As the cab approached the lobby entrance, the operative instructed the driver to slow down. He wanted to make sure the bellhop was busy with another arrival when he exited the vehicle. He paid the cabbie as he scanned the area. A small family was exiting the sliding glass doors from the lobby, the concierge was going over a map with a tourist, and a thin man with a Washington Nationals baseball cap was leaning against the building. He used reflections to confirm no cars had followed him and headed inside.
The hotel lobby was posh and bustling with Friday-night activity. He made his way to the bank of elevators and walked toward the ding that signaled one had just arrived. The doors slid open.
“What’s wrong, mister?” a little boy asked as he exited the lift.
It had been a long time since Turner had spent time around children. He marveled at how astute their observations were. A child’s earnest concern and innocent, sometimes brutal honesty represented hope. In another life he would have enjoyed being a father, but he had made his choice, and fatherhood wasn’t in the cards. Any relationship he entered was bound to end in disaster; Ryan’s death had only underscored that point. He could live with his decision. What he did, the big picture of things, provided plenty of motivation for his work.
He made a mental note. The young boy had picked up an air of concern about him, which was significant. It confirmed he wasn’t on top of his game.
Turner put on a big smile and said, “Nothing that a young man like yourself can’t fix when you grow up.”
“I like fixing things,” the boy said as he held up his toy car with pride. “My name is Liam.”
Turner watched Liam’s embarrassed parents briskly escort him away.
“Nice to meet you, Liam,” Turner said quietly as the elevator door shut.
He wore an amused smirk as he rose to the sixth floor. When the door opened, he stepped out and listened intently. The corridor was filled with sounds of people gearing up for a night on the town. He pulled a card key from his pocket and tested it on a room next to some of the louder occupants on the floor. The swipe emitted a beep as the LED on the lock flashed green. He turned the handle to gauge the effort and noise involved. He repeated the task two more times and realized there would be no surprise entrance. He quickly headed down the hall toward Millar’s room.
Turner made a quick check to confirm none of the hotel’s occupants were in the hallway. He drew his pistol and screwed on the suppressor as he considered the reaction the beeping sound from the door might bring. There was no doubt the man who drove the Chrysler 300 would have made it to the room first. He didn’t know what the intentions of Petrov’s assassin were toward Millar, so he needed to take care of business fast. If the assassin was there to kill the hacker, this could already be over.
With one swift motion, he unlocked the door and swung it open. He quickly scanned the room for threats and sprinted to the other side to clear the bathroom. He spun back around to the door and checked the space behind the bed. The only thing left inside the hotel room was a dark blue backpack that sat on the bed. It had the words “United States Senate” embroidered on it, along with the Maryland state seal. There were no signs of a major struggle. That was a good thing. The cigarette smoke streaming out of the ashtray was also a good sign.
He ran down the hallway and through a door that led to the stairs and began his descent. He navigated his way down, taking several steps at a time. When he reached the first floor, he slowed to a brisk walk and made his way through the lobby. His eyes worked double-time, taking in everything as he strained for a glimpse of Etzy Millar. He could just make out the hacker’s lanky form though the glass doors. He was being guided firmly into a cab by an assassin. Several cabs were waiting at the curb, so Turner jumped into the first one in line.
“Follow that cab,” he directed the driver. “But don’t get too close.”
Chapter 30
She was anxiously awaiting a message from her boyfriend. The couple had been secretly dating for almost a year, and her mother was the only other person who knew about their relationship.
Maria Soller was confused, lovesick, and mourning her brother’s death all at once. She had overheard one of her father’s conversations about her brother’s investigation, and it weighed heavily on her conscience. She wasn’t used to being an emotional wreck and could normally keep her act together no matter the circumstances, like her parents. Her phone hadn’t left her hand since she’d heard the news.
The text message arrived with the simultaneous beep and vibration of her iPhone. She looked down at the device and saw the message was from a number she didn’t recognize. Her pulse quickened. She slid her thumb across the display and unlocked the device with trepidation. Her iPhone launched into the message, and she began reading. Tears streamed down her face, and her hands started to tremble.
“Mom…oh my God. Mom. Mom!” she yelled with increasing urgency. She ran up the stairs to the kitchen.
“What’s the matter, honey?”
“It’s him! He just sent me a text. He’s in trouble,” she blurted out.
She handed the phone to her mother so she could read the message for herself.
m, i’m so sorry about max — i hope to explain later in person, but i had nothing to do with it, you have to know that. the guy who killed him is outside my door right now and says he has melody. he said he’ll kill her if i don’t go with him. pls check on her and make sure she’s ok. i’m going with him…i have no choice. pls text me back as soon as u find out if she’s safe. i love u! /etc
Matilde Soller’s eyes narrowed after reading the text. “Dear God.”
“Dad said Etzy was with Max when he was killed,” Maria said in a fearful voice. “He was talking on the phone with someone. I don’t know who, but…I don’t know. I was too scared to tell you.”
“Don’t worry, honey. I know it wasn’t Etzy’s fault. You can’t put this on your shoulders. Look what it’s doing to you. We’ll find out what happened to your brother.”
“He’d still be here if it wasn’t for me,” she said, her sobs breaking up the words. Now that her mother knew, some of the weight had been lifted, but this was complicated, and the emotion was still smothering her. It was she who had asked Etzy to help her brother out with school. Max had trouble making friends, and their chance meeting on campus had changed everything.
She was looking for her brother’s classroom, and Etzy happened to be in the same class. Their first conversation took them both by surprise and provided the first spark between the unlikely couple. The guilt was overwhelming as she wondered whether Max would still be alive if she hadn’t tried looking out for him.
“Do you know where his sister is?” her mother asked.
“Yeah, I know where she’s staying. She’s staying in an apartment complex.” Her hands were still shaking, and her face was streaked with tears. “In Gaithersburg. I have the address saved on my phone.”
“Okay, calm down, honey. Calm down,” her mother said. It was a soothing, confident voice. Her words carried the sort of comfort that can only come from a mother ready to do anything for her child. “Does she trust you?” she continued.
“Yes, she’s super nice.”
“Good. We’ll go check on her now. I’m sure she’s okay. We can find out if she knows anything about what Etzy and Max were up to.”
“Mom, did you read that message? Have you heard some of the things Dad has been saying?”
It was impossible not to hear the senator’s booming voice echo through the house. “Relax, honey,” she said, taking charge of the situation. “You need to relax. We’ll get through this, okay? First things first.”