AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rebekah drew in a deep breath and said to Savich, “That’s my daughter-in-law, Celeste. Believe me, we do not need her here. I had a lunch date at her house, just up the block.” She said with a sigh, “Charles is her butler and a very nice man.” She called out, “Celeste, I’m all right. Someone tried to kidnap me, but it’s all over and I’m fine. I don’t suppose I’m up for having lunch with you now, though. I’ll call you later, fill you in. Please, don’t bother Rich. I’ll talk to him myself. And Celeste, give your guests my apologies.”
Celeste stopped in her tracks, still half a block away. She looked uncertain. “If you’re sure, darling. But someone tried to kidnap you? That’s crazy. I mean who would do something like that in this neighborhood? I don’t understand.”
“It’s all right, Celeste. Please go back to your luncheon.”
She wondered for a moment what exactly Celeste would tell everyone. She watched her daughter-in-law slowly turn and retrace her steps, a half dozen people coming from the house to meet her. She sent one last furtive look back at Rebekah. She looked excited. Rebekah couldn’t imagine anyone would be bored at the luncheon now, not with this delicious news. She said to Savich, “Sorry, but what happened will be all over Washington within an hour.”
A Metro cop car pulled up, and two officers, one of whom Savich knew, asked them questions until Ben pulled his new silver Chevy Malibu in behind Savich’s Porsche. Detective Ben Raven ushered both Savich and Rebekah to his car, and they went over everything once again.
Ben Raven said finally, “Seems obvious to me it must have to do with your being Congressman Manvers’s wife. Your husband’s also quite rich, right?”
Rebekah was feeling the aftermath, recognized it for what it was—her adrenaline taking a nosedive. Fatigue rolled over her like a tsunami. She felt scared, too, more than she had during the attack. She was thinking about it now, not only reacting. She knew the man in the hoodie would have injected her with whatever was in the syringe. Probably not to kill her, but they’d have taken her. Where? What would they have done to her? Ransomed her? She didn’t want to talk anymore, didn’t want to think about it. It was too scary. All she wanted to do was curl up into the fetal position and keep Agent Savich very close.
Savich took her shoulders in his hands and shook her. “You’ve made it through this, Rebekah. Everything’s all right now, you’re all right. Back away from all the what-ifs. That’s right, breathe slow and easy. Try to relax.”
Finally, Rebekah was able to dial up a smile for him. She reached up and took his hand, held on tight. “Yes, Rich is wealthy, it’s no secret. Still, why me? This town is filled with wealth. I don’t understand any of this, and that’s the truth.”
Ben tried to press her, but Savich recognized she was at the end of her tether. He didn’t suggest going to the hospital. What she needed was to get away from this place to somewhere she felt safe. What she needed was her husband and her home.
Ben’s cell rang out with the theme from the old Hawaii Five-O. When he punched off, he said, “They found the SUV, parked on Hiller, about ten minutes from here. Forensics will go over it. Now, about the syringe.”
Savich said, “Let me take it to our lab.” He saw Ben was about to protest and added, “The two men attacked a federal employee, and don’t forget attempted kidnapping. Sorry, Ben, that makes it FBI.”
“Yeah, okay. Why don’t you take Mrs. Manvers home? Keep me in the loop, Savich, all right?”
“Thank you, Ben.”
Ben said to Rebekah, “Officer Hill will follow Agent Savich in your car, Mrs. Manvers. I hope I’ll be seeing you again, but just in case.” He handed her his card and walked back to his Malibu.
Savich said, “Mrs. Manvers, please call your husband. He needs to know what happened, and I’d like to speak with him.”
“You already agreed to call me Rebekah.” She managed a smile. “Actually, you can call me anything.”
“I’ll stick with Rebekah. Call your husband now.”
When she punched off, she said, “Joy, his secretary, said she’d get him right away.”
“Good.” Savich had also called to give his regrets to Ambassador Black and Davis. He kept a close eye on Rebekah as he drove her home in Kalorama Heights. He said, “Who knew you were meeting your daughter-in-law at her house for lunch?”
Rebekah turned her head to face him. “Most everyone who was invited, I guess, and my partner, Kit Jarrett, not to mention my husband, his senior aide, Daniel Drake, and most of the people in his family. Not good, I know. It seems everyone knew where I was going to be.” She sighed, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. “I didn’t park at Celeste’s house. I parked a block away because there were so many cars. I guess that decision didn’t work out so well.”
“You’re right, of course. The two men were following you. Your parking on the street gave them their chance, and they took it.”
Surprisingly, she gave him a small grin. “It’s got to be the only time in my married life I wish I’d been parked at my daughter-in-law’s house.” Then, “I think I know who you are. You’re Sarah Elliott’s grandson. I’ve seen your amazing whittled pieces in the Raleigh Gallery in Georgetown. Your grandmother—her painting The Flanders Market Place has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember.”
“Thank you. I have my favorite painting of hers hanging over my fireplace.” Because the insurance company didn’t want him to give away which painting it was, he didn’t say more.
By the time Savich drove into the Manverses’ driveway on Belmont Road NW, she’d told him, somewhat unwillingly, he’d thought, about her visit the previous night to a medium named Zoltan who’d tried to convince her she’d spoken with her dead grandfather. She didn’t give him any details, said only the medium had to be a fake, and shook her head. He wondered if she’d told her husband any more. And why hadn’t she wanted to tell him? Perhaps the medium visit was a coincidence, but he would look into it.
He met with Congressman Manvers, went through what had happened one more time as Rebekah added details, and listened to the congressman’s shock, then his outrage and demands the FBI make this their top priority. Since Manvers was a politician, he was naturally concerned about the media and what would happen if news of Rebekah’s attempted kidnapping got out, as of course it would. It was doubtless the main topic of conversation at Celeste Manvers’s luncheon. “Agent Savich, what would you suggest we do?”
“I’d make a statement immediately, sir, explain what happened, and ask anyone with any information to call the FBI hotline.”
Later that afternoon, Rebekah answered the door to the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. From behind her, Kit whistled. “I don’t care what you’re selling, I want a dozen. Maybe two dozen. Please come in.”
He gave them a gorgeous white-toothed smile. “Actually, I’m not selling anything today. I’m Special Agent Griffin Hammersmith. Agent Savich asked me to come over and keep an eye on you, Mrs. Manvers. And he wants to know if you’ve thought of anything more to help us find whoever’s responsible for what happened to you.”
