A Deadly Business

by Desiree Holt

  She hesitated, then nodded.

  “How long have you worked here?”

  “Two years. They pay well, and I am saving money to go to college.”

  “Can you tell us what happened?” Marissa asked.

  The girl began shaking again, so Marissa put her arm around her. “It’s okay. We’re here to help.”

  “No one can help,” she blurted out. “Big men with guns came in and shot everywhere in the restaurant. They killed a woman.” She swallowed hard. “T-The man who came in the kitchen, he had a big gun. Like you see in the movies.” She described it for them.

  Justin looked at Marissa. “All these assault rifles seem like overkill to me, if you’ll pardon the pun. Does he really need so many for this crowd?”

  “That’s who Maes is,” she told him. “He creates fear and terror in his prey then pounces.”

  “When they started to come into the kitchen, I hid.”

  “That was smart.” Justin took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. “I promise you, we’re going to try and fix what’s happening in the restaurant.”

  “Are they going to kill everyone?” Dani whispered.

  She was still so pale Marissa was afraid she might pass out. She curved her lips in what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “Not if we can help it.”

  “Wh-Who are they?” Panic flashed again in her eyes.

  “Some very bad people. We’re going to stop them, but we need your help.”

  “Me?” Her voice squeaked. “What can I do?”

  “Question for you. Where are the rest of the employees? The service staff, the spa and shop attendants? We didn’t see anyone except the staff associated with Sunset.”

  “There is a staff building farther along the path behind this building.”

  Justin nodded. “I noticed it on the map.”

  “We all have to live on the island, because it’s at least a half hour by boat to and from the nearest town.” A nervous laughed popped out of her mouth. “They don’t send the helicopter to take us back and forth.” The smile disappeared. “Anyway, when the Morgansterns built this place they added a very nice little building for all of us to live in.”

  Justin closed his eyes for a moment, frowning.

  “Okay, I have some ideas. Dani, the electrical plant for the resort is down that same path that leads to staff quarters, right? At least according to the map.”

  “The what?” She scrunched up her forehead.

  “The place that all the power comes from. The building that houses it.”

  “Oh.” She looked up. “Yes. The physical plant. Everything including the computer system is monitored from there.”

  “Very convenient,” Justin noted. “Does that include the air conditioning?”

  She shrugged. “I guess. I don’t know anything about all that.”

  He looked at Marissa. “We need to hustle over there. I have some ideas. Do you know the name of the guy in charge?”

  “Luis Bernal.” She rubbed her forehead.

  Marissa looked over his shoulder. “What are you thinking?”

  “That Vigilance won’t be here for at more than an hour. I have to do something to slow things down until the team gets here. I can’t exactly run in there and say, ‘Hands up or I’ll shoot!’”

  “Be nice if we could,” Marissa muttered. “So, what do you have in mind?”

  “We need to interrupt their flow. Unnerve them. Make them think they aren’t really in command. When dealing with the enemy there’s a three-word game plan: deny, delay, contain. I’m going to see what we can do about putting that in play.”

  “Maes will go nuts if you monkey with anything,” she warned him.

  “Good. Maybe it will put him off his game. He’s not going to kill anyone else until he gets his money. He’s made his point. So, we have some wiggle room. I also need to find a way to eliminate some of their hired guns. I don’t like the odds right now but maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.”

  Marissa frowned. “Just how do you plan to do that?

  “I’d like to shut off the AC but I’m afraid if I do that right away they’ll realize someone’s on the grounds they don’t know about. But if I can monkey with the main electrical, maybe flicker the lights on and off, stuff like that; he’ll think there’s something wrong with the main power plant. That way when the AC goes out they’ll think it’s the system’s problem. They won’t think someone is actually playing with it.”

  Marissa nodded. “They’ll send men out to check on it.”

  “Yes. They’ll want it fixed right away. I’m guessing not more than two at a time and that’s manageable. It will help us even the odds.” He turned back to Dani. “Where can I find Luis?”

  “In the building where the physical plant is. He has an office there with big screens that show him how everything is doing.”

  “Would he be in his office right now?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Tonight is a big event, so he has to make sure nothing goes wrong.”

  “Good. We need to get over there.”

  “He won’t just let you in,” Dani told them. She had calmed down somewhat. “He’s a nut about letting anyone into that building.”

  “I’m sure he’s just being careful with all that equipment,” Justin soothed her.

  “Yes, well, there’s a call box next to the door. You have to hit the button.”

  “Will he let you in?” Marissa smiled at her.

  “Yes, ma’am. He knows me. I bring his lunch sometimes.”

  “Okay, then, Dani. You’re a lucky find for us. Maybe you’ll even be our lucky charm. You’ve helped, but you need to get out of the danger zone. Justin, maybe we should stash her in the employee building before we do anything. Get her out of harm’s way.”

  “No, no, no.” Dani’s words edged with hysteria. “Please. I heard them say they have men there who will shoot anyone who tries to leave the building.”

  Marissa looked at Justin. “I don’t think Maes would have more than a couple of men handling that. I know him. He’ll dismiss the employees as useless and nonthreatening. He’ll want the bulk of his people in the restaurant with him, keeping the sixty-plus people in line.”

  “You’re right.” He looked around. “First we have to get out of this building. Then we go find Luis at control central.”

  “I’ll take you,” Dani whispered.

  “What about the camera?”

  “It’s pointed the opposite of the way we’ll take to get there. We can avoid it. I know how.”

  They slipped out through the back entrance, being careful to ease the door shut.

  “Follow me,” Dani whispered. “I will show you the best way.”

  * * * *

  Things were tense in the restaurant. Maes could feel it as he surveyed all the tables, assessing each individual. Good. That’s what he wanted. Tense and afraid. That way they’d be more likely to do his bidding without any more problems.

  The shooting of Van Baer’s wife was a little radical, perhaps, but he had needed to teach these people a lesson. The others seated at the table kept stealing glances at them, then immediately looking away, doing their best to conceal the terror stamped on their faces. Maes wanted people to see it, to be afraid. Fear was the best control. He had used the woman as an example to anyone else who might have a bright idea.

  He’d learned a very long time ago that unless others knew you meant business, you would do exactly what you said if they didn’t do your bidding, you lost any advantage. He wasn’t bloodthirsty, as so many had said. Just practical. He knew how to bend people to his will.

  Desmet was sitting in one of the chairs he’d commandeered, the other being used by each of the men whose money he was extracting. Desmet had taken a second laptop from his messenger bag, the first one being used to monito
r the cameras. Between the two on the table was his tablet, which he used to pull up each man’s financial information and bank accounts. Maes truly believed there was nothing Desmet could not find.

  Except that fucking Lauren Masters.

  As each man came up to the table, Desmet called up their financial information A list of their bank accounts and how much was in each one. Now it was Karl Eickner’s turn. He headed toward the table, nudged by one of Raca’s men.

  He glared at Maes. “I’m not doing this. You can go to hell before I transfer one penny to you.”

  Maes tsked and shook his head. “Will people never learn? Raca, another lesson if you please.”

  Once again Raca stitched a line of bullets along one wall, just above the seated guests, far enough to avoid hitting anyone but close enough so the bullets rained down on the tables. It had proven in many other situations to be a useful method of control. People put their hands over their heads to avoid the hot lead. Some of the women screamed.

  Eickner raised his head to look at Maes. “You bastard. You killed Van Baer’s wife and hauled her out of here like trash. Now you’ve come close again to killing others. Have you no feeling for anyone?”

  “For the people who turned away from me? Not even a little.” He looked at Raca. “I believe Mr. Eickner requires a little more persuading.”

  Raca pulled his handgun from its holster, walked to the table and shot Eickner in the leg. The man’s scream bounced off the walls.

  “Are you done protesting, Kurt?”

  He was pleased to note the man’s face was almost as white as the tablecloth, and pain lined his face. One of the other men at the table took a napkin and tied it around his leg just above where the bullet entered. He whispered in Eickner’s ear then helped the man over to where the laptop was.

  “What did you say to him?” Maes demanded.

  “I told him it’s nothing but money. To just give it up. We’ll help him make more.”

  “Wise words.”

  But it irritated him that Eickner had people who would help him whereas Maes had none. No one had stepped forward to assist him in rebuilding his empire. Instead, they had all turned on him.

  “What do you want me to do?” The pain in Eickner’s voice was evident.

  “Have you not been paying attention? I want you to transfer all but one dollar out of each of your accounts into the numbered account my associate will give you.”

  “Y-You want all of it?” The man was sweating more heavily, and his voice was strained.

  “Every penny,” Maes confirmed. “Except one dollar.”

  “B-But what will I do for money? What will the rest of us do?”

  Maes laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You will all help each other. Now stop wasting time. Do you want a bullet in the other leg?”

  Eickner said nothing, just turned to the laptop, and with fingers not quite steady, began to type.

  Maes let his gaze roam the room. Desmet would monitor Eickner and make sure he didn’t do anything screwy. Maes wanted to gauge the reaction to all this. Making an example of Eickner, he believed, set the stage for everyone else’s cooperation.

  “Done,” Val called from his seat. “Accomplished with no problem.”

  “You’re sure he emptied every one of his accounts?”

  “Yes. All except one dollar in each.”

  “Excellent. Raca, have one of the men escort Mr. Eickner back to his seat.”

  One of the men dragged Eickner out of the chair and pushed him roughly back to his table, forcing him to put pressure on his injured leg. His cries of agony echoed around the room, giving Maes even more satisfaction.

  Maes looked around the room, deciding who to choose next. He was enjoying this even more than he had expected.

  Chapter 12

  The path to the building housing the physical plant wound its way through thick fig leaf trees, the limbs so heavy with leaves it was impossible to see around them or beyond them. They were barely seconds from the main building when they heard the unmistakable staccato sound of an assault weapon.

  Dani stopped where she was, dropped down into a crouch, and put her hands over her ears.

  “They’re killing everyone,” she moaned.

  “No, no.” Marissa squatted down beside her and tugged her hands free. Then she cupped the girl’s chin and tilted her face up. “Look at me, Dani. They’re a long way from everyone being dead. But if we want to fix that, you have to help us. Right? So, we need to get moving.” She looked up at Justin. “Right?”

  He nodded. “Absolutely. So, let’s do it. Now.”

  Marissa took the girl’s hand and squeezed it. “Trust us, Dani. We’re going to do everything in our power to get these people. Come on, now. I’ve got you.”

  “How far is it?” Justin asked.

  “You’ll see it soon,” Dani told hm.

  Marissa and Justin followed Dani along the path until she stopped suddenly. “Here. This is it.”

  Marissa had to look twice at where the girl pointed. What she saw was another thicket of palm and fig leaf trees, with a variety of bushes filling in any spaces. If she strained her eyes, she could just make out stucco walls.

  “What are they hiding from?” Justin asked Dani.

  “Nothing.” She shook her head.

  “Dani.” He put his hands lightly on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “That wasn’t a trick question. And there’s no wrong answer. I just need to know if there’s something we should be aware of. Why is it so well hidden among all this greenery?”

  She looked up at him. “Mr. and Mrs. Morganstern just think its appearance doesn’t add to the beauty of the place. They want their guests to see nothing but beauty wherever they look.”

  “Okay. I can understand that. The door is around on the other side, right?”

  She nodded.

  Marissa looked at Justin. “Dani should ring the bell and answer him. If it’s a secure facility he won’t open to a stranger, like she said before.”

  “Right.” Justin looked at Dani. “Just tell him you have something to deliver from your boss.”

  “Okay.” Then she let out a long breath. “I can do this. Whatever you need. I want to help you.”

  “Good girl.” Marissa smiled at her. “Now let’s get going.”

  Dani led them around to the front of the building and looked at Justin.

  He nodded. “Okay, Dani. Hit the button.”

  A moment later a voice came through the speaker box.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me, Luis. Dani, from the kitchen.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I, uh, have something for you from Mrs. Morganstern. Please buzz me in.”

  Marissa looked at Justin and held her breath.

  “Okay.”

  In a moment a buzzer sounded, and a click signaled the disengaging of the lock. Justin yanked the door open but nudged Dani in ahead of them.

  “Dani, what do you have—” The man sitting at the chair in front of a huge bank of screens stopped talking in midsentence. “What’s going on here?”

  He yanked open a drawer and pulled out a handgun.

  “Dani.” He spoke without looking at her, his gaze fixed on Justin and Marissa. “Take my phone here and call security. What did they do to force you in here?”

  Justin held up his hands, palms outward.

  “We’re not here to do any damage. Please. We need your help.”

  “Luis.” Dani’s voice shook. “There are bad men up at the resort with big guns and they are killing people.”

  The man stared for a moment, then yanked Dani to stand in front of his chair, pointing the gun over her shoulder.

  Marissa bit her lip in frustration. Luis Bernal was not at all what she’d expected nor was his setup. She
’d been looking for a type of handyman in typical work clothes, in a somewhat dingy mechanical environment. The room they’d walked into looked like mission control. The floor was tiled and along one wall was an array of more than two dozen mega-sized monitors. She had no idea what the images were on most of the screens.

  Luis himself was also a surprise. Tall, with dark skin and black hair, he wore tan slacks and black collared shirt with the Rosewood logo embroidered on it.

  What had they walked into?

  “If you just give us a minute to explain,” Justin began.

  “Thirty seconds,” Luis said. “Otherwise I use the gun.”

  “Bad men are killing people and they are going to save us if you help us.” Dani got the words out in one long sentence without drawing a breath. “Please, Luis. These are not bad people. They got me away before I could be shot. We need to help them.”

  “Okay.” Luis nodded, but he didn’t put away the gun. “Talk.”

  Marissa looked at Justin, signaling him to explain. In concise sentences he told Luis just what was happening and what he wanted to do. What he needed to do.

  “My team from the security agency is on their way,” he told the man, “but it will be at least another hour before they can get here. I have to do something to throw these people off their game.”

  “What agency?” Luis asked.

  Justin stared at him. “Excuse me?”

  “What agency is coming? Who are they? Who are you?”

  “Let me answer.” Marissa turned to the man. “Do you remember when the Morgansterns’ daughter was kidnapped and rescued?”

  He nodded. “They were afraid they would never get her back.”

  “Justin is with the agency that brought her home. Please. We need you to trust us.”

  “And who exactly are you?” he wanted to know. “What are your names?”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Kelly.”

  Luis glanced from one to the other. “You don’t have first names?”

  Marissa looked over at Justin. “We have to trust someone. That is if we want help.”