Breaking Boundaries (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 5)

by Teresa Reasor

  “It isn’t you, it’s Cal Crowes who’s going to pay. It’s time to call him before we go over to the site.”

  “What has Cal done? He’s a good man, Hillary.”

  “He’s responsible for Paul’s nephew’s death, and Paul’s sister’s suicide. It was bad enough he was there when Mitchell died, but he had to visit his mother. It pushed her over the edge, and she killed herself.”

  Dear God. Did Cal know about the mother? That poor woman. It would be one more thing for Cal to feel guilty about. One more thing for him to punish himself for.

  Hillary pulled a cell phone from her jacket pocket. “What’s his number?”

  “Please Hillary. Whatever you have planned…”

  “What’s his number?” The woman shrieked, so loudly Kathleen jerked away and covered her ears. For a moment the wild look in Hillary’s eyes deepened into something else, and Kathleen thought she was about to attack her.

  The woman was unbalanced. She should have seen it when she defended Paul Warren so adamantly a week earlier. How could he stand being the object of her obsession? How could he be a part of her plan?

  Kathleen told her the number. Hillary dialed it, then brought out the Taser.

  How much of a charge could it have left? She’d used it repeatedly. Surely it was almost dead.

  Hillary turned the cell to speakerphone. Cal’s phone went to voice mail, and a message came on. “If you’re one of the female viewers from Harping on the Truth, and intend to leave your number looking for romance, I’m sorry. I met my perfect woman a few weeks ago, and I’m off the market. Her name is Kathleen, and I love her. I’m working to convince her she should love me, too. If you’re not one of the viewers and are calling about anything else, leave your name and number, and I’ll get back to you.”

  Hearing Cal’s voice gave Kathleen an emotional boost. Hearing his message broke her heart. They weren’t going to have time to explore their love. Hillary was going to make certain of it.

  “How touching,” Hillary sneered. “You’d better hope he answers the second time I call.”

  She redialed the number.

  “Hello.” Cal sounded breathless.

  “Hello, Cal, I have someone here who wants to say something to you.”

  Hillary shoved the phone toward Kathleen. “It’s me, Cal, Kathleen.”

  “Are you all right?”

  “So far.” She was so dehydrated her eyes wouldn’t tear, but the need to cry burned them all the same. “Hillary and I heard your voice mail message. I love you, Callahan.”

  “Just hold on, honey.”

  Hillary jerked the phone away. “We’ll be at the tower site in fifteen minutes. Meet us there, and we’ll go up to the twentieth floor together.”

  “It’s going to take me at least forty-five minutes to get there. I’m in San Marcos. We’re here with Paul Warren.”

  Hillary’s demeanor changed, her movements jerky and anxious. “Don’t you hurt him. You’ve done enough damage. You let his nephew die and caused his sister to commit suicide. It’s all your fault. Everything is your fault.”

  “I’m not going to hurt, Paul, Hillary. He’s waiting for you here. Why don’t you bring Kathleen here, and we’ll all sit down and talk.”

  “No. We have to go back to where it all began. Kathleen and I will wait for you at the tower.”

  “Okay. I’m on my way. Don’t go up without me, Hillary. I’ll want to be with you both when we go up.” Cal’s soothing tone sent anxious prickles over Kathleen’s skin. Something was horribly wrong.

  “You’d better hurry.” Hillary shut down her phone and rubbed her arms as if she was cold.

  Straightening, she briskly holstered the Taser and reached under the driver’s seat and to pull out a pistol. Kathleen recognized it as a nine millimeter Beretta. The weapon looked huge in the woman’s hand as she turned and pointed it at Kathleen. “We’re going now.”

  Chapter 25

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  Cal held onto the oh-shit handle above the passenger door as Zach wheeled onto I-15 South heading back to San Diego.

  Zach found Warren’s cell phone in the living room and used it to call the police. Then they’d wiped their fingerprints off it and the doorknobs and bugged out. They didn’t have time to get caught up in a murder investigation when Kathleen’s life hung in the balance.

  “This Hillary, she’s the one who had a thing for Warren?” Zach asked.

  “Yeah. Kathleen said Hillary was half a step away from being a stalker. She always knew what Warren was up to. Kathleen suggested she move on to someone else and Hillary bit her head off.”

  Zach mulled that around for a second. “It looks like he may have rejected her one too many times.”

  Cal clenched his hands. “I think she’s had some kind of psychotic break. She stayed quiet when I said I was with Warren. She asked me not to hurt him.” Cal swallowed, though his throat was dry with fear. The woman was certifiably insane, and Kathleen had been with her all day. The things she might have done to her…

  He couldn’t think about that now. He’d go crazy himself. “He was dead. She killed the object of her obsession, but doesn’t want to face it.”

  Zach glanced his way. “You know she’s planning a last stand at the tower.”

  “Yeah. And she has Kathleen with her. There are security guards at the building site. But I don’t know how well they’re trained, or what they’ll do when faced with a demented woman and her hostage.”

  Zach’s features morphed into a heavy scowl. He pressed down on the gas, and the SUV surged forward even faster. “They fucking better not hurt my sister.”

  *

  Kathleen’s shoulders and arms ached from having been in the same position all day. Her wrists, raw and bruised, had stiffened. She was no threat. She doubted she could lift her arms even to defend herself. With the muzzle of the Beretta jammed against her right kidney, it was hard for her to think of how to place one foot in front of the other. Her legs shook with a combination of weakness and icy fear. She knew what kind of damage one shot could do. She’d bleed to death before they could do a thing to save her.

  She wanted to live. She wanted to spend a full night with Callahan and wake up with her head on his shoulder and feel his arms around her. Safe. Loved. She wanted to learn what they could have together, six months from now, a year.

  She wanted the love she felt for him to have a chance to grow bigger, stronger.

  His tone had remained level and calm, though underlying concern had tempered the way he spoke. He was coming, and he’d think of some way to end this. They were both going to come out of it alive. She wouldn’t even consider any other outcome.

  The twelve-foot-tall fence surrounding the site provided a barrier against any unauthorized foot traffic. They walked past the gate. “You say anything, shout out for help, or anything else, and I’ll kill you first, then them.”

  Kathleen couldn’t put anyone else’s life at risk. She didn’t want to put Cal’s life in jeopardy, either. They turned back around as soon as they were certain the security guards weren’t close by. Hillary produced a key and unlocked the huge padlock that held the gate closed with one hand while she held the gun on Kathleen with the other.

  “How did you get a key?” Kathleen asked just past a whisper.

  “Paul had it. He sometimes comes by after the day ends to check the work. This is one of his projects. He has to stay on top of quality control.” She slid the lock free and shoved against Kathleen. “Get in there before they come out to make their rounds.”

  “How’s Cal going to get in if the turnstile’s locked?”

  “I’m leaving it open for him.” She slid the padlock back in place and positioned it so the security guards would have to touch it to realize it was unlocked.

  And now they were inside the site Kathleen realized she didn’t want Cal to come. She wanted him to stay away and just let whatever happened happen. She wanted him to live. He’d already paid enough with his l
eg and his PTSD. She wanted him to move on from it. He didn’t need any more pain in his life. He deserved some peace.

  “That way.” Hillary pointed to a narrow patch of shade next to the foreman’s trailer. “We’re going to go around behind it and circle around. Stay close.” She poked the gun into Kathleen’s back for emphasis.

  Too exhausted physically and emotionally to argue, Kathleen hugged the fence and stumbled around the trailer. They cut across to the steps leading onto platform.

  When Hillary turned on the lights, the security guards would know they were here. They’d come and shoot them both and it would be over.

  The light had gone soft and the temperature dropped. A chill permeated Kathleen’s thin cotton clothes, and she shivered while they climbed onto the platform. Hillary unlocked the wire doors to the elevator and slid the inner door up.

  “Get in.” She used the gun to direct her.

  Kathleen stepped inside the lift and wasn’t surprised when Hillary pulled the wire doors shut and put the lock back on.

  “I’ll be back.”

  Kathleen slid down into the corner of the elevator and sat on the floor. She expected Hillary to walk around to the breaker, but instead she went back down the stairs and strode toward the guardhouse.

  Kathleen struggled back to her feet and gripped the cage door. “Hillary don’t. Please don’t.” The woman whirled around to face her and pointed the gun in her direction.

  She was going to kill her anyway. If she did it now, there wouldn’t be any reason for her to hurt the guards. “Leave them alone.”

  The guardhouse door flew open and two men dressed in drab brown uniforms ran out. Hillary whirled and fired. The man in the lead grabbed his side and fell to the ground. The other guard returned fire. One of the bullets ricocheted off of a metal support and Kathleen ducked into her corner. A couple more shots were fired and then silence reigned.

  When steps crunched on the gritty ground outside, Kathleen curled against the side of the elevator. If it was Hillary, she was bound to kill her now. If it was the security guard, since he’d just been attacked, he might shoot first and ask questions later.

  The lights flickered, then came on, casting a diamond pattern on the floor of the metal container. Kathleen cringed back into the corner. Hillary stepped up to the lift. Blood blotched her shirt and she held her arm against her side. She unlocked the gate, stepped onto the lift and shut the gates.

  *

  Cal studied the site from outside the gate in Zach’s truck. Every light was on, but nothing moved. “She doesn’t know you’re with me. She thinks I’m alone. That could play to our advantage.”

  “If we can get past the security guards.”

  “I was here last night, so they’ll know I’m part of the crew. Maybe I can talk my way past them. With all the lights on, there should be movement.” A niggling concern wormed its way into the pit of his stomach.

  Zach shrugged a shoulder. “If you keep the guards busy, I’ll find my own way in. I’ll meet you at the lift.”

  “Okay.” Adrenaline rushed through Cal’s veins, fed by the blend of excitement and fear that had tinged every operation in the military. The weight of what this moment meant steadied him. Kathleen would be okay. He and Zach would make sure of it.

  He removed his sling and tossed it on the seat before climbing out of the SUV and jogging to the gate where trucks came through to deliver supplies. Two bodies lay on the ground in front of the guardhouse. Cal braced a hand on the fence and reached for his phone. He pushed Zach’s number.

  “The guards are down.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Cal moved on to the turnstile where the workmen entered and saw the lock was aligned but not closed. He jerked it free. Zach ran around the corner of the site straight toward him. They shoved their way through the turnstile and rushed to the guards. Both were still breathing, but bleeding badly. One had taken a round to the thigh. The other man had taken a round to the side.

  “I’ll see if I can find something to use for bandages.” Zach ran into the guardhouse.

  Cal whipped out his cell phone and dialed nine-one-one. He gave the dispatcher the address and situation, said, “We need an ambulance,” then hung up. The guard with the thigh wound was already groggy from loss of blood. “She’s crazy, man. I had to pretend to be dead to keep her from shooting me again.”

  Zach came back with a medical supply kit. He tossed Cal a roll of gauze. “Wrap that leg tight over his pants, while I deal with this other guy.”

  Cal slapped a thick pad of gauze over the thigh injury and wrapped it tight over top of the guard’s pants.

  A scream above them, high-pitched and panicked jerked their attention upward, the cry blended with the high-pitched wail of an approaching police car.

  Two figures were perched on an extension of steel where a new floor was being structured, but no floor had yet been poured. The smaller of the two figures was sitting on the steel girder and clinging to it. The other stood above her.

  “Sweet Jesus!” Zach exclaimed.

  “I’m going. Hillary’s made it clear I’m the one she wants. I’ll do whatever it takes, get Kathleen clear.”

  Zach eyed him long and hard, his green gaze so much like Kathleen’s it was hard for Cal to meet it. “Don’t throw yourself on a sword until we’ve tried everything we can.”

  The word sword triggered an idea. “She doesn’t believe Warren is dead. I have an idea.”

  Zach packed gauze over the other man’s wound while Cal lifted him so Zach could wrap the dressing around him. Cal outlined the idea as they worked.

  Cal dragged the other guard over to where his buddy lay and guided his hands over the dressing. “Keep pressure on his wound until EMS arrives.”

  He and Zach turned and ran toward the tower. It took precious time for the lift to come down and for them to go back up. “Stay in the lift until I’m out in front of them. Keep hidden behind the supports when you call to her.”

  “I understand where you’re going with this. If it doesn’t work…” Zach pressed a gun into his hand. “It’s one of the guards’. There’s eight rounds left.”

  Cal had thought his shooting days were behind him. He’d left all his guns behind in Texas. He slipped the weapon into the waistband of his jeans at the small of his back. He’d do what he had to do to protect Kathleen, Zach, or himself.

  The lift stopped and Cal pulled the metal panel door up and pushed through the wire door. The floor on this level was partially poured, and he eased out of the lift and walked slow and easy over the forty-foot long section to where Hillary stood waiting.

  His attention focused on Kathleen as she straddled the H beam and lay atop it holding on for dear life, her eyed clenched shut and her face sheet white. She had wide red splotches on her skin. One on her forehead, her knee and her elbows. Her clothes were wrinkled, her hair a tangled mess around her shoulders. She had never looked more beautiful to him. When she opened her eyes to look at him a second he nodded and tried to project comfort in his expression.

  “It seems she has vertigo.” Hillary said by way of greeting. “A commercial architect with a fear of heights. Don’t you find that ironic?” Hillary’s khaki pants were stained with blood running from her waist and down one leg. She held a 9-millimeter pistol at her side.

  Cal shook his head. “But you’re not afraid?”

  “No. Heights have never been an issue for me.” She raised her gaze to the deep purple sky streaked with red behind her. While she was distracted, Cal glanced toward the lift and caught a glimpse of Zach slipping behind one of the large vertical beams.

  Several police cars and two ambulances pulled up below, their sirens a high soprano wail. Hillary seemed oblivious to them.

  “Paul and I talked earlier today,” Cal said.

  “I know.” Hillary’s features twisted with anger. “How could he go to see you, talk to you like a human being? You killed his nephew. His sister died because of you.”
<
br />   Cal kept his tone even and reasonable. He was so sick of being blamed for something he’d had no control over. He’d done it to himself for too long. “His nephew died fighting for his country, Hillary. A terrorist’s bomb killed him. It almost killed me, too. His sister had lost her only child. Maybe she wanted to be with Mitch, and that was the only way she could think to do it.”

  She shook her head and swayed on the beam. “No. Paul was angry with you. He wanted to kill you, but he couldn’t.”

  “Well, he changed his mind. And he said he was going to leave Wiley Design.”

  “No.” Panic shattered her face, and she grabbed at the lower part of her abdomen. “He’ll never leave. He’ll never leave me.”

  “You can discuss it with him, I brought him with me.”

  “Hillary?” Zach’s voice carried from the right. “You’re right. I won’t ever leave you. I promise I won’t.”

  She cocked her head as though confused. “Paul?”

  Zach ad-libbed. “We have a lot of plans to make. If I decide to leave Wiley, you can come with me. Would you like that?”

  “Yes. Of course I would.” She blinked as though her eyes were growing heavy. “My life isn’t anything without you.” She shuffled forward on the beam toward Kathleen and for a moment it looked as though she might fall, but she regained her balance. Finding her way blocked, she raised the Berretta and pointed it at Kathleen. “Get out of my way, Kathleen. I have to go to Paul.”

  Cal reached for the pistol tucked into his waistband. His heart drummed in his ears. He hadn’t shot a gun since leaving the military. He didn’t want to now.

  The sound of the lift going down reached him. He was torn between really needing some help and dreading that what they’d get would make the situation worse.

  “Hillary. Kathleen’s scared. If you’ll let me help her, I’ll get her out of your way.”

  He stepped forward and she swung the gun in his direction.

  “No. You hurt Paul. He suffered so because of what you did. I’m going to end that for him. I’ll do for him what he couldn’t do.” Her skin around her eyes, leached of color, had a bluish tinge in the dull light.