by Michael Todd
“I know. I’m sorry. I—”
He dumped the bags and waved her off. “Not now. No time, and really, no need.”
He smiled kindly at her as he picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. “I’d like to request a VIP transport as soon as possible, please. Yes, tinted windows would be preferable. You can charge it to the card on file for my room. Excellent, thank you.”
He hung up the phone and looked at Sofia. “They’ll ring twice when the vehicle is out front.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything. Calvin put his duffel bag on the stool at the breakfast counter and began to check through his newly-acquired loadout. He glanced at Sofia as she rubbed her arms. She was still wearing just a bathing suit and a sheer wrap. He didn’t have anything that would fit her, but he figured a knee-length button-up was better than nothing until they could find somewhere to grab her some clothes.
“I still don’t know how I got into this,” she murmured, looking out the window. “I’m a foreign exchange student from the University of San Diego. If I had my passport, we could get out of town.”
“Where is it?”
“My house about a mile away from here, but they’ll probably be looking for me there.”
“The people who tried to kidnap you?”
She shook her head. “No, the other ones.”
Calvin was about to ask who the other people were when the phone rang twice, signaling that their ride had arrived. He sighed and placed one of the guns into the back of the jeans he’d changed into. He zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder, then grabbed the other one and nodded to Sofia.
“You ready?”
She returned his nod and followed him to the door. Calvin remained on high alert as he opened the door. He was pretty sure no one had followed them, but he wanted to be safe. The last thing he needed was a gun battle at the Pacifica.
They headed back downstairs, and the doorman was holding the door open for them. She jumped into the car, and Calvin surveyed the street to make sure no one was watching as he threw his bags into the trunk. He stopped for just a moment, watching the palm trees swaying. He couldn’t escape his life. Trouble found him wherever he went, even in a beautiful place like this. He chuckled.
“Looks like my vacation is over until further notice.”
Sofia might not be infected, and maybe none of the others were either, but he was in the middle of something now and there was no way out of it other than to fight. Protecting Sofia was the objective here. He shut the trunk, climbed into the car, and looked longingly at the Pacifica one last time.
It will still be there mañana, Marty told him. Besides, there’s nothing more relaxing than a good fight.
Chapter Fifteen
Katie sat next to Angie in one of the hotel’s boardrooms. Across from them was Debbie, the first of three interior designers they were planning on seeing that day. Katie had told Angie to pick the candidates as a test of her judgment. Debbie had a resumé that would make most mouths drop wide open. She had designed for some of the biggest names in New York and beyond, including some of the Kennedys, Meryl Streep, and one of the Bush twins. She was very professional but was a little nervous around Katie.
“So, I contacted your real estate agent and toured the home. It’s very beautiful, and will be easy to work with.”
“Thank you,” Katie answered politely.
“Tell me what you’re looking for. When you close your eyes and picture your home, what do you see?”
“I love light, but only in the living spaces, not the sleeping spaces. In my line of work, I often have to catch zees in the middle of the day, or whenever I can. I want something soft, without a bunch of hard edges, but the bathroom and kitchen must be modern. For my bedroom, I want to feel like I’m in a Victorian boudoir, and I need custom closet fittings for my lingerie collection.”
“That sounds lovely. How about the main living area and the other bedrooms?”
“The living area is all about comfort. Soothing colors, a place to kick back and relax after a long hard day. As far as the other bedrooms, I would like to incorporate an office into the spare if possible, but it also needs to be a welcoming place for a guest to sleep. I was thinking white and fluffy like the hotels in New York.”
Katie looked at Angie. “Angie, how do you want your room?”
Angie blinked. “Oh, well, I didn’t really give it much thought. Comforting, secure, safe. I suppose that’s not what you’re asking...”
“No, that’s enough to go on.” Debbie smiled. “I can have this back to you tomorrow.”
“Perfect.” Katie smiled. “I would love a quote with it as well, though it can be an estimate. I understand things can change as we go.”
“Will do.” Debbie smiled back, standing up and shaking both women’s hands.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have another appointment a couple of blocks away.”
“No problem. I will speak with you tomorrow.” Debbie closed her books and watched as Angie and Katie rushed out of the boardroom and out of the hotel.
As they hurried down the street, Katie looked at her watch and picked up the pace. They were going to be right on time to speak to Teresa, the second designer on the list. She didn’t have as much experience as Debbie, but Angie had loved her portfolio and the way she worked with light and created flowing designs.
The meeting with Teresa went a little faster since they were covering the exact same ideas for the space and discussing timeframe. Katie liked Teresa. She was spunky with a little bit of sarcasm in her, and not at all afraid of Katie. They ended their meeting with her and rushed back to the hotel restaurant, ready for their last meeting of the day. Sarah, the last designer, was already waiting for them, having gotten a table and ordered everyone salads as appetizers. Katie liked the take-charge attitude, but Pandora was less than pleased with a bowl of lettuce.
She’s gonna lose, hands down, Pandora grumped as Katie went through the spiel for the third and final time. There better be enough room in that kitchen for the donuts. Just saying.
At the end of lunch, before Katie and Angie got up, the third designer excused herself, telling them she was eager to get to work since the deadline for quotes was so tight.
Katie waited until Sarah was out of the restaurant and out of earshot before letting out an exhausted sigh. It had been like speed-dating for interior designers.
“I need to get the information from all three presentations together. We gave them twenty-four hours to get back to us, and keeping to that timeframe will be vital. I’m planning on spending a lot of money, but the one resource I don’t have a lot of is time. One of them is going to respect my time, and they will get the deal. Come on, we have a cab waiting. I have something to pick up, and I need you with me.”
Angie‘s head was spinning, but she hung in there and followed Katie out to the car. Katie handed the cabbie an extra tip to step on it, and the cab pulled out.
“Where are we going, miss?”
“Oh, sorry. Penn Station. The Apple Store.”
The cab moved quickly in and out of traffic and got them to Penn Station in record time. Katie tipped him again and thanked him for rushing. They looked through the different shelves of electronics, and Katie finally decided on a twelve-inch MacBook for Angie. Katie was fully aware that it was a nice laptop, but it wasn’t as powerful or nearly as expensive as the MacBook Pro.
I’m pleased to see you’re being practical about this. If this doesn’t work out and she steals it, you’re only out half the money.
I’m not surprised that you’re taking the cynical view, but she doesn’t need the Pro, that’s all. Angie came into our lives for a reason. I have faith—
Ugh, not this again.
Yes, this again. Can’t you see the change in her? I know she’s not the whole way there yet, but she’s clearly trying, and all I can do is help her. If she chooses differently, then I did my best. Besides, it’s only a computer.
“Take
care of this.” Katie smiled and handed it to Angie. “I figured you would need something to keep up with all this.”
“That is so nice! Thank you.” Angie smiled as they came out of the store. “I’ve never—”
Angie froze on the spot.
Katie narrowed her eyes and followed Angie’s frightened gaze down the block. It was her ex-boyfriend, and he was heading straight for them. He became angry when he noticed Angie outside the store. He clenched his fists and started toward her—until he spotted Katie.
Katie let her eyes flash as she stared him down. He stopped, shook his head, and flipped them both the bird. Then he turned and headed back across the street the way he came.
Angie staggered back and grabbed the railing for support, then lowered herself to the steps right there in front of the store. She began to sob, but these were not tears of fear or sadness. A river of relief flowed from her eyes. She had realized that he had no power over her anymore.
Katie sat down next to Angie on the step and placed her hand on her shoulder. “I know this is all hard, even knowing you’re free—and especially after a relationship like that. But you’re strong, and this will make you stronger.”
Angie sniffled, wiping her tears on her sleeves. “I know. It’s just…that kind of relief is almost like another blow to the body, you know? It’s good, but it’s shocking. I think I’ve had enough of shocking for this lifetime.”
“Ha! You’re hanging with the wrong woman, then,” Katie joked.
Angie chuckled through her tears. “I kind of had a feeling that was the case.”
Katie got up from the steps. “You have a decision to make. You have to decide what it is that you want to do, not what someone else wants you to do.”
“I’d like to explore this opportunity you’ve given me.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Katie smiled.
Angie looked up with bloodshot eyes. “Is there anything I should know?”
Katie shrugged. “I can’t promise you it’s always going to be safe, and it could get pretty scary at times. But you’ll always be doing something good for the world.”
Don’t forget she’ll be getting laid.
There’s that too. Katie chuckled.
Katie held a hand out to Angie. “Come on, let’s get back to the hotel. I’ll drop you off, and you can take a bath and set up the new computer.”
Angie nodded, laughing at herself for being so emotional in the middle of the street. She took Katie’s hand and stood up, looking back toward where her ex had walked away.
He was gone, and Angie hoped it would be the last time she ever saw him.
The cab pulled up a few blocks from Sofia’s house, and Calvin looked out the window at the nice suburban neighborhood. The sleepy street contradicted the bustle of the tourist spot he’d found her in. Palm trees lined the sidewalk, and every house had a perfectly-manicured lawn. He remembered the houses he’d seen coming into Cabo the first time, and how they went from run-down to affluent in a heartbeat. He had to be honest—he had been expecting a more run-down area, but he wasn’t sure why. Those drug lords had tons of money.
“Okay, tell me about the layout of the house.”
Sofia nodded. “This is my house, per se. The guy who bought it for me, Manuel, lives with his wife and children in a very large house a ways away from here. Mine has three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, and is surrounded by a tall stone wall that wraps the whole perimeter, and there’s an iron gate at the front. When you walk in the front door, you’ll be in the foyer. In front of you will be stairs that lead to the three bedrooms. Mine is the first on the right. Downstairs, there are three doors. The far right one goes into the living area, the middle is the dining room, and the left is the kitchen—which also has a door to the outside.”
“Okay, I can see that in my mind. What about the guards?”
“On a normal basis there are two, and right now they should be Eric and Jose. They are big guys, but not larger than you, and they’ll be armed. They will not be alone for long. With the news of the death of the other guards and my possible kidnapping, there will most likely be a lot more of them showing up any minute. They will all expect me to come back to the house.”
“Understood. And where is your passport?”
“Upstairs in the top drawer of my dresser, under my clothes. I hid it, not knowing what Manuel would do if he found it. He doesn’t want me going back to the States.”
“Got it.” Calvin checked to make sure his gun was loaded.
He stuck it in the back of his pants and looked at the driver. “If anything crazy happens, like shooting, you get her somewhere safe. I will make it on my own.”
“Yes, sir.” The driver looked terrified.
“You stay here, Sofia, no matter what. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Thank you.”
He chuckled. “Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t even gotten out of the car.”
After he got out, he pulled his shirt down to conceal his weapon. He checked the street, but there were no cars around and no one outside.
He dashed across the street and slid into the shadow of the wall. He peered around the corner at the large iron gate, spotting a camera pointed at it.
He looked up at the eight-foot wall and shook his head. “I knew I wouldn’t get out of this without some physical exertion.”
Calvin was able to jam one foot into a crack in the wall and launch himself upward to grab the edge of the wall. He groaned mentally as he pulled himself up, and stole a look over the top. There was no one on the other side. He hauled himself the rest of the way up and perched on the top for a moment before jumping down on the other side. He dropped lightly onto the balls of his feet and crouched in the yard, listening carefully. He heard footsteps crunching through the gravel path that led to the front of the building.
He hurried to the side of the house and stood with his back pressed against the wall, waiting as the man got closer. When the guard turned the corner Calvin grabbed him, putting one hand over his mouth as he pulled his gun from the back of his pants and hit the man hard over the head. He caught him before he could hit the ground, in case the noise alerted his partner.
Calvin laid the guard on the ground, then dismantled his gun and scattered the pieces before rifling through his pockets. He had no ID, and nothing else of any importance on him. Calvin dragged him out of view and crept toward the back door. He peered around the frosted glass panel and saw the other guard standing at the kitchen sink with his back to Calvin.
Calvin opened the back door and rushed the guard, giving him no time to react. Calvin slammed the butt of his gun against the guy’s head, knocking him out instantly. This time he let the asshole drop. He cleared the rest of the house to be sure there were no other guards, then made his way upstairs and into the first room on the right.
He pulled open the dresser drawer and rifled through, finding Sofia’s passport at the bottom. Calvin looked at the jewelry on the dresser and the clothes in the drawers and rolled his eyes, knowing he needed to bring some of her stuff with him. There was a book bag on the chair, and a quick look showed him her college books packed neatly inside. He went through each drawer, grabbing a few things and shoving them in the bag. Before he closed it, he took the jewelry box with the diamonds—obvious gifts from her asshole boyfriend—and dumped them in the front. He zipped it shut and hooked it over his shoulder.
Calvin hurried from the room, back down the stairs, and into the kitchen. It was too dangerous for him to go out the front, with the extra guards probably on their way. He stepped over the guy on the kitchen floor on his way out the door.
He made short work of the wall, hitting the ground on the other side just as a car pulled up out front. He waited by the wall until the car was through and the gate was shut again before taking off down the street toward the waiting taxi.
As he approached Sofia pushed open the door, and he passed her the bag and got inside, shutting the door behind
him. He told the cabbie to take off, wanting as much distance between them and the house as possible. Sofia opened her bag and grabbed her passport, which she kissed and held it to her chest. She ran her fingers over her schoolbooks and began to cry.
Sophie turned to Calvin, tears flowing down her face. “Gracias, señor, por enviarme este hombre para ayudar. Muchas gracias. Thank you so much. Now I won’t fail my classes, and I can get out of this place. Thank you so much.”
Calvin gave her a smile, touched that something as ordinary as homework meant so much to her. It was obvious she hadn’t been made for the life he’d rescued her from. She’d just gotten caught up in something beyond her power to get out of.
She closed her bag and put her head back, wiping her tears. “I met Manuel while I was here on vacation. He seemed like such a sweet guy. He showered me with gifts, doted on me, and told me how much he loved me. I eventually found out about his wife, but it didn’t matter because I believed he loved me. Eventually, though, things changed, and I discovered he wasn’t the man I thought he was. I became a golden girl to him, someone to put on a pedestal. If I did anything that didn’t fit his image of me he would get mad, and if I argued back he would hit me.”
“Well, you are out of that life now.” Calvin kept a lid on the anger bubbling inside of him. “I will do my damnedest to make sure you get to safety.”
Calvin hated to see her cry, and he hated her story. He hated the fact that some man had treated her like a possession. Hers was a story like something he’d see on television, not something he’d thought actually occurred. He’d been so absorbed with hunting demons that he’d forgotten humans were evil too. Bastards like Manuel lurked in the shadows, preying on the weak and the innocent and hurting women like Sofia.
She wasn’t the only one out there, but she was the only one Calvin could help at that moment—and that was exactly what he was going to do.
Chapter Sixteen
