Oath of Honor

by Lynette Eason

  Freeman jerked and it was all Izzy could do to hang on. He was a big, strong man.

  “Hey, you two stop that!” The pilot’s shout had no effect on either of them. Freeman refused to give up and Izzy couldn’t let go of the wrist that held the gun. The helicopter dipped and Izzy rolled into Freeman. She hit the man hard and Freeman slid toward the open door, pulling Izzy with him.

  34

  Izzy had managed to grab on to the edge of the opening with her left hand while she kept her right clamped around Freeman’s wrist. The man had stopped struggling, doing his best to stay inside the listing chopper. She had the advantage with him off-balance, but he was still stronger—and determined. For now, they were at a standstill. Freeman wouldn’t give up the gun and Izzy couldn’t let go of his wrist or the doorframe without falling out of the chopper.

  “Freeman, let it go! It’s over!”

  “I’m not going to prison.”

  The chopper rocked and Izzy lost her grip on the door, but managed to grab the seat frame welded to the side of the helicopter.

  “It’s either that or die!”

  Izzy gathered her strength, tightened her grip on the man’s wrist, and slammed it down. Freeman cried out but didn’t release the gun.

  “Hold on! I’ve got to land!”

  The pilot’s cry caused Freeman to jerk. “You land, you die, understand?”

  Izzy took advantage and slammed the hand with the gun one more time. The gun skittered across the deck. Another gust of wind sent them sideways—and Izzy let go to swing her other hand up to latch on to the seat.

  Freeman scrambled, half in, half out of the chopper. He caught hold of the base of the seat and looked up at Izzy. Dark murder stared back at her.

  Sickness and terror curled within her. If he managed to get back inside, she was dead. Izzy stood, grabbed the tether hanging from the roof, and kicked him in the head. Freeman screamed and rolled out the open door.

  The chopper tilted as the pilot overcorrected and Izzy lost her grip. She tumbled to the floor and rolled toward the other side, opposite the one Freeman had fallen from. Her legs dangled through the opening and she made a desperate grab to lock her fingers around the identical metal chair once more. She caught hold, but the bobbing and weaving of the chopper had her grip slipping. “Land this thing or come back here and get me!”

  Her frantic words directed at the pilot made him turn to look at her. He’d been so preoccupied keeping the bird in the air, he hadn’t been aware of what was happening behind him. When he saw she was alone, his eyes went even wider in his pale face.

  “Hang on, hold on! Don’t let go! I’m going down!”

  She didn’t plan on letting go. Terror clawed at her. What was it with her and dangling from objects that if she let go, she would die?

  And then there was no more time to think. The helicopter bumped the ground and Izzy’s fingers gave up their hold. She dropped safely to the grass while raindrops pelted her.

  Arms went around her and she realized Ryan was there, hunched against the gusting wind—generated by both the blades and the weather. “Izzy, are you okay? Does anything hurt? Do you need an ambulance?”

  She tried to stand and found her legs were wobbly. “No, no ambulance. Just … need to … catch my breath.”

  He helped her up and held on to her as he moved them out from under the blades. “What is it with you?” he demanded.

  “What?”

  “You and high places that are death drops?”

  And she laughed.

  And laughed.

  And wiped away the tears she couldn’t seem to stop.

  Until her eyes landed on the law enforcement agents in a huddle to her right. “Gabby! Where is she?”

  “She’s fine. She ran out the front door right into the arms of the FBI.” Izzy wilted with relief and Ryan pressed her face into his chest. “It’s over now. You’re safe.”

  Izzy jerked back and swiped her eyes. “What am I doing? I don’t have time to cry. I need to find my mother.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she’s been the target from day one, and if we don’t warn her, she’s going to die.”

  With the chief of police warned about the hit that was being planned at the winner’s victory speech—and Izzy’s suspicion that Bianchi was brought into the scheme due to his organized crime connections—Ryan led Izzy back into the house where the crime scene unit had descended. Izzy paced, phone pressed to her ear. He heard her sigh. “Thank you. I’m so glad. Good. We’ll let Gabby know her mother and the others are out of danger.” She hung up and caught him watching her. “The bomb was defused. They’re safe. Where’s Gabby?”

  “One of the agents took her to the nursing home to see her mother.”

  Izzy nodded. “Good, she needed to see her.”

  “Are you all right?”

  “Not really. I hope I’ll stop shaking before much longer.”

  “You will.”

  “I know.” Her eyes stayed locked on his. “How are you? Freeman’s dead.”

  “And I didn’t get to be the one to kill him.”

  “Yes.”

  He blew out a breath. “It’s probably better that way. I don’t need that guilt hanging over me the rest of my life.”

  “I agree.”

  “I wouldn’t have minded landing a few good punches, though.”

  Ryan had wanted to confront him, to put his hands on the man and do serious bodily damage to him. But … like he told Izzy, maybe it was better this way.

  The helicopter pilot had spilled his story. Tobias Freeman had used Gabby to dupe him into believing he was needed to chauffeur Melissa Endicott to a private residence where she could escape the press hounds for a couple of hours before giving her victory speech.

  Protection had been put on the current mayor’s family, and an intense investigation into Endicott’s background was going on even as the voters still turned out at the polls.

  Ryan drew in a deep breath and tried to think if they’d missed anything. Unable to pinpoint what it could be if they had, he turned his attention to Izzy once more.

  She stood at the kitchen table now, gloves encasing her hands while she studied the pictures. “Something’s wrong,” she muttered.

  He knew she was talking to herself, but he overheard her. “What’s wrong?”

  “What time is it?”

  He glanced at his watch. “3:23.”

  “This isn’t where the final speech is going to be made.” She passed him the picture. “This is the pre-winner announcement party. Mayor Cotterill will be meeting with his supporters and giving a pep talk, my mother will be there for support, as well as Felicia. They’ll all be there at the outside stage in Finlay Park. And I don’t think that’s safe. Toby Freeman and Mick were not working alone.”

  “Which means the threat is still there. Being outside … no, that’s not good. It’s too dangerous. When does it start?”

  “Four o’clock,” she said. “We’ll never get there in time. We’re at least a half hour away. And she’ll be first up right at four o’clock to introduce the mayor before moving to the other location where she plans to meet with Endicott.”

  “No playing favorites for the chief,” Ryan said, then looked at the pilot. “It’s only about fifteen by helicopter.”

  “Let me have your phone, please,” Izzy said.

  Ryan passed it to her and she dialed her mother’s number. No answer.

  She tried her mother’s work number.

  Fear stamped itself on her features. “It went to voice mail. It never goes to voice mail.”

  “She could be talking to someone about this already.”

  “Who? No one else knows anything.”

  “She knows her life is in danger. She’ll take precautions.” Ryan turned to his partner, who’d been listening quietly. “Call it in to the deputy chief. Tell her we need extra security and to keep the chief off that stage.”

  “Got it.”

 
Ryan nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Izzy went to the pilot, who was still trying to explain his whole role in this. He was clueless. He had no idea he’d contracted a flight with a criminal. Izzy grabbed his arm. “It’s not important. Right now, you have to get us to Finlay Park and help us stop a murder.” His eyes went wide. Izzy’s gaze never left his. “Please.”

  “It’s still windy out there.”

  “We have to chance it or the chief of police is going to die.” Maybe. Felicia would see to it that the woman received the message and was safe, but the way things had been going lately, Izzy didn’t want to take any chances.

  “It’ll be rocky. Hope you’ve got a strong stomach.”

  “Go!”

  Less than five minutes had passed and they were in the air heading toward Finlay Park. And this time Izzy was buckled in, with Ryan sitting beside her. Her mother’s office was about half a mile from the park. She wouldn’t leave her office until the last minute. They had time as long as there was a place to land the chopper.

  Ryan was on the phone requesting clearance to land it on the roof of the building. “That’s a negative,” he said. “We’re going for the open grassy area at the corner of Lincoln and Washington.”

  Izzy nodded. That was better than the roof. Using Ryan’s phone, she tried Linc’s, and wonder of wonders, he answered on the first ring.

  “Get to Mom, Linc. It’s possible she’s in danger.”

  “What?”

  “Mom! Get to Mom!” She heard the static and the call dropped. She didn’t know if he heard her or not.

  And then they were landing in the open area of Justice Square. She looked at her watch. Fifteen minutes had passed from takeoff to landing. It was 3:50. Just about the time her mother would be walking out of her office. Had someone reached her or not?

  Izzy scrambled from the chopper and knew Ryan was right behind her.

  She ran across the street and into the building, only to come to a halt as she came face-to-face with her mother and Felicia. “Mom,” she cried. Izzy raced to her and threw her arms around her. “You can’t go out to the park.”

  “What? Why?”

  Izzy frowned and turned her gaze on Felicia. “You didn’t tell her?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  Felicia huffed. “I wanted to be sure she was totally focused on this speech. I’ve tripled security and we’ve cut off all access to the stage to everyone except those cleared.”

  “What didn’t she tell me?” her mother said with a hard look at her deputy chief.

  “I’m sorry, Tabitha, I just didn’t want to burden you.”

  “It’s my job to be burdened,” she snapped. Then to Izzy. “What?”

  “There’s a hit out on you. It’s supposed to go down as soon as you walk out on the stage in the form of a gang war type thing. I don’t know exactly, just that it will look like a gang war, but it’s not. I’m sure you’re supposed to catch a stray bullet or something.”

  For a moment Tabitha didn’t move. Then she pulled her phone from her pocket. “Yes, this is Tabitha St. John, Chief of Police. I need you to put on all news outlets that the speech has been canceled. Yes, the one that’s supposed to be happening in less than five minutes. Thank you.”

  “Tabitha!” Felicia’s protest fell on deaf ears.

  The chief’s piercing gaze landed on each of them. “Let’s finish this discussion in my office.” She turned on her heel and headed for the elevator.

  The ride to the top floor seemed to last forever. In reality, it wasn’t more than a minute, minute and a half. Izzy itched to escape, but knew that wasn’t an option.

  Ryan hooked a finger under his collar and loosened it, but said nothing.

  Felicia’s phone rang. “Do you mind if I take this, Tabitha? I’ll be right in, I promise.”

  Her mother’s chilly eyes swept over the woman. Then she sighed. “Of course.”

  Then Ryan’s phone rang and he snatched it as though it were a life preserver. “Can’t talk right now, Cathy.” He stilled. The elevator opened and they all stepped off with Ryan pulling up the rear. “Okay. I—I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “What is it, Ryan?” her mother asked.

  “Mom was just admitted to the hospital with chest pains. She’s asking for me. Sorry, I have to go.”

  Tabitha’s stony features softened. “Of course you do. Go be with her.”

  “I’m … are you sure?”

  “Yes. It’s nothing I can’t rake you over the coals about later.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He looked at Izzy in silent apology. She grimaced. Oh well, she’d faced her mother’s wrath before and lived to tell about it. She didn’t suppose this time would be much different.

  Ryan left. Once inside the office, Izzy took the seat nearest to the door. Felicia’s call must not have been important, as she slipped in the door before it shut and perched herself in the next chair. Her mother rounded her desk. “First,” she said to Izzy, “are you all right? Did Sinclair or Freeman hurt you?”

  “No, ma’am. I didn’t give them a chance to.”

  “Good. What about Freeman? I understand he’s dead.”

  “He is and so is Mick, but I don’t know where Lamar Young is.”

  “We’ve got a BOLO out on him. Did Freeman or Sinclair say anything about who they might be working with?” Felicia asked.

  “No. Nothing. There was a ton of evidence at the house, though, so there’s no telling what will turn up.”

  Felicia nodded and stood. “Tabitha, you can yell at me later for not wanting to worry you. It won’t ever happen again, I assure you. But if it’s all right with you, I’m going to see what I can find out about this evidence that might lead us to whoever Freeman and Sinclair were working with.”

  “We know Bianchi and the Bloods were involved,” Izzy said. “That’s about it for now.”

  “Check into Melissa Endicott’s background. See what turns up.”

  “All right. I’ll be in touch if I find out anything.”

  She left and Izzy’s mother turned her gaze on Izzy. “Now, young lady, we have a lot of catching up to do.”

  35

  Sitting in the hospital waiting room, Ryan clutched the iPad Izzy had lifted from Gabby’s house and that David had agreed to examine. David was on his way and would be there shortly. His dad was in the back with his mother. Cathy and Dale stood off to the side talking softly.

  David finally rushed through the double doors and Ryan motioned him to the table in the corner. As they were taking a seat, Charice arrived and Ryan brought her up to date.

  Within minutes, David had his laptop hooked up and the iPad connected. “So, he has it password protected. Six numbers.”

  “Of course he does. It took us days to figure out Kevin’s password—and we knew him well. How in the world are we going to crack Sinclair’s?”

  “I’m going to set it up to run every possible combination of numbers from zero to nine, including the possibility of repetition. It will have something for us shortly.”

  “How shortly?”

  David shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

  “So, why didn’t we do this with Kevin’s phone again?”

  “It would have taken me a couple of days to get to it. I was working on a project for my boss. Simple stuff like pulling video off security cameras from a murder scene I could do. Hacking phones that may or may not have evidence on them wasn’t high on the list.”

  “Right.”

  “I would have done it for you if you hadn’t figured it out.”

  The door to the ER opened and Ryan stood when his dad walked through. “Well?”

  “She’s got an irregular heartbeat right now. They’re going to run some more tests and keep her for observation.”

  “But is it a heart attack?” Cathy asked.

  “No, not yet.”

  Ryan slumped back into the chair and said a silent prayer of thanks. “Okay, I’ll hang out h
ere a bit—at least until the next update.”

  “Sounds good.”

  For the next few minutes, Ryan and Charice discussed Gabby’s role in the scenario. “She’s completely innocent. She was as much a hostage as Izzy,” Charice said. “There won’t be any charges.”

  “How’s her mother?” Ryan asked her.

  “Fine. The bomb squad got there and disarmed the bomb.” She shook her head. “He was serious, Ryan. If Gabby hadn’t kept him happy, he would have blown the whole place up.”

  “What a sick sociopath.”

  “Yeah.”

  “And we have a match,” David announced. “We’re in. Didn’t take long because she used 9-8-7-6-5-4. Not a good password.”

  “Actually, I consider it very good. For us anyway.” Ryan scooted around so he could see. “Izzy said Freeman was adamant that Gabby make sure Izzy got that iPad to him. What is it he had on there?”

  “His text history is my guess. He kept it. Probably in case he needed to blackmail someone.”

  He pulled up the conversation between Tobias Freeman and—her?

  Ryan lost the air in his lungs. “No,” he said. “It can’t be.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is it really her number?”

  David clicked a few more keys and brought up a match.

  “It’s hers.”

  Ryan closed his eyes. “I can’t believe this. This is a huge nightmare.”

  The screen beeped and David lifted a brow. “And look who owns that property where Freeman held Izzy hostage.”

  “I’ve got to call Izzy. You call for backup.” Ryan stood and looked at Cathy. “I’ve got to go. Keep me updated on Mom.”

  Izzy sat back after spilling her guts about everything that had happened. Her mother leaned back in her chair and let her eyes fall shut. “Wow.”

  “I know.”

  “I want to ask you a question, Mom.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Why were you meeting with Tony Bianchi?”

  Her mother blanched, then her features smoothed out. “How do you know about that?”

  “Derek told me. He thought you were dirty and was investigating you on his own. He did break up with Elaine, but that’s not why he needed the two weeks’ leave.”