Code Word

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “Never hurts to play it safe.”

  “After dealing with Bianca this morning, I’m not so sure.” Carina shook her head. “She’s not very happy about having a bodyguard, especially someone she doesn’t know.”

  “If everything goes as planned, we’ll arrive in Colorado early tomorrow morning and we’ll be on a flight headed back here by tomorrow night.” Jay turned the key and revved the engine to life. He slowly motored away from the dock and then started down the channel.

  He navigated his way out to the ocean, the boat rocking violently as he transitioned from the calm waters out onto the waves. The water whipped up off of the sea and stung his eyes.

  For the first time in weeks, Jay felt the freedom he had always found on the water, the freedom he had lost when his last assignment had ended so badly. He wasn’t exactly sure when he had managed to shed the nightmares or the haunting images of that day, but somehow, over the past few days, his problems and struggles had taken a backseat to other concerns.

  He glanced over at Carina, his breath catching at her raw beauty. Her hair blew into her face, but she didn’t make any effort to tame it. Instead, she kept her eyes in front of her, a combination of uncertainty and a tentative trust visible on her face.

  “It’s just a little farther,” Jay told her, motioning to a public dock in the distance. Even from almost a mile away, he could see Seth standing near an empty slip, waiting for them.

  “Are you sure your friends will be there on time?”

  “Yeah. I’m sure.” Jay nodded. He maneuvered past a boat pulling a water skier and then made a wide turn as they approached the dock.

  He scanned the area as he closed the distance, and he could see Seth doing the same. Vanessa wasn’t anywhere in sight, but he imagined she was close by.

  Jay cut the engine and glided into the empty spot beside Seth.

  He noticed Seth’s gaze shift over to Carina before he sent a questioning glance at Jay. “Seth, Carina,” Jay said briefly. “Carina, Seth.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Carina managed as she lifted a hand to shade her eyes, despite the sunglasses she wore.

  Seth caught the line Jay threw him and secured the bow. As soon as the boat was tied off, Jay stepped onto the dock and held a hand out to Carina.

  “Any trouble getting down here?”

  Seth shook his head. “We weren’t official.”

  Jay nodded in understanding. Seth and Vanessa had taken a military transport to Florida, but their names wouldn’t appear on any flight manifests.

  “Where is Vanessa?”

  “In the parking lot. Blue sedan, second row back.” Seth reached into his pocket and pulled two cell phones free. “These are for you.”

  “I assume your number is already programmed in.”

  “Yeah. Mine and Vanessa’s. Kel’s is in there too.”

  “Kel?”

  Seth nodded. “He’s the one who checked the phones out to me.”

  “Thanks, Seth. I really appreciate all of your help.”

  Seth just nodded. “Directions to the house we’re staying at?”

  Jay handed him a slip of paper along with a photograph he had printed of the backyard so Seth would recognize his destination. “My dad will drop off Bianca around three and will pick her up for her morning workout.” He turned to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “Also, my sidearm is on the top shelf of the security room upstairs. If Vanessa needs one, there’s another in the kitchen cabinet above the refrigerator. Ammunition is in the dresser in the downstairs guest room.”

  Seth looked down at his watch. “Do you have time to tell me what’s going on?”

  “Just for the short version.”

  “Which is?”

  “Going to see Carina’s father to find out who in the Chicago mob might have an interest in her.” Jay reached in his pocket and pulled out the flash drive he had copied all of his notes onto. “Here is what I’ve found so far. I thought maybe you and Vanessa could take a look and help me do some more digging.”

  “We can do that.” Seth nodded.

  “Thanks, Seth.” Jay took Carina’s hand, signaling that they needed to leave.

  “Check in when you get to the airport.”

  Jay nodded. “Will do.”

  Then, with Carina’s hand still in his, Jay started toward the car that would take them on the next leg of their journey.

  * * *

  Carina kept her eyes closed, willing the nausea to subside. She didn’t know why she’d thought she could make a four-hour car ride without getting carsick. Maybe she had deluded herself into thinking she could pray herself well when the queasiness started, but so far, nothing seemed to be helping.

  “Are you okay?” Jay asked with obvious concern in his voice.

  She desperately wanted to say yes, but she couldn’t open her mouth to get the word out. Instead, she slowly shook her head, hoping the movement wouldn’t create any unwanted consequences.

  She heard the sound of the window opening and felt the blast of hot air circulate through the car. The fresh air helped her fight off the worst of the motion sickness, but she didn’t know how much longer she would be able to go before her stomach protested completely. She estimated they were nearly halfway between Miami and Orlando. After getting caught in some weekend traffic, she knew that if they stopped, there was no way they were going to make their flight on time.

  Just as she thought it, the car slowed, and then she felt it come to a stop.

  “Come on. You’ll feel better if you get out and walk around a bit,” Jay said gently.

  She didn’t move for a minute, hoping that the lack of motion would allow her stomach to settle. Cautiously, she opened her eyes to see Jay standing outside of the car, his hand on her open door. He reached his other hand out to her.

  Carina took a slow breath and set one foot on the pavement. She looked past Jay to see that they were in a Walmart parking lot, the scent of french fries from the fast food restaurant across the street sending another wave of nausea through her. Not sure she could stand on her own, she let Jay take her hand and managed to stand beside him.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you get carsick? We could have gotten you some Dramamine before we left Miami.”

  “Sorry. It hasn’t been this bad in a long time.”

  “Going out on the boat before starting this drive probably didn’t help.”

  “Just give me a minute, and then we can get back on the road.”

  “Carina, you’re in no condition to travel right now.” Jay shook his head and then motioned to the store. “We’ll pick up some medicine for you and find someplace to rest for a while. We can always push our flight off until tomorrow.”

  “But what about your friend who was going to help us get from one airport to another?”

  “He’ll understand,” Jay assured her. “And if he can’t help us out tomorrow, then I’ve got a few other friends I can call. For now, let’s get you out of the heat and find something to settle your stomach.”

  Carina nodded weakly. With her hand still caught in his, she followed Jay inside.

  26

  Jay leaned against the cinderblock wall outside of the women’s restroom. He had already called Seth to let him know that their plans had been delayed, but thankfully, Seth was agreeable to extend his trip to Florida for as long as he was needed. Jay hoped he wouldn’t change his mind once he met his reluctant charge.

  Bianca was clearly unhappy about her current living arrangements, and Jay doubted Seth and Vanessa were going to be able to do much to change her mood. Hopefully his dad would be willing to step in if needed.

  The door to the women’s restroom creaked open, and Carina emerged, her face still pale. She looked up at Jay, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

  “Feeling any better?”

  She nodded, but it was obvious she was still trying to convince herself. She lifted one hand and held it to her stomach, as though willing it to settle. “If we leave now, we
might still be able to make our flight.”

  “Carina, you’re in no condition to make another two-hour drive.” Jay shook his head. “I already talked to Seth, and he’s more than willing to stay as long as we need him to with Bianca.”

  Carina looked relieved, but she shook her head. “I can’t ask your friends to do that.”

  “It’s really not a problem. They’ll keep Bianca entertained today and tomorrow. If we aren’t back by Sunday, they’ll probably even take her to church.”

  “Where are we going to stay tonight?” Carina asked now. “I doubt you want me using my credit card right now in case someone might be able to track it, and I certainly don’t want you to keep spending money on me.”

  “Don’t worry. I have an idea.” Jay motioned toward the front of the store. “I want to pick up a few things here, and then let’s go find someplace that has Wi-Fi. We can make a new plan of attack.”

  “Plan of attack?” Carina looked at him warily. “You make it sound like we’re about to go to war.”

  “I usually am about to go to war.” Jay held out a hand and waited for her to take it. He nodded toward the pharmacy. “Come on. Let’s find something to help you feel better.”

  “At this point, anything but driving in a car is sure to help.”

  * * *

  “You’re my bodyguard?” Bianca looked at the petite woman with dark skin and expressive eyes. “Seriously?”

  “Actually, my husband is the bodyguard. I’m just here for fun.”

  “Fun.” Bianca let her breath out in a huff and dropped her backpack on the couch. “Right.”

  Pete gave her a dark look that silently told her she’d better change her attitude.

  “Look, I get it that you’re all here to make sure I stay safe and everything, but don’t you think this is overkill?” Bianca asked, hoping someone would listen to reason. “I mean, for all we know, the guys who showed up at my apartment are long gone.”

  “Stick it out for a few more days,” Pete said mildly. “Hopefully, once Jay and Carina get back, things can go back to normal.”

  “Can’t I at least go home and get some more of my stuff?” Bianca motioned to her backpack. “I thought I was only coming over here for one or two nights.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Vanessa shook her head.

  The sliding glass door opened, and Bianca shifted to see the enormous black man entering the house. “What isn’t a good idea?”

  “Bianca going home to get some things,” Vanessa answered for her. “Bianca, this is my husband, Seth.”

  “So you’re the bodyguard.”

  “That’s me.” Seth nodded. “What’s this about going home?”

  “I just want to pack up some clothes and books and stuff.” Bianca motioned to the pool. “And a few more swimsuits. It’s kind of hard to practice two or three times a day when I only have two suits with me.”

  “Make a list,” Seth told her. “I’ll see what we can do.”

  “I have a couple of hours until practice. If you want to run over there now, I can stay here with Bianca,” Pete offered. “Or I can go to her apartment for her.”

  “No one in her neighborhood knows me. It’s probably best if I go.” Seth motioned toward Vanessa. “Did you want to come with me?”

  Vanessa shook her head. “I want to keep looking through Jay’s notes.”

  Seth nodded and then looked back at Bianca. “Okay, kid. Give me a list, your address, and a key. I’ll take it from there.”

  “I don’t have a key with me, but if you stop and see Lou, he can let you in. He has our spare.”

  “Lou Rizzoni?” Vanessa asked.

  “Yeah.” Bianca’s brows drew together. “How did you know?”

  “Jay mentioned him in his notes.” Vanessa glanced up at Seth. “It says here that he used to be a bodyguard for the family.”

  Bianca sensed Seth’s skepticism and was immediately defensive. “You can trust Lou. He’s been helping take care of things since my mother died.”

  “Give me that list, and I’ll go check on Lou and get your things.”

  With a nod, Bianca turned and left her new bodyguard behind and prayed that this chaos in her life would end soon.

  * * *

  “This is where we’re staying tonight?” Carina looked at Jay skeptically as she stepped out of the car. A cluster of trees edged a small clearing, the beach visible across an open stretch of grass.

  Jay nodded and pulled a bag of charcoal out of the trunk of the car. He glanced over his shoulder and said, “Let me guess. You don’t like camping.”

  “I don’t know,” Carina said hesitantly. “I’ve never been camping before.”

  “Never?” Jay turned and looked at her with such incredulity that she felt like she might as well have announced that she was actually from Jupiter rather than Chicago. “Not even in your backyard?”

  Carina shook her head, and her voice turned defensive. “Not everyone goes camping when they’re a kid.”

  “Sorry. It just never occurred to me that you wouldn’t have done this before.” He motioned to the very hard-looking ground. “Are you okay with this? If you want, we can try to find a hotel room.”

  “Which we would have to use a credit card for,” Carina commented and shook her head. “Sorry, this just isn’t what I was expecting. I’m sure it will be fine.” She motioned toward the car. “What can I do to help?”

  “Go ahead and grab that bag with the groceries in it. I thought I could start dinner, and then we can go sit on the beach while it cooks.”

  Carina glanced out at the water and then smiled back at him. “I like that idea.”

  Jay grinned in response. “I was hoping you would.”

  * * *

  Seth pulled Jay’s car into the shopping center parking lot down the street from Bianca’s apartment and took another look around. He had already driven around the neighborhood twice and had taken the time to identify the people who might be watching the building. After reading through Jay’s notes, he had expected to see at least one person keeping an eye on the place, but to his surprise, the only person who seemed to be in the same place both times he went through was the local drug dealer parked at the corner.

  Though he was tempted to bypass Lou and pick the lock to get into Bianca’s apartment, he decided it wouldn’t hurt to meet the man who had provided Jay with so much information. He looked around again before knocking on the door. A minute passed, and Seth strained to hear any movement inside. Hearing none, he knocked again, this time with a little more force. Again, he didn’t hear any response from within.

  Assuming Lou must have gone out, Seth pulled a small case from his pocket and retrieved the tools he needed. Thirty seconds later, he managed to unlock Bianca’s front door and step inside. He flipped on the light switch and froze. He didn’t know what state Carina and Bianca had left their apartment in, but he was willing to bet it hadn’t looked like this.

  Couch cushions were pulled up and lay drunkenly on the floor. Papers were strewn everywhere, the bookshelf was empty, the books heaped on the floor beside it. A sewing mannequin hung a few inches off of the floor, tangled in the cords of the window blinds. Fabric was piled beneath it.

  Instinctively, Seth reached for the weapon holstered in the back of his waistband and listened for any sound. Once he was satisfied that he was alone, he stepped through the living room, methodically checking the kitchenette, bathroom, and bedroom before securing his weapon once more.

  He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called Jay. “Jay, I think we have a problem.”

  Jay hesitated, making Seth think that Carina must be close by. “What kind of problem?”

  “I came to Carina’s apartment to pick a few things up for Bianca, and the place is trashed.” Seth stepped closer to the desk in the corner and noted a drawer hanging open, the contents riffled through. Then he noticed the television hanging on the wall. “The television is still here, so it wasn’t a rob
bery, but someone was definitely looking for something.”

  “I hate to do it, but you should probably call the cops,” Jay said reluctantly. “First you might want to check with Lou. I’m surprised anyone got past him with the way he watches Carina’s place. He might have seen something.”

  “I knocked on his door before I came here, but he didn’t answer.”

  “That’s odd.” Jay hesitated. “Do me a favor and go check again. He’s been there every time I’ve been by Carina’s.”

  “Okay. Hold on.” Seth walked outside and started toward Lou’s apartment again. That’s when he caught a glimpse of the older man through the crack in the curtains. “You were right. Lou was home.”

  “Did he see anything?”

  “If he did, he isn’t in a position to talk about it,” Seth said bitterly. “Sorry, Jay. He’s dead. From where I’m standing, I’d say it was a single bullet to the back of the head.”

  “No.” Jay breathed the word, and Seth could only stare helplessly. Several seconds stretched out in silence before Jay spoke again. “Call the cops. Let me know what they find out.”

  “I will,” Seth told him. “What do you want me to tell Bianca?”

  “I don’t know. I guess, tell her the same thing I’m about to tell Carina. The truth.”

  27

  “The truth about what?” Carina asked, shifting on the sand beside him.

  “About Lou,” Jay told her, wondering how he could possibly find the right words. Until Seth’s call had interrupted them, they had been sitting on the beach, talking about everything from their childhoods to their futures. Now he had the burden of telling Carina that her future would proceed without a friend who was clearly very important to her.

  “What about Lou?” Carina’s eyes narrowed. “Jay, what’s wrong?”

  He stared out at the waves rolling up on the beach and tried to find his voice. The sun wouldn’t set for a couple more hours, but he pulled off his sunglasses despite the glare coming off of the water. With some difficulty, he forced himself to turn toward her and look her in the eye when he gave her the truth in the simplest terms he could manage. “Lou’s dead.”