The Harvesters: A Detective Devora Lobos Novel

by William J Manning

  “Yeah, that pesky procedure is always rearing its ugly head.”

  Radomir did as I predicted: he wouldn’t surrender if cornered. He would go down fighting; however, when an FBI sniper has you in his crosshairs, you will not have time to get a good battle going. That being said, I’m glad his brains fertilized the floor. A man like him has no right to live.

  I leave the building and spot Tanner standing by his SUV. “Hold out your hand.” He opens his palms, and I place the DEA badge in his hand. “Radomir’s dead, Gabriella is on her way to prison. I’m quit.” I turn and head back to my car.

  “Lobos, I could use you again think of all the great things we could do for the war on drugs. This war could use more soldiers like you.”

  I stop and glower at him. “Nope. I told you, after this, I’m done.”

  “You don’t want credit for this?”

  “No. give it to some agent who could use the career boost.”

  I head to the hospital to check on Jerry, see how he’s holding up. Considering what he and my ex-husband did to me, I shouldn’t give a shit how he’s doing, but he really came through and helped me a lot on this case.

  I step into Jerry’s hospital room. “Hey, Lobos. How’d it go with Radomir?”

  “Dead.”

  He chuckles. “His ego wouldn’t let him surrender, huh? Oh well, good riddance.”

  “FBI’s turning his club upside down so they can go after the rest of his organization. Merryweather is still on his way to prison, and so are the two Catfishers.”

  “So your case is done. You gonna go back to the homicide desk?”

  “Probably. I may spend a few more days with the fam before going back.”

  “It’s good you got a family. However, I still believe family’s overrated.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Ah, don’t be sorry. It gets me out of those awkward family gatherings on the holidays. I can sit at home on the holidays, have a few drinks, and pass out staring at the ocean.”

  “That sounds like my kind of holiday.”

  “So why’d come here for? I know it ain’t because you was concerned.”

  “I just came down to fill you in on how everything played out, and yes, I came to check on you to see how you’re doing, asshole.”

  “Good. Now let me get some rest and see about these fine ass nurses.”

  I let out a half chuckle. “Take care of yourself, Jerry.”

  “You do the same, Devora. And hey, sorry about the sex tape that was fucked up. If I could remove them off the internet, I would, but you know how the net is.”

  I cross my arms. “It was a shitty thing you did to me, but you stepped into hell with me, and I won’t forget that.”

  He nods. “Well, consider it part of my apology.”

  I leave the hospital and climb into my Dodge and head back to my hotel room.

  ***

  I step into my room, and an arm wraps around me, my neck cutting off my air. A pricking sensation shoots through my neck, and they shove me on the floor, binding my hands. I get a glimpse of three masked assailants before everything goes black.

  Chapter 38

  My vision slowly returns, images of tall trees with moss hanging off them, mangroves growing from the water with algae floating on the surface. The ground is wet and hard, smells of old wood—a dress shoe steps in my field of view. The foot winds back and slams into my gut, coughing erupts from my mouth while gasping to catch my breath. Someone grabs my arms and lifts me up, and shoves me down in a ragged chair. I realize whoever took me brought me out to the Everglades.

  It doesn’t take a detective to realize their intentions are nothing nice.

  A short athletic man in a red and black button-down slams his fist into my jaw. My head jerks backward. “Tsk, tsk. Agent Lobos, Agent Lobos, we meet again.”

  I spit blood out of my mouth. “Freeman! So who did you sell your ass to this time?”

  “This time? I’ve always been loyal to the people I work for on my side hustle.” He leans down and smiles at me. “You always need a side hustle, sweet cheeks.”

  “Who are the people you’re loyal to? Radomir?”

  He takes a puff of his E-cigarette. “Pfft, Radomir? That psychotic monkey who kills his own people at the drop of a hat? No, I prefer employers with business acumen over the ones who rule with sadistic violence and paranoia.”

  “Gabriella. It was you who was keeping tabs on my investigation for her.”

  “That’s right, sister. The cocaine tycoon herself called on me to make sure you’re complying with her demands.”

  “Let me guess, she’s on her way to prison, but she wants revenge for Mateo, so she sends you to avenge her son.”

  He claps his hands and blows smoke in my face. “Excellent Detective work, Lobos.”

  “That E-Cig makes you look like your sucking off a robot.”

  “Funny.”

  I hear two people approaching from behind. “So you’re still running with the same corrupt pieces of shit? Let’s see what are their names: Officer Brianne Reiter and Officer Dorian Adams; tell me something you and Dorian still sharing Brianne in bed?”

  A hand snatches my hair, yanking my head back. “Devora Lobos, so nice to see you haven’t changed.” The tanned woman is built like she never missed a day in spin class.

  “Still shitting where you eat, I see, Brianne.”

  “Let’s stop with the showboating and just kill her.”

  Brianne pulls her brown hair in a ponytail and smiles at the man who approaches from my left. “Patience, my sweet, Dorian. Gabriella wants this to be slow.” She turns to me and scowls. “You know, Lobos, to this day, I still don’t understand you; you could’ve made some serious bank by teaming up with us back in the day, but you choose the higher path, the path of a sucker.”

  “Well, I guess some of us still have some honor left in this shitty world, Brianne. Some of us still remember what the badge stands for. Protect and serve, not protect and serve ourselves.”

  Dorian scoffs. “Deluded as always, Lobos.”

  Saul crosses his arms. “Lobos, Gabriella did you a favor by sparing your life down in Mexico, and her request to repay the favor was quite simple. Focus on the Harvesters and shut them down and go home. A small debt to pay.” He circles around the chair like a predator. “But what do you do? You go after Radomir, you destroy her operations, kill her son, send her to prison, destroy the cut we got from her drug and sex trafficking Ops.”

  I shrug. “Anything else?”

  He laughs and backhands me. “No, that about covers it.”

  Brianne rests her arms on my shoulder. “You know, I think after we’re finished here. I’m going to pay your niece a little visit.” Bile builds in my gut as she bites my ear and shoves her hand down my pants, rubbing it. I flinch as she violently shoves her two fingers inside me. “After all, I’m into girls too, Lobos.” Her voice quivers. “It’s a shame it has to be like this. Being inside you is making me so wet.”

  My jaw clenches. “You die first, Brianne. You will die screaming.”

  “Stop this shit!” Dorian barks.

  She giggles. “Don’t be a buzz kill, baby.” She walks in front of me, sucking on her finger. “You should’ve explored your sexuality more, Lobos. I could tell you were getting turned on. Sadly, it’s something you’ll have to do in your next life.”

  Saul takes a drag from his E-cig. “Lobos, you’ve accomplished nothing by shutting down Gabriella. All you did was create a power vacuum in Miami for the next Drug lord to fill the void. So many Law enforcement officers die in the war on drugs for very little pay.”

  “So that makes it okay to say fuck the law and betray the public’s trust because you’re not getting what you feel is an adequate payday? Cry me a fucking river.”

  Brianne shakes her head. “It’s so sad to see a hero cop like yourself accept the status quo. You’re miserable. I can see it in your eyes, Lobos. Deep down, you know you’re one bad day a
way from being like us.”

  “If I ever turn into either of you, that’ll be the day I eat my own gun.”

  Brianne frowns. “You’re a sappy girl, Lobos.”

  Freeman pulls out a big knife. “Get her shirt off. Gabriella wants us to use a knife.”

  She grabs my shirt and rips it off and smiles. She grabs a handful and briefly caresses my tits. “So nice, Lobos. I’d love some time with these in bed.” Bile churns in my stomach as I feel her disgusting tongue circle my nipple. I briefly leave my body as her tongue moves toward my pelvis area. She’s about to undo my belt when Dorian scolds her. His sharp tone snaps me back to the moment. “Brianne! Enough!” his voice booms like a drill sergeant.

  “Okay, fine.” She smiles. “The men doesn’t want us ladies to have any fun, Lobos.” She walks over to Saul and Dorian, resting her arms on both of them.

  “I’m not gonna bullshit you, Lobos. If I had my way, I’d kill you quick and painlessly, but Gabriella wants us to kill you slowly.” He places the blade at my shoulder blade; I scream as the blade slices down my chest and stops just above my pelvic area; he positions the blade on my right shoulder. I let out another wail as the blade cuts deep into my flesh, making an X across my torso. He drags the knife down my cheek, and I cry out as blood runs down my face.

  I lower my head, groaning and thrashing. “You three are living on borrowed time.”

  Brianne leers at me and bites her lower lip. “I think we should remove her tits next.”

  Sick fucking bitch!

  Freeman passes her the knife. She grabs one of my breasts and lays the cold steel on my right tit. “Such a waste of beautiful boobs.” When she tries to steal a kiss from me, I slam my head into her nose. She stumbles backward and lands on her back. Brianne clutches her nose. “That fucking cunt broke my nose.”

  “That’s what you get for being stupid.” Dorian snaps.

  Freeman slugs me in my nose. A flash of red fills my vision; pain shoots through my face. I tilt my head back, wincing.

  “Goddamn, it! Let’s just fucking shoot her and get it over with.”

  “Gabriella wants us to make an example of her. So we mutilate her and hang her naked disemboweled corpse from one of these trees! Now get with the fucking program, Dorian!”

  My entire chest is throbbing with pain, my face pulsates with agony as if I have a thousand paper cuts.

  Dorian throws his hands up. “Killing her is one thing, but mutilating her and letting our girl sexually assault her. That’s beyond fucking twisted, bro. Fuck this, I’m out!” he storms off the dock.

  Freeman storms after him. “Goddamn, Dorian! Get back here, you sanctimonious prick!”

  A few minutes later, I hear them scuffling over how to kill me.

  Now’s my chance to get out of this chair and kill Ms. Pedo. I see two gators watching us from the surface of the water.

  Her nose is bleeding a lot, hmm. The chair is made of wood and a flimsy wood at that. Idiots never did my legs; I guess they’re relying on their numbers to keep me in check. I rock the chair side-to-side till it falls over and the chair breaks to pieces. Brianne leaps to her feet with a death grip on the blade. She slashes, trying to take my head off, but I duck and slug her in the sternum. Brianne gasps for air, frantically trying to catch her breath. I yank her Glock out of the holster and fire off several rounds into her gut as I’m pushing her toward the edge of the dock. We both plunge into the water. I swiftly swim to the shoreline and pull myself out of the water. A high pitch screech exploded from her lungs as one gator chomps down on her shoulder and drags her into a death roll.

  “Brianne no!” Freeman draws a gun. “Goddamn you, Lobos! Fuck Gabriella. Shoot the bitch!” A rain of bullets flies from across the other bank, hitting the mud and blowing chunks of bark from the trees as I rush into the woods with sticks and thorny brush digging into the soils of my feet. Running through the swamp with my tits out and barefooted, bullets zipping over my head take that John McLane.

  A bullet snaps over my head, forcing me to fall face first into the muck.

  Shit, I got to find a way to lose them or kill them.

  The bastards are circling around the water to a hiker’s bridge that leads across the bog. I keep low and head deeper into the marshy forest. I drop to a prone position, hiding in the brush, and crawl, trying to not move the plants much. “Lobos! Where are you, bitch!” Dorian growls.

  My body jerks when I feel fire ants biting my hands and chest. I grit my teeth, trying to bear the pain when I see one of them getting close to my position. Dorian walks right past me, and I knock the ants off me, move to a tree and get to my feet and lean against it.

  “Lobos! Where you gonna go? You’re barefooted, wounded and topless in the middle of nowhere? I mean, even if you lose us, how long will it be before you die of heatstroke, snake bite, infection… snatched by a gator!” I creep to another nearby tree and grip the Glock 17 I took off of Ms. Gator Bait. Dorian walks right by me with his weapon aimed at the mangroves. I freeze.

  If I make a move, I need to take him quietly. Still, there’s a risk Freeman will hear the commotion; however, my only other option is to keep playing hide and seek till I pass out from heat exhaustion or these assholes get bored and leave which heat exhaustion will come before these assholes get bored; you don’t half-ass a job Gabriella is paying you for.

  Screw it loud and proud it is. I level the gun at the back of his head while he’s still studying the mangroves. The Glock fires, and his brains fertilize the soil.

  “Dorian!” Freeman screams.

  Rapid footsteps tromp through the grass and sloshing through the muck. I lean around the tree and fire off a few shots, forcing Freeman to drop to the ground and crawl behind a tree. He leans around to get a shot off, but my nine-mil cracks off a few slugs, chipping away at the tree bark forces him back behind cover.

  He laughs sarcastically. “You’re gonna die in this Swamp, Lobos. You killed the only people I loved.”

  I sit down and lean against the tree. “Gabriella killed someone I cared about, so I’d say we’re even.”

  “So what’s the plan here? We wait to see who dies of dehydration first?”

  “If that’s how you want to do it, then a war of attrition it is.”

  “Though you may die of dehydration first, I brought water. I am willing to bet a booze hound like you won’t last long in this heat.”

  “Enjoy it because it may be your last sip of water.”

  “All this could’ve been avoided, Lobos, had you just repaid that simple favor to her.”

  “Freeman, you know as well as I do if I had stopped with Merryweather, Radomir would have just found more crooked surgeons.”

  “Probably, but that wasn’t your problem.”

  “Of course, a corrupt parasite like you would say something like that. You lost the light a long time ago.”

  “And that kind of thinking is why you’re in this predicament—besides, Lobos. Gabriella told us all about you. You’re not so squeaky clean. Also, you talk about protect and serve, but chastise us for protecting ourselves and serve ourselves.”

  “You gotta point to this, drivel?”

  “If we all protect and serve ourselves. Then what were you doing when you killed half of Gabriella’s men in a grief-stricken rampage, huh? There’s nothing more self-serving than revenge, Lobos.”

  “Fuck you!”

  “I know I said you were one bad day away from being just like us, but based on the shit you’ve done in the past forty-eight hours.” He lets out a sarcastic chuckle. “But holy shit, did you go above and beyond us; I mean, you fed my two lovers to the gators. I’d say your bad day has come and gone. You’re already beyond us.”

  “Your girlfriend is a rapist pederast that got what was coming to her.”

  He lets out a guttural roar and fires blindly around the tree, shaving away at the bark. “Cunt! I am gonna kill you, I swear to fucking Christ.”

  I laugh. “Aww, did I hit a nerv
e?”

  Sweat drips from my hair, and the soupy air makes it hard to breathe. If I don’t come up with a plan, I’m gonna die out here.

  “I’m bored, Lobos. You gonna make a move or what!”

  I grip my gun tighter and stand.

  “I mean, you gotta be sick of this heat. I know I am, so what do you say we just jump out on the count of three and start blasting at each other and let the fates decide.”

  “What’s a matter? Losing your pedo girlfriend, making you suicidal now? Trust me, I did you a favor.”

  “You fucking bitch!”

  That’s it, motherfucker. Come on.

  He rushes out of cover and starts blazing his weapon. Chunks explode from the tree. His gun lets out a clicking sound. “Gabriella told me to make an example of you, but I think I’m just going to break both your legs and feed you to the gators.” He changes magazines and racks the slide. “Fitting punishment, don’t ya think?”

  I leap out of cover and shoot him, but he’s not there.

  What the hell? He’s gone.

  His arm wraps around my neck, choking me. “Gotcha, bitch!” he growls. “You fed our girlfriend to the gators. It’s only fitting you suffer the same fate.” He drags me to the water’s edge.

  “I don’t think they’ll eat anymore; they’re probably sick from puking her up.”

  He growls and slings me on the ground and kicks me in the stomach repeatedly, and climbs on top of me, choking me. Freeman cocks his arm back to punch me, but I stop it short and trap his arm and lock my legs around his neck, and arching my back, increasing the pressure. He flails around, gasping for air, trying to pull my legs apart, but my legs are locked tight. His movements are slowing as he becomes lethargic and passes out. I shove him off of me and snatch his Kimber 1911 out of his holster and back up and train the sights on him. He regains consciousness and stares at me like a deer in the headlights. He frantically reaches for his gun.

  “That’s right, it’s yours.”

  He sneers. “You pull that trigger, you’re no different from us.”

  “Wrong. I’m not gonna be shit out by a gator.” The forty-five recoils twice, shattering his knees. He falls to the ground screaming. Two massive gators surface on the water and swim toward Saul.