Redemption (Fateful Justice Book 2)

by Sara Vinduska

  He rode the elevator down to Ward’s floor. He hadn’t rehearsed what he would say, but ass-kissing would probably be involved.

  The elevator doors opened and Lash headed down the hall. Ward nearly knocked him over as he rounded the corner.

  “Brogan,” Ward said, pushing past him.

  Lash ran after him. “What’s wrong?”

  Ward turned to him, ran a hand through his hair. “Lauren, she left me a message, but she didn’t show for our meeting this morning. I’m headed for her room.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  The actor’s voice left little room for arguing. Ward shrugged and continued down the hall. He’d had a hell of a lot worse for backup.

  They rode the elevator in silence.

  Ward knocked hard on her door. There was no answer.

  Calhoun took a breath, motioned for Lash to stay back, drew his gun, then kicked in the door to her hotel room.

  He went in low, his eyes scanning the room. The couch was overturned, it’s cushions shredded. All the drawers in the desk were pulled out, and his sister’s suitcases had been dumped on the floor.

  The bathroom was more of the same. Drawers pulled out, contents dumped carelessly onto the floor.

  But no Lauren.

  He rubbed the barrel of the gun along his forehead. Forced himself to breathe. To focus.

  He looked up, hearing footsteps behind him. Brogan was cautiously stepping through the wreckage, his mouth in a grim line.

  “I thought I told you to stay put,” Ward said, holstering his gun.

  “You did,” Brogan answered, meeting his gaze.

  Ward studied the actor, saw the fear and anger in his eyes, kept his mouth shut.

  “Did you shut the door?” Ward asked.

  Lash nodded. “What’s left of it. Aren’t you going to call this in?”

  “Not yet.” He looked around the chaos that was his sister’s hotel room. “Not until I see if she left a clue for me.”

  Lash hung back, watching the agent methodically go through every inch of the room. He wished he could be that detached. Lauren had to be okay. She had to be. He would not accept the alternative.

  Ward stopped in the middle of the room. His eyes scanned the room, stopping on the bed. He cocked his head to the side. He walked forward, put his hands on the headboard, turned his gaze to Lash. “Help me move this,” he said.

  Lash helped him pull the bed out. Ward moved towards the wall, ran a hand in the space between the wall and the bed.

  Then he smiled.

  “What?” Lash asked.

  “When we were kids, this is where she hid things that were important to her. He pulled out a manila envelope, dumped the contents and started reading.

  Ward quickly skimmed the papers, a mix of computer printouts and pages in his sister’s neat handwriting. One name immediately jumped out at him. He tucked the pages inside his jacket and looked around the room again. There had to be more.

  Lash stepped back, watched him work.

  He wandered to the small window, looking out across the city. Where are you, Lauren? he thought.

  “Goddammit.” Calhoun muttered. Lash immediately turned and saw Calhoun bending down near the bed.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  Calhoun ran his hand along the carpet and stood up. “Blood,” he whispered, his face white.

  Lash’s jaw tightened and a look of cold determination came into his eyes. But Calhoun saw something else there. Not just concern for another human being, but something deeper. Something had changed in his sister, too, these past few weeks and his suspicions that Brogan had something to do with it were confirmed. But he would deal with that problem later. After Lauren was safe.

  “Bishop?” Lash asked, seeing the picture on the top of the stack Ward held.

  Ward nodded. “Lauren’s notes tie Alyssa from craft services to Bishop. There’s an address for an old farm outside of town. He paused. “You got a gun?” he asked.

  “Not with me.”

  “My backup’s in the car. Where’s Hoyt?” Ward asked.

  “Meeting with some of the other bodyguards and security guys on set.”

  “Rafe?”

  “Mark’s being transferred to a rehab facility today and I asked him to help with security.”

  Ward nodded. “Okay. We’ll pick Hoyt up on the way. Let’s go.”

  Once they were in the car, Ward opened his phone to call Agent Thaler. “It’s Adam Bishop, he’s got Lauren.” He rattled off the address of the farm. “I need you and Maroney to get there as soon as possible. We’re enroute now.”

  The thought that he’d probably get fired for taking an armed Academy Award winning actor into a potentially deadly hostage situation briefly crossed his mind. But he didn’t care. The truth was, he didn’t trust the local cops and as much as he hated to admit it, he could trust Lash to watch his back. He’d do whatever it took and damn the consequences. This was his sister’s life that was at stake.

  Hoyt was waiting at the curb in front of the building downtown they were scheduled to film in. Ward barely slowed down. Hoyt didn’t say a word as he jumped into the backseat. His face said he was more than ready to go into battle.

  Twenty minutes into the drive, Ward’s phone rang. Lash watched his face pale, heard him say, “Dammit. Get there as soon as you can and send backup.” Then Ward hung up, clenched his jaw, and stepped on the gas.

  Ward sighed, glanced briefly at Lash then at Hoyt in the back seat. “They found videos at Adam Bishop’s hotel room of him killing Bob.”

  “I should have made her leave,” Ward said a few miles later.

  “She’s just as stubborn as you are. I don’t think you or anyone else can make her do anything,” Lash replied. He could see her now, her hands on her hips, mouth set. He leaned his head back and swallowed hard. When he thought of Lauren, saw her face in his mind, he saw his future. It was so clear to him now, he wondered how he ever could have doubted it. He just hoped it wasn’t too late.

  “It’s all a game to him. His own private story that he can control,” Ward said.

  “And he’s the only one who knows the ending,” Lash said.

  “Not if I can help it,” Ward said tersely.

  43

  Lauren slowly opened her eyes, looking around the unfamiliar room. Her head ached, but when she tried to rub it, she found her hands were tied behind her. Her ankles were bound too, and she was lying on her side on cheap carpet in a bare room with no windows. She vaguely remembered being in her hotel room, remembered seeing the dark figure coming out of her bathroom a second too late, the butt of his gun coming down hard on her head.

  She sat up, feeling the room spin. She forced her eyes to focus on the man standing in the doorway.

  “Well, hello there, Lauren,” Adam Bishop said, smiling and squatting down next to her. “Congratulations, you found out what I’ve been up to.” He clucked his tongue. “Of course that means I’ll have to kill you now. I assure you, that wasn’t my intention. But what a nice surprise you turned out to be.”

  Lauren forced herself to breathe slowly. To concentrate, focus on her training. To talk to him like she did every day on the job.

  “Your disguise tied in brilliantly,” she said.

  Adam beamed. “Yes, I thought it was an extra special touch.”

  “So, what now?”

  He spread his arms. “Why, this is the climax of course.”

  “My brother won’t come alone.”

  “No, I should think not.”

  “There’s only one of you.”

  “My survival doesn’t matter.”

  “Of course it does, Adam. We can call Ward and end this now.”

  He shot her a look of pure hate, a look that said he’d love to put a knife in her at that very moment.

  “I thought you were smarter than that, Lauren. You should know you can’t talk to me like one of your patients. I’m way too good for that.” He paused, looked down at her. �
�I wonder who will die first, you or your brother?”

  She couldn’t help it, tears stung her eyes. “You son of a bitch.”

  He cocked his head. “Can you feel that? Your brother’s coming for you.” He rubbed his hands together. “I need to get ready for him.”

  He gave her a grin she knew would haunt her for the rest of her life as he turned and left the room.

  Lauren sat staring at the closed door. She shivered, hating how helpless she felt. Ward would come for her, of that she was certain. She was also certain that he would need all of his considerable skills to get them both out of this alive.

  And Lash, whatever the future held for them, she desperately wanted the chance to see him again.

  Ward slowly drove past the driveway of what looked like an old abandoned farmhouse.

  He noted several falling down outbuildings. Good privacy. No neighbors. He could see the white Chrysler Alyssa Kent drove to work parked to the side of the house. No other vehicles were visible.

  He stopped just past the long driveway where the trees blocked the car from view. There wasn’t time to wait for backup. “We go on foot from here. When we get close, Hoyt go around back. Lash, you stay behind me.”

  Both men nodded.

  They inched forward, staying in the shadow of the trees.

  Lauren shot to her feet at the sound of the door opening.

  Adam stalked forward, gun in hand. He grabbed her elbow, cut her restraints.

  “They’re here,” he whispered in her ear.

  She shuddered as he pulled her close against his body.

  “I’ll show you,” he said, leading her into the next room.

  It was another bedroom, but with windows. An elaborate computer setup covered a desk in the corner. “Watch,” he said.

  She stepped closer and gasped. There were images of every room of the house and all angles outside. She recognized Hoyt splitting off from two men. Her brother. And Lash.

  “Looks like your boyfriend couldn’t stay put. This is even better than I imagined.”

  God, Lash, she thought. There was no way they were all going to get out of this alive. Adam wasn’t afraid to die and would take as many of them with him as he could.

  People were going to die today. Very likely her.

  It would devastate her brother if he couldn’t save her. And Lash, could he survive watching her die?

  “Please,” she whispered. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Yes, I do.” He jerked her towards the doorway. “Showtime,” he said, with an evil smile.

  Ward found the front door unlocked, pushed it open slowly, and entered gun first. Lash followed, trying to remember all the firearms training Hoyt had taught him.

  The front door opened into the living room. There was a door at the far end that led into a kitchen and a staircase to their right.

  They had just reached the middle of the living room when they heard shots, followed by heavy footsteps above them. Ward came around the corner and saw Hoyt in the kitchen doorway, the frame pockmarked with bullet holes. Hoyt nodded towards the staircase. Ward turned in time to see Bishop coming slowly down the stairs, a gun pointed at his sister’s head, her body in front of him.

  Lash felt his stomach clutch, seeing Lauren with a gun pointed at her head. It was too much like what had happened at his ranch with Justine. He could see Ward next to him, calm as always, his gun aimed steadily at Adam’s head. He forced himself to stay calm. He took a deep breath and steadied his own gun.

  Ward felt a pinching pain in his shoulder as he held his gun up.

  “How’s this going to go, Adam?” Ward asked.

  “Maybe you should ask your sister. She knows how this has to end.”

  “She did nothing but her job,” Ward said.

  As soon as Ward got him talking, Bishop turned his body so he was facing away from the kitchen. Hoyt took the opportunity and shot him in the leg.

  Off balance, Bishop cursed and reflexively turned towards Hoyt, arm still around Lauren and returned fire at the doorway.

  Hoyt grunted and ducked back behind the wall. Bishop turned back towards Ward and aimed at him. “You’re the one I want to kill.” He pulled Lauren’s hair, jerking her head closer, and whispered in her ear. “Are you ready to watch your brother die?”

  His head was too close to Lauren’s for any of them to have a shot.

  Bishop turned his attention briefly to Lash. “And you. You just won’t die, will you?”

  The instant Lauren felt the arm around her loosen a fraction, she jabbed her elbow hard into her captor’s stomach. He gasped in pain and made a desperate grab for her as she threw herself down and out of the line of fire.

  The three bullets hit at almost the same time. Two in the chest and one in the back of the head.

  Bishop’s body hit the floor.

  “You hit?” Ward called out as Hoyt came out of the kitchen, his left arm bloody.

  “Just a scratch.”

  “He’s dead,” Ward said, standing over the body.

  Lauren stood and folded into Lash’s arms.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Calhoun roared.

  Lauren pulled back and looked at her brother. “Ward, calm down.”

  Ward could see in her eyes what had happened. He took a step towards Lash. “You son of a bitch!”

  Lauren stepped between them and put a steadying hand on Ward’s chest. “I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know why it happened. But it did, I can’t explain it.”

  Ward looked expectantly at Lash. “Well?”

  Lash forced himself to look Ward in the eye. “I’m in love with your sister.” He glanced at Lauren, then back at Calhoun. “I have been since the moment she set foot on the set and confronted those security guards.” It was true. He loved her and nothing else in the world mattered at that moment. He steeled himself for Calhoun’s reaction.

  Ward looked from one of them to the other. He could tell by the look on Lauren’s face that she felt the same way about Brogan. His face softened just a bit and he turned back towards Lauren. “The important thing is that you’re okay. And it’s over now.” He put his arm around her shoulders then turned back to Lash. “We’ll talk later,” he growled.

  Hoyt watched the exchange with mild amusement as sirens announced the arrival of their backup.

  44

  Lash sat in the interview room, arms crossed across his chest as the officer entered and stood looking down at him.

  “I need to get your statement.” Officer Rorbach said as he continued glaring at Lash. “Tell me what you were doing there,” he demanded.

  “I was with Special Agent Calhoun.”

  “And you thought you’d just waltz in there with your gun, huh?”

  Lash didn’t respond.

  “You got a permit for that gun you used to shoot someone with?”

  Lash felt his anger rise. He was tired and more than a little shaken up about what had happened and he desperately wanted to find Lauren. He stood. “I don’t need this shit right now. If you have any questions, ask Special Agent Calhoun.”

  Rorbach stepped in front of him. “I’m not finished with you yet. Now sit your ass back down. And before you ask, I’ve disabled the video and audio in this room. No one will see or hear a thing.”

  “Don’t do this,” Lash said. He was too fucking tired to deal with this prick.

  “You think you’re something, don’t you? You think you can just take the law into your own hands, don’t you? I know you like to shoot people and I won’t have that here in my town. You’re an actor, not a cop.”

  “And what does that say about you when you need the feds, an actor, and his bodyguard to do your job for you?”

  “You son of a bitch!” His face reddened, and Rorbach launched himself at Lash.

  “You were in on this, too,” Lash said, the truth dawning as his back hit the wall from the force of Rorbach ramming into him.

  “Yeah, and now I don’t get my fu
cking money because Adam is dead!”

  Ward smiled as he watched the scene play out on the monitor. Luckily, Chief Devane had finally seen the light and listened to Ward, turning the audio and video back on once they figured out what holding room Rorbach had taken Lash to. He felt bad for putting Lash though this, but now they had a confession.

  Chief Devane moved towards the door.

  Ward grabbed his arm. “Give it a minute. Lash can handle him.”

  Rorbach took his gun out of the holster and fired a shot into the ceiling. “Too bad you had to go for my gun,” he said.

  Lash blinked in understanding. Would this nightmare ever end?

  Ward, Devane and two other cops burst into the room just in time to break it up before things got too out of hand.

  By the time they were inside, Lash had disarmed Rorbach and was standing with a foot planted on the man’s chest, looking down at him with contempt.

  “Sorry we didn’t tell you,” Ward said. “I figured you could handle yourself though. Looks like I was right.”

  Lash just looked at him, a little stunned.

  “Don’t worry, they were blanks,” Calhoun said, looking at the gun in Lash’s hand. Ward waited for Lash’s anger. It didn’t come. The actor just started laughing instead. Jeez, the guy must really be losing it now, he thought. He took the gun out of Lash’s hands. “You okay?”

  Lash nodded. “This has been the craziest goddamn day.”

  Ward started laughing too, put a hand on Lash’s shoulder. “You’re telling me.”

  They finished their debriefing and waited in the hallway for Lauren.

  “You did good back there. We could almost use someone like you in the bureau. Your instincts are good, right on the money, and you sure as hell know how to shoot a gun.”

  Lash smirked. “Yeah, that’s a great resume builder for an actor. Lash Brogan. He shoots to kill.”

  “You did what you had to do. Everything worked out all right.”

  “Yeah, it did,” he had to admit, thinking about Lauren. Things worked out pretty well indeed, he thought smiling.

  Calhoun grinned back. It was easy to smile now that it was all over, he thought, eyeing Brogan. He’d come to know him pretty well over the last few weeks and he knew that underneath his smile and laughing façade, Brogan was visibly shaken by what had happened now that the adrenaline rush had started to wear off. He put a steadying hand on the younger man’s shoulder.