Seconds later, a tremendous wave of fire, heat, and debris spread across the area, propelled by the force of the explosions. Much of the debris came from buildings and vehicles in the tank farm that had been destroyed in the first blast. That wave caught up with the police cars pursuing Soulless and engulfed them. The cops inside were cooked alive by the high temperature. The wave kept coming as Gwen got the van up to seventy miles an hour.
“It’s headed for us,” Elliot whispered. When he looked at Soulless, he was amazed to see the man appeared to be calm and was even smiling.
The bastard gets off on causing catastrophes, Elliot thought. He loves creating mayhem.
The wave seemed to pause, then shrank, and finally dissipated, as had the daytime effect caused by the blasts. There was still a glow in the sky. Later, it would be reported that the blast was heard over twenty miles away, and that the glow was visible beyond that.
The town they had been staying in was ablaze. Before the fires would be extinguished many hours later, most of the town will have been destroyed, leaving hundreds homeless, twenty-six dead, and twelve with burns over sixty percent of their bodies.
Soulless had chosen the area because of the tank farms. In recent years, the Italians had taken to storing most of their fuel underground, but not yet all of it. Soulless had taken advantage of that, with Gwen’s help.
Elliot was in shock. Of course, he had yet to hear the reports stating the damage, but he knew it had to be horrific. He turned his head to look at Gwen. He no longer saw her as desirable. No, there wasn’t enough sex appeal in the world to make up for the horrendous devastation she’d helped to cause. There were families living in that town, children, and Gwen had designed a bomb that had possibly annihilated them. He couldn’t continue to deny what was true. She was as much a monster as Soulless.
“Elliot, are you all right?” Gwen asked him.
All he could do was nod.
They drove on, headed south toward the coast, and arrived at a seaside resort at eight o’clock. Elliot wondered if they were going to stay there or stop and eat at one of the restaurants. They did both. Gwen stopped for gas, then picked up food and brought it back to the van.
Elliot only had coffee. He couldn’t eat because he kept thinking about the horror show they had left behind. Soulless and Gwen had no trouble eating, and after downing their food, Gwen got the van moving again. They drove only a mile farther when she pulled off the road and parked in front of an office for a resort that rented small cottages on the Mediterranean.
“Are we staying here?” Elliot asked.
“That’s right,” Gwen said. “And they know me as Mrs. Miller here. Soulless is Mr. Miller, and you’re his nurse.”
“If you say anything that makes anyone suspicious of us, you’re dead,” Soulless told him.
Elliot was used to the threat and nodded. He was more interested in something Gwen had said.
“They know you here?”
“I rented a place here already and told them my husband would be along soon. This way, if the police put out an alert to places asking about any new guests, we won’t be on that list. We’re already established here.”
“That was smart,” Elliot said, and it was true. He hated to admit it, but he knew the idea had been Soulless’s and not Gwen’s. Mass murderer or not, Soulless wasn’t dumb. Elliot feared that if he had to rely on the police to save him, that he’d be waiting forever. He’d managed to send them photos of Soulless and the man had shot two of them to death and killed God only knew how many others with the blast.
Elliot knew of only one way Soulless might be stopped—Tanner. He was sure Tanner would still be looking for the man. And thanks to Elliot, the world would know that Soulless was in Italy.
Elliot Lipson, Tanner Fan #1, was certain Tanner would come after Soulless, and just as certain that in a battle between the two, Soulless would die.
“What are you smiling about, nurse?” Soulless asked him.
“Nothing,” Elliot said. “Nothing at all.”
22
Italy Bound
Like most people around the world, Cody had seen the news and viewed video concerning the tanker farm fire in Italy, but he didn’t become aware of the connection to Soulless until he received a call from Jacques Durand.
Durand was the head of an agency based in Europe that worked behind the scenes to take out terrorists and other threats that were more than the police or traditional law enforcement agencies could handle. The public knew nothing about them or their methods, and their only aim was to get results.
In recent years, Durand had been working out of the agency’s North American offices and spreading his time between France and New York City. Durand had also married Sara’s mother, Lily, which made him Cody’s stepfather.
“Soulless was behind the tanker explosions?”
“That’s right,” Durand said. “And we believe he’s still in the country.”
“Why are you calling, Jacques?”
“I think you know already. We’d like your help on this, and we’re willing to pay.”
“You can save your money. I already want Soulless. We’ve tangled twice, and both times the man has managed to survive. I won’t be satisfied this time until I see him dead with my own eyes.”
“Are you saying you’ll be going to Italy?”
“As soon as I can. Will you be there?”
“I will. I’ll be supervising the hunt for the man and we’ll give you every assistance you need.”
“I’m sure I’ll need it. Italy is a large country. And there’s no guarantee Soulless is still there.”
“Tell me when you’ll be ready to leave, and I’ll send a jet for you. And thank you, Cody. With you after this monster, I know his reign of terror will end.”
“I’ll be able to give you a time once I’ve talked to Sara.”
“Give her and the children my love,” Jacques said.
Cody found Sara in their bedroom. She was going through the closet looking for items to donate to a local charity that helped the homeless. Cody told her about Jacques’s call.
“Italy?” Sara said. “When?”
“As soon as possible. Would you like to come along?”
“I would, but it’s not a good time. Daddy and Jenny are coming to visit next week, remember?”
“Right, and I hope to be back by then, but I can’t say for sure.”
“Why the hell did Soulless blow up a tanker farm?”
“As a diversion. Instead of looking for him and setting up roadblocks and checkpoints, the authorities had all they could do to get the blaze under control and help the injured.”
Sara laid a hand on Cody’s chest. “You go to Italy and find him. If anyone can, it’s you.”
“I hope so. But I’d rather be here. I’ll miss you and the kids.”
Sara kissed him. “We’ll miss you too.”
When Cody told Henry he’d be leaving for Italy, his protégé asked him if he could come along.
“What about school?”
“I’ve got a light class schedule this semester and it won’t ruin my grades if I miss a few classes. If the search lasts for more than eight days, I’ll have to come back.”
“It could last longer than that, or Jacques’s people might find out something that will lead us to Soulless. Either way, I don’t think Soulless is your main reason for wanting to go to Italy. Am I right?”
Henry smiled. “You know me well. Yeah, I want to see Makayla if I get the chance, but only after you track down Soulless.”
“What part of Italy is she in?”
“Milan.”
“That’s far north. Soulless might be in another part of the country.”
Henry hung his head. “If it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. Makayla and I haven’t spoken on the phone in more than a year. It just would have been nice to see her.”
“We’ll make it happen, Henry. After we deal with Soulless, we’ll go to Milan before heading home.
”
Henry looked up. “Thank you, Cody. I have an address for her. It’s her parent’s house and she might not live there anymore, but her mom will tell me where to find her. Mrs. Albertini always liked me.”
“Good. Pack a bag and meet me at the house in two hours. I have to say goodbye to my family.”
Lucas’s small face formed a frown. “Why can’t I come with you on your trip?”
“Because it will be a long trip. Mommy also wants to make sure you’re here for your grandfather and aunt’s visit. They’re coming to visit us next week.”
“Can we go somewhere together when you get back?”
“Where would you like to go?”
Lucas shrugged. “Anywhere, as long as we’re all together.”
Cody held out his hand. “It’s a deal.”
Lucas smiled as he placed his small hand in his father’s grip. Marian had been quiet, but her bottom lip was sticking out in a pout.
“I can’t go?”
Cody picked her up. “No, honey, but I’ll bring you something back, okay?”
“What, Daddy?”
“What would you like?”
“A house.”
“A house? Do you mean a dollhouse?”
Marian shook her head while giving Cody a look that told him he was being dense.
“A house. I want a house.”
“Like one of those plastic playhouses we saw at the toy store last week?”
“Bigger,” Marian said. “And no plastic.”
She wasn’t yet two, but Cody had noticed that his daughter didn’t think small and had definite opinions about things. He kissed her on the cheek.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
After saying goodbye to the kids, Cody and Sara said goodbye to each other in their bedroom. After a quick shower, Cody dressed and headed out to his pickup truck. He’d called Jacques and let him know that there would be two of them flying to Italy.
Henry appeared carrying a black duffle bag.
“What do we do for weapons when we get there, Cody?”
“Jacques’s people will be handling that, along with spending money, hotels, and transportation. We’ll be given documentation that will identify us as being Italian federal agents.”
“Cool, but some people might think I’m too young to be an agent.”
“You are, but you look older with that beard. We might never need to flash the IDs either. It’s a precaution in case we have to deal with cops.”
“I’ll get a chance to use my Italian on native speakers. Maybe I’ll pick up the accent.”
“There are over thirty dialects, but everyone you meet will understand you, and more than a few people there speak English.”
With their bags secured in the rear of the pickup, Cody placed the truck in gear and drove toward the airport in Brownsville. He was headed to Italy and determined to see Soulless dead.
In Italy, a boat mechanic and part-time thug named Franco was staring at the photos of Soulless and Gwen printed in the newspaper. Franco recognized Gwen. He had done some work on her boat and had hit on her in the local bar. Gwen had shot him down, and Franco had forgotten about her until now.
When he saw there was a reward being offered for their whereabouts, Franco walked outside the boathouse and searched the dock for the sailing boat Gwen owned. It was there. She had named it, Bombs Away. Judging by what they were saying about the woman, Franco had to smile at the boat’s name. He also saw a chance to claim that reward and be named a hero. Heroes got lots of women.
Franco kept an eye on the boat all day, but no one showed for it. That was good. He had plans and needed time to get everything together. After work, he met with two of his friends at a bar, Matteo and Lorenzo. They were full-time thugs who made money working for a man named Marcello. Marcello had a nephew named Nario, who was eighteen.
Franco wasn’t happy to see that Nario had tagged along. Nario had a slight build and was short. Despite that, the boy attracted women like bees to a flower. It was his face, it was like something you’d expect to see on an angel, and it was topped by a mass of golden curls. The women that ignored Franco were drawn to Nario.
Franco, although tall and muscular, had a not-so-handsome face. Having been a boxer during his teens hadn’t improved his looks, especially with the losing record he’d chalked up. Matteo and Lorenzo were of a similar type. They were thugs and they looked like thugs.
Franco pointed at Nario. “Why is he here? I told you I had serious business to discuss.”
Matteo answered. “Nario can help us. You said what you had in mind could be dangerous. Nario can get us a gun.”
“You have a gun?” Franco asked Nario.
“I can get one of my uncle’s guns,” Nario said. “He won’t miss it. He has a few of them, and he keeps a shotgun under the bar at the club.”
Franco considered that. Having a gun would make things safer. As hard as they were to get in Italy, Soulless could have a weapon, and the reward didn’t say anything about having to take the man alive.
“Bring us the shotgun.”
Nario shook his head and the golden curls shimmered. Nearby, two women were seated at a table together; they were staring at Nario. It made Franco want to hurt him.
“I can’t bring the shotgun. My uncle would miss it, but he might not miss the gun he keeps in his desk.”
“Just bring a gun then. And make sure it’s loaded.”
When Franco told the others what he had planned over a round of beers, Lorenzo had a question.
“Why don’t we call the police and tell them about the boat? That way, they can keep an eye on it and take all the risk.”
“And what if they say later that they received an anonymous tip, so they don’t have to pay the reward? You know you can’t trust cops. Another thing, Lorenzo, think how badass it will look for us if we bring Soulless in ourselves. We’ll be national heroes and women will want to sleep with us.”
Lorenzo smiled while imagining himself on the news.
“We need a camera,” Matteo said. “We could film the capture and sell it to the news. That would make us even more famous. Someone might make a movie about it.”
Franco liked that idea. He pointed at Nario. “You can film us when we grab up Soulless and the woman.”
“Why me?” Nario asked.
“Because I said so. It will also keep you safer if you’re not near Soulless. Your Uncle Marcello would kill us if anything happened to you.”
“Do I still get part of the reward?”
“Yeah, why not.”
“All right, then I’ll film it. My uncle also has a cool camera. It can zoom in real close.”
“We have to take turns watching the boat and hope that they show up soon,” Franco said. “I can keep watch during the day while I’m working, but you guys will have to take nights.”
“That’s no good,” Lorenzo said. “What if they come here and take off quickly and you’re at home?”
“We’ll all sleep in the boathouse, and during the day, you guys can hang out at Marcello’s club. I’m betting they’ll come at night since they won’t want to risk being seen by too many people.”
“They’d better come soon. I don’t want to do this for weeks,” Matteo said.
“If the cops were looking for you and you had a boat they didn’t know about, wouldn’t you get on it and sail away?” Franco said. “They’ll be here soon, and then we’ll all get famous.”
Tanner and Henry arrived in Italy by private jet and were met by Jacques Durand. Durand was in his fifties and had a laid-back demeanor and sleepy eyes. The eyes were deceptive, as he was more alert than most and sharp as could be.
When he shook hands with Tanner, Tanner saw him looking at Henry.
“You two have met before, right?”
“I met a boy named Henry when Lily and I visited the ranch last year, when Marian was born. This Henry appears to be a young man,” Jacques said with a smile, and in his French accent.
<
br /> “Henry is my apprentice. Someday he’ll be a Tanner. He’ll be helping me to track down Soulless.”
“The more help the better,” Durand said.
“Is there any news about where he might be?”
“Not yet. The police officers that pulled over the van they were in radioed in the plate number, but it came back to another van. Soulless must have stolen the plates and exchanged them for the originals. There are forensic technicians combing the scene of the explosion. They’re hoping to find something that may lead us to Soulless and the woman.”
“Who is the woman?” Tanner asked.
“All we know is what the note said, that her name is Gwen and she’s Irish. Since the name is undoubtedly an alias, it doesn’t help much.”
“Any idea who left the note or the phone?”
“No, but it was written in English.”
“Has the phone given up any clues?”
“That phone was on the scene when the tanks exploded. We’re lucky the police detective who responded had the good sense to transmit the photos to his department, or we’d have nothing. Sadly, the man perished during the explosions.”
“Henry and I will get settled in, then we’ll go look at the scene where the explosions took place. There’s not much we can do until someone calls in a tip or your forensic people find a clue.”
“We’ve gotten hundreds of calls since their photos were printed in the paper. The police are checking those out.”
“If anyone mentions that Soulless uses a cane or has a limp, take that tip more seriously. Henry here nearly took off his leg with a sniper rifle the last time we tangled. I only got a glance at the wound, but it didn’t look like the type that would heal quickly.”
“I’ll add that to the information. That may prove to be important. Thank you for coming, Cody. With you here, I have a feeling Soulless’s days are numbered.”
“If we meet again, I’ll kill him. Count on it.”
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Soulless (A Tanner Novel Book 43) Page 23
