He wanted to call Bob Decker and ask him—kidnapping wasn’t Secret Service business, but Decker had to know a helluva lot more than John.
He watched the jogger take his change and head for the door. Before John could think it over, he found himself following him.
What am I doing? a voice screamed inside his head. Good question.
No heroics, he told himself. No chase. No cat and mouse. Just want to see where he’s going. I’ll stay way back, out of sight. He’ll never know I’m behind him. If he gets in a car and drives off, I want to see the color, make, and model, want to memorize the license plate. But that’s it. I’m not going to hop into my own car and trail him.
But if he walks, I will follow him. This particular drugstore was his choice. Why? Because he’s holding Katie nearby? If that’s the case, I want to know. I’ve got to know.
He followed the jogger out to the. sidewalk and watched him stroll toward 17th Street. The rage was still roiling within, the savage just under the skin struggling to break free, but John was keeping himself under control.
He gave the jogger thirty yards, then followed.
29
What the hell?
Snake stood across the street from the CVS and gaped at the guy who came out after Paulie.
He’d watched the drugstore for a while before Paulie arrived and saw no signs of surveillance. No signs of activity after Paulie went in. That would be the giveaway— if the place was wired for a trap, things would start happening when Paulie asked for the Vanduyne prescription.
But nothing. Paulie came out and took off on a prearranged route while Snake hung back and watched to see if anyone tailed him.
And goddamn, somebody did.
Vanduyne.
“Shit!” The word hissed through his clenched teeth. Was the guy stupid? What did he think he was doing?
And then Snake relaxed. If nothing else, Vanduyne’s presence proved that he hadn’t called in the Feds. No way they’d let him near that drugstore if they were involved. So… he was out here on his own. What a fucking cowboy. What was he going to do, follow Paulie home and rescue his little darling?
Fat chance.
Snake knew Paulie’s route would take him around Farragut Square, and then to the Farragut North Metro station.
He hurried to a bus stop at the top of the square and hung there until Paulie came by. He saw Paulie’s eyes flick his way but he gave no sign that he recognized Snake.
Fifteen seconds later, Vanduyne came by. His eyes were fixed straight ahead on Paulie’s back like he was the only other person on the street.
Snake got a good look at those eyes and didn’t like what he saw. He was going to have to do something about the doc. Now.
But what?
His mind racing furiously, he gave Vanduyne a few yards, then fell into step behind him. As planned, Paulie entered the Metro station. Vanduyne followed, and Snake brought up the rear. The rush hour hadn’t hit yet, so it was still fairly empty. As Vanduyne hung back, hugging a wall, watching Paulie buy a ticket. Snake came up close behind him.
He had to make his move now. And he had to be careful. No telling what kind of shape Vanduyne might be in—physically or emotionally. A guy who showed up at that drugstore could be capable of anything. He might go off like a screaming bomb. And the last thing Snake wanted was a scene in a downtown Metro station.
He reached out toward Vanduyne. Careful… careful…
30
John almost cried out when he felt the fingers close on the back of his neck and the voice whisper from somewhere behind his left ear.
“Freeze, asshole. Don’t even think about turning around. You see my face, you’re dead. And so’s your brat.” John reached out a wildly trembling hand and slapped it palm open against the nearby wall for support. To passersby they probably looked like a pair of friends, one sick, the other comforting him. If they only knew.
Oh, Christ, he’d done it now. He’d screwed up everything! Poor Katie! They were going to kill her and it was all his fault! He tried to speak but his throat was locked. All he managed was a hoarse croak. He tried again.
“Please… listen—”
“No!” The hand squeezed the back of his neck, the whisper grew harsher. “You listen! You’re one fucking idiot, you know that? You want your kid dead? Is that what you want?”
“No! Oh, please, no!”
“Then why were you following my man?” The pressure on the back of his neck increased.
“Why?” my man…
This was Snake, not the guy in the jogging get up. This was the one he had to convince to take good care of Katie. John squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated everything on his words. He had to get through to this… this animal.
“Because she means so much to me. She’s all I have in this world that matters. She’s my child. Can you understand that? She’s my daughter and she’s little and she’s defenseless and I’m responsible for her. If anything happens to her, it’s my fault. And if anything… really bad happens to her… I don’t think I can go on living. Do you see? Does that make any sense to you?”
“Not a bit. Doc,” said Snake.
The utter flatness of the voice sent a blast of cold despair through John. The emotions he’d expressed were incomprehensible to this man. He might as well have been speaking Swahili.
“And you know what else doesn’t make sense to me?” Snake said. “You disobeying and spying on my man. You know what that means, don’t you?”
Panic surged through John. He didn’t know and didn’t want to know.
“I haven’t called anyone or told anyone!” He began babbling. “Not a soul! Just as you said! But I have to know, don’t you understand? Coming down here was a crazy thing to do, but that’s what not knowing if Katie’s alive or dead is doing to me! It’s making me crazy! You’ve got to believe that!” A long pause followed. John held his breath, waiting.
Finally Snake spoke.
“Well, we don’t want you going crazy, now, do we. We wouldn’t want that.” The hand released John’s neck. “You freeze there, Doc. You stay facing that wall and the only thing you look at is your watch. You wait here ten minutes before you so much as turn your head.”
“But Katie—” A sharp jab in his back cut him off.
“Not another fucking word, you hear?”
Miserable, John nodded. He felt so helpless. Christ, if only he had the guts to turn around and grab this guy and throttle Katie’s whereabouts out of him. But that might spell the end of Katie… if she wasn’t already— He heard footsteps moving away from him, heading back toward the escalator. He pushed back his jacket sleeve and looked at his watch: 4:11. He’d have to stand here until 4:21 while Snake and his accomplice got away.
And then he heard a voice shout two words from over by the escalator: “Maggie Simpson!” At first they didn’t register. Was that Snake or someone else looking for— Maggie Simpson! The little pacifier-sucking girl from Katie’s favorite TV show. Katie loved her! That could only mean… the only way they could have found out…
She’s alive! Katie’s alive! John clamped his hands over his eyes and wept with relief.
Snake listened to Vanduyne’s sobs, watched his shoulders quake as he leaned against the wall and bawled, then he stepped onto the escalator and rode it to street level.
Snake hadn’t wanted to tell him, had wanted to let him suffer for being such a jerk, but then he’d reconsidered. If not knowing about his kid was really making Vanduyne nuts, then it was good business to tell him. Otherwise, the guy was a loose cannon. Who knew what crazy thing he’d try next?
And this guy had a crazy streak a mile wide. Sure, he was back there crying like a baby now, but Snake had an uneasy feeling he’d be making a big mistake if he wrote off that guy as a wimp. He’d sensed something dangerous at the bus stop as Vanduyne had passed by on Paulie’s tail. Something in his eyes. Feral. Like some sort of predator. Hard to match that up with the sob sister downstairs, but the guy’s eyes hadn’t been lying.