“We’re one minute out,” a voice came in through Caspian’s earbud. “Black Dodge Caravan. No signs of mobile surveillance en route from the airport.”
“Good copy,” Caspian replied.
He’d received a similar report twenty minutes earlier when two of Ranger’s men had followed Nelson through the airport after he had landed. They hadn’t seen anyone shadowing him through the baggage claim or the taxi stand. Caspian hadn’t expected any trouble, but appreciated the fact that Ranger was being cautious. She wasn’t taking anything for granted and even had an SSU technician check for electronic surveillance inside the room.
A black Dodge Caravan soon turned into the circular driveway of the hotel and came to a stop in front of the entrance. Caspian smiled as his brother stepped out of the vehicle, a beige duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Nelson glanced up, as if he knew Caspian was watching him.
“He’s here,” he said to Ranger, who was seated at the desk working on her laptop.
Caspian stepped away from the window and crossed the room. He opened the door, leaned against it so that it would remain open, and crossed his arms, his eyes toward the bank of elevators down the carpeted corridor. Moments later, he heard a soft ding, and Nelson stepped into view. He was taller than Caspian by about two inches, and he had dark green eyes and black hair and a bushy, untrimmed beard. He was dressed in jeans, a polo shirt, and worn hiking shoes. He looked tired from the long flight, but when he saw Caspian, his face broke into a grin.
“Jesus,” Nelson said as he got closer. “It’s great to see you, man.”
“You look good,” Caspian said.
“You’re full of it, but thanks,” his brother replied.
The two men embraced without hesitation, and for a few seconds, Caspian didn’t think about the operation, the risks he was about to ask Nelson to take on, or Liesel’s not being there with him.
“Still not shaving, I see,” Caspian said when they finally pulled apart.
“Still pretending that half smirk of yours counts as a real smile,” his brother shot back.
Caspian smiled for real this time, then stepped aside to let Nelson in. “Come on in, I’ll introduce you.”
“Where’s Liesel?” Nelson asked as he stepped through the doorway.
“She’s on a personal trip,” Caspian replied.
Nelson held his gaze a second longer than necessary but didn’t press, for which Caspian was grateful. Nelson gave Ranger a polite nod as he dropped his duffel bag to the floor next to the bed.
“I’m Nelson,” he said, extending his hand.
“Dr. Anderson,” Ranger said, getting to her feet and shaking the man’s hand, “thanks so much for coming.”
“Of course,” Nelson replied. “But I must admit that Caspian didn’t say much on the phone. Just that it was important that we meet, and that there’d be someone else.”
“Right ... well, I’m Samantha Ranger. I work for the US government.”
Nelson eyed her for a beat, then asked, “Any particular part of the government? Or is that question verboten?”
Ranger smiled politely. “I don’t think it’s necessary for me to specify. Can we leave it at that?”
Nelson turned to Caspian. “She’s CIA?”
Caspian shrugged. “Let’s just say she’s someone I trust.”
That seemed to give Nelson pause. “Okay. Fair enough. Mom said something like this might happen.”
That piqued Caspian’s curiosity. “Really? What did she say to you?”
“She said you weren’t exactly clerking speeches at the UN anymore, then added something about you helping her and Dad out of a jam they found themselves in ... with the ATF?”
Caspian chuckled. “Yeah ... that sounds about right,” he said, but didn’t elaborate further.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his brother. He did. But Caspian didn’t think it was his story to tell. In accepting to assist the ATF with one of their investigations, Elizabeth and Richard Anderson had unknowingly placed themselves in the crosshairs of several Mexican drug cartels, as well as a North Korean sleeper cell. In the end, it was Caspian and Liesel, with the help of Samantha Ranger, who had managed to untangle the whole mess.
“Should we sit?” Caspian asked.
