by Graham, Jan
Steve and Christian dissected the phone call and discussed their relief at the outcome. Angel sat quietly, seemingly in a world of her own thoughts.
“Are you okay, Angel?” Steve asked.
“I never thought he loved me, and now that I know I find it more terrifying than the fact he wanted to kill me. And I realise it doesn’t make sense but I feel a little sad for him.” Angel still had a faraway look in her eye as she spoke.
Steve watched as Angel wandered out of the room. She returned with the ledger and a large envelope. Steve watched as Angel wrote a note and placed the two items into the envelope, addressed it, and walked over to join the two men at the kitchen island.
Steve was keen to go home to Kathy, but he needed to collect his bike in order to get there. After much discussion, he opted to be driven home by Christian and Angel and collect his bike another day. After all, he had left it safely locked up at Angel’s new house. He knew Angel was reluctant to visit the house she had inherited, and Steve understood why. Technically, it was Samuel’s house, and Angel had never taken anything from Samuel in her life.
As Steve opened the door to his home, he knew immediately something wasn’t right. All the inside lights appeared to be on and the alarm hadn’t been enabled. He paused in the foyer, voicing his concern to Christian. The men instructed Angel to wait by the door as they proceeded slowly inside, checking each room as they went. Steve was trying to hide his growing sense of panic. Kathy was so particular about security. She always ensured the alarm was activated when she left the house, and there was no reason to leave the internal lights on during the day. The magazine stand in the lounge room had been knocked over, and magazines spilled across the floor. Kathy’s mobile sat on the kitchen bench. Steve knew Kathy would never leave the house without it. They quietly moved to the bedrooms, checking each one before reaching the main. The door was slightly ajar, and Steve opened it cautiously as he entered. The bed was unmade, and Steve stood motionless as he looked at the red stain on the sheet next to the broken bed lamp.
Steve heard Christian begin to speak to someone and turned around to see him on the phone.
“I need you and the rest of your team to get to Steve Jax’s home with a forensic team ASAP. And inform Trevor Duncan that it appears Steve’s wife has been kidnapped. Yeah, he’s with me, and we’ll be waiting outside.”
Steve stood motionless in the centre of the room. Christian followed his gaze to the wardrobe mirror. Scrawled across the mirror in what Christian assumed was pink lipstick was a message.
Nightmare courtesy of Adrian Hastings.
“It’s not Hastings. He’s not that stupid,” Steve said flatly.
“Yeah, it wasn’t Hastings. This just wasn’t his style,” Christian agreed.
Christian led Steve back through the house to a nervously waiting Angel still standing at the door. Angel walked over to Steve and hugged him as Christian explained what was happening. No sooner had he finished speaking than the street filled with police cars, sirens blazing. It looked like half of headquarters was arriving. Christian glanced over at Angel, who walked with Steve over to the brick fence and made him sit down. Steve remained scarily silent as he sat on the fence holding Angel’s hand. Christian looked around at the chaos. His top team of six stood near him, waiting for instruction, Trevor Duncan was storming up the driveway followed by what looked like every damn drug squad team on duty that day, and the forensic unit was just pulling into the street.
“I understand you’re lead on this, Shore. We won’t tread on any toes, but we aren’t leaving, so where do you want us.”
Trevor had his “don’t fuck with me voice” on, and from the dozen or so drug squad officers glaring toward Christian from behind Trevor, he had no intention of telling them to go away.
Christian briefed his team and Trevor on what had occurred, including the message implicating Adrian Hastings. Trevor was of the same opinion as Steve and him. This wasn’t Hastings’s style, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t a connection. Trevor picked two of his men to work with Christian’s major crime squad. Based on the link to Hastings, Christian thought it was a wise move to have drug squad input. As Christian and Trevor moved toward the drug squad guys, he heard murmurs about Angel’s presence at the scene.
“Miss Wylde is present because, as my girlfriend, she and I had just finished having lunch with Steve before bringing him home. Does anyone have any more comments?” Christian scanned the faces before him.
Not a word was uttered. Not that Christian expected anyone to say anything more. He had a better “don’t fuck with me voice” than Trevor, and in this circumstance, he used it to his advantage. Trevor’s teams were instructed to canvass the neighbourhood, seeing if anyone had seen or heard anything. Forensics was now inside working their charm, and Trevor was finally getting Steve to speak. Christian walked over and sat next to Angel while his lead detective took her statement. He laughed quietly as Angel described herself as Christian’s woman, before interrupting to remind his lead that he expected all reports to use the terminology girlfriend. His lead smiled in amusement before uttering an obliging “of course.”
It was glaringly obvious that someone with a link to Adrian Hastings had taken Kathy. Christian could only surmise the motive was to hurt Steve and cause trouble for Hastings. Considering that the only known threat received against Steve had come from Markham on the day IA had interviewed him, they had their first lead. Trevor Duncan insisted Steve once again go home to Christian’s. He returned Steve’s mobile that had been locked in his office for the last few weeks, assuming if there would be any contact it would be via that mobile. Christian alerted surveillance to put a tap on the phone, so any incoming calls could be recorded and traced. Angel agreed to take Steve home while Christian went back to the head office to work the case.
Angel thought the drive home would be a silent one. Instead, Steve talked. He talked about the possibility of who had Kathy, and where they would be holding her. Angel tried to help, which she mainly did by listening as Steve spoke. When Angel’s mobile rang, they both assumed it was Christian updating them on the case.
“Hello, is this Angel Wylde?” the male voice asked.
“Yes, it is. Who is this?” Angel asked warily.
Angel didn’t get mobile calls. In fact, few people had her number. Well, actually, no one really had her number.
“This is Detective Markham, and I need to meet you to discuss the ledger that I know you have in your possession.”
He sounded professional. If Angel didn’t know what he had done, she would have assumed the call was legit. She touched Steve gently on the arm and motioned for him to pull over to the side of the freeway.
“Oh, Detective Markham, I’ve already spoken to Detective Jax about that matter. I don’t have the ledger you’re referring to.” Angel heard Markham laugh.
Steve had pulled the car over to the side of the road and mouthed the word “speaker” to Angel. She clicked the speaker phone button and shivered as Markham’s eerie laughter ended and he once again began to speak. This time he wasn’t polite and professional, the tone of his voice sending a chill down her spine.
“You are so full of shit, you deceptive little slut. I know you have that ledger, I know you have been with Steve, and I know you’re playing Hastings for a fool. In fact, say hello to Steve for me, because I know he’s there with you now. I wonder how he feels knowing that while he’s been protecting a whore like you his wife has been spending the day with me. She was a bit quiet at first, but once I put a knife to her throat she told me all sorts of things. Including that you and Steve have been together all this time.”
“Steve went home today, Mr. Markham, but you’re right. I do have the ledger. I’m on my way to post it to Adrian today. So, what is it you want me to do?”
“Steve has gone home. Very well, here’s the deal. I want the ledger and Steve Jax at your lovely little shoebox of a house within the next two hours. If you don’t arrive, I’l
l kill Kathy and then come after you. So call Steve, tell him Kathy will die if he doesn’t show, make sure he doesn’t bring any of his squad buddies. I just want the two of you and that little fucking book. Do you understand, Angel?”
“I understand,” Angel stated clearly into the phone. “Can I talk to Kathy so I know she’s okay?”
“No, you can’t talk to her, you stupid bitch. You have no negotiation power at all in this matter, Angel, now get you arse into gear and do what I’ve told you.”
Markham ended the call abruptly, leaving Angel shaken. She felt Steve stiffen beside her and when she looked at him, she saw the look that men got just before they exploded in rage. Steve silently opened the car door and stepped outside. Angel cringed as she heard Steve scream and felt the car begin to rock as he kicked its tyres and slammed his fist into the hood. Angel watched him pace back and forth in front of the car. Steely determination flooded his face as he returned to take up position behind the wheel. Angel grabbed onto the dash as Steve accelerated out onto the freeway before swerving across the medium strip to change direction and head back in the direction they had just come from.
“What’s the plan?” Angel finally asked.
“Well, you have the ledger and you have me, so we are going to get Kathy back,” Steve stated calmly.
“That’s it. That’s the whole plan.” Angel looked at him with surprise.
“Yes, that’s it. Oh, I did leave something out. I have my gun and a knife. So that makes the plan you, ledger, me, gun, blow Markham’s head off, and get Kathy back.” Steve smiled and accelerated.
“We need to call Christian. You’ll need back up,” Angel pleaded.
“Markham said no police, and hostage scenarios don’t go well if the police come in, sirens blaring.”
“Christian will be more careful than that,” Angel replied
The conversation became circular as they drove back to Angel’s house. Angel argued with Steve, they sat in silence, then they argued some more. Finally, Angel reached for her phone. Steve tried to grab it from her and the car swerved.
“I’m not ringing Christian, so just drive.” Angel slapped Steve’s arm as her call was answered. “Adrian, I’m in a bit of trouble, and I need your help. It would appear this whole ledger thing isn’t over after all.”
Steve glanced at her and then rolled his eyes as she began to speak. She began to argue with Adrian, stating that she was going into the house whether he liked it or not, that she had to help Kathy. When Angel hung up, she looked over to Steve and quietly told him Adrian was going to call her back. Steve didn’t say a word. Angel didn’t know if Steve was happy with the situation or not but if Adrian Hastings could help, then so be it. After all, it was one of Adrian’s men that they were dealing with here.
The phone rang, and Angel quickly answered. She realised her answers of “okay,” “yes,” and “I’ll tell him,” really told Steve nothing and he kept glancing over to her, obviously keen to know what was being said. They were now approximately thirty minutes away from Angel’s address when she disconnected the call.
“Pull into that service station. We need to buy a little time.” Angel was surprised that Steve obeyed without argument.
Angel explained Adrian had sent two local goons to check out the house.
“They pretended they wanted to buy drugs. There were five men inside, one being Markham, and yes, there was a woman who looked a little upset. Adrian’s men described the woman, and it appears to be Kathy. There are also two men outside. Apparently, one is up a tree with a gun.”
Angel continued to explain the conversation. Adrian wanted them to hold off on entering the house until close to the two-hour deadline so he could get a couple of his men in place. Adrian had also instructed that even though they may not see the men when they arrived, they would definitely be there to give backup.
“He also asked if my house was still under surveillance,” Angel asked.
“No, the surveillance was pulled once Trevor knew you were safe and that we had Markham by the neck,” Steve replied glumly.
“Figures, it’s in place for months, and the one day we could use it…” Angel laughed at the irony of it all.
“If Adrian has sent men there already, why can’t we use them?” Steve seemed impatient
“The men he sent only collect information. They aren’t trained for this sort of thing.” Angel sighed. “So we need to wait till the right men get there.”
“The guys there aren’t hit men.” Steve stared at her blankly. “Well, at least he is taking it seriously.”
Waiting to get back on the road again was agony. Angel made Steve drink a cup of coffee and stood silently near the car, watching him chain smoke. She wasn’t sure that Steve was thinking clearly. He couldn’t take out seven men, and she didn’t know how many men Adrian would send. She desperately wanted to speak to Christian and Daniel because she knew this could go horribly wrong. They waited fifteen minutes before setting off again, time which Angel used to try and convince Steve to bring Christian in on the situation.
Steve dialled a mobile number and flicked the call to operate via the Bluetooth system. Angel sighed in relief as Christian’s voice suddenly filled the car.
“I just rang the house. I thought you two would be home by now.”
“We stopped for coffee,” Steve replied.
Angel knew that Steve didn’t really lie to Christian, they had just drunk a cup of coffee.
Angel listened as Christian began filling Steve and her in on where they were at with the investigation.
“We’re sure it was Markham. He had a photo of Kathy at his house and also your home address. He also had information on Angel and her old address. Unfortunately Markham wasn’t at home, but we have a bulletin out for his car. According to Markham’s girlfriend, he had gone out on business early this morning. He had explained the suspension to her as a mistake and said that he had been set up. Markham also told her that he was getting information today that would compel the police to reinstate him and also go a long way to take down a major player in organised crime in the state. I’m about to send two men out to Angel’s house in the event Markham is there waiting for Angel to show up. If Markham knew anything about the meeting Angel was supposed to have with Adrian, then he may believe Angel will go home at some stage.”
“Fuck, Christian, it’s late. Send the team to Angel’s tomorrow,” Steve snapped.
Angel could hear the surprise in Christian’s voice as he asked Steve to repeat what he’s just said. The pause on the line after Steve repeated his demand of delaying an action that may find his wife, or at least the man who had her, didn’t surprise Angel. Obviously, Christian suspected something was wrong. When Angel heard Christian call out to someone inside the office and use the words “hold off” she knew the shit was about to hit the fan.
“How far are you from the house and is Angel with you?” Christian growled angrily into the phone. Steve growled back in an equally menacing tone.
“Thirty minutes and yes, Angel is here. But I have backup on the way courtesy of Angel’s Uncle Adrian, so tell your guys to stand down.”
“Fuck you, Jax. How dare you take my woman into a situation that will likely get everyone killed.”
Angel heard Christian yell, “we’re all moving,” followed by the sound of voices and hurried movement.
“No, Christian, fuck you,” Steve yelled. “Tell your guys to stay the hell away or Markham has made it perfectly clear Kathy is as good as dead.”
“I’ll cut you a deal, Steve. You don’t get my woman killed, and I won’t let anything happen to yours.”
Steve ended the call as the air in the car turned blue from Steve swearing. As the mobile rang once more, Steve turned it off and accelerated toward Angel’s home.
“I’ll call him and tell him what’s going on. He might hold back until we get Kathy out of the house if he knows what’s happening?” Angel spoke calmly and dialled Christian number.
&n
bsp; Steve remained silent as Angel explained to Christian what had happened and the plan they had worked out. Angel had to agree with Christian that it wasn’t much of a plan, but they were committed to carrying it through now. Christian wasn’t happy but agreed to stay out of sight unless needed. Angel explained the floor plan of the house, including entrances to the house and windows that may be able to be used as access. She agreed to phone Christian’s mobile and leave the line open while they were inside the house so Christian and his team could hear what was happening. They would move in if Christian thought things were turning bad. Angel made sure she told Christian that she loved Daniel and him too much to let anything happen to her, and with that, she hung up.
Chapter Thirty
Steve parked the car down the road from the house and walked with Angel to the front door. He knew it wasn’t an ideal way to enter, but they had to appear that they were complying with Markham’s demands. Angel gripped the ledger in her hands, and since she didn’t have a pocket, Steve slipped the mobile into the pocket of his leather vest. A tall, dark-haired man opened the door, and they entered to the sound of Markham’s gloating voice.
“Look, Kathy, darling, our visitors are finally here.”
Steve looked around the room. Markham had Kathy held against him, a gun resting in her back. The man who opened the door moved quickly to pat Steve down and removed his gun from its holster. He didn’t find the blade Steve kept tucked into his boot. Steve watched Angel squirm and slap at the man as he tried to pat her down as well, although Steve could tell it wasn’t weapons the creep was feeling for. At this point, the other men, if there were any, weren’t in the room. Apart from the front entrance, there were two doorways to the area they stood in. One at the centre of the room which, based on Steve’s previous visits to the house, led to the kitchen and then a hallway to the back bedroom of the house, the laundry, and a bathroom. The doorway behind them at the end of the room led to Angel’s bedroom. The large, floor-to-ceiling, double window at the front of the house had the curtains drawn, but it was a possible route of escape, if the women didn’t mind jumping through a large plane of glass.
