Sisters By Choice

by Lillian Duncan

  ****

  The police boat sprayed up water as it came to a halt next to the yacht.

  Carter and Marcus boarded, along with two other FBI agents.

  The partygoers stopped what they were doing to stare at the group who’d made such a dramatic entrance on to the ship.

  Carter searched for Patti.

  The captain and another man dressed in a white linen suit and a fedora walked towards them. Neither looked happy about their intrusion.

  Mr. Fedora stepped forward. “I’m Harold Hart. I own this ship. What is the meaning of this? We’re on our way back as asked. We were told the matter would be handled discreetly. You can’t simply come aboard and ruin the party. These people have—”

  Carter stepped close to the man. “You’ve got big trouble. I suggest you cooperate or we might think you’re part of the terrorist ring we’ll be arresting soon.”

  Harold Hart flinched and backed away from Carter. He looked at Marcus. “What is he talking about?”

  “We don’t have time to explain,” Carter answered. “We need to find Joseph Hamed, Jamie Jakowski, and anyone else who knows the two of them. What’s the best way to do that?”

  “Look, you will take the time to tell me what’s going on, or you can get off my yacht.”

  ”You are in American waters.” Carter said. “Do you want to be responsible for someone’s death? Because right now, you can be arrested for obstruction of justice.”

  Marcus stepped between the two men and spoke softly. “Let’s calm down and go somewhere with more privacy.”

  “You go talk. I’m going to look for Patti.” Carter said.

  “Carter. We’ve got to do this in an organized way. Otherwise, we’re wasting our time.

  Looking for Patti would have to wait a few more minutes.

  Carter hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

  ****

  Patti and Maria were dressed in identical brightly colored Hawaiian shirts, white shorts and long, black wigs, making them indistinguishable from the other servers. Heavy makeup hid even more.

  Maria’s blue sandals with long straps that crisscrossed to her mid-calf were noticeable, however. Patti’s simple white sandals blended in with the server’s outfit she wore.

  “Raymond won’t even think to look at the serving staff. He’s too arrogant. As far as he’s concerned, they aren’t even people, just robots put there to serve him.”

  “I guess we should both find a tray to carry and then make our way to the exit ramp.”

  “Hold on a minute.” Maria looked around the room. She walked over to the sink area and found a piece of paper. She wrote something down and brought it back to Patti. “Here’s the address where I think my daughter is. If…if something happens to me, find her. Don’t let that monster near her. Promise me.”

  “I promise.” She touched Maria’s arm. “I need a moment to pray.”

  Maria nodded. “Go ahead. We need all the help we can get.”

  Patti extended a hand to Maria. “Pray with me.”

  She backed away. “It’s been so long since I’ve prayed. God doesn’t care what I want.”

  Thinking back to what Carter had told her, Patti gave her a gentle smile and grabbed hold of her hand. “Not true. God’s mercies are new each day. He’ll hear us and He’ll help us.”

  They knelt down. When they were finished, both women wiped away their tears, ready to face their future. If they had one on this earth.

  ****

  Patti held a tray of drinks as she roved through the crowd, but her eyes never left Maria who passed out appetizers a few feet from her.

  Maria whispered to Patti. “I heard some people talking. They said a group of men boarded the boat. H.H. argued with them and the group disappeared. Who do you think it was?”

  Patti’s heart lurched with hope.“Must be the police or FBI. Carter must have been able to get hold of Marcus. We’ve got to find them. They’re probably looking for me. Did those people say where they were?”

  Maria shook her head and looked towards shore. “It won’t be long until we’ll be back to the pier. People are saying H. H. was asked to come back. No one knows why. You go search for them, but as soon as the yacht docks, I’m leaving. I can’t risk letting Raymond get to Layla before I do. If that happens, I will never see her again.”

  Raymond had, no doubt, already made a phone call to the people holding Maria’s daughter, but there was no point in telling Maria. If she lost hope, she might fall completely apart and that wouldn’t be good.

  “We’ll tell the police and they can dispatch a car to her right away. It will be quicker than us going alone.”

  “Good. You do that, but I’m still getting off the ship to go find Layla. I gue…”Maria stopped speaking midsentence. The blood drained from her face, replaced by a look of terror.

  Patti turned to see Raymond. He was searching the crowd.

  Patti grabbed Maria and both turned their backs.

  ****

  Carter stared down at the body of Joseph Hamed in the Ronald Reagan State Room.

  The Special Agent-In-Charge was barking orders into his cell phone a few feet away.

  Kathryn sobbed as her husband helped her to a chair. “I can’t believe this. Who would do something like this?”

  Marcus looked at Mason Fredricks, the head of the security force, who’d been hired for the event. “So, no one reported hearing gunshots?”

  He shook his head.

  Carter looked at the amount of duct tape scattered around the room. It was obvious it had been used to subdue someone, probably Patti. But, maybe not just Patti. Too much tape for just one person.

  Carter’s mind raced through scenarios.

  Kathryn interrupted Carter’s thoughts. “I don’t understand. Joseph Hamed was a terrorist? I can’t believe it. We’ve known him for years.”

  “Impossible. Impossible,” muttered H.H. but he looked as if he might faint. He sat down beside his wife and looked up at Carter. “What do you want us to do?”

  The agent slammed his phone shut and walked over to the group. He looked at H.H. and then at Mason Fredricks. “Call your security force together. Have them move everyone into a ballroom, and then lock down each of the ballrooms. Don’t let anyone leave a room once it’s been locked down. Do you have enough men to guard the doors and get the others in the rooms?”

  Mason nodded. “Not a problem.”

  “Are those the only places where the parties are being held? In the ballrooms and on deck?” Marcus asked Kathryn Hart.

  She nodded. “Yes, but we didn’t actually shut off the other areas. We locked the private rooms so people couldn’t snoop around them, but they’re free to walk around.”

  “Good. Then it shouldn’t be too hard to contain them.” Marcus nodded, and then looked at Carter and the other agent. “While the security force is securing the areas, we’ll make a search of the rest of the yacht.”

  ****

  “What do you think is going on?” Patti asked Maria.

  Men dressed in security uniforms approached partygoers and asked them to go into the ballrooms. Remembering the security men in the stateroom, Patti had no intention of following them anywhere. She and Maria would need to find a place to hide before Raymond and his goons found them.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.” Maria set down the tray she’d been holding. “It might be a trap Raymond’s set. We don’t really know if the FBI came aboard, or not. It could have been a rumor he started to flush us out in the open.”

  “You’re right. I’m not going anywhere with anyone unless they show me an FBI badge. No way, I’m going into one of those rooms with any of those so-called security officers.”

  One of the security guards looked at Patti.

  Their gazes met. His eyes widened in surprise. He marched towards her.

  Patti grabbed Maria’s arm. “Let’s go.”

  The women took off in the opposite direction.

  The yacht came
close to the pier and then thudded to a stop.

  Patti looked at Maria. “We made it. We’ve got to get out of here.”

  “I thought you were going to find the FB—“

  “Forget it. I just want to get as far away from this place as I can.”

  Maria’s lips trembled and she wiped away tears. “I’ve got to find Layla.”

  “We will. We will. Which way to the ramp?”

  Maria looked around and pointed. They weaved their way through the dwindling crowd.

  Patti bumped into someone and looked up to apologize. She found herself staring directly into the eyes of Raymond Hammond.

  34

  Raymond’s eyes widened in surprise.

  Patti froze. She couldn’t breathe.

  He grabbed her before she could move. “Nice to see you again, Patti. I’ve been searching everywhere for you. You didn’t actually think you could get away from me, did you?” With those words, something pushed against her back. He whispered, “I’ve got a gun. Don’t move.”

  Patti yelled, “Run, Maria, run.”

  Maria’s head jerked around. Her mouth fell open as she saw Raymond.

  “Don’t do it, Maria,” growled Raymond as he moved the gun up to Patti’s head.

  Patti stopped struggling as the gun pressed against her temple. This was it. So close to freedom, only to be caught once again.

  Maria ran several steps, but then slowed and turned back towards them.

  “Go, Maria. Just go. Don’t worry about me.”

  A gleam of hatred burned in Maria’s eyes as she gazed at Raymond. Her eyes narrowed and her look of hatred turned to terror. She pointed towards them, and screamed, “Gun. He’s got a gun.”

  Heads turned, and then the crowd panicked.

  People screamed and pushed to get away from Raymond. The crowd grew in size as the panic increased.

  The more Maria screamed, the more frenzied the crowd became.

  Raymond muttered an oath.

  The gun moved away from her head as he aimed it at Maria.

  She had to stop him. Patti hit his arm just as he pulled the trigger.

  The gun exploded, terrifying the already panicked crowd even more.

  More shots.

  More screaming.

  People ran and shoved each other as they tried to get away.

  Patti looked over to where Maria had been standing. Her heart sank.

  Maria lay on the deck moaning, as a puddle of blood formed.

  Raymond dragged Patti backwards through the terror-filled crowd towards the exit ramp.

  Patti struggled and hit out at Raymond, but to no avail. Her wig fell off as she thrashed about.

  “Patti.” A voice yelled.

  Thank you, God.

  Carter stood several feet away from her with his gun leveled at Raymond.

  Carter was here—with her.

  Raymond squeezed her neck tighter. “Don’t be a hero. First, I shoot the woman, and then I shoot you. Just walk away. This is no concern of yours.”

  Carter didn’t lower his gun. Instead, he took another step towards them.

  Raymond’s arm tightened around her throat.

  Carter’s gaze met hers for just a moment, and then returned to Raymond. He shook his head. “It’s not going to happen that way. You’re going to let go of her, and then you get to live. That’s the deal.”

  “I don’t like that deal.” As Raymond spoke, he twisted Patti’s neck and moved further into the crowd.

  The crowd quieted and parted. All eyes were focused on Carter and Raymond.

  She saw stars and couldn’t breathe. Her knees buckled, but Raymond held her up. He slowly backed through the crowd, pulling her with him as he inched his way towards the exit plank.

  “You don’t think the FBI will let you leave, do you?” Carter asked. “They’re waiting for you on the dock.”

  “They will, if they want her to live.” Raymond took several more steps backwards, dragging Patti along with him.

  Barely able to breathe, she clawed at his arm.

  Carter moved forward.

  She heard Raymond cock the gun.

  “You take one more step and I shoot her.” Raymond’s voice was cold as ice.

  Her gaze flew to Carter, but she knew he couldn’t stop the inevitable.

  She steeled herself.

  “FBI.” A voice behind them called out.

  Raymond’s head snapped towards the voice. The gun shifted ever so slightly away from her head as he moved.

  In the same instant, Carter leaped through the air and tackled the two of them. Carter’s arms went around her. His hands found Raymond’s.

  She felt fingers being pried off her arms and then Carter twisted Patti out of Raymond’s iron grip.

  More shots.

  He rolled her away from Raymond, using his own body as a shield. “You’re OK. I won’t let him hurt you,” Carter whispered in her ear.

  She never wanted to leave the warmth and security of his arms.

  Carter adjusted his arms, pulling Patti to her feet.

  She looked around wildly. “Where is he?’

  Carter shook his head. “I don’t know. He disappeared into the crowd. The FBI won’t let him get away.”

  She shook her head. Her words were breathless as she tried to gain control of her emotions. “That man is Raymond Hammond…Rahmed Hamed, Joseph’s brother. He’s the leader. You’ve got to stop him. He…he…he’s dangerous.” She took a deep breath. “He killed Jamie.”

  ****

  Carter held her close.

  Her head fell against his shoulders. She wanted to stay there forever. Shut out the ugliness of the world, but she couldn’t. “What about Maria?”

  The FBI was quickly taking control of the crowd that remained on the yacht.

  Three different pockets of EMS workers crowded around three different people—Raymond’s victims.

  Patti moved out of Carter’s arms and ran from group to group until she found Maria.

  Two EMS workers knelt down beside her. One was attaching an IV, the other pressed against a gunshot wound to staunch the blood.

  “I’m right here, Maria.”

  Maria’s eyes flew open and their gazes met. She managed to gasp out only one word. “Daughter.”

  Stricken, Patti nodded. “I know. I’ll go find her. I promise.”

  Patti jumped up.

  Carter was right there.

  Grabbing his arm, she led him away from the noisy crowd. “Raymond kidnapped Maria’s daughter. I’ve got to go find her. ”

  “Don’t worry; he’s not going to get off this boat.”

  “He’s probably already on his way. We’ve got to get there before he does. He’ll take her and she’ll never see her daughter again. She saved my life.” Patti shook her head. “I promised Maria I would find her daughter. I’m keeping that promise.”

  Carter opened his mouth, but Patti didn’t have time to argue with him.

  Without another word, she turned and pushed her way past the guards, who had lost control of the crowd when the shooting began.

  Carter took hold of her elbow, leading her through the crowd. At the ramp, he held up his badge to the security guards, who nodded and let them pass.

  “I have the address. The little girl is supposed to be there. Her name is Layla.”

  “Let me call Marcus.” He pulled his phone out and gave Marcus an update. “Done. The police are on their way.

  “I’m going.”

  Carter touched her cheek. “Are you sure I can’t stop you from doing this?”

  “No.”

  “Then, let’s go. I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

  She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

  “Come on. I have the keys to the car that Marcus and I were driving.”

  They ran to the car and jumped in.

  Carter programmed the GPS to the address they needed and they took off.

  35


  She turned towards Carter as they drove down the narrow streets. “How in the world did you get here so fast? I called you in Palm Beach.”

  His hands clenched the steering wheel. “I wasn’t in Palm Beach, I was on a police boat headed to the yacht. As soon as I discovered you weren’t in the hotel, I knew you’d found out where Jamie was working. I found the letter with the address. You left it at my house. I grabbed the first plane possible because I…I knew God wanted me to get out here to help you.”

  “I can’t believe you’re here.” She touched his arm.

  “I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you.” His gaze met hers. His held a promise for the future.

  She looked away. Her emotions were in overdrive and she couldn’t focus on the future. Her only concern was to find Layla.

  ****

  Carter flipped his phone shut, his expression grim. “They still can’t find the man on the yacht. But there are so many hiding places it could take hours to find him.”

  “He’s not there. I’m telling you, he got away. The man is pure evil. I looked into his eyes.” She shuddered. “We’ve got to get to Layla before her father does. If Raymond gets Layla, Maria will never see her daughter again.”

  They arrived at a benign-looking house.

  Patti pointed to it. “That’s the address.”

  It didn’t have a picket fence, but it certainly could pass for the American dream. It was a simple blue house surrounded by a well-manicured lawn. It definitely didn’t look like a house where terrorists lived.

  Carter pulled into the drive.

  “You stay here,” he told Patti, but she was already out of the car.

  Carter jogged to the front door and rang the doorbell.

  Patti watched from the drive as he rang it again and again. No answer.

  Please God. Let them be here.

  Carter ran back down the steps. “I’m going to check the backyard.”

  Patti ran to keep up with him. As they rounded the house, the backyard came into view. She breathed a sigh of relief.

  Two little girls played on a swing set.

  “Layla,” Patti yelled.

  A beautiful, dark-skinned little girl looked up from the swing set.

  The resemblance to Sabrina was eerie. If she’d had any doubt that Joseph Hamed was Sabrina’s father, it was gone.