by LENA DIAZ,
He searched her eyes, as if undecided.
“Colton, it was a very long time ago. I’m fine. The trunk?”
He frowned at her, and she loved that he was so concerned. But he finally turned back to the trunk. “It’s the only thing in here that’s locked up and I want to know why. I couldn’t find a key anywhere.” He pulled his knife from his boot and went to work on the wood surrounding the lock. It popped off and the top sprang open. “Looks mostly like clothes. And books.”
Silver helped him sort through everything, smiling sadly when she found the algebra book with notes in it that she’d made while helping Eddie pass his final.
“Aha.” Colton held up a small key. “This looks promising. If we can figure out what it goes to.” He ran his hands along the bottom underneath the clothes, then sat back. “I don’t think there’s anything else in here, though. So the key must be what he wanted to keep safe.”
“It kind of looks like a padlock key, or maybe it’s to another trunk,” she said. “I suppose we could ask Mrs. Jones where he might keep more belongings, in case there’s a trunk there.”
He helped her to her feet and soon they were back on solid ground. She’d just turned toward the path that led to the house when he tugged her hand.
“I’m pretty sure there isn’t anything in that house where the key would fit. I searched it pretty thoroughly earlier. But we can check out that path over there.” He pointed off into the trees. “If you’ll notice, it follows the direction where Charlie went, and it appears well-worn, like maybe Eddie went there a lot. I for one would like to know where it goes. And the sun is going down. I’d rather do it while we have daylight left, especially if there’s some evidence out here that Charlie might be in the process of making disappear. I’d hate to come out here tomorrow with Drew and a team and find out we’d just missed a big score that would crack the case wide open. Are you game?”
“You bet I am. Let’s go.”
After a good fifteen-minute walk, the path abruptly ended in a clearing, not all that far from the tree house—maybe about a few hundred yards. And in the middle was a dilapidated-looking wooden shed that was about twenty-by-twenty, with rotting boards. It would have looked abandoned and unused if it weren’t for the shiny metal door affixed to the front, and what was hanging off the metal loop. A padlock.
“Do you see what I see?” Colton asked.
“A place for our key.”
They searched the woods in the immediate vicinity of the shed, but it was all clear, so they headed back to the shed, key in hand.
Silver took out her gun, scanning the clearing while he tried the key.
Click.
“Bingo,” he said. He took the lock off, flipped back the latch and pulled out his pistol. “Wait until I give the all clear.”
She nodded, keeping guard while he went inside. A few seconds later, a low whistle sounded from inside.
“Jackpot,” he said. “You’ll want to see this.”
When she stepped through the doorway, Colton held up his phone, using the flashlight app to show her what he’d found. Nearly every inch of space along the walls was taken up with three-foot-high stacks of something beneath heavy green tarps. And since Colton had flipped back the tarp closest to the door, she didn’t have to guess what was underneath.
Bricks of cocaine. Dozens of them. No, hundreds based on the number of stacks.
“This is worse than anything I ever imagined. If Eddie did anything to make the dealer feel threatened, no wonder he killed him. This is worth millions on the street.”
He flipped off the light on his phone and tried to make a call. “No signal. No surprise.” He shoved the phone into the holder on this waist. “We’re getting out of here. Now.”
They turned around, but suddenly Colton put his hand over her mouth and hauled her back inside. “We’re too late,” he whispered next to her ear. “Listen.”
Voices, two men and a woman, sounded from outside, approaching fast.
He moved his hand and pulled out his knife.
“What are you doing?” she whispered. “We have to get out of the shed.”
“Nowhere to go without them hearing us. Hurry, get under that tarp at the far end.”
“Should I close the door?”
“No. We can’t lock it from inside.” He threw a tarp up near the door, pulled out his knife, and slashed and tore several jagged holes inside the top brick, spilling white powder all over the floor.
He shoved the knife back into his boot and grabbed her hand. “Hurry.”
Shouts sounded from outside in the clearing as she and Colton scrambled over one of the stacks and slid into the tight space next to the wall. He threw the tarp over the top of both of them and they both pulled their guns out, waiting, listening, barely breathing for fear of making any sound.
She wanted to ask him why he’d cut open that brick of cocaine, but she couldn’t for fear of someone hearing. Because the sound of footsteps told her that whoever was outside had just stepped into the shed.
“What the hell?” a man’s voice shouted. “You didn’t lock the door?”
“Of course I locked it,” another man said. “Someone must have busted in.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell you who got in. A rat, or maybe a raccoon. Because you forgot to lock the place. Look at that mess. It tore open one of the bricks.”
“For the last time, I didn’t forget.”
“Tell that to Cato and see what he says.”
Silver drew in a sharp breath. Colton put a hand on her shoulder in warning. She hoped they hadn’t heard her, but she was so surprised to hear them say Cato’s name. So he was involved. But how deep? Could he be the leader they’d been looking for? Somehow she couldn’t picture him as the head of a multimillion-dollar operation.
Footsteps crossed farther into the shed. The sound of vinyl sliding against vinyl came from just a few feet of their hiding place. One of the men had thrown back a tarp. “Everything else looks untouched.”
“Of course it does,” the first man’s voice said, sounding as though he thought the other man was an idiot. “The rodent got high and went off to die somewhere. If a person had done this, he wouldn’t have wasted anything. He’d have made off with our stash.”
Another tarp was flipped up, the air whispering against the one where she and Colton were hiding. She tightened both hands around her gun. Colton’s left hand touched her right wrist, applying gentle, steady pressure, forcing her to lower the gun just a few inches. It was his silent way of letting her know not to panic. She swallowed hard and focused on her breathing, in, out, in, out, all through the mouth. No noise.
“Bring her in here,” the first man ordered.
The man who’d flipped back the tarps covered the stacks again, or at least that was what Silver guessed he was doing based on the vinyl sounds.
Her mind raced, wondering who “her” was. Did they have a hostage?
“Mrs. Jones,” the first man said. “You been in the shed?”
Mrs. Jones? Silver’s hands tightened on her gun again. How could she? Eddie had died, and she’d been a part of this all along.
“No, no, no, sir. I don’t even have a key. Eddie had the key.”
“See?” the man said. “I told you, raccoon. ’Cause Eddie sure ain’t comin’ in here anymore.” He laughed at his own joke.
“That’s a terrible thing to say,” Mrs. Jones said, her voice shaking with fear and anger both. “Why would you kill that boy? We’ve done everything you asked us to do.”
What was she talking about? Had she made some kind of deal?
“I’m not the one who killed him. But I tell you what, I can take you to the boss, let you ask him directly if you want.”
The cruelty in his voice had bile rising in Silver’s throat. Colton’s shoulder brushed against hers, and she could feel the tension in his body. He was just as angry as she was. And there was more to Mrs. Jones’s situation than Silver had guessed. She definitely didn’
t seem to be a willing participant in the drug operation.
“What about my Tony? You said you’d let him go. Where is he?”
“Hold your horses. He’s fine, just like we promised. As long as you ain’t told no one about us?”
“No, no, like I said. We’ve done everything you asked.”
“You did just fine, Mrs. Jones. Now, we’ve heard there might be a couple of cops in town, a man and a woman. You know anything about that?”
There was a pause, then, “Yes, they were at my house. They told me about Eddie. But I didn’t tell them anything. I sent them away.”
“You sure about that? You sure you didn’t tell them anything?” His voice sounded menacing again.
“I swear, as God is my witness. Please, you’re hurting my arm.”
“Well, I’m sorry about that, Mrs. Jones. There, now, all better?”
“I’m fine,” she said. “I always do what you ask. I meet you here every night to check in.”
“And we appreciate that, don’t we, Jack?”
A noncommittal grunt was the only sign that the other man was still there.
“Tell you what,” the obvious leader of the duo said. “You don’t even have to meet us out here tomorrow. We’ll give you a night off, for good behavior. But we’ll still be watching you, to make sure you aren’t talking to anyone that you shouldn’t.”
“I don’t need a night off. I need to see Tony. It’s time to let him and the others go. Like you promised. You were supposed to let them go after the last shipment.”
“We’re running behind schedule. This is the last shipment. We have to wait until the weekend to bring the barge around or we’ll attract attention. Just a few more days and this will all be over.” His voice sounded placating now. “You run on back to the house and keep those cops out of our hair. And just as soon as that barge is loaded, we’ll let Mr. Jones and the others go.”
“You promise?” she said. “You give me your word? You won’t hurt Tony?”
“You have my word, Mrs. Jones. As long as I have yours that you aren’t going to tell anyone.”
“I haven’t told a soul. And I won’t.”
“Good, good. Now run along.”
The sound of her hurrying out of the shed and into the clearing gradually faded.
“What were you talking about?” the second man said. “This is our last shipment?”
He laughed. “Not even close. This place has been a gold mine for us. Not a single lost kilo, until that stupid critter got in here. No, we’re going to be here for a long time to come. We just have to clean up a few messes, and make sure all the leaks are plugged. Starting with Tony. Once that’s all taken care of, and the shipment is on its way, then we’ll have to arrange some kind of accident for Mrs. Jones. And next time you have to go, go in your pants, dude. No leaving your post until it’s time for the next guard. We’ll be lucky if Cato or the boss doesn’t take the price of that ruined kilo out of our take as it is. Now keep an eye on the place. Can you do that?”
They stepped out of the shed arguing and the door slammed shut. The padlock clicked, and the sound of footsteps moved away, but only one set. The man who’d gotten in trouble for leaving the shed was still outside, standing guard.
“We’re trapped,” Silver whispered next to Colton’s ear.
“Not for long. Stay here.”
“But—”
“Wait for me. Don’t come out until I tell you.” He threw back the tarp and climbed over the stack of cocaine bricks they’d hidden behind, then flipped it back over her.
She fisted her hands, hating that he hadn’t given her a chance to even discuss whatever plan he had.
A light shuffling noise sounded near the door, then a scratching sound like claws on wood. Oh, no. Was there a rat in here?
The shuffling and scratching started again, and the door rattled in its frame as though something was pushing against it. Silver shivered with revulsion, thinking about the animal doing that. And where was Colton? What was he doing?
Scratch. Thump.
Cursing sounded from outside. The padlock rattled against the door and then the door flew open.
“All right, you little rodent. Where are you hiding?”
Another loud thump sound. Then a crack. A loud groan. Then nothing.
“You can come out now,” Colton called out.
Silver threw the tarp off and blinked in surprise. A man lay facedown on the dirt, eyes closed.
“Well, I’ll be,” she said. “I guess the rodent’s name was Colton. Pretty slick.”
“We’ll tie him up and leave him in here. Mind pulling his shoelaces out of his shoes? We can tie his hands behind his back with those and save my handcuffs in case we need them later.”
While she did as he’d asked, he used his knife to cut long strips from the man’s shirt and then gagged and bound him so he couldn’t cry out.
When they were done, he was trussed up like a turkey for Thanksgiving, still unconscious on the floor.
Last, Colton took the man’s gun, then waved Silver out of the shed so he could lock it again.
“We don’t have any way of knowing what time another guard will come to relieve him. We need to get out of here.”
They hurried into the cover of trees. Silver stopped when she realized Colton wasn’t following her. He stood staring back at the clearing and the trees surrounding it.
Her stomach dropped with dread. “Is another guard coming already?”
“I don’t think so.” They both kept their voices low so they wouldn’t carry. His intense gaze bored into her. “What did you make out of their conversation with Mrs. Jones? That they’ve got hostages, right? Tony is Mr. Jones. And she mentioned others.”
“You’re thinking we should try to free them, aren’t you? Instead of going for help?”
He shook his head. “No. I’m thinking I should try to free them, and you should go for help.”
She put her hands on her hips. “If you think for one minute that I’m going to leave you to face them alone, you’re seriously deluded. No way. Where you go, I go. I’m your wingman. I’ve got your back.”
His jaw tightened and he strode toward her. If she hadn’t already met him and known how kind and honorable he was, she’d have been intimidated by his deep scowl and flashing blue eyes. As it was, he was still a bit intimidating as he glared down at her.
“I’m all about equal rights and respect for women and not trying to impose false limitations on them,” he said, “but this is one time when I’m going to be a complete chauvinist. You are not going with me.”
“I’m an officer of the law, just like you. We’ve got the same training. I’m armed and a pretty good shot. Why wouldn’t I go with you?”
He backed her up against a tree and tilted her chin up. “I can’t risk something happening to you. And besides, it makes more sense for one of us to go for help. You can head to the interstate, call Drew, have him send the cavalry. Once I locate where they’ve got the hostages, I’ll do some kind of diversion, hold them off until you bring help. It’s a good plan.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s a terrible plan. Two guns are better than one any day. And the idea of a diversion is to have one person create the diversion while the other does whatever needs to be done. It doesn’t make sense for you to try to do both.”
He started to say something else, but she pressed her fingers against his lips, stopping him. “I appreciate that you care about me. Trust me. The feeling is mutual. I don’t want anything to happen to you any more than you want something happening to me. But I’m just as stubborn as you, maybe more so, and there’s no way you’re going to make me abandon you. Standing here arguing about it is just wasting time. If you want to try to save the hostages, then you’ll have to accept my help, or keep looking over your shoulder the whole time. Because that’s where I’ll be, behind you, watching out for you, covering you. We’re partners in this. And that’s what partners do.”
He pulle
d her hand down from his mouth. “You are the most frustrating female I’ve ever met.”
She slid her hands up behind his neck and pressed her body against his. “Shut up and kiss me so we can get on with this.”
His mouth swooped down and covered hers in a wild, almost savage kiss that had her toes curling in her shoes. And then, before she could even catch her breath, he grabbed her hand and tugged her behind him in an all-out run in the same direction where they’d heard the gunman go earlier.
Chapter Fourteen
Their light was fading fast. Silver was amazed that Colton had been able to track the second gunman at all with what little light they’d had. He was obviously an experienced tracker, which opened up all kinds of interesting questions to ask him someday about his past—if she ever got that opportunity. But even Colton didn’t seem to know which way their prey had gone now.
He knelt on the trail they’d been following, pressing his fingers against the soil, feeling for the ridges that would indicate a footprint.
“What about using your flashlight app?” Silver asked. “I can cup my hands around it to try to keep anyone from seeing the light while you get a quick look and try to find more shoe prints.”
He considered it, then shook his head. “Too risky. One flash of light seen by the wrong person and suddenly we’re surrounded.” He stood and brushed off his hands on his jeans. “We’ll have to make an educated guess. We know they went this way. From here, there are only two places where the brush is thin enough and the ground firm enough to make for easy travel—that northeast area up by that big oak, and this more westerly turn near that fallen log.”
“So we split up?”
“No way. We choose one or the other, together, and see where it goes. If, after a few minutes, we can’t pick up the trail again, we’ll backtrack and try the other one.”
“You’re taking this chauvinist thing really far.”
“You knew how I felt before we started out. You ready to turn back and ride for help?”
“If I thought I could get help in time to really help, I would. But you and I both know that by the time we could get someone out here, whatever plans those gunmen had for the hostages could be over. No, our only chance to save them is to work together and keep going forward.”
