Best Laid Plans(119)

“It still doesn’t explain why Harper flew into San Antonio just to meet with Ackerman.”

“If Tobias knew about Ackerman and Harper, he could have figured out how they were communicating and sent Harper a message to meet. We know they met in different places each time,” Lucy said. “Ackerman was paranoid, so the request for a spontaneous meeting might not have seemed odd to Harper.”

When they pulled up in front of Everett’s house, the lights were on and an SAPD police car was parked out front. The three of them got out of the car. Barry showed his badge and introduced them.

“We checked on the family. There’re three people inside, Mrs. Everett and her two children, a teenage boy and a young girl.”

“Where’s her husband?”

“Mrs. Everett said he was working late.”

“Can you stay out here and watch the house? One of Mr. Everett’s associates was murdered, and we have reason to believe the killer may be after Mr. Everett,” Barry said.

“Yes, sir.”

Barry stepped away from the police car and said to Brad and Lucy, “We need to go to his office.”

“I want to check on the family first. Mrs. Everett might know more than she told the police,” Lucy said.

“You think she’s part of it, too?”

“I’m not making any assumptions. But we need to talk to her, find out what she knows.”

“Go ahead. I’ll call Juan and send a couple of agents to Everett’s office, then check the perimeter, make sure the house is secure.”

Lucy and Brad walked up the path to the front porch. Security lighting around the house showed neatly trimmed bushes and trees. The house itself was a two-story brick structure on a large double lot, but it had a cookie-cutter feel to it and looked like most of the other two-story brick houses in the area. Lucy loved the custom house Sean had found for them; it was unlike any other in their neighborhood.

She knocked on the door. A moment later, a woman answered.

“Yes?”

She showed her badge and Brad flashed his. “I’m FBI Special Agent Lucy Kincaid. This is Agent Brad Donnelly. We’re looking for Mrs. Everett.”

“That’s me,” she said. “The police were already here.” She looked over Lucy’s shoulder. “Oh, they still are.” She frowned. “I just spoke to my husband, and he said he’ll be home soon. Now I’m getting worried.”

The woman in front of her had short, stylish brown hair and blue eyes. She was taller than Lucy’s five feet eight inches, and looked about thirty. She was certainly not Mrs. James Everett—not the woman Lucy had seen in the photograph in Everett’s office.

She would have walked away then, except there were two children in the house. That meant they were in danger.

“There’s no reason to be alarmed,” Lucy said. “Would you mind if we came in and sat with you until your husband returns?”

“Why?” she asked.

“We need to talk to him.”

“Why does the FBI need to talk to my husband? What’s wrong?”

The woman was a good actress. Lucy would take her down now, except she wasn’t confident that there wasn’t someone else in the house with her. Until she knew the children were safe, Lucy had to go along with this charade.

“Ma’am, we understand your concern,” Brad said, taking Lucy’s cue, “but I can assure you that we’re only here to help.”

“Thank you, but I think it’s best if you wait outside.”

Lucy put her foot inside the door. “Mrs. Everett, where are your children?”

“Upstairs. Sleeping, of course. It’s after nine.”

“I’d like to check on their well-being.”

That stumped her. She recovered quickly, and said, “What on earth for? I’m not going to have you wake up my kids.”

Brad said, “Mrs. Everett, there’s been a verifiable threat against your husband and we’re here to check on you and the children. Other agents are checking on your husband at his work.”

She stared at them, as if searching her mind for an answer.

There was a distinct cough from the dining room, which Lucy could only partly see from her vantage point. She put her hand on her gun.

The fake Mrs. Everett pushed the door all the way open.

Now Lucy could see that the boy—about twelve or thirteen—was tied to one of the dining room chairs. He was the kid from the family photo in James Everett’s office.

A familiar man stood behind him, a gun aimed at the back of the kid’s head. It only took Lucy a second to remember where she’d seen him.

“Peter Rabb,” Lucy said.

“Hands up, step in and close the door. Or he’s dead, then the girl will follow.”

Lucy didn’t see the younger daughter. She couldn’t assume that there were only two hostage takers.

Lucy stepped in.

“You too, Donnelly,” Peter said.

As soon as they’d stepped inside, the woman shut and bolted the door.

“Move apart. Hands up.”

Lucy moved toward the dining room. Brad didn’t budge.

“Joyce, disarm first Donnelly, then Kincaid. His gun, his phone, check for other weapons.”

Joyce complied. She was definitely scared of Peter, but she wasn’t a complete novice. She found all their weapons and put them on the dining table in front of Peter.