From an Unknown Sender, page 20
“You didn’t need an excuse. I wanted to come. I just didn’t know if you wanted me here.”
“Of course I did.” Cole rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “I do.”
“I guess Marit was right.”
Suddenly uncomfortable, Cole asked, “You talked to Marit about this?”
Isabelle averted her eyes for a brief moment. “She guessed something was bothering me.”
“Next time, just tell me when I say something to upset you.” Cole’s eyebrows furrowed. This whole relationship was way more complicated than it should be. “Is this something I owe you flowers for?”
“No.” The tension in Isabelle’s body eased. “We’ll chalk this up to a simple misunderstanding.”
“When we’re through with this stakeout, we can make up, right?” Cole wiggled his eyebrows.
She laughed. “Maybe.”
“We haven’t had enough time alone on this trip.”
Her cheeks reddened slightly, but her smile told him she didn’t disagree with his sentiment. “It has been nice spending time with Lars and Marit again.”
“Yeah, it has.” He narrowed his eyes. “You really talked to Marit about me?”
“A bit.” She shrugged. “It’s nice having a girlfriend I can confide in for a change. I don’t have a lot of those in Vienna.”
“Be careful how much you tell her,” Cole warned. “Far too often Marit sees more than she should.”
“We may need those skills tonight.” Isabelle glanced down the road. “Are you ready to go inside?”
“Yeah.” Cole climbed out of the car and scanned the area. Two cyclists passed by, followed by a car and another cyclist. Why anyone would opt to use bicycles as transportation in the middle of winter was beyond him.
Isabelle grabbed the groceries from the back seat and headed into the building. Cole took another look around and followed.
By the time he had walked up the stairs to the first floor, Isabelle already had the door open, and two bags of groceries lay on the floor by her feet.
“I’ll get those.” Cole leaned down and scooped them up before walking in behind her.
“Just put them on the kitchen counter,” Isabelle said. “I’ll put everything away while you check in with Lars.”
Cole crossed the living room and set the groceries down in the kitchen. He then pulled out his cell phone and dialed his cousin’s number.
Lars answered on the first ring. “We can see you in the apartment.”
“Good. How is the visual on the street-view cameras?”
“They’re fine for now, but I don’t know how much we’ll be able to see once it gets darker,” Lars said.
“When that happens, pay attention to the ones at the front entrance and the fire escape,” Cole said. “We just need you to give us a heads-up anytime someone is coming our way.”
“We can do that. Be careful,” Lars said.
“Always.” Cole glanced at Isabelle. Even though he was grateful to have backup, he stretched the truth for his cousin’s benefit. “If I really thought this guy would show up, I never would have let Isabelle come with me.”
“I figured as much.”
“Call me if you see anything suspicious at the dock.”
“You know I will.”
Cole ended the call and moved back into the kitchen. “Need any help?”
“No. The drinks are in the fridge, and the snacks are on the counter.”
Cole circled his hands around her waist. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“You’re welcome.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You know Lars and Marit are watching us right now, don’t you?”
A grin stole across his face. “We didn’t put a camera in the kitchen.”
“Did you do that on purpose?”
“Maybe.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Can you blame me?”
She returned his smile. “No, but we have work to do.”
“You were the one who was annoyed a minute ago that I wasn’t treating our time together as a vacation.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be prepared for whatever might come at us tonight.” She reached up and gave him a kiss before she pulled free. “I’ll set up the computers. You can take a walk around the building to make sure we don’t have any points of entry we missed.”
“And then we can meet back in the kitchen?” Cole asked hopefully.
Isabelle shook her head. “And then we wait.”
***
Jeroen checked the delivery log for the fourth time, a bead of sweat trickling down the center of his back. The companies handling both expected shipments had already arrived, but neither of the carriers had delivered the packages Jeroen was waiting for, the packages Sahil expected him to deliver tomorrow morning.
Panic flashed through Jeroen, and his body vibrated with adrenaline. How had this happened again? More precisely, who was causing the problem?
Jeroen had deliberately picked up the afternoon shift in addition to his night shift so he would be here when the packages arrived. That precaution clearly hadn’t helped him find success.
He checked the clock hanging on the mail room wall. Seven twenty. The likelihood of another delivery arriving after hours was slim, but he clung to the glimmer of hope that perhaps additional deliveries would magically appear.
He shook his head. Who was he kidding? Two couriers from two different companies, both running late? Not a chance.
Daan walked into the mail room, a stack of envelopes and magazines in his hand. “I’m getting tired of Michael leaving at night before he takes care of the late mail delivery.” He set the stack on the counter, several of the catalogs slipping off and falling to the floor. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Just making my rounds.” Jeroen leaned down to pick up the fallen mail. He shuffled the top two catalogs into a stack and reached for the third. His breath caught when he saw the woman on the front. “It’s her.”
“What?” Daan asked.
Jeroen straightened, still staring at the image of the blonde woman he had encountered only a few nights ago. “I was just looking at this woman. I think I’ve seen her around here before.”
Daan let out a low whistle. “I don’t remember her, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know her better.”
“Yeah.” Jeroen narrowed his eyes. “Me too.”
“I’m going out to grab some dinner. Do you want anything?”
“Yeah. Grab me one of whatever you’re getting.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Daan headed out the door.
Jeroen looked down at the catalog again. The woman on the front was wearing museum-quality jewelry, her eyes seemingly staring right back at him. He flipped through the catalog in search of any details about the cover model, but he didn’t find anything.
He should probably tell Sahil that he’d found the girl—sort of—but first, he had more pressing issues to consider.
He shoved his hand into his pocket and gripped his phone. He had three choices. One, do nothing and hope the packages showed up before his meeting with Sahil. Two, walk out the door, leave Amsterdam, and spend the rest of his life hoping Sahil never found him. Or three, tell Sahil everything and beg for his help in finding a way to make things right.
Too afraid to hide the problem and too poor to run, Jeroen took a deep breath and dialed Sahil’s number.
Three rings later, Sahil answered with a gruff, “What now?”
“I’m sorry, sir, but I have a couple of things I need to talk to you about.” Opting to go for the positive first, Jeroen continued. “I may have found another way to locate Tess Hendriks.”
“The woman who received the package at the Van Gogh?” Sahil asked.
“Yes. I think she’s on the front of a catalog for Royal Coster Diamonds. Maybe her agent can help us track her down.”
“I thought you said the woman worked at the Van Gogh.”
“I’m pretty sure she does, but I guess she models too.”
“You fool. Are you even sure it’s the same woman?”
“I saw her outside her flat. If it’s not her, it’s the friend who was with her.”
“Take a photo of the catalog and text it to me.”
“I will.” Jeroen gathered his courage. “I also need you to verify the delivery status for the last two packages.”
“What?” Sahil asked, his frustration obvious.
“I witnessed all the deliveries, and I checked the log in case they arrived early. They aren’t here.”
An eerie silence carried over the line.
Jeroen gripped his phone tighter, praying that Sahil had simply given him the wrong delivery date.
“Not again.” Frustration turned to fury. “The addresses were changed on both shipments.”
“By who?” Jeroen asked.
“It has to be someone in Němek’s organization. He’s the only one who would know my methods well enough to intervene.”
“But how would he be able to change the delivery addresses?” Jeroen asked. “The packages were coming through two different shipping companies.”
“I don’t know, but you’re going to find out,” Sahil said. “I’m texting you the address where the packages were sent. Go over there and get them.” His voice went eerily calm. “And after you kill anyone who is there, send me their photos. I’ll make sure Jakub Němek knows not to interfere with my business again.”
Jeroen swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”
Chapter 29
Lars set a plate of apple cake on the coffee table beside his computer and dropped onto the sofa next to Marit. He put his arm around her. “You know what’s worse than spending the evening watching security feed with your girlfriend?” he asked.
Marit looked away from the second computer on the coffee table. “What’s that?”
He pointed to the pair of computers. “Spending the evening watching two different security feeds with your girlfriend.”
She laughed. “That’s not quite how I remember the riddle, but I really shouldn’t have fallen for it, should I?”
“I love that you did.”
He lowered his head to kiss her lips. She responded willingly, leaning into him and causing his pulse to trip. Slowly, deliberately, he deepened the kiss, his free arm circling her back and drawing her closer.
Time ceased to exist until she shifted slightly. Reluctantly, he loosened his hold, and she pulled back. Her beautiful brown eyes met his.
“Maybe watching security feed isn’t so bad after all,” he said huskily.
A small smile danced on the lips he ached to kiss again. “It does have its redeeming moments.” She turned to face the computers. “We should probably watch for a little while.”
“I like ‘little while.’ That I can do.”
She laughed. “How are things looking at the dock?”
“Same as always. An empty berth, moving water, and an occasional shadow passing by.” He glanced at her screen. “How about the house?”
“It looks like Cole and Isabelle have set things up in the living room and are settling in.”
Lars frowned. As far as he could tell, there was no one in the living room.
“Any idea where they are now?”
“The kitchen is my guess. There’s no camera in there. Isabelle disappeared a couple of minutes ago, and Cole went after her.”
“He must have run out of popcorn,” Lars said.
“That would make sense if the bowl on the coffee table weren’t full.”
Lars leaned closer and studied the screen. “You’re right. Maybe he realized what he was missing and decided the piece of apple cake he took with him would be a better choice.”
“Perhaps.”
Lars caught the knowing look in her eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing.” She snuggled in closer. “I just hope things stay quiet enough that they can enjoy an evening together too.”
***
A new weapon. A new task. Jeroen stopped between a barren tree and a car parked outside the townhouse that was his next target. He tightened his fingers on the grip of the pistol Sahil had provided for him, a weapon he would use to end a life before the night was over. Maybe more than one life.
A dark thrill whipped through him, nearly overshadowing the fear that had festered since Sahil had given him his orders.
Jeroen didn’t have a choice. He let that thought simmer.
Tonight everything would change. Sahil had trusted him to make things right. He would soon know Jeroen would do whatever was necessary to keep Sahil’s business running smoothly. And if his boss trusted him to kill for him, maybe this was the beginning of better things to come. Maybe Jeroen would be able to move up in the business, take on more responsibility. He could prove he wasn’t going to let Jakub Němek or anyone else get in his boss’s way.
Tonight, he was going to succeed, but first, he needed a plan.
He scanned the front of the building. The townhouse was narrow, and Jeroen guessed that each rental unit took in the entire floor. Worst case, there might be two on each.
Light shone from the first-floor windows. His heartbeat quickened. All he had to do was walk in the front door, traverse one flight of stairs, knock on the door, and pull the trigger. Could it be that simple?
A car approached and parked in the narrow space a few vehicles down from where Jeroen currently stood.
His plan would work, but he didn’t need any witnesses. He walked in the opposite direction to avoid being seen by the man climbing out of his car. He would circle the block and come back. Then he would take care of whoever was meddling in Sahil’s business and retrieve the missing packages. Nice and simple.
***
Isabelle and Cole had moved from the kitchen table to the couch after two hours of staring at screens. Their most recent snack break involved a second bowl of Cole’s microwave popcorn. The scent lingered in the air and brought with it memories of home.
Isabelle reached into the bowl Cole held and popped another piece into her mouth. “This is so good.”
“It was totally worth stopping at three stores to find it.”
“You do realize the smell will announce that we’re in here though, right?”
“We’ll be ready long before any intruders can get to the door.”
Isabelle glanced across the room where the fire escape was located. “Or the back window.”
“There too.” Cole set the popcorn bowl between them.
She checked the computer screen in front of her. “Someone just parked along the street, but it’s too dark to see his face.”
“That’s the third person to either park or leave in the past five minutes. Maybe we should have picked a rental in a quieter part of town.” Cole glanced at her screen and then leaned closer. “What was that?”
Isabelle caught a glimpse of movement on the edge of the front-door view at the same time Cole spoke. A figure came into view, but whoever it was looked away right as his or her face would have become visible.
“He’s watching the girl crossing the street,” Cole said.
Isabelle analyzed the figure a moment longer. Based on his height in comparison to the vehicles parked on the street, she agreed with Cole’s assessment that he was a man. Six foot one, maybe six foot two. A long stride, a man’s overcoat.
“Looks like he’s just passing by,” Isabelle said.
“Maybe.” Cole pushed to a stand and hurried to the window. “Or he’s casing the place.”
“What makes you think that?”
“He’s not walking a dog. He’s alone. He’s a little too interested in the person across the street.” Cole stepped to the side of the window and peered out the curtains. “And see how his hands are in his pockets?”
“Most people walk with their hands in their pockets this time of year,” Isabelle said. “It’s cold outside.”
“It is cold outside,” Cole agreed, “but I don’t like the looks of that guy. Something is off about him.”
Isabelle watched her screen while the man continued down the street. “He’s leaving.”
“Maybe.” Cole moved to the other side of the window so he could continue watching the man as he disappeared from sight.
“Do you think someone will really show up looking for the packages tonight?” Isabelle asked.
“Jan was killed within hours of the delivery,” Cole said. “I have to think whoever is running this smuggling operation will be quick to act this time too.”
Cole’s phone rang, and he answered. “Bridger.” While he listened to whoever was on the other end, he paced across the room to where Isabelle sat. “Really?” He paused. “Okay. Thanks for the update.” Cole hung up the phone. “That was one of the FBI special agents who collected the packages.”
“And?” Isabelle asked.
“One box was full of fentanyl patches.”
“And the other?”
“Cocaine.”
“So whoever is running this is dealing in both illegal drugs and black-market prescription drugs.”
“Looks like it.”
“Should we call and tell Lars and Marit?” Isabelle asked. “They should probably know what we’re really dealing with.”
“Knowing Marit, she’s probably reading our lips.”
Isabelle laughed. “She’s good, but I’m not sure she has that skill mastered.”
“Maybe not, but I wouldn’t put it past her.”
Chapter 30
“Cole’s looking more intense than he did the last time I took a break from watching the waves roll in,” Lars said, angling his head so he could view Marit’s screen more clearly. “What’s going on?”
