Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“Men,” Emily sputtered as she settled onto the stool next to Hans at the bar. “No offense.”
“You looked happy last night,” he said without looking her way, his gaze steady on the drink in his hand.
“He’s married.” She paused to let that sink in. “I get jealous when he cheats on me with his wife. Ridiculous, huh?” She released a flustered breath. “I just wish he understood how I felt. He never has to deal with jealousy since I’m faithful to him.”
He finished his drink and ordered another one.
“So, why are you?” A hint of casualness flowed through his words.
Not as uptight as she’d expect from a father hoping to rescue his kidnapped daughter that night.
Maybe he was coping with the reality of his situation by drinking, which would make her task of getting him to her room easier. Well, she hoped so, at least.
“Why am I faithful?” She traced a line from the column of her throat to the plunging neckline of her black silk blouse, hoping to draw his eye to her cleavage. She felt all kinds of gross doing it, but she’d take one for the team if it meant saving lives.
He was one of the smartest men on the planet, but he still had desires, and thankfully, he took the bait.
He zeroed in on her breasts when she lifted her chest as if taking a deep, cleansing breath.
“Yeah, if he’s sleeping with someone else, why aren’t you?” Hans brought his eyes back up to her face. His pupils had grown in size, desire eclipsing the color of his irises.
“Maybe I should.” She raked her tongue over her bottom lip. “I find brainy guys very sexy.”
Hans’s attention dipped back to her breasts.
“This place feels a little stuffy,” she said, exaggerating the Southern accent she’d almost forgotten to use thanks to nerves. “You feel like grabbing a drink in my room?”
“That’s probably not a good idea. I have the—”
“Event tonight. Right.” She allowed her shoulders to drop from their confident position. “I was looking forward to that, but I don’t think I’ll be going now.”
“Maybe you’ll make up before then.” His eyes moved back to her face.
She wasn’t going to be able to crack him. Shit. “I don’t know.” She thought through Plan B in her head. “I’m just sick of being alone. Even when he’s around—he’s not, you know, present in mind. Always working.” She brought her palm to her face. “I’m sorry. You don’t need to hear my problems.”
He wrapped a hand over her wrist, gently lowering her palm and looked into her eyes. “I’m lonely, too. But I like my work. I don’t know if I could give that up for anyone or anything.”
What about Elaina? Her stomach squeezed. Would he be a good father to her? Did he really even want to be her dad?
“Maybe we can talk in your room.” He let go of her wrist and stood. He extended his palm for her hand.
“Okay.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, took his hand and hid a sigh of relief.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” his bodyguard said after they left the elevator to head for her room.
“I won’t be long,” Hans replied, no room for argument in his tone, and relief hit her when the bodyguard didn’t protest and stayed outside her door.
“Where’s your bar?” Hans asked once inside her suite.
“The good stuff is in the bedroom.” The plan was to get Hans out of earshot of the bodyguard, and so, she hoped he’d follow her.
When they entered the bedroom, she shut the door behind them, and Liam exited the bathroom.
“What’s going on?” Hans sputtered at the sight of Liam and pivoted to find Emily’s eyes.
“I’m sorry we had to do this,” Liam said calmly. “We need to talk to you alone and out of the sight of the people threatening you.”
Emily circled Hans and stood next to Liam. “We’re not who you think,” she got right to the point. “And we have Elaina,” she rushed out before he made a beeline for the door. “We’re with the U.S. government. Elaina’s safe.”
“No.” He swiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “I don’t believe you.”
“After Elaina was kidnapped, we rescued her,” Liam explained.
“No, you don’t have her. I saw her on video.” Emotion cut through. “I was told I wouldn’t see her again until tonight.”
“Elliott Nelson? Is that who threatened you?” Emily asked.
“I-I don’t know who. My co-worker, he-he showed me a video and gave me a burner phone. He said I had to come to London, attend the gala, or she’d die. I couldn’t tell—”
“Who at NORAD got to you?” Liam asked since it was still a part of the puzzle the team had yet to figure out, and so, they’d been forced to turn the search over to the president’s people.
“No, I don’t believe you,” he whispered, sweat dotting his hairline.
“It’s true.” Emily carefully approached him. “We spoke with Maria. She told us what happened.”
“I . . .” He covered his mouth with his palm, his eyes on the carpet.
“This is important. I need you to tell me who you talked to at NORAD about Elaina,” Liam said.
“Prove to me you’re not lying.”
Liam produced his phone and dialed Jessica as planned.
“He’s ready to talk to her,” he said before placing the call on speakerphone, and a few seconds later Elaina came on to the line.
“Hello?” she answered, her voice soft. So innocent.
“Is that you?” Hans stepped closer to the phone. “Elaina Alvarez?”
“Is this my dad?” she asked. “I met you in Chile?”
“Maria told you I’m your father?” he asked in surprise.
“No, but I figured it out.”
“Of course, you did,” he said, a hint of pride in his words. “Are you okay? The people you’re with, can I trust them?”
“They saved me, and now they’re trying to stop you from helping the bad people.”
“I-I . . . oh, thank God.” He looked at Emily, a slight tremble in his hand. “I thought I was going to die tonight. Betray the country to save her. And then die.”
“Elaina, we have to go. Talk to you soon, sweetheart,” Liam said.
“Be safe,” Elaina whispered before she hung up.
“Our being able to stop these people hinges on you telling us everything you know.” He motioned for Hans to sit. “We don’t have much time.”
“Right.” He blinked as if pulling himself out of a stupor and sat on the edge of the bed.
“When I got back to Colorado, I met a good friend of mine for drinks at a bar. I told him about Elaina.” He fiddled with the buttons of his shirt, his hands still trembling.
“Then early last week he invited me to dinner and showed me a video of Elaina.”
“Was it this one?” Liam showed him the video they’d made back in West Virginia to save Becky from the assassin.
“No.”
Must’ve been from Carballo. “What’d your friend say to you?” she asked.
“That someone wanted me to do something, and that if I didn’t, Elaina would die.”
Blackmail. Elliott’s MO.
“I was instructed to go to the gala as planned. Lose my bodyguard and head to the rooftop right after my speech. There’d be a helicopter waiting for me.” He touched his chest. “I swear that’s all I know. All my friend knew to tell me.”
“What’s your friend’s name?” Liam texted Jessica the information once Hans had answered.
“I’m weak.” His eyes welled. “How can I sacrifice my work—national security—for the life of one?”
“She’s your daughter,” Emily replied, her tone low and soft. “You’re not weak.”
“We’re here to stop whatever they’re planning, though,” Liam added.
Hans touched the sweat on his brow. “And what will you do?”
“I don’t want to risk placing a tracking device on you because they’ll probably detect it, but I do want to clone your phone,” he explained. “And then I’d like you to head to the helicopter pad as planned.”
“But Elaina’s okay. Why can’t we go to the police? Why is it necessary for me to follow their instructions?”
“Our goal is to end this once and for all,” Liam said. “It’s imperative we infiltrate their location and collect as much evidence as we can to put these men away for good.”
“I don’t know if I can do this. I’m sorry.” Hans stood and tried to move around Liam to get to the door, but Liam blocked his path.
“Hans, please. We need you.” Emily took a deep breath and forced out, “Elaina needs you.”