Taking a deep breath, she calmed her fears. Nobody would know her here, especially if they were cops. She turned toward the pool table and rolled the white ball back and forth.
“Excuse me.”
The man’s voice from behind, startled her and she jumped. She looked over her shoulder. It was one of the men who’d been watching her. A shiver ran up her spine, and she tried to shake off the feeling. “Yes?”
“Are you and your friend with anyone…like boyfriends?”
“Not tonight. Brittany’s husband isn’t here, and my boyfriend—” her gaze fell to the diamond engagement ring she hadn’t taken off her finger, “my fiancé is working tonight.”
The red headed man with freckles shook his head and looked at his friend. “Tonight just isn’t our lucky night.”
The blond headed friend reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cell that was smashed in a few places. He stepped closer to Riley and showed her. What did he want her to do? Feel sorry for him just because he’d broken his cell?
“I’m hoping,” he said in a softer voice, “that you can tell me if this is your phone.”
Was this a pickup line? Seriously? But then she noticed the familiar rainbow sticker she’d previously placed on her cell. Fear ran through her, turning her blood to ice. That’s my phone!
She moved her attention from the broken cell to the blond man holding it. His dark eyes pierced right through her. Was he one of Mark’s friends…one of the contacts that Kurt seemed to think Mark and his brothers had here in Seattle?
Riley tried to swallow the lump of terror forming in her throat, but she couldn’t. Where’s Brittany? And why were these men here if this bar was the hangout for cops?
She managed to clear her voice before speaking. “If you don’t leave, I’ll scream.”
The two men looked at each other and chuckled. “Honey,” the blond man said, “all I have to do is tell my buddies that I’m arresting you for prostitution. They’ll believe me.”
“Y-y-you’re a cop?” she stammered.
“We both are.” He nodded to his friend.
“Then why do you want me? And why,” she dropped her gaze to the crushed phone, “do you have my phone?”
At the same time, the men moved in closer. The redhead stood on her right and the blond was on her left. The redhead grasped her elbow. She should scream, but for some reason, her voice wasn’t working. Either that or she was too afraid.
“I suggest,” the dark haired man said in a low voice, “that you come with us without making a scene. Because I can assure you that if you do try to fight us, Brittany will get hurt, as well as your boyfriend, Kurt Hamill.”
She nodded. Her body had stiffened from fright, but she didn’t dare go against their instructions. She didn’t want to be the reason Brittany or Kurt were shot.
Stumbling, she tried to walk with the two men as they headed toward the door. A few people in the crowd acknowledged the two. The redhead was Daren, and the blond was Joe. Shockingly enough, Daren was even a captain! So if these two idiots were in law enforcement, why were they doing this to her and making these threats?
Crooked Cops! Riley had seen things like this on tv, but she didn’t believe it actually existed. Her parents had kept her naïve and she hated feeling so innocent.
As the men took her outside and shoved her into the back of a black Suburban, her future looked bleak. Kurt would never be able to save her now.
Silence filled the car for the first few minutes of the drive. Daren kept peering through the rearview mirror to look at her as he drove. Her stomach twisted into knots. She had to say something. She needed answers. Now!
“Are…” She cleared her throat. “Are you the ones who have my mother?”
They two men looked at each other as confusion etched their expressions. “Who is your mother, and why would we have her?”
“You know…Judge Peterson?”
Joe gasped and then leaned over to whisper something into Daren’s ear. The driver’s eyebrows rose and he looked into the rearview mirror again. “You are Judge Peterson’s daughter? And she’s been taken?” He shook his head as an evil grin stretched across his mouth. “This might actually be a good thing.” His gaze switched to Joe and he nodded. “I’m sure people will be willing to pay a hefty price for the judge’s ransom, don’t you think?”
Joe laughed. “My thoughts exactly.”
Daren peered back into the rearview mirror at Riley. “It looks like you have turned out to be our lucky charm, after all.”
THIRTEEN
Kurt’s palms were moist with nervousness as he followed Martinez and Hawke toward the abandoned warehouse. He was an impatient man, and waiting for the captain to make assignments before they headed toward their destination nearly drove Kurt crazy. Now that they were nearly there, his fingers were itching to hold his glock and storm through the building, looking for the judge. The quicker this was over, the faster he could get back to Riley.
Two more detectives would meet them at the warehouse. Kurt hadn’t seen Tyrone and Gibbs since he left the precinct a year ago. He worried this action would make him want to return to his former job. He’d never been one to sit still. And yet, if he tried to examine his future, he didn’t want to live from day to day, wondering if he was going take a bullet for someone. Kurt wanted a normal life. He wanted to marry, have children, and raise them in a quaint town, free from the drama of a police detective’s life’s problems.
The buzz of his cell phone disturbed Kurt’s thoughts. When he saw the caller was Martinez, he quickly answered. “What’s up?”
“Hamill, I just heard some good news.”
“There’s good news in all of this?”
“Yes, in a way. Bill Phillips was just found and he’s back in custody.”
It took Kurt a few minutes to connect the name to a memory. “Oh, yeah. Well, that’s good. At least we can take him off our list of the one who has kidnapped the judge.”
“Those are my thoughts, too. And I’m also glad he’s not coming after you.”
Kurt shook his head. “Why would he come after me?”
“Because you’re the key eyewitness who saw him murder those drug lords. Your testimony alone will be what gives Phillips life in prison—or the death penalty.”
“I hope he doesn’t get the death penalty. That’s too good for him.”
“Agreed. Okay, we’re almost to the warehouse. Stay alert.”
“Copy that.” Kurt clicked off his phone. The question plaguing his mind was—who kidnapped the judge? And did it have anything to do with Mark and the Reynold’s brothers? Kurt figured Mark and his friends were the ones chasing him and Riley lately, but would they also be behind the judge’s kidnapping?
As Kurt reached the warehouse, he turned off his lights and coasted his car closer to the building. Ahead of him was Martinez and Hawke. Quietly, Kurt stopped his car and climbed out. He shrugged on his bullet-proof vest and grabbed his glock. He was ready for anything now.
He spotted Tyrone and Gibbs. Keeping low, they ran toward Martinez and Hawke who were in the process of pulling on their vests, too. A light rain fell, but Kurt ignored it. Nothing was going to stop him from bringing down the kidnapper. Martinez had given instructions to everyone not to kill the perp. They needed him for questioning. That was the only way they were going to know who he was working for.
Martinez split them up, each man entering a different door. Because there were no outside lights, and no moon to light their way, it was nearly impossible to see. Unfortunately, they could use their flashlights, but had to keep them low.
Each man wore an earpiece to hear the other. Working together as a team, they would catch this madman. It would be hard not to shoot him, but Kurt realized the man was more useful to them alive—as long as he cooperated with the police and answered questions.
Something scurried on the floor in front of him, and he kicked it with the toe of his boot. Rats! The little creatures were a pain in h
is butt. He kept his light on dim as he carefully walked close to the wall. Finally, the wall ended. Cautiously, he raised his light and skimmed the inside. Nothing but bricks, broken beams, and plastic.
There were stairs going up to the next level. “I’m taking the stairs,” he said quietly for the others to hear.
“I see some stairs, too,” Tyrone said.
“Be careful. We don’t know what kind of madman we’re dealing with yet.” Martinez’s voice came across low, but stern.
As Kurt crept up the stairs, he listened closely for any noise. So far, the only thing he heard was the squeaky floorboards on the steps. Just before he climbed to the section on the stairs where he could peer into the spacious room, a voice came on his earpiece.
“I think I see something,” Gibbs whispered.
Kurt stalled on the stairs as he listened to the erratic rhythm of his own heartbeat.
Finally, Gibbs blew out a gush of air. “Negative. It was nothing.”
He slowly continued his climb. As the floor to the next level came into view, he realized there was a little light coming from somewhere on this floor. At first he thought it might be one of the others, but then Tyrone was the only one who had reported seeing stairs.
He crept softly, making his way toward the tiny light. As his vision cleared, he saw a room…well, it was the semblance of a room, but without walls. The beams were there, and long sheets of plastic hung as makeshift walls.
“I see something,” Kurt said in a low voice.
Holding his glock, ready to shoot, he continued to move. The closer he came, the more it appeared as if someone were inside, sitting on a chair. “Someone is here.” But the person wasn’t moving.
His heart hammered faster. He aimed his gun. Finally, he was able to see a space where the plastic hadn’t covered. A woman, wearing a gray jacket and pants, sat on the chair. She was tied to the chair. Short, brown curly hair was in disarray around her head, and what looked to be a scarf going around her head. It was probably to keep her quiet. He wasn’t sure if it was the judge, but his gut told him it was. Who else would be here all tied up? And yet…where was her kidnapper.
“I think it’s the judge, but I don’t see anyone else,” he said.
Through the semi-darkness, another light caught his attention. He took soft steps toward the red flashing light. Some kind of electronic device was attached to the beam. The red flashing lights came from a clock that was counting down…
A bomb!
Kurt swore. Even from where he stood, he saw the numbers ticking away, flashing before him. Fifteen seconds!
“Retreat!” he yelled. “It’s a bomb. We have ten seconds.”
His stomach twisted. There was no time to save the judge, since the dynamite was closer to her than it was to him.
As he spun around and ran back down the stairs, his heart broke into pieces. How was he going to tell Riley he couldn’t save her mother? Then again, were he—and the others—going to survive this?
In the back of his mind, he counted down with the bomb’s timer. From the earpiece, he could hear the others scrambling to get out of the building, too. Fast breaths, swearing, and stomping feet were heard from the men who didn’t want to die.
The door he’d first entered when he first started the search, loomed ahead. He wouldn’t make it.
Suddenly, a loud explosion ripped through the air. Like a strong wind, it lifted his body up and threw him against the wall. Pain exploded throughout his body. The deafening sound had closed around him to where he couldn’t hear. He couldn’t see. But he could certainly feel, and the agony surging through every muscle inside his body was excruciating.
Dizziness clouded his mind, and he slowly slipped into a dark oblivion.
* * * *
Riley had no other choice but to do what her kidnappers asked. There was no way she could trust them. And if she got away, who would believe her that she was taken by two dirty cops? They had other cop friends who trusted them. It would be her word against theirs…and they knew it.
They didn’t talk to her much during the long drive, but she wasn’t in the mood to talk, anyway. Not when her mind kept going over different ways she could get away from them. And yet, they had guns. She’d figure something out. She couldn’t let them win!
For some reason, they weren’t the ones who had taken her mother. Her mixed up mind couldn’t connect the dots. Did that mean there were two different groups after her? Or was there just one group after her, and one after Kurt?
She rubbed her forehead. The ache had started before she and Kurt had left the airport in Montana, and now it was worse. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to cry. That would only make her headache more painful.
Finally, the car pulled off the main street and headed toward a rundown motel called Sleep-E Motel. She rolled her eyes. It should have been called Sleazy Motel, instead. The sign itself looked to be twenty years old, and the roof was in major need of repair work. Most of the paint had chipped off the front of the building, too. Was this really used as a motel, or was it something entirely different—like a hideout for dirty cops?
They parked in front of room eight. Joe was the one to open her door and pull her out. Daren walked up to the door and opened it with the key. Obviously, they had this set up…or it was like she’d figured. This motel had one purpose, and it wasn’t for people to come here to sleep…or to cheat on one’s spouse.
As she walked into the room, she was happy to know her first instincts were correct. The bedroom area had been set up with computers and some type of recording device. Several computer monitors were set up to do some kind of surveillance, but none of the people looked familiar. Voices were heard coming from the speakers, but the volume was so low, she couldn’t understand what was being said.
Joe pushed her onto the bed. She quickly scrambled to sit up. It was important to keep an eye on them every moment.
“Are you hungry?” Daren asked as he walked to the table and opened a pizza box.
“No.” Her stomach lurched. There was no way she could eat now, even if she was hungry.
She waited as she watched them move from machine to machine, turning switches and recalculating things. What were they going to do with her now? She just wanted to know why they took her. Was it for ransom? She shook that thought out of her head. Apparently, they were going to ask for ransom for her mother.
“Excuse me,” she said with a shaky voice. When both men turned and looked at her, she continued. “What’s going to happen now? Why did you kidnap me? Is Mark behind this?”
Rolling his eyes, Daren laughed and moved into the bathroom. Joe stepped over to the table and grabbed himself a slice of pepperoni pizza that look old. How long had it been sitting in this room? After he chewed a couple of bites, ignoring her request, anger rose within her. “Why aren’t you telling me? Don’t you think I have a right to know why you kidnapped me?”
Joe turned to face her, swallowing what he had in his mouth. “So you think Mark is behind all of this?” He shook his head. “Your fiancé isn’t that smart.” He motioned to the electronic equipment behind him. “Mark and his brothers were nothing compared to what we have going on here.” He paused for a moment and smiled. “Think of us as the professors, and Mark and his idiot brothers as the students.”
She shook her head. Nothing was adding up. “So, tell me. Were you the ones chasing me and Kurt in Montana?”
“Not personally, but the guy who is paying us, is the guy who sent those others to Montana to kill Kurt.” He motioned his hand toward her. “You were just along for the ride.”
“What?” Shock hit her, and she lost her breath for a moment. “You…or they weren’t after me at all? You have all been after Kurt this whole time?”
He pointed his two fingers at his forehead. “You’re pretty and smart. Not many women have that combination.”
“All right, so you and Daren are cops. Is that how you knew where Kurt lived in Montana?”
J
oe nodded. “You’re on fire, baby. You’d better stop before the smoke alarms go off.” He chuckled.
“But how did you know when we arrived in Seattle? You were there waiting for us at the airport. Obviously, you and Daren were the ones chasing us, because you found the phone we had tossed out the window.”
He shrugged. “We are just too smart, I tell ya. It’s like I told you, we are the professors—not the students.”
Riley pieced together everything that had happened since they arrived in Seattle. The only people who knew they were going to be here were—the person who’d taken her mother, of course—and…the precinct where Kurt had worked. Dirty cops! If Joe and Daren were crooked, was there another leak in the precinct?
Bile rose to her throat. Of course! That would explain everything. Brittany must have let someone in the department know that she was taking Riley to the bar to play pool. Joe and Daren couldn’t have been there by sheer coincidence.
Chuckling, Joe picked up a bottle of beer and tipped it back to his mouth. He gulped down the drink loudly, all the time, watching her.
From inside the bathroom, Daren’s cell phone chirped, and she heard him answer it. Joe moved across the floor in front of her. She didn’t like the way his gaze undressed her. Disgust twisted in her stomach. If he touched her, she would throw up all over him. Then again, she didn’t have much in her stomach to lose.
“Hamill doesn’t usually stay with a woman for very long, you know.”
She scowled. “Why are you saying that? What does that have to do with anything?”
He shrugged. “I can tell you like him a lot. But baby, don’t get your hopes up for a creep like Hamill. He uses women and tosses them aside like yesterday’s pizza.”
She arched an eyebrow. “And how would you know?”
“Because Daren and I have been keeping tabs on him a lot.” He took another swig of the beer. “Did Hamill tell you about that situation where he was trying to protect an eyewitness to a murder, but instead, he ended up seducing her? In the process, he let his guard down and nearly got the woman killed. Oh, and his partner took a bullet for him and nearly died, too.” He set the bottle down on the table and moved to the bed, sitting beside her.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Altar (Your Every Day Hero Book 2) Page 11
