“Anyway, we thought on our next visit to the BVIs we might try to bring everyone down for a family reunion.”
Kate knew all three villas were occupied at the moment. A well-known film producer was in one; from the rumors Terry had picked up at the pavilion cigar bar, he was spending his days with a constant rotation of starlets.. And a French winemaker was with his family in the other. The management here at Tarpon wouldn’t dream of giving a tour through the occupied villas, not even for other guests staying on the island.
Kate held her tongue for a minute, but as she weighed the situation, she decided she could just take Julia up the hill herself and give her a quick tour. Hell, she was bored, and it would be fun to show her around.
“Would you like to come up and take a look at our place? Noah and I were just about to leave. My husband usually gets home by seven, and the cook will be here to make dinner by six-thirty. I have to run up anyway.”
Julia’s eyes widened dramatically. “That would be wonderful, but I don’t mean to intrude.”
“Not at all. I’ll show you around and we can have a glass of wine. You’ll love the view of the bay from up there.”
Julia stood with her drink in her hand. “Well, then, lead the way.”
Twenty minutes later, the tour of the villa complete, Kate poured two glasses of Chardonnay in the kitchen and took them out to Julia, who sat in the living room on a sofa by the window overlooking the bay. Noah lay on the floor in front of the television, playing Xbox on the large-screen TV on the wall.
Julia took a glass from Kate with a smile and then took a sip.
“Very nice.”
Kate sat down next to her, looked out into the bay, and noticed a large slate-gray sailing catamaran at anchor a few hundred yards from shore. She couldn’t see anyone topside.
She motioned with her wineglass to the boat and said, “That’s interesting. You don’t usually see anyone anchored over here. The staff at Tarpon Island doesn’t like boats mooring in the bay. When the island security boat comes back by here they will run them off.”
Julia looked out at the boat herself now and took another sip of wine. “The island security boat only makes one pass an hour. The last one was twenty minutes ago. Otherwise it’s perfectly secluded over here.”
Kate was surprised Julia knew anything about the security here, since she said she’d just arrived that day.
Julia continued, “For an island with so many wealthy and influential people staying on it, I have to say I am rather surprised there isn’t more in the way of protection.”
Kate chuckled at this. “This is the most peaceful place I’ve ever been, to tell you the truth. I do worry about Terry, a little. He is in international finance and offshore banking, which brings in its share of shady characters. But nothing has ever happened to him.”
Julia took another sip of her Chardonnay, then placed her glass on the end table next to her. She leaned closer to Kate.
The Australian woman cocked her head, confused by her proximity.
Julia whispered, “I am a little concerned.”
“About what?”
“About Noah.”
Now Kate was really confused. An unease grew in the pit of her stomach. “What about Noah?”
“Children can be a problem. I will ask your help to keep him calm throughout all this.”
Kate felt the foreboding growing from within. “I don’t understand, Julia. What on earth are you talking about?”
Julia smiled a little, pointed toward the entrance to the villa. Kate looked around and saw a tall, broad man with auburn hair. He wore a linen shirt, cargo shorts, and boat shoes, along with sunglasses and a baseball cap. His hands were empty, but he moved with purpose.
Kate launched off the sofa, dropping her glass of wine to the floor. It shattered on the tile. “What’s going on?”
Julia stood with her and took her by the arm roughly. A knife appeared in her hand, and she touched it to Kate’s ribs. Kate stared down at the knife while Julia spoke softly in her ear. “Listen carefully, bitch. We are going outside, and then down to the water. We will take a skiff out to that boat. You will not cry out, and you will keep that little brat of yours quiet. You understand?”
Just then, Kate heard Noah call out, “Hey!”
She turned and saw that the big man had taken the Xbox controller out of her son’s hand and tossed it to the side. Now he grabbed Noah by the shoulder and lifted him to his feet like he was a rag doll. He turned him around and pushed him toward the door.
“Get your hands off of him!” Kate screamed out, and she tried to move to the aid of her son.
Julia yanked her back around to face her, and the knife moved up to her left cheek. The two stood with their faces inches apart. Kate saw nothing but cold in the other woman’s brown eyes. Julia said, “They don’t want me to kill you, but I will cut your pretty face. Make Noah afraid to look at his mother. Make Terry disgusted to be in your presence.”
Kate’s voice went hoarse. “Who the fuck are you?”
Julia just said, “To the boat. Quietly, or I will drain your blood across the sand.”
Kate Walker was crying now, but she nodded, turned to her son. “It’s okay, Noah. Do what they say.” She turned back to Julia. “We will go with you. Just, please, don’t hurt us.”
Julia said, “I thought you might come around.”
Ten minutes later Kate and Noah Walker were helped out of the dinghy and onto the deck of the big gray catamaran. Julia followed them up onto the deck. The huge man in the linen shirt had been at the wheel of the dinghy. He tied it off and climbed on board the catamaran as well.
On the deck Kate saw four big men standing around, all wearing T-shirts and shorts, muscles rippling on their arms, tattoos of different colors and shapes on every one of them. They said nothing, just kept their eyes on the newcomers.
Kate turned to the woman who called herself Julia and asked, “Who are these men?”
“These are your babysitters, darling.”
“Why are you doing this to us?”
“Your husband has something my employer wants. When my employer gets it, you will go home. If my employer doesn’t get it…” Julia smiled. “You know? Why don’t we just stay optimistic?”
The Walkers were led down the stairs from the cockpit and into the saloon, and then from there into a large master cabin. Julia was close on their heels. She said, “You have a bed and a bathroom. Food will be brought to you three times a day. They will not tie you, unless you give them a reason to.” She looked at Noah. “My advice, Kate, is to watch this kid of yours. He’s just about reaching the age where he thinks he is invincible. Don’t make the men on board prove to him he is not.”
Noah just stared at the strange woman with wide eyes.
Kate said, “You aren’t staying here?”
“No, my dear. I am not a babysitter. You will remain in the care of these men.” She turned and left the room, but as the door shut Kate heard a bolt being slid into place. She checked the door and saw the lock had been removed, obviously so it could be attached to the other side.
Martina Jaeger climbed the stairs out of the saloon, pulling a mobile phone out of her bag on the way. She walked forward on the catamaran’s main deck, just next to the anchor chain, which drooped down into the water from the center of the bow.
A local number was answered moments later by a man with a Russian accent. She didn’t know the real identity of the man called Popov, but she assumed he was FSB.
“Yes?”
“We have them.”
“Any problems?”