Chapter 3
Eve’s gaze flew back to Catherine’s face. “What?”
“Luke. That picture was taken on his second birthday. He was taken from me a week later.”
“Taken? By whom?”
“Sergei Rakovac. Major criminal who was involved with the Russian mafia and manipulating various politicians in Moscow. My husband, Terry, and I were sent in to break up his organization. He was interfering with the current American administration’s attempt at peacekeeping over the Republic of Georgia’s conflict with Russia.”
“What conflict? If there was a conflict, it sure didn’t get much press.”
“Enough. There was a particularly nasty conflict in 2008 between the Republic of Georgia and Russia that killed over a thousand people, but the ethnic infighting has been going on for decades. It involved South Ossetia, a territory belonging to the Republic of Georgia. South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia, and Russia supported them.” She made a face. “While trying to gently pull them under Russian domination. It would probably have been the first move toward annexing Georgia itself. At any rate, the tempers have been flaring on both sides ever since, and it’s still a hot spot. When Russia weighed in on the side of the Ossetians and sent in a ‘peacekeeping’ force is when it became a bloodbath. Guerilla fighting, massacres. Even after the supposed truce, there was spotty guerilla warfare on both sides. The attacks are still going on today. The hatred never stops.”
“And Rakovac was involved?”
“Very much involved. But his involvement started much earlier than the outbursts that occurred later with Russia. As I said, there was hatred and fighting for decades. Rakovac actually was born in the Republic of Georgia and fought with them as a teenager in a guerilla group against the Ossetians. But after he went to Moscow he was supplying arms to both sides and when Russia joined in the conflict he was causing the situation to escalate even more. Our orders were to take him down.” Her lips tightened. “We did it. It took over a year of bribery and undermining of his contacts, but Rakovac was on his way out. He was furious. He dug and dug until he found out who had been behind all his problems. He got our names and he wanted revenge.”
Eve felt sick as she looked down at the photograph of the child. So beautiful. So innocent. “Your Luke?”
“I found out I was pregnant just before we left Russia. I left the Company and settled in Boston. Terry still worked for the CIA, but I thought I could have a normal life. But Rakovac was just biding his time. He worked and schemed and gained back all the power we’d taken from him. Then he was ready to go after us.” She moistened her lips. “One night, I put Luke to bed and went to my room. I received a call in the middle of the night. Rakovac. He had Terry. He shot him to death while I was on the phone. Then he told me to go to my son’s room.”
“And he was gone?”
Catherine Ling nodded jerkily. “I went crazy. Rakovac called back and said the minute I involved the police, he’d kill my son…slowly.” She closed her eyes. “And I knew he’d do it. I’d studied him. I knew what a sadistic bastard he could be.” Her eyes opened, and they were glittering with tears. “I felt so damn helpless. I called Venable and told him he had to help me get my son back. He was very sympathetic but cautious. Very cautious. It seems there had been a wind change in Moscow-Washington relations. Rakovac had made himself invaluable to the CIA and the White House. Washington didn’t want any change in the status quo.”
“Even at the expense of a child’s life?”
Her lips twisted. “You don’t understand it either. You’re a mother. Nothing is as important as keeping a son or daughter alive. I suppose I should have realized that it could happen. I know how things work. But I couldn’t connect any of that knowledge with Luke.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Not with my son.”
“So what did you do?”
“I started after Rakovac on my own. Until I got another phone call. Luke was crying so I knew that he was still alive. I recognized his voice. Rakovac said that the CIA would cause him too much trouble if he killed him, but he wasn’t going to give him up. He wanted me to suffer. I was never going to see him again, and he’d remain alive if I didn’t make waves.” Her voice broke. “But he was crying, and I couldn’t do anything about it. He was
“Dear God.”
“Venable said he’d do everything possible, but it would be safer for Luke if I didn’t disturb Rakovac until he could manage to negotiate a release.” Her voice hoarsened. “Disturb? I wanted to kill him. My baby…”
“And they haven’t negotiated a release yet? How long has it been?”
“Nine years,” she said dully. “It’s been nine years.”
Eve’s eyes widened. “How could that be?”
“Rakovac made sure that he was invaluable enough to keep Venable and the CIA at bay. He kept stalling and offering one more favor if they’d forget about Luke’s release for a little while longer. It stretched on and on.”
“Couldn’t you go in and find him yourself?”
“I tried. I went to Russia at every opportunity and tried to locate him. But Rakovac had hidden him away somewhere, and I couldn’t locate him. He’d been planning Luke’s kidnapping since Terry and I had left Russia.” She shook her head. “And I couldn’t let Rakovac know I was on his own turf searching. He’d warned me that he’d kill Luke if I came after him.” She added bitterly, “And I was making Venable nervous. He had me assigned to the other side of the world, lately in the jungles of Colombia. After that, I was only able to break free every now and then and go back to Moscow.”
“I would have told Venable and his buddies to go to hell. I don’t see how you could keep on working with them.”
“He was my only connection. He might have been the one element that was keeping Luke alive. Rakovac was hesitating to take that final step that might cause the CIA and Washington to have to contend with a public-opinion issue. Just having Venable making occasional inquires about Luke was a reminder that his position wasn’t totally invulnerable.” She took a shaky breath. “But things may be changing. I’ve been noticing that there seems to be a shifting…I can’t put my finger on it. Rakovac’s power may be increasing. It’s scaring me.”
Eve could see that fear. It was reflected in the woman’s face and the slight trembling of her lips. She sensed it as a living force. Who could blame her? How would she have felt if she had gone through those years of searching, never knowing if her Bonnie was alive or dead? But at least there had been hope for Catherine Ling. From the beginning, Eve had known in her heart that Bonnie had been killed.
“You’re thinking about your daughter.” Catherine was studying her face. “You’re making comparisons. I made comparisons, too. That’s why I’m here.”
“Bonnie’s death has nothing to do with your son’s kidnapping. I’m sorry for you, but I can’t help you. Talk to Venable.”
“You
Desperation, pain, hope. Eve knew the emotions that were motivating Catherine all too well, and her heart ached for her. “I’ve listened to you.” She turned. “And I want you off my porch. Come into the house, and I’ll give you a cup of coffee. Then we’ll discuss how we can get Venable to help you. I know several qualified professionals at Langley who can do the job.”
Catherine stared at her a moment, then rose to her feet in one graceful, fluid movement. “Coffee would be good.”
But she wasn’t committing to any of Eve’s other suggestions, Eve noticed ruefully as she preceded Catherine into the kitchen. She probably should have closed the door and not invited the woman back into the cottage. But that wasn’t an option, not since she had seen that photo of Luke. She would just have to use persuasion and firmness to ease Catherine Ling out of her life.
“You’re letting me get one foot back in the door. It’s not going to be easy to get rid of me,” Catherine said quietly. “If I were you, I’d have slammed the door and barricaded myself in the house.”
“You’re not me.” Eve pressed the button on the coffeemaker and watched the liquid pour into the cup. “And I don’t need to barricade myself against you. I’m not afraid of you, Catherine Ling. Cream?”
“No. Black. And call me Catherine.” She took the cup Eve handed her. “No, I can see you’re not afraid. You weren’t even afraid when you first saw me and didn’t know whether or not I was a threat.” She sipped the coffee.
