"I'll do it." He dialed the number on his phone. "It's ringing. Kerry, it will-" He spoke into the phone. "Agent Dorbin? Silver. Is everything okay there?" He nodded reassuringly at Kerry and she went limp with relief. "No, we just wanted to check." He hung up. "No problem. It would be almost impossible for him to get through the protection we've set up for Carmela and Rosa."

"Almost. Not completely." Her relief was ebbing by the second. "I'm not wrong, Silver. Raztov was a distraction, and Trask specifically mentioned Carmela on the phone. That's why-"

"Son of a bitch." He was dialing the phone again. "A goddamn red herring."

"What?"

"He wants to hurt you. He wants to get his own back. He doesn't have to use Carmela. She was just the person in the forefront of your mind. By calling you he made damn sure that's where she'd stay."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying he could hit closer to home." He spoke into the phone. "George, check with the agents in Macon and make sure Jason Murphy is okay. No, don't call me back. I'll wait."

Shock knifed through her. "Jason? You said he was well protected. You promised me."

"He is, dammit. He and his wife had double the protection Ledbruk assigned Carmela. I don't see how Trask could touch him."

But she could tell he was afraid that Trask had managed to do it. "Resources," she said dully. "He said anyone could be reached if you had enough resources." She reached up and rubbed her temple. "Not Jason. Dear God, I hope you're wrong."

"So do I," he said grimly. "I hope to hell that-" He broke off, listening. "Jesus." He hung up the phone. "Jason left his hotel four hours ago. The agent following him lost him almost immediately, and Jason's not answering his cell phone." He paused. "Agent Fillmore thinks your brother was deliberately trying to lose him."

"That's crazy. Why would he do that?" Her hands clenched into fists. "He's making excuses. They've got to find him, Silver."

"George says they're doing their best. Fillmore called Jason's wife and then the number of every friend and business acquaintance she gave him." He started the car. "He was about to contact Ledbruk and give him a report when George got through to him."

She moistened her lips again. Four hours. "Jason may be dead already."

"I won't tell you there's not a chance he might be. But from what you've told me I'd think Trask would want you there to bear witness. He did with Carmela at the warehouse."

Hope soared. "You're right. I should have thought of that."

"You're working on automatic and thinking with your emotions."

She glared at him. "Of course I am. He's my brother, dammit."

He smiled. "That's better. Nothing like being pissed to start the adrenaline flowing. Now, what would make your brother try to lose the agent who was trying to protect him?"

"He wouldn't do-" But if Jason had done it, there had to be a reason. She tried to think through the haze of fear smothering her. "Trask might have got to him. Maybe he used something or someone to force him to do what he wanted."

"It would have had to be a pretty powerful tool for him to run that kind of risk."

"Laura," she said suddenly. "He'd do it if he thought Laura was in danger. He'd do anything to help her."

He shook his head. "George said Jason's wife was safe and accounted for."

"Thank God."

"Anyone else?"

"Me. If Trask could convince him that I was in danger."

"But he would have phoned you and verified."

That was true. Then there was only one other possibility. "My father. Jason loves my father. And he wasn't under any protective surveillance."

"Do you have your father's cell-phone number?"

She nodded. "In my phone book." She searched in her purse and pulled out the dog-eared leather book. A moment later she was dialing her father's number. After six rings she got his voice mail. She hung up and dialed again. Same voice mail. "He's not answering."

"Any other numbers you can call?"

She shook her head. "He has an apartment in Boston, but he's seldom there. He moves around a lot on assignment but tries to stay in the South so he can be near Jason. He's a reporter, dammit. He should be answering his cell phone."

"I'll get George to keep on calling him." He started to dial. "Though I somehow doubt he's going to answer."

No, he wouldn't answer if Trask had him. Fear iced through her. And, if Trask had her father, he also had Jason. "I'll talk to George. You head for the airport. We have to get to Macon. Trask is a wanted man. He wouldn't risk taking Jason very far from where he captured him."

"I agree." He pulled out into traffic. "I think that's where we have our best chance to find Trask."

"We're not going to have to look very hard. He took Jason," she said unevenly. "He'll want me to find him so that I can watch my brother die. We just have to wait for him to call me and tell me where and when."

Silver's lips tightened. "You're not going to play the martyr and walk into a trap. No way."

"I don't know what I'm going to do." She looked him directly in the eye. "Except I'm not going to let Jason die. That's not an option."

"I won't let your brother die, but I can't-" He broke off with a curse. "I'm not getting through to you. Listen, you have me and you have the whole damn Secret Service to help find Trask. You're not alone."

"And if I call on Ledbruk for help, Trask might decide the game he's playing with me isn't worth the trouble and kill Jason."

"And if you die, Trask wins and it still won't save Jason. Use your head."

Her head wasn't working too well at the moment. She was too scared. "I'm not going to let him die," she repeated.

He was silent a moment. "Okay. We try not to involve Ledbruk, but you're not closing me out."

"I had no intention of closing you out. I may need you."

"How gratifying. And I'm telling George to beat it to the airport and meet us there. We may need him." He shook his head as she opened her lips to protest. "He won't talk to Ledbruk if I tell him it's a condition for letting him in on the action. He wants Trask."

She thought about it and then nodded. They might need all the help they could get, and George could be trusted if he gave his word. "So do we all. But not at the risk of getting Jason killed. Make him understand that." She drew a deep breath. "Now get us to that airport."

16.

George took the key from the clerk at the rental-car desk at the airport in Macon. "I'll run out and bring the car around to the front entrance like the obliging bloke I am."

"I hope you've been discreet as well as obliging," Kerry said.

"Certainly." He picked up his duffel bag. "My training forbids any other course of action." He smiled. "Don't worry, Kerry. I haven't been talking to anyone. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

She believed him. "What the devil is in that duffel? It took you forever to get through security."

"Oh, just a few necessary items. I was caught off guard, but I managed to grab a few things." He enumerated. "A machete, an M-16, and an H&K 94 SG-1. Oh, and a garrote."

Kerry blinked. "And they weren't confiscated?"

"I also had my old Secret Service ID and a special letter from Homeland Security. But you notice they did make me check it through anyway. I approve. It's exactly what they should have done." He smiled. "Give me five minutes." He strode out of the terminal.

She felt a surge of warmth as she stared after him. There was something very comforting about having George working with them.

"It probably won't take five minutes," Silver said as he took her elbow. "This is a tiny-ass airport. We could probably have saved time by going with him. Is your cell phone on?"

He was thinking that Trask might be calling her. Lord, she hoped he was right. She felt blind and helpless. "I turned it on right after the plane landed. I had two missed calls."

"No message?"

"That's not Trask's style. He'd want to hear how scared I am. He'll wait until-"

Her phone rang.

She hurriedly pressed the button.

"I do hate wasted effort, Kerry," Trask said. "Your father's phone kept ringing and ringing, but he couldn't answer."

Her hand tightened on the phone. "Where's my brother, Trask?"

Silver's gaze narrowed on her face.

"With his father," Trask said. "Such a wonderful bond between them. It's enough to warm the heart."

"I want to talk to him."

"Not your father?"

"I want to talk to my brother," she repeated.

"I'm sure you do, but that's my decision. I believe I'll leave that as a special treat. Here's your father."

"Do whatever he says, Kerry," Ron Murphy said. "Jason's life depends on it."

"I want to talk to him."

"Jesus, I know you don't trust me, but do you think I'd lie to you about Jason?" he asked roughly. "You're the one responsible for this mess. Now, get Jason out of it before this bastard kills him."

"Did you call Jason and tell him that Trask had you?"

"No, Trask called him, and he went to my motel room and found a note Trask left for him. I could never have been forced to put Jason in danger."

"But you'd do it to me."

There was a silence on the other end. "What do you want me to say? I can't let him kill Jason. Neither can you."

"No," she said wearily. "I can't let him kill Jason. Put Trask back on the line."

"You'll cooperate?"

"Put Trask back on."

Another silence and then Trask came on the line. "I told you that the bond between them is something at which to marvel. But I can see why you wouldn't feel equally warm toward your father. He didn't even ask why I wanted you here. Do you suppose he could guess?"

"I want to talk to Jason."

"Tonight. I'm going to send Dickens to escort you. I have to warn you that he's very good at knowing if he's being followed. If he notices any sign of that, he'll call me and that will mean an early and disappointing conclusion to this business. The same result if you and he don't show up in a reasonable time from the moment he picks you up. I'm not having Dickens pressured by the Secret Service into giving out information. And when you arrive here, you'll find that I have ample protection to guard your father and brother. Not that anyone is going to interfere with us once we come together. I've already told the guards that all I'd have to do is press one button and Firestorm would turn the house into a bonfire. Now, if you're a good girl and follow instructions, hopefully you can talk to your brother on the way here."

"Where is here?"

"I believe you'll know it the minute you see it. I hope so anyway. I chose this place very carefully. Such a homey little house."

"I'm not coming until I know my brother is alive."

"Your father told you he was alive. Well, not in so many words, but do you think he'd lure you here if there wasn't a chance to save him?"

"Then why can't I talk to him?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately, your brother refused to add his plea to that of your father. He decided to sacrifice himself for you."

She moistened her lips. "And you killed him?"

"Kerry, you know me better than that," he chided. "It would spoil everything if I couldn't watch your face when Firestorm kills him. He's quite safe right now."

Right now.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Are you in Macon yet?"

"I just arrived."

"Very good. You didn't waste any time. I knew you'd come running once you found out about brother Jason. Where are you staying?"

"The Hyatt."