Rescue Me: A Novel

by Christy Reece

  That was because Milo had touched every life at LCR. A lump developed in her throat. It made sense that the people he'd helped the most would want to avenge his death. Unfortunately, unless the Larues or Bennett traveled with an army, that couldn't happen. The fewer people on the job, the greater their ability for stealth and success.

  Jordan murmured something to the people blocking the door. They moved, allowing Eden and Jordan through. Gabe Maddox and Ethan Bishop stood at the front of the room.

  Blue-eyed and grim-faced, Gabe was known for his cold, emotionless analysis of an op. The man's expression rarely changed, no matter what was going on.

  Hotheaded Ethan, with his wild mane of golden hair and peridot eyes, had the reputation of having a death wish, often defying orders to get the job done. The jagged scar etched down the left side of his face was an indication of the hell he battled inside his soul.

  Eden had worked with both men on several jobs and was glad to have them on this one. They were two of LCR's most experienced people.

  The men were studying a giant map of Nantes on the wall. Gabe acknowledged Eden with a nod. “Jordan wouldn't let us get started without you.”

  A rush of emotion swept through her at Jordan's thoughtfulness. She bit her lip to keep from saying something inappropriate in front of so many people. Determined to show him her appreciation later in private, Eden nodded and said, “Thanks for waiting.”

  Jordan turned and addressed the group. “Okay, let's get started.”

  Hours later, Jordan, Eden, and Ethan Bishop arrived in Nantes. Larue and Bennett had rented a small villa along the Erdre River. Why they'd decided to come together for a meeting was a puzzle, but it worked to LCR's benefit. Having them together under one roof was a gift.

  Only three would go in for the takedown. Gabe and his team had traveled with them and would wait just outside the main gate in case of unexpected problems.

  Warm wind whipped around them, stirring up dust and the hint of fish from the river close by. Jordan watched Eden shove strands of hair from her face. Dressed in black from head to toe, her slender body practically vibrated with excitement. This assignment probably meant more to her than any other she'd been on. Apprehending the people responsible for Milo's death was top priority for all LCR, but the determination in Eden's eyes told the story. She might be almost impossible to read most of the time, but when she talked about Milo, there was genuine affection. This mission was very personal.

  The brick wall surrounding the villa was daunting, but breachable. Based upon the lack of activity outside the perimeter, all security was posted inside. According to Gabe's informant, the Larues traveled with only three guards. The operation should be easy.

  On the other side of the estate, Ethan Bishop was perched in a tree overlooking the mansion. He'd already confirmed there were only three guards, which reassured the team that their informant had told the truth.

  Three clicks in his earpiece … their go signal. Eden threw her rope over, getting ready to scale the wall. His heart lurched. Jordan forced himself to ignore it, once again reminding himself that this was her job and she was damn good at it.

  Jordan's rope soared over. With a sharp tug, he secured the line and scaled the wall half a second behind Eden's descent. Landing lightly, he watched as she unhooked her harness and took off toward the back of the estate, gun in hand. She gave him a quick wink as she passed him.

  Their planned scenario fell into place. From photos downloaded from the Internet, they knew the small mansion had two doors in the back, leading to a patio and pool. Eden would block those exits. Jordan loped to the side yard, where moss-covered cement steps led to the wine cellar. The outside door was to be conveniently left unlocked. Bishop would go through a door at the kitchen, also left unlocked.

  At the entrance to the cellar door, Jordan checked his watch. They would go in three … two … one.

  Pushing open the door, Jordan ran into darkness.

  Alfred frowned with worry as Inez's sharp fingernails practically dug into her arms. The poor woman was wound up tighter than a drum. They needed to get their business settled as quickly as possible. Over the last few weeks, Inez had become so much more fragile and brittle.

  Her golden blond head turned to him, she whined, “Alfred, I can't handle this any longer. Why am I even here? Why can't I leave, and then you can follow after you finish up?”

  Weariness and depression shrouded every step as Alfred trudged across the room to comfort his wife. Putting his arms around her slender shoulders, he soothed her as best he could. “We will leave, my love, but not yet. There are still many issues to resolve. That's why we must concentrate on the business at hand while we are with Thomas.”

  “But why do I need to be here?” Her eyes filled with tears. “I could be setting up our lovely home while you handle the details.”

  Alfred fought back impatience at her petulant tone and a slight hurt at her insensitivity. Yes, he could have handled these matters himself, but they'd shared everything in their marriage. He counted on her savvy business sense as well as her love and support. The seed of doubt he'd had since that terrible night when their holding houses had been raided and almost all of their hard work had been destroyed began to grow. Since that horrific day, Inez had been distant and uncommunicative, not the loving, supportive spouse he'd come to depend upon.

  Feeling guilty for his disloyal thoughts, he pressed a kiss to her brow. They'd both been under a tremendous amount of emotional strain. Unable to see family and friends, hunted down like animals. No wonder she was so emotionally fragile.

  “We will leave soon and set up our new home together. I promise.”

  Though she smiled, her eyes told him she hadn't liked his answer. Alfred drew in a sigh, determined to finish their business so they could indeed begin their new life.

  “Let's get started.”

  Alfred lifted his gaze to a smug-looking Thomas Bennett. Though furious that he had to let go of his profitable and thriving business, Alfred valued his family even more. Selling his companies would allow him and Inez to retire quite comfortably. Years ago, they'd purchased a lovely island in the South Pacific. Though neither of them had been prepared to retire at such a young age, in a way it was a relief. After losing his sons, much of his youthful fire had disappeared. Now he just wanted to live out his life in comfort, with his loving wife at his side.

  Papers shuffled, reminding him that Thomas waited for his signature on the multitude of documents that would transfer his interests in offshore businesses and stocks, as well as ownership of various ware houses all over the world. Selling at a loss pained him, but couldn't be helped. Cousin Thomas didn't have the funds to pay what the businesses were worth, but another buyer could take years to find—years he'd rather be enjoying, instead of spending them in hiding.

  Returning to the small table they'd set up to sign the documents, Thomas handed him a stack. “These transfer your ware houses in Rio, Madrid, and the two in Thailand to me. I've marked the pages where you need to sign.”

  Nodding, Alfred scrawled his signature on page after page. A long, drawn-out sigh brought his head up. Inez sat on the couch, facing a window. Her body stiff, she stared out into the dark night, an expression of longing on her delicate face. Poor dear. She hated being cooped up even more than he did. Unfortunately, she couldn't go outside for fresh air. They'd traveled with a minimum of security, not wanting to attract attention.

  “Inez, my sweet, why don't you go up to our room and rest. You didn't sleep well last night. These contracts only require my signature.”

  With a surprising spring in her step, Inez gave him a relieved smile and scurried across the room toward the foyer.

  “Stop right there,” a masculine voice thundered.

  Eden grinned at Jordan's unusually dramatic slant. They'd been watching this pro cession for almost five minutes without anyone noticing them. Eden stood just inside one of the sliding glass doors. Jordan stood at the entrance of the
living room, and Bishop had placed himself just inside the room, to the left of Jordan.

  Inez Larue screamed. Alfred shouted an obscenity and jumped to his feet. Bennett's hand stretched toward his pocket.

  “Don't even think about it, Bennett,” Jordan growled.

  His thin face almost purple with fury, Thomas Bennett held his hands up, apparently seeing the benefit of following orders.

  Jordan pointed his gun at Inez. “Why don't you join your husband. Everyone, get on the floor, hands out in front of you.”

  Looking more furious than frightened, Inez Larue glared at Jordan, then turned and marched toward her husband.

  Eden relaxed against the edge of the door. This was going to be easier than she thought. The guard she'd handled had gone down with a minimum of fuss: a clunk on his head. Eden had tied him up and left him lying on the patio.

  When Jordan and Ethan had radioed they'd each taken down a guard, she'd headed toward the room with voices. Now they just needed to—

  Events elapsed in a surreal, slow-motion quality. Bennett pulled a gun from underneath the table and shot at Jordan. Jordan ducked, rolled for cover behind a couch, and fired at Bennett. Dropping to his knees, Bennett fired randomly at Jordan and then Ethan.

  Staying low to the ground, Alfred Larue took advantage of the commotion and ran toward an alcove.

  Jordan sprang to his feet and shouted, “I'll take Larue.” Dashing across the room after Alfred Larue, he fired shots toward Bennett. Larue disappeared from view. Jordan followed.

  Her anxious eyes fixed momentarily on Jordan, Eden almost missed seeing Inez Larue go through an open window and jump. Holy hell, if they weren't careful, everyone but the guards would get away. Cursing her lazy inattention, Eden ran outside after Mrs. Larue.

  Ignoring the gunshots coming from the house wasn't easy, but this was her job and she'd almost blown it. Her soft-soled shoes barely made a sound as she ran across the brick patio. The back floodlights were on, allowing her to catch a glimpse of blond hair as Mrs. Larue headed toward a small, seedy-looking boathouse.

  Eyes on her target, Eden picked up speed. At the entrance to the building, she stopped and peered inside. The room was pitch dark. Her small flashlight glowed with a minimum of light, showing no sign of the older woman. Locating a light switch on the wall beside her, Eden flicked it on and slammed the door behind her. If Mrs. Larue tried to run, she'd have to go through Eden.

  The single low-wattage bulb glowed dimly. Eden saw paddles, skiing equipment, and a small, dilapidated boat, but no sign of Inez Larue. The rotting boards on the floor and cobwebs indicated the boat house hadn't been used in years. Eden moved cautiously forward. Water gently lapped and sloshed underneath the building. Uneven gasps coming from deeper inside the building told her the exhausted older woman lurked in the shadows. From what she'd observed about Mrs. Larue when she'd first met her, the woman posed little threat.

  “Come on out, Mrs. Larue, and I won't hurt you.”

  “Stop—don't come any closer.”

  Eden jerked to a surprised halt as Inez Larue stepped out from behind a post. Eyes gleaming with a cold determined light, her steady hand pointed a gun at Eden. Well hell. She shook her head at the older woman. “My gun's bigger and I'm a better shot. I'd advise you to drop your gun while you still have a choice.”

  The gun clutched in Inez's hand didn't waver as she walked toward Eden. Okay, perhaps thinking she'd drop the gun had been a bit unrealistic. Still, Eden hadn't expected her to come closer.

  Inez's eyes widened with recognition. “You! You're that Claire bitch … the one who caused all our problems … destroyed my family.”

  Eden snorted with disbelief. “I think you've got things somewhat reversed. If you and your sleazy family weren't bent on kidnapping and selling people like cattle, we would have left you alone.”

  The older woman's body jerked with the insult. “It is a business. If we didn't provide the goods, someone else would. A simple case of supply and demand.”

  The Larues' skewed morals no longer surprised her. “No wonder your son turned out to be a pervert.”

  “You bitch!”

  A killing rage swept across Inez's face. Uh-oh, wrong thing to say to a crazy woman with a gun. Guessing her intent, Eden jumped sideways, dodging the bullet. Her foot landed on an uneven board, her ankle twisted. Unable to catch herself, Eden fell backward, slamming onto the rotting wood floor. A second later, she sprang to her feet. The stabbing pain in the back of her upper left arm barely registered. After she took care of the crazy woman with the gun, she'd check it out.

  Angry now, Eden lunged toward Inez with a low growl. The woman's eyes widened. She raised her gun to shoot again. Eden swung an arm out, knocking the gun across the floor where it skidded out of reach.

  With an ear-popping shriek, hands extended like claws, Inez sprang toward Eden like a rabid hyena.

  Eden's fist shot out, landing a punch to Inez's jaw. The woman plopped down on her ass, her addled expression almost comical.

  Panting slightly, Eden stood over Inez Larue. “Give it up, lady.”

  Shaking her head as if to clear it, she looked up at Eden. “You have to let me go.”

  Despite the increasing pain in her arm, Eden couldn't help but sputter with laughter. “Now why would I let you go?”

  “Because I helped you … that's why.”

  Eden blinked. “You did? How?”

  Her eyes swimming with tears, she muttered between pitiful little sobs, “This … this wasn't the way it was supposed to be… I'm not even supposed to be here. Alfred should be taking care of things. I shouldn't be the one…”

  Eden stared down in amazement as Inez Larue's words began to make sense. “My God, you're the mole.”

  An odd, cold flicker in Inez's eyes told Eden she'd guessed correctly.

  “You set up your husband and Bennett to get caught.”

  “It should have worked, too, only Alfred can barely tie his shoelaces without me. He insisted I had to come along. I should be setting up our home, holding the family together. If one of us had to pay the price, it should have been him.” She covered her face with her hands as she cried piteously. “It's all his fault.”

  Eden knew she shouldn't be surprised. All of the Larues had shown a serious deficiency in decency and integrity. Having Inez betray her husband of forty years should be no big shocker. Somehow it was, though.

  Tired of the woman's pathetic sniffling, Eden waved her gun at her. “Get up before I knock the hell out of you just for the fun of it.”

  Getting to her feet, Inez lowered her head and rushed her. Eden's fist swung up, knocking Inez in the temple. With a slight whimper, the woman crumpled at her feet. Stooping down, Eden rolled Inez over, pleased to see she wasn't faking her unconsciousness.

  Eden stood, and was stunned to find herself almost tipping over. Stiffening her legs, she gingerly touched her left arm. Pain bloomed … abrupt and acute. Her fingers met warm wetness. She looked down at her hand covered in blood. Vision wavering, she gripped a splintery post and blinked back unconsciousness. Gazing around, she saw a large nail protruding from the floor close to where she'd fallen. The wet gleam of blood on the floor told the story. Hell, no wonder it hurt. Biting her lip to stay upright, she grabbed a ski rope from a wall. Her arm fast becoming useless, she used the last of her strength to tie the unconscious woman's hands together, then to a post.

  As Eden rose, the room swirled and whirled. She gazed longingly at the door. At the rate she was losing blood, she'd pass out before she got halfway to the house.

  Eden squatted and pressed against a wall. She'd really like to sit all the way down, but figured she wouldn't be able to rise again if she did. Nausea rolled through her while a steady gush of blood flowed down her arm. If she didn't get it bound soon, she would either throw up or pass out. Neither one appealed to her.

  Her left arm almost useless, she used her teeth to rip off the bottom of her shirt and wound it around her arm as
tight as she could.

  “Eden?”

  Jordan's urgent voice in her earpiece startled her. Relief that he was alive and well almost did her in. She hadn't realized how desperately she needed to know that.

  “Eden, dammit … where the hell are you?” The voice was a mixture of anger and worry.

  “Boathouse.”

  “How bad are you hurt?”

  “How'd you know I was hurt?”

  “I can hear it in your voice. Now, tell me, how bad is it?”

  “Come on in the front door. Mrs. Larue won't mind.”

  “Answer me, dammit. How bad?”

  “Need a couple of stitches, nothing major.”

  His grunt told her he didn't believe her. Deciding that sitting down might now be a good idea, since she was about to keel over, Eden plopped down on her bottom. She groaned softly at the jar to her arm.

  “What's wrong? You still there? Talk to me, sweetheart.”

  “I'm fine … just needed to sit down for a little while.”

  “Hang on. I had to chase Larue halfway down the drive. For a chubby, middle-aged man, he gave me a run for my money.”

  Despite the pain, Eden couldn't help but chuckle. “Damn, I wished I'd seen that.”

  Jordan snorted. “It wasn't a pretty sight.”

  She tried to move to a more comfortable position and couldn't stop the groan.

  “Hang on, babe. I'm almost there.”

  “I will … I … Jordan?” She blinked as her vision blurred. “I think I might need to take a nap, okay?”

  “No, you will not take a nap. You stay awake. Do you hear me? Tell me what happened.”

  Eden shook her head to clear it. Rationally she knew she shouldn't let herself lose consciousness, but it was becoming increasingly hard to keep her eyes open.

  “Eden, talk to me … tell me how you fucked up so bad.”

  Her eyes popped open at this obvious insult. “Who said I fucked up?”

  “Well, you tell me who's been hurt and then I'll tell you.”