Touch & Go (Tessa Leoni, #2)(110)

“Fifteen?” she whispered at last, more of a question than an answer.

“I’m with law enforcement, Ashlyn. See that uniformed officer over there? He’s with the county sheriff’s department. Soon you’re going to hear even more sirens. We’re all here for you, Ashlyn. You and your family. We’re here to make you safe.”

“My father…,” Ashlyn whispered.

She glanced abruptly at her mother, and Tessa could see tears now sliding down Libby’s face.

“He saved us,” Libby provided hoarsely. “Mick was hidden inside the control room. He had a gun, knives, so many weapons. He shot Justin, we just got out… Then he was chasing us, with this huge blade. And he was so much bigger than me. So much stronger. I told Ashlyn to run and hide. I didn’t want her to see…but she found Justin in the hallway. Even shot in the shoulder… He’d sworn to me he’d keep us safe. No matter what. No matter how. He wouldn’t let us down.”

“Mick stabbed him,” Ashlyn erupted suddenly. “He took his knife, and he, and he… I hate him! I hate him I hate him I hate him. We Tased him. We hit him, we fought him. Why can’t a man like him just die!”

The dam broke. Ashlyn burst into tears, falling into her mother’s embrace. Libby grabbed her daughter tightly, and they clung to each other, a family of three now forever a family of two.

Tessa didn’t say a word. That snowy night years ago, she and Sophie had done the same. In fact, they still did. Because some kinds of pain didn’t magically fade away. While knowing they at least had each other helped make the bad days easier to take.

Wyatt returned, murmuring low in her ear. “Tire tracks, headed down the hill. Must be on open road by now.”

Tessa got the message. “Libby, Ashlyn? I know you are hurt. I promise, we’re here to help. But first, we need your assistance. The men who did this. They’re getting away. Wouldn’t you like to do something about that?”

Her words got their attention. In a matter of minutes, she had them ensconced in Wyatt’s cruiser, more blankets, more water, Ashlyn now tearing into one of the energy bars while Libby did most of the talking.

Plain white van. Neither of the women remembered any identifying marks, had not really seen it much from the outside anyway. Their captors, on the other hand, they could describe in great detail. Three men, a huge guy with a cobra tattoo, a second big guy with crazy blue eyes and checkerboard hair, then finally, the smaller born-again nerd.

Libby and Ashlyn talked, Wyatt worked the radio, getting the description circulating immediately to all available law enforcement officers.

More vehicles arrived, state police cruisers, unmarked detective’s vehicles, not to mention the feds, tearing up the long, snaking drive.

Not much longer now, Tessa knew. The feds would take over and with at least two members of the Denbe family safe, her assignment would wrap up, with even Wyatt finding himself relegated to cleanup. Except the kidnappers were still out there. Men so brutal that even after being paid nine million dollars, they’d been willing to slaughter an entire family.

The feds’ black sedan making the final climbing turn.

Tessa studied Libby Denbe and she made her decision.

Tessa squatted down, taking Libby’s hands in her own. “You are strong. Your daughter is strong. Trust me when I say you are both doing remarkably well. Now, I just need a couple more things from you. You understand, right, that whoever did this knew you, knew your family?”

Libby got it immediately. “Inside job,” she murmured. “They overrode our security, knew everything about us, even mentioned having done research.”

“Do you think they were professionals?”

“Yes, former military. Justin thought the same.”

“Did you know them?”

“No. I think they were mercenaries. Hired to do the job.”

Tessa nodded, not surprised, but troubled. Because if someone had hired professionals to take the Denbes away, would that person really be happy to have them reappear in Boston?

“I know,” Libby said quietly, as if Tessa had spoken out loud. “I think that’s why Mick tried to kill us. Because while they didn’t want to say no to all that money in ransom, the fact remained, their assignment was to kill us.”

Sitting beside Libby, Ashlyn didn’t even flinch. Which said something about her past three days.

Behind Tessa, the sedan had come to a stop. The sound of car doors opening…

No more time to beat around the bush. “What about your drug problem?”

Libby flushed, replied steadily: “The younger one, Radar, had experience as a medic. He took care of me, including providing methadone.”

Tessa frowned, something about that niggling in the back of her mind.

Car doors, slamming shut.

Her voice lower, more urgent: “Did you cheat on your husband? I need a name—”

“No! Why would you even? We were working on our marriage—”

“Then who’s pregnant?”

Libby’s eyes widened. She glanced almost involuntarily at her daughter.

Tessa’s turn to be surprised. Not the mother, but the daughter, the teenage daughter. Meaning…

“Ashlyn—”

“Libby Denbe, Ashlyn Denbe? I’m Special Agent Nicole Adams. This is Special Agent Ed Hawkes, with the FBI.” Nicole had appeared, standing stiffly at Tessa’s side, voice impressively commanding.