by Toni Jackson
She gathered up her things and sprinted for the door to the parking lot. Most of the lights had already been turned off, giving the gallery an eerie look. Punching in the code, she stepped out and secured the door while fumbling with her bag to get her car keys. She had just reached the car when a hand landed on her shoulder. She was pretty sure people heard her scream three blocks away. Grabbing her chest and dropped her keys on the ground beside her car. She turned around to find Manuel standing behind her.
“Hey, boss lady,” His grin made her skin crawl.
“Manuel? What are you doing here so late? I thought all of you left hours ago?” Reaching into her bag, she wondered if she would be quick enough to grab the pepper spray she kept in the bottom of her purse.
A sinister smile spread across his face as he shrugged and shoved his hands in his pocket. “Well, you see, I have this side job. And part of this job requires me to keep an eye on you.”
Who besides Alex wanted to watch her? She ran through a quick list of the men she knew and came up with nothing. All of the ex-boyfriends were happy with other women, some even married. Who would go to these extremes to keep track of her? Tina frowned and leaned away, hoping to put some distance between them. “Keep an eye on me? Who would want you to watch me?”
Jose shrugged again and began to pace back and forth in front of her. “Well, you see, it’s like this. A man with a lot of money and power said that you were part of an investment he made, and while he couldn’t get the rest of his return, he would definitely have you. It seems that you were a part of a business deal that went south.”
Tina sighed as her fingers finally wrapped around the spray inside her bag. “A business deal? A person can’t be included as a part of a deal without their consent.”
“Well, an old friend of yours made a promise to my boss and didn’t follow through. Unfortunately, my boss had to come here personally to collect you.”
The only business deal she knew of was the one that Clayton made with someone for the studio, which would mean…her stomach churned as she understood. She had been promised as a part of the deal.
Summoning her bravado, she raised her chin and looked down her nose at Jose. “You need to go. And don’t show your face here tomorrow.”
His smile turned menacing and made her blood go cold. “I didn’t need that job, never did. El Jeffe pays me extremely well just to keep an eye on you.” Tina jerked the canister from her purse and pointed it at Manuel. “Stop! Don’t come any closer!”
“Everybody said you were a feisty one.” He reached out and snatched the canister from her fingers. Tina stumbled back and twisted her ankle trying to move out of his way. Pain shot up her leg, making her wince.
“Just come peacefully and everything will be fine, chica. He will treat you like a queen. Everyone has talked about how obsessed her is with you. And once we saw you, we understood why.”
Trying to breathe through the pain, Tina grabbed her bag and swung it in an upward motion, hitting Manuel in the chin and knocking him unconscious. Thank God she had started keeping several large rocks in her bag for protection on nights she worked late. It was an upscale neighborhood, but crime could happen anywhere.
Dropping to her knees, she felt around on the ground for her car keys. Her hands closed around them just as someone pulled her head back and covered her face with a cloth. She opened her mouth to screen and found herself breathing in the fumes. Within moments she was unconscious.
A giant hulk of a man held her body until she was completely limp, then scooped her up in his arms. He stopped in front of the back door of the limousine and waited. The door swung open, revealing a single man sitting in the back.
The man reached out and cradled Tina’s body against his before nodding. The giant closed the door and turned back towards the man lying unconscious in the lot. Reaching into his pocket, he removed a gun and pumped two shots into the body before turning back to the car. Opening the front door, he slid into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the curb.
Chapter 26
Alex dialed Tina’s cell for the sixth time only to have it forward to voicemail. If she got caught up at the gallery again, he was going to paddle her behind. She promised she would stop working late. Even so, that didn’t explain her not answering her telephone. As much as he wanted to stay calm, something was bothering him. In the weeks since they had been back together, Tina had never ignored his calls or failed to call him if she was running late.
Pulling out his cell, he hit the speed dial button on his phone and waited until a familiar voice answered.
“Hello?” Alex smiled as he listened to Dani’s voice. The fact that she was answering the phone showed Sean was a good influence on her. Plenty of times she would forget to turn on her cell or bring the cordless phone into the studio. Tina would always panic and insist that they go over to check on her only to discover her covered with dust and elbows deep in a new project. Knowing how close they were, he hated asking her about Tina. Dani would immediately panic.
Taking a deep breath, he asked, “Dani? It’s Alex. Is Tina with you?”
There was a pause before she answered. “No. I thought she was with you. She was supposed to stop by here to bring me some papers and see the baby before going home. I’ve been calling her, but she didn’t answer. I thought maybe the two of you were fooling around, and she lost track of time.”
His lips tilted up at the ends, then straightened. If Tina had come home, that’s exactly what would have happened. His chest ached at the thought of her in trouble.
She was his life.
“No. And it’s not like her not to call me.”
“I don’t have a good feeling about this.” Dani hesitated. Someone asked her a question in the background. “Hold on, Alex. Sean wants to speak to you.”
“Okay.”
“Alex. McKinnon and I are on our way to pick you up.”
He sensed from Sean’s tone that there was something he wasn’t saying, that he didn’t want to say in front of Dani. “I’ll be out front.” He disconnected the call and changed into a pair of black jeans and a black tee shirt before slipping on dark tennis shoes and grabbing a black jacket. By the time Sean and McKinnon pulled up out front in a dark SUV, he was ready for anything. He hopped in the backseat and waited for them to fill him in.
Sean started talking a few moments later, not turning around to see if Alex was listening. The tension was thick in the car, adding to Alex’s stress level.
“Before Dani and I got married, she and Tina were very close to another person. Clay was flamboyant but shrewd. No one realized that to start his gallery that he borrowed from a hazardous source. When Dani and I got together, specifically when she discovered she was pregnant, Clay attempted to kill her.”
Alex’s heart dropped into his stomach. “Why?”
“For one, Dani had several pieces of art that he could have sold for a tidy sum that she wouldn’t release to him. Secondly, his loan was coming due, and he was short on cash. He had a policy out on Dani that would have solved all his problems.”
“So he tried to kill her.” Alex could barely choke out the words over his anger.
“Yes. We managed to get there with minutes to spare.” Anger vibrated in Sean’s tone.
Alex swallowed past the lump in his throat. “What does this have to do with Tina?”
“Since Dani’s close call, we’ve been trying to determine who the person was in case they decided to retaliate. It took a while, but we located them. We also discovered he made a trip to D.C. From what we’ve learned, the money wasn’t all that he wanted in exchange for the deal.”
“Tina,” Alex muttered. He wanted to smash something. He flexed his fingers to keep from breaking something. “So you think he has her.”
For the first time, McKinnon spoke. “We know he does. Someone in the neighborhood reported hearing popping noises coming from the gallery’s parking lot earlier. We installed a security system there at the same time it
became the primary place Dani displayed her work.” He paused and glanced at Alex through the rear view mirror. “One of the employees was found dead in the parking lot. The same man that murdered him handed Tina into a limousine. We have the license plate for the car that took her.”
Without speaking, Alex took out his phone and began sending text messages. “Who are you calling?” Sean asked.
“A few old friends. Where are we headed?”
Sean and McKinnon exchanged glances. “We’re guessing that they’re heading towards the airport. There’s a private flight booked to Columbia tonight. If we don’t stop them before they get on the flight, it will be almost impossible to track them down,” McKinnon stated.
Alex watched both of the men carefully. “Are you calling the police?”
The car was silent a few minutes before Sean answered. “No. Not the local police. I am calling in some favors, though. So there will be a legal force there if that’s what you’re worried about.”
A techno ring cut through the air. McKinnon reached down and pulled a phone from his hip. Alex watched as he put it to his ear and listened before disconnecting the call. “The flight got pushed back. They’re at a house in Oxon Hill. Private property. Only house back off a dirt road.” McKinnon jerked the steering wheel to the right and made a sharp turn.
Alex held on tight as they sped down the main thoroughfare, then turned onto another side street.
For the first time, Alex noticed that both men were dressed in all black. “So what’s the game plan?” he asked, curious about the part the two of them intended to play.
“It ends tonight,” Sean muttered.
Chapter 27
The overpowering smell of expensive cologne was the first thing Tina noticed when she regained consciousness. She managed to pry her eyes open, grateful for the dim light in the room. Her attempt to sit up rewarded her with the overwhelming urge to lose everything on her stomach. She sank back down on the bed, taking shallow breaths until she regained control. This time, instead of attempting to sit up, she decided to roll her head to the side instead to examine her surroundings.
Dingy yellow wallpaper covered the walls around her. The room looked old. Even the bed reminded her of something from the seventies. Where was she?
Taking another deep breath, she rolled her feet off the bed and used her hands to push up from the bed. This time, her stomach decided to cooperate. There were three doors in the room. She crossed her fingers and hoped one of them was a bathroom. The first door she tried was locked. The second was a closet filled with plastic covered clothes. On the third try, she finally discovered the bathroom.
After relieving herself and washing her hands, she glanced in the stained mirror over the sink. Dark rings from her smudged mascara circled her eyes. Glancing to the side, she discovered two immaculately white towels. She picked one up and sniffed it. It smelled like it was fresh from the laundry. She wet it and carefully wiped away the makeup until she felt presentable.
Tina returned the towel to the rack and left the bathroom, heading to the locked door again. It swung open before she could try the knob. The tawny haired man from the gallery stepped through the doorway smiling as he stepped forward, his arms outstretched like he was embracing an old friend. Tina stepped back out of his reach.
His arms dropped to his side, but the smile never left his face.
“I am happy to see you are awake. I was worried my man used too much chloroform on you.”
Tina’s mouth opened and closed several times before she could draw in enough air to form words.
“Who are you?” she croaked.
He shrugged. “I told you, I am Juan Delgado.”
“That tells me nothing.”
He shrugged and took a seat in an overstuffed chair that sat near the bed. “Well, you see, I was a patron to your former business associate. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep his part of the bargain.”
She took a step forward. “You mean Clayton? You were the one who gave Clayton the money to start the gallery?”
Juan nodded. “He showed me pictures of your friend’s work. She is very masterful. A God-given talent.” He raised his hands dramatically. “However, no matter how much I admire her talent, I am also a businessman. There were certain terms, aside from the money that he agreed to fulfill, which he never did. Perhaps if he had, I would have felt a little more lenient towards him. But, as it stands, I had to make a trip here myself to acquire the one thing which I wanted above all else.”
Tina frowned. “And that was…?
“You.”
She froze. “Me? There’s nothing special about me.” She backed up another step, hoping he didn’t realize she was deliberately trying to move closer to the door.
“Ah, but there you are wrong. You see, it is not often that beauty and intelligence come together in such a…delectable package. “
“So, you’re expecting me to become…your mistress? I know nothing about you.”
He dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. “Mistress? No, mi amore. You will be my wife. I am a man of considerable means. You will never have to worry about anything for the rest of your life.” He stood and stalked towards her. “Unfortunately, we cannot stay here, in the States. My business and home are in South America. Once we have married, I will allow you to send something to your friend to let her know that you are fine.”
Tina shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t know you. I know nothing about you. You expect me to just marry you?” What kind of sick man was he?
His smile scared her. “Oh don’t worry. By the time we reach my home, we will know each other very well.”
Chapter 28
The truck quietly rolled to a stop on a nearly deserted road. There were no other houses nearby. McKinnon pushed a button and the glove compartment slowly opened revealing two Glock handguns. Alex’s eyebrows raised as he watched McKinnon carefully attach silencers before handing one to Sean and the other one to him.
“Do you always travel like this?” Alex asked, waving the gun.
McKinnon shrugged. “It pays to be prepared.”
Alex’s phone buzzed as a truck pulled up behind them. Sean and McKinnon tensed. “Don’t worry. They’re with me.”
He left the truck and walked towards the black Range Rover. A window slid down and revealed two men dressed in all black. One black, one white. Both wore black skull caps and gloves to complete their outfit. “Sup’ A man?” They shook hands as Sean and McKinnon walked up. “Sean, McKinnon, this is Murphy” he nodded towards the blonde “and Jackson. We served together.”
Sean nodded while McKinnon stepped forward and held out his hand to the men. “I’ve heard about your work.” The men exchanged a look before they shook his hand. “And how would you have heard about that?” the blond frowned, his eyes narrowing.
McKinnon shrugged. “Your friend is doing business with Sean. It’s my job to make sure he’s on the up and up. Let’s just say I know some people.”
“Apparently, you do,” Alex muttered. Most of the work they did was classified. He stepped closer to the truck and leaned against the hood. Alex made the mistake of underestimating McKinnon once. That wouldn’t happen again.
“So what’s the plan?” he asked.
Sean and McKinnon moved closer as McKinnon began to speak. He spoke low, but loud enough to reach the men in the truck.
“The house where they’re holding Tina is on the other side of these woods and sits on a private road. It’s going to take us about ten minutes to get through if we cut through the path in the woods. There are men posted around the house, fully armed. According to my sources, we have no more than twenty minutes to get in, grab Tina and get out before the DEA shows up.”
“He’s not going to give up without a fight. The last thing we want is for her to get caught in the crossfire.” Each of the men nodded. Alex waited for Jackson and Murphy to exit the truck before following McKinnon into the woods. Alex was curious that Sean left the saf
ety of the truck.
He increased his speed and eased beside Sean. “Nothing personal, but you don’t strike me as the type to go tramping around in the woods with a silenced glock.”
Sean’s smile was bitter. “You would be surprised. I’ve known McKinnon forever. He made sure I’m prepared for anything. Besides, I’m not going to be in the direct line of fire. I’ll be in the woods a few feet back.”
“Good. Dani would kill me. She’s a little too skilled with a knife and chisel if you catch my drift.” A flash of white in the darkness was Sean’s only response. Once they reached the clearing, Alex motioned for McKinnon and Sean to stay back. “I’d feel better if you let us handle this part of it alone.” Sean’s’ nod was all the confirmation they needed.
It was easy for Alex to fall back into his old military habits. The three of them spread out through the woods, no words or signals necessary for communication. Each one was an expert in the art of silent infiltration. Alex took the center and waited until he heard the soft grunts of the guards being taken out by his friends.
Alex waited for his signal before sprinting across the lawn to the back door of the house. He paused just inside the doorway, listening for any guards stationed inside the house. The sound of laughter came from down the hallway. If he guessed correctly, there were two guards in the living room and at least one or two upstairs. That had to be where Tina was being kept.
He eased back out the door and checked out the small balcony above the doorway. A window led to what he assumed was a master bedroom, the most likely place for them to keep her. He took a moment to master his anger. As much as he wanted to go in guns blazing, he knew it was a sure way for Tina to be injured. He gave himself a running start and jumped up to the balcony.
Swinging over the railing, Alex stepped forward to look through the glass and his heart nearly stopped. Tina was pressed against the wall, only a few inches separating her from Delgado. He prepared to burst through the door if necessary. Anything to get her away from him.
