Covert Pursuit (10 page)

It was time to roll.

The hot, humid night had calmed. The eerie kind of stillness that came right before the eye of the storm hit ground.

“What’s she doing here?” Lambert asked with a fierce glower as Jason escorted Joe and Angie to the base of operations a mile outside the Corrinda estate.

All around them men prepared to raid the estate. A van sat parked on the side of the road. The back door was wide open, revealing the state-of-the-art communication system inside. Weapons were being doled out, flak vests strapped on, night-vision goggles handed out and the plans being drawn up. The contingent of agents wasn’t large. Most were from the Fort Meyers station and had driven over the causeway as soon as Lambert got the go-ahead to take down Picard.

No more letting the man off because of intel he provided. Intel he garnered posing as the island’s police chief. Just how many of the island’s other officers were corrupt? A full investigation into the Loribel Police Department would be launched.

To his SAC, Jason said in a firm yet not belligerent enough to offend tone, “She’s a part of this.”

Lambert eyed him a moment before relenting with a grunt and returning his focus to the plan of attack being laid out by another operative.

Glad there wouldn’t be push-back on his decision to allow Angie on-site, Jason led her and her brother to the perimeter. “You’ll need to stay here.”

Angie frowned. “No way. I want to see the look on Picard’s face when you confront him.”

“Not going to happen, Angie,” Jason replied, not surprised at all by her desire. He couldn’t wait to see the look on the man’s face, either, when he realized his plan to get rid of them had backfired.

Joe put a hand on his sister’s arm. “This is as close as you get, little sis. Any closer and you’re a liability.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a civilian.”

Jason admired her spunk and determination. Back at the house, he’d also realized he was coming to care for her in ways that he hadn’t expected. And as soon as Picard was captured and in custody, Jason planned on finding out just how deep his feelings for the pretty detective ran. He’d found Picard with her; could he find love with her? Dare he? “Here, Detective Carlucci, you are a civilian. A beautiful, stubborn and gutsy one, but still a civilian.”

Her eyes widened at the compliment but she sputtered at the insult. “Then deputize me.”

“You know I can’t do that.” He held a hand. “I’m not trying to coddle you. Right now we have to play by the rules. Believe me, I have no qualms about you having my back. But I’m not calling the shots here.”

She did understand. That didn’t mean she liked it. She turned to her brother. “Joe, go find someplace else to stand.”

“Angie, what are you doing?” Joe said in a near whisper to his sister.

“Just give us a moment,” she said. “Please.”

Clearly not happy to oblige, Joe gave Jason a hard look full of warning before he walked away. Jason couldn’t blame Joe for being protective. Angie was his sister, after all. Jason would be the same with his sister if the situation was reversed.

He met Angie’s gaze, hoping she could see how much she’d come to mean to him without him actually having to say it. He wasn’t good with the mushy talk. Never had been. It was a lame excuse and he knew it. But he wasn’t ready to verbalize his feelings. They were too new, and right now, he needed to stay focused on Picard.

“You’ll be careful?” she asked, her voice low and a bit unsteady.

“Oh, yeah. You can count on it. You and I have some unfinished business.”

“You think?” she said, with a slight smile curving her lips.

He captured her hand and drew him to him. “Yes, we do.”

Her arms slipped around his waist. “I like the sound of that.”

Using the tip of his index finger, he lifted her face and slowly lowered his head. She took a sharp intake of breath but didn’t pull away. He grinned and claimed her mouth. She kissed him back, sending sensations rocketing through him. He deepened the kiss, savoring the moment and wishing it would never end.

“Move it out!” Lambert bellowed.

Jason broke the kiss. Resting his forehead against
hers as he reined in his self-control. “When this is over.”

Angie reached up and captured his face. Her lovely brown eyes were tender, yet held a determined light in their depths that Jason found fascinating. “When this is over,” she repeated.

“I’ve got to go.”

She didn’t release him. “God will be with you, Jason.”

He nodded. “I believe that.”

And he did. She’d taught him that God did care and did answer prayers. Maybe not all of them in the way he wanted, but at least some.

“Good.” She let go and stepped back. “Now get out of here.”

He saluted her and hustled to join the other agents.

Joe leaned close as Jason donned a flak vest.

“That’s my baby sister,” Joe said, his voice full of warning and question.

“Don’t worry. I have no plans to hurt her,” Jason assured him.

“She’s not a fling kind of gal.”

“I know that.”

“Do you?” Joe’s expression said he doubted it. “Her life is in Boston. You planning on making a move? Plan on leaving ICE?”

“I—” Jason faltered, suddenly very unsure of how to proceed.

He was falling for Angie big-time, but Joe was right. The logistics of a relationship with her were un
realistic. Her life, her career, were settled and in one place. His life, his career, didn’t allow for a settled existence. He couldn’t leave her in the dark while he went on missions. He couldn’t do that to Angie.

Oh, he had no doubt she’d understand, but it wouldn’t be fair or noble. In the end, she’d end up hurt and miserable. And would eventually leave him. He’d seen it happen to others, had experienced it himself.

Been there, done that.

He wasn’t willing to risk that kind of pain again.

“Don’t worry, Joe. Your little sister is safe from me.”

E
xcited anticipation bubbled inside Angie like water boiling on the stove. She couldn’t decide if taking down Decker and the Corrindas had her so keyed up or whether it was the residual effects of Jason’s kiss.

And his promise that they had unfinished business. As in finding out what the future held for them?

What did the future hold? She couldn’t see it, but that didn’t mean anything. She knew that trying to control the future was a fool’s endeavor.

But she couldn’t control the love growing in her heart for Jason. And that scared her. On the surface she and Jason seemed perfect for each other. He wasn’t intimidated or turned off by her career. The exact opposite. And they worked well together, she found him attractive and by the power of his kiss, she was pretty sure he found her attractive. They shared common interests and enjoyed each other’s company. Sure, there were some logistics that would need to be worked out, but she didn’t see that as a major problem.

The one thing that had her hesitating was his fledg
ling faith. Could she commit herself to someone who wasn’t sure about God?

Joe hustled back. Something in her expression must have caused concern because he asked, “You okay?”

“Sure. I just hate being on the sidelines like this.”

Joe slung an arm around her shoulders. “I know, sis. I’m proud of you.”

His words pleased her. “Thanks.”

“Hey, Carlucci!” Lambert made a “come here” motion with his arm.

Angie snapped to attention.

Beside her Joe chuckled. “I think he means me.” He ran over to talk to the man.

“Oh, right.” Feeling deflated and useless, Angie watched Joe and Lambert talk. Joe nodded and hurried back to Angie’s side.

“Seems Lambert talked with my SAC and they want me in on this,” Joe explained, clearly excited by the prospect. “You stay here.”

Her mouth twisted in a wry smile. “Like a good little dog.”

Joe gave her a quick hug. “It’s for your safety.”

“Yeah, I’m aware of the refrain.” At Joe’s hesitation, she waved him on. “Go already. Be a hero.”

“Love you,” he said and jogged away, obviously eager to enter the fight. He donned a flak vest another agent handed him and then he headed up the Corrinda drive and disappeared from view.

A young man came to stand beside her. “Detective Carlucci, I’m Agent Seavers.”

“You pulled the short straw, huh? Have to babysit,” Angie said, trying to keeping her voice from betraying how frustrated she was at being left behind. She understood why they allowed Joe to participate. He was a Fed. She wasn’t.

Seavers’s expression reflected discomfort. “Just doing my job, ma’am.”

Angie sighed. “I know.”

“We can watch their progress on the com,” Seavers said and led her to the back of the van where another agent sat monitoring a green-tinted screen. Several red dots moved like ants across the face of the screen. “The red dots are the agents,” the man explained.

After several long moments of just waiting, staying like she’d been told to and watching the agents’ dots moving about, Angie’s restless, antsy nature couldn’t take the inactivity any longer. So she couldn’t be in the actual raid, but she could do something to contribute. She could retrieve Jason’s camera from the bushes on the hill where he’d thrown it when the alligator had surprised them. But first she had to shake her guard.

“Uh, boys, I’m going to take a walk,” she said.

Seavers frowned. “Ma’am, you’re to stay put.”

“There’s a public restroom just down the way,” she said, hoping her meaning was clear.

“Oh, okay. I’ll escort you.”

Angie arched an eyebrow. “I think, Agent Seavers, I’m capable of going to the restroom on my own.”

“I’m sure you are, ma’am, but I’ll tag along nonetheless,” the agent said, his voice firm.

Okay, ditching him wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d thought. No way would the by-the-book agent let her do what she intended. She’d have to find away to slip away without notice once she arrived at the public bathroom. She turned on her heels and started walking. Her shadow followed.

The access road to the public picnic area where she and Jason had been captured wasn’t too far down the road. She quickly headed in that direction. Once away from the lights of the command post, the darkness made the going more difficult, but she managed to find the path and the restrooms. She stopped a few feet from the building. “Agent, stay here.”

“Yes, Detective,” he replied.

Though she couldn’t see his face, she heard the irritation in his tone. She smiled and headed toward the building and kept right on walking. As she started down the incline that led to the beach, she remembered the alligator that had surprised them. Was the critter still lurking about?

She reached for the compact Sig in her pocket. Would a bullet even hurt an alligator? She took a moment to send up a prayer of protection. “Please, Lord, no alligators. Keep Jason and Joe safe, would You, please.”

Continuing on, she picked her way along the path. She kept one hand up in front of her face for protection against intruding branches that scraped her arms and snagged on her suit pants. Finally, she emerged onto the empty stretch of sandy and shelled beach. To
her left she heard water lapping at the wooden dock and another noise. She paused to listen. It sounded like wood against wood. A boat tied to the pier? She couldn’t see anything in that direction. She debated, check out the boat or go up the hill.

She headed right up the hill.

Thankful for the dry weather, she climbed up the hill, navigating through the shrubs and tall grasses, trying to remember where Jason had tossed the duffel bag while also keeping an eye out for the long scaly beast.

There, under the bush was a big black object.

She felt around at her feet for a loose rock and tossed it into the bush. Nothing moved. Breathing a sigh of relief, she scrambled to pull the bag from under the branches of the thick plant.

The bag was heavier than she’d have thought. But it did hold a sizable camera and two pairs of binoculars. Which gave her an idea.

Setting the bag down, she unzipped it, rummaged around until she had a pair of the high-powered lenses in hand, then scurried up the hill to the vantage point where she and Jason had seen Mubato give Decker the diamonds.

Uncaring that she was getting her clean clothes dirty, she lay on the ground and brought the binoculars to her eyes. Too dark to see much. With what little light she had from the moon, she examined the binoculars. There was a lever on the underside. She flipped it. Ah, night vision. She should have guessed that from the beginning.

Below in the cove, federal agents had several of Corrinda’s men grouped together. She didn’t see either of the twins or Decker.

The door to the small structure in the corner opened and more agents filed out. Jason and her brother were the last to emerge. She zeroed in on Jason’s face. By his frustrated expression she assumed he hadn’t found Decker.

A noise not far away sent the fine hairs rising on the back of her neck. The alligator again?

Cautiously she righted herself and swung the binoculars in the direction of the noise.

Not an alligator.

There was no mistaking the shock of silvery hair, almost translucent in the moonlight, on Decker’s head as the man appeared over the top of the cliff. He rose, unhooked a rope from a metal anchor embedded into the ground and hurried down the hill. Stunned, she realized he’d climbed the face of the cliff.

How had Decker known he would need an escape route? Was there a mole in ICE or ATF?

Another thought hit her. The boat at the dock.

She had to find a way to alert Jason before Decker, aka Picard, disappeared again. But how?

If she fired off a shot, she’d not only alert Jason but Picard, as well. She checked her cell. The word
roaming
flashed at the top. She dialed Jason’s cell and heard the ringing sound then nothing. Checking the phone, she clenched her teeth to see the words
call failed
. So much for alerting Jason. She was on her own.

Keeping hold of the binoculars, she quickly stashed the bag with the other pair and the camera back under a bush. Using the night-vision lens to guide her, she followed Picard. A noise behind her sent alarm slamming through her. She swiveled around just as an arm slid across her throat and tightened, cutting off her airway.

She went limp, hoping she’d slip out of her attacker’s grasp. Didn’t work. Using her heel, she stomped down hard on her attacker’s instep. He grunted, but didn’t loosen his hold. She used her nails to peel at the man’s arm, but her strength was rapidly depleting as her oxygen-deprived brain started shutting down. She wished she’d fired off that shot because not only was Decker escaping, but she was probably going to be fish food.

As the world dimmed and darkness rushed in, her heart pleaded with God to watch over Jason.

“What do you mean she gave you the slip?” Jason roared at the agent who’d been assigned to make sure Angie stayed safe.

Seavers grimaced, his voice echoed with panic. “She needed to use the facilities. She never came back.”

Could she have been taken by one of Picard’s minions? Someone from the police department? “Did you see anyone? Hear anything?”

“No. She walked toward the restrooms and that was the last I saw her.”

Narrowing his gaze, Jason said, “You didn’t actually see her go into the facilities, did you?”

Seavers opened his mouth, halted and then shook his head. “No, sir. I guess I didn’t.”

“She could have walked right past them.” Jason wanted to hit something. But mostly he wanted to find Angie and shake some sense into her. Or kiss her, he couldn’t decide which.

How could he protect her if she wouldn’t let him? How could she do this? Leave, to who knew where, to do who knew what? Rash, impulsive, reckless…so many adjectives came to mind, but the very real fear that something bad had or would happen to her pushed the anger away. Everything inside clenched with dread. He had to find her.

“Have all agents check in. If they see Detective Carlucci, have them detain her,” Jason barked to the communications agent. The guy nodded and did as instructed.

An agitated Joe Carlucci rushed to Jason’s side. “We have to find her. Where could she have gone? Is there another place on the island that the Corrindas use? Would she have gone to the police station thinking the police chief would be there?”

Jason realized he probably looked just as frantic as Angie’s brother. He forced himself to take a deep breath. He held up a hand. “Whoa, dude. We’ll find her.”

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to put himself into Angie’s shoes. She’d been upset to have been left behind, but she’d seemed to understand. But knowing her, even for a short time, he knew she wasn’t one to sit idle while there were bad guys to catch.

He glanced down the road toward the public restrooms and the path beyond. Of course. He knew where she’d gone. Apprehension chomped through him. Why hadn’t she returned yet? Retrieving his duffel wouldn’t take very long.

“Come on. I think I know where she went.” Jason grabbed Joe’s arm and pulled.

“I’m gonna kill my little sis,” Joe muttered as he ran alongside Jason. Agent Seavers and another agent followed closely behind.

Flipping on his high-beam flashlight, Jason led the way through the dark past the restrooms to the path that led to the beach. Once there, he swung the beam of light to and fro. The dock was empty, as was the stretch of beach.

He directed the light on the hill but the beam didn’t reach far enough. “This way,” he shouted and ran toward the hill to get a better look.

“Wait!” Joe yelled, pointing to the ground. “Look.”

There were two pairs of boot prints indented in the sand.

But it was the deep grooves following the prints, like someone had been dragged along the beach all the way to the dock, that made Jason’s blood run cold.

Had Angie come down to the beach and was now someone’s, namely Picard’s, prisoner? Fear and panic threatened to consume Jason. His breathing roughened and his chest constricted.

Forcing his thoughts to come to order, he issued commands. “Joe, we need a boat.”

“On it,” Joe said and pulled out his cell. “No service. I’ll be back.” He took off at a sprint toward the road.

“Seavers, you and Agent Foster head up that hill. Somewhere up there is a duffel bag with a camera that has evidence against Picard.” His gut clenched. Unless Angie had taken it. Or someone else found it and then found her… He forced the terrorizing thought away.

“Yes, sir.” The agents hustled up the hill.

Jason followed the grooves in the sand to the dock. A rope lay haphazardly on the wooden planks as if it had hastily been thrown off. Dread splintered through Jason. A horrible certainty filled his belly. Angie had been taken away in a boat by the man responsible for so many deaths already. Jason sent up a prayer that Angie’s death wouldn’t be added to Picard’s long list.

Joe raced back and skidded to a halt on the dock. “Lambert is sending one of the boats over from the cove. They should be here any second.” He faced the endless expanse of ocean visible beneath the glow of the moon. “But how do we find Angie out there?”

An image of Angie flashed through his mind. So brave and stubborn and rash. All professional in her pantsuit, her curly mane of hair restrained in a band, her big, rich dark eyes so full of trust and affection when he’d kissed her. And she’d kissed him back, making him yearn for more of her.

More of what could never be.

His heart twisted with love. But loving her wasn’t smart. Loving her wasn’t realistic. They lived in sep
arate worlds that had somehow collided. He’d done a poor job of staying emotionally detached and now she was paying the price. If he’d only forced her to leave the island, she’d be back home in Boston, safe and doing her job. He’d just have to content himself with loving her from afar.

A thought blistered through him. He hit his forehead with his palm. “The tracking device.”

“What?”

“I put a tracking device in her shoe. We can pinpoint her location.” He started running from the dock toward the path. “I need to get the GPS receiver from my condo.”