Jamilah pulled back. “What are you doing?”
“She is coming with me.”
“No. I won’t let you take her.”
“Give her to me!”
Caught between the two, Cerena began to cry. Lorraine looked on, horrified, afraid to move.
“Let her go or I will break her neck,” Pilar sneered.
“No,” Jamilah wailed as she reluctantly complied. “Where are you taking her?”
“That is none of your concern.”
Jamilah struggled upward and lunged toward Pilar as she turned to leave with Cerena. With the baby cradled in her arm Pilar shoved Jamilah backward with her free hand, causing her to tumble to the floor. Lorraine rushed to Jamilah’s aid as she clutched her chest and wheezed.
“Please don’t take her,” Jamilah cried. “She’s just a baby. Please don’t hurt her.”
Pilar swept out of the room and Gil followed, securing the door behind him.
“I can’t breathe,” Jamilah choked. “I can’t breathe.”
Lorraine helped Jamilah to the bed and found the inhaler sticking out from under a pillow. She passed it to Jamilah and she puffed and inhaled the necessary amount of medication into her lungs to settle her breathing.
Donovan drew his weapon and exited the elevator on the floor leading to his loft. He knew at once that the lock on the door had been tampered with. His place was ransacked. His gaze narrowed and he moved cautiously inside. He pushed the door closed behind him with his weapon trained and readied. “John? I know you’re here. Come on out, buddy.” Uneasily, he opened closet doors, righted furniture, and peered around corners. Continuing into the bedroom he discovered his papers strewn across the floor. He zeroed in on the closet and the open safe. John was nowhere to be found. When he went back into the living room he was startled by the discovery of the front door standing ajar. He crept toward it and stuck his head out to scan the corridor, and was jumped from behind.
John wrapped his leather belt around Donovan’s neck and pulled tight enough to cut off his air. Still holding on to his gun, Donovan choked and tried to free himself with his free hand. The harder he fought the more force John exerted.
“Drop the gun,” John demanded, kicking the door closed.
Perspiration popped from Donovan’s forehead and he flushed various shades of red, but he would not relent.
“I swear to God I will choke the living shit out of you if you don’t drop your weapon.”
Convinced of the futility of his effort, Donovan ultimately gave in. John booted the gun away from him and let him go. Donovan fell to his knees, coughing and gagging, and John picked up his gun and took aim. “Where are they?”
“Who?”
“No more games. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
Donovan gasped. “Where’s Alex Solomon?”
“I’m not fuckin’ around with you, Donovan.”
“Then don’t trade the life of the mother of your children for the life of a piece of ass with a price on her head.”
John snatched Donovan by the hair. “Tell me where they are right now or I promise you I’ll plug your ass full of lead right here.”
“You picked the wrong horse on this one, buddy. If I don’t get back to them by six o’clock you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
John racked a bullet in the chamber of the Glock. “I’m gonna count to three and then I’m gonna blow your goddamned kneecaps unless you tell me what I wanna know. One . . . two . . .” He bashed Donovan in the face, sending him hurdling to the floor. “Sorry, I guess I forgot to say three.” He pressed the gun to Donovan’s crotch. “I just decided your cock would make a much better target.”
“Okay. Wait. Wait. I’ll take you to ’em.”
“Get up.”
Donovan pulled himself up and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
John rapped him on the back of his head with the butt of the Glock. “Let’s go. And don’t even think about trying anything.”
Donovan was forced behind the wheel of his SUV and at gunpoint he started for the farmhouse.
“I’m curious . . . How’d you figure it out?” Donovan asked.
“Something Rivera said about enemies when he called Alex. It didn’t sit right. I just put it together with what you said before. I didn’t wanna believe it until I found the evidence in your safe.”
“How’d you figure that one out?”
“You got Bear to thank for that.”
Donovan chuckled. “You were always smarter than I gave you credit for.”
“Wish I could say the same for you.” John extracted his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Lorraine’s parents. “Madeline, it’s John . . . I’m fine. Listen, can you pick up the kids from the house and keep them with you? Yes, everything’s fine. Lorraine’s with me . . . I really don’t have time to explain right now. I’ll have her call you back later. Just keep them with you until you hear from me . . . Thanks, Madeline.” He ended the call.
“How do you think ol’ Liam and Maddie are gonna feel about you when they find out what you got their little princess into?” Donovan sneered.
“You should be more worried about what’s gonna happen to you if anything happens to her,” John shot back. “Now keep your eyes on the road.”
Donovan chuckled again and glanced over, rubbing the soreness in his jaw. “I think I lost a filling.”
“You’ve been sabotaging this case from the very beginning. You better be glad I don’t knock all your damn teeth down your throat.”
“Don’t you wanna know what happened? Why I . . . turned? Would you believe me if I told you I did this all for love?” Donovan smirked. “Love is what makes the world go ’round, right? Love and lots of money, or love of money. Ain’t love the reason you came chargin’ in like the cavalry to save the day? I’m not that much different from you, buddy.”
“We’re nothing alike. And don’t call me buddy, you son of a bitch!”
“Oooh, sticks and stones, my friend.”
“Just drive, asshole.”
During the thirty-five minute drive John took his eyes off Donovan just long enough for him to secure a small can of Mace he’d hidden in the side compartment of the driver’s side door just under the handle. He turned off the main road and steered through trees that appeared like sentinels and passed a hefty grove of eucalyptus.
John caught a glimpse of the farmhouse a half mile ahead of them and instructed Donovan to stop the SUV in a tall patch of dried grass. John reached over and snatched the keys from the ignition. “How many are inside?”
Donovan didn’t answer.
John pressed the gun into Donovan’s temple. “How many?”
“Two.”
“Is there a back way in?”
Donovan nodded.
John got out and pulled Donovan’s cell phone from his pocket. “Call them.”
“What?”
“It’s almost six. Call them. Now!”
Donovan reached for the phone with his right hand while he eased his left down to his side to get hold of the can of Mace. He jerked and pointed. The unfocused direction caused the spray to miss its target, filling the cabin with noxious gas.
John’s weapon discharged. The bullet shattered the driver’s side window. Donovan bolted from the SUV weaving deep into the wooded area. John pursued him. Seeing a clear shot, he took aim and fired. Donovan dropped like a wildebeest.
The echoing blast brought Gil to the door of the farmhouse. John ducked to avoid detection.
Gil stepped away from the house and spied Donovan’s SUV. He ran back inside and flung open the door to the room where the women were held. He yanked Lorraine away from Jamilah’s side.
“Let go of me!” Lorraine shrieked.
“Your big, bad hubby just showed up for the party.” He wrapped his forearm around her neck and kissed her cheek. “Too bad, too. We could have been really, really good friends if we had the time.”
Lorraine clawed Gi
l’s bare arm, attempting to wriggle free. The more she twisted the tighter his grip became. A shadow passed across the back window, causing the squirrelly Gil to shoot wildly toward it. Lorraine sunk her teeth into his arm and stomped on his foot. He stumbled backward and tumbled over wood crates that were being used as a table and chairs. John smashed the window with his gun and shot Gil dead as he scrambled to his feet.
John moved swiftly from the window to the door directly beside it as Lorraine unlatched it and threw herself into his arms. “Oh, my God, I’m so glad you found us.”
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. John, it was Harley. He’s the one who brought me here.”
“I know all about it. I handled it.” He then stepped over to Gil’s body and checked for a pulse. “Is there anyone else here?”
“There was a woman. I don’t know where she went, but she took Adriane Sullivan’s baby with her.” Lorraine turned and pointed. “Janette Sullivan is in there. John, she’s very sick.”
John followed Lorraine inside and found Jamilah cowering in the corner between the bed and the wall. Despite her weakened condition she was overcome with emotion when she saw John. He slipped his gun back into its holster and went to her.
“John, they murdered Ade,” Jamilah cried. “He was a part of all this.”
John nodded. “I know.”
“That woman took Cerena.”
“Can you tell me about the woman?” John asked.
“She was Hispanic,” Lorraine injected.
“Her name is Pilar,” Jamilah added. “John, you have to get Cerena back before they hurt her.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Where is—”
“She’s safe.”
Jamilah cupped his face. Her hands were cold and shaking. “Thank you.”
“It’s not over yet,” John confessed. “I got to get you both out of here. Are you able to stand up?”
Jamilah nodded and gripped his forearm and pulled up. Lorraine moved to her other side to help.
“There’s an SUV just up the path.” John looked at Jamilah. “Can you make it that far?”
She nodded again, leaning the full weight of her body against him. Her knees buckled when she stepped off the porch and John swept her up in his arms and carried her. Lorraine stayed close.
Sticks and dried grass crunched under their feet as they walked circumspectly toward the SUV. John surveyed the field where he was sure he’d taken Donovan down. Lorraine climbed into the front passenger seat. After securing Jamilah into the back, John pulled his Glock from its holster.
“Where are you going?” Lorraine shrieked.
He ignored her and took a few steps back toward the trail that they’d all just come from. He stopped and listened; there was nothing. No sound. No Donovan.
“John?”
He turned back to the SUV. There was no time to continue the search for Donovan. He needed to get the women to safety. He swept broken glass from the driver’s seat, jumped in, and drove off. His thoughts ran to the timeline that he’d given Alex before she was to call his stepfather. He opted to text her instead of calling: No need to call Hank. I found your mother. Everything is all right. See you soon. Stay put.
“That was her, wasn’t it?” Lorraine whispered, looking out of the corner of her eye.
Beset by a strange mixture of guilt and accountability John shot her a side-glance. “She needed to know that I have her mother.”
Lorraine turned around to see that Jamilah appeared to have drifted off. “What are you going to tell her about the baby?”
John didn’t answer. He placed a long overdue call to his chief inspector.
“Inspector Chase—”
“It was Harley Donovan.”
“What?”
“He’s been in on this with Rivera from the very beginning. You need to get to his loft. You’ll find everything there.”
“John—”
“I don’t have time to get into details right now, but you’ve got to move on this right now. You should also send a team to this old farmhouse thirty miles west of the Pomona Freeway off Crossroads Parkway South, Route 10; that’s where Janette Sullivan was being held.”
“Was? John, what the hell is going on?”
“One more thing, Chief; Donovan’s been shot. I shot him, but somehow he got away. My guess is it was the woman helping them, or Rivera himself. The woman’s name is Pilar Vélez.”
“Goddammit, John—”
John disconnected the call before allowing his chief’s response. He pulled up outside the entrance to the ER of Huntington Hospital in less than an hour where he was met by a female attending. Lorraine looked on as they helped Jamilah out of the SUV and into a wheelchair. John took note of the doctor’s ID badge.
“What do we have here?” The doctor gave Jamilah a perfunctory spot exam, checking her pupils. “Her pulse is weak. Her breathing is shallow. What happened to her?”
“She suffered a severe asthma attack, and she’s most likely dehydrated,” John responded.
“Ma’am, I’m Dr. Anderson. Can you tell me your name?”
Jamilah swallowed against the soreness in her throat and glanced up at John. “J . . . Janette Sullivan.”
“Ms. Sullivan, are you in any pain?”
Jamilah closed her eyes. “Head hurts.”
The doctor stood up to address John. “Are you a relative?”
John showed the woman his badge. “I’m Inspector John Chase from the US Marshal Service.”
“Inspector?”
John knelt beside Jamilah and held her hands. “The doctor’s gonna take real good care of you. I’m going to take care of everything else. I promise.” He stood and gave the doctor a card with Milton Toliver’s name on it. “This is the number of the chief inspector of the US Marshal Service Pasadena office.” He dashed back to his truck. “Call him. Tell him that Janette Sullivan is here. He’ll take it from there.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” the doctor protested. “You can’t just leave her here like this. There are forms . . .”
John sped away.
“Are you sure you should have just left her?” Lorraine asked.
John glanced into the rearview mirror and then pulled over to the side of the road. Wanting to avoid another round with Chief Toliver, he pulled out his cell phone and opted to text him: Just brought Janette Sullivan to Huntington Hospital. In bad shape. She needs protection immediately. Look for ER doc Carrie Anderson. He continued after sending the message, hoping that Toliver would take decisive action.
“I can’t believe Harley Donovan was involved in all of this. I was sure he was going to kill me. If you hadn’t shown up . . . He threatened the kids, John.”
“Are you all right?”
Lorraine rubbed her bruised wrists. “Other than the fact that I might need a rabies shot after biting that man, I’m just a little sore. I just want to get home to John Michael and Chloe. I need to be sure that they’re all right.”
“I called Madeline earlier and told her to pick up the kids and keep them with her.”
John’s cell phone continued to ring and text messages kept coming from Alex inquiring about Jamilah and the baby. He only responded to her text telling her to stay put and that he was on his way back there. Once he ditched the SUV and retrieved his truck from the alley two blocks from Donovan’s loft he proceeded to take Lorraine to her parents. He called Sam McFarland and told him what happened and asked if he could arrange for a unit from the Pasadena PD to be sent to the Reardon home. His tab was quickly adding up. Milton Toliver called again. John ignored the call. It gave him some comfort to see a patrol car parked on the other side of the street in front of his in-laws’ house by the time he and Lorraine drove up.
“I suppose it would be pointless to expect you to come in to check on your children,” Lorraine said.
John rubbed his face. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Tears welled up in Lorraine’s eyes
and she shook her head. “In all the years that you’ve been doing this job that you love so much I never felt your family was in danger until you brought that woman into our lives. You’re right . . . sometimes when something is broken you should probably leave it that way.”
Lorraine got out of the truck and John watched until she’d made it inside.
Donovan threw his head back, perspiring and cringing, and pressed the blood-soaked towel against his right shoulder.
“Try not to bleed to death before I can get you the help you need,” Pilar said.
“I’m just glad you came back when you did,” he responded without the slightest hint of the Southern drawl he’d perfected.
“What the hell happened?”
“Chase got the jump on me. You need to take me back to my place.”
“What the hell for?”
“I’ve got to clean it out.”
“Please tell me you weren’t stupid enough to leave proof lying around for anyone to find.”
“Not everything. But it’s enough to incriminate me . . . and you.”
Pilar sneered. “¡Increíble!”
“Just take me there.”
When Pilar pulled up to the intersection of Donovan’s building they could see a squad of agents swarming around outside.
“My father is not going to be happy about any of this.”
Donovan glanced over his shoulder to the blanketed floor of the back seat. “You took the damn baby, Pilar. That wasn’t part of the plan. What do you think Xavier will have to say about that?”
“At the very least we still have leverage to draw Alexandra Solomon out of hiding. If you had listened to me in the first place none of this would have been necessary. You underestimated Inspector Chase. Why do men have to make simple things so complicated? Perhaps my father recruited the wrong agent after all.”
Donovan scoffed at the scathing comment. “It’s not over yet.”
Pilar shot him a side-glance and smirked. “The situation is getting messier and more problematic by the minute. It very well could be over for you.”
Avenging Alex Page 16
