Deadly Ties (29 page)

“What for?”

“If Frank changed the tag and Mark is looking for us, we need to signal him. I need your shoe to do it.”

“Oh, I saw this on
Staying Alive.
” Amanda’s voice elevated a notch, grew animated. “Let me help.” She scooted toward Lisa.

“Saw what?” Gwen rolled on her hip, letting Amanda scoot by her.

Selene gave Lisa her shoe.

“Oh no. Don’t, Lisa. Frank will notice and he’ll—”

Lisa swung the shoe like a hammer. The plastic taillight shattered.

“Worry later, Gwen. Hold the light for me now.”

“He’s going to blow our brains out. I just know it.” Gwen took the flashlight and aimed it at the taillight. “I hope my mother never sees my body. She’ll be devastated.”

“Stop it, Gwen.” Selene raised her voice. “No dead talk.” Lisa tapped at the jagged plastic edges with Selene’s heel until she knocked out enough of the light to fit her hand through the hole.

“Make it bigger,” Amanda said. “If Frank hits a bump, you’ll sever an artery.” She wiggled out of her slip, then shoved it at Lisa. “First, wrap your arm with this for added protection.”

“You’ve done this before.” Lisa stated a fact, didn’t ask a question.

“No, but I have seen it done.”

Where? Not on television. Amanda was trained. Lisa would bank on it. Selene and Gwen went through periods of being scared stiff. Amanda was afraid, but she kept her fears to herself. That took the kind of discipline that came with training. Was she a plant the men had put with them to spy? Anger rushed through Lisa. “Do you work for the kidnappers?” Would she betray them like the boy had betrayed Lisa?

“No. I swear it.”

No rapid-eye moment, no avoidance of her eyes. Lisa believed her.

Selene jerked the slip from Amanda’s hand and passed it to Lisa. “There’s no time for this now. Get on with what you’re doing.”

Lisa took the slip. The silky fabric was still warm from Amanda’s body. “Somebody will see it.” She kicked herself yet again for not asking Jed for his phone. “If not Mark, then someone else. They’ll call 911 and somebody will stop this truck.”

Lisa resisted the urge to let the slip fly like a flag and took the prudent step instead. She wrapped her arm, then shoved it through the hole where the taillight had been.

“What if Frank sees it?”

“He can’t see around corners, Gwen.” From the tremor in Selene’s voice, Lisa suspected that reminder reassured Selene too. “Shall I knock out the other one?”

“Later, if we have to. We have better odds of Frank’s not noticing one broken light. If he does, maybe he’ll think a rock hit it or something.” Lisa pulled her arm inside and rolled onto her stomach, then peeked out through the hole. The fresh air stung her nose.
Bliss
. Cars lined up behind them in both lanes.

She scrambled to sit up. “There are a ton of cars out there! Someone will see.” She shoved her arm back through the hole, waved, and stretched her fingers to snag someone’s attention. Hopefully someone would add the digits and pick up her signaling 911 with her fingers.

Please, God. Please
.

“I’m glad you know these self-defense things, Lisa.”

“Me too.” A little tingle spread through her chest. As if Gwen’s words held a profound message.

She glanced over, but Gwen didn’t say any more, and yet her words stuck with Lisa. Stretching, she got more of her arm outside the truck. With every bounce, the jagged plastic edges stabbed at her slip-wrapped arm. She tried not to wince.

Is this why You had me learn all those self-defense tactics, God? So I’d know what to do now to help us all survive?

Silence.

Maybe that
was
the reason. So she could do what fumes-of-faith Christians do and help the other women.

“Lisa, get your arm in!” Gwen shrieked. “Quick.”

Lisa pulled in her arm.

Seconds later, she felt the gravity shift, hurtling her toward the front. The truck stopped suddenly.

21

O
utside, gunfire erupted.

“Get down flat.” Amanda shoved at Gwen.

The flashlight beam swung wildly inside the truck. Tumbling with the others, Lisa stretched prone on her stomach. Popping noises, muffled but ominous, echoed inside. A pinging noise—a bullet—bounced off the right side panel. Then a flurry of racket signaling a scuffle filled the silence.

Please, let it be Mark. Please
.

Shouting. Barked orders. Frantic activity and more yelling … but no sirens. No helicopter blades thumping in the air. Then only silence.

And more silence.

“Who is it?” Selene’s voice shook. “Do you think it’s Mark?”

The lock rattled.

Lisa sucked in a sharp breath. Her heart thudded against the wall of her chest. “We’ll soon know.”

The door swung open.

He towered in the opening, scowling.

“Mark.” Lisa scrambled out of the truck, fighting the skirt of her long dress.
Thank You, God
. “Mark!”

He snatched her up and held her to him, burying his nose at her neck. “Thank God.”

Lisa kissed him soundly, trembling, feeling his huge body shake against her, his rough hands pressing hard against her back.

Joe helped the others out of the truck. “You ladies all okay?”

“Okay is seriously relative. We’re alive.” Gwen clicked off her flashlight. “We were worried you wouldn’t find us.”

Joe set Gwen onto the ground and reached for Selene. “We’ve been behind you for an hour, but we weren’t sure we had the right vehicle.”

Mark pulled back, checked Lisa’s arm, and saw the red scratches. “The second I saw that hand signal, I knew it was you.”

She smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here.” A lump formed in her throat and her eyes misted. “I knew you’d find me.”

“Or die trying.” He kissed her again.

“You look familiar,” Joe said to Selene. “Do we know—Oh, wait. You’re the singer?”

“I was.” She shrugged. “I don’t sing anymore, which is why I think I was in that truck.”

“I’d like to hear more about that.” A woman walked up to them. About thirty-five, she stood a little taller than Gwen. Lean and fit, she had short, spiky blond hair and bright blue eyes. “But first, Lisa, where are the rest of the women?”

“What other women?” An officer had Frank cuffed. He had a bloody lip. Juan lay spread-eagle on the shoulder of the road. A man who had to be with Mark stood over Juan, talking with him. “We’re it.” Lisa looked from Mark to the woman. “Who are you?”

“I’m sorry.” Mark lifted a hand but hung on to Lisa. “This is Special Agent Roxy Savoy. She’s with the FBI.”

Roxy nodded. “I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that we were expecting thirty women.” Her gaze swung to Amanda. “You okay?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Alerted by the familiarity passing in the look between them, Lisa glanced from Amanda to Mark, and certainty filled her. “Amanda, you’re an agent, and you didn’t tell us?”

“I couldn’t tell you, Lisa.”

“You let me risk getting shot to go to Jed … ” Anger burned deep, and Lisa glared at Roxy. “You were following us all along?”

“Actually, we weren’t. We were supposed to be, but Amanda’s tracking device—”

“The watchband broke during the abduction, and I lost it.”

Understanding now, Lisa let Amanda brief Roxy and snuggled closer to Mark. “How’s my mother? Is she awake now?”

He brushed her hair back from her face with a trembling hand. “No real change, but her vitals are stable. Harvey’s encouraged.”

She gripped his side. “Get me to her, okay?”

He nodded and dialed his phone. “Nora, tell Annie we’ve got Lisa. She’s safe.”

Lisa smiled. She just knew that would help her mom.

Mark’s eyes sparkled. “I’ll tell you all about it when we get home.” He paused to listen to Nora. “Yes, there was gunfire, but so far I haven’t shot anyone.” He frowned. “You might want to keep the prayer warriors engaged on that. They aren’t all in custody yet.” Another pause. “Yes, your boys are all fine. We’ll be careful. I promise.” He rolled his eyes, but appreciation spilled over into his tone. “Don’t forget to tell Annie about Lisa.” Another short pause. “Okay, but right now I have to go.” He finished the call and told Lisa, “She’s worried.”

“Nora loves you.” The conversation between Amanda and Roxy worried Lisa. She took a moment to think it through.

“Yeah, I guess she does.” The hint of a smile touched the corner of his mouth. “She loves you too.”

“Um, Mark.” Roxy glanced from Lisa to him. “I’m glad these women are safe, but dropping this here creates a problem.”

“Excuse me?”

Roxy pulled her purse strap up on her shoulder. “According to our source, there are thirty women. We have four. If we interrupt this operation now, the others are out of luck.”

“What are we into here?” he asked.

“More than either of us imagined. I’ve been on this case three years. Human trafficking, criminal activity, drugs, gambling. You name it. It’s been a series of nightmares. But we finally got a break. One of the NINA operatives turned for us.”

Mark soaked it in. “You’re telling me they targeted thirty women like Lisa?”

“No. Only these four were specifically targeted. The rest are random abductions. We have no idea who they are or where they’re coming from or where they’re going. All we’ve got is following this truck until it stops and hoping the other women are brought to it, or they meet up. Our guy didn’t know the specifics. A decoy inserted, but before we could get her location, she was murdered.”

Mark frowned. “How did you get the video?”

“What video?” Lisa asked. Roxy didn’t seem surprised at Mark’s awareness of it.

“Later.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“We didn’t get it,” Roxy said. “That same source brought it to us.”

“Yet a female agent infiltrated.”

“And then was moved.” Roxy nodded. “That’s all I know. Homeland Security classified the rest.” She hiked a shoulder. “You know how it is.”

Mark sighed. “Unfortunately, I do.”

The agent who had been speaking with Juan ran over to Roxy. They spoke briefly in private, and then she returned to Mark, looking even more stressed and defeated. “There are definitely more women. We’ve got to keep going.”

Mark grimaced. “I know you’re not suggesting Lisa and the others continue.”

“I’d never suggest such a thing.” Roxy shifted on the asphalt. “I can’t get civilians involved.”

“So you’re going to substitute additional agents in their places?” Joe stepped between Selene and Gwen.

“Unfortunately, I can’t do that either.” Roxy looked from Joe to Lisa. “These four were targeted. If they were random, we could risk substitutions. But handpicked? We can’t do it.”

“Not just handpicked,” Selene said. “People paid to get rid of us, and we were to be sold again.” She looked at Lisa. “On both ends, people know exactly who we are.”

Twenty-six randomly abducted women.
Twenty-six
. Lisa looked at Gwen and then at Selene. Both of them offered her subtle nods. “We’re sticking with it, Roxy.”

“No.” Mark’s lids flattened to a slash. “Lisa, you can’t.”

She was terrified of going on, but she had no choice; none of them did. “If I don’t, I’ve met my eyes in the mirror for the last time. Twenty-six women, Mark. Every one of them will suffer what I would have suffered. I can’t know that and not even try to help them. I won’t.”

“You have no idea what you’re walking into. Trust me, Lisa. I do know, and this is not a wise move.”

She whispered so only he could hear. “What if one of them were Jane? Would you do it then?”

He paled. “That’s different. It isn’t her and I’m not you.”

Lisa placed a gentle hand to his arm. “Honey, they’re all somebody’s Janes. If not us, then who does this? You can’t. Joe can’t. They expect us. We have to be in the right place at the right time.”

Anger flashed through his eyes, then resignation, and finally acceptance. “You’re right. I know you’re right, but—”

“You’re worried.” She cast him a loving look. “Me too.” Worry wasn’t always a nuisance. It could be a weapon that protected you. One that kept you on your toes, sharp, aware. It could save your skin. “I love you for worrying about me.”

“I hate it when you do that.” He sighed. “For the record, I’m opposed. I understand, but I’m opposed.”

“It’s the right thing, and you know it.”

“I’m not asking you to do this.” Roxy met and held Lisa’s gaze. “Actually, I can’t let you do it.”

Lisa understood that they’d be breaking all the rules. Roxy might even be putting her neck on the line for not refusing. “I appreciate your delicate position—we all do—but we’re not asking your permission.”

“That’s right,” Selene said. “Our necks, our choice.”

“Ditto.” Gwen checked her flashlight. “But I am scared to death, and I seriously need some new batteries.”

“You’d be nuts if you weren’t scared out of your mind.” Roxy nodded to one of her men. “Mini-Mag batteries. Now—and tracking devices.” She turned to Mark. “Juan says they’re on a very tight schedule because of picking up Amanda in Jackson. If the truck doesn’t get moving fast, Masson will know something is wrong.”

“That’s true,” Lisa said. “The whole process is tightly controlled. Orchestrated.”

Roxy rubbed her neck. “He thinks the final location is in Mexico. My boss is working on an agreement with our Mexican counterparts in case he’s right.”

“We’ve got to get moving.” Lisa stepped closer. “Mark, they didn’t fare well tracking Amanda. Don’t lose me. Joe, you help him.”

“You got it, Lisa.” Joe’s respect for what she was doing shone in his eyes. “And don’t worry. We’ve got Annie covered. Nora and Clyde are with her, and Sam’s parked at her bedside.”

“I sent one of the Three Gables guys over too,” Mark added.

“Sam sent him back to watch over Kelly—just in case. He’s got Annie covered. If Nora doesn’t give the nod, no one gets close.”

Nora was nearly as formidable as Sam. “Thank you,” Lisa said.

Mark wasn’t happy; his lips were flat lined. On tiptoes, Lisa pecked a kiss to them. “A long time ago, I had a friend whose dad used to say that it takes a lot of heat to temper steel. I’ve been thinking about that, and maybe it takes a lot of heat to temper people too—to make them as strong as steel.”

“What’s your point?”

“Maybe some of our hard things were so we could get the skills and experience and wisdom we need to survive situations like this. Otherwise, we couldn’t make it.” Lisa swiped her windswept hair back from her face, growing more certain with each word she spoke. “Maybe those tough times were blessings in disguise.”

“How can your trials be blessings, Lisa?”

“The same way yours have been for you.”

Skepticism shadowed his face.

“Every hardship gave us scars, but it made us stronger and smarter too. We can help others as a result.” Maybe even help them help themselves.

“You could end up dead,” he whispered and led her off the shoulder into the grass. “This is NINA. Not some half-baked gang of thugs.”

“I know.” She stroked his cheek. “Just as I know Roxy would try, but without us she’d fail. Those other women won’t be spared, Mark. Could you live with that?” Hopefully, he’d think of Jane. Lisa didn’t dare raise her name again. He’d put her in a bubble and keep her there for the duration to protect her.

“That’s different.”

“Why?”

“Because it would be me, not you.”

“That’s no difference, honey.” He was part of her, as much as she was a part of him, and they both knew it.