by S. E. Smith
29
The sound of traffic woke Makayla the next morning. She glanced over at Brian’s relaxed face. He was exhausted from driving all day yesterday. There had been sections of the road under construction, and it had been after midnight before they had finally reached their destination.
Helen had booked three rooms for them. The innkeeper had been very sweet when she saw how weary they were, and ushered them inside. Makayla had barely had the energy to change before she collapsed on the full sized bed. Brian hadn’t been far behind her.
She slipped out of the bed and walked over to the tiny bathroom. She using the facilities, then brushed her teeth and her hair. She had slept in her T-shirt which was now very wrinkled. Shrugging, she quietly pushed back the curtain covering the bathroom. She walked over to the bed where Brian was lying propped up with his arm behind his head.
“Hey,” she whispered, sliding across the soft fabric until she was facing him.
“Hey, yourself,” he replied.
Makayla briefly closed her eyes when he ran his fingers along her cheek. A smile tugged at her lips when she opened them to stare at him. Her gaze softened when she saw the searching look in his eyes.
“I could get used to this,” she said, kneeling next to him.
“Good, because I was planning on making this permanent,” Brian said, drawing her closer. “Will you marry me, Makayla Summerlin?”
Makayla drew in a startled breath. Her eyes widened and she stared at him in shock. She had expected that they would be a couple, but she had never expected him to ask her to marry him. Her lips parted and she felt a moment of panic. So much had happened in the last few days, and now Brian was asking her to marry him.
“I…,” she started to say before her voice faded.
“Say yes… please,” Brian murmured.
Makayla’s head started moving on its own – or at least without her being consciously aware that it was answering him. Brian drew in a deep breath before he released it. Leaning forward, he brushed a kiss across her lips before he jerked her forward with a soft chuckle.
“I love you, Makayla Summerlin,” Brian murmured, rolling with her until she was caged beneath him.
“Yes,” Makayla finally forced out, her eyes glittered with love. “I love you, too, Brian, more than you can ever know.”
“How about you show me?” He asked with a wicked grin.
“You sure are bossy,” Makayla teased and ran her hands down over his shoulders before moving across his chest.
“I could definitely get used to this,” he murmured, sliding his hands around her waist and pulling her down so he could brush a series of kisses along her jaw.
*.*.*
It was over an hour later before Makayla and Brian came downstairs. Tyrell and Helen were seated at a table near the corner. From Tyrell’s empty plate and Helen’s almost empty one, Makayla knew they had given up waiting for them.
“Morning,” Makayla said, not looking at Tyrell’s pointed gaze.
“Brian, I hope you plan on making an honest woman out of Makayla,” Tyrell growled playfully, turning on Brian when Makayla refused to be baited.
Makayla leaned over, picked up the knife off of Helen’s plate, and pointed it at Tyrell. She gave him a look that warned him to be careful what words he said next. Helen’s amused chuckle told her that the innkeeper was watching with a wide, unsure expression.
“Glad you’re having some fun, my friend,” Tyrell said with a chuckle before slapping Brian on the shoulder. “I’ll assume from Makayla’s threat that things are going well.”
“I asked her to marry me and she said yes,” Brian retorted, reaching for the coffee.
“Whoa! I didn’t see that one coming,” Tyrell replied. His face lit up in a huge smile and he rose from his chair to pull a reluctant Makayla into a bear hug. “I’m happy for you, Makayla. Congratulations.”
“Congratulations, Makayla,” Helen added with a smile.
“You know, Brian is part of this too,” Makayla mumbled against Tyrell’s chest.
“You are one lucky man, Brian. I just want you to know if you break her heart, Henry and I will be there to…. Ow!” Tyrell broke off when Makayla pinched him hard.
“Congratulations do not come with threats,” Makayla growled, returning to her seat.
“Congratulations, man,” Tyrell muttered to Brian holding his hand out and shaking Brian’s with a firm grip.
“Thanks, Tyrell,” Brian replied with a hard squeeze to Tyrell’s hand before letting it go.
“Damn, you’re stronger than you look,” Tyrell grumbled, rubbing his hand in mock agony.
“Just remember that,” Brian retorted with a grin.
“After you eat, we should head to the Wishing Tree. I’ll drive,” Helen said.
“What happens when you get the information we’ve been searching for?” Makayla asked, smiling in appreciation and murmuring her thanks to the innkeeper when she brought a fresh pot of tea and two more cups.
“I turn it in,” Brian replied, pouring a cup of coffee into his cup and grabbing several slices of pineapple bread, some thin slices of marinated fish, and fresh fruit.
“I talked to my father and Commander Wang this morning,” Helen said, glancing at Brian. “We have been cleared, thanks to a very well respected witness who came forward.”
“Mrs. Leu?” Makayla asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Helen said.
“Do we have any idea of where Ren Lu is?” Tyrell asked, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on the table. “And what of the guy that ordered Henry’s kidnapping?”
“Sun Yung-Wing committed suicide yesterday afternoon,” Helen said, folding her napkin and placing it next to her plate.
“Suicide?!” Makayla exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Helen nodded. “It would appear he fell out of his office window, a very difficult task with impact resistant windows,” she added with a wry curve to her lips. “His bodyguards insist that no one else was in the office with him at the time and there are no video cameras in his office.”
Brian’s face was grim. “They were setting an example,” he said.
“Who was setting an example?” Tyrell asked.
“Whoever doesn’t want the information found,” Brian replied, pushing his plate away and rising from his chair. “We’d better go.”
“That’s a hell of a way to die,” Tyrell mumbled, standing and grabbing his backpack off the back of the chair.
“Isn’t that the truth,” Makayla replied, following the others.
*.*.*
It didn’t take long for them to reach the Wishing Tree. Large wooden supports helped to stabilize the massive branches of the century old banyan tree. There were scars where previous branches had broken off. The tree was surrounded by a low, metal fence with signs posted in a variety of languages prohibiting the hanging of paper placards or other items from the tree.
“There is a wishing board,” Makayla said, reading the information about the tree.
Helen parked the car a short distance down the road. Makayla released Brian’s hand, opened the door, and slid out. She smiled at him when he exited the other door. It had been nice sitting with him in the back seat while Tyrell rode up front with Helen for a change.
“This way,” Helen said with a nod.
Makayla felt Brian capture her hand again and they walked along the sidewalk, gazing up at the tree. There was something majestic about the ancient tree with some branches growing down to form additional supports. Several older women stood nearby. Each of them was holding a small piece of paper and whispering. Makayla watched in fascination while the women tied colorful ribbons to the papers before turning and walking over to a large building shaped in the form of a temple.
“That must be it,” Tyrell muttered.
“Wow! There must be thousands of cards here!” Makayla exclaimed, glancing at all of them. “How are we going to find the one that Harrington left?”
�
��We split up,” Brian replied with grim determination.
“Don’t forget the message; the White Rabbit,” Makayla added, slipping her hand from Brian’s and walking to one side of the board.
Makayla drew in a deep breath. There were literally tens of thousands of tiny pieces of paper attached to the wall. She shook her head at the overwhelming task of searching through each one. She was about to comment on the fact when a shop’s sign caught her attention.
She stepped closer to the board and tilted her head so that she could see between two of the branches of the banyan tree. On the other side was a row of several shops, including one with a display featuring an advertisement for White Rabbit candy. In the corner of the window display was a statue of a white rabbit.
“Helen,” Makayla called out in a soft voice.
“Yes,” Helen responded from where she was searching through the board.
“Where did the GPS say we were supposed to go?” Makayla asked, still staring past the Wishing Tree.
“Here,” Helen replied, glancing up when she heard the note of curiosity in Makayla’s tone. “Why?”
“Makayla, did you find something?” Brian asked, walking over to stand next to her.
“I think so,” Makayla replied with a nod of her head. “What if Harrington marked this spot, but his note pointed to where he had hidden the information?”
“What…?” Brian started to say before he glanced at where she was staring. His eyes widened. “White Rabbit.”
“White Rabbit candy,” Helen murmured, shaking her head in disbelief. “Of course!”
“Isn’t that some kind of candy that got a bad rap for killing a bunch of kids a few years ago?” Tyrell asked.
“Yes, but it is addictive. I can’t eat just one piece,” Helen admitted.
“You’re a genius. Let’s go,” Brian said, brushing a kiss across Makayla’s lips before he reached for her hand again.
*.*.*
Ren Lu straightened from where he was leaning against his car. His gaze narrowed when the small group turned to follow the path around the Wishing Tree instead of returning to their car. They were heading for the line of tourist shops on the other side. He could tell from the way they were moving and the excited expressions on their faces that they had finally discovered where the information was hidden.
Stepping away from his car, he strode around the opposite side of the path. He casually reached into his pocket and fingered the gun in it. He kept them in his sights, planning the best way to obtain what he had come for, and leaving with it. His gaze moved to the linked hands. Jacobs had an Achilles’ heel, and that weakness was named Makayla.
30
The delicious aroma of candy washed over Makayla the moment the door was opened. Her stomach growled and she self-consciously placed her hand over it. Despite the fact that she had eaten breakfast just a short time ago, her mouth watered to sample some of the tasty treats.
“Makayla and I will look around the statue while you two check out the rest of the store,” Brian suggested, shooting a meaningful glance at the elderly clerk behind the counter.
“I’ll go charm the old lady,” Tyrell muttered with a mischievous grin. “That is one thing I’m good at.”
Makayla’s lips twitched when Tyrell turned a brilliant smile on the woman and began chatting. She highly doubted the woman understood a word of what Tyrell was saying, but he had captured her attention. Makayla walked beside Brian while Helen moved about the store like she was interested in the products on display.
The window display was open to the store’s interior. The almost three foot high wooden rabbit was surrounded by fake grass and bags of sugary confections. Makayla reached out and ran her hand down along the back of the rabbit. She paused when she felt a small, round opening in its back. It looked like the display had been mounted elsewhere at one time.
“Can you feel anything inside?” Brian asked, glancing over his shoulder to check on Tyrell and the clerk.
Makayla slid a finger into the half-inch size hole. Her hand froze when she felt cool plastic. Stepping closer, she carefully worked her finger deeper into the hole so she could pull the item out. Triumph filled her when she saw the end of a flash drive. Pressing down, she slid it the rest of the way out.
“Bingo,” she whispered, turning to Brian with a huge grin and holding out the flash drive.
Brian flashed her a pleased grin and reached for the flash drive. He turned and cleared his throat to let Helen and Tyrell know that they were done. Tyrell muttered something to the clerk and turned toward them. Makayla saw the grin on Tyrell’s face fade and grow hard. She glanced toward the door to the shop when it opened and a tall man stepped in. The soft sound of her swiftly inhaled breath warned Brian and Helen of the danger that had entered the store.
“I wouldn’t, Mr. Jacobs,” Ren Lu stated, closing the door behind him and turning the lock. He reached up and flipped the sign from ‘open’ to ‘closed’. “Keep your hands out and step toward the counter.”
Makayla could feel Brian’s body stiffen with fury. His body tensed even more when Ren Lu pointed the gun at her. She swallowed and gripped Brian’s arm. This was the cold blooded killer who had shot her the first time.
“How did you find us?” Brian asked, stepping toward the counter.
Ren Lu spoke in quiet Cantonese to the elderly clerk instead of answering Brian. She replied, her gaze flickering nervously between him and the gun he was holding. Ren Lu spoke again, this time in a curt tone.
“Everyone please follow Mrs. Chan to the back,” Ren Lu ordered. “If you try anything, I will kill Makayla first.”
Makayla bit her lip to keep from making a nasty retort. She started to step forward ahead of Brian, but Ren Lu shook his head and motioned for Brian to go first. Brian’s soft curse echoed in the room.
Makayla jerked when Ren Lu gripped her arm and pressed the gun against her side. He squeezed it in warning when she tried to put some space between them. She scowled at him, but kept her mouth shut.
“I will kill him this time, Makayla,” Ren Lu warned.
Makayla’s throat tightened at the menacing promise. She understood what Ren Lu was telling her – resist and Brian dies. If Brian resists, she does. It was a lose-lose situation.
She followed the others through the beaded doorway into a long, but narrow back room. The room contained a small, round table with two chairs, a sink, and was filled with boxes of candy. To the side, there was a bathroom about the size of Mrs. Leu’s utility closet.
“I’ll take what you found,” Ren Lu ordered.
Brian’s lips tightened and his fingers curled around the flash drive. Makayla drew in a frightened breath when Ren Lu moved the gun he was holding and pressed the cold tip of the barrel to her temple. Her body began to shake and she had to lock her knees to keep from collapsing.
“Here,” Brian said in a hoarse voice. “Please…,” he started to say, his eyes wild with rage and fear.
“Take it from him and hand it to me,” Ren Lu ordered Makayla.
Makayla reached out a trembling hand and took the flash drive from Brian. Her fingers caressed his hand when she did. Fear that it might be the last time that she ever touched him made her linger longer than she should have and she flinched when Ren Lu’s fingers bit into the soft flesh of her arm.
“Here,” Makayla whispered in a barely audible voice.
Ren Lu took the flash drive from her. She closed her eyes when he didn’t remove the gun. Her lips parted and she fought the urge to scream at him to just get it over with if he was going to kill her. Her eyes popped open when he spoke.
“Get into the restroom,” Ren Lu ordered.
“All of us?” Tyrell asked, glancing skeptically at the tiny room before he raised his hands when Ren Lu turned the gun on him. “I’m not arguing.”
“Smart move, Mr. Richards,” Ren Lu replied in a calm voice. “Go.”
Makayla watched the others move into the cramped space. She wasn’t s
ure they would all fit. Ren Lu kicked the door closed with his foot.
“Prop a chair up under the handle,” he ordered.
“What… What are you going to do with me?” Makayla asked in a trembling voice, following his order.
“Sit down in the chair,” Ren Lu instructed in a hard tone.
Makayla didn’t need to be told twice. Her legs were shaking so badly, she was actually thankful for that one small order. She sat down in the chair, a little nervous when it wobbled.
“Put your hands behind your back,” Ren Lu said, pulling several plastic ties from his pocket.
“You know this is déjà vu, don’t you?” She muttered when he looped the strap around her wrists and pulled it tight.
Ren Lu’s warm breath brushed against her cheek when he released an amused chuckle. She turned her head to glare at him. A swift gasp escaped her when she realized how close his face was to hers. She stared at him with wide, startled eyes.
“So beautiful,” he whispered, running the knuckles of his right hand along her cheek.
Makayla closed her eyes when he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She was surprised that his lips were warm. She blinked when he pulled back and stared at her for several long seconds.
“Such a shame,” he murmured before rising. “Good luck, Makayla Summerlin. I hope our paths meet again.”
Makayla knew her mouth was hanging open when Ren Lu quietly opened the back door of the shop and stepped out. She blinked, shocked not only by his tender kiss, but the fact that he hadn’t killed any of them.
“Bri… Brian,” Makayla called out.
“Makayla!” Brian’s muffled voice echoed through the door.
“He’s gone,” she said in a voice loud enough to be heard. “I’m tied to a chair in front of the door. I think I can move it.”
