Cold Blooded

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  Rachel checked the kitchen first. She returned with pen and paper, handing them to Nick.

  “Give me the address where your buddy’s holding the kids, Joe.”

  Joe gave him the address.

  “I…I can hardly talk…he’ll know something’s wrong.”

  “I’m going to find something to help you deal with the pain.” Nick grabbed Joe’s ears, his face inches away. “If you mess up, Joe, I’ll still get those kids back, but when I’m done with your partner, I’ll take you out in the desert and keep you alive for four days. When the four days are done, you’ll embrace hell with open arms. Are we clear?”

  “I…I’ll do it… Just give me something to take the edge off,” Joe promised fearfully.

  “You have chosen wisely. Rachel, go see if Suzan has any heavy duty pain killers.”

  * * * *

  Rachel ran to the stairs, hope driving her with energy and purpose. She found Suzan huddled up on the bed, fists pressed against her mouth. When Suzan heard Rachel, she leaped quickly from the bed, her face a mask of misery and concern.

  “We need pain killers. Do you have anything that won’t knock somebody out, but might take the edge off the pain?”

  Suzan looked at Rachel blankly for a moment, and then hurried into the master bathroom. She pulled a bottle of pills off the top shelf and handed them to Rachel.

  “They’re OxyContin. Two will take the edge off, and then it would be guess work.”

  “Thanks,” Rachel turned to go. Suzan grabbed her arm.

  “I…I’m sorry, Rachel. If I’d had any idea what -”

  “Forget it. Joe told us you didn’t know.”

  “Is there any chance we can get the kids back?”

  “Oh yeah.” Rachel patted Suzan’s shoulder. “If it can be done, that cold-blooded bastard downstairs will do it. You can come down if you want. Joe’s helping.”

  Suzan followed Rachel downstairs. Nick was binding Joe’s wounded knees with towels from Suzan’s kitchen, using duct tape to hold them tightly in place, staunching the blood flow. He had already cleaned up the mess from his interrogation of Joe, stuffing the refuse into another black plastic bag. Joe suffered in silence, enduring anything so as not to draw Nick’s attention. Rachel handed Nick the bottle.

  “OxyContin,” Rachel told him. “Suzan says two will take the edge off, but it gets flaky from there.”

  * * * *

  Nick emptied two from the bottle. He picked up the water glass he had used to wake Joe up. He stuck the tablets into Joe’s mouth, and held the water glass to his lips until Joe sipped enough to get the tablets swallowed.

  “Is the garage empty, Suzan?”

  “Yes…Joe had me park my car along the street.”

  “What kind of vehicle did they come in?”

  “A van…ah…dark blue,” Suzan answered. “It was one of those old beat up Dodge Tradesman vans. They checked to see if it would fit in my garage before Joe’s partner took the kids. What can you do about his partner without getting the kids hurt?”

  “Let me worry that through, Suzan.” Nick looked closely at Joe’s face. Some of the pain lines were fading and Joe had relaxed his jaw somewhat. “Talk to me, Joe. Time’s running out.”

  “I can do it!” he cried out, as Nick picked up the stun gun again when Joe was slow answering. “Bring me my cellphone. It’s on the stand near the couch. The number’s on speed dial under Craig.”

  Rachel picked up the cell-phone and handed it to Nick. After finding and entering the number, Nick held the cellphone for Joe.

  “Craig…we’re all set. Drive the van into the garage. Come in through the kitchen,” Joe said, and then listened for Craig’s acknowledgment. “Okay, see ya.”

  Nick closed the cell phone and pocketed it. He went to his gym bag. Nick motioned for Rachel to follow him over. Nick removed an odd shaped gun from the bag. He held it up for her to see.

  “Here’s what we do. Suzan, you trigger the garage door open, but leave the connecting door to the kitchen closed. When Craig comes in the kitchen this Taser gun will stop him. Rachel, after Craig’s down, I’ll give you the gun while I duct tape him. Zap him any time he moves.”

  “You’re like the Inspector Gadget of Assassins,” Rachel joked, when Suzan went into the garage through the kitchen to open the door.

  Nick smiled. Damn, good recovery lady. You’ll do. “Just hold the gun in your hand, and hit the trigger if Craig has any life in him after the initial zapping. I need Craig alive though.”

  Nick turned to Joe, who looked noticeably better. “If you have anything to add in addition to what you’ve already said, now’s the time, Joe. If your partner’s story doesn’t match yours, it’ll go badly for you.”

  Shock registered for a moment on Joe’s face as he frantically tried to think of anything he might have left out. “No, that’s it. Honest to God.”

  “Better hope so.” Nick took out two more OxyContin and helped Joe get them down. “Sit quietly. When I hear your buddy, I’m going to tape your mouth temporarily.”

  “Stay in the living room,” Nick said when Suzan returned from the garage. “Keep an eye on Joe, Rachel. Put the tape over his mouth when I tell you to. If he even looks like he’s going to make a sound, give him something to make sounds about. I’ll leave the stun gun with you. You two stay cool. The hard part will be over shortly.”

  Nick went into the kitchen after checking that the main entrance was locked, carrying the Taser gun and Joe’s silenced automatic. He placed a chair to the right of the connecting door from the garage. With Joe’s weapon in his left hand, and the Taser in his right, Nick waited. Ten minutes later, he heard the ragged exhaust sound of the

  Dodge driving into the garage.

  “Put the tape on Joe, Rachel,” he called out.

  Two minutes later, the kitchen door opened. A huge man with carefully trimmed black beard and hair entered. The Taser needles struck the man’s left breast. Craig cried out, his arms flailing wildly as Nick gave him burst after burst until the man fell first to his knees, and then pitched to the floor on his face. Nick kept up the charge until Craig moved only spasmodically. He could smell the unmistakable odor of singed flesh. Ah…smells like…victory.

  “Come in, Rachel,” Nick called out. “Suzan, you keep an eye on Joe.”

  Rachel hurried in. She took the Taser from Nick. Setting the automatic on the kitchen table, Nick quickly duct taped Craig’s crossed wrists behind his back, relieving the man of a 9mm Glock he had in his waistband. He then taped the man’s ankles together and, bending them upward, Nick taped the wrists to the ankles. Lastly, Nick put tape over Craig’s mouth.

  “Put the Taser gun down right where you are, and come search this clown, Rachel. Empty everything out on the floor. I’m going to drag Joe in here before I get the kids.”

  “Nick,” Rachel caught hold of Nick’s wrist as he passed by, her lip trembling. “I -”

  “It’s not over yet, Wonder Woman. Hang on a little longer.” Nick jogged into the living room.

  “Grit your teeth, Joe. I’m dragging you into the kitchen.” Nick applied duct tape to keep the black plastic bags attached to the oak chair. He tipped the chair backwards. With the plastic bags making the quick slide easier into the next room, Nick dragged Joe out of sight in the kitchen.

  Nick went into the garage carefully, having picked up Joe’s silenced automatic, and some scissors from the kitchen counter before going out. The front seat was empty. Nick breathed easier. He heard the kids squirming in the back seat as he opened the door. Garth, Kelly, and Jean stared back at him, wide-eyed with fear. Nick made a shushing sound, setting the automatic down under the van for the moment. Using the scissors, Nick cut away the plastic ties Craig had bound the kids with.

  “Go easy pulling the tape off your mouths, kids,” Nick urged.

  The kids pulled the duct tape off with some difficulty and muffled cries. Jean was the first to get hers off. She dived into Nick’s arms.

 
“I knew you’d come, Nick,” Jean sobbed, tears streaming down from her eyes. “I told Kelly and Garth you wouldn’t let them get us.”

  “You’d better believe it, kid.” Nick hugged her back. “C’mon, I want you three to walk out of the garage and go in through the front entrance. Go straight upstairs with your Moms, and stay there until I tell you to come down, okay?”

  Kelly and Garth nodded silently at the near stranger. Jean twisted around in Nick’s arms.

  “I told you the Terminator would save us,” Jean claimed happily as Nick put her on the cement. “C’mon, we have to go in the front.”

  Nick watched Jean help Kelly from the van, and then Garth. When they were around the corner, running to the front, Nick picked up the weapon from under the van. He went inside the house to relieve Rachel. Nick took the Taser from her. She ran into the living room to scoop Jean into her arms, crying in relief. Suzan sat with her arms around Kelly and Garth on the couch, holding them silently, rocking back and forth. When Jean saw Nick standing at the kitchen doorway, she whispered in Rachel’s ear. Rachel set her down, nodding in agreement.

  “We have to go upstairs for a while,” Rachel told Suzan, motioning the woman up from the couch.

  After Rachel, Suzan, and the kids were upstairs, Nick checked on Joe and Craig. When he was satisfied neither man could do anything, Nick put Joe’s silenced automatic into his gym bag, along with the Taser gun. Nick then went out to trigger the garage door closed. He rooted around until he found bleach and paper towels. Nick placed them on the Dodge’s passenger side front floorboard before moving to and opening the rear doors of the van. Craig and Joe had emptied the back, expecting to transport bodies.

  In the kitchen, Nick found Craig beginning to roll around in pain, groaning under the duct tape. Nick flipped Craig over and dragged the man out by his legs, down over the three steps, and across the garage floor to the Dodge’s rear doors. Nick managed to work Craig’s upper body onto the van’s cargo floor. After taking a couple deep breaths, Nick flipped the man’s legs into the van.

  “Damn Craig, you weigh a ton.” Nick breathed heavily but smiled when he heard muffled noises. Craig’s body rolled side to side.

  Nick joined Joe in the kitchen. He helped Joe swallow two more OxyContin. Nick tore off four more strips of duct tape. From behind Joe, Nick cut the shoulder and waist tape.

  “I’m going to slice the tape away from your wrists, Joe. Put your hands behind your back immediately. If you don’t, I’ll push you forward, right on your knees, understand?”

  Joe nodded. Nick sliced the tape away from his wrists. Joe leaned forward, crossing his hands behind him. Nick put two of the strips around Joe’s wrists. Nick sliced the tape off Joe’s ankles and duct taped them together.

  “Okay, Joe, time to go in the van. I’m going to ease you forward onto my shoulder and do a fireman’s carry out to the van. Don’t make this hard, or I’ll throw you on the floor and drag you out by your knees.”

  Nick pulled the man over his shoulders, lifting with his legs to a standing crouch, and slowly trudged out to the Dodge van. He eased Joe inside the cargo area. Nick retrieved his duct tape and wrapped each man two full times around their chests and arms, immobilizing their upper bodies. Craig’s eyes verged on insanity. Nick patted his cheek.

  “You’re lucky I don’t have time to play with you, Craig.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Clean Up

  Nick closed the van doors. An hour later, Nick had bagged all the men’s personal items, and cleaned the living room and kitchen meticulously. His gym bag was repacked. One black garbage bag was tied closed near the front door. He walked to the staircase.

  “I’m sure you all are hungry and thirsty, so come on down,” Nick called out.

  When they were all sitting in Suzan’s kitchen, drinking sodas, and eating chips Suzan had served, Nick waited until they were through before speaking.

  “Rachel, Jean, and I have to leave. I have a couple more errands to run. Tomorrow’s Sunday. Rachel and I would like to have you all over for the barbeque we missed today. Once we leave, this bad stuff will all be in the past. We’ll talk tomorrow, Suzan. Talk to no one until then.”

  “I won’t,” Suzan promised.

  “What if those guys come back?” Kelly asked.

  “They won’t be coming back,” Jean told her with exasperation. “Are you stupid?”

  “Jean!” Rachel rebuked her daughter. “You apologize right now!”

  “Sorry,” Jean sighed. “I didn’t mean that, Kel.”

  “It’s…it’s okay.”

  “Can we go tomorrow, Mom?” Garth asked Suzan.

  “Yes, I think we should,” Suzan answered, exchanging glances with Nick and Rachel.

  Nick stood up. “C’mon you two, it’s almost dark. I’ll go out through the garage and get the van out of Suzan’s way. I packed an extra soda, and the Oxy, Suzan. I’ll bring back what’s left.”

  “Keep them.”

  Nick went out to the van with the garbage bag and his gym bag. He heard the loud grunts and groans from Craig as the man now thrashed around the cargo area. Nick opened the rear door. He used the stun gun on Craig until the man vibrated. Nick made a silencing motion with his finger to his lips for Joe, who was staring wide-eyed at him. Joe nodded his head energetically. With the trash and gym bags up front, Nick started the Dodge and backed it out to the street. He then put it in park and walked over to the Escalade driver’s window. Rachel had already opened it.

  “Follow me. When you see me turn off into the dirt, stay where you are by the street. I’ll hike out to you. It won’t take me long.”

  “Okay, Nick.”

  “Don’t get caught speeding, Nick,” Jean called out from the back.

  “Oh…Jinx! Thanks a lot, Jean.”

  Nick waved and went to the Dodge. Half an hour later, Nick had driven the van out into the desert on the East side of Las Vegas until the wheels stuck. He took the garbage bag, gym bag, and cleaning supplies out of the van. Nick put on Nitrile gloves from his gym bag, and went to work with the bleach and paper towels, working around Craig and Joe in the back when he finished with the front. Satisfied the van was clean, Nick took out Carl Brewster’s weapon, which he had already packed earlier, wiped it off, and set it aside. He repeated the process with both weapons taken from Craig and Joe. With his stun gun and Joe’s weapon, Nick went in the back. After leaning the squirming Craig up into a kneeling position against the side of the van, he stunned Craig senseless. Nick crawled around behind Joe, helping him up so he was seated, leaning into Nick. Nick cut Joe’s hands free. Joe cried out as Nick forced his numb right hand up and wrapped it around Joe’s gun.

  “Ready, aim, fire,” Nick joked, triggering the silenced auto with Joe’s numb finger twice. “Nice shooting, Joe – right between the horns.”

  Nick propped Joe against the passenger rear seat after taking the weapon back. He used the old tape to bind Joe’s hands behind his back once again. Nick went out and brought back Brewster’s silenced auto. He cut all the tape off the deceased Craig, balling it up and putting it aside. Nick positioned himself behind Craig’s corpse, fitting Brewster’s weapon into Craig’s hand and aiming it at Joe.

  “Say cheese, Joe, c’mon big smile now.” Nick fired two shots into Joe’s head with Craig’s finger. “Man, you two guys can really shoot.”

  Nick left Brewster’s gun in Craig’s right hand and added Craig’s own Glock into his left hand, allowing them to rest on the dead man’s legs. Nick repeated the process with Joe, wadding up all the tape, and makeshift knee bandages, leaving Joe to stare off into eternity with his weapon in hand. He closed and locked the van after a final cargo area wipe down. With his gym bag in one hand and the garbage bag in the other, Nick jogged at a slow pace out to the road, nearly two miles away. When he reached the Escalade, he walked in front where Rachel could see him. He heard the doors unlock. After dropping his bundles off in the rear, Nick hopped into the front passenger seat
. He took deep breaths and enjoyed the air conditioned air. Jean was fast asleep on the back seat.

  “You look like you could use a beer.”

  “Absolutely,” Nick said, leaning back with a sigh.

  * * * *

  “It doesn’t get as cool in the desert at night as I thought it would.” Rachel handed Nick an ice cold mug. “I’m surprised you’re out here in the backyard.”

  “There’s a breeze,” he replied, hanging on to her hand for a moment after taking the mug. He kissed her palm. “I like looking at the stars out here. Jean never stirred when I carried her to the bedroom. She was really out.”

  Rachel sat down in the chair next to him, her own mug in hand. “We’re not going out in the desert at dawn tomorrow are we?”

  “No, I think we should stay in tomorrow and wait until we talk to Suzan. I’ll check out Jim Benoit, then go through those bozos’ personal effects for names and addresses. We need to keep watching the news for updates on the roadside intervention I pulled in Bakersfield. We’ll stay apprised of any dead bodies being discovered around here too. I should be doing it now, but my batteries need charged.”

  “You were amazing today. How many times have you done something like that?”

  “Counting today, once.” He smiled over at Rachel. He could see her watching him, even though it was dark out on the patio. “I trained for hostage situations extensively when I was with Delta, but Delta doesn’t conduct hostage negotiations in the manner I did today.”

  “Maybe they should.”

  “Oh, you don’t go along with the ‘we have to be better than them’ line of thinking?” He shook his head in a disapproving manner. “By the way, you did exceptionally well today. That was one hard episode for an on-the-job training session.”

  “It taught me there really isn’t anything I wouldn’t do if I had to,” Rachel admitted. “I’m not sure I’ll make as good a psycho as you are, but I might make it as an assistant psycho. Besides, you’re a fake psycho.”