Jaguar Pride (20 page)

“So what are you going to do? Threaten the woman to give up the cat? Did the man who sold it to Pierre steal it from you? Or promise to sell her to someone else?” Carlos asked. “What's so special about this cat?”

“You know what you're doing is illegal, right?” Melissa asked, as if the bastard didn't have a clue.

“So what? You're some animal activists and you intend to release her back to the wild? How the hell did you ever train those cats to act the way they did? When I saw the picture Pierre sent to me, I thought for sure that he had Photoshopped them. If he even knew how to do such a thing. But when I examined it closely, I knew it hadn't been. When those other guys strong-armed us into Pierre's house, I was certain that the cats weren't really there. But then there they were. Are they…highly trained guard cats or something? Wait, the one I sold wasn't a guard cat, too, was she? Ah hell, sure. Somehow Pierre bought a cat that you guys already owned and…you probably paid a fortune to train her.”

Huntley wanted to tell the guy to shut up, but instead he said, “Call her. Tell her you've picked up a mating pair, but you have to deliver them quickly or you'll have to sell them to another interested buyer.”

Carlos nodded and made the call. “Ms. Baker, I've got just the cats you want for your collection. They're a mated pair.” He frowned. “Good natured.” He glanced down at his bloody leg. “Yeah, the female might be carrying cubs already. I'll send you some pictures.” He put his hand over the phone. “She said I can come over tomorrow.”

“Now,” Avery growled, “or the deal is off.”

“I've got another buyer I'm supposed to take them to this evening to let him look at them. If you want to wait until tomorrow, that's fine by me. But if you want to see them now, you can get a jump on the other buyer.” Carlos took a deep breath. “I understand. I'll let you know if the other deal falls through, and then I'll see you tomorrow morning at eight.” He ended the call. “I can't force her to see me,” he said to Avery, who jerked the truck into the ditch.

“Okay,” Huntley said. “We scope out the place, Avery. And we'll take it from there.”

“She has a nice place,” Carlos warned.

“Drug money?” Huntley asked, getting suspicious.

Carlos shrugged. “Hell if I know where she's getting her money from. It's near the beaches and rainforest, and has a walled-in backyard and a swimming pool.”

“And a cat run?” Avery growled.

“Large, partly landscaped. Trees inside, but the fencing stretches across the top. She spared no expense on it. Even a small pool for the cat. So it's a nice deal, really.”

Melissa sighed. Huntley felt some relief too.

“Just the woman lives there? Any man around?” Huntley asked.

“A couple of men. I think they are her bodyguards or security. The place is safe, but you know how it is.”

“Yeah, lots of characters like you doing illegal stuff,” Melissa said.

“So what do you think
you're
doing?” Carlos asked. “Keeping exotic cats as guard animals? Hell, that's worse than anything
I've
ever done.”

“Did she have plans to be out tonight or something?” Huntley asked. “And that's why she can't meet with you? Or is she really not interested?”

“She said she had a prior social engagement that she couldn't break.”

“Calling this in,” Melissa said, and Huntley thought she sounded frustrated.

He didn't blame her. He hoped that they would find Avery's wife there and then fly her back home as soon as they could.

They drove through the small town of Quepos, past six blocks of restaurants and bars, hotels, gift shops, and bakeries. The town was situated along the main beach, and a sports fishing fleet was harbored there.

“Used to be a big market for bananas here,” Carlos said as if he couldn't shut up—probably nervous. “Then there was a big market for palm oil. Now all the tourists hit the area in the dry season for eco stuff.”

“Like seeing the beautiful animals that you and your buddies threaten to eliminate from their natural habitats?” Melissa said.

Carlos shut up after that. Thankfully.

They noted the streets were wet and there wasn't a lot of traffic. Which Huntley was glad for. And it seemed to be getting ready to rain again, the sky darkening.

“Hey, boss, we hope we're getting closer to picking up the female cat. We have one of the middlemen with us and he's helping us to reach her. Let me ask him.” She turned and said, “Do you know a Timothy Jackson?”

“Hell, yeah. I heard a bunch of his men were taken out some time recently.”

“Do you know where he got off to?” Melissa asked.

Carlos shook his head. “I don't deal with the poachers. It's safer for me that way. You'll have to ask Pierre. He's the one who deals directly with them.”

“That's a negative, boss. We'll keep you posted. We should be there momentarily. Out here.”

The housing development was nice. Huntley had looked it up on his borrowed phone and discovered that a home selling in this area was worth $350,000. For there, that was a lot.

But Carlos was right. The area was a little pricey for the old truck they were driving. Though Huntley imagined some of the places had gardening crews. As rainy as it was, they didn't see anything like that.

“Here it is,” Melissa and Carlos said together.

The two-car garage door was going up and the backup lights on a yellow Maserati were shining as someone began to pull out of the garage.

“That's her,” Carlos warned.

Avery hightailed it out of there until he reached the next street in the development and turned off there so she wouldn't see Carlos's truck and become suspicious.

Using a map on the phone, Huntley guided Avery around the development so he could return to the house. It wouldn't be dark for another hour, though.

“What do you want to do?” Avery asked. “If she's in there and safe, I'm good with waiting until it's dark.”

“Good. That's what I'd opt for,” Huntley said.

“I'm all for it. What are we going to do about him?” Melissa asked.

“It may take all three of us to go after her,” Huntley said.

“I'm wounded. I'll just wait for you in the truck. I'm not even sure I can walk any distance,” Carlos said.

No one said anything, but Melissa figured knocking him out was their best bet.

Avery drove back to the town and parked at one of the restaurants so that no one would notice them much. Not like driving around the ritzy development.

When the rains began pouring down and the sky darkened sufficiently, they figured it was time to chance it.

They still hadn't decided what to do with Carlos. Then Melissa said, “We can lock him in the back of the truck. Like he would do with one of the cats. Got any cages back there?”

Huntley held out his hand. “Give me your cell phone.”

Carlos gave it to him. Huntley had to help him into the back of the truck, then climbed in with him and shut him up in a cage. “Stay there. When we get the cat, she's going to be in the back with you. Except she'll be on the outside of the cage guarding you. So if you don't want a jaguar to finish you off, do as I tell you.”

“
Sí, sí
,” Carlos said, sitting on his butt and looking anxious, his hand clutching his thigh.

Not that Kathy would be joining Carlos back there, but the threat appeared to make the man compliant.

Then Huntley closed the cage door, left the truck, closed its door, and locked it.

When they reached the house, they knew they didn't have any choice but to pull into the driveway and deal with this. If the guards were watching, they'd come check them out. There wasn't anywhere for them to park inconspicuously nearby.

“Let's go,” Huntley said, and the three of them were out of the truck in a flash. He hoped the hell that Carlos was right, that Kathy was here and safe—and none of the three agents or Avery's wife would be injured while freeing her.

Melissa was ready to kill the guards or anyone else who tried to stop them from freeing Kathy. And she knew by the way that Avery was giving off an angry scent that he was also ready to kill. A guard, at least they thought he might be, came out to speak with them. They assumed at least another was waiting in the house for them, watching to see what would happen.

“Where's Carlos?” the man asked, his skin a light brown, his English heavily accented with Spanish. He was wearing a suit coat and black trousers that looked completely out of place there in the tropics.

“He wanted us to bring the jaguars here so Ms. Baker could see them,” Melissa said. “He said that she didn't want to miss out on them.”

“She had a social engagement and told him she would see him tomorrow.”

“Do you want to see the cats? The male is a black. Rare. Beautiful,” Melissa said.

“I don't care anything about the cats,” the man said. “Now leave before I have to call the police.”

“She buys exotic cats stolen from a reserve. That's illegal,” Melissa said, arching a brow.

The man reached his hand into his suit coat, but Huntley grabbed his arm and said, “Don't move or I'll break it.”

“Who the hell are you people? What do you want?”

“A stolen jaguar,” Melissa said. “We don't care about Ms. Baker or you and your bodyguard friend. But we do care about the cat.”

“Where's Carlos?” the man asked again, and she got the impression the guard knew him.

“Safe. So shall we go into the house and pretend to be friends? Or do we get…rough?” Melissa asked.

He smiled down at her a little like he didn't believe she could best him.

“Don't test me,” she said.

Huntley removed the man's weapon, and then they headed for the house. “Ms. Baker's not going to like this,” the guard said.

“She doesn't have to like it. And the cat doesn't belong to her,” Melissa said.

She was certain they would have trouble as soon as they entered the house. If they could enter it. But the other guy inside wouldn't unlock the door.

Avery headed around to the back gate. Melissa was torn between getting into the house and taking out the other guard, or going with Avery in case the other guard intercepted him back there. Then she said, “Come on, let's go.”

Huntley followed her lead, thankfully, and they rushed the guard to the back gate. “Got a key?” she asked.

Avery was still trying to break the lock with a rock.

“No,” the guard said.

“Screw this.” Avery jumped over the wall.

They heard running footsteps and Melissa climbed over the wall after him, leaving Huntley to deal with the guard.

Two men were coming for Avery. Two guards. Damn it. Melissa went for the second guard. Being a woman, she found that men didn't take her seriously. She was too cute and petite to be dangerous. Avery and Huntley, on the other hand, looked like they could dish out some injuries, as well built as they were.

The men both went for Avery. That gave her the advantage she needed since they were armed with knives and they ignored her.

She proved the one wrong, jumping with a sidekick to the guy's leg just as he sliced at Avery with a knife. The men probably didn't want to fire off guns in the high-priced neighborhood and risk having one of the neighbors, or several, call the police.

The man went down, crying out in pain. She immediately kicked him in the head and knocked him out. Then she raced for the cage the jaguar was in.

Avery was still fighting the last man, who was trying to stick him with a knife.

Melissa had just reached the locked cage when she heard Huntley rush to help Avery. Between the two of them, they knocked the last guard out.

“Locked!” Melissa called out.

The cat was pacing in front of the gate, roaring to get out. And then Melissa saw a smaller “exhibit” that contained two margays. As soon as Melissa and the others were out of here, they could notify the authorities, and when Ms. Baker got home from her social engagement, she could deal with the fallout.

Huntley found a rock, and he and Avery ran to the cat enclosure. Huntley struck the lock several times before breaking it. Avery jerked the lock off the cage door and let Kathy out. She was all over him, licking and hugging him with her forelegs while she remained in her jaguar form. He was hugging her back, and Melissa swore he had tears of relief in his eyes.

“Why don't you guys… Where's the other guard?” Melissa asked.

“He's in the truck. Knocked out. We'll leave Carlos and the guard in there and drive back to Pierre's place,” Huntley said.

“Okay, good.” Melissa turned to Kathy. “I'm Melissa Overton, JAG branch, and this is my partner, Huntley Anderson. Your babies are home safe. Why don't you and I go inside and find some of Ms. Baker's clothes to wear? You should have seen Huntley and I take care of your babies. He wore more of the bottled milk on his shirt than he was feeding to them at times.”

Kathy gave her a jaguar-sized grin and the two of them headed for the house.

“I won't feel good about this until she's on a plane headed for home,” Avery said.

“I don't blame you,” Huntley said.

Avery let out his breath. “I don't know how you do it.”

“What's that?” Huntley asked.

“Work on assignment with Melissa and not worry every second about her.”

“She's got great instincts and is a hell of an agent,” Huntley said, and when Melissa turned to give a smile for the compliment, he winked back at her and then got on the phone to call the boss.

The house wasn't quite as posh as Melissa had expected, but it was nice. All tropical decor: green and purple floral fabrics, tiled floors, ceiling fans, and a huge entertainment center. Melissa and Kathy quickly located the woman's bedroom, and while Kathy found some undergarments, Melissa looked in the closet. “Something fancy, or simple?”

“Anything will do. After what the woman put me through, I should borrow her most expensive clothes, though I have to say this cage was a lot nicer than where I had been. But I couldn't believe a woman would buy exotic animals from the park so she could raise cubs. She didn't want Avery. She planned to buy another male. I could just imagine being stuck in here with a full-time jaguar. Then she was on the phone to someone earlier and told her guard that the seller had another pair of cats for her to look at.

“She said they were a mated pair. Scared me because I was afraid she'd figure I was of no use to her now. And she'd sell me off to someone else where the conditions were lots worse. I was so worried about Avery and what they would do to him. And if anyone could find me before something really awful happened. Then too, I couldn't quit worrying about Jaime and Jenny. I smelled your scents in the tent, and you were my only hope. I went to rescue Avery, but that was a big mistake.”

“We'll get you home as quickly as possible.” Melissa gave Kathy a hug. The poor woman had to have been terrified. At least Melissa had training in escape and evasion. “What about this T-shirt?”

“That will do.” Kathy pulled the aqua T-shirt over her head, then found some jeans with sequins on the pockets, and a pair of hiking shoes. “Good fit.” She turned and gave Melissa a hug this time before she broke into tears.

Melissa's eyes misted. “We've got to get you and Avery back home to your kids.” She hugged Kathy back. “We were so worried about you.” She told Kathy all that had happened while they took care of her cubs, hoping to cheer her. The poor woman wasn't a fighter, not trained for ordeals like this. She was simply a mother wishing to be back with her babies.

When they went outside, the bodyguards were missing. “Where are the two other bodyguards?” Melissa asked.

Huntley jerked his thumb at the cage. “In there.” The guys were still unconscious, naked now, and Avery and Huntley had managed to find another lock and locked them in. “See how they like being in there.”

“Maybe we should put the other one that's in the truck in the cage too,” Melissa said.

“Already done.”

Melissa glanced back at the cat cage and then realized three men's naked backsides were flashing her instead of two. “Good.” She got on the phone and called “their” local policeman to alert him about Ms. Yasmine Baker and her illegal possession of the margays and the location of her property.

Sounding surprised that she'd call him with a heads-up, Alvarez asked, “Will you be there when we get there?”

“No. We've secured Ms. Baker's bodyguards in another pen where we found evidence indicating she also had a jaguar here, but it's gone now. Got to go. We'll alert you if we find any other cases.”

He thanked her and she thought he now believed that she and her partner really were here to help them out. Then she and the others left and headed to Pierre's house. Kathy sat on Avery's lap on the drive back as if they couldn't get enough of each other. He told her all that had happened to him after the poachers had sold her, and she thanked Melissa and Huntley for taking care of the babies and all they'd done.

Huntley rested his hand on Melissa's leg as if he wanted what Avery had with Kathy.

Time would tell, she figured. She scooted closer to him anyway and called Luke. “We've got her. We'll be there in a couple of hours to drop off the truck and pick up the car and leave.” Then she called Martin.

“We'll make arrangements to fly the Carringtons home at the earliest possible time. Let me know when you meet up with Luke and Jason,” Martin said, still tense. They wouldn't feel good about this until the Carringtons were on their way home.

Two hours later, they were back at Pierre's house. And then they left Carlos in his truck for Pierre to deal with, giving a stern warning to all four men that if they ever sold anything from one of the reserves again, they were dead men.

Pierre was wringing his hands, glancing at the bedroom where Huntley and Melissa had shifted into jaguars and then back again. When they headed outside, he hurried after them. “Wait! You left the jaguars in my bedroom. Aren't you going to take them with you?”

“It's illegal to take jaguars anywhere. Didn't we just tell you that?” Huntley said. “We certainly don't want to be caught red-handed hauling them around. You deal with it.” Then he stopped and turned and gave Pierre a steely glower. “And that means return them to the park where they were taken from. Not selling them to someone else.”

“But…”

“Do it. But watch that female's bite. It can be worse than the male's.”

The shifters were all fighting smiles. Then Everett, Melissa, and Huntley climbed into Everett's rental car and the Carringtons headed out with Luke and Jason. Their mission was to get the couple home. Melissa's, Huntley's, and Everett's task was to go after Jackson.

Everett was driving, Huntley riding up front, while Melissa called Martin back and put the call on speaker. “Any leads on Jackson?”

“First, I just wanted to say you all did a damn good job on rescuing the Carringtons. As to Jackson, we suspect he got word that his men are dead and that the police are crawling all over the place. Why don't you find lodging for the night, get some rest, and tomorrow I'll update you,” Martin said.

“Okay, will do.” Melissa said to Everett, “Find some place near the forest reserve. Until we have to leave here for our next assignment, I want to enjoy the rainforest atmosphere right next door.”

“You got it,” Everett said. He glanced at Huntley. “I wonder how long it will take for Pierre to check out his bedroom and find that the man-eating cats aren't in there.”

Melissa chuckled, then sighed. “Do you really think the two men will quit selling poached exotic animals?”

“Hell, yeah. Not that either of them will get legitimate jobs if they give up dealing in exotic animals. Now, Carlos? Unless he can get medical care without arousing the suspicion of the police, or he pays them off, who knows what might happen to him? My bite left punctures in his leg, and if he doesn't get some antibiotics and get it taken care of, he might end up losing the leg, or more. As to Pierre, I think he knows we'll be back if we have any hint that he's selling again. In fact, it wouldn't hurt for one of our guys to pose as a buyer in the near future and test him. If he offers to deal, no more chances.”

“Did you at least open the bedroom window so that Pierre doesn't wonder what happened to the cats?” Everett asked.

“Yeah. I was damned tempted not to, though. Let him figure out what was going on,” Huntley said.

Melissa chuckled. “I closed it.”

The brothers laughed.

“How about this place?” Everett asked, driving into the parking lot of a two-story hotel.

“Looks good to me. It's situated right next to the rainforest reserve so I can still enjoy all the jungle sounds,” Melissa said.

“Perfect.” Everett added, “So, Huntley, are we sharing a room like usual?” He smiled like he had made a joke, but it forced Melissa into considering the situation, when she hadn't given it any thought before this.

She and Huntley weren't a couple dating each other on a vacation. All three of them were agents on a mission. As soon as Everett made the comment, she felt obligated to remind everyone that she was just another agent working with them on an assignment.

“Yes. The two of you can share a room. If we can get another one next door, that would be great. If not, no problem,” she said, shrugging and perfectly straight-faced because she meant it.

But the two men were staring at her as though she'd shifted into a jaguar right there in front of God and everyone, their mouths gaping a bit, their eyes widened. Then Everett looked like he wanted to bow out of this one fast and quickly said, “I'll get us a couple of rooms.”

Before Melissa could follow Everett and avoid talking with Huntley about this, he stopped her, hand on her arm in a gentle, worried way. She looked up at him, saw the concern in his expression, and worried that he felt they were breaking up when they hadn't even officially dated yet.