Final Target

Chapter Five

"Karlstadt won't deal with anyone but you," van der Beck said as soon as Travis picked up the phone. "He wants to see the merchandise."

"You showed him the sample?"

"He says a raindrop does not make an ocean."

"More poetic than I'd expect from Karlstadt."

"He wants you here."

"Tell him I respect his wishes, but it's possible to drown in an ocean and I'm not willing to run the risk until I have an attractive offer."

"And what do you consider attractive?"

"Twenty-five million has a certain ring."

Van der Beck snorted. "You're dreaming, Michael."

"No, they'll pay it. It's cheap for the price. Go for it." He changed the subject. "Have you made contact with anyone who has information about the attack on Vasaro?"

"I'm going to pay a visit to Henri Claron in Lyon. I've heard he may know something. But he's being very quiet, and you know Henri is seldom quiet."

"On the contrary."

"And I've uncovered an interesting fact. Henri's wife, Danielle, grew up in the same village as Jeanne Beaujolis, Cassie Andreas's nanny."

"That is interesting."

"But, as I said, Henri's not being very forthcoming."

"Scared?"

"I've offered a considerable amount of money. It would take something big to scare him away from a payday that substantial. I'll let you know." He hung up.

Dammit. Travis slipped his phone back in his pocket and strode restlessly over to the window. Not exactly the progress for which he'd been hoping. He'd been here over a week and he was still at square one.

Well, square one was better than being in a wooden box six feet under. He was just not accustomed to being cooped up. There were only so many hours he could spend on the computer or reading. The only book he'd found really absorbing was the one by Jessica Riley. It was intriguing to delve into the past and minds of Jessica Riley and her sister, Melissa. It made the glimpses he caught of them on the property even more interesting. He felt as if he'd gotten to know them with an intimacy with which he knew few people. Most people didn't open their minds and their feelings to even their closest friends, but Jessica had written with a clarity that was poignantly touching. Her story of her fight to help her sister through trauma when their parents had burned to death before the child's eyes had no trace of ego, only boundless affection in every word.

Through the rain he could see that the lights in the upstairs bedroom were on again at the big house. That was the third night this week. It seemed Cassie was not doing well. Poor kid.

And poor Jessica Riley. If he could read between the lines of her book, she was probably suffering almost as much as her patient.

None of his business. How many times had he told himself that since he'd arrived at Juniper? From sheer boredom he was being drawn into speculation, and speculation was seldom enough for him. He liked to be in control. If he wasn't careful, he'd be abandoning his nice, safe position as observer and diving in and trying to sort out the situation. It was clear he needed to get back to his own life and forget about Cassie Andreas and the people around her.

Cassie screamed again.

"Baby, no." Jessica rocked her back and forth. "Please. Wake up. You can't go on like-"

Cassie's mouth stretched wide and she screamed. Over and over.

Pulse rapid. Skin clammy.

"Hypodermic?" Teresa asked.

"I gave her a shot during the last episode, and it hardly fazed her. If I give her too much now, it could kill her."

But what would work? she wondered frantically. This fit had been going on for over twenty minutes. It was Cassie's worst attack yet, and she couldn't let the child-

"Take care of her," she told Teresa. She jumped to her feet and ran out of the room, past Cassie's guard and down the hall. She threw open Melissa's door. "Cassie's bad. I don't know what you can do, but if there's a chance to-"

Melissa didn't answer.

Jessica turned on the lamp.

Melissa was lying with her eyes open.

"Mellie?"

Rapid pulse. Clammy skin.

"Shit."

Tears were running down Jessica's cheeks as she ran out of the room. What the hell could she do? Everything was crazy. Nothing made sense. There was no reason for that lovely child to die.

And Melissa. Oh, God, Melissa.

Sweet Jesus, what could she do? There was nothing-

You have to find a way to break the stream. Find a way to enter something new into the mix.

She was running down the stairs and out in the rain.

Break the stream.

Find something new.

She knew where to find a new element. She had known since the night Andreas had forbidden her to have anything to do with Michael Travis.

Screw it. She couldn't stand by and let this horror happen.

She pounded on the door of the gatehouse. "Open the door, dammit."

Travis opened it. "What the hell-"

"Come on." She grabbed his arm. "I need you. Now."

"What's happened?"

"Don't ask questions. Just come." She pulled him out. "I'm Jessica Riley and-"

"I know who you are. What I don't know is what you're doing here."

"I'll explain later. Just come with me."

"I'm coming." He ran beside her up the driveway. "The kid?"

"Yes. I think she could die." Jessica tried to steady her voice. "She's having a nightmare and I can't wake her." They reached the manor and she pulled him inside the foyer. "You've got to help."

"I'm no doctor."

"Don't argue. Just do what I say." She heard the screams as she ran up the staircase. Relief poured through her. If Cassie was screaming, she was still alive.

Larry Fike met her at the top of the steps, his gaze on Travis. "He can't come in, Dr. Riley. I have my orders."

"He is coming in," she said fiercely. "You can search him. You can come into the bedroom and stand beside him. But he's coming in. I need him."

"I have my orders."

"And are you going to explain to the President why you kept me from having the means to save his daughter's life?"

"I have my-" He stopped, his gaze on Cassie's door. "Spread-eagle and put your hands on the wall, Travis."

She watched impatiently as Fike frisked Travis. "Hurry. Please, she's-"

Fike motioned for Travis to go into the bedroom but followed him immediately.

Jessica flew over to the bed. "How is she, Teresa?"

"Maybe a little worse." She looked at Travis. "What's he doing here?"

"I'm asking the same question," Travis said. "What am I doing here?"

"I don't know. I had to do something-"

Another scream.

Travis jumped and then took a step forward. "Can't you stop that? It's got to be bad for her to-"

"If I could stop it, I wouldn't need you." She took a deep breath and tried to think. "She's having a nightmare and I can't jar her out of it. I think it's about Vasaro and she's trying to get away from something. But she can't escape it so the nightmare keeps going on and on. We have to have something to break the pattern."

"Me?"

"You saved her life at Vasaro. You may have to do it again tonight."

"She's that bad?"

"I don't know. The nightmare has to stop."

"You're damn right it does." Travis sat down on the bed. He gathered Cassie's hands in his. He was silent for an instant and then said, "You're safe, Cassie. I'm here. It's over. Remember, we're going to go into the kitchen and wait for your mom and dad."

Cassie screamed.

"You're safe. I'm here. He's gone. They're all gone."

She screamed.

"Listen to me, Cassie." His voice was low, urgent. His gaze fastened on her face. Jessica could almost feel his will grappling with the child's terror. "It's over. You're safe. He's gone."

Cassie's scream broke off.

"No one can hurt you. He can't hurt anyone. You're safe."

Cassie was staring at him.

"He's gone. They're all gone. You're safe."

She drew a deep breath.

Minutes passed. Finally she closed her eyes.

Thank you, God. Jessica stepped forward and took Cassie's pulse. It was steadying.

"Is she okay?"Travis asked.

"For now. She's in a deep sleep."

"Will she have another nightmare?"

"Not likely. She's never had two in one night." She turned to Teresa. "Please keep an eye on her."

"I will." Teresa stared at Travis. "I'd keep him around."

Jessica nodded tiredly. "I'll be back soon." Mellie. She had to check on Mellie. She left the room, hurried down the hall to the blue room.

"Mellie?"

No answer.

She crossed to the bed. Melissa also appeared to be in a deep sleep. She took her pulse. Almost normal.

Melissa's lids slowly opened. "Bad…time. You almost…lost us."

"How do you feel?"

"Like we've been hit…by a truck." She was looking over Jessica's shoulder. "Thank…you."

Jessica turned her head to see Michael Travis standing a few feet away.

"For what?" he said.

"Later…sleepy…" Her lids fluttered closed again. "Thank…"

"Good idea. Go to sleep." Jessica pulled the sheet up around her sister's shoulders. "I'll check on you in a few hours."

"Don't…have…to. We're…fine."

"I'll do it anyway." Jessica motioned for Travis to follow her. "Good night, Mellie."

Melissa didn't answer. She was asleep.

In the hallway Jessica turned to Travis. "Why did you follow me?"

"What else was I to do? Evidently, you had no more use for me with the little girl, and that Secret Service man was staring a hole in me."

"You had no right to barge into my sister's bedroom."

He shrugged. "You left the door open, and when I saw you were taking her pulse, I thought you might need me."

"I didn't need you. Mellie…was just…tired."

"Oh?"

"Thank you, everything's fine now. You can go."

He shook his head. "I'm wet to the skin and I'm not going out in that storm until I dry off and have a cup of hot coffee." He started down the staircase. "If you'll point me to the kitchen? You needn't come with me. I'm used to fending for myself."

She could see that he was. His manner was as casual as if this were his home. But that he was also very wet was true. She'd been so upset, she'd not even noticed. "I'm sorry." She hurried down the stairs. "Are you cold? I guess I should have let you get an umbrella at the gatehouse, but my mind was on other things."

"I don't think you even realized it was raining." He followed her into the kitchen. "And you're as wet as I am. Or didn't you realize that either?"

She hadn't. "I'll get us a couple of towels after I put on the coffee."

"I'll get them. Tell me where they are."

"The armoire in the powder room down the hall to the left."

"Right."

Jessica had put the coffee on and set cups on the table by the time he came back.

"Nice house." He tossed her a big white towel and started drying his hair with the one in his hand. "It's not often you see antique armoires in a powder room. It must be like living in another age."

"Sometimes." She wiped her face and neck before dabbing at her hair. "Particularly when the electricity goes out." She tossed the towel aside. "Do you take cream or sugar?"

Travis shook his head. "Does the power go out often?"

"No, my parents had the place rewired when I was a kid, but it still has its quirky moments." She poured the coffee. "The President said you lived in Europe, so you must be familiar with ancient houses."

"Only in the slums." He sat down and cradled his cup in his hands. "The houses I grew up in usually fell down before they had a chance of becoming historic landmarks. When I became an adult, I usually preferred modern houses with all the conveniences because I was moving fast and hard." His eyes twinkled. "And I didn't have time to fix quirky electricity."

"Who does? It's a choice you make." She sat down across from him. "I want to thank you for helping me with Cassie. I know I must have seemed like a crazy woman when I came pounding on your door."

"It was definitely unexpected."

"But you came with me anyway. I'll always be grateful. I was terrified."

"I could see it." He sipped his coffee. "Tell me about Cassie."

"Everyone in the world knows that she's suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome."

"But everyone doesn't know about those nightmares. Does she talk about them?"

"She doesn't talk, period."

"Then how do you know she's dreaming about Vasaro?"

She glanced down to her cup. "It's logical, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"And you were able to bring her out of it because you were at Vasaro."

"Also very logical. Why did you think she'd react to me?"

"You were a new element. It shook up the structure of the dream. When the President first told me about you, I had an idea you could prove useful."

He smiled mockingly. "I'm glad to have been of service. However, I don't think Andreas would agree I was the right candidate for the job."

"You're the only candidate Cassie will accept. He'd agree to anything to help his daughter."

"Then if you want to use me again, you'd better get on the horn and tell him so. I'd make a bet the Secret Service guys will be reporting in."

"What?"

"Call him and tell him you need me. He can't be any more stubborn than that Secret Service man you were ready to take on to get me into Cassie's room."

She had been so tired and numb, she hadn't thought past this one episode. But evidently Michael Travis had already been considering the next step. "I might not need you."

"Do you want to take that chance?"

No, she didn't. "It might not work a second time."

"And then again, it might."

Her gaze narrowed on his face. "Why are you so willing to help me?"

"Why do you think? My kind, generous spirit?"

"I don't know anything about you except what Andreas told me."

"That should be enough. Though it may be a little unfair, since I've made a study of you since I arrived at Juniper."

"What?"

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm no Peeping Tom. I read your book. It was very revealing."

"Oh."

"I didn't have anything else to do. It's been a very boring week. This is the most exciting thing that's happened to me since I left Amsterdam."

"You sound exhilarated. I'm glad what happened to Cassie furnished you with amusement."

"Amusement? No, but I have to admit that helping the kid did bring me a certain rush. I'm sorry if that offends you, but it's the nature of this particular beast. I can see you believe I should be as profound and selfless as you obviously are, but you won't find that in me. I don't get involved."

"Then why are you offering to help me?"

"I have a passion for disrupting the status quo. It interests me to change what most people think of as set in stone."

"How very…cool."

"You mean cold." He smiled. "I'm not cold, Dr. Riley. And changing the status quo isn't always bad. You had no objection to my doing that with Cassie."

And he hadn't been cold when he'd been talking to Cassie. His passion and forcefulness had jerked Cassie out of that deadly nightmare.

"Many things aren't black or white." He was reading her expression. "I promise I won't hurt your Cassie."

"She's not mine."

"Isn't she?"

He saw too much." I want her well."

"And, unlike me, you do get involved."

"Most people do." Jessica studied him. Strength. Intelligence. A hint of recklessness. What else lay behind that face? "Why do you want to help Cassie? It isn't only boredom."

He chuckled. "You drew me into the situation as a pawn. I forgot to tell you that I also have a passion for control."

She stiffened. "I'm the one in control of Cassie. No one else."

"Cassie's in control of Cassie." His smile faded. "You need me, but you're not going to get me as a pawn."

"You couldn't stand aside and let that little girl die."

"You don't know that. I'm a wild card to you. I could be anything. Do you want to take a chance?"

He knew she couldn't, damn him.

Travis shook his head. "I'm not going to move quickly. We'll start out with me being humbly at your beck and call. I just want an understanding."

She thought about it and then nodded jerkily.

"Good." He finished his coffee and stood up. "Now I'll get back to the gatehouse and you get on the phone to Andreas. Okay?"

"I'll think about it."

"Up to you. It will be harder if he calls you after hearing from the guards here." He waved and moved toward the door. "See you."

She sat there for a long time. She wasn't accustomed to taking orders, and Travis's suggestion had been dangerously close to an order. It seemed he had spoken truthfully when he said he liked control.

He wouldn't get it. She had no intention of yielding one iota of supervision over Cassie's treatment. From the moment he had sat down on Cassie's bed, she had seen a change in him. The challenge had seemed to electrify him, every cell in his body had taken on a force. She might need his determination but not his domination.

But, annoyingly, Travis had been right about calling Andreas. She'd been tempted to ignore his suggestion just because he'd made it, but that would be counterproductive. Call Andreas, get it over with, then sit down and consider how she could use Michael Travis.

It was still raining, but Travis hardly felt the drops as he ran back to the gatehouse. He was still charged with the explosive energy of the battle with Cassie…and Jessica Riley.

Fascinating.

The struggle with Cassie and then the interesting interchange he'd witnessed between Jessica and her sister, Melissa. Pieces of a puzzle were coming to light that he found very interesting.

And dangerous.

Maybe he hadn't gotten his fill of walking on a tightrope after all.