by Mimi Barbour
“I’d keep your hands away from that drawer, Papa Smith. It’s just the cause I’d need to shoot you – self-defense. Move, Junior, now.”
“Okay, Agent.” Smith junior lowered his fists and stepped right in front of her, blocking his dad from her view. Not good!
Everything happened at once. The door flew open and Nik… Nik?
bolted between her and Daddy Smith, whose gun suddenly made an appearance. The few seconds it took for the old prick to comprehend this move were enough for the man—who could only be Max—to sprint from the chair, push Nik out of the way and take the bullet meant for him.
Then all hell broke loose. Men were scrambling for their guns. Maya, recovering quickly, put a bullet in Smith before he could get off another shot. Nik wrestled away the weapon Junior had found on the floor and put him down easily with one punch to the jaw.
Seconds later, the team were everywhere and had control of the room and its inhabitants. Maya, head spinning, searched for Nik and found him crouched next to his brother who lay crumpled on the floor, blood pooling rapidly from the wound on his head.
Oh Max!
Chapter 64
Maya stumbled to where Nik was leaning over his brother. “Dammit, Nik. I thought he was you. I had to come in… God, is he alive?”
Nik swung around and called out orders. “We need a medic. Now! This man’s still with us, but he’s losing blood fast.” Nik’s hand covered the bullet hole, trying to stop the flow. “Get me something to hold against the wound.”
One of the team members pulled out a package from his SWAT suit, unwrapped the pressure bandage and handed it over. “This will work, sir.”
“Thanks.” Nik held the white compress against Max’s head, then looked over at Maya, agony written in big letters over his features. “Baby, see if the ambulance is here, okay? We need to get him to the hospital as soon as we can.”
Before she could stand, medics rushed in with a stretcher and hurried over. Pushing Nik out of the way, the leader did a quick assessment and smiled. “He’ll be fine, it’s not deep; it just grazed him. But head wounds bleed like a bitch. I think the beating he took did more harm. Can you stay with him for a minute while I check with the other ambulance? Be right back.”
Nik moved in close to Max and bent over him. “How did they get you out of Linda’s? Is she okay?”
“I took off myself. Decided to go to the apartment and find you, wanted to make the switch, just couldn’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. They must have had someone watching the place. They picked me up, brought me here and the rest you know.”
“Bro, you shouldn’t have done that. I’m fine.”
“Yeah, well know I’m back and you can get on with your life.”
“Okay, it’ll all work out. Just get better.”
The attendant returned. “We’ll get him to the hospital and they’ll put in some stitches. He’ll get to keep his good looks.” The mischievous grin faded when he looked up and realized he was talking to a replica of his patient.
Grinning stupidly, happier than hell, Nik grabbed the EMT’s hand and shook it, repeatedly. “Thank you. He’s my brother—”
“Older brother…” Max’s voice, feeble but distinguishable, cut him off.
“Who says?” Nik heard the happy note he couldn’t hide. Didn’t care. His brother would live.
“Mom says. Favor… you tell her about me. Be there to catch her…”
“Will do, bro. Just rest now.”
Before Nik could decide how he’d get over to Nellie’s, one of Maya’s team reported to them. “Just got word. We found the container.”
Chapter 65
“What the hell do you mean it was empty?” Nik and Maya had stepped out to the ambulance with Max when Maya’s phone vibrated. Hoping to the get the news about the container they’d found and that the girls were all alive, this startling twist left her reeling. “Shit! Okay, Junior’s here. We’ll talk to him. Thanks, Becky.”
“Did you hear?” Maya turned to Nik, her distress making him step closer as if he could protect her from the disappointment by his very presence. She loved that he tried to show support without banal phrases. Though unspoken, she knew he’d understood her disappointment.
Max called out from inside the ambulance. “I heard it too. Bummer!”
Getting the nod from the ambulance driver, Maya and Nik climbed in beside Max. Maybe the oxygen they’d hooked him up to had helped, or they’d given him some drugs, or he was just so glad not to have some asshole pounding on him that he seemed more alert. “Just so you know, they shot that guy in the office because he’d messed up. I didn’t hear everything, it happened after they’d been working me over for a while and I kinda lost track, but they were pissed at some information he delivered.”
“Did you recognize him?”
“No, never saw the guy before. Poor sap had been sent to give bad news to a prick who didn’t like hearing it. I figured for sure I was next. But they needed those files. And I never did get them. Bob, my snitch, didn’t show up that night at the restaurant.”
Little did Max know, but the man had showed up and put his life on the line to try and help him. And he’d brought the files just as he’d promised. Nik didn’t think Max needed to know about any of this right now. After he got discharged from the hospital would be soon enough. “Rest now, you’ve earned it. And thanks for taking the bullet meant for me.” Nik rubbed Max’s shoulder affectionately.
“Hey, it’s what brothers do.”
Maya leaned over Max and kissed his cheek. “I was never so glad to see Nik bursting into the room. It meant you were alive. I’m glad.”
“Me too. This way I’ll get more time to spend with my big brother.”
“I’m the oldest?” It was news to Nik. He couldn’t stop the delighted chuckle.
“Only by a few minutes, jackass.”
“I guess that counts, little bro.”
Getting the signal from the driver that they wanted to leave now, Maya and Nik climbed out.
The ambulance doors began to close when Nik called out, “We’ll be right behind you.”
The doors re-opened and the attendant stuck his head out and pointed his thumb behind him. “Max says to go find the girls. Then come see him with good news.”
“Tell him—will do.” Maya grinned at Nik and said, “Now that’s the partner I was searching for.”
“He’s something else, isn’t he?” The pride in Nik’s voice resonated with sentiment.
Maya knew Nik really didn’t “get” her Max, the occasional lazy procrastinator with a dual personality. Sometimes, like for this case, the man dug deep and was the best on the team. And on other occasions, he just danced to his own tune.
To give the devil his due, his mean streak, the one he’d introduced to her early in their partnership, hadn’t been seen in some time. Though he hid it well, Maya was always conscious that it festered and might appear at the weirdest moments and for the craziest reasons. Could genetics play a part even when it was the absentee parent who had the violent tendencies? She would have to ponder that another time. But…she understood completely why Nellie didn’t see him as the leader that Harkins Security needed…
Nik broke into her thoughts and brought her back to the noisy yard where the police vehicles and law personnel were milling around everywhere; people with jobs to do and records to keep.
“I don’t get it. They must have gone and picked up the girls right under our noses. I thought that Bitters had all the terminals covered?”
“Not possible. We don’t have that much manpower. But we did have the videos working except that, according to Becky, the one closest to where they stored the container was busted… again.”
“Inside job.”
“Yeah. I’m going to pull Junior aside. See if he’ll help us. Maybe the sniveler will be inclined to get his sentenced lowered after he finds out his mandatory minimum is up to fifteen years. Worth a try.”
“Why
not question the bookkeeper? He seems less likely to take the rap for the Smiths.”
“Junior’s got more to lose in the end. Plus, I can work him easier. I’ll try anything. If these assholes get to those poor girls, they’ll be lost to us for good.”
Maya and Nik went back inside the office where the agents were reading rights and handcuffing the prisoners. “Hal, can we talk to Mr. Smith for a few minutes?”
“Sure. The one over in the corner bawling?”
“He’s still crying?”
“Yep. Hasn’t stopped. Thought he was worried about his old man getting shot, but when the old fart starting yelling at him to keep his trap shut, he just cried harder.” Hal shook his head, disgust coloring his features.
“We want Junior.”
“Have at him, but you might want to haul his ass to the outer office so the others aren’t watching him blubbering to the law.”
“No problem.”
Chapter 66
Seeing the good sense in Hal’s suggestion, Maya pulled aside one of the officers and gave him instructions. “Go get Junior and when you bring him out, just mention loudly that his limousine has arrived or some such foolishness. Then bring him to the outer office. Make it look good.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.”
Having time alone, Maya walked up to Nik and leaned her head on his chest, her hands on his hips. And refrained from letting her body get too close or she’d be in his arms. Nik whispered, “Why didn’t you wait for me?”
“Lassiter called. Said they had you. I went crazy.”
“I couldn’t find the locker room and when I came back, you’d left. I had to get Justin to drive me here.”
“That man sure does come in handy. I’m glad.”
They both heard the commotion at the same time and pulled back from each other. Nik whispered, “Tonight.”
Maya’s stomach flipped over and her pulse sped up. Oh, yeah!
A few minutes later, Maya, with Nik at her side, faced the criminal. “Sit down, Mr. Smith.” Nik made sure he complied by forcibly lowering him into the chair Maya had set up in the corner.
“This is just an informal chat, between friends if you like.”
“Since when did you become my friend?” Smith sneered then sniffed, his snotty nose a problem, as were the tears still pouring over his cheeks.
“Since you have information I need and I have a deal for you.” Maya waved over the younger cop. “Officer, can you uncuff him please?”
Once freed, Smith wiped his nose on the short sleeve of his white shirt, the resounding snort turning Maya’s stomach.
“I have nothing for you, bitch. You think I’ll be a stool pigeon on my own gang?”
“Not your gang, your step-father’s. The same man who called you a stupid kid who takes after his actual dad—a loser. The only reason he let you into the office was because your mom insisted. Guess she didn’t want you around either.”
Another wail broke loose and the kid started up again. Nik stepped in and laid his hand on Smith’s shoulder. “Hey, son, don’t take it so hard. I had a son-of-a-bitchin’ dad too, only he was my own blood. The Bastard treated me like shit. It happens.”
Maya stepped back and let the smooth-talker take over. How cool was this? Nik was almost singing the words in the velvet tones he’d used on stage to win her over.
Smith looked up at Nik, his eyes filled and his voice pitiful. “He’s a real prick, makes me work all the time and never tells me nothing. Expects me to run the show when I’m always left in the dark.”
“Predictable. Doesn’t want to share control. Assholes like him think we’re blind and brainless. Do all the work and see nothing. Well, that’s not the way things are, right?”
Junior sat higher in his chair, his shoulders against the back, his feet straight on the floor, listening, sucking in the bullshit. “I see and hear plenty.”
“I just bet. For instance, does the stupid son-of-a-bitch let you look after the shipments he gets, you know the special ones?” Nik leaned closer, lowered his voice and winked.
“No. But he blames me when things go wrong. I thought he was going to shoot me earlier when Doug came to tell him that the girls had escaped. Wasn’t my fault. Hell, they never even let me near the terminal. Just stayed in the office and manned the phones. What kind of crap is that? It doesn’t take a man to answer the damn phones.”
“Then I guess you filled the bill perfectly, sweetheart.” Maya patted his cheek, just a bit harder than necessary. “Thanks for the info. Let’s go, Nik.
“Hey, wait, what about the deal?”
“No need, dummy. You already gave us what we needed.”
Nik followed Maya as she headed for the car.
“What’s up?”
She turned. A huge smile lit her features. Grabbing his hand and squeezing, she began to laugh. Then she hugged him. “Come on.”
Chapter 67
From the moment they got into the car, Maya leaned Nik’s way and nestled into his arms. Nik, reeling from her apparent distress, just held her and repeated “Shush” over and over. No one had ever cared about him this much before and he didn’t know quite what to do with all the emotion. Seriously upset, having suffered through seeing him being beaten—or who she thought was him—he gathered she was acting understandably needy.
“I’m fine, baby. Don’t cry. It wasn’t me in the chair.” Nik soothed her, his hands caressing her hair and his kisses landing everywhere he could reach, which was as much of a balm to him as it was to her.
Sniffling, still clinging, Maya whispered. “I could have lost you.”
“You didn’t. And never will. I’m fine.”
“I couldn’t take it if something happened to you now. I’d want to die.” Her words sent shivers racing over his body. She was deadly serious.
“No one’s dying. I’m not in any danger.”
“You will be if you re-enlist.” The silence lasted as long as it took his brain to understand her meaning.
“I won’t go back. Don’t think I’m operational anyway—too much psychological damage. I could head up a security company and stay in New Orleans though.” Now where the hell had that come from?
The bevy of kisses she scattered all over his face, plus her delighted squeals, revealed he’d come up with the perfect solution. One that also felt right to him. He could do just as he’d proposed and it would make him happy.
Working together, he’d get to know his mother and, as Justin had told him earlier, no doubt as a bribe, the job would be right up his alley.
Nik held her away and made her meet his eyes with her own shining green wonders. “But what about you, darlin’? How am I supposed to handle the fact that you’re in danger every day?”
“I’m not. Not really. Since you’ve been working with me, things have been abnormally crazy. Trust me; we don’t put in weeks like this very often. There’s seldom any real risk. And besides, I have Max to keep me safe.”
He breathed easy. “That’s true.” Just knowing she’d be under his brother’s protection lifted the weight off him immensely. Okay, why was she smiling like that?
“We need to move. I just had to hold you for a little while.”
“Where’re we going? I gathered from your earlier happy glow that you know who has the girls. And since Justin disappeared a while ago, I’m surmising it has something to do with him.”
“Of course! That’s why they shot the man in the office, who’s still alive, by the way.”
“I know. I saw the medics working on him. They got a pulse. Can’t believe even these creeps would cold-bloodedly shoot one of their own. Hope the poor bastard makes it to the hospital.”
“Junior said the reason they’d turned on him was because of the bad news he’d brought, right? The girls were gone. So, the only other ones looking for them was your mom’s firm, Harkins.”
“So we’re off to Nellie’s house.”
Laughing, Maya started the engine and pulled away from th
e curb. “Don’t let her hear you say that.”
Chapter 68
Melee traveled in a car with the blond man called Justin. He’d promised to drive Solada to the hospital, but who knew whether his word was good or not? She couldn’t take the chance. Armed with the knowledge of what had befallen some of the other girls who’d disappeared from her area, Melee had decided to stay beside her friend.
She looked out of the window at the dark world and felt closed in and terrified. He could do with her as he wanted. No one knew where they were. The other men had scrambled the girls into a van and left so quickly, it made her head spin.
“Those men who took the others, where are they going?”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. They’re safe now and will be looked after.”
Since she was the only one who’d stuck with Solada, the only one who’d cared; she hugged her little friend closer and prayed.
The man spoke to her, his voice kind. “Do you know of a girl called Mai Cruz?”
Melee had never heard of her. What should she say? Scared to tell him no, she almost admitted to a friendship, but at the last moment, honesty stopped her. “No. I don’t think so.”
The man called Justin turned to her. “We’re almost there. Keep trying to give her sips of water. Not too much.”
Melee had questions. Should she ask? Would he stop the car, drag her from the back seat and beat her? She didn’t think so. Taking a deep breath, she hesitated a few more moments and then began. “You said we were safe. But what will happen to us?”
“My boss, a nice lady called Nellie Foster, owns a huge security company. She’ll make arrangements with a government agency and get all of you the visas you need to return home. And it’ll happen quickly. Don’t worry. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
