“Does Joe know that? Because I have to think that he’s as worried as I am about what happens between you two when Tanner returns.”
“We’ve talked about it. I told him that I don’t want Tanner and that I want him.”
“Talk is cheap and with all he’s lost lately, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a little extra reassurance that he’s not losing you too.”
Laurel gave that some thought and nodded.
“You’re right; I should leave no doubts in his mind.”
Sophia stared at her and made a face.
“Damn.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I like you, Laurel, and I didn’t want to.”
Laurel grinned.
“That makes two of us,”
CHAPTER 9 - The one and only
After refueling in South Korea took longer than expected, due to an instrument in the cockpit needing to be replaced, the accommodations at the hotel in Jakarta had been given away to a foreign news crew covering the story in Guambi, and Sara realized that she and Tanner had nowhere to stay once they landed.
To make matters worse, a new storm was blowing into the region and would be going strong by midnight.
Sara had received the news about the lost hotel rooms after they made their stop for fuel and she became busy making calls to find a solution, but came up empty.
She kept trying, but when they were minutes from landing, she admitted defeat.
“I don’t know what to do and one of the people I talked to said that the planes were being grounded tonight, that’s how bad the storm will be. I suppose we’ll just have to sleep in the airport terminal.”
Tanner held out his hand.
“Let me have your phone.”
Sara gave it to him, but asked a question.
“You know a place where we can stay?”
“I do, but you have to behave while we’re there.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that you keep your remarks about me to yourself. If you insult me in front of these people, they’ll toss you overboard.”
“Overboard? So they have a boat?”
“Yes, a cabin cruiser,”
“Who are these people?”
Tanner had put in the number and was about to press send, when he looked up and stared into Sara’s eyes.
“They’re the closest thing I have to family.”
***
After landing, they waited over an hour for the taxi to arrive and then spent nearly two hours navigating through traffic that made rush hour in New York City look tame by comparison.
By the time they reached the dock it was past noon and they were both tired and hungry.
Sara saw her first. She was a small brown woman with a wide smiling face and glittering dark eyes and she was running at Tanner at full speed. When she reached them, Tanner opened his arms and the young woman leapt into them as if she were a child.
“Xavier! You’ve come home!”
“It’s good to see you, Nadya,” Tanner said and the smile on his face was wide and genuine.
As her feet touched the ground again, Nadya smiled at Sara.
“This is your friend, Xavier?”
“Her name is Sara Blake.”
Nadya stared at Sara, then, back at Tanner, and a sly grin came across her face. She then hugged Sara as if she were a long lost sister, and so genuine was her affection that Sara hugged her back, even as she mouthed a question to Tanner.
“Xavier?”
He nodded.
A man came towards them with a smile as wide as Nadya’s had been. He was white, about six-feet tall and his blond hair was receding. His skin told you that he had spent a lot of time outdoors, for while he was not as naturally dark as his wife, Nadya, his hide was still bronzed from the sun.
As he drew closer, Sara could see that beneath the tan there were faded tattoos on his arms and when he reached them, he and Tanner hugged like brothers.
The man lowered his sunglasses and Sara saw a pair of brilliant blue eyes, she also saw that the man was looking her over as if he were taking inventory.
“Shit, Xavier, she’s too damn hot for a mutt like you.”
“She’s... just a friend, and her name is Sara Blake. Sara, this is Romeo.”
“Romeo?”
Romeo grinned.
“The one and only, baby,”
CHAPTER 10 - Hope
Jennifer thought that the breeze felt odd as it blew across her shorn scalp, even as the sun burned patches of flesh that had never before felt its hot caress.
She and Melissa both looked like the victims of a mad hairstylist and both bore bald patches along with scabs, where Firman’s careless cutting had left a nick.
Melissa’s shorter hair hadn’t seemed to dull Prendy’s fascination with the girl, and the young rebel still eyed her as if she were the loveliest thing he’d ever seen, despite the grime covering her face and the filthy twill pants and sweat-stained blouse she wore.
Jennifer trudged along with Melissa at her side in synchronized steps that were becoming second nature, as the two women were still bound together at the ankle with rope.
The coarse cord had caused both their ankles to redden and then bleed, but after so many miles, there was just an awareness of pain there that bordered on numbness, like a minor headache that irritates but doesn’t disable you.
They were in the middle, with Juan Rio and Dr. Washburn in front of them and the Houghs behind them.
Jennifer had tried to keep track of what direction they were traveling in, but what trail existed meandered and they would frequently move east or west to pick up a new one, often, in an effort to avoid an army patrol that one of the advance scouts had seen.
Wherever they were being taken, she expected it to be no better, and wondered if her father had arranged for her release.
Would she be set free, or, would Firman simply kill her once the money was paid?
They came to a sudden stop, Jennifer heard Melissa inhale sharply, and when she followed her gaze, she saw the three dead bodies sprawled across the trail.
The dead men looked like rebels, with their well-worn khaki pants and baggy tunics, and when Firman turned one over, Jennifer realized that they were the men sent forward as scouts and that her captors now numbered three less.
A second later and Firman was shouting orders to his remaining men, and while a dozen of the men paired off and went to search the surrounding jungle, Prendy and the others that remained herded them over to a group of trees and kept guard over them.
Juan Rio whispered.
“It looks like they have trouble and hopefully this is another rescue attempt.”
Dr. Washburn looked doubtful.
“One of those men was stabbed from behind, while the other two were slashed across their throats. I can’t be certain, but it looks like one man killed them.”
One of the guards turned and screamed at them to be quiet and they complied. They knew from experience that there would be no second warning, only violent reinforcement of the command.
Still, they all looked at each other with emerging smiles, as they dared to hope that a rescue was forthcoming.
Chapter 11 - Bro
Phoenix, Arizona September 1998
Cody Parker, going by the name of Xavier Zane, sat on the edge of his motel room bed and fought back tears as he thought about his slain family, who had been murdered one year ago to the day.
His best friend and mentor, Tanner, had offered to stay with him and talk, but Cody declined the offer while saying that he’d be fine.
But he wasn’t fine and despite his inherent toughness and stoical nature, he found himself becoming lost amid dark thoughts, memories of the final moments of his loved ones’ lives, and was feeling more than a touch of survivor’s guilt.
The three loud knocks on the door roused him from his despair and after wiping away a stray tear, he rose, looked through the peephole, and sighed.
The doo
r opened to reveal the smiling face of Romeo, who was holding a bottle of liquor and the mellow and carefree boy wasn’t alone.
There were two girls with him, both young and beautiful and after looking Cody over, the one on the right sent him a huge grin.
“Xavier, say hello to Carla and Alicia.”
Before Cody could say anything, Romeo brushed past him while holding Carla’s hand. Alicia, the girl who had been on the right, was now standing alone in the doorway and Cody ushered her in with a sweep of his arm.
“I’m Xavier.”
“I’m Alicia.”
The girl was a blond with huge green eyes, and when she walked into the room as if floating on air, Cody intuited by her lissomness and grace that she was a dancer.
Romeo draped an arm over Cody’s shoulders and held up the bottle.
“We’re going to have a drink or two, get to know each other and then go out and light up the town, what do you say?”
Cody managed to break free of Alicia’s gaze, and after turning his head, he whispered to Romeo.
“Didn’t Tanner tell you that I wanted to be alone?”
“Yeah, but he didn’t tell me why,” Romeo whispered back, “But hey, Bro, nobody wants to be alone, not really, and I’m just looking out for you.”
Cody sent him a small smile. “Bro?”
“Hell yeah, we’re like brothers aren’t we? And Tanner, he’s like our old man.”
Cody’s smile widened, he then looked back at Alicia and the beauty sitting on his bed grinned again.
“Romeo, I owe you one, Bro.”
“Alright, now let’s get this party started.”
***
Sara and Romeo’s wife, Nadya, became fast friends as the foursome ate and relaxed in the lounge of the cabin cruiser, and when Sara realized that Tanner was known to them by the name, Xavier Zane, a light of recognition dawned in her eyes.
At one point, Nadya and Romeo went into the galley, leaving Tanner and Sara alone.
“There was a hired killer out West years ago that went by the name of Xavier Zane; I’m going to assume that it’s not a coincidence.”
“It was me,” Tanner admitted.
“And is that your real name?”
“No.”
Sara gave a little shake of her head.
“How young did you start?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Tanner said and there was a touch of anger in his voice.
Sara said, “I was just curious,” and then Nadya slid into the booth and sat beside her again.
“I want you to come shopping with me, Sara, and then these two can catch up.”
“Okay and there are a few items I need.”
Nadya smiled at Tanner.
“I like her, Xavier. You have good taste.”
“You’re way off base, Nadya, there’s nothing between us.”
Nadya waved that off.
“You forget my gift; I know these things.”
“Gift?” Sara said.
Romeo took a swig of beer and then smiled at his wife.
“Nadya is psychic.”
“Really?” Sara said, and the doubt in her voice was plain to hear.
Romeo laughed.
“Don’t believe, I didn’t at first, but I’ll tell you this, she told me last week that Xavier here was coming to visit soon and now here he is, and she does shit like that all the time. It’s spooky.”
“Interesting,” Sara said, but the doubt was still evident in her tone.
***
With the women gone, Tanner and Romeo moved above deck and drank beer beneath a sky that was growing dark with the approaching storm.
“Are you really not sleeping with Sara? Because that is one beautiful woman, Brother,”
Tanner told Romeo about the history between him and Sara, and Romeo shook his head.
“You always did have a way with women, and hey, what about the old man, have you gone to see him lately?”
“No, I haven’t seen him, why, is there a problem?”
“Nah and we’ll be visiting him next year... after the baby is born.”
Tanner had been raising his beer bottle to his lips, but paused halfway.
“Baby?”
“Nadya’s pregnant, Bro, three months, you’re going to be an uncle.”
Tanner reached over and shook Romeo’s hand.
“I’m happy for you.”
“And what about you, you ever think about settling down?”
Tanner shook his head.
“It’s not for me.”
“I said the same shit for years and now here I am with Nadya. Who knows, maybe someday you’ll fall in love.”
Tanner said nothing, but his thoughts turned to Laurel Ivy.
CHAPTER 12 - Deep
Ten-thousand miles away from where Tanner sat with Romeo enjoying an evening drink, Laurel Ivy was in her kitchen preparing coffee to start the day.
Joe came down the stairs and Laurel greeted him with a kiss.
“Have breakfast before you leave.”
“I should get going; I’ve got a long day ahead of me.”
Laurel took him by the hand.
“All the more reason to have a good breakfast,”
Joe let her pull him along towards the kitchen. With Sam Giacconi dying on the heels of Johnny Rossetti’s murder, he had decided to hold both funerals on the same day, but now faced the chore of having to arrange two burials, while also running the day-to-day affairs of a crime syndicate and preparing for the possibility of war with the Russian mob.
Once they were in the kitchen, Joe just stood there with his brow creased in worry.
Laurel gave his hand a squeeze.
“You’ve got a lot on your mind, don’t you?”
“That’s an understatement and I’m not sure that I’m cut out to be Don. I was fine running crews, but now I run everything.”
“Isn’t there someone that you trust and who you can delegate some of your responsibilities to?”
“Maybe, I’ll have to give that some thought, but right now I’ve got to make sure we’re prepared for war, because the Russians will be making a move soon, I just know it.”
Laurel kissed him on the lips.
“Have faith in yourself. I do, and I know that you’ll come out on top.”
“Thanks, baby, I hope you’re right.”
As Laurel began cooking, she spoke over her shoulder.
“While you’re at the club, I’ll be meeting with the funeral director this morning and making arrangements, but I’ll call you if I need your help in making a decision about something, oh and Sophia said that she would come along and help me. Wasn’t that nice of her?”
Joe turned around in his seat.
“You’ll really do that? There are a lot of details and it’s not exactly fun.”
Laurel leaned over and kissed him.
“I’m here for you, baby, you know that.”
No, Joe didn’t know that, and despite what she had said the other night, he had been fearing that their relationship would be ending soon, now that Tanner had confessed his love for her and would likely return in the near future.
Joe gazed up at Laurel and spoke in a hoarse voice.
“Thank you, that will really help.”
Laurel reached in her pocket and took out a key.
“That’s for the front door. I think it’s time you had one, don’t you?”
Joe took the key and as he stared at it, he sat straighter and his chin lifted. He then stood, took Laurel in his arms, and as the embrace ended, he touched her on the cheek.
“You’re sticking with me, even though you know that Tanner loves you?”
Laurel smiled.
“I love Tanner, you know that, but what we had, that’s in the past... and I love you now and I think that we can have a future, don’t you?”
Joe grinned.
“I love you too, Laurel, and yeah baby, you’re the only one I want to be with.”
***
<
br /> They had just finished eating when the doorbell rang.
It was Merle and Earl, and Laurel greeted her brothers with a hug.
Pullo sent the boys a nod and then noticed that they were wearing suits.
“You guys came in the limo?”
“Yes sir and we’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” Earl said.
“You were Johnny’s drivers, not mine.”
Merle walked over and stood before Joe.
“We’re yours now and since you and Laurel Lee are together, we’ll help you any way we can. You don’t even have to pay us or nuthin’.”
Joe studied the brothers while he came to a decision.
“Alright, but I’ll keep you on the payroll, and I think I see now why Johnny liked you so much; there’s more to you two than I thought.”
Merle nodded in agreement.
“Earl and me, we’re deep.”
CHAPTER 13 - Dad
Half a world away from New York City, beneath an evening sky growing dark with rain clouds, Jennifer huddled together with Melissa and the rest of the hostages beneath a plastic tarp with holes in it.
Despite the fact that they were sitting on its edges, the tarp threatened to blow away at any moment, as a storm raged around them and the ground became muddy.
The women still had shoes, but not the men, because the rebels had taken them for their own use on the first day and George Hough, Juan Rio, and Dr. Washburn all had feet that bore many fresh scars and abrasions.
Their captors had built a series of lean-tos that sheltered themselves from the rain, but Jennifer and the others had to make do with the tarp and would soon be in total darkness when the last of the day’s light faded away.
Melissa shivered despite the humidity and when Juan Rio removed his shirt and draped it around her shoulders, she thanked him profusely while assuring him that it helped.
The Asian man with the Hispanic name and the cockney accent was as different from her father as a man could get, but Melissa appreciated the fact that he was looking out for her as if she were his own daughter, and she gave him a peck on the cheek.
The TANNER Series - Books 7-9 (Tanner Box Set Book 3) Page 4
