Page 25 of Donovan Blake: Passion

“Donovan? What the hell?” Sam grunted as he answered.

“Alexi Koslov has Phoebe.”

“What did you just say?”

“Alexi Koslov has Phoebe,” Donovan repeated quietly, stepping out of a back exit and marching towards the street. “Get a team here now! I’ll wait while you do that, then give you the details.”

“Hold on.”

As he continued striding forward he tried not to panic, but the icy hand had exploded and the chill was moving through his entire being. Turning the corner he wanted to break into a sprint, but he managed to control the urge.

“Donovan?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a team on its way. Six men. They’ll be in a white SUV with a laundry decal along the side. Tell me exactly what happened.”

“We followed the van and it pulled up outside Koslov’s house around 2 a.m. Then watched the painting being unloaded. We were able to see Koslov’s reaction when the cloth was removed through the minicam I’d embedded in the frame. We left and walked around the corner to the Bridgerton Hotel. We were finishing breakfast, and Phoebe stepped away to visit the ladies room. When I walked out to meet her she was nowhere to be found. I texted her, and Koslov texted me back. He told me she was with him and he wanted to speak with me.”

“Don’t panic.”

“I think I’m past that point,” Donovan said brusquely. “The panic took hold a couple of minutes ago, but I’ve got it under control. He must have seen us when we left the car and walked away. This is my fault. I parked too close to his front door, but it was the only space. I still can’t believe I—fuck. That parking space was a set up.”

“I agree,” Sam said solemnly.

“That means those two assholes in the van knew they were being followed. But that’s impossible. We were never close. We just used the tracker. That’s it! The tracker! They knew it was there! Alexi told them to leave it!”

“That’s just what I was about to say,” Sam continued. “I bet he found out you’d become involved, and he made that parking spot available just for you and Phoebe. He planned to take her if anything went wrong with the delivery, and that’s exactly what he’s done. You’re about to be given an ultimatum.”

“The portrait for her life.”

“And your word he won’t be touched when he leaves the country with it. In fact, I bet you won’t know where she is until he’s on his way with the portrait in his possession.”

“Or he may have sold it, but it doesn’t matter. The point is, we are where we are. I’m nearing his house,” Donovan mumbled. “I swear to God, if he’s touched her—”

“Take a breath. He’s not that guy. In that respect we’re lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do, and yeah, I get that. But, Sam—I’m getting an idea.”

“Of course you are. That’s what you do, and you do it better than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Hang on, I see the white SUV with the laundry logo.”

“If you’re not out in thirty-minutes I’ll send them in.”

“You don’t have to guess,” Donovan declared as he approached his car. “Call 783-99-021. You’ll be prompted for a password, it’s Spy3 . That will give you access to the camera in the frame. You can watch my meeting with Koslov play out.”

“Excellent. Donovan, stay cool.”

“That won’t be a problem, my entire body feels like ice. This is my idea…how we can satisfy him. Are you ready?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

When Donovan approached the gate there was a buzz and a click. As he walked up to the front door it opened before he knocked, and he was greeted by a slim, expressionless, pale-skinned man. Donovan knew the type. He’d trained with them. They didn’t have bulging muscles, but they were shockingly strong and frighteningly lethal.

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