Sean went from disliking Sullivan to hating her.
It was close to nine and if Paxton was true to his word, he’d be calling Noah at nine. Even if they raided the place immediately, it would take them at least forty minutes to get here, realistically closer to an hour. Sean didn’t want to be here that long. He was about to close the drawer when he saw a very familiar name.
KINCAID, LUCY
Sean pulled the file and shut the drawer.
Inside was a complete copy of Lucy’s FBI file, more complete than the one Paxton had. There was also a disk labeled with a date seven years ago.
Sean’s pulse sped up. His hands clutched the file so tight he left marks. He put the entire file in his satchel. No way was he leaving it behind.
Lucy’s file was marked high clearance. Someone had copied the file for Sullivan. Who wanted to destroy Lucy? Who was in a position to do so? Why?
Sean needed to find the locket and get out. Devon Sullivan didn’t have it in her drawer of secrets, so he went to Clark Jager’s adjoining office. The space was darker and cooler, there were very few photographs, and the bookshelves were filled with books—90 percent law and nonfiction.
Trying to think like Jager, Sean quickly went through the room looking for a safe. Jager wasn’t the type of man to leave incriminating evidence in an easy-to-open cabinet.
Sean was right. He found the safe behind a picture of Jager and Sullivan on their wedding day.
It had the best security in the house.
“Damn.”
He took out his tools and got to work cracking the safe. It was going to take him at least ten minutes.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
As soon as Slater pulled up in front of St. Anne’s church, Ivy began to panic. “He’s here.”
“Your father?” Lucy asked, surprised.
“That car—that’s his car! The driver—that’s Foster. I don’t know if that’s his first or last name, but he’s been my father’s right hand since before I ran away.”
She opened the door and Kate pulled it closed again. “Ivy, listen to me. We’re not going to let him take her. Got it? You have to let us do our job.”
But Ivy was becoming hysterical. Kate slapped handcuffs on her and attached them to the handle. “I’m really sorry, but we can’t worry about protecting you while dealing with this situation.”
Slater said, “Spence, detain the driver.”
“Yes, sir.” He got out of the vehicle.
“Donovan, what are we looking at in there?”
“Any number of people. The priest. Sara—” she turned to Ivy. “Where was Sara this morning?”
“In the rectory. There’s a small room in the attic where we’ve been staying. I told her not to leave it under any circumstances. The only way to the rectory is through the church and the courtyard.”
Slater called in another team then said, “Let’s do this. Donovan, based on this guy’s track record, he probably isn’t going to listen to a woman. I’ll do the talking. You keep your sights on him. If he shows a weapon and makes any threatening moves, you have clearance to drop him. Lucy, you focus on the minor. First opportunity, bring her out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“How did he know we were here?” Ivy said. “No one knew. No one until you showed up this morning. Did you tell him? Dammit, I knew I shouldn’t trust you!”
“It didn’t come from my office,” Slater said emphatically. “We’ll find out exactly where the breach occurred and, believe me, if anyone turned that little girl over to a man who abused her, I will destroy their career.” He caught Ivy’s eye. “Do you believe me?”
She blinked away tears and nodded.
“Lucy,” Ivy said as Lucy was getting out of the car. “Take my necklace. Sara gave it to me so that when I sent someone for her, she would know that she could trust them. It was our mother’s.”
Lucy unclasped the necklace. The pendant was a sapphire drop with three tiny rubies at the top. Small, but exquisite. She understood how hard it was for Ivy to trust anyone. The guilt when someone else got hurt because of the unintended consequences of your own choices. But without trust, without hope that grievous wrongs could be made right, there was only darkness and despair. Lucy had been there. Sometimes it was easier to let the regret and hopelessness take over, than it was to trust a stranger, or a friend, or a lover.
She put the pendant around her own neck. “I’ll take care of it.”
Lucy got out with Kate and Slater. Slater motioned for Kate to open the doors while he guarded them. She pulled. They were locked.
Kate motioned toward the stone wall that blocked the courtyard from the street. There was a gate in the wall, but it too was locked. Slater stood on a low ledge and peered over the top with a spyglass. He jumped down.
“No one’s in the courtyard. Donovan, you go first.”
Kate stepped into Slater’s cupped hands and then pulled herself up to the top of the fence and quickly scaled down the other side.
“Clear,” she called quietly.
Lucy and Slater followed. The courtyard was clear. Lucy found an abandoned book on the bricks.
The side door was ajar, and the tall, gothic structure made voices in the church softly echo.
“I’m sorry, Reverend, I can’t let you leave with Sara. She has sanctuary here,” a man said.
“She is my daughter. I am taking her home.” The minister’s voice was calm and even.
Kate opened the door and Slater stepped in, Lucy behind him. Kate took the rear, gun out, trained on Kirk Edmonds, who appeared unarmed. Father Harris was standing by the front doors, preventing Edmonds from leaving. Sara sat alone in a pew, a few feet from her father, not looking at anyone.
Slater said, “Reverend Edmonds, correct?”
Edmonds was fifty with dark blond hair shot with silver, a tall, lean body, and cool, intelligent blue eyes.
“You bring a weapon into the Lord’s house?” Edmonds said.
Kate didn’t budge. Slater said, “Let’s defuse the situation and talk about this, all right? Sara, are you okay?”
She didn’t answer. She stared at her hands, unmoving.
“She doesn’t talk to strangers,” Edmonds said. “I raised her right. Hasn’t she suffered enough? Have you found that devil who kidnapped her?”
Lucy kept her eyes on Sara. She was shaking, but would not make eye contact with anyone. She jumped when Edmonds called Ivy a devil.
“I agree, she has suffered more than enough. That’s why we’re going to take her to a doctor, have her checked out, get her a clean bill of health. You want that for her? Make sure she’s healthy.”
“She has a doctor at home.”
“I’m sure he’s great, but that’s a long drive. We have some of the finest hospitals on the East Coast, right here in DC,” Slater said.
“Tell that man he needs to let us out,” Edmonds said, his voice still calm and reasonable. “He’s held my daughter, and me, against our will.”
“And my office will definitely discuss the situation with Father Harris and explain he can’t lock people in the church.” Slater looked pointedly at Harris. At first Lucy didn’t understand, then she saw that Father Harris stepped to the side, blocking the lock. Slater wanted him to unlock the doors, but quietly.
“I’m curious, Reverend, how did you find Sara? We’ve had our best people on it for nearly forty-eight hours, ever since we identified her, and we just figured it out this morning.”
“She called me. She wants to come home.” Edmonds looked at his daughter, almost beaming. “She missed me like I missed her.”
Slater looked at Sara. “Sara, I’m Matt Slater,” he said with a lighter voice. I’m with the FBI. Did you call your father? Do you want to go home with him?”