MY FATHER'S KILLER: Kayla's Story

by Cassandra V. Wyatt

  While the warehouse exploded with the sounds of gunfire and pandemonium ensued, someone approached the car where Lawrence, Anita and Aunt Nat were hiding and tapped on the window. Lawrence thought it was one of Escobar’s men and swiftly raised his gun toward the window. The individual had a Glock 22 in one hand and it was pointed directly at his face, in the other hand was a badge. FBI. The cavalry had arrived after all. Lawrence put his gun down and the three of them got out of the car slowly with their hands up. The FBI agent looked at Lawrence and Aunt Nat then leaned over to look at Anita.

  “Agent Sullivan!”

  “Anita?”

  “Yes, I thought you weren’t coming.”

  “Honestly, I didn’t think we were going to be able to pull it off but I decided to contact the DEA directly and we were able to get things moving a little bit more quickly.”

  “What about Kayla and Mama Ann?”

  “I don’t know.” He looked at Lawrence again.

  “Who’s this?”

  “My cousin Lawrence.”

  “And this?” Looking at Aunt Nat.

  “That’s my Aunt Natalie.”

  “You know you’re taking a big risk by being here.”

  “We know. But we couldn’t just leave while they were inside. This area seemed secluded enough and it had plenty of trees. It seemed like a good spot to hide without being seen.”

  Without a word, Agent Sullivan turned to two of his men and told them to get Anita, Lawrence and Aunt Nat to safety. Agent Sullivan turned back to Anita.

  “I can’t make any promises but if it’s not already too late, we will get your friends out of there.” He turned back to his men, “Now go.”

  Agent Sullivan and his men head down the embankment toward the warehouse. Out front there were several DEA and FBI agents firing at the guards posted all around the building. Agent Sullivan saw an open area closer to the river and signaled to his men to head that way. However, guards that had remained out of sight and were situated on top of the building immediately began firing on them as soon as they approached. Sullivan’s men returned fire while Sullivan fell back looking for another point of entry. He ran unnoticed along the river’s edge and came to what appeared to be an unguarded area of the warehouse. Not wanting to take chances, he radioed his location to the men who had originally been told to stay behind.

  Within minutes, a whole slew of FBI and DEA agents converged on the warehouse and the surrounding area. The sound of gunshots and automatic weapon fire rang through the night. The agents successfully took down several of Escobar’s men. The ones that escaped unharmed retreated into the warehouse. Agent Sullivan knew that the more of Escobar’s men that remained made it more likely there would be a barrage of gunfire within the building. He still had no idea where Kayla and her mother were. If they were still alive, the odds of them getting hit in the crossfire increased greatly with the number of men firing back and forth at each other. Giving the signal to enter the warehouse, Sullivan and his team entered the now unguarded door.

  There were two sets of metal stairs that led to an upper platform just beyond the door. Shots rang out from above. With no cover, Sullivan and his team had no other choice but to withdraw back outside and re-evaluate.

  Sullivan had found out that the DEA intended to move on Escobar and his crew on Saturday and for this they were ready. With the new information they received from Sullivan, they chose to move a day earlier, partly hoping to save Kayla and her mother and partly because they knew if Escobar were allowed to leave Lambert, they would be right back at square one. Unfortunately this put them at a bit of a disadvantage because they did not have ample time to reassess the whole situation. This was going to be a long night.

  Sullivan worked his way around to the other side of the building. He could hear isolated gunshots coming from inside the building. He approached the main entrance with extreme caution and looked inside. From his vantage point, he was able to see a chair with what appeared to be a man strapped into it. Several agents had taken cover in the alcoves, waiting for clear shots of what remained of Escobar’s men who were randomly firing in an attempt to keep the agents at bay. Sullivan rushed behind the first wall where two DEA agents had been held off by gunfire. Sullivan saw the large doorway and told the agents if they covered him he could get through. They nodded silently and unleashed a spray of bullets in the direction of the platform. Sullivan zigzagged across the room and dove through the open doorway. Looking right and left, he quickly ascertained that there were four doors along one wall and one which appeared to be an exit at the far end. He head for the exit and opened the door. In the distance he saw his team still hidden and waiting. He motioned for them to come and in one rapid but silent motion they all filed through the door.

  Cautiously they checked each door along the corridor. All were locked except one. Bursting through with weapons drawn, they found Kayla and her mother. Each woman was being held around their necks by two of Escobar’s men, both had pistols pointed at their heads.

  “Come any closer and they die.”

  Sullivan quietly asked the man closest to him if he had a shot. Almost imperceptibly he shook his head no.

  Escobar’s men began to move backwards towards the exit door. Once in front of the door, the one holding Mama Ann reached back and turned the knob. With a subtle incline of his head towards the one who held Kayla, threw open the door and hurried through making sure that Mama Ann remained between the agents and himself. The other, pushed Kayla in the direction of the agents, fired off several shots and rushed through the door, slamming it shut.

  When Kayla grasped what had happened, she immediately jumped up and head for the door only to be stopped dead in her tracks by Agent Sullivan. “You stay down, let us handle this.”

  “But that’s my mother!”

  Agent Sullivan told her he understood but if she wanted her mother back safely, she needed to follow his instructions to the letter. Kayla quietly complied by sitting with her back to the wall. Just before he and his team head out the door, Agent Sullivan stopped and went back to Kayla.

  “Did you see where Escobar went?”

  “The upper platform in the main part of the warehouse, that’s where he went after he shot Detective Woods.”

  Agent Sullivan quickly surmised that the man in the chair was Detective Woods. Based on what Anita had told him, he had switched sides and joined forces with the cartel some time ago. Just to be sure he asked, “Is that the man in the chair?”

  “Yes.”

  Agent Sullivan was no fool. He knew that Escobar shooting Detective Woods was supposed to be a killing blow; he had no idea what he had done

  to him prior to that but he was sure it wasn’t pleasant. He also knew that with all the bullets flying, it was entirely possible that he had been hit several times in addition to the shot delivered by Escobar. Agent Sullivan knew he shouldn’t assume anything but based on what he did know it didn’t look good for Detective Woods. He thanked Kayla, reminded her to stay put and head out the door after his team.

  Several feet away they could see Escobar’s men struggling to get away with Mama Ann. The echo of gunshots reached the agents ears as they followed from a safe distance. The nine agent’s movements were synchronized to perfection. They had formed a circle ensuring that there were eyes in all directions. Escobar’s men were headed toward vehicles that were parked in the distance. Sullivan was determined that they would not get away with Kayla’s mother. The agents cautiously and slowly began to close the gap between them, painfully aware that any wrong move could result in Kayla’s mother being shot.

  Once Escobar’s men reached the vehicles, they did not take her into the car as expected. Instead one got into the driver’s seat and the one holding her tossed her violently to the ground. As he jumped into the backseat, the agents opened fire then abruptly stopped as the car sped off. Agent Sullivan ran over to where Mama Ann lay dazed from the fall. Her arm was twisted at an awkward angle and he knew that it was
broken. He called two of the other agents over and whispered something.

  Without hesitation, they gingerly but swiftly lifted Mama Ann and moved her to a safer location. They kneeled in front of her, their bodies acting as a shield fully prepared to engage as the gun battle raged on.

  Inside the warehouse, Escobar and a few of his men were hidden on the upstairs platform behind the cocaine shipment. Escobar and his men were seriously outnumbered. The plans he had for the shipment were already forgotten as he tried to figure a way out for himself. On this level was an exit door that led to a long set of stairs that would take him to ground-level outside. If it were not for the agents who had made their way to the back of the building, he could have been long gone. If his men could draw the agents to the front, then maybe he stood a chance of getting away. He called Luciano over and told him what he wanted done. Ever loyal, Luciano nodded, took a few men and moved to either side of the wall on the upper level and began firing on the agents below.

  Sullivan hearing the sudden increase of gunshots in the warehouse, signaled for the agents to go around the front while he stayed hidden in the shadows out back. Eventually the upper door opened slightly. He could see the outline of someone in the space between the door and the wall. Then the door opened all the way and Escobar was on his way down the steps. Sullivan ran and positioned himself at the bottom of the steps. “Stop right there Escobar.” Escobar stopped and looked around.

  “Look, there’s no one here but me and you. Just let me go and I’ll make it worth your while.”

  “I’m not here to make deals. Now put your hands behind your head and come on down.”

  “What do you want $100,000? $250,000? Name your price.”

  “I can’t be bought Escobar. Now put your hands behind your head.”

  “Alright, if you say so. You’re the boss.”

  As Escobar pretended to place his hands on his head, he abruptly reached behind his back and pulled out his trusty Desert Eagle which he pointed at Agent Sullivan while pulling the trigger. Just then a shot rang out of the darkness.

  One Month Later

  Detective Woods lay in the hospital bed at Bayfeld General; his jaw wired shut. An IV administering a steady flow of antibiotics and pain medication was taped to his arm. Beside the bed, the cardiac monitor beeped in tangent with his heart while a pulse oximeter registered his fluctuating oxygen levels. A chest tube was taped to the left side of his body while a Foley catheter was inserted, not so comfortably, in his bladder. Both of his feet and his thigh were bandaged. The shot fired by Escobar that was supposed to finish him off, entered his chest shattered two of his ribs, took out a piece of lung before exiting through his back.

  He was a mess, but miraculously he was alive, a fact that had not ceased to amaze him since he had first awoke in the I.C.U. When he heard the door open he thought it was a nurse or a doctor.

  Whatever joy he felt was fleeting as he saw the Police Chief flanked by two other police officers enter the room. He knew this wasn’t a social call or a visit to see how he was doing. He also knew that once he was well enough to leave the hospital, it would be in handcuffs.

  Back at Mama Ann’s, she and Aunt Nat sat in the kitchen playing music, dancing and laughing and giggling like two school girls. The cast was due to come off Mama Ann’s arm in about two weeks. In the living room Kayla, Anita and Lawrence shook their heads as they laughed at just how silly the two older women could be and happy that they could all be together with no drama and nothing hanging over their heads. Shortly after Kayla’s father’s death, the store manager had expressed an interest in buying the store. Her mother had refused and opted to oversee the store from a distance while allowing him to continue managing the day-to-day activities. After all the dust settled, and with the threat of the cartel gone, Kayla was finally able to convince her to sell the store.

  Of course Anita and Kayla were as close as ever. Having gone through this journey together had strengthened them individually and solidified an already rock-solid friendship. Kayla went to freshen up their drinks and Lawrence got up to help. As he reached for one of the glasses, his hand brushed against Kayla’s. For just a moment their eyes met. Gone was the hard and untrusting look that Lawrence wore on an almost regular basis. He smiled warmly at Kayla as they head to the kitchen. The look did not escape Anita’s attention, neither did the way Lawrence placed his hand gently in the small of Kayla’s back as they left the room.

  Smiling to herself she thought, “If that keeps up, we just might end up being family for real.” She began humming the wedding song under her breath.

  Kayla and Lawrence were able to convince Mama Ann and Aunt Nat to come hang out in the living room. Aunt Nat immediately turned on some music, grabbed Mama Ann and once again insisted on showing them her moves. As the two older women danced, bopped and boogied their way around the living room, Kayla, Anita and Lawrence happily joined in.

  In spite of all the unpleasant revelations and scary moments; for the first time since all the madness and mayhem had started, they truly, finally felt free.

  EPILOGUE

  After the gun battle, the DEA thoroughly searched the warehouse and confiscated 6,000 pounds of cocaine, $100 million in cash and an arsenal containing 500 illegal guns and over 200,000 rounds of ammunition.

  The remaining members of Escobar’s crew were arrested and expected to be charged with conspiracy to import and sell cocaine, assault and battery, money laundering, bribery, possession and firing of a gun during a violent crime and murder just for starters.

  Lieutenant Wilson was also arrested and wasted no time trying to strike a deal by stating his willingness to give up anyone affiliated with Escobar and the cocaine shipment

  If Escobar had ever stepped down as head of the cartel, Luciano, his right-hand man would have been the one that would have been named as the new boss. But that was not to be. Luciano had proven his loyalty to Escobar and fought to the death. He was listed as one of the many casualties suffered by the cartel that night. Although a few agents were injured, there were no fatalities on the side of law enforcement.

  Agent Sullivan was awarded the FBI Medal for Meritorious Achievement for his swift and decisive action in facilitating the FBI and DEA’s ability to converge on the warehouse in a timely manner. It was determined that if it were not for him, both Kayla and her mother would no doubt have been killed.

  A preliminary investigation concluded that the Police Chief was in no way connected to the Montenegro. Upon the release of these findings, the Police chief was then able, based on information collected from Lieutenant Wilson and some other, suddenly cooperative members of the Montenegro, to identify and arrest the other cops on the force who were secretly on Escobar’s payroll. In addition to the arrests made, Internal Affairs, the DEA and FBI decided to launch a full scale investigation into the Lambert County Police Department just to ensure that nothing was missed and no one had slipped through the cracks.

  Shortly afterwards, the Chief decided that it was time for his career in law enforcement to come to an end and he put in for his retirement. He highly recommended his first Assistant Chief as his successor. Only time would tell if the recommendation would result in an actual assignment.

  Escobar’s body was found at the bottom of the steps outside the warehouse where he had tried to escape. Because he was so focused on getting away, he never saw the two agents that had been kneeling by the warehouse wall, the same ones who had been guarding Mama Ann. As he raced down the stairs, both agents had him in their sights. He signed his own death warrant the moment he raised his gun to Agent Sullivan.

  Escobar’s death in no way affected the global outcome of the Montenegro Cartel. The DEA soon found out that they had grossly underestimated the sheer size and complexity of the operation. There was a whole network of members who had taken no part in the events at the warehouse. Under Escobar’s orders, they had been occupied elsewhere. After his death and the whole debacle at the Lambert warehouse, they simply ca
rried on business as usual. One of Escobar’s associates took his place and life within the cartel continued without so much as a blip in the cosmic scheme of things.

  To My Readers

  If you’ve gotten this far, hopefully it’s because you’ve actually finished the book and aren’t just checking to see how many more pages are left because you already feel like you’ve spent way more time of your life than you cared to reading this book.

  Whether you enjoyed My Father’s Killer or not, would you mind taking just one more minute out of your busy schedule to post a review on Amazon? It doesn’t have to be anything long, just honest.

  I need your input as readers because as a writer, I want to make every reading experience as satisfying and enjoyable as possible and I can’t do that without knowing what you think about what I’ve written. I need you to help me to improve as a writer.

  You can follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cvw50

  If you have any specific comments that you would like to direct to me, you can e-mail me at cassandravwyatt7@gmail.com

  Now don’t just sit there, a new life journey awaits you.