Stuart Woods: Hothouse Orchid

He went back to the kitchen and put the dishes into the dishwasher. As he returned to the living room she came out of the bedroom and retrieved her bag. “I’m off,” she said, giving him a kiss. “I may be late tonight; don’t wait dinner for me.”

“Why late?” he asked.

“It’s part of the operation,” she replied, “and don’t ask, because I can’t tell you about it.” She kissed him again and ran out the door.

Lauren’s estimate of two suitcases did not come anywhere close to what she wanted to take with her, plus she had left two packed boxes she wanted sent ahead of them. Late in the day, Teddy put them into the trunk of the car and drove to the pack-and-ship place on A-1A.

As he walked in he was surprised to see Holly Barker there, sending boxes of her own. “Good afternoon,” he said.

“Oh, hi, Jack,” she replied, signing a check and handing it to the clerk. “I’m just sending some of my Florida stuff back to Virginia. What brings you here?”

“Just sending a few things to some friends,” Teddy replied, setting the boxes so that she couldn’t see the address of the Santa Fe hotel he was sending them to.

“Listen,” Holly said, “I don’t want you to worry about Lauren tonight. She’s a capable person, and she’s going to have a lot of backup. We all know how dangerous Jimmy is.”

“I’m relieved to hear it,” Teddy said, not feeling relieved at all. Lauren had not said the operation was dangerous. “Have a good trip home,” he said.

Holly left and got into her Cayenne, which he had not noticed was parked outside, and drove away.

Teddy sent the boxes and drove home, wondering what the hell Lauren was getting herself into.

Lauren went into the conference room and met with the backup team. She had seen the car before, but the tech guys had photographs, and they wanted to explain everything again. Holly Barker came in and took a seat.

“All right, everybody,” Mike Green said, “this is what we’ve got: two video cameras mounted in the air-conditioning vents on each side of the dashboard, here and here,” he said. “There is a microphone with each one and another mike, on a separate circuit, in the center vent. We have three cameras mounted in the overhead light, one pointed forward, two covering the rear seat, each with a mike. There is another camera and mike in the rear seat light over the parcel shelf.”

He held up a Zippo lighter. “Each of these would fit into the case of this lighter, and the lenses are pinpoint size. They are outstanding in low-light levels, and they can pick up audio as faint as a whisper.”

“Where are the weapons located?” Holly asked.

“One here, under the dashboard,” Green said, “and one under the passenger seat, in spring clips.”

“I’ve seen them and tried extracting them,” Lauren said, “and it’s a good setup. They’re both loaded and cocked, safety on.”

“What kind of weapons?” Holly asked.

“Two Colt Mustang.three-eighties,” Lauren replied. “They’re small, but they’ll be good in close quarters.”

“One thing, Lauren,” Mike Green said. “If he wants to play the radio, turn it down low-off, if you can get away with it.”

“How does all this stuff transmit?” Holly asked.

“Through the car’s onboard antennas; we didn’t have to add anything.”

“He’s got a police radio in his car, right?” Holly asked.

“Yes, but we’re using frequencies reserved for the state police; he can’t get them on his radio or even if he has a scanner.”

Hurd spoke up. “Lauren has already had some contact with Jimmy,” he said.

“Yes, I have,” Lauren said, “and he’s raring to go.”

“What on earth did you tell him?” Holly asked.

“I stopped by the station and flounced around a little, then I sat down in his office and told him that things with Jack and me were not going well, and why didn’t we get together? He suggested dinner, but I said I couldn’t make that, so why didn’t we just hook up around nine and go someplace quiet?”

“I can see why he’s raring to go,” Holly said.

Teddy wandered around the house, worrying about Lauren, then he got into his car and drove to Lauren’s office. It was after seven, and her car was still parked outside. He pulled into a little strip mall across the road and parked. Pretending to be browsing, he went from shop to shop, keeping an eye on her car, then had some dinner in a little café at a table by the window. Just after eight thirty Lauren, wearing her sexy outfit, came out of the building accompanied by Hurd Wallace, Holly Barker and four men.

Lauren got into her car, and the others got into two unmarked cars and a van belonging to a plumbing company, according to the sign on the outside. Teddy left money on the table, went to his car and followed the little procession. Near police headquarters, the two cars and the van stopped in different places, and Lauren drove into the police parking lot.

Teddy parked a half block away and waited.

Lauren took a deep breath to calm herself, then opened the back door of the police station and stepped into the hallway. Light from Jimmy’s office spilled into the hallway.

She walked down the hall, turned and then leaned against the doorjamb, alluringly, she hoped. “Hi, there,” she said.

Jimmy looked up and grinned. He had already changed out of his uniform and was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and khaki trousers. “Hi, you ready?”

“Whenever you are,” she replied.

Jimmy locked his desk, got up and escorted her down the hall to the rear door and opened it for her. “Your car or mine?”

“Mine’s a mess. Anyway, yours has more room, so let’s take that.” To her relief, Jimmy steered her toward his car, opened the door and let her inside.

She sat in the middle of the wide bench seat, so that when he got in they would be close together.

He entered the car and started it. She knew that the cameras would come on when the engine started and remain on for thirty minutes after the engine stopped.

“Where to?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said. “How about Jungle Trail? Nobody goes out there since the murders.”

“Perfect,” Jimmy said. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove away.

Teddy watched them get into the car, watched Lauren slide across the seat toward Jimmy, and he didn’t like it. She was making herself bait. He looked around for the two police cars and the van, but they were nowhere in sight. He started his car and followed Jimmy at a distance.

Holly sat in the passenger seat while a state trooper, Charlie Towns, drove. She watched the blip on the GPS. “Got him on the screen,” she said. “Let’s go, but don’t close on him. Stay out of sight.”

They drove across the bridge, and Jimmy turned north, toward the southern terminus of Jungle Trail. As he did, he put a hand on her thinly clad thigh, and she put her hand on top of his. It was dark out; the moon had not yet risen.

Teddy alternated between watching Jimmy’s taillights and looking for the police cars. Where the hell were they? How were they going to help Lauren if they couldn’t see her?

Jimmy made a left turn off A-1A, and as he did, Lauren saw him take a long look in the rearview mirror. She knew that he wouldn’t see anything and that they would be picked up by the GPS in all three pursuing vehicles, so she felt safe. Nervous but safe.

Teddy watched Jimmy make the left turn. He had an idea of where the lead car was going; he and Lauren had driven Jungle Trail once. He fell back a little, switched off his headlights and, without using his turn signal, followed the lead. He saw no other cars turn behind him. He watched as Jimmy turned right on the trail proper, then he slowed to let him gain more distance before he turned, too.