CHAPTER 9
Jeffrey had parked the motor home in a wooded area outside Dallas.
Circe awoke first. She had been sleeping on the tiny sofa bed in the living area, but from where she was, she could see Jeffrey and Hanna tangled together in their sleep.
Circe had once admired Hanna, but now disliked her greatly, and thought that it just wasn’t right that she should declare Jeffrey off-limits to her.
She touched her stomach. Jeffrey’s baby, she was carrying Jeffrey’s baby. Hanna couldn’t have children, couldn’t give Jeffrey the son he wanted, but she could, and when the baby came, everything would be so good, everything but Hanna.
Hanna had to go. But how?
Circe began thinking about that, imagining life without Hanna, a life where it was only her and Jeffrey, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted it.
“What are you smiling about?”
Circe looked up to see Hanna staring at her from the doorway of the bedroom.
“I was thinking about the baby.”
“Put on the coffee and start making breakfast, ham and scrambled eggs,”
“We ran out of ham, but I can make cheese omelets?”
“Do that; and I’ll have to go on a supply run soon.”
Circe began working in the kitchen, as Hanna’s last words put an idea in her head, an idea that just might make Hanna go away forever.
***
Doyle had barely slept since Circe ran off with Jeffrey, and had lain awake for hours after he and Kathy had their disagreement, so when sleep finally came, it came hard, and he slept more soundly than was usual for him.
When he finally awoke the next morning, he found that Kathy was gone, then, he rushed to the window to find the car gone, and finally, looked down at the nightstand to find his wallet was missing too.
He dropped back onto the foot of the bed and held his head in his hands, wondering what to do next, and feeling like a fool for missing Kathy.
When the sound came of a car parking in front of the motel room door, he just knew that it was the police, but when Kathy walked in with a bag from the nearby diner and two cups of coffee, he began laughing so hard that he couldn’t stop.
She placed the food on the dresser and sat beside him until he got himself under control.
“Why are you laughing?”
He wiped tears from his eyes.
“You and me, we’ve got to be the worst kidnapper and kidnappee of all time.”
“I don’t think kidnappee is a word.”
“If I’m a kidnapper than you’re a kidnappee,”
She smiled. “You made that word up.”
“Well then, what would you call yourself?”
The smile left her face.
“Last night I was a fucking liar.”
The pain in her voice sobered him, and he reached over and took her hand.
“I’m sorry about last night.”
“Me too, and I wasn’t... nevermind,”
“You weren’t what?”
“Teasing, I wasn’t teasing.”
Doyle stared at her.
“I wanted you last night.”
Kathy leaned towards him. “And now?”
They kissed passionately, hungrily, and began pulling at each other’s clothing.
When they were naked, Kathy moved back on the bed until she was resting atop the pillow, and stretched out her arms for him to follow.
Doyle moved up and looked down upon her, but in a blur of movement, and with surprising strength, Kathy grabbed him and flipped them both over until she was sitting astride Doyle.
He smiled.
“Are you going to rape me, miss?”
“Oh hell yeah,”
Doyle let out a laugh, and soon after, he moaned.
***
Agent Dyer stared out the lobby doors with a look of disgust across her face.
“That woman has no shame, and look at the Press, they just lap it up.”
Outside, in front of the hotel, Summer Gray and her husband were pledging their support to the FBI and were vowing not to rest until Jeffrey David Mitchell was caught or killed.
Summer smiled into the score of cameras pointed at her. Her red hair sparkled in the early morning sun and the short green dress she wore enhanced her breasts.
“Last night, my husband spoke at length to Special Agent Dyer and informed her of our intentions, but today I would like to make it widely known that we’re gunning for Jeffrey Mitchell, and as you all know, we always get our man.”
Special Agent Russ Smith was standing beside Dyer, and he pointed out at Summer.
“She’s quite an actress; I’m surprised she gave it up.”
“What do you mean?”
“After your call last night, I looked into their backgrounds. Summer Gray was born Summer Kressley. Her parents were con artists and she left home at seventeen for Hollywood. She actually got a few bit parts, but nothing you would call a career.”
“And what about her husband?”
“He’s got a record, mostly juvie, but he did do a year on an assault rap when he was twenty.”
“I’m not surprised, but isn’t he also some sort of athlete?”
“He won a bronze, but only because the guy who really came in third was busted with drugs at The Games, by the way, the guy claims he was innocent and that the drugs were planted.”
Dyer’s eyebrows went up at that.
“Are you insinuating that they were planted by Gray?”
“I was just stating a fact.”
“If true, it wouldn’t surprise me.”
“You haven’t asked me what kind of doctor Summer Gray is.”
“I thought that she was a psychologist?”
“Oh, she has a degree in psychology; it’s from an online university based over in Fluxemberg. If you’d like one yourself, just send them three-thousand euro and enroll in their ‘Accelerated Doctoral Program.’ When the money is in their account, they’ll mail you a degree.”
“You’re making that last part up.”
“I am not.”
“Amazing,”
“Yes.”
***
Outside, Summer continued.
“We would also like to once again offer condolences to Dr. Jessica White and her husband for their loss, and personally assure her that unlike the two encounters she had in the past with Mitchell, that this time he will not outsmart those pursuing him, and now you all have a good day.”
The reporters shouted questions at Summer, but she smiled, waved and rushed off towards a waiting limo.
Once inside with the doors closed, Todd spoke to her.
“I think that dig at Dr. White was a bad move. You want to watch that, you don’t want people to think you’re jealous of her.”
“I was just stating a fact. She had two chances to catch him and blew both of them, and besides, she’s a has-been now.”
***
Hanna turned off the radio after listening to Summer on the news. It was only her and Jeffrey in the trailer as they had sent Circe outside to drain the sewage tank.
“So much for losing ourselves in Dallas, the FBI is all over that city,” Hanna said.
Jeffrey cursed under his breath and began pacing about the trailer. When he stopped walking, he spoke to Hanna.
“We don’t wait for things to die down; we go to my father’s place now.”
“That’s a long trip. We’ll be on the road for days.”
“Yeah, but once we make it, we’re set.”
“Are you sure that no one else knows about it?”
“Wade knows about it, but he doesn’t know where it is, only that it’s in the northwest.”
“If someone makes him talk, that could be enough to help them track us down.”
“Then we don’t drive there directly. We take a slightly different route. It will take longer, but be safer.”
“It is secluded,”
“It’s also well-stocked with e
verything we need.”
“So we go?”
“Yes, and once we make it there, we’ll be safe.”
***
At the house, Jessica muted the TV and turned to Lawson, who was standing beside her husband.
“What was the point of that Press conference? She had nothing of use to add to the search for Jeffrey.”
“No, but it gave her more publicity, and that was its purpose,” Lawson said.
“If Mitchell was watching that, then he knows to go to cover,” he said.
“We’ve already searched for nearly a day and come up empty, so I think Mitchell has already left the area. He might also be hiding with Gant’s group.”
One of Lawson’s agents approached carrying a small package. Lawson spoke with the man for a few moments and then carried the package to him.
“It’s for you. It’s been x-rayed and they say it’s a phone.”
He opened the box, and yes, it was a cell phone. There was also a name and a phone number written on one side of a piece of paper, as well as numbers written on the back that looked like coordinates.
“Who is it from?” Jessica said.
“A friend of a friend,”
“I’ll be right outside,” Lawson said. “Let me know if that concerns me.”
“Thank you, Lawson.”
After Lawson left the room, he showed Jessica the note.
“Jinx? That was Steve Szabo’s friend, right?”
“Yes, and a powerful player in the Mexican drug world.”
He dialed the number and the call was picked up after five rings.
“Hello amigo, I see you have received my package.”
“Mr. De La Rosa, how are you?”
“I’m good, and it’s Jinx to you. I should have made contact sooner actually; I wanted to thank you for killing the man that murdered Szabo. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn about what happened in Detroit until it was over, and from what I hear, things are in chaos there now, thanks to you.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Jinx. I know that you and Szabo were close.”
“It’s your loss I’m calling about. This piece of vermin that murdered your mother, this Jeffrey Mitchell, I may be able to help you locate him.”
“How?”
“His father, Billy Gant, I know where his remaining men are. They are camped out in the Chihuahuan Desert.”
“On the Mexican side?”
“No, they are still in the United States, in Texas.”
“That’s a long way from Dallas, where the FBI thinks Mitchell is,”
“They may be correct and he’s in Dallas, but he may also be in that camp.”
“Do you have any idea how many men there are?”
“My source says that there are fifteen or sixteen men, well-armed, but there are some women there too, whores from a nearby town. The numbers written on the back of that paper you received are their coordinates.”
“Thank you, Jinx; I believe I owe you one.”
“No. You avenged Szabo; that makes us even, but amigo?”
“Yes?”
“Send Jeffrey Mitchell to hell,”
“I intend to.”
“Until next time, Adiós,”
When he put down the phone, Jessica walked closer.
“Well?”
“I’m going to Texas. It’s time for Jeffrey to die.”
CHAPTER 10
Cassandra Smith was seated at a table inside an eatery in Dallas with four of Jeffrey Mitchell’s groupies. There were two others with them, a girl named Kathy and her older boyfriend, Hank.
Cassandra thought that Hank looked as out of place as a priest in a strip club, but he and Kathy touched often and seemed genuinely affectionate, still... there was something off about them, about him, and she had furtively taken their pictures and forwarded them to her people.
They were all staying in rooms around the area and waiting for word of Mitchell’s whereabouts.
Kathy stood, and Hank followed suit, while looking relieved.
“Hank and I are going back to our room, but text me if Circe makes contact.”
Ellen Campi and the other girls agreed, and Kathy and Hank walked off hand-in-hand.
Cassandra chatted with the girls for a while longer. Two of them had been interviewed by a local station and were excited by it. They seemed to be oblivious to the fact that most people thought they were ninnies.
They also didn’t realize that the interviews wouldn’t be aired right away. Cassandra had learned that the FBI had requested that anything dealing with Circe’s blogging activity not be broadcast or see print for seventy-two hours, in the hopes of keeping Jeffrey and Hanna in the dark, and had also restricted access to Circe’s website.
Still, her blog post was being discussed on other social media, and so it was just a matter of time until Mitchell learned that his traveling companion was inadvertently leaving digital breadcrumbs behind.
As the lunch crowd thinned to nothing, Cassandra told them that she was going to catch a nap, but instead of returning to her motel room down the highway, she went to the U-shaped motel court across the road and rented a unit that had a view of Kathy and Hank’s room.
Once she was inside, she checked in with Elena.
***
“Circe Doyle’s father? Are you sure, Elena?”
“Yes, he must be looking for her.”
“Or he’s involved, he and this girl Kathy seem tight, and I know that she’s a groupie.”
“Maybe he’s just using her to get to his daughter, or maybe not, but from now on I want you to keep an eye on them.”
“Alright, but what about the other girls? They need to be watched too, and there are four of them.”
“I’ll have Mia and Kelly join you, and then you can introduce them to the group as your friends.”
“Okay, that should work, and once they’re in I’ll stick to Doyle, and with a little luck, he’ll lead me right to Mitchell.”
“Once you know Mitchell’s location, call.”
“I will; anything else?”
“Yes, stay safe,”
Cassandra smiled. “I will, Elena, and I’ll check back later.”
***
“I wanna help.”
He looked down at Samantha and saw the earnestness in her eyes.
She had arrived without warning after coercing the chauffeur, Billy, to bring her to see him, when she was supposedly being taken to see a movie.
He offered her his hand and led her over to the porch, where they sat down on the top step together. They were alone, as Billy had gone off to see the babies.
“I can’t take you where I’m going.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to Texas.”
She thought about that for a moment.
“On the map, Texas looks big; will you be able to find Jeffrey Mitchell?”
“I’ll find him.”
“And you’ll kill him.”
“And I’ll kill him.”
“Can I help?”
He was still holding her hand, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.
“You can’t help me with this. It’s too dangerous.”
“Did you like your mom?”
“Actually, not very much, but I did love her,”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Love seldom does,”
“I... I don’t remember my mom much, not really.”
“You were a bit younger when she died.”
Samantha let go of his hand and stood.
“Mr. White?”
“Yes?”
“I... killed my mom, my dad too, and others,”
He said nothing, sensing that she had more to say, and he was also surprised by her admission of guilt.
“Am I evil, Mr. White?”
“Killing your parents was an evil act, but no, I don’t think you’re evil.”
“But, I don’t feel bad about it, not really,”
“You m
ight, in time,”
“I don’t want to be evil. Jack is evil, and I don’t want to be Jack.”
“You won’t be.”
“Are you gonna tell Jessica what I said?”
“Do you want me to?”
“No, not yet,”
“Then I won’t tell her.”
She grew quiet again and he could tell that she had another question on her mind.
She was wearing a lavender dress with yellow ribbons and her shoes matched the dress, while her socks matched the color of the ribbons. He realized that he had never seen her in anything casual and thought that she would grow up to be the type of woman who loved fashion.
After pacing around on the stairs a bit, she came back over and asked her question.
“Do you still like me?”
He took her hand again.
“I like you very much.”
She smiled, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Good.”
He stood and began guiding her towards the front door.
“Now come with me and say hello to the babies.”
“Is Maggie here too?”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“She went for a walk with a friend.”
***
Not far from the house, Jace and Maggie strolled along the stream. Jace had told her that he was going off to Texas with her brother to search for Jeffrey Mitchell, and Maggie asked him to take a walk.
“Do you know when you’ll be back?”
“Nah, but this sort of thing shouldn’t take too long.”
“What sort of thing?”
Jace hesitated before he spoke again, not really sure about how much to reveal, but before he could even reply, Maggie answered her own question.
“My brother is going to find Jeffrey Mitchell and kill him, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
“And you’re going along to help him?”
“Yes.”
“It’ll be dangerous; I know they say that Mitchell has friends who are mercenaries.”
“We won’t be alone; Lawson has access to a lot of people.”
“And you’re one of them, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And my brother too?”
“Yes, but only when he wants to be. He gets to choose his assignments.”
“But not you?”
“Not so much, no, but Lawson kinda looks out for me.”
The TAKEN! Series - Books 13-16 (Taken! Box Set Book 4) Page 8
