“In case? In case of what?” Alexander shot back.
“Everything and anything,” Moretti answered calmly, as if this were just another day in the office for him. Then he spun on his heels and headed back into the dining area.
Alexander opened his mouth, his temper rising. Olivia caught his eye and gave him a look of warning. Reluctantly, he bit back his remark, not wanting his ego to stand in the way of getting his daughter back. True, he had advanced training in battlefield tactics, taking the enemy by surprise, hand-to-hand combat, freeing himself from a wide variety of restraints, hot-wiring a car, and high-altitude parachuting, just to name a few. But he wasn’t an expert in civilian kidnapping cases, not like Agent Moretti claimed to be. As much as it pained him, Alexander had to allow him some slack, on a very short leash, to run the investigation.
Olivia grabbed his hand and followed Moretti toward a team of agents assembled around the large dining room table, frantically typing on laptops.
“What are they doing?” Alexander asked, peering over the agents’ shoulders at the computer screens.
“Looking at satellite images of the ice rink,” Moretti answered. “This is a tough situation because the rink is open right now, but he’s specifically demanded there be no police presence. This is certainly a safety risk to everyone there, but if we were to evacuate, he may grow suspicious and leave. We’re not even sure exactly where he’ll be anyway.”
“Yes, we are,” Olivia piped up, glancing over her shoulder. She had her back to everyone as Agent Long taped a wire to her chest.
Alexander hated everything about this. He had seen his wife in many different situations in the past, but never would he have imagined he’d be watching an FBI agent tape a wire onto her body.
“He’ll be at the crane machine.”
“And where exactly is that located in the skating rink?” Agent Moretti asked, everyone’s eyes on Olivia.
“In the snack bar.”
“Is it visible from outside the building?” he pushed.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I never really thought about it, but…” She trailed off, looking into the distance. “It could be, at the right angle.” She closed her eyes and raised her hands in front of her, as if imagining she were at the rink, not in her living room swarming with FBI agents. “You walk into the building. To the left is the skate rental booth. Just past that are all the restrooms and locker rooms. To the right is the snack bar. The crane machine is pretty much right at the entrance to the snack bar. Then there’s a bunch of tables in front of the counter.” She opened her eyes. “It’s possible it could be visible from outside.”
“That’s not good enough for me, not when there are civilian lives on the line,” Moretti stated. “I’m going to send some undercover agents inside.”
“But he said—” Olivia began.
“We’ll make it look like they’re on a date or something,” he assured her. “They’ll be roaming the area, looking for anything suspicious. Under no circumstances are you to look to either of them for guidance. Don’t even make eye contact with them. The second you pull into that parking lot, he’ll most likely be watching you to make sure you’ve followed his instructions. Don’t give him any reason to think you haven’t. He’ll pick up on it. The best thing we can do is give him a false sense that he got away with the cash, then bring him down. And believe me, we will bring this guy down, but we need to do so with your daughter’s safety in mind. Now, unless you have any more questions or concerns, it’s imperative that we all get in position before the drop.” He turned to Alexander. “We’ll give you two a moment alone.”
He removed his holster in an attempt to look less like an FBI agent and more like a regular civilian. Pulling a thick ski jacket over his button-down shirt, he kicked off his loafers, put on a pair of work boots, then walked toward the front door.
“Okay. You’re good to go,” Agent Long said, stepping back from Olivia, allowing her to button her blouse. “Agent Moretti will be able to hear everything that is said, but won’t be able to respond. We find people in your shoes are less likely to act in a way they shouldn’t if they don’t have someone else’s voice in their ear. It’s all right if you look nervous, he’ll expect that, but remember what Agent Moretti said. Under no circumstances should you look around for any of the other agents or your husband. They’ll be there keeping an eye on everything, making sure no civilian is harmed, but you can’t let on they’re there. Okay?”
Olivia closed her eyes and inhaled a long, steadying breath, then nodded. “Got it.”
“Good luck. I’ll see you when you get back.” She smiled, then headed toward the kitchen where Alexander’s mother was still cooking. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to leave that room until Melanie was home. She had already sent Martin out at least once to get her more supplies.
Once the FBI had cleared the room, Alexander turned to Olivia, a jittery feeling in his limbs. “Ready?”
“Would you think less of me if I said no?” She tilted her head back and met his eyes.
Exhaling, he pulled her against his body and wrapped her in a strong embrace. He breathed her in. Her eyes. Her smile. Her trust. Her loyalty. Her stubbornness. Her love. She rested her head on his chest, placing her hand right beside his heart.
“Thump-thump.” She tapped out the rhythm with the words. “Thump-thump.”
“What are you doing?” Alexander asked. He was more than aware Agent Moretti could hear everything they said through Olivia’s wire, but he didn’t care. He needed this time with her. He would regret it if he treated this as just another op.
“Memorizing your heartbeat,” she murmured. “That way, I can take a piece of your heart with me in case…”
“Hey.” He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen to you, Olivia. We’ve been through a lot together.”
Biting her lower lip, she nodded, her eyes remaining locked with his.
“And we made it through it all. You and me…” He clutched her cheeks and drank her in, imprinting every dip and curve to memory. The feel of her smooth skin. The heat of her body. The fire in her eyes. “We’re survivors, Olivia. Even when the odds were stacked against us, even through all the bumps and hiccups along the way… And that’s all this is. Just another bump in the road. We’ll get through this one, just like we’ve gotten through everything else. Together.”
Leaning down, he lowered his lips to hers and left her with an unhurried kiss. It was soft, simple, delicate. There was no moaning, tugging, or groping. There didn’t need to be. There were “I want you” kisses and “I love you” kisses. Then there were kisses they’d always remember. This was one of those. A kiss that said everything they may never again have the chance to say to each other.