SECRETS: Passion, Deceit, And Revenge (Beauty 0f Life Book 8)

by Laura Acton

  A laugh escaped Lexa. “Oh, Broderick. Sometimes you … you …”

  Dan halted his action and swept Lexa into his arms, lowering his lips to hers as he murmured, “On second thought, who needs a bed. Here is perfect too. I missed you.”

  Lexa gave herself over to passion as Dan’s kissing stirred their ever-present embers into an inferno.

  Feelin’ Great

  62

  March 15

  TRF HQ – Men’s Locker Room – 4:50 a.m.

  Racing into the locker area, Loki did a quick scan and grinned. Fantastic, he isn’t here yet. Traffic had been detoured because of a busted water main flooding the street. He planned to arrive early and be in position, but the alternate route took longer than his normal one.

  Loki rubbed his hands together evilly. This is gonna be so funny. He came back in last night after everyone left to set up his prank. Loki set his gym bag down, untied one shoe, and waited, wanting to appear like he just arrived when his target came in.

  Bram entered and smiled at Loki. “Morning.”

  “Morning, Bram.” Darn, not him. Loki continued to wait.

  Bram eyed Loki’s odd behavior. “What are you doing?”

  When the door opened, Bram spied Loki lifting his right foot as if he was taking off his shoe. Strange. He watched Loki put his foot down when Boss and Jon ambled into the room, and they all exchanged greetings.

  Bram observed Loki do the same thing when the portal opened again. The shoe went up then down when Ray appeared. Bram turned to the techie. “What gives, Loki?”

  Loki peered at Ray, Boss, Jon, and Bram with an increasing grin. “We never hazed Dan appropriately as a rookie. I’m righting a wrong today.”

  Jon eyeballed Loki. “What did you do?”

  “You’ll see.”

  The four men began dressing for workout as Loki resumed his position. He became almost giddy when the entrance to the room opened a fourth time, and Dan strolled in heading for their aisle and set his go bag on the bench before unzipping his jacket. “Morning.”

  Everyone responded. “Morning,” then covertly viewed Dan, waiting to find out what prank Loki had pulled today.

  Dan reached for his locker, but at the last minute turned to Jon. “Hey, Jon.”

  “Yeah?” Jon halted after pulling on his t-shirt.

  “Did Kent ask you if it was alright if he comes over to my place tomorrow to watch the game?” Dan asked. The teen might be suspended from school for fighting, but not a single one of the team, nor Jen believed Kent should have received the punishment for defending himself. Kent ended up with a shiner, but the other boys also had a few bruises in the two on one fight.

  Jon nodded. “He did. I told him I would drive him over before Jen and I take Joey to the movies.”

  “Excellent.” Dan turned back to the locker and put a hand on the handle. Removing his hand, he pivoted to face Ray and Loki. “You guys want to come over too?”

  Ray tied his cross-trainers. “Would like to, but I promised to help Maurita with apartment hunting.”

  “Sure, I’ll bring some snacks. Sounds like fun.” Loki became restless. Why won’t Dan open the darned locker already?

  Dan held in his smile as he gripped his handle and started to lift. He stopped and almost snickered as he swiveled his head to Nick. “Boss, would you like to join us too?”

  Beyond frustrated, Loki threw up his hands behind Dan as if to gesture ‘come on already.’

  Nick smiled, glad to note no diminishing physical appearances in Dan since Lexa’s return. Whatever Lexa said to him, apparently stopped Dan’s nocturnal activities. “I would enjoy that, I’ll provide the sodas.”

  “Cool. I’m ordering pizza.” He turned back to the locker. Hand on the door he was about to open when Lexa knocked on the men’s door and called out. “Decent?”

  Jon called back. “Yeah, we are all decent.”

  After Lexa ambled in, she set about enacting their ploy for tonight since finding a decent parking spot close by her home had been difficult for Dan the past four nights. Her solution would be to offer him a lift due to approaching inclement weather. “Noticed your bicycle out front. The forecast is calling for snow this afternoon. You want a ride home if it starts?”

  “Why did you ride your bike with bad weather coming? We don’t want a repeat of bronchitis,” Jon warned.

  “Feelin’ great and enjoy riding.” Dan flashed Jon a brilliant smile before answering Lexa. “Sure. Thanks. I hate being covered in fluffy white stuff.”

  The team stared in disbelief at Dan’s proclamation. A rare day indeed based on his emotional ranking vocabulary of fine, okay, good, and great.

  Well, you’re gonna be doused in white in only a few moments. Loki snickered, turning to put his bag away. Loki lifted the latch and swung his door open. POP! “Aaaargh!” Loki exclaimed. He rotated to face everyone. His raven hair now white as snow as riotous laughter filled the room. His expression incredulous, Loki wiped the flour from his eyes.

  Dan opened his locker, and nothing happened. More laughter emitted as Loki’s eyes widened with bewilderment.

  “How?” Loki finally sputtered at Dan.

  Assuming an innocent mien, Dan replied, “How what?”

  “How’d you do it?” Loki demanded impressed his prank ended up getting him instead of Dan.

  “Do what?” Dan used his blank mask to hide his culpability.

  “This!” Loki shook off flour making a mess on the floor.

  Nick laughed. “Loki, you’ll be cleaning up your mess before workout.”

  “Wasn’t me,” Dan’s mask slipped a bit as he fought not to burst out laughing. The real answer is ‘was not ONLY me.’ I didn’t come up with the idea nor set the mechanism so I can plead innocent bystander.

  “Don’t be too late for workout, Baldovino.” Jon smirked, wondering how their sniper turned the tables on Loki.

  Loki eyed each one trying to decide who moved his flour bomb and how they did so without it going off. Unable to tell who by looking, Loki grumbled, “Alright if it isn’t Dan, which one of you did this?”

  Everyone shrugged. Loki realized no one would confess as Lexa exited still chuckling at him. As the guys finished changing, Loki declared, “I’m gonna figure this riddle out. When I do, I’ll seek revenge.”

  All the guys laughed as Ray said quietly to Loki, “So much for your attempt to haze Dan. Perhaps Dan’s Special Forces mojo is working. You know like how you cannot sneak up on him, and he heard the Who.”

  Loki harrumphed.

  Dan smiled as he overheard Ray’s comment. Nope, only a forgotten wallet.

  TRF HQ – Gym – 9:00 a.m.

  After a grueling workout followed by a productive hand-to-hand combat training session, the team started for the showers to clean up and prepare for the day. Dan stayed back, offering to put the rubber knives and guns away.

  Trevor strolled in with Echo Team as they returned from patrolling. He spotted Dan and went to him. “How’d the little thing go?”

  Dan grinned. “Perfect. Thanks for helping.”

  “My pleasure. Did Loki have as much trouble getting all the flour out of his hair as you did last night?” Trevor let out a light chuckle.

  “More. Flour shows more in black hair. He is still grumbling about who pranked him,” Dan shared.

  “Wish I could’ve been here to witness. If you hadn’t come back to retrieve your wallet, you would’ve been this morning’s entertainment.”

  “I can’t believe I left without it, but I’m glad I did. Loki’s face when flour exploded on him … priceless. I even teased him by almost opening my locker several times. Pranks are fun when the target has no clue how the ruse was pulled off or by whom.”

  Trevor laughed. “That must be frustrating Loki to no end.”

  “Yep. I’ll catch you later.” Dan hurried to the lockers anticipating a fun day of watching Loki go nuts endeavoring to figure out the culprit.

  TRF HQ – Briefing Room –
9:30 a.m.

  The last to enter the room, Loki dusted more flour from his uniform attempting to be presentable. Dejected his trick misfired, Loki’s mind still contemplating who managed to switch things on him and why. When he figured out who and how the revenge prank would be colossal.

  Bram grinned. “Loki, you missed a spot,” as he brushed at Loki’s shoulder.

  “Ha ha ha. When I find out which one of you did it, you will wish you never sought to prank the master,” Loki groused.

  Everyone chuckled again as Nick rose. “We got bread and butter today.” He clicked the display to show a picture of a man with a rare, white lion cub on a leash. “This is Rodney Randall. He is a suspected drug trafficker who also spends money on exotic animals. Detective Kassidy Calhoun and her partner in the Drug Squad have been surveilling his operation for some time, but until recently did not possess enough evidence for a warrant.

  “That is until customs intercepted the shipment of an ill baby Komodo dragon. Upon inspection of the crate, they discovered drug residue and were able to procure the warrant this morning. Detective Calhoun believes given the location of Randall’s home that if they go in initially with a drug warrant, things will become ugly fast and the drugs will disappear through a network of secret tunnels Randall is suspected of having dug on the property.

  “Calhoun decided to work in conjunction with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Since Ontario currently lacks any form of provincial legislation regarding private exotic animal ownership, until now nothing could be done to stop Randall from owning them. However, with the importation of a sick animal, the Ontario SPCA now possess probable cause to go in to ensure all animals are receiving basic standards of care.”

  Nick switched to a photo showing a gated mansion-sized home with lush acreage surrounding it. “Mr. Randall’s domicile is fenced and guarded.”

  Lexa asked, “Are we gonna knock nicely or stealth in?”

  Nick smiled. “A bit of both. We will present the SPCA’s warrant only at the front gate. We will hold off with the drug warrant until after we gain entry and present it to Randall directly. The SPCA and Calhoun’s officers will be waiting until we have Mr. Randall in custody before they begin the search of the premises. Lexa you and I will approach the gate. Jon, you want to explain the plan for the rest?”

  Jon stood and pointed with a laser pen. “Dan you will take up a Zulu One position here in the woods at the edge of the property. It gives you coverage for three sides and a view into the home on the east side.” Jon grinned. “Thought you might like some tree climbing time.”

  Dan grinned and chuckled. “Sure. I’m up for it.”

  Lexa pouted and teased, “Dan’s Jon’s favorite. Never a Lexa’ day anymore. Why does Dan get all the fun?”

  Turning to Lexa, Dan offered, “I’ll swap with ya if you want.”

  “Nah, we know how much you like to climb trees,” Lexa said before she added a friendly taunt, “Just don’t go getting frozen in one again, or else you’re buying drinks at the Pond.”

  “Better not fall either,” Loki teased, his humor returning.

  Everyone chuckled as Dan retorted, “I don’t fall out of trees.” Or at least not since the camping trip when I was six. Had a few ungraceful dismounts and entanglements but technically not falling out of a tree.

  Jon continued. “Bram, Loki, you two will take a position in the back using this dirt road to approach. Ray and I will cover the east side. There are no doors or exits on the west side of the building. We will be covering all egress options in case Mr. Randall decides to make a run for it. Any questions?”

  The team shook their heads no.

  Nick said, “Alright then boys and girl let’s go keep the peace.”

  The team headed to gear up. Dan rode with Bram and Loki since his Zulu position would best be accessed via the service road. The entire ride Loki groused about finding out who pranked him and all the ways he would seek revenge. Dan listened and laughed inside. He enjoyed pranking the ultimate prankster. No one on the team would figure him as the culprit and he was not about to tell Loki.

  Rodney Randall’s Mansion – Various Locations – 10:15 a.m.

  Loki and Bram approached the rear entrance while Dan sprinted for the trees. Jon and Ray inconspicuously moved into position on the east side. Nick and Lexa waited down the road from the mansion’s gated entrance with the rest of the officers who would search for the animals and drugs.

  Bram called out, “We’re in place, Boss.”

  Jon reported, “East covered, we’re ready.”

  Dan’s breathing and the sounds of rustling leaves came over the headsets as he climbed. Reaching the necessary height, he secured himself to a sturdy branch and unslung his Remi. Using the rifle’s scope, he took a moment to sight both teams’ positions before scanning the grounds for any threats.

  Settled in Dan said, “Zulu One in position. Clear view of all locations. A scan of the interior through the bay window shows the subject in a chair with a white lion cub lying next to him on the floor.”

  Nick said, “We are approaching the main gate now.”

  At the property’s gate, a guard stopped them. Lexa, who drove, said, “We are here to speak with Mr. Rodney Randall.”

  The security guard smirked. “Mr. Randall doesn’t accept visits from the police. Unless you have a warrant, turn around and leave.”

  Nick reached over, providing the animal welfare warrant, “We are here to assess the well-being of all animals on the premises.”

  The guard reviewed the paperwork before calling the house security. After an extended wait, which Nick and Lexa assumed was to hide the drugs in the secret tunnels, Randall’s guard buzzed open the gateway.

  Dan continued to scan the area and provide current details. “A man just took the lion cub out of the room. Randall appears to be moving towards the front door.”

  Overhearing a rustling above, Dan kept his eye on the target area via his scope instead of investigating the sound, which became advantageous to the team. Dan spotted a change in their subject’s direction. “Bram, Loki, the subject is running to the back of the house.”

  Rodney raced for the rear exit when he spotted the TRF vehicle. He was not a stupid man and determined the SPCA would not send the tactical officers to check on animals. His men were in the process of hiding his drugs, and he planned on leaving. He kept a motorcycle out back in case he needed to make a quick getaway if police showed up. Rodney burst through his back door only to be halted by two MP5s in his face.

  “Police. Stop right there. Mr. Randall, we have a warrant to search your residence. Put your hands where we can see them, now,” Bram ordered.

  Randall raised his hands gradually. Though armed, he understood he was no match for two guns in front of him and likely two more behind him.

  “Turn around slowly,” Loki instructed.

  When he complied, Bram handcuffed and searched Randall, finding a pistol. Relieved things went smoothly, Bram said, “Subject in custody.”

  Dan maintained overwatch as the team rounded up all the occupants in the house, lining them up outside on their knees with hands zip-tied behind them.

  Nick said, “Excellent work team. Tia, notify the others they can come in now to investigate the premises.”

  Tia responded, “Copy.”

  Waiting for patrol officers to take custody of the ten men and three women, Ray, Jon, Bram, Lexa, and Loki maintained guard while Nick went to hand off the scene to Detective Calhoun. Jon was about to order Dan to vacate his Zulu One perch when an “Aaaargh, shit, merde, stront, der’mo, stercore, merda, scheisse, bok, alqaraf, fhalbh,” came spewing loudly from Dan over the headset. The multi-lingual cursing intermingled with sounds of a struggle followed by a single gunshot then silence. Jon demanded, “Dan, status!”

  Ray said, “I’ll stay,” and the rest set off sprinting towards the tree line. Nick and several officers arrived at the detainee spot moments later, and both Ray
and Nick took off running for Dan’s position too.

  Masked Bandit Attacks

  63

  March 15

  Rodney Randall’s Mansion – Zulu One Position

  Relieved not a single shot had been fired, and his team remained safe, Dan noted the rustling above him again. No longer needing to maintain vigil, he peered up expecting to spot a squirrel or bird. He grinned when he discovered his tree companion to be a rather large raccoon.

  When it bared its teeth, Dan started to prepare to descend to give the annoyed animal its space. While slinging the rifle over his shoulder, the masked bandit attacked without warning, jumping on his head and digging its claws in. Reaching up, he attempted to grab the aggressive raccoon, intending to throw it off. The vicious mammal bit into his forearm and Dan cried out, “Aaaargh,” followed by a series of shit in various languages.

  The powerful jaw held fast, as claws from all four paws tore into him. Dan struggled to dislodge the ferocious raccoon as it continued to bite down on him and he lost his purchase on the branch. He fell and abruptly stopped a few feet down, held by his safety line, as his Remi continued towards the ground. In the melee which ensued, Dan’s line became hopelessly twisted in the branches, and he ended up hanging head down.

  Unsuccessful in releasing the mammal’s hold, Dan had no other options as the forty-pound furball with sharp talons continued to shred his jacket, shirt, and pants. Dan let go of the beast and drew his handgun. He put the barrel to the raccoon’s head and shot point blank. He holstered his Glock, then pried the mouth open and dropped the dead raccoon.

  Hearing Jon calling for status Dan tried to catch his breath as he held tightly to the bite wound on his arm trying to stem the profuse bleeding. Still swinging back and forth, upside down, Dan spotted Loki, Bram, Jon, and Lexa skidding to a halt below him.

  Loki spied the lifeless animal and Dan’s Remi. “Dan, you shot Ricky Raccoon,” Loki quipped in disbelief.

  “Damned beast attacked me,” Dan shouted down.