Blood Line (19 page)

“Hodges here. I got a car moving north on Second Street. It looks like a Honda Civic. Is that you Valerie?”

“Nope, not me.”

“Hodges again. The car has the same plates as the car you and Ron were driving.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t the car I was using,” Valerie retorted.

“Hodges here. Who is in the car? Ron?”

“No, it’s not me,” I replied.

“Who is in the damn car?” Wakefield asked.

“It’s me, Leecy. I’m rolling to your location, Wakefield.”

I heard Ryan bark, “What the fuck is going on?”

“Settle down people,” Val said, “it’s all part of the plan.”

“Let’s not forget there are two armed Rangers positioned at the top of the stairs, and two more armed men soon to be at that location at midnight,” Hodges said.

“Good, that’s where I want them to be. Valerie out.”

“Granger out,” I said.

“Wait! Don’t turn off your earpieces. Zach, are they gone?” Wakefield asked.

“No, I’m receiving their transmission signal. I think they’re just being quiet.”

“That’s advisable. Radio silence till we receive the call from Moore about the meet,” Wakefield said. “I see headlights coming our way. It’s Leecy,” Wakefield said.

I was feeling good. All was going according to Valerie’s plan. Now, Leecy needed to get Wakefield to do what Valerie wanted. I could hear Leecy’s voice coming through my earpiece as she made her pitch to Wakefield.

“We need to get everyone out of here and into town. We need to meet my mom in the alleyway behind the pharmacy,” Leecy could be heard saying excitedly. “Zach, Mom said to bring that voice analyzer thing. And I have a list of things I need from the lab. Grandpa, give me hand? Hurry up; we need to get moving. We need to be in position before Moore makes the call at midnight.”

Wakefield didn’t hesitate one second. “Franks, hustle the Simons out here after Reuben helps the kid, and split them between the SUV and the 4-Runner. Zach and I will ride with Leecy in the Honda. Rendezvous in the alley behind the pharmacy. One of the Simons can direct you where to go. Let’s move.”

The sound of closing doors and revving engines flowed from the earpieces. The Leecy-led brigade would be cutting it close, I thought. Checking my watch, I saw it was 11:45 p.m., fifteen minutes till Moore made the call. Depending on driving speed, it was a three to ten minute drive from INESCO to the town square. Valerie had driven the distance in less than five minutes earlier tonight. I figured Leecy would cover the distance a little quicker, given her level of excitement.

“What’s the plan, kid? And how did you get out of that room?” I heard Franks ask.

“Let’s get into position and Mom will brief you,” was Leecy’s answer to the first question. To the second, I heard her say, “My dad opened the door. I walked out. Kill your lights, okay? We’re almost there.”

“But it’s pitch black. There are no street lights anywhere,” Franks objected.

“It’s only a few more blocks. You’ll be fine,” Leecy said. “Just get on my tail, and I’ll lead you there. I’m turning right in three, two, one,” Leecy instructed.

“I’m with you,” Franks said, and David’s voice could be heard over the earpiece as he offered his help, “Get ready to turn left now. See the alley? Good, Val is just ahead. I can see her holding a flashlight.”

“Got it, thanks,” Franks said.

I was a spectator now. All I could do was listen to the action on my earpiece. It reminded me of the stories my grandfather and Uncle John told about their childhoods. They reminisced about listening to the radio at night before they went to bed. I imagined them sitting on the floor listening to the radio, just as I now sat on the stone floor of the old jail listening to the show unfolding on the streets and alleys of Park City.

It was 11:50 p.m. now. We had ten minutes before Moore would make the call. Ten minutes was more than enough time.

“Ryan, you and Hodges still in position?” I heard Val ask.

“Ryan here. All quiet at the PCPD.”

“Hodges here. Two Smiths at the top of the stairs leading to the old jail. No change.”

“Hodges here. How did you, Valerie, cross town square unseen?”

“I hitched a ride with Leecy when she drove out of the town square. I bailed out of the car at the intersection of Second Street and Third Avenue on the northeast side of the square. I used the alley behind the vacant buildings that face First Avenue and walked here, and I made a few phone calls along the way.”

“Who did you need to call?” Wakefield asked.

“I needed to get in touch with the local cops. Like I said before, I don’t want them involved. I didn’t want to risk Moore or Porter flashing a badge, fake or not, to coerce the locals into doing something, or have one of those guys get caught in the crossfire. So I called Lester and brought him up to speed.”

“Lester is the one with the pregnant wife Moore and Porter were talking about, right?” Zach asked.

“That’s right,” Val said.

“Hodges here. What good does that do us? Lester’s not the Chief.”

“Lester is not the Chief in title only,” Val replied.

“Ryan here. So what about the local police? What are they doing?”

“They are holding positions around the square, Ryan,” Val answered and then instructed, “Hodges, check your six, twelve, and four o’clock; you’ll see,” Valerie explained.

“Hodges here. I got a patrol car in my sights two blocks southeast at the corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street. There is another car one block northeast at Second Street and Third Avenue. And the last car is directly behind my position at the corner of First Avenue and Third Street. You guys should’ve seen that car on your drive down the alley.”

“I could barely see the Honda in front of me,” Franks said.

“That’s real nice work, Valerie; seems you thought of everything,” Hodges said.

“Slow down, Hodges,” Wakefield said. “All that is well and good, but it doesn’t explain why we all have to be here in this alley. I don’t like all these civilians on scene.”

“Lester will be rolling up at the police station any second now,” Valerie began.

Ryan cut her off, saying, “I’ve got a car pulling into the PCPD now.”

“This is why I brought you four down here,” I heard Valerie say. “David, you and Isaac bring Mom and Dad to the police station. I need you guys to create a little distraction for me. I want the four of you to drive over there and raise as much hell as possible. Demand action on whatever you can think of. Like, use the APB as your reason for being there. Just be loud, obnoxious and angry. Lester is expecting a good show,” she explained.

“From what I’ve heard, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Franks added.

I heard Reuben’s voice in my ear. He asked, “Valerie, you want me and Catherine and the boys to go into the Park City Police Department and raise a ruckus? Why? Why should we do that? We have Leecy. Leecy is all that matters. Let’s just leave. Let’s go.”

Leecy said, “You’re just scared, Grandpa. I’m scared, too, but I need you to do this.” Following her mother’s lead, she said, “We need to help Wakefield and her team. Please, Grandpa, do this for me.”

Reuben responded, “Valerie, I know there is more to your involvement than just INESCO. I feel that in my bones. I will help you now and you explain everything later. Come on; let’s go.”

“Thank you, Dad,” Valerie said. “We’ll talk when this is over.”

“You don’t forget that,” I heard Reuben say before the sound of a car engine filled the earpiece.

“Ryan here. I got a Honda pulling into the PCPD parking lot. The Simons are on-site.”

It was five minutes to midnight. I expected to see the Smith boys at any moment. Moore had instructed them to get the girl ready before the meeting took place. I listened to the earpiece chatter and readied myself.

“That didn’t take long,” I heard Ryan say. “I’ve got a visual on Moore and Porter. They’re outside the PCPD and moving toward City Hall.”

“Hodges here. I should have Moore and Porter up on the microphone in a few seconds. Be advised, Smiths are moving down the stairs of the old jail. Granger, if you’re down there, I hope you can hear me.”

I whispered, “I am, and I do.”

Moore’s voice came over the earpiece. “That’s exactly why I could never be a small town cop. I’d just slap the lot of them and throw their butts in a cell for causing a public disturbance.”

Porter’s laugh followed, and then his voice. “Yeah, I hear you, man. Looks like the Smith boys are doing their job. I don’t see them outside. Are we heading over now, or what?”

“Let’s walk over and wait outside. It’s too soon to make the call just yet.”

I clicked off my earpiece; I didn’t want the distraction. I was about five feet away from the door to the old jail when I saw them. The two Smith boys walked through the open door and into the shaft of summer moonlight reaching across the floor of the old jail. I watched them walk to the metal door, and heard the slide of the bolt. I crossed the stone floor. I listened for the sound of the door opening, and timed my movements with those of the door. I was behind the two men now. Two feet of floor was all that remained between us.

“Looks like we got a live one, Travis. She’s kicking her legs and rolling all over the floor,” Briggs Smith said.

“Give her a smack on the head; that’ll calm her down,” I heard Travis instruct his partner.

I wasn’t about to let these two do to Julia what Moore had told them to do to Leecy. But I didn’t want to act too soon, either. I needed the two men to be fully engaged in the task at hand. I needed them distracted.

“No, man; I’m not hitting her. Moore said no rough stuff unless he said so. Just come hold her legs for me and stop her kicking. I’ll get the bag off her head. Maybe that’ll calm her down.”

“Okay, I’ll hold her legs, but leave the bag on over her head. I don’t want to be looking at her face if Moore wants us to rape her. Move over a little and let me slip past you so I can reach her feet. You grab her by the arms and we’ll carry her out of here into the main room.”

I could tell the mention of the word rape had sent Julia into a panic. I could hear her trying to scream through the duct tape gag. That was enough for me. I engaged my earpiece and covered the last two feet of stone floor, making my presence known.

“Hello, boys. I think that’ll be all for the day,” I said.

I got an immediate response in my ear, and regretted powering up the device. “Hodges here. Did everyone copy that?”

“Shut up, Hodges. We copy,” Wakefield ordered.

The shaft of moonlight stretching from the open cast iron jailhouse door illuminated the area directly in front of it. I could see Travis Smith was the closest one to me. He was bent at the waist, holding Julia’s legs by the ankles. He reacted quicker than I thought he might, launching a back kick in my direction but missing his target, my knee. I caught his ankle and drove my right elbow down into his knee joint. The resulting snapping and popping was joined by screams from the now disabled former Ranger. Travis collapsed on top of Julia momentarily before rolling to the right and off of her.

“One down,” I said, as Briggs Smith met my eyes. We both stood slowly, with only the length of Julia’s body between us. I was awash in the moonlight. He was in almost total darkness.

“Jesus, old man,” Briggs laughed. “My boot print would look good on your face if it weren’t so damn spooky in the moonlight.” He looked at me sideways and then continued. “No gun? Doesn’t seem like a fair fight.”

“I agree. The fight was fair till your boy went down in a whiney heap, but that’s what Rangers are known to do, right? That’s why the Marines have to come save your asses all the time, isn’t it?”

I didn’t have to say anything else; that got the reaction I was looking for. He drew his sidearm and I threw my knife, burying it up to the hilt in his right shoulder joint. I’d missed. I guess I was rusty after all. I was aiming for his throat. The gun fell to the stone floor shortly before its owner hit the ground, screaming in pain. I stepped over and around Julia’s body and retrieved my knife from Briggs Smith’s shoulder, wiping it clean on the Ranger’s shirt.

“Shut up,” I said. “Time for you to take a nap.”

I finished him off with a boot to his face.

“Two down; two to go,” I said.

The howling screams of pain from Ranger Travis got my attention next. “Do you want to live tonight?” I asked.

“Yes,” he grunted through gritted teeth, “I do.”

“Then shut up. Do that, and live to see the sunrise.”

With Travis Smith disabled and quiet for now, and Briggs Smith unconscious, I was free from any immediate threat. I was busy cutting Julia out of the hood. I was worried. She wasn’t moving. I thought she’d been injured when Travis fell on top of her. I pulled her head free, and heard Hodges in my ear.

“Moore and Porter are on the way. Ron, if you are planning on leaving, now is the time to get out of there.”

I wasn’t going anywhere, but I wanted Julia free and clear before Moore and Porter arrived. I was about to ask her how fast she could run, but even there in the limited light, the lifeless quality of her body told me she was in a state of shock. I moved her into the shaft of moonlight. Her blank stare looked up at me. I checked her pulse. It was slow, but strong. I checked her breathing. It was shallow. I needed to get her moving. I slapped her lightly on the cheek. I called her name. I didn’t know what else to do with her. Her eyes blinked suddenly. She slowly raised a hand to her face.

“Damn it. Is everyone going to hit me in the face tonight? First your wife knocks me out, and now you slap me. Who’s next?”

“Sorry, but you looked like you were in shock,” I said. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I guess I kinda was. I don’t know,” she said as I helped her to her feet. “Whose clothes am I wearing? Where in the hell am I?”

“You switched places with my daughter, but now it’s time for you to get out of here, too.”

“I heard one of those Smith guys say the word rape,” she said looking at herself in the moonlight. “I freaked out a little bit. Thanks, by the way. Thanks for not letting that happen to me.”

“Never going to get that far,” I said, and against my better judgment asked, “Are you able to run?”

This was the one part of the plan I didn’t agree with. I was worried about Julia in more ways than one – she’d already shown her loyalty to Moore – but Val had asked me to trust her where Julia was concerned, so I did.

“I think I am. Why?” Julia asked.

“Because Moore and Porter are on their way and should be calling my wife in,” I checked the time, “the next ninety seconds. And for whatever reason, Valerie doesn’t want you down here when we take on Moore and Porter.” Then something occurred to me. “And after hearing Moore talk about his time with the sex trafficking task force, I think I understand my wife’s reasoning.”

“You know about that, then?” Julia asked.

“Yeah, I know about it.”

She gestured to the two Smiths and said, “Tom brought them around a few times. They stayed at my place before. With Tom there, of course. You know those two would’ve hurt your daughter badly.”

Travis protested from the floor. “That little lying bitch doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

I left Julia’s side, and it took me two long strides to cover the distance from the metal door to the back wall of the room, where Travis sat holding his knee. I led with my right leg and when my left foot touched the floor, I said, “I thought I told you to be quiet,” and drove a right front kick into the face of Travis Smith. He joined his partner Briggs in a nap.

I said to Julia as I took her by the arm, “But they didn’t hurt my daughter, and they can’t hurt you now. Did they hurt you before?”

She started to cry, but stopped herself immediately. She shook her head instead. “No, I’m not going to do that. I played that game before, and I don’t want you to think I’m acting again. So no tears this time. No, to answer your question, they never hurt me. Tom talked about what he called ‘conditioning,’” she made air quotes with her fingers, “all the time, and that was enough to scare me.”

“Moore and Porter will get their due. Run up the stairs and turn right. Are you listening?”

I saw that vague look reappear on Julia’s face. She was frozen in place. I heard Hodges in my ear.

“Hodges here. Moore and Porter are on the lawn of City Hall.”

“Can you run?” I asked her again.

“He’s out there, isn’t he?” she mumbled. “Tom, I mean. He’s out there. I don’t think I can make it,” she said, shrinking in on herself and collapsing in my arms.

At first I thought it was all an act, another attempt to delay things. I shook her harder. No response. I carried her back to the room behind the metal door and replaced the hood over her head, but didn’t tie it this time. I closed the door, leaving her there in the dark.

I heard Moore’s voice in my ear, “Go down there and make sure they’re ready. I’m making the call.”

I ran across the floor to the far corner of the main room. Then I heard Porter’s voice again.

“Look, the Smiths have everything under control. I’m going back to PCPD and get the SUV. I want to get out of here as soon as we have what we came for.”

“Fine. Since we can’t wait at the PCPD, we’ll just wait in the car till we see her coming. Then we’ll go down inside the jail ahead of her. That’ll be good. Yeah, I can’t wait to see her face when she sees her kid lying on the floor naked. Want to bet she caves in right then and there?”

“No, that’s a sucker bet.”

I heard Moore laughing as he said, “Go get the car. I’m making the call.”

“Listen,” I said, only slightly above a whisper, “we have a change in plan. Julia did not make it out. I repeat, Julia did not make it out.”

“Copy,” Valerie said. “Not to worry; the call should be coming at any moment.”

I could hear the phone ringing in my earpiece. I heard Valerie answer the call in her best imitation of a freaked out mother.

“This is Valerie. Where’s my baby? I have everything you want. Please don’t hurt my child.”

“That’s good to hear, Mrs. Granger,” Moore said. “I’m glad there won’t be any complications. Now, if you’ll bring me what I want this will all be over very soon.”

“Okay, where? Where do I go?”

“Come to City Hall. Find the entrance to the old jail and take the stairs down to the door. The door is open. Your daughter is waiting for you. Hurry, Mrs. Granger. The sooner you get here, the sooner this is over.”

“How do I know you won’t just shoot us both once I give you what you want?”

“You don’t know, but if you keep wasting my time Valerie,” Moore’s tone had turned cold now, where before it had sounded warm and pleasant, “I might have to hurt this pretty little thing of yours before you even get here. Now, no more stalling, Valerie. You can’t trace this call. The local cops can’t help you now. As a matter of fact, your family is in the police station right now raising hell. And the inept Officer Lester can’t do one thing to help them. Do you know why?”

Valerie laid it on thick as she started crying now, “No, why can’t they help me?”

“The locals are under my jurisdiction now. They only do what I tell them to do.”

“Hodges here. Moore is at the top of the stairs.”

“So bring me what I want. Bring it to me right now. No assurances, but I’ll give you one guarantee.”

“What’s that?”

“If you aren’t here handing me what I want in the next five minutes, I’ll make you watch me and my boys having fun with little Leecy when you do get here.”

“Oh my god. I’m on my way.”

“It’s Hodges. The SUV is driving over the curb and backing up to the stairs. Moore is waiting for Porter like he said. That’s affirmative. Moore and Porter are now in position inside the SUV and holding.”

“Okay, Ryan,” Valerie said. “Now move to your secondary position at PCPD. Lester is expecting you. Hodges, keep being our eyes and ears on the SUV till Moore and Porter descend the stairs. Once those two are out of sight, you and Franks move to your secondary positions. Use their SUV as cover and take up positions along either side. Wakefield, Zach, and Leecy, hold for the all clear. Granger, are you ready?” Valerie asked.

“Yeah, we’re ready.”

“We?”

“You’ll see.”

“Okay, team; here we go. Hodges, make the call.”

“Roads are clear. I’ve disabled the directional microphone. Moore and Porter are seated inside the SUV with the doors closed. Valerie, you’re clear.”

I listened to the 4-Runner come to life. I pictured Valerie driving south down the alley before turning right on First Avenue.

“Hodges, here. I’ve got her headlights coming right at me. She’s parking on the North side of City Hall. Moore and Porter are exiting the SUV and heading down the stairs. That’s my cue; I’m on the move. Franks, I’m rolling to you.”

“Ryan, here. All is secure at PCPD. Be advised, Simons have lots of questions.”

“Franks, here. I have Hodges and eyes on Valerie. She’s crossing the lawn. We’ll be in position in thirty seconds.”

I watched from the corner of the old jail as Porter entered the room first, followed by Moore. Both men played flashlights across the room, and then Porter spoke in alarm.

“Where’s the girl? Where’s Travis and Briggs?”

The scream couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect moment if it had been planned. I guess Julia had come to, and didn’t like being back inside that hood. Moore and Porter were caught off guard by the scream, but didn’t hesitate. They responded by running toward the sound coming from behind the metal door.

“Those little bastards couldn’t wait. I’ll kill them myself,” Porter seethed.

“They’re going to ruin everything,” Moore added.

The two men never noticed Valerie standing in the open doorway, or the shadow she cast with the moonlight at her back. No, they hadn’t seen her or me. I watched them as I stepped into the shaft of moonlight to greet my wife. Then Valerie and I watched Moore and Porter fling open the metal door to find Julia and the two unconscious Smith boys.

“What the fuck?” Porter asked.

“Hi, Tom,” we heard Julia say. “Sorry, but don’t blame me. I know this isn’t what you expected.”

Valerie and I were behind the two men. We heard Moore’s meltdown.

“What have you done, Julia? What did you tell them? You betrayed me, you bitch! I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you!” Moore screamed.

Porter played his flashlight over the bodies of the Smith boys, saying, “Who did this? How…I mean, when…” and then he stopped himself from stammering. He started again. “Tell me what…” and stopped.

The answers came to him. We watched from the shadows now as Porter turned to Moore and said, “If Julia is in here then the phone call with Valerie was all fake. They already have the daughter. We need to get out of here, Tom!”

Porter turned and saw Valerie standing behind him. She was pointing her 9mm Glock at his face.

“Hello, John.” I said.

Valerie kicked the left side of Porter’s face, knocking the man to his right into Moore and the metal door. Moore fell to one knee and looked around. He saw Valerie and me standing there. Moore looked back at Julia, and we both knew immediately that he planned on using the woman as a shield.

Drawing his weapon and reaching for a frightened Julia, Moore screamed. “You fucking cunt! Come over here.”

Valerie surged forward, grabbing Moore’s beefy right wrist with her left hand and wrenching up and back while slamming her closed right fist into the bridge of his nose. I was swinging my baton over Valerie’s head, and connected with Moore’s right hand, forcing the gun to drop to the floor. I heard Moore scream from the effects of the double impacts. I watched as he and Valerie tumbled into the darkness of the room beyond the shaft of moonlight.

Porter, having recovered from the kick to the face, raced out of the shadows and slammed into me with his shoulder. I grabbed a fistful of his suit jacket and held on tight. I rolled onto my back, holding Porter close to my chest. Using his momentum against him, I rolled a complete backwards somersault, ending on top of him. Letting go of his clothing, I pushed off his chest, crashing my baton into his face. I heard him exhale and felt his body go limp as he passed into unconsciousness. I looked up to see Moore walking through the moonlight in my direction. I jumped to my feet, only to have Moore drop to his knees before collapsing on the floor next to Porter, like a curtain dropping onto a stage. There behind, where Moore once stood, was a smiling Valerie.

I could hear Wakefield in my ear. “Is everyone all right? I repeat, is everyone all right?”

I stepped over the bodies of Moore and Porter and kissed my wife. Valerie bent down and picked up a flashlight. “Julia?” she said.

We walked back to the open metal door and found her in the same position she’d been in: laying prone and still on the floor.

I asked, “Is she alive?”

Valerie was leaning over Julia to check for vital signs when Julia asked, “Did you kill that sick bastard?”

“Moore?” Valerie confirmed.

“Yes; Tom. Is he dead?”

“No, he isn’t dead. But this isn’t over yet, either,” Valerie said.

“Well, I wish he was dead.”

“Listen up,” Valerie ordered. “We don’t have a lot of time. Unconsciousness doesn’t last forever. I want to use the center of the main room. Face up and securely bind the arms, legs, and ankles. Make the bindings tight, but not too tight. Franks, you and Hodges are on light duty. I want the lights six inches from the face. Don’t worry about head turning. With the lights that close, there is zero visibility. As soon as we see any sign of consciousness we will tape the eyelids open. Everyone remember to remain quiet. Remember your cues. Ryan, are you ready with the duct tape?”

“I’ve got several strips. I’m ready,” Ryan said.

“Zach, are you and Julia ready?”

“Ready.”

“Ron?”

“I’m ready,” I said.

“Wakefield, are you ready?”

“You bet your ass.”

“Okay, I see eye flutter. It’s show time.”

“What the fuck?” Moore bellowed.

He didn’t have much time to protest. A pair of blue-gloved hands grasped him by the sides of his head and held him still while a second pair separated his eyelids and taped them open.

He was screaming now. “What are you doing? You can’t do this to me! Porter! Where’s Porter? Travis? Briggs? Are you there?”

“I’m here, Tom,” a frantic Porter could be heard saying. “What’s happening to us?”

“Don’t say a word, Porter. Porter? Do you hear me, Porter? Don’t say a word. And you, whoever you are,” Moore yelled, “get this blasted light out of my eyes!”