Blood Line (A Tom Rollins Thriller Book 1) by Paul Heatley (book recommendations based on other books .txt) 📗

Tom makes her sit down. He ties her to the chair with electrical cord. “I’m grateful for the information you’ve given me,” he says while he works, “and I believe everything you’ve told me. I believe you’re not overly fond of Harry or how he lives his life. I believe you, Beth, but I can’t take a risk that you’re not lying to me, that you won’t try to warn them I’m coming.”

“I won’t tell them anything, I promise you, I swear it,” Beth says.

“I’m sure you do,” Tom says. “But that’s not good enough.”

“What are you going to do to them?”

“You already know what I’m going to do to them, Beth,” he says. “You already know what I’ve been doing. You shouldn’t worry too much, you should feel hopeful, because if you truly dislike being around Harry as much as you say you do, you won’t have to suffer that life for much longer.”

He finishes tying her up, checks the binds. They’re tight enough she can’t escape, not so tight they’re going to cut off her circulation. “I’m going to have to leave you like this,” he says. “But I’ll be back. Once I’m done.”

“What if they kill you?” Beth says.

“You’d best hope they don’t.” He puts a gag in her mouth to stop her from screaming, then gives her a reassuring wink. “Housekeeping comes round every morning, don’t they? Relax. One way or another, you won’t be here longer than a day.” He leaves the room, locks the door, pockets the key. With Beth’s directions in mind, he goes to his car, sets off.

55

It’s late evening when Senator Seth Goldberg gets back to Dallas. He’s been in Washington all week, pushing through his bill. Taking calls, meetings, answering questions, enduring verbal assaults. He’s tired.

The girls are already in bed by the time he gets home, but Abigail is waiting by the door as he steps through it. She embraces him, holds him tight. “How was it?” she says, the side of her face against his chest.

Seth sighs. “Rough,” he says.

“Mm, I saw some of the news reports,” Abigail says. “I thought you did well. You handled yourself. You didn’t let anyone shoot you down.”

They break the hug, move through to the sitting room. “Thanks,” Seth says. “I feel like we’re getting somewhere. We’re moving forward. I guess the more they push back, the more they’re scared of us, right? They’re scared of what we’re doing, all that we’ve accomplished, and how close we’re getting to finishing the job.”

Abigail nods along.

“How was your week?” Seth says. “How are the girls?”

“We’re … we’re fine,” Abigail says. “It’s been fine.”

Seth knows she’s keeping information from him. No doubt they’ve had a tough time, too. He doesn’t press it, though. If Abigail wants to share details with him, then she will do so. He reaches out, strokes her cheek, squeezes her shoulder. “It’ll get better,” he says. “I promise. It won’t be like this forever.”

She takes his hand, kisses his knuckles. “I know,” she says. “I know. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?”

“I’m starving,” Seth says. “But what I really want is a shower. Then we’ll eat. Then we’ll sleep. In that order. I know it’s still pretty early, but I’m exhausted.”

“Are we going to synagogue in the morning?” Abigail says.

“Of course,” Seth says. He takes a deep breath. “It’ll be good for us. We need it.”

56

Tom has found the cabin. He’s in the woods, dirt smeared across his face to hide him amongst the underbrush. It was light when he got here. It’s getting dark now. He’s been watching through his binoculars. He’s seen Harry and Michael and Linda. They stay indoors. There are other members of the group here, too. Only four of them. Tom wonders if this is all they have left.

A phone buzzes in the bag next to him. It’s the one he gave the number for to Ben. Tom answers. “I can’t talk,” Tom says. He edges back, away from the tree line, deeper into the woods.

“I need you in Dallas,” Ben says. “I know what’s planned. I know what’s going to happen.”

“From the laptop?”

“Yes.”

Tom watches the cabin through the branches. It’s lit inside, but the lighting is dim, almost like it’s with candles. The four men guarding it outside are heavily armed. “When?” he says.

“Tomorrow. Early. But I need you here now.”

“I’m wrapping up in Harrow. I have them right where I want them. I’m going to take this chance.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Do you understand how big this is?”

“No, I don’t, because you haven’t told me yet. Are you going to do that over the phone?”

Ben sighs hard down the line. “I need you here. You’re the only one I can trust.”

“And I’ll be there.”

Ben is silent. He knows Tom won’t be swayed. He has a mission he needs to carry out, a task that needs to be accomplished. He won’t be deterred, no matter what. “Fast,” he says. “As soon as possible. I need to brief you.”

“Sure,” Tom says, still watching the cabin. “How bad is it?”

“It’s really fucking bad,” Ben says. “The rumors I heard about it, comparing it to Oklahoma City, they’re gonna be true. It’s gonna be worse than that.”

“Shit.”

“Shit, yeah, exactly.”

“I won’t be long,” Tom says.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Tom hangs up the phone, puts it back into the bag. This accelerates his plans somewhat. He’d planned on waiting at the cabin longer, making sure all the people present are the only ones going to be here. Making sure they haven’t set a trap for him. Ben’s call cuts down on his time. He won’t be able to watch for as long as he would have liked.

Tom crawls forward again, back to the edge of the forest. It’s too dark for the binoculars now. His eyes have adjusted. He watches. Just a little longer, then he makes his move.

57

Michael knows there’s a chance that Steve told