You do realize Daniel is married to the Houston D.A., right?
I know. The trial took place well before she took office.
They fell silent for a few minutes. Elena finished up her soft drink. The cola was cold and sweet. She didnt normally drink soft drinks because of the sugar; shed forgotten how good they were.
Doesnt it bother you that even if you free your brother, youll take his place in prison?
Erics life is worth saving.
And yours isnt?
Believe me, I dont want to toss my life away. But Eric is my little brother. I promised our mother I would take care of him.
The emotion in his voice was impossible to miss. He loved his brother. How could Elena continue to think of Travis as a villain when he was so devoted to his family?
She quickly changed the subject. Why are you hanging here, watching me eat? she asked when she was done. She blotted her mouth with the napkin.
Actually, Im keeping an eye on you. That plate is pretty heavy, and I havent forgotten the damage you did with a wrench.
Not to mention the knife and the fork, she pointed out. The knife is rather dull, but a fork in your jugular would hurt a lot more than the wrench did.
He actually turned pale as his hand went protectively to his throat. Clearly this man hadnt ever taken anyone hostage before. He didnt know the first thing about it.
If she actually believed her life was in danger, she would use any means availableknife, fork, fingernails, teeth. But she didnt. And she wouldnt.
Before Daniel makes a single concession, hes going to want to know Im alive. How are you going to prove that to him?
Ive thought of that. Im going to have you record a message for him. Ill send it to him as a text attachment.
You can do that?
What, you think Im too stupid to master some pretty basic cell phone functions?
Stupid? No. That wasnt the word she had in mind. A little crazy, maybe. Its just that...you said you had trouble with the Project Justice online form. I assumed that meant you werent very...you know, tech savvy.
Im not when it comes to computers and...typing. He shuddered as he said the word. But voice recordingsthat, I figured out.
That seemed a little strange to Elena. The first thing most people figured out with a new phone is how to send a text or take a picture. You can read and write, though...right?
Not my strong suit.
She thought back to his difficulty with the form. Do you have a learning disability? she couldnt help asking.
Dysphasia, dyslexia, dysgraphia, attention deficit disorder... Take your pick. Counselors have labeled me with all kinds of big words over the years. Including just plain pigheaded. So who the hell knows?
No wonder the computer application had defeated him. But why was she concerning herself with that? Travis had a cell phone! It was probably in his pocket right now. Yes, she could see the rectangular outline on his thigh. His taut, muscular thigh. Dios, the man had a good body.
Elena had spent most of her youth around men who engaged in intense physical labor, day in and day out, either cutting sugarcane or working in the oil fields. All of her male relatives and family friends were strong and muscular. But Travis gave new meaning to the term hard body.
How humiliating to have to admit that she found her kidnapper handsome. And sexy. And how strange that, in the span of a couple of hours, shed gone from terrified to... Well, she wasnt afraid of him. He might be a desperate man, but deep down he was gentle, and he wasnt going to hurt her.
Tell me about your brother, she said. Weve got some time to kill. Since I am a pawn in your little power play, Id like to know why you are so positive that your brother is innocent.
He looked at her like she was crazy. Because hes my brother. I practically raised him. As kids, we were together constantly. When the state wanted to split us up into different foster homes, we kicked up such a fuss that they found someone who would take both of us.
Foster care. It sounded like he didnt have an ideal childhood, then.
Dont go looking at me like Im some sort of charity case. It wasnt like that. Our mom was a good mom. But she went through a rough patch when she didnt have a job. We were in foster care for only about six months.
So you were very close to your brother when you were children. But people change, you know.
Im still close to him. I spent a lot of time with him and Tammy. Eric loved her and MacKenzie more than anything in the world. He would have died for either of them without a second thought. There is no way he killed her, under any circumstances. No way.
Elenas heart ached for him. Whatever faults he had, Travis did love his brother. That was apparent.
I believe you, she said softly. But Project Justice requires more than belief, because it takes more than that to get a case overturned. Although Elena didnt work directly for Project Justice, shed learned a thing or two about how the foundation operated just from being Daniels assistant. There has to be some kind of evidence thats been overlooked or ignoredlike a witness that was never interviewed or physical clues that werent properly analyzedthat sort of thing.
Do you have anything like that in your brothers case?
Not exactly. But I think theres evidence that could be developed. There is one element of the case that was never brought to light.
And what is that?
Tammy was having an affair.
And this wasnt brought up during the trial?
It was never investigated at all.
You think the man she cheated with might have killed her?
Its an obvious theory that should be ruled out, dont you think? Because the evidence they had on Eric was all circumstantial. There was no sign of forced entry into the house, Eric didnt have an alibi, and theyd had an argument earlier in the day. In the absence of any other suspect, Eric looked guilty.
As he went over some of the facts of the case, Elena started to remember more about it. Although shed never been much interested in news coverage about violent crime before shed started working for Daniel, since shed been in his employ shed started watching true-crime shows. Tammy Riggss murder was the kind of sensational event that attracted attentionwell-to-do lawyer stabs his beautiful blond wife to death in the kitchen while their toddler is in the house.
The daughterMacKenzie, is that her name?
Travis smiled fondly. Yeah.
She was home when her mother was killed?
He nodded. She was only three. Eric came home and found MacKenzie there with Tammy...her mothers blood all over her clothes. But she was never able to tell what happened. Now that shes six years old, she says she doesnt remember, that she didnt see what happened. She might have been in another room, asleep. Travis shrugged.
Elena nodded. Project Justice has a psychologist on staff. Shes a nationally recognized expert on hypnotic regression and recovering lost memories.
You see? I know Project Justice can help. If only theyll take on the case.
Elena was very afraid that, no matter what Travis did, the foundation wouldnt take on the case. There were many deserving cases, and Project Justice had only so many investigators, so many resources. Thats why the application process was important, so that the most urgent cases, the most obvious miscarriages of justice, were given priority.
Daniel would never cave in to Traviss tactics, because it would send out the wrong message. Other desperate people might resort to violence if the tactic worked for Travis.
The best Travis could hope for was that this stunt would attract media attention.
If Tammy was having an affair, Elena said, why didnt the police look into it?
Because they didnt know about it. Eric absolutely refused to believe it was true, and he refused to even bring up the possibility. His lawyer told me to keep my theories to myself because even the suggestion of cheating would give Travis a strong motive for murder.
And you knew about it...how?
I saw the signs. I know what it looks like when a woman is cheating. He said this with no small amount of bitterness, indicating to Elena that some woman had cheated on Travis in his past. But Eric was blind to it. Tammy was a saint. She could do no wrongespecially after she was deadand that was that.
So I take it Eric is not in favor of looking for the man his wife was cheating with.
He wasnt. Not for a long time. But now that hes had time to think about it, and MacKenzie is about to get new parentshe says he wont oppose me. He still doesnt believe his wife was unfaithful, though.
Elena had to admit, it was an intriguing case. Under other circumstances, Danielwho had final say on which cases the foundation took onwould have at least done some preliminary digging around.
The fact that MacKenzies about to be adopted is bad enough, he said. But the foster parents who are adopting herthey dont take care of her properly. They just ignore her. And I think they take away the clothes and toys I give her.... Hell, I dont know why Im telling you this.
Elena knew: because she was willing to listen. She got the feeling no one had actually listened to his story before...at least nobody with an open mind.
He picked up the tray, apparently intending to take all those potential weapons out of Elenas reach. As he did, her empty soda can rolled off the tray and onto the floor.
Ill get it. She leaned down at the same time he did. She bumped her head on his shoulder, and everything on the tray spilled to the ground. Oh, Im sorry, that was clumsy of me. Here, let me help.
What followed was an awkward dance as they both tried to pick up the fallen dishes, bumping into each other several times in the process.
For Gods sake, Ill get it, okay? he groused. Keep your hands off the fork.
She backed off and sat down on the closed toilet. Once hed collected everything and put it back on the tray, he left her alone. She heard him wedge something under the doorknob, trapping her again.
She took a deep breath and reached under her thigh to the object shed hidden there. All of that clumsy bumping together hadnt been entirely accidental on her part. As a six-year-old on the streets of Havana, shed been a damn fine pickpocket.
She now had Traviss phone.
How soon before he missed it? How much time did she have? And what would she do with it, now that she had the chance to call for help?
CHAPTER FOUR
SHE HAD TO call someone. Of course she did. Travis Riggs had kidnapped her! What was she supposed to do, hand him back the phone with a polite, Excuse me, I think you dropped this?
Lord only knew what he might do when he found out hed been pickpocketed. Thus far, he seemed pretty harmless. She didnt sense violence in him. But what did she know? Not everyone broadcasted their true natures. He was obviously unbalanced. One little thing could set him off like a firecracker.
She could call 911, but then she would have to do a lot of explaining. Travis had undoubtedly told Daniel not to call the police, and Daniels natural inclination was to rely on his own resources first. All those years hed spent fighting the murder charge against him had left him with a healthy skepticism toward law enforcement. He had a lot of respect for certain, individual cops. But for the institutions, he didnt.
Decision made. Shed call Daniel. With trembling fingers, she dialed the number.
He picked up almost before it rang. Daniel Logan. You listen to me. If I dont have Elena back unharmed within the hour, I will personally
Daniel, its me, she whispered. God, shed never heard him so angry, and shed heard Daniel angry plenty of times.
Elena? Thank God. Where are you? Are you okay?
Im fine. He hasnt hurt me and hes not going to. Its all bluff.
Where are you?
I dont really know. Daniel, please listen, I dont have much time. Could you just give him what he wants?
He paused just long enough that Elena knew he didnt have an easy answer for her. I wont do anything to endanger you. If that were the only way to get you back unharmed
Hes not going to harm me. Well, she was pretty sure. Theres a child involved. His brother is going to lose his little girl forever. Thats why hes so crazy. The wife, Tammy, she was having an affair that was never investigated.
I will give him precisely what he asked forno more, no less. And once I have you back safely, I will nail his ass to the wall so thoroughly hell never see daylight again.
Oh, boy. Daniel was really, really bent out of shape. Hows the power plant?
Why are you asking me that? Youve been kidnapped! Who cares about a power plant?
Everybody, if theres a radioactive leak.
It was a false alarm. The safety team resolved it long before I got there.
Oh, thats good.
Keep talking, Elena. Im going to work with his provider to see if we can triangulate your location.
You dont have to do that. Hes not going to hurt me.
You think I should just roll over and do whatever he wants? Do you want every two-bit gangster out there with a friend or relative in prison to think they can get me to
In this particular case, yesgive him what he wants. If you do find me, if you come in here with guns blazing, Ill be in more danger than I am now.
Youre being held hostage by a maniac. I dont think it could get much worse than that. You dont know this guy. You dont know what hes capable of. And Im capable of conducting a proper hostage extraction, thank you very much.
Dios, he was in a snit. Shed made a mistake. She shouldnt have called Daniel. I have to go. If he realizes I took his phone, hell move me.
Ill find you, Elena.
She turned off the phone, sick to her stomach. What if Daniel made good on his threat? She doubted Travis even had a gun, but she feared he might be dangerous when cornered, weapon or no. He could end up getting himself killed.
Her eyes burned with tears. Why was she like this? Shed outsmarted her kidnapper; shed gotten a message to Daniel. She should be elated. But she was frightened, and she felt as though shed done something wrong. Really wrong.
Suddenly the bathroom door burst open, and if shed been scared before, she was terrified now. Travis filled the door, looking very large, and if he could have shot lasers from his eyes, he probably would have. He looked like an avenging dark angel.
He came toward her, and for one horrible moment, she thought he was going to hit her. But he snatched the phone out of her hands.