by Debra Webb
“Righting a wrong is a good thing,” he said, tapping his boot to her tennis shoe. Even that small contact had his mind drifting down inappropriate paths. “Taking on Trinity’s guilt isn’t.”
“That’s not it,” she protested.
He waited.
“Maybe that’s part of it.” She went quiet for a moment. “There’s so much crap in the world,” she said. “What’s wrong with wanting to clean up this particular corner?”
“Nothing.” He’d shared the perspective way back before he learned the hard way that truth and justice didn’t always win. Bad people and the crap they dumped on the world had a way of sprouting back up. “As long as you live long enough to appreciate the effort.”
“I’m aware Polzin isn’t the only criminal involved with human trafficking, that a global problem won’t end with him. But letting him continue to profit when we have at least some tangible evidence that might stop him isn’t acceptable to me.”
“Fair enough.” It helped to know that, besides a soft heart, she had a bigger goal than simply appeasing misplaced guilt. And it did ridiculous things to his ego that she thought he had the skill and smarts to take down an element of the Krushka syndicate.
“I hear a vehicle,” she whispered.
“Got ‘em.” From their perch, Mike used his binoculars and identified a long black limousine, the two escorting SUVs, and another smaller sedan. The vehicles rounded the last curve of the canyon road and proceeded into the parking lot below. Kozlov got out of one of the SUVs and stalked toward the limo. Anticipation whipped through Mike. The limo driver emerged and moved swiftly to open the back door for his passenger.
A tall man exited the limo and Mike zeroed in on his face. “Holy hell. That’s Andreas Polzin.” Federal law enforcement would do backflips if they knew the bastard was in the States. The situation locally must be seriously wrong if the syndicate boss had come to this little twig on his sprawling criminal tree to attend to business. It was one thing to visit the mistress, another to inspect what amounted to a holding yard. Men like him usually steered clear of the day-to-day activities.
If Lauren had stayed at the hotel, Mike might’ve waded in and removed a few players in this drama, but he didn’t want her anywhere near an encounter with these men. Taking a swipe at Polzin’s personnel might be satisfying, but it wouldn’t make enough of a difference. There were too many men eager to fill a vacated position. With Polzin’s arrival, the bad guys now far outnumbered them.
Polzin walked through the front door held open by one of the men standing guard and Mike took a deep breath. With any luck they’d have a conversation in English near one of the bugs he’d planted.
“Why would Vanya let herself be used by a man like that?” Lauren asked. “He’s pure evil.”
“The real question is whether she’ll let us use her,” Mike replied.
“She gave us the school,” Lauren said. “Besides, we want to help her, not use her.”
He marveled at Lauren’s bright and shiny idealism. That sort of thinking had been drummed out of him by the time he finished his first SEAL mission. Helping them bring Trinity’s killer to justice would effectively end Vanya’s way of life. He knew firsthand how much people resisted change, especially if you couldn’t show them tangible proof that the new life would be better.
“You have to remember that however she got there, she’s at the top of the food chain as his mistress. She’s untouchable. Turning her against him could get risky.” She’d given them the school, but Mike hadn’t seen anything else that would persuade Vanya to throw over Polzin. From what Claudia provided, the woman had everything she needed with the apartment, the private driver, the club, and the not-too-frequent demands from Polzin.
“But his business is barbaric,” Laurel said. “No woman should be forced to support that kind of life. She can’t want to be in his organization.”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “Though the right kind of domination can be fun.”
“What a guy thing to say.”
“I am a guy,” he said. “But for the record, the first time I heard those words it was from a woman.”
“Oh, TMI,” she said, waving her hand as if she could erase the words from the air.
“Be still,” he snapped, covering her hands. “You could draw their attention.”
She sucked in a breath, whether because he’d given another order or the chemistry that sizzled whenever they touched he didn’t know. He couldn’t afford the distraction of analyzing it right now.
“You can let go,” she said. “I’m still as a rock.”
He removed his hand from hers slowly, telling himself it was all about avoiding detection rather than lingering over the sweet contact.
“Just keep your kink and quirks to yourself.”
“Your loss,” he said, putting his attention back on the school in the canyon below. Polzin was spending more time than Mike would’ve thought five women required. If he had cell service he’d send a text to Claudia so she could alert her contact at Interpol.
“I’m not a prude,” Lauren clarified. “I know people get off on different things, but sex should be about mutual pleasure.”
“Amen.” He’d brought up the wrong topic. The burning memory of that kiss was making him want things he couldn’t have. That was how cases fell apart: one small mistake led to a distraction, then another mistake, and it snowballed until it consumed or crushed everything. He had to stop the cycle right here.
He cleared his throat, wishing it were as simple to clear his mind of the endless sensual possibilities with the woman beside him. It was all too easy to imagine a little domination-submission play with Lauren. He could show her the exquisite pleasure in either role. Just thinking about it made him hard again, but her resistance to the idea made him curious. Had Trinity or someone else in her past taken too much control in the bedroom?
Now wasn’t the time to indulge his curiosity. Any pleasure he might eventually coax out of Lauren had to take a back seat to finding something to drop a net over Polzin. Her life depended on it.
As if on cue, the front door of the building opened and Polzin reappeared with Kozlov right behind him. Mike felt Lauren shiver. “Relax,” he murmured. “This is progress.” Everything indicated Kozlov carried the bulk of the workload in this area. While Polzin glowered at the men around him, he didn’t direct any ire toward Kozlov specifically. Mike slipped the headphones over his ears and turned up the volume of his parabolic ear. He wanted to pick up and record as much of the conversation below as possible.
“Damn Trinity. We need a redhead,” Andreas Polzin said. “One of tonight’s party guests is partial. The others are most acceptable. Make sure they’re ready for tonight’s guests. And find me a damned redhead.”
“It will be handled.” Kozlov gave a nod to another man who immediately stalked toward the sedan.
“And where is Trinity’s woman?”
Mike tensed. He glanced at Lauren. He was glad she couldn’t hear the conversation.
Kozlov shook his head. “There has been no sign of her.”
Polzin scowled. “Remedy that. I won’t have our endeavors here hampered. Trinity has done enough damage already.”
“Yes, sir.”
I won’t let them find you, Mike vowed silently. He watched Polzin disappear behind the dark glass of the limousine. Mike was sorely tempted to open fire just for the hell of it. He’d run across some people who stretched the definition of human, but Polzin won the prize.
“Mike!” She tapped his shoulder. “They’re taking the women.”
He shifted, watching the guards escort five women dressed in white t-shirts and black yoga pants into the two SUVs that had tailed the limousine. “Damn it.” What in the hell was pushing Polzin? The man usually conducted business from a distance. “Help me get down the license plate numbers. You take care of the SUVs. I’ll get the limo and the sedan.” He entered the info into the notepad of his phone as the vehicles drove awa
y.
“Mike,” Lauren urged.
“Hold on,” he said. “There’s only one way out of the canyon. If we move too soon they’ll spot us.”
Lauren’s worst-case scenario was playing out right in front of her and Mike wasn’t moving. Those women were in trouble, being taken to whatever came next in this heinous business. Awful as it was, her fear for the women in jeopardy forced Lauren to shake off the ice-cold dread of seeing the man who’d ordered Desmond’s death as well as the man who’d carried it out. All that mattered just now was saving those women. Her connection to Desmond had dragged her into this and there was no turning back. Not now. She couldn’t ignore what was happening and hope the police would get the job done.
She struggled to keep her word and obey Mike’s order as the caravan rolled away. “We have to follow them.” She braced herself for his argument. When he said nothing, she added, “You know I’m right.”
When he stowed his gear, she breathed a sigh of relief. They eased back from the ridge, and then stood and raced for the car.
“Do you have a plan yet?” Lauren fastened her seatbelt.
“They said something about preparing the women for a party. Tonight.” He shifted the car into drive. “As soon as we get a signal, send the license plate numbers to Claudia.”
“Okay.” She did as he asked and waited for instructions. Her mind was whirling with ideas. If they could figure out where the party was being held maybe they could set up a sting—if it was the kind of party she suspected it would be.
The phone rang and Mike put it on speaker. “Where’re they headed?” he asked Claudia.
“I picked up your caravan on the PCH headed for LA. You aren’t far behind.”
“Thanks, Claudia,” Lauren said when Mike appeared absorbed with navigating traffic.
“Got you two covered,” Claudia assured before ending the call.
A few minutes later on the Pacific Coast Highway, Mike slowed down. “There they are,” he pointed, then slipped into another lane, using a truck to block their pursuit.
“Now, about the party,” she began, her mind already toying with how to get the women away from Polzin.
He cut her off. “One thing at a time, Nancy Drew.”
“Hey, I consider that a compliment. She was a great character.”
Mike shot her a raised eyebrow while staying a few cars behind the dark SUVs. “It wasn’t an insult, Lauren. We just have to take care of one thing at a time.”
“Right.” She kept quiet, grateful when she was sure Polzin and his caravan were headed away from the coast. “I’m so glad they’re not heading for the ports. I had visions of trying to find a container in a maze of identical containers.”
“That’s probably how some shipments are exported.”
“They aren’t shipments, they’re women!” She covered her mouth, appalled at her frustrated outburst. That behavior wouldn’t give him any confidence in her ability to help him take down Polzin. Mike was right about that much. Saving the women would only be a good start. They had to put an end to the school and this part of Polzin’s organization permanently. “Sorry.”
“I understand.”
He said it with such kindness she believed him. Those little glimpses under his tough, inscrutable exterior kept her looking for more. Conversations were like a scavenger hunt for his emotions. She wanted to fire back something upbeat, something courageous, but couldn’t push the words past the lump in her throat. “I can’t bear the thought of what might happen to them if we fail.”
“We’ll do all we can. Just remember that however this goes down, keeping you safe is my priority.”
She could only nod. He meant those words on a level that went beyond the fact that he was being paid to protect her. Of that she had no doubt. No one in her life had ever made such a heartfelt declaration. Desmond had cared about her, but mostly as it related to his interests. She had friends who loved her, friends she loved, but no one made her feel cherished the way Mike did. It was... significant. She didn’t care that he hadn’t said the words with any romantic or relationship intentions.
As Beverly Hills came into view she clung to the feelings swirling inside her. Protected, understood, valued. Empowered. This man—jaded or not—wouldn’t let her down.
Whatever they were getting into, she promised herself she wouldn’t let him down either.
Chapter Eight
Mike’s instincts were humming as they followed the big SUVs into the Hollywood Hills. “Do a search,” he told Lauren. “Pull up Google Earth. Find out how many houses are on this street.”
Lauren opened the app. “If we’re stopped we can pretend we’re looking for some star’s home. I can name several who live in this neighborhood.”
“That won’t end well,” he reminded her. “If anyone recognizes you it’s over.”
“I’ve decided to think positively.” She dug for her sunglasses and tucked them into place, and then flashed him a smile.
With the baseball cap, she might be any tourist with long blond hair studying a map. The SUVs slowed for a turn, drawing Mike’s full attention back to them. As they turned into a private driveway, Mike cruised slowly past and captured as many details as possible. The SUVs had stopped at a big gate a short way up the long drive. Unable to see more, he kept going, following the curve of the road, but the neighborhood homes gave way to scrubby terrain and the only option was to make a turn.
“Check the map. Is there a place—higher ground—where we can watch what’s going on in there?”
“I’m working on it,” she said, focused on the screen.
“They must’ve brought the women in to entertain the buyers.” He was thinking aloud as he drove past one luxurious estate after another. “They’re short a redhead.”
“I could be a redhead.”
He sent her a glare. “No way.” Turning down another street, he debated how to get a good view of the mansion. “I need to get eyes on Polzin.”
“You think he’ll just be lounging poolside?”
Mike shrugged. He didn’t know what to think about much of anything right now. If anyone recognized Lauren, the police and the mob would descend on them like a tidal wave.
“You know there’s only one way we’re getting in there.”
He shook his head. “We can’t risk it. You’re forgetting these men know you. Not just through Trinity’s records, but you. Kozlov called you Lauren Marie.”
That part had started to worry him. Why would anyone in this crew fixate on an actress like her? She was gorgeous and talented, underrated to be sure. But she’d never traveled for work or with Trinity. She’d never had an actual encounter with any of the Krushka syndicate until they killed Trinity. Why had they allowed her to get away? Sure they’d blown up her car, but he would bet his next paycheck there had been opportunities to whack her before she reached that motel. For some reason she was still alive. Possibly to provide a nice tidy closure for Trinity’s murder. Or maybe one element wanted her dead while the other wanted her for something else. Whatever the case, he wanted to keep Lauren off the grid until he knew exactly what the enemy wanted with her.
Mike found a place to park that gave them a sliver of a view of the mansion’s opulent garden and what appeared to be a side entrance. He twisted around for the bag behind his seat and pulled out a pair of binoculars. The SUVs were parked in a circular driveway and the vehicles were positioned in a way that the women could be moved into the house with the least amount of exposure.
He used his phone to send the mansion’s address to Claudia with a request for any ownership details.
“I can’t believe this kind of thing goes on in this neighborhood,” Lauren said.
“Claudia says Polzin is leasing,” Mike explained when a response came through. “Apparently this property is managed by a real estate firm and used primarily for parties and events and the occasional movie.”
“He’s not getting away with this,” she vowed quietly. “We can cha
nge things for those women. We can give them a second chance.”
“If they want to take it.”
“No. You aren’t taking me down that path again. We both saw the cells at the sorry excuse for a finishing school. They weren’t there willingly. They’re hostages.”
He knew she was right, just as he knew this conversation would inevitably return to her idea of reaching out to Vanya for help. He was torn between Lauren’s admirable determination to make a difference and his obligation to keep her safe. No happy medium here. He’d never lost his perspective on a military or private operation before. As much as he wanted to analyze what made him feel differently about Lauren, he needed to focus logically on her case. Law enforcement agencies around the world wanted a piece of Polzin, but he’d slipped through every noose. Mike wanted to take him down. Hard. Interrupting Polzin’s operation would be a challenge, but unless they put the man in a prison, Lauren would never be safe.
“I reviewed everything Claudia found on the Krushka syndicate. The organization is about gaining profit and power,” he said. “Polzin values those two things above all else. The closer we come to threatening those values, the bigger chance you end up dead. Or worse. We have to take this slow, Lauren. Slow and smart.”
“I’m not arguing with you,” she insisted. “I’m just saying that someone has to step up. Let me talk to Vanya about the party. Between the two of us, I’m sure we can connect Polzin to Desmond’s murder and to what they’re doing at the finishing school. She can get me into that party tonight.”
Vanya had given more than he’d expected with the tip on the school. They needed help from someone if they had any chance at a rescue without mass casualties. “If we’re reading her wrong, someone is likely to end up dead.”
“I’m all ears if you have a better idea.”
He didn’t. That was the trouble. Other than hanging Lauren out there as bait, a solution that could get her killed, he didn’t have another way to flush out Polzin or Kozlov. “We’ll go back to the club,” he said, starting the car. “But you’ll need a different disguise than last night and we’ll need a cover story for me.”
