Chapter 34
Matteo stood back as the chopper landed on the helipad. Hawk was only off by a few feet. Not bad for somebody with as few flight hours as he had.
Bending at the waist, he jogged to the door, opening it for his teammates.
It felt like more time had passed than a few weeks, like these men were from a different lifetime, and it struck him that he felt torn between his life here at the mansion and his former identity as a member of this elite team.
He was the husband of President Vasile’s daughter, father of Nico, lover of Grace. But this was who he was, too.
Cowboy hopped down to the ground, nodding in acknowledgment over the roar of the slowing rotors. Next came Logan and a lanky man Matteo didn’t recognize, followed by Hawk.
When the noise died down, Cowboy said, “Red, this is Austin. The latest addition to the team.”
Matteo eyed the other man and shook his hand. “When did you start?”
“Twenty minutes before we took off.”
“Welcome aboard,” said Matteo. “We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
The men made their way across the roof to the entrance of the mansion stairwell.
Matteo briefed them as he walked, his voice echoing off the cinderblock.
“The baby was taken from his room this morning. We’re operating under the assumption that it’s the same people who left a threatening note in his crib and the president’s study before I arrived, a group called Ten Komanda. ”
“Have they made any demands?” asked Hawk.
“They asked Vasile to resign, which he has done. There’s been no further contact. We have search dogs on the way. Do you have anything for me?”
Logan piped up. “I did have some luck with the household employee list you gave me. Trudy Winslow, a maid, has been living with Vladimir Petrov, one of the Ten Komanda members, for about six months now.
Matteo stopped short. “That’s the father of Grace’s baby and her personal maid, who has access to Nico on a daily basis. She didn’t come in today. Do you have an address?”
“Twenty-seven eighteen Wilshire Boulevard, apartment three.”
“Then we start with Trudy.”
The men piled into Vasile’s private car, giving the address to the driver.
“Drive like your life depends on it,” said Matteo.
They made the trip across town in record time, but it was still too late for poor Trudy. Cowboy broke down the door of the apartment and found her dead and wide-eyed, staring in the ceiling from a pool of her own blood.
Matteo cursed under his breath. “Quickly. Search the apartment.”
The men spread out and started to move. “What are we looking for?” asked Cowboy.
“I don’t know. Locations. Events. Anything that might have to do with the baby or their plan to sully Vasile’s name.”
“Baseball tickets,” said Cowboy.
“What?” asked Matteo, coming up short.
Cowboy fanned out a dozen ticket stubs. “I’ve got ten bucks says these are the tickets they used to get into the stadium and plant the bomb.”
Suddenly, Matteo knew what they were looking for. “The subway. Look for anything that happens to do with the subway. I think they’re planning their last and final terrorist attack on the subway.”
Matteo went through drawers, throwing things out of his way as he searched. Inch by inch they frantically searched the tiny apartment for anything that could lead them to Nico.
“South Street Station,” called Austin from the bedroom. “Over here! I found a map of South Street Station.”
“South Street Station?” asked Logan. “Oh, no. Holy fuck. What’s today’s date?”
Matteo looked at his watch. “The sixteenth.”
Logan put his hands on his head. “The vigil is tonight. The vigil for the people who died in the pedestrian bridge bombing.”
“What’s the connection?” asked Cowboy.
“I watched hours and hours of the satellite feed from the bridge area. It starts at South Street Station.”
“Shit!” yelled Matteo. “They’re going to do it again, in the same place with the people at the vigil.”
“And the subway. It’s all right there, Red,” said Logan.
“What time does the vigil start?”
“Nine o’clock.”
Matteo looked back at his watch. “It’s eight twenty-five. Move! Let’s go now.”