The Cornwalls Are Gone (Amy Cornwall #1) - James Patterson Page 0,55
he’s now part of the drone, watching everything unfold beneath him.
Two figures emerge from the rear of the house, run across the yard. Ferdinand manipulates the keyboard one more time, and they watch as the two people go into a grove of trees.
A minute later, what looks to be a Jeep drives out and onto a road.
The drone follows the Jeep’s progress.
With pleasure in his voice, Casper says, “The Army captain…she drives a Jeep.”
“So she does,” Pelayo says. “I guess that was the Army captain after all, eh?”
He watches as the Jeep maneuvers its way through some streets and then pulls over.
Pelayo says, “The phone, if you please.”
Casper passes it over to him.
He holds it.
Waits a few minutes.
It rings. He answers.
“Yes?”
The woman’s voice comes through clear and strong.
“Got him,” she says.
Pelayo chuckles.
“I know.”
He puts the phone against his chest so she can’t hear what he says to his crew, for he knows that they are still worried and disturbed by the day’s earlier events, and the fact that one chair in this room is blatantly empty.
With a smile to his crew, Pelayo says, “You see? Sometimes it pays to be merciful.”
CHAPTER 58
SO THE son of a bitch knows already, which doesn’t surprise me that much. Having committed at least a half dozen serious capital crimes in kidnapping and threatening my family, there’s obviously something very big on the line for him, so it stands to reason he’d be keeping track of me.
But he doesn’t realize the mistake he’s made in revealing this information, which now gives me some hard intelligence I didn’t have before, knowing for a fact I’m being tracked.
That’s the thing with civilians. They watch some History Channel documentaries, read a bio of a Navy SEAL or two, along with Sun Tzu, and they think they’re a goddamn strategic genius.
I say, “All right. I’ve got him. What now?”
“Let’s verify you have the right person. Will you describe him?”
I give my silent passenger one good look and say, “Gentleman in his late sixties, early seventies. Well-dressed, well-groomed. White beard and hair. Brown eyes. Wearing a nice suit, no necktie. You want I should ask him his blood type?”
Another chuckle. “That won’t be necessary.”
I hear another siren coming in from another direction. This place is hot and is going to get much hotter, and I need to get moving before some smart cop starts setting up roadblocks.
“What now?” I ask.
“You’re to bring him to me, in good health. You’re to drive east, to a town called Beachside, Florida. It’s off Route 98, just below Miramar Beach and above another town called Seaside. If you were to drive nonstop, it should take you just about thirteen hours. But as you can tell, I’m in a giving mood. Your deadline is exactly twenty-four hours from now.”
“Where in Beachside?”
“There’s a small plaza in the center of town, with a little open music hall and fountain. Park there and call me, and then I’ll give you further instructions.”
“Why is this…old man so important to you?”
“Really, Captain Cornwall, do you expect me to answer that question?”
“I’m a hopeful gal.”
“So you are,” he says.
The man next to me is staring ahead with a mournful look. What has brought him here, and why is he so needed in Florida?
Sorry, I don’t care.
I say, “I need to talk to Tom, right now.”
“I’m sorry, that’s not possible.”
A sharp shard of cold ice has just been shoved into my chest.
“Make it possible,” I say, slowly and with emphasis.
“I’m not in a position to do that at this time,” he says.
“Then change your position.”
He says, “I give you my word that they are safe. But they are also in a secure location that is sometimes difficult to access. But I promise you this. When you get to Beachside, and before the exchange, you will be able to talk to him.”
I look to the quiet and nice-looking man sitting next to me. “Hey!” I yell in his direction, and he’s startled.
Great.
That means he can hear, and is going to hear what I’m saying next.
“Okay. I don’t trust you or your worthless word, but we’ll have an understanding, okay? When I get to Beachside and phone you, I will hear from Tom directly. I will also hear from Denise, directly and separately. I will be able to ask them both questions to ensure that they are safe and are ready for me to pick them up.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I want to know that they’re in the area, all right? I don’t want them to be