Page 12 of Canyon of Deceit
ELEVEN
Within minutes, we were in the air and connected to Wi-Fi. The closeness to Therese sent my emotions into areas that needed to be padlocked. Safe to admit I hadn’t gotten over her, and spending the next few days with her made me want a relationship more than ever.
“What can you tell me about your interview with Nick Peterson?” Therese lowered her tray to prop up her iPad.
I shared the details.
“You believed him?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. Peterson and the security cams can’t ID him, but Sergio warned Peterson to take precautions. The ROC isn’t a team of Boy Scouts.”
“Do you have the clearance to receive updates?”
“Sergio will do his best.”
Therese didn’t frown, but she didn’t smile either. “All I’ve put into my brain about the ROC is they are Russian bad guys, and I haven’t had time to search online. What can you tell me?”
“It’s not just one organization but several who may or may not be from Russia.
Often the members are Eastern European and use the ROC name as a fear factor.
Many launder money in the US for Russians who are apprehensive their government will confiscate their funds, using whatever methods necessary.
Other groups accomplish criminal activities through various businesses.
They are connected but work under a loose structure.
They’re like any other organized crime—they use modern technology and control through internal and external violence around the world. ”
She nodded. “Where does Edik Baranov fit?”
I snorted. “With the Russian government’s charges against him, he made a smart move to get his family out of Dodge. My opinion? If Falin and his ROC boys kill Baranov, the Russians will declare them heroes.”
She tilted her head as though working through all I’d said. “Not sure I trust Rurik.”
I laid my Stetson on my lap. “He says his daughter means everything to him, but what about his loyalty to Russia? We don’t have the full picture, and until we do, we ride this storm out.”
“Incredibly complex. I need to do a better job of keeping up with world affairs other than a daily scan of the headlines.”
“I understand.” Reality nudged me. “One thing keeps picking at me—the ROC got wind of what Rurik overheard from Falin at the dinner party. So why didn’t they take out the whole family and leave the bodies as an example?”
She shivered, her oval face clouded with concern.
We were on the same page in many areas. “Where does the ransom fit? Unless it’s a ploy to keep us in the dark? Which makes me wonder if the real issue is not the money but the ROC wanting him to do something, or they’ll kill his daughter like they did his wife.”
She stared at her phone. “I’m sorry for thinking the worst about Rurik, like I should apologize. He shook most of the time we talked to him today, and you were amazing in your conversation. So much caring about what he’d gone through.”
“He visibly grieved the loss of his wife and missing daughter. That’s why I’m here.”
“Me too. A little girl in trouble needs all I can do to help.”
If an innocent child was involved in a political tug-of-war, no one had better leave me alone with the kidnappers. No matter who was responsible.
“We’re quite the rescue team,” I said. “I’d give my right arm for the names of those kidnappers.”
“Maybe I’ve heard of them. I’ll keep thinking.” She tossed me a weary smile. “You look exhausted. And I’m operating on fumes.”
A look at her drawn features and a few fine lines around her eyes confirmed they’d endured the same grueling type of day. “We’ll get a good night’s sleep and search tomorrow. Leaving at five a.m. stretches my beauty sleep, but I’m looking forward to a Guadalupe Mountain sunrise.”
She massaged her neck muscles. “Part of the road there is free range, so we’ll also need to keep our eyes open for cattle and deer.”
I nodded. “Cattle I can manage from the time I spent working on my uncle’s ranch. Negotiating with potential terrorists is a game of wits, and I thrive on the challenge.”
“Well, a challenge you will get,” she said. “Dog Canyon’s labyrinthine structure disorients many hikers. People can wander around dehydrated, suffer with the warm temps during the day and the freezing temps at night, until they find help or die.”
“Like you, I’ve given all I had to a situation only to find a victim dead,” I said.
She swallowed hard. “Those incidents haunt me for months. Where did you receive your training before becoming a Ranger?”
“Total of ten years with Houston Police Department and the Texas Department of Safety. I was attracted to the Rangers’ versatility, and not once have I regretted my decision. I went from riding broncs and stopping bad guys to negotiating with them.”
“How long have you been with them?” she said.
“Six years in January.”
“You’ve accomplished a lot. I read your personnel report during the time I taught the survival class.”
“Did you think I was hot?” I bit back a chuckle at her look of surprise.
“I examined every Ranger’s background.” She fought to hide a hint of a smile.
“I’ll bet mine was the most impressive.”
She laughed. “Oh, of course. I’d forgotten about your humility and incredible charm.”
“Therese, we need sleep.”