.
Hagan’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember reading anything about you being a Girl Scout.”
Kennedy let her hand fall. “Don’t get so technical.”
That finally won a smile from him, as well as his agreement. “All right. You can come.”
Kennedy smiled triumphantly.
“You just make sure that you stay out of the way.”
She looped one arm through Max’s. “I promise that you won’t even know that we’re there.”
Keenan jerked open the refrigerator and peered inside to see if there was anything in there worth drinking. “Milk, orange juice, cranberry juice.” He shook his head and slammed the door. What he wouldn’t give for a beer right now.
Bored, he headed back into the living room. When he passed the phone, a sly smile curled his lips. He was willing to bet that Kennedy had never expected for him to outsmart her. He puffed out his chest with pride. He was actually going to pull this off.
Of course, he’d probably fallen out of Captain Vincent’s good graces, but he was confident that could be remedied. His smile broadened as he continued to move toward the window.
Before he reached it, something nagged at him—something about the telephone call between Kennedy and her son. What was wrong about that phone call?
There was always the chance that she had gone to the police, he thought.
Keenan shook his head, sure she wouldn’t risk her son’s life that way. She knew what he was capable of.
But that didn’t necessarily mean that she wouldn’t try to call his bluff.
He turned and rushed back to the phone. He dialed star sixty-nine and was disappointed when the automatic operator informed him that the last call couldn’t be traced.
He struggled to rein in the wild possibilities running through his head. Slamming the phone down, he tried to calm down. “So, the number is untraceable, no big deal,” he said to himself.
But he couldn’t help thinking, what if she did go to the police? Were they on the line when she called? Were they planning something? He suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to check on his two hostages. He rushed to the basement door and turned the key, but the door wouldn’t budge.
He threw his weight against the door several times before it moved at all. “I’m going to get you for this,” he threatened. What in the hell had the old lady put in front of the door? he wondered wildly.
The telephone rang.
“The feds,” he mumbled under his breath. His assumption could easily be