Colorado Abduction

by Cassie Miles

  “Wait a minute.” Carolyn averted her gaze. “Can you do this without a warrant? Is this even legal?”

  “Corelli knows how to follow protocol and he’s a talented hacker.”

  On the screen, she read the balance in the account. “One thousand two hundred dollars? How can Logan support all those people on that amount? There must be another account.”

  “Nope,” Burke said. “No other account in Sam Logan’s name. Nothing else for the SOF.”

  “Credit cards? Loans?”

  “Nothing.”

  Corelli flipped through a series of other financial documents while he explained, “Here’s how it works. Before a bill comes due, Logan deposits just enough money—in cash—to cover the check. Always in cash.”

  Finances were Carolyn’s area of expertise. When taking on a new supplier for Carlisle Certified Organic Beef, she carefully reviewed all their financial documents. “Seems like a clever way to avoid paying taxes. If he only balances out with small amounts, he can claim it all comes from contributions.”

  “Good insight,” Burke said. “Source of income is the important factor. It’s hard to know exactly how the SOF makes their money when everything is on a cash basis.”

  “I’m not a forensic accountant,” Corelli said, “but I feel safe in assuming that Logan has a boatload of cash that isn’t banked.”

  “That might explain the security cameras,” she said, “and the heavy-duty firepower at the SOF compound. They’re afraid of being robbed.”

  Burke raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Let’s not characterize Logan as a little old man who stuffs his mattress with ten-dollar bills. He needs his guards to keep his business secret, to protect his little kingdom.”

  “From what?”

  “Feds like me,” Burke said. “Whatever he’s buying and selling is illegal. Could be weapons, could be drugs, could be any number of black-market items that would be highly interesting to the DEA or Homeland Security.”

  Though Carolyn agreed that Logan was probably involved in some kind of illegal activity, she didn’t think of her former fiancé as a terrorist. “Logan isn’t that clever.”

  “He’s no mastermind,” Burke agreed. “But he could be working for one. His compound could be one stop on a distribution chain.”

  She didn’t like the picture he was painting, especially didn’t like the thought that Nicole might be in the middle of this spider’s web. Not to mention the other innocent women and children.

  They needed to get everyone out of there, starting tonight with Sunny.

  TWELVE MINUTES BEFORE the midnight meet with Sunny, Burke lay on his belly in the cold, dead grass outside the west field bordering the Circle M. He peered through infrared, heat-sensing binoculars at a stand of pine trees, watching for any sign of movement. From this vantage point, he couldn’t see any of the buildings of the SOF compound. Except for the clump of pines, this field was flat and featureless.

  Carolyn crouched beside him, hiding behind the bared branches of a shrub. His backup—Neville and Silverman—were both heavily armed. They’d separated and found their own hiding spots, fading into the landscape. The only way Burke could see them was through the heat-sensing binoculars.

  He didn’t like this setup. With very little cover, they were exposed to the possibility of ambush. If Logan and his men charged toward them on horseback, escape would be difficult. They’d parked a couple of hundred yards away, and he didn’t like their chances for a safe retreat if they were outnumbered and attacked with a barrage of bullets from semiautomatic weapons.

  He especially hated that Carolyn was here. She’d insisted on being part of this operation, dug in her heels. He’d wanted to pull rank, reminding her that he was in charge. But her argument made too much sense. If, in fact, Sunny truly wanted to escape from the Circle M, she’d be alarmed if she didn’t see Carolyn—the person she trusted.

  He glanced toward his companion. Dressed all in black, she was as slender as a shadow. “I’d feel a whole lot better if you were wearing full body armor, like Neville and Silverman.”

  “This bulletproof vest is enough,” she said quietly. “The whole reason I’m here is to keep Sunny from being scared. If she sees me dressed like a robot, she’ll run.”

  Again, her logic made sense. For exactly the same reason she’d stated, Burke was only wearing a Kevlar vest. “Let’s go over the plan again.”

  “It’s not that complicated,” she said. “I stay with you. When you give me the go-ahead, I run to the trees. No time for conversation. I take Sunny by the hand and bring her back here.”

  “If you hear me call out a warning, what do you do?”

  “Seek cover.” She turned so she was looking at the flat land between their hiding spot and the pines. “There isn’t much to hide behind.”

  “Hit the dirt,” he said. “The main thing is not to stand and run, making yourself a big, fat target.”

  “Excuse me? You think I’m big and fat?”

  “Your body’s great.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  “I like the way you’re put together.” This wasn’t the right time for this conversation, but he couldn’t control his thoughts. Even now, in the midst of a life-threatening situation, his brain flashed snapshots of Carolyn. The swing of her hips when he followed her up the staircase. Her long legs striding with purpose. Her casual grace when she sat on her bed. “Oh, yeah. You’ve got a great body.”

  “You’re no slouch yourself,” she said. “Do you work out or do you get enough exercise chasing the evildoers of the world?”

  He didn’t answer, preferring to concentrate on the business at hand. After a moment of silence, he lowered his binoculars and checked his wristwatch. Five minutes until midnight.

  “I’ve been thinking,” she said, “about Logan being part of a distribution chain.”

  He peered through his binoculars again. “And?”

  “If somebody is bringing illegal goods into this area, the most logical route would be the pass that follows that old Indian Trail. It comes out of the mountains at the south pasture where all the sabotage was taking place.”

  After studying topographical maps of the area, he’d been leaning toward the same conclusion. He and Corelli had been listening to the chatter from Logan’s office where Burke had hidden a bug. There had been talk about making a pickup, but no one mentioned where or what would be delivered. “You could be right about the route.”

  “The sabotage started after Dylan moved the herd into that pasture.”

  “Logan and his men might have been causing trouble so Dylan would move the cattle. If they’re using that trail, there’s less chance that someone would see them if the pasture was empty.”

  “We can’t tell Dylan about this,” she whispered. “He’s already blaming himself for Nicole’s kidnapping. Lucas kept telling him to move the cattle.”

  A suspicious note in her voice caused him to lower the binoculars and look toward her. “What else are you thinking?”

  “Nothing really.” She shook her head. “Forget it.”

  She’d mentioned the foreman—Lucas Mann. Was there something more sinister behind his warning to move the herd? Was Lucas the traitor? He knew that Carolyn would find it hard to accuse that bowlegged cowboy, a trusted employee who had worked at the ranch for years.

  Burke was less sanguine about the foreman’s loyalty. Lucas could have been bribed; he had enough extra cash to buy that new Glock, which wasn’t a cheap weapon. “Is there something you want to tell me about Lucas?”

  “I said forget it.”

  Lucas had been in the house when somebody took the phone number from her cell. He’d also discovered the fire at the stable and acted quickly to rescue the horses. Could he be responsible for setting that blaze?

  Burke looked up at the waning moon and a sky sprinkled with a multitude of stars—thousands of tiny spotlights. That beautiful, clear night sky worked to their disadvantage. He would have preferred cloud c
over, even snow.

  Aiming his heat-sensing binoculars again, he picked out a figure, moving slowly. “She’s coming.”

  Carolyn peered though the dark. “I don’t see her.”

  “Looks like she’s alone. Let’s get closer.”

  He traded his binoculars for night vision goggles. Bent low, they crept across the field. He clearly saw the blond pregnant woman in a long dress and a parka. She walked carefully, pausing every few steps to look back over her shoulder. Her hand rested protectively on her swollen belly. Her apparent fear seemed to indicate that she wasn’t part of an ambush, which led Burke to his next worry: Was someone coming after her?

  He hoped that Sunny was clever enough to avoid being caught by the surveillance cameras.

  “I see her,” Carolyn said. “She’s almost to the trees.”

  “It doesn’t appear that anybody is following. Go quick.”

  She darted across the last stretch of open field. For tonight’s operation, Carolyn had exchanged her cowboy boots for running shoes. She moved with admirable stealth, standing when she reached the trees.

  Through his goggles, he saw the two women meet. Carolyn wrapped her arm around Sunny and pulled her forward. Instead of running, they came toward him slowly.

  Still no sign of pursuit.

  Burke hurried forward and joined them. Sunny clung to Carolyn’s arm. Her face contorted.

  “I could use a little help,” Carolyn said.

  “Is she injured?”

  “You need to carry her, Burke.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “She’s in labor.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Burke’s jaw dropped. He froze, standing in the middle of the open field between escape and the Circle M. He’d just warned Carolyn not to do what he was doing. Don’t just stand here like a big, fat target. A successful hostage extraction required stealth and cunning. Not babies.

  “In labor,” he said. “Right now?”

  “Yes,” Carolyn hissed. Though she was making a valiant effort to hold Sunny upright, the young woman’s knees folded. In slow motion, she sank to the ground, dragging Carolyn with her in a tangle of limbs. Through clenched teeth, Sunny emitted a sound that was something between a creaking door hinge and a feral growl.

  “Help her.” Carolyn bounced to her feet and punched him in the arm. “She’s not going to make it to the car by herself.”

  He handed his night goggles and gun to Carolyn, then squatted beside Sunny. She gasped and her belly heaved. Her face was pale and round and scared.

  He needed to reassure her. “Um, congratulations.”

  “Burke,” Carolyn snapped, “pick her up.”

  “Right.” He got down close to Sunny. “I’m going to carry you, okay? Can you put your arm around my neck?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, “thank you.”

  Holding her under the arms and at the knees, he lifted her off the ground. Her weight wasn’t too much; he could easily bench-press two-fifty. But Sunny’s body was awkward—regular-sized arms and legs attached to a ripe watermelon.

  From the SOF compound, he heard a shout. A woman’s voice. “Sunny? Where are you, Sunny?”

  “It’s Sharon,” Sunny said. “She’s supposed to keep an eye on us at night.”

  They needed to make tracks, but he couldn’t exactly break into a sprint with a pregnant woman in his arms. Though this field was flat, the ground was rocky. He didn’t want to stumble.

  “How close are the contractions?” Carolyn asked as they lurched forward.

  “It wasn’t bad until just a little while ago.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about.” Carolyn’s voice was soft and gentle. “Just keep breathing. Try to relax.”

  Relax? Was she joking? He wasn’t sure how Sunny felt, but he was operating under red alert panic.

  Other voices joined the woman who had been calling Sunny’s name. Other people were looking for her. If the gang at the compound checked their surveillance cameras, they’d know which direction to go. The men would be armed. Burke could already sense the bullet piercing his back.

  “Silverman,” he snarled into the darkness. “Neville.”

  The two men in full body armor, goggles and helmets rose from their sniper’s nests in the field and jogged silently toward them.

  When Sunny saw them, her eyes popped wide. “Oh, my God.”

  “It’s okay,” Burke said. “They’re with us.”

  “They’re from outer space.” She struggled in his arms. “Am I being abducted by aliens?”

  Silverman flipped up his goggles. “I’m a person. See?”

  “Settle down.” Burke gave her a shake, hoping her brain would engage. “You’re safe now.”

  “I don’t feel safe.”

  “Trust me,” he ordered. “Can you do that?”

  She groaned, “Okay.”

  “I’m taking her to the car,” Burke said to his men as he staggered toward the trees. On the other side, their van was parked. “Stay back and cover our retreat.”

  “They have flashlights,” Carolyn said. “They’re coming this way.”

  He wanted to make sure Neville and Silverman knew they had to hold fire as long as possible. There were still innocent hostages at the Circle M, and he couldn’t take a chance on anyone getting hurt.

  “Don’t shoot unless—”

  He couldn’t speak. Sunny’s arm had clenched around his neck in a stranglehold. Her body had gone into a spasm.

  Only twenty more yards and they’d be in the shelter of the forest.

  “Keep breathing,” Carolyn whispered.

  He gasped. “Thanks.”

  “I wasn’t talking to you, Burke.”

  His forward progress stopped. He kneeled, fearful that he was going to drop her. Sunny’s contraction caused her to stiffen. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out, and he appreciated the effort. If the SOF searchers found them, they might open fire. Definitely not optimum circumstances for delivering a baby.

  As soon as she calmed down, he summoned all his strength and ran into the forest. Beneath the sheltering branches, he turned to look behind them. He saw flashlights bobbing on the opposite side of the field.

  They were a good distance away. He hoped they wouldn’t connect Sunny’s disappearance with him or the Carlisle’s.

  “Almost safe,” he said to Sunny.

  “Hurry.”

  They moved in a clump toward the van. Silverman dashed past them and slid open the rear door. Burke set the pregnant woman inside. Before he could go around to the driver’s side, she grabbed his jacket.

  The strength of her grip astonished him. He wanted to peel her clinging hands off him, wanted to leave her in Carolyn’s care. But Sunny’s wide eyes pleaded. “Stay with me,” she said. “You told me to trust you.”

  “I did say that.” And how the hell could he refuse a woman in labor? He reconfigured the third row of seats into a long bench and climbed in beside her. “Carolyn, you drive.”

  Neville took the passenger seat. Silverman sat in the middle seats. They took off.

  The immediate danger seemed to have passed. They had successfully extracted a hostage from the Sons of Freedom compound. But nobody in the van was breathing a sigh of relief.

  Without turning on the headlights, Carolyn drove as fast as she could along a rutted dirt road. Burke sat with his back against the window. Sunny leaned against his chest with her legs stretched out in front of her. She groaned as Carolyn jolted over a deep furrow. “I want my mom.”

  “Later, you can call her,” Burke said as he pulled out his cell phone. “First, we contact your doctor.”

  “Don’t have one. Logan said we don’t need doctors. We’re like the pioneers, using natural herbs and stuff.”

  “Are you telling me that the children at the compound don’t get vaccinations? No checkups?”

  “I know it’s not right,” Sunny sighed.

  It sure as hell wasn’t. In his book, the lack of
medical care at the SOF compound amounted to child abuse. “Do the others want to leave the Circle M?”

  “Most of the women do,” Sunny said. “But we don’t know where to go. We’ve got no money. Nothing but these ugly clothes. At least Logan makes sure we all get fed.”

  “How long have you lived there?”

  She stroked her belly. “Nine months. I thought I was in love with Butch Thurgood, but he’s as rotten as the rest of them.”

  In the middle seat, Silverman had taken off his helmet, goggles and much of his body armor. He leaned between the seats. “See? I’m not an alien.”

  Not an alien. Just an idiot. “She understands, Silverman.”

  “I didn’t mean to insult you,” Sunny said. “I was just, you know, confused. You looked really scary in the moonlight.”

  “My name is Mike.” He reached back and touched her leg. “You’re going to be fine. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  With a sweet smile, she said, “Thank you, Mike.”

  Oh, sure. Thank him. He didn’t carry you across the field. Burke was pretty sure that he deserved a medal—at least a written commendation—for his actions tonight. At the very least, he wanted to get some useful information from Sunny.

  “You told Carolyn about a murder,” he prompted.

  “Lisa’s sister. Her name was Barbara.”

  “Last name?”

  “I think it’s Ayers. None of the women use their last names. We’re supposed to be part of a new family.”

  Stripping away identity was a typical technique for handling hostages. “What’s your last name, Sunny?”

  “Lansky. Sunny Rebecca Lansky.”

  “That’s good.” He gave her a little hug. “Tell me about the murder.”

  “It was awful.”

  Carolyn drove onto a paved road and turned on the headlights. She hit the accelerator and said loudly, “Burke, this might not be the time to have this talk.”

  “I want to tell him,” Sunny said.

  But she went rigid in his arms. She’d suffered quietly in the field, but there was no longer a need to hold back.

  “Go ahead,” Burke said. “If you want to yell, go ahead.”