“He’ll hurt you one day too,” Elliot said. “It’s what he does.”
Gwen laughed. “Soulless is my fella and he loves me.”
“No. You love him. It’s not the same thing.”
Gwen turned and went back to the helm as Soulless came up from below. Elliot flinched when he headed toward him.
“Relax, nurse. I’m taking off the handcuffs. We’ll be in port soon and you’re going to be locked up below and gagged until we get back.”
Elliot remained silent.
“Nothing to say?”
“Can I have some water?”
“When we get back. And we should have a surprise for you.”
Elliot couldn’t help it. He had to ask. “What sort of surprise?”
Soulless patted him on the cheek. “We’re going to get you a girlfriend.”
On the small island where Elliot made his failed attempt at escape, the woman Gwen had threatened to kill was preparing to head home for the day. Her name was Mya Baros, and she was from Greece.
There was still more than ten pounds of bluefin tuna left in the freezer from that morning’s catch. Mya decided to take some home. The owner allowed it and it was one of the few perks of the job. It was welcome and needed. Mya had three children and money was tight since her husband had been injured on the job and couldn’t work.
When she grabbed a sheet of newspaper to wrap the fish in, Mya saw Gwen’s photo beside that of Soulless’s. Mya was good at remembering faces. She was certain Gwen was the woman she’d spoken to at the back of the store earlier.
She rarely had time to watch TV and didn’t visit news websites on her phone, so she’d never seen the pictures before. She had heard about the deliberate sabotage of the tanks where there was gasoline stored and had said a prayer for those lost in the tragedy.
There was a number listed underneath the photos. A tip hotline. Mya called the number, and Tanner was one step closer to finding Soulless.
Soulless had changed the name of Gwen’s boat while Elliot had been unconscious. The Bombs Away now bore an Italian name, the Bellissima. The name meant beautiful in English. It was an amateur job and looked shoddy. Soulless had lacked the proper tools or knowledge to do skilled work when changing the lettering. It didn’t matter. He and Gwen planned to sink the ship soon.
They left Elliot handcuffed, tied, and gagged down in the boat’s galley, made arrangements with the dockmaster’s office to stay overnight, then strolled down the dock to where several boats were for sale.
Soulless and Gwen had come up with a plan that would get the authorities off their backs and give them a start at a new life. In order for that to happen, they would need another boat. Although it was too late to buy one, they were able to view the boats. They didn’t need anything large or fancy, and when Gwen spotted a skiff that had a 60-horsepower engine attached to its stern, she told Soulless it was just what they would need.
“Are you sure it will get us to Greece from that tiny island you told me about?”
“It will, but we’ll have to go slow to conserve fuel.”
“We’ll come back in the morning and buy it, and by this time tomorrow we’ll be in Greece.”
Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Elliot had been right when he said that Gwen loved Soulless. She loved him and was willing to do anything to be with him, even abandon her life and start over as someone else.
“I want to have a good time tonight before we head back to the boat. I want to eat, drink, and be merry.”
“I don’t do merry, but I’m ready to eat and drink,” Soulless said, and Gwen laughed.
They found a nightclub on the island. After having two drinks, Gwen wanted to dance, but Soulless said no.
“Because of your leg?”
“I don’t dance, but you can dance with other men. I’m not the jealous type.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Go ahead.”
Gwen did dance, and she was good at it. Soulless watched without expression. He wanted her to enjoy herself. And while he was furious that his face had been displayed everywhere for anyone to see, he was glad he no longer had to kill Gwen. That was the case when she and Tanner were the only ones who knew what he looked like, but now that everyone knew, she could go on living.
Elliot had also been correct when he said Soulless didn’t love Gwen, but the assassin did like having her around. She never told him no when he wanted sex, was useful to him as a bomb expert, and pleasant to look at. If he ever grew tired of her, or she of him, then he would probably have to kill her. For now, they were a couple and made for a good team.
Soulless was drinking too, but he was going to limit himself to four whiskies. Any more than that and he might not keep his wits about him.
It seemed unlikely anyone would notice them on an island crowded with foreign tourists, but if it happened, he’d have to deal with it.
Gwen returned to their table after dancing with several men, the last of which held her hand and whispered in her ear. He was a young, good-looking guy with longish blond hair. Gwen said something to him that made him frown as he released her hand.
She returned to the table and gave Soulless a passionate kiss.
“That last guy, is there a problem?”
“He wanted me to stay with him, but I told him to feck off. I belong only to you.”
Soulless smiled and kissed her back. It was the best way to stop her from speaking.
Jacques had arranged for a boat through his contacts. Tanner and Henry had loaded it with supplies before going to Marcello’s club, including a sniper rifle. Durand had been flown to the coast in a helicopter and dropped off near the pier. He joined Tanner and Henry at the boat while carrying a black leather travel bag and a laptop case. He also came bearing good news.
“They’ve been spotted on a small island southeast of here,” Durand said. “It sounds like Elliot Lipson is still with them.”
“If you have the coordinates, we’ll head there now and make adjustments if any new info comes in,” Tanner said.
“I’ll take the helm,” Jacques said. “You two can rest if you need to. You should be at your best in case we meet up with Soulless soon.”
Henry yawned. “I could use some sleep.”
“So could I,” Tanner said as he grabbed a case from the deck. “But before I lay down, I’ll assemble the sniper rifle I brought along. Soulless likes to use explosives. This rifle will make it possible for us to take him down without getting too close.”
“I’m glad you thought to bring it with you on the boat,” Jacques said. “No one wants this man taken alive. Soulless deserves to die for all the misery he’s caused, and the woman too. She must be his bomb maker, and just as responsible.”
“I don’t care about the woman, but if she gets in the way I’ll kill her. You’re right, she’s just as guilty.”
Henry untied the bow lines before heading down into one of the two staterooms to get some sleep, and Jacques maneuvered them out of the harbor and out to sea. The boat was about the same size as Gwen’s sailboat, but had more engine and fuel capacity. If they had to chase down Soulless and Gwen, their boat had enough speed to get the job done.
26
The Truth Comes Out
It was Gwen who picked the woman they would approach, but Soulless agreed with her choice.
Their victim was a hooker. She was about Gwen’s size and age and was standing with a group of her fellow hookers on the sidewalk down an alley.
It was unusual for a woman who wasn’t a pro to visit the alley, but not unheard of, and the reason for it was always clear.
“We want to party with you,” Gwen told the woman. She looked the hooker over and licked her lips before saying, “Both of us.”
The hooker went by the name of Seneca. She had an exotic look about her because she was of Italian and Japanese heritage. Seneca smiled at Gwen. “Your Italian isn’t bad, but where are you from?”
“I
’m English,” Gwen said. It seemed wise to lie when the police were searching for an Irish woman in connection with the recent bombs that went off in the tank field in Italy. And Gwen assumed the woman couldn’t tell the difference between the two accents.
Seneca looked at Soulless. “Does he speak Italian?”
“No, but he does other things, and he does them well.”
Seneca looked Soulless over and nodded. “I’ll party with the two of you.” She named a price and told Gwen they would have to pay for the room.
“We won’t need a room. We have a boat at the marina.”
“Ooh, even better,” Seneca said. “I love boats.”
They took a cab back to the marina and went aboard the boat renamed Bellissima. Seneca was impressed by the size of it and asked if she could have something to drink.
“We keep the liquor in the galley,” Gwen told her. Soulless led the way down the few steps it took to get below decks, and because he was taller and broader than Seneca, she didn’t see Elliot’s bound, gagged, and bruised form until she was already in the galley and Soulless had stepped aside.
Seneca held up her hands as she shook her head. “Oh no. This isn’t for me.”
She turned to head back up the steps and saw that Gwen was pointing a gun at her. Seneca sucked in air in preparation to scream for help and Soulless slammed a fist into the back of her head. Seneca staggered, but she kept her feet beneath her, so Soulless hit her again. The second blow put out Seneca’s lights and she fell to the floor near Elliot.
Elliot’s eyes were bulging in their sockets and he tried to speak but the gag made his words unintelligible. Soulless loosened the gag and asked him what he thought of the girl they got for him.
“What the hell are you talking about? Who is this woman?”
“She’s a hooker,” Gwen said, while slurring her words slightly from all the drinks she’d had. “Like you, no one will miss her when she’s gone.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Should I tell him?” Gwen asked Soulless.
“It doesn’t matter if he knows or not. He can’t do anything about it.”
Gwen pointed down at Seneca. “She’s going to be me, and you’re going to be Soulless. We’re going to scuttle this boat on a tiny island I know about. Only a few people go there, and by the time they find your bodies, you’ll be nothing but bones, but you’ll be bones with our fake IDs found on you. The police will think you two are us, and Soulless and I will start fresh. We’ll even get plastic surgery to change our looks.”
“You’re going to leave us there to starve?”
Gwen laughed. “No. We’ll kill you. I’ll make it as quick as possible. I don’t have anything against you or her. And you did help us when Soulless needed it.”
“And this is how you repay me?”
“It’s necessary, Elliot. And I think Soulless is right and that you’re the one who gave those pictures of us to the police. You did, didn’t you?”
Elliot was going to lie again, but he was angry and sick to death of tiptoeing around the two psychos that were standing over him.
“Yes. I took the pictures and left them where someone would find them. I’m the reason the police are after you and that they know what you look like.”
Elliot gazed up at Soulless. The man looked like he wanted to strangle him. Elliot didn’t care anymore, and it felt good to express his rage.
“Guess what, Soulless. I lied when I said I was a fan of yours. I wasn’t in Clear Valley to see you defeat Tanner.” Elliot laughed. “You couldn’t defeat Tanner if he were unarmed and you had a tank. I was there to watch Tanner kill you. My real screen name on the forum was Tanner Fan #1. And you know what else? It’s because of me that Tanner knows you were in Italy. I bet he’s looking for you. I bet he finds you, and I know he’ll kill you, you and this sick bitch of yours.”
Soulless sent a kick at Elliot’s face. Elliot had been expecting it and moved his head. Soulless’s foot slammed into the bulkhead behind Elliot, and a jolt of pain traveled up the leg that was still healing. Soulless cursed at the pain and took a step back.
Elliot laughed at him. “Look at you. I’m tied up and you can’t even handle me. Tanner will eat you alive.”
Soulless bellowed and grabbed a large cast iron skillet that was hanging on a hook. He raised it up, intending to beat Elliot to death with it, but Gwen grabbed his arm with both hands to stop him.
“No! We have to make it look as if he drowned or our plan might not work. It definitely won’t work if he’s found with his skull caved in.”
Soulless calmed himself. He rarely displayed his anger, but he had come to hate Elliot. That hatred stemmed from the fact that he had needed him at one time to survive and heal. Soulless detested needing anyone. He tossed the pan away, took in a deep breath, released it, then spoke to Elliot in a calm voice.
“You’re going to die tomorrow. And after you’re dead, the world will think you’re me. But I’ll still be living, and I’ll be with Gwen, the woman I know you want more than anything.”
“I don’t want her. And yes, you can kill me, but you’re not going to keep on living. Tanner will find you, Soulless. He’ll find you.”
Soulless glowered at Elliot. The antipathy radiating off the man was a physical thing. But he didn’t make threats or attempt to kill Elliot. When he did remove his glare from Elliot, his eyes landed on Seneca.
“We have to tie her up and gag her too, until we can buy the skiff and leave here,” he told Gwen.
“I’ll do it,” Gwen said. “You go into the stateroom and rest your leg.”
“I need water,” Elliot said. “And I have to pee too.”
Soulless had been headed for the main stateroom. He stopped walking, turned his head and stared at Elliot.
“No water for you. And just pee on yourself. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Elliot remained quiet. His anger was spent, and he knew there was no point in talking anymore. He was their prisoner, and so was the woman. If help didn’t come, they would be killed and Soulless and Gwen might actually make their plan work.
Then, Elliot thought of Tanner, and directed a silent plea toward the man, wherever he might be.
Please save us, Tanner, and put that monster Soulless in the grave where he belongs.
27
Judgement Day
Marcello was also preparing to head out to sea from the same pier Tanner departed from hours earlier. He’d received a tip from a fishing vessel that had spotted the Bombs Away before Soulless had gotten a chance to change the name.
One of the crewmen on the vessel was aware that Marcello was offering a reward, but unaware the police were offering one too. He told Marcello the direction the boat was headed, and he made a guess as to their destination. It was the resort island where Soulless and Gwen had wound up.
Marcello planned to locate Soulless first, then follow him and let Tanner know where Soulless was. When the assassin appeared, Marcello would use a weapon on him that he had acquired and had been waiting to get a chance to try out. It was a Beretta GLX160 grenade launcher.
Marcello would invite Tanner to wherever Soulless fled to, then blow him out of the water with the grenade launcher. Seeing that, Soulless would surrender. Marcello would not only be hailed a hero for capturing Soulless, but he’d be recognized by those in the underworld as the man who killed Tanner. With that reputation, no one would dare oppose him and he could expand his territory across Italy and beyond. Marcello set a course for the resort island, and what he hoped would be an unqualified success.
Tanner, Henry, and Jacques reached the island where Mya Baros lived and were at the store waiting for her when she showed up for work in the morning. She seemed flustered by all the attention but was willing to help. When shown a photo of Elliot, she said he was the man she had seen, and that he’d been running toward the trees.
An older gent named Albertino ran the fuel pumps. He checked his records and confirmed that a boa
t with the name Bombs Away had stopped for fuel. That confirmed Mya’s story and Tanner felt like he was closing in on Soulless.
They thanked Mya and Albertino and returned to their boat, while wondering where to go next. It was Durand who had the idea of traveling toward the resort where Soulless was staying, but only to search for Gwen’s boat along the coastlines of some of the smaller islands in the vicinity. He reasoned that as fugitives they wouldn’t want to be seen by too many people.
Tanner agreed it was worth a look, so after fueling up their own boat, they headed southeast.
“If we don’t find them soon, I’ll have to make a call and get search teams out here,” Jacques said. “I’d like to avoid that. While we might find Soulless quicker that way, the media would get word of a large operation and then we’d have cameras and witnesses around. As I said earlier, I don’t want this man arrested. He’s too dangerous to risk the chance he might be set free or escape from prison someday.”
“If he’s anywhere within reach, we’ll find him,” Tanner said. “And there’s no escaping death.”
Marcello had received word from Nario back in Italy that a woman matching Gwen’s description had been seen at the resort he was already headed towards. There was a man with her who could be Soulless, but the person who’d seen Gwen never got a good look at the man she was with because he was wearing sunglasses and a hat. They had gotten close enough to Gwen to tell that she spoke Italian with an accent, although they couldn’t say it was Irish.
“How long ago was this?” Marcello asked.
“Not long, maybe ten minutes ago. He said it looked like they were going to buy a boat.”
“Did he spot their other boat, the Bombs Away?”
“He said they were on a boat named Bellissima. Maybe they switched boats, or it’s not them, Uncle.”
Soulless (A Tanner Novel Book 43) Page 26
