“Of course, it all fits. What else could it be?”
“How far is it from here?”
Austin was already checking. “I could drive it in seven hours.”
Alicia paused before making what could be a fatal decision. “Are you sure, Caitlyn? There’s nothing else.”
“I understand your reticence, but it fits. It all fits. The only trouble is — Cincinnati is a big bloody place.”
Alicia pointed at the second line. “Sakura. Old Rybolt?”
Austin spoke before anyone else. “There’s a street in Cincinnati called Old Rybolt. I have it here, on the app.” He carefully scrolled around the screen, zooming in and out as he searched for more clues.
“That’s one more big coincidence,” Caitlyn said. “We have to be right.”
Alicia was close to agreeing when Austin let out a sudden revelation with an excited squeak.
“And here’s another! There’s a Sakura Steakhouse on Old Rybolt. Right there.” He jabbed at the screen. “It must be where our bad guys are planning their next meet. Or lunch. Or whatever.”
Alicia needed no more convincing. “Grab some provisions, people. We’ve got a seven-hour drive and we’re over an hour behind. It’s time to dig in.”
She glanced up at the ceiling as if seeking inspiration. They were teetering on the edge here. Close to losing Crouch and the banner, but somehow managing to hang on by the tips of their fingers. Tension was a taut wire, tugging at every nerve in her body.
When Russo grabbed her shoulder, she jumped.
“C’mon, Myles, get a friggin’ move on. Can’t stand staring at the pretty necklaces all day.”
And just like that, she knew without any doubt that they were in with a chance.
They swopped drivers for the first few hours, giving Austin some rest and saving him for what they expected would be a fast drive through the heart of Cincinnati. Caitlyn called her new FBI contact, Agent Merriweather, and explained the situation.
First, she asked for help.
“We’re still putting out fires at this end, Miss Nash, but I’ll ask the police chief to get CPD to help. You say you have a location?”
Caitlyn reeled it off.
“Cross-agency relations are usually rocky, at best.” Merriweather affirmed something she already knew. “And, I have to say at this point that the banner theft must be kept secret. No leaks, understand? America does not need to know right now.”
“I totally understand,” Caitlyn said. “But, sir, you should know — these people have a plan for that banner. I don’t know what it is for certain, but you can be assured it won’t be covering it in glory. We need men, cars. Preferably, helicopters.”
“I hear you,” Merriweather said. “And I agree. I’ll be in touch.”
The line went dead. Caitlyn sighed.
Alicia tapped her watch. “We’re gaining on them, we have to be. And this time — they’ll never see us coming.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Terri Lee was squashed in the back seat of the car, her right knee pushing up against the knee of one of the bad guys, her eyes occasionally shifting down to check out the sleek, black automatic weapon he held pointing at the front. These were desperate times.
They may call for rash action.
She did not know Crouch, but thought that he worked for the FBI and, for now at least, was on their side. Here, it was the three of them versus their captors, with the victory reward being life. She trusted him in that sense; she would help him.
And, once they were free, she would leave him far behind. Cutler and she, working together as they always had, could easily do that.
The gas station had provided Crouch with a chance to do something — Terri knew not what. She hadn’t had the chance to talk to him yet. They had been stuck together, jammed together, for the last three hours. But there was an upcoming silver lining to their cloudy outlook — just starting to show itself. One of the mercs needed to stop at the very next restroom opportunity.
It came eight minutes later. The merc rushed off and Crouch spoke up first — asking for a chance to stretch their legs. Terri had noticed that Crouch always took the lead and thought that perhaps he had been a leader in a younger, different life.
The remaining mercs, if that was what they were, to their credit, realized the importance of taking a break and ushered Terri, Cutler and Crouch out of the car. It was just a rest stop, so no shops, but Terri immediately caught Cutler’s attention and nodded in another direction — telling him to give Crouch and her some space.
And thus distract the mercs a little.
She wandered over to Crouch, stood slightly behind and faced in a different direction. The afternoon sun beamed down from blue skies and a stiff breeze blew the hair from her face. Quickly, she tied it in a knot.
“What happened back there?”
“I left a message for my team. Thanks for your help, by the way.”
“How can you be sure they’ll find it?”
His voice came back with confidence. “I know them. They’ll find it.”
“Do you know where we’re going?”
He hesitated, then said, “Cincinnati.”
Terri weighed that for a moment. Her knowledge of America’s roads was average at best, but she knew Cincinnati lay just a few hours’ drive away.
“Where the hell are they taking us?”
“It’s the banner,” Crouch said. “They’re transporting it under the radar. If it weren’t for my team, nobody would have the faintest idea where it was by now.”
“Will they be there? In Cincinnati?”
“Depends how far behind they are.”
“And what if we leave before they arrive?”
“Then I’ll find another way to leave another message at the steakhouse.”
Terri kicked at the grass. It was desperate to say the very least. She imagined Cutler would have a few ideas by now, but wanted to get Crouch’s take on everything first.
“We helped them grab the banner,” she said. “But we didn’t know all this would happen. I feel so guilty. What do you think will happen to us all?”
Crouch grunted at first. “You damn well should feel guilty. What did you think would happen to the banner? It’s a bloody American symbol. An emblem to the national anthem. They lose it — or see it destroyed — how do you think they’ll feel and react every time they hear their song? It could undermine the government, the economy, which, let’s be honest, is already fragile as shit.”
Terri closed her eyes. “I didn’t see it that way.”
“Look.” Crouch took a breath, shifting slightly. “You guys? You’re world-class thieves. I know that. They know that. I think they took you at an opportune moment. I think their plan changed when we showed up. Now, we’re heading to Cincinnati to pick up the big boss and I’m guessing he’ll make the ongoing decision.”
Terri felt a leaden ball drop through her stomach. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Welcome to the real fucking world. If you two live through all this, I’ll show my arse in Tescos.”
“What?” She frowned, not understanding.
“It… it’s an English expression. What it means is — I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”
She took a moment to walk away from him, so the guards remained docile and unconcerned, then stepped back in range. “You think they’ll kill us?”
“I believe they’ll sell you to the highest bidder,” Crouch said, rubbing the top of his leg. “That bloody well hurts.”
Terri hadn’t envisioned such a scenario, but it fell over her now like a thunderous, black storm. Not only might they be split up, but they could end up in one of the world’s worst hellholes, confined, let out only to risk their lives taking part in some elaborate robbery. She could see it all — their dwindling, terrible futures.