Mackenzie tried to pull away, but Taylor’s grip only got tighter and more painful. At the same time she struggled, Taylor pulled a hundred-dollar bill out of the front pocket of his jeans and handed it to Max. “Good work, kid.”
Max had sold her out? She was surprised but then realized she shouldn’t have been. A hundred bucks to a hungry street kid was like gold. The money meant he would eat tonight—and probably even for a few more days to come.
“You’re not gonna hurt her, are you?” Max’s eyes had rounded when Taylor grabbed her, but despite his question, she could see that Max was already backing away from them and trying to keep his distance from Taylor’s grasp.
“Worry about your own life, not hers,” Taylor warned.
“You know we have to take care of them both, don’t you?” A new voice joined the mix, and Mackenzie saw Derek Lager himself step up from behind Max. He was holding a pistol and pointing it at Max’s head. Max’s faced turned an ashen white, and he held up his hands. In his haste to get away, he bumped clumsily into the dumpster and tried frantically to shake the hair out of his eyes.
“I won’t tell anybody anything,” the boy pleaded. “I promise.”
Lager drew his lips together into a thin line. “Well, you know, Max, I’d love to believe you, but here you are, agreeing to meet with this woman and ready to spill your guts. After today, I just don’t think I can trust you anymore.”
“I wasn’t gonna tell her anything. I was just gonna take her money. That’s it.”
“Sorry, but like I said, I just don’t believe you,” Lager responded. He pulled a zip tie out of his pocket and threw it on the ground in front of Mackenzie. “Put that around his wrists and tighten it. If you don’t, I’ll just shoot you right now.” He waved the gun in Mackenzie’s direction, and she jerked her arms away from Taylor’s grasp, quickly grabbed the tie and secured the boy’s wrists.
“Your turn, princess,” Taylor said with a laugh. He took a step toward her and pushed her so hard that she fell on the pavement.
Pulling a zip tie from his own pocket, he bent down to secure her wrists and then roughly pulled her to her feet again. She could feel the plastic biting into her skin, but fear was coursing through her so frantically that she barely noticed. She was going to die today. There was no doubt.
Taylor moved his hands to her arms and pulled her so close that she could feel the man’s heated breath on her face.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” he said softly. She grimaced and turned away, but he just laughed and shifted, pulling her along with him and heading out of the alley. When they got to the street, they passed Jake’s car and went to the silver SUV that was parked behind it. Taylor forced her in the back seat, and Lager did the same with Max. Then Taylor got in the driver’s side, and Lager took the other front seat.
Mackenzie looked up and down the street, frantically searching for another live soul, but there was nobody around to witness their abduction. A couple of cars were driving by on a nearby crossroad, but they were too far away for Mackenzie to try to signal for help. She glanced over at Max, whose skin was still a pasty white. He was looking down and had instantly scrunched against the car door once he was inside. She turned back to see Lager and Taylor laughing at something Lager has said and wondered fleetingly if she would even survive the afternoon. It didn’t look good. She started to pray.
* * *
Jake stomped impatiently, waiting for Dominic to pull up the app on his phone. His hands were on his hips, and he found it hard to even stand still. How could she have snuck out on him like that? Didn’t she realize the danger?
Apparently not, he chided himself.
“I’ve almost got it,” Dominic answered as he keyed in a few more numbers.
“And you’re sure that fitness watch had a GPS and you can track her with it?” Jake asked again for the fifth time.
“Yes, Jake. Just give me a minute.”
“I’m not sure she’s got one. Mackenzie could be dead already for all I know.” Jake had been furious when he’d discovered that Mackenzie was missing, but Dominic had quickly reassured him that they could find her rather quickly with the GPS coordinates of the fitness activity watch she was wearing. Although the GPS feature had originally been part of the joke, Jake was ecstatic that they actually had a way to find Mackenzie after she pulled her disappearing act. What he didn’t have was patience to wait while Dominic fiddled with the app. He didn’t know where she’d gone, but he knew it had to involve the case, and he sensed that she was in danger. The fear that gripped him was nearly debilitating.
“Okay. Got it.” Dominic showed Jake a blinking dot on a map. “Looks like she’s moving south of Tallahassee. I’m guessing she’s in a car.”
“Let’s go.”
Dominic beat him to the driver’s side of the US Marshals’ vehicle and held the handle fast. “You ride. I’ll drive. We don’t have time to argue.”
Jake considered doing just that, but he could tell by Dominic’s no-nonsense look that he wasn’t going to budge. He probably had a point. Jake would probably drive like a maniac to get to Mackenzie and put all of their lives in danger.
Jake met Dominic’s eye. “She means something to me,” he said quietly. It was hard for him to admit, but Dominic needed to know. This was more than just a case. His heart was also invested. He didn’t want to hide anything from his team.
Dominic nodded, his expression deadly serious. “I know, Jake. I get it. Trust me.”
Jake nodded and moved to the other side of the car, not needing to say anything more. Just as he slammed the passenger-side door, Chris and Whitney joined them in the back seat and Dominic hit the gas and spun the tires. The car turned, fishtailed and headed out the driveway, leaving a plume of dust behind them.
* * *
Thirty minutes later, they were still driving south of town. Max was whimpering now and had sunk farther down in the seat. As terrified as she was, Mackenzie’s heart went out to the teenager. It must be a really scary thing to be alone in the world in the first place, but to be facing death at such a young age must be even more horrifying. She reached over with her bound hands and touched his leg, but he pulled back even farther and wouldn’t allow the contact.
“You’re going to be okay,” she whispered. “We’ll make it out of this somehow.”
Taylor must have overheard her because the next thing she knew, she heard his raucous voice booming from the front seat. “You shouldn’t lie to the boy like that, Ms. Weaver.” He said her name with a biting tone, making it perfectly clear that he now knew her identity and was aware of the mistake he’d made the first time by not killing her when he’d had the opportunity. “You’ll be dead in less than an hour. If I were you, I’d start remembering all the good times in my life. There aren’t going to be any more.”
She cringed at his words and then stiffened her spine. She refused to give up hope. The situation looked bleak, but with God, anything was possible. Wasn’t it? She held on to that small bit of hope, squeezing her eyes shut and praying again. She had to admit she had no idea how to get out of this situation. This was one problem she couldn’t fix on her own. God, please help us.
The car slowed, and Taylor turned off to the right, following a narrow paved road that eventually turned into sand. It led through a forest of planted pines and scrub oaks, and Mackenzie thought they must be in a very private area again, because she didn’t see a single house or other vehicle along their trek. Finally, Taylor stopped the car and parked, and the two men got out and pulled Mackenzie and Max out of the car. Max started crying, and Taylor pulled out his gun and struck the boy on the forehead. “Shut up and take it like a man,” Taylor grunted. “It was your choice to sell us out. Now live with the consequences of your actions.”
“Or die with them,” Lager added with a smile.
Taylor joined in on the laugh and then pushed the two
toward a path that led off the road to the right and into the trees. Max was silent now, and blood was dripping down his eyebrow onto his cheek. Again, Mackenzie felt compassion for him as her mind whirled on an escape strategy. Was there any way out of this? She thought of Jake. How she wished she had told him her plans to meet with Max! But no, she had made a hasty mistake, and now she was going to pay for that with her life. She felt a hole in her heart and realized she’d overlooked something else. She had never told Jake she loved him. She wasn’t sure when the feelings had really taken root, but that kiss on his couch had sealed the deal. And now he would never know. She would never get to share her feelings with him or see his glass-green eyes light up at her proclamation. She had lost her opportunity, and it was all because of her own rash mistake.
They stumbled along the path, and Mackenzie moved as slowly as possible, knowing that whenever they reached their destination, her life would be over. Twice she fell, and twice Taylor jerked her back to her feet. Finally, they came to a clearing, and the trees gave way to a giant hole in the ground filled with water. It had been a while since she had seen a sinkhole, and this one was surrounded by rock and sandy walls, with bits of brush and other plants lining the rim. The water below was black, and Mackenzie cringed, afraid to know what types of Florida wildlife were living in the murky depths. Snakes and alligators leaped to mind, so if a bullet or the fall didn’t kill her, the animals were sure to get a free meal.
“Well, princess, I’d love to stay and get to know you better, but we have a tight schedule to keep,” Taylor said as he winked at her. He ran his finger down her cheek again in an intimate motion, and she jerked away from his touch and nearly fell into the sinkhole in her attempt to get away from him. Taylor grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “Not yet. Don’t worry, that sinkhole is going to be your final resting place, but not before I put some hot lead in you. I need to make sure you don’t reappear again.”
He stepped back, pulled out his gun and pointed it at her forehead. “Goodbye, Mackenzie Weaver.”
The gunshot cracked through the air, but Mackenzie didn’t feel the bullet enter her body. The shock of still being alive was instant and nearly overwhelming. She glanced at Taylor and watched as his eyes dimmed, his hand dropped the gun into the sand, and then his body slowly careened into the sinkhole behind her. A few seconds later she heard a large splash from below.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Max escaping into the brush. At the same time, Lager grabbed her roughly and pulled her in front of him, effectively using her as a shield.
She screamed but was instantly silenced by Lager pressing his gun against her back. They were still only a few steps away from the precipice.
“Let her go, Lager, or you’re next.” Jake’s commanding voice was like steel, yet Lager only laughed.
“I doubt you’re willing to kill her, and that’s what will happen if you aim for me. I’m leaving here right now, and I’m taking her with me. She’s my ticket to freedom.”
Mackenzie felt an instant sense of relief at hearing Jake’s voice, despite Lager’s tone and the gun being pointed at her back. Suddenly, she knew she had an opportunity to survive this encounter. “Do it, Jake,” she yelled. She wasn’t sure where Jake was hiding, but she knew he had to be in hearing distance. “Take the shot. I trust you.”
Lager tightened his grip. “Shut up or I’ll kill you right now,” he growled in her ear.
“Do it, Jake,” she said again, ignoring Lager’s threat. Her voice was more confident this time. “Shoot now.”
Suddenly, Mackenzie saw Jake emerge from the trees, a high-powered rifle pointed directly at Lager. Behind him and slightly to the left stood Dominic, his weapon also pointed at Lager. Both were wearing their vests and looked incredibly deadly. Although she didn’t see them, Mackenzie was sure that Chris and Whitney were nearby as well, also armed and ready to shoot.
“I’m getting out of here,” Lager yelled. “I’m going...”
The shot was deafening, and Mackenzie actually felt the air displace as the bullet traveled by her ear and hit Derek Lager. His grip on her loosened and then fell away completely as Lager crumpled into a bloody heap on the ground beside her.
Her entire body started shaking, and she wiped away some of the blood that had spattered on her cheek. A few seconds later, Jake approached and swept her into his arms, pulling her well away from the edge of the sinkhole.
“I was so scared,” he murmured, kissing her gently on her lips. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
“I knew you’d save me. The minute I heard your voice, I knew everything was going to be okay.”
His embrace grew stronger. “I love you, Mackenzie. I don’t want to keep going on in this world without you.”
“You won’t,” she said fiercely, clinging to her man. “Because I love you right back.”
EPILOGUE
Three months later
J.T. Austin raised his hands and whistled. “Okay, everyone, settle down.” He waited for a moment or two as the group of deputy marshals stopped their conversations, found their seats and gave him their attention. “As you all know, Mackenzie Weaver recently finished her documentary on our US Marshals unit, and it’s due to air next Friday on prime time. However—” He had to stop as cheers and clapping erupted. “However,” he continued once the noise had died down, “I thought it might be nice for us to preview the film first since it was created right here in our own backyard with Jake Riley and his team.” He pointed to Jake, who stood and joined J.T. at the front of the room with Mackenzie at his side. Once again, the room broke out in applause.
Jake smiled and waved at them to settle down. “When Mackenzie Weaver first showed up with her camera, I thought it was the worst possible thing that could happen.”
His comment was met with boos and hisses from the crowd, but Mackenzie just laughed as Jake started smiling himself. “However, now I realize that God had intervened in my life and brought me the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. I also want you, my family, to be the first to know that we got engaged last night.”
The gathering cheered, and Dominic and the rest of his team came up and started patting him on the back and offering both of them their congratulations. Jake couldn’t remember being happier in his entire life. The last three months had been like a roller coaster of thrills and delight as he had gotten to know Mackenzie Weaver even better. Both of them had rededicated themselves to God at church, and with Dominic and his wife’s help, they had found and joined a home fellowship and were slowly making positive changes in their lives. Jake was beginning to see beauty again in the things around him and God’s hand in the blessings in his life. He had a new vigor and excitement for his job as well and had found a new happiness that had eluded him before. Mackenzie was also growing and had recently shared with him how she was finally letting go of a need to control everything and was depending more on God to play an active role in her life choices. She’d finally admitted that she couldn’t do everything by herself and had spoken at their home fellowship about how God was teaching her that it was okay to let others help her reach her goals. The last three months had already been a tremendous learning experience for both of them, and they were both committed to continuing down this path of including God in their life and building their relationship on a strong foundation through Christ.
Finally, the cheering died down, the group returned to their seats and the film started rolling. Jake thought back to the Lager case that had done so much to bring him and Mackenzie together. Both Derek Lager and Bryson Taylor had died at the sinkhole, and due to Jake and his team’s diligence, they had uncovered and stopped a huge forgery and theft operation. Upon further investigation, they had verified that Beckett was using the copy machines to steal personal information. Lager was then using that information to create fake credit cards and driver’s licenses. He’d hired the homeless youth and others to use the f
alsified credentials and make large purchases of jewelry and electronics at a variety of retail stores, storing the stolen goods at various warehouses. Lager hadn’t confined his theft to Tallahassee and had also been operating in Georgia, Alabama and southern Florida. Once he obtained a large enough amount of stolen merchandise, he’d sold the lot to the highest bidder. All in all, the operation had resulted in the arrest of fourteen people and the recovery of over six million dollars’ worth of goods. It was a huge multistate win for the US Marshals.
Mackenzie was sitting beside Jake, and he squeezed her hand before turning his attention back to the movie. There were catcalls and other remarks as various team members were featured, but once the credits rolled, Mackenzie was treated to a standing ovation.
Jake hadn’t participated in the editing of the movie on purpose because he’d wanted to see it for the first time tonight with the rest of his team. He was truly glad he had waited. The film was better than he had ever imagined it could be. He turned to Mackenzie and met her eyes. “That was simply amazing,” he said softly. “It wasn’t just a documentary. It was art. You didn’t just report the facts, you captured the spirit of the team. How’d you do that?”
Mackenzie smiled, basking in the glow of his compliment. He could tell that his words had touched her, but they were the truth. Her film was truly outstanding.
“I had the best inspiration,” she smiled. “I had you.”
* * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from Blind Trust by Laura Scott.
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Perilous Pursuit Page 17
