Captive Heart by Mina Carter, J.William Mitchell Page A

Energy Summit next week, and if she had, it would have been the beginning of the end for the traditional energy companies.”
    She picked up her coffee cup but seemed to think twice about it and set it down, hard, as her lips curled into a rueful smile.
    “That’s why they had Marie killed, and that’s why they had you kidnap me and then have the both of us killed out here in the middle of nowhere. To the world, Caroline Gavilan is already dead, and Icarus dies a silent death.”
    She snatched the toast from her plate and instead of nibbling, took a big bite from it. “Though, if I were to pick a suspect? The best guess would be Blackwell Industries. Not only do they have tech development like GTC, but they are much larger than we are. They have agricultural, mining, and transportation interests, but their biggest investment is their energy empire. Plus, George Blackwell hates my guts.”
    Day thought about that for a moment. “Why Blackwell? It sounds like he’s got a grudge but what else makes him your prime suspect?”
    “They’ve just signed a deal with the European Union to outsource management of their nuclear plants to them, and it’s a deal worth billions. He’s got another deal going with Washington to do the same thing for even bigger money. They’ve already given up quite a bit of their other investments just for this project, and rumor has it that they’re already having some financial issues. Imagine what would happen if I suddenly came along with my little reactor?”
    “He’d do anything to stop you.” Day put his cutlery down, his expression grim. “This is serious, Rollie. If he’s got that kind of money, he can just keep paying people to come after you. What do you want to do?”
    “There’s only one thing to do. We have to get this tech out in the open, but it can’t be just any smalltime press conference. Nothing would be achieved. Blackwell has a lot of hold in the media.
    “We’re going to have to go to Seattle and attend the summit.”
    Day nodded. Once that was public domain, the cat was out of the bag, and they’d have no reason to come after Rollie. He gave up the idea of walking away. There was no way he could leave her to face this alone. She could shoot, yeah, but if not for him, she’d be a corpse in a mountain cabin right now. “Then we’re going to need backup and some serious firepower.”
    Rollie smiled. “Can’t do backup. Considering you managed to kidnap me so easily—not that I question your skills or anything—I don’t trust my people right now. But firepower? That I can help with.”
    Day nodded. “Backup I can do.” His voice was quiet and even he could hear the resignation in it. People owed him favors, yes, but for this kind of backup he needed the help of one man. And Hayden Edge was not a man who owed anyone. If anything, Day would end up owing Edge, and knowing the hard-nosed ex-commando as he did, it would mean a job and all the sorts of things Day had been trying to avoid. A regular job, a house, friends. Normal things a guy like him had no right to.
    If Rollie was alarmed at the subtle change in his demeanor, she didn’t show it. “You got a plan?” she asked. “I’m all ears.”
    Day’s lips compressed. “Yeah, I got a plan. I need to make a call, but yeah, I got a plan.” A plan that’s going to cost me my soul, but a plan nonetheless . He pushed away from the table and stood. “Come on. We need to find a phone.”
    ***
    “Department of Energy. How may I direct your call?” asked the voice from the other end.
    “Experimental Research Division, please. Doctor Chuck Harper,” said Rollie. Music quickly replaced the voice as she was put on hold. Rollie sighed and watched Day out of the corner of her eye. He’d made a brief and terse call before handing the phone over to her. One she could only assume was with a man that Day didn’t feel comfortable with but had no other choice but to call. But Day was right; they couldn’t afford