Her Adoring SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 3) (22 page)

“We still haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Berto,” Jack said.  He’d really been hoping he’d be at the dinner tonight.  But apparently he had other plans.  Jack was assured he’d be there to open the container from Tijuana.

“We’re going to have to really coordinate things.  The train Beth is on is coming in four hours before the boat with the three containers from overseas,” Aiden said.

“I’ve been thinking,” Jack said.  “What if we do an old fashioned train robbery before the train reaches Veracruz.  Get Beth safely off the train before it reaches here?”  He saw Aiden’s face light up with a smile.

“Son, that’s brilliant.  I love the simple plans.”

“Melvin was positive she’d be coming on a truck, but if you know it’s a train, he should be able to track it.”  Jack grimaced at the bad pun Clint made.  Hopefully it hadn’t been on purpose.

“If we fly into Mexico City, she should be just about there or a little past it on the way to Veracruz.”

Jack itched to be in on Beth’s rescue, but what they said made sense.

“Jack?”  Aiden was staring at him.

“Mason, I agree.  In the meantime, we’ll work on getting all the intel we can on this.  Are you going to bring in other agencies?”

“We will on the ship in Veracruz, no on Beth.”  Jack sighed in relief.  He only wanted his fellow SEALs working to get Beth home safely.

“How are you holding up, Jack?” Drake asked.

Jack swallowed, he could only think about Beth and what she must be going through.

“He’s doing good.  He’s only killed one man so far for being stupid,” Aiden answered.

“No shit?” Drake asked.

“It’s true,” Aiden confirmed.

“Leave some for us,” Drake said.

“Will do,” Jack said.  “How’re you going to be able to find the train Beth is on?”

“We’re going to coordinate train schedules, and ultimately get some satellite photos,” Clint explained.

“In other words, don’t ask.” Drake laughed.

There was a knock on the door. 

“We’ve got to shut this down, fellas.”  Jack pressed end.  Aiden somehow had a gun in his hand, which Jack found amazing since he was only wearing a towel.  Jack pulled his, and went to the door.  It was Helen.

“Aiden, you didn’t need to get all dressed up for me,” she purred.

“To what do we owe this honor?”

“Ruiz is worried about your loyalty.  We’re going to have you meet our employer for breakfast tomorrow.  He’ll decide if you are going to work with us on our endeavors tomorrow night.”

Aiden and Jack looked at one another.

“And you Helen?  Are you worried?” Aiden asked.

“I’m not the one who is jealous.”  She meandered over to Aiden who still had his gun in his hand.  She ran her nails over his ripped abdomen, and looked at his towel in disappointment after seeing how there was no reaction.

“So I don’t do it for you, huh?  Are you taken like this one is?”

“No, I’m not taken, but my thoughts are elsewhere.”

“I’m really getting sick of the good ones being enamored with different women.  Or is it a woman?”

“It’s a woman,” he confirmed.

“Is she pretty?”

“Inside and out.  She’s a doctor.”  Jack winced.  Did Aiden really have to throw down that way with the psycho bitch?

“Well, I’ll tell you the same thing I told your not so little friend.  Don’t touch the merchandise.  If you do, I’ll have you castrated.” 

“Good to know, I’ve always wanted to avoid castration.”  She barked out a laugh. 

“Well gentlemen, be ready to be picked up for breakfast at seven a.m.  I won’t be there, it will just be
El Cuchilla
and Ruiz.  I don’t believe in mornings.”

“As for our other partner, he’ll be flying in next week.  You’ll meet him then.”

What other partner?

“What other partner,” Aiden asked.

“We get our product from the East.  We have to have a supply side, and a distribution side.  We’re the distribution side.  However, the supply side has been having more opinions over here.  As a matter of fact, he wants to do more on the American and Canadian coasts. 
El Cuchilla
is interested in hearing him out.”

“Why are we so lucky to meet him?” Aiden asked.

“According to my intel, you speak Chinese.  Both Cantonese and Mandarin.  This is very beneficial.  And JJ is the kind of pretty blonde he likes to look at.  Our supplier...he likes pretty.”

They watched her leave.

****

“M
ama, what were you thinking?  These girls are obviously criminals.  If they find them here we could end up in prison.”  Beth didn’t like the older woman’s daughter.  It was funny, because it seemed like her son didn’t like her either.  He kept holding out his arms to Beth, and trying to wiggle out of his mother’s arms.

“Stop it, Juan.  She can’t hold you.”

“Margarita, they are staying with me.  This is my house.  You and Juan are leaving tomorrow as soon as I can buy you tickets.”

“Good.”  She left the room and slammed the door to her small bedroom.

“I apologize.  She is spoiled.”

“She’s a bitch,” Joanne said.  The woman gave Joanne a narrow eyed look, and Beth sighed. ‘Bitch’ was a word easily understood by most Mexicans.

“Joanne, back off, you don’t know what she was saying.”

“Sure I do.  I might not understand Spanish, but she was definitely telling her mom we were bad news and to get rid of us.  Do we have to go?”

“No, we don’t.  At least I don’t think we do.  Can you take the girls back to the room Senora Lomas gave us?  I think the more out of sight we are the better.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to help her with dinner, and try to see about finding a phone to use.”

“You have people you can call?”  Joanne sounded hopeful.

“Boy, do I.”

“Gee, Beth, it would be great if someone would come and help us.  Are you sure they would.”

“I’m positive.”  Beth walked over and hugged the young girl.  She whispered in her ear, “My boyfriend is a Navy SEAL.”

“For real?” she squealed.

“For real.”

“But we don’t even know where we are, how can he find us?”

“If anyone can, Jack can.  Now take the others and go into the back, okay?”  Joanne grinned, and gathered the other two girls.

Beth turned and saw Senora Lomas looking at her. 

“You are good with those girls.  How did you come to be travelling together?”

“We’ve all been kidnapped.  We were going to be sold.”  The woman didn’t look surprised.

“It is sad, I have seen many bad things in my life.  It can be very bad for women.  How did you escape?”  Beth explained about the train, and the hole in the floor.  Senora Lomas’ eyes got very wide, and then she insisted on looking at Beth’s hand.

“Here, let me get some ointment.  It looks very painful.”  It was, but Beth didn’t want to complain.  A little bit of pain was a small price to pay for their freedom.

“Do you have a phone I can use?”

“I don’t, and my daughter will not let you use hers.  Do you need to make a call outside of Mexico?”

Dammit.  Beth hadn’t thought of that, but she did.  She couldn’t imagine anybody’s calling plan supporting an international call.  How did you even go about making a collect call anymore?

“Senora Lomas, do you know how to make a collect call to America?”

“No, but I’m sure little Jorge next door will know.  He watches all of the American programs on the TV.  The little boy knows everything.  We will go and ask to use his mother’s phone.”

They plodded through the muddy walkway between the two little homes and a very large woman opened the door.

“Flora, what orphan have you dragged home this week?”

“This is Beth.  It’s a long story.  Are you going to invite us in Lupita?”  The big woman laughed, and stepped back to allow them entry into her house.  Behind her was a small boy holding a hand held video game.

“Ah, just the young man we’re looking for.  Jorge, this is my friend Beth.  She needs your help.”

“Are you on the run?”

“Jorge, what made you ask that question?” his mother admonished.

“I saw her come in with her three white friends.  They look like criminals, and they were sneaking in with Senora Lomas.  Are the police after you?”

“I’m going to take away your TV privileges for a week if you’re not more respectful Jorge Lodge.  Are we clear?” His mother’s voice boomed through the house, and the boy shrugged his shoulders.

“You’ll just let me watch it tomorrow anyway.  But I’ll be nice, I don’t want to hurt her feelings.  But are you a criminal?”

Beth sighed.  “No, I’m not a criminal.  Criminals are after me.  I need your help to get away from them.  I have people who will come and save me if I can get ahold of them.  Otherwise I need to find a way to leave before the criminals come and find us.”

“Our police here are very bad.  They are criminals too,” Jorge said.

The women looked at one another.

“It’s sad when even one so young knows how corrupt our system is.  How can we help you?”

“I need a telephone, and to make a collect call to California.”

All three women looked at the little boy.

“That is simple.”

“Thank, God,” Senora Lomas said.  Lupita fished a phone out of the pocket of the hoodie she wore and handed it to her son. Jorge pushed in many numbers, and then shoved the phone to Beth.

“Talk to the operator.” He grinned proudly.

“Hello?  I need to make a collect call to Jack Preston, let me give you his number.”

****

“D
o you need to get that?” Berto asked.

Jack ignored the phone in his pocket.  It was on a very low vibrate, but Berto was watching him like a hawk. 

“It’s nobody.”

“I insist.  You’re my guest.  You’re also my employee, I’m interested in what goes on in my employee’s lives.”

Jack pulled out the phone.

“I don’t recognize the number.  If it isn’t somebody I know, I have a policy of not answering.”  He put the phone back in his pocket.

“You should be more careful who you give your number to,” Berto said.

“Yes I should, that’s good advice.”  Jack forked another slice of mango and chewed.  Berto focused his attention on Aiden.

“Ruiz and Helen were telling me about your Uncle Leonard.  He sounds like an interesting man.  It’s too bad he is not someone we can talk into working with us.”

“He’s been reformed by love.”

“A woman should never lead a man around by his cock.  The man is in charge.  You will meet my woman tonight.  She will know who is in charge from the very second she lays eyes on me.  It will be a very satisfying reunion.”

Jack put his fork down.

“You stopped eating.  Don’t you agree, JJ?”

“It depends on the woman,
El Cuchilla
.  Some women need to be put in their place,” he said thinking of Helen.  “Some women need to be loved and cared for.”

“Ruiz said you have a woman.”

“I do.”

“You believe in loving and caring, I suppose.”

“I do.”

“Let me give you some advice.  First you make sure she knows who’s in charge.  What about you Aiden, do you have a woman?”

“I have one in mind, yes.”

“How do you plan to treat her?”

“Whatever way will win her.”

Berto laughed.  “You’re a man after my own heart.  Don’t forget, some women like the back of your hand.  Don’t be afraid to use it.”

Aiden didn’t show any outward sign of disgust, but Jack knew his friend.  He was going to need another shower.

“So you are both Army Rangers?  But only you were dishonorably discharged.  It was for what?  The details were sparse.” 

“My captain and I had a disagreement over a woman.  He thought I was being too harsh with her.”

“I’m confused, you must explain this to me.”

“This was before I met my love.  I didn’t always believe in love and caring.  So Berto, I can understand your ways of treating women.  As I said, it depends on the woman.”

Berto slammed the butt of his fork down on the table, causing the plates to clatter.

“I like you, JJ!  You will be good for our organization.  I will have you meet the train with
mi amor
tonight.”  He grinned broadly.  Jack grinned in return.  Everything was going perfectly, until he and Aiden got back to the room and he heard his message.

“Jack, this is Beth.  I’m with three other girls.  We’re in a town called Rallos.  I don’t know how safe it is, or how long we can stay here with Senora Lomas without causing problems for her.  Here is the phone number of her neighbor.  Please call us.  I’m going to try Lydia next.  I love you.”

He called the number and got voicemail.

“Goddamit!” he roared.

****

“L
ydia!”

“Beth, is this really you?” 

“Oh Lydia, you’re safe.  I was so worried.”

“Are you shitting me?  Jesus Beth, you had a gun to your head.  They hit you and drove you away.  I thought you were on a train to Veracruz.”

“How did you know?”  Beth looked up and saw the two women were staring at her.  “Never mind.  I need help.  I can’t go to the authorities.  The ladies I’m with are telling me they can’t be trusted.  I’m in a little town called Rallos.”

“Hold on, the guys just landed in Mexico City about an hour ago.  They planned to rescue you from the train.  You just made their job a whole hell of a lot easier, little sister.”  Beth was warmed by the pride she heard in Lydia’s voice.

There was silence on the phone.

“Beth?”

“Is that you, Mason?”

“Can you tell us exactly where you are?  Clint is getting GPS coordinates.  You’re on speaker phone.”  There was a lot of background noise, and she was having trouble hearing him. 

“If you asked where I am, I’m in a city called Rallos.”  She looked at Lupita.

“What’s your address?”

“Give them mine,” Senora Lamos said.  “5 Via Fleur.”

“I’m at 5 Via Fleur.  I have three other girls with me.”

“Clint said we should be there in an hour and a half.  Stay put Beth.  Just hunker down, we’ll be there.”

“Who were you talking to?”  Beth spun around.  There were three men in uniforms in the doorway.  Behind her was Senora Lomas’ daughter.