Knock Out (A Reynolds Security Novel) (16 page)

Chapter 22

“Mr. Castillo I am happy to report that we have located your necklace.”

“
That is wonderful news Mr. Carpenter.”

“
Yes, we also located your wife’s family heirloom. Did you realize it was missing?”

“
The Heart of Africa? No, I didn’t even know she had placed it in the vault. I haven’t told her of the theft. I didn’t want to upset her. She only wears it on special occasions. I bet she hasn’t missed it yet.”

“
Where did you find them?”

“
They were in the home of the young woman you allowed to wear the necklace at the party.”

“
You’re kidding.” He gasped.

“
I’m afraid not. From the looks of things she was quite obsessed with you and the necklace.”

“
That is quite shocking.”

“
Yes it was. I believe we have enough evidence that you could have her charged if you choose to. I know you were trying to avoid publicity.”

“
Yes, I will have to give that some consideration”

“
Anyway I would appreciate it if you would come to my office to positively identify them and pick them up. It makes me nervous to have something of such value, even in my safe.” Jace laughed.

Lou didn’t relish her role in the sting considering she was the baby sitter. But she understood that it was her job to keep Elena from doing anything crazy. She turned to the woman beside her in the Range Rover.

“
Why did you put the jewels in my apartment?”

Elena flushed and hung her head.
“I am sorry. I saw you that night. I didn’t know what to do with the necklace. I was angry I didn’t know who I could trust. I left the hotel on foot. I saw you park and get out. I assumed you were meeting Viktor so I… well I thought it was fitting. He wouldn’t expect you to have them and if you were caught with them it would be… retribution of sorts.”

“
I thought you weren’t in love with him. That you loved someone else.”

“
I’m not and I do but he has made me miserable since I was fifteen.”

“
You were only fifteen when he married you?”

“
Yes at that point he was twice my age. He didn’t really want me, I was simply a prize. He never stopped taking lovers, not before or after we were married. At first he liked to flaunt it to me. I think he sought to punish me but by that point I no longer cared. He likes his lovers to be very young. Sometimes too young. I was disgusted by him. But I never took any other lovers. Honestly after Viktor I found the idea distasteful.” Elena looked out the window. “I have always known that Viktor’s repentance and renouncement of the blood diamond trade wasn’t real. He stole everything from my family. He never stopped financing the guerilla army his brothers had created. When I met Marcus I knew he wasn’t one of Viktor’s men. He still had a soul.” A tear rolled down Elena’s cheek, she continued to focus on a point outside the window. “I never loved until I met Marcus. I never knew what love was until Marcus. Rathdrum will tell you Marcus used me to get information or to further his cover but it wasn’t like that. He told me who he was. I helped him because I wanted to.” Elena brushed the tears off her cheeks. “Then Viktor took him away from me. Of course I had to get him back. I would do anything, give anything.”

“
I’m sorry.” Lou said softly. “I wish we had known. That we hadn’t messed up your plans.”

“
It’s not your fault.” Elena smiled a watery smile. “You did your job admirably.” She looked as if she was about to say more when Elena gasped and pointed.

“
That man works for Viktor. His name is Emile and he does all Viktor’s dirty work.” Lou looked at where Elena was pointing and saw a man walking up the sidewalk. They were parked a block up from the hotel so they could see when Viktor’s motorcade came and left. It had left fifteen minutes before. The FBI should be moving on the suspected location of Agent Latimer right now. Their job was to watch and report when Viktor returned. Something was wrong, she could feel it. She watched the man get into a sedan parked on the street. Lou started the Range Rover and pulled out behind him. She had never followed anyone before but she had seen enough action movies to know the basics. She kept two cars between them. She didn’t immediately change lanes when he did. She did her best not to look suspicious.

She tried to call Jace but of course he
didn’t answer. By now Viktor would be in his office. She called Frank Sinclair who should be with Jace. He didn’t answer either. She systematically dialed every number in her list until she finally got someone to answer.

“
Brent we have a problem.”

“
Tell me something I don’t know.” He grumbled.

“
What happened?”

“
Rathdrum walked into an ambush, no Latimer and our contact at the hotel says the suites are cleaned out. As soon as our man has his jewels he’s gonna skip town and we may not find our missing ATF agent.”

“
I think I am on my way to the missing agent.”

“
What?”

“
I am tailing Viktor’s henchman. I am driving Jace’s Range Rover. Can you track it and get the FBI here?”

“
Hell yes, I am on it now. You rock babe!” Lou disconnected the call and used her phone to snap a picture of the sedan’s license plate. She didn’t know if it would help but it was better than nothing. She sent the pic to Brent and Jace.

When the sedan turned onto the road leading to the small municipal airport, Lou pulled over into a mini-mart. He would see her for sure if she followed. There were no other cars on the road. She debated while she watched the car disappear. She called Brent.

“How far out is the FBI.”

“
They are on the other side of town from you. Probably thirty minutes.”

“
Seriously can’t they step it up?”

“
Have you seen the agent?”

“
No.”

“
Then I can’t. They weren’t too worked up based on your hunch.”

“
Chauvinist assholes.” She muttered. “What about our team?”

“
Charlie, Sam and Colby are hauling ass your way.” That made her feel a bit better.

“
Whatever you do, do not let Jace let go of Castillo.”

“
Got it.”

Lou hung up and took a deep breath and looked at Elena. She started the car and drove up the road to the airport parking lot. It was mostly empty. There were four private hangars. She
didn’t see the black sedan she’d been following anywhere so she assumed it must be in one of the hangars.

“
It’s that one.” Lou looked up sharply and saw Elena pointing at hangar number four. “Viktor’s jet is inside. Here take this badge to get through the airport gate.”

“
Thank you. Elena, you have to stay here.”

“
I know.”

“
No matter what happens, promise.”

“
I promise.”

“
Okay, lock the door.”

It had just begun to rain when Lou stepped out. She pulled the collar up on her leather jacket and walked toward the gate as if she had done it a hundred times. It
wasn’t until she neared the hanger that she slowed. Doubts began to assail her. What if he wasn’t there? Or worse what if he was already dead? She had to believe that they were keeping Latimer as an insurance policy until they had the diamonds back. When she reached the large open doorway she stopped and listened. She didn’t hear anything. She peered around the corner and saw the sedan but the driver was gone. The space was huge and open. It made it very difficult for her to hide. She crept along the wall hiding behind anything she could. She heard a noise coming from the plane and ducked behind a pallet. She saw the driver of the sedan step out of the plane and walk to a store room at the back of the building. He came back with a couple of suitcases and placed them on top of two crates near the back of the plane. Then he walked into another room. Lou slipped into the room nearest her, it looked like an office of some kind but it was empty.

If I were keeping someone prisoner where would I put them?
She peeked into the hangar again and looked at the open space. There was nowhere to confine a person there. The rooms were small and all seemed to be open. Her eyes fell on the car. He could be in the trunk. If she was holding an ATF agent that’s where she would put him. Of course he could be on the plane already.

Lou channeled her inner bond girl trying to determine what
she  should do. But all she could think of were the gadgets she didn’t have, the bond she didn’t have, and the very real pounding of her heart she did have. Biting her cheek hard she sprinted to the car. The driver’s door was unlocked. She searched all the usual places until she found the trunk release. She pulled it and checked the ignition for keys just because. There were none.

She wanted to cry with relief when she saw a man in the trunk which was odd because she normally would consider that a bad thing. His hands and feet were duct taped and there was a piece of duct tape over his mouth. He was beaten and bloody but he was breathing. His eyes were closed so she shook him and whispered as loud as she dared.

“Latimer, wake up. We’ve got to get you out of here.” His eyes didn’t so much as flutter. She tried again with the same result. She was strong but there was no way she would be able to hoist a two hundred and fifty pound man out of the well of the trunk. She shook him again and finally his eyes opened. They were unfocused and glassy but he seemed to understand that he needed to move. She used her knife to slice through the tape at his wrists and ankles. She helped him sit up and supported him while he stood. She jumped when she heard a noise and rushed him to the nearest doorway. Too late she realized she had forgotten to close the trunk.

The driver saw it immediately and pulled his gun. Lou pulled hers as well where she and Latimer were crouched behind the doorway. She prayed he
didn’t come her way. She was a great shot but she had never had to shoot a real person before. Not even when she was in the army. She really didn’t want to start now. The man roared and kicked the tire of the car. He turned and quickly stalked back to the room he had just come from. Lou knew she should stay put but there was no way out where she was. If she waited she was a sitting duck. She helped Latimer to his feet and supported him by putting herself under his arm so he could lean on her. Then she hurried as fast as he could go toward the giant open door.  She had just rounded the corner when she came face to face with the barrel of a gun.

Chapter 23

Jace hated lying. Even when an acting job was required, like now, he hated it. But he could do it. In fact was doing it to catch a rat. He made small talk and joked with Castillo, he lied about the supposed crazed fan who had them. He waited for the signal to send him on his way but it never came. Viktor began to grow impatient and Jace finally gave him the Jewels to verify. He did identify them and put on a show of his own tripping over himself to say how happy he was to have them returned. He wrapped them up. Tucked them into a nice little case and prepared to leave. The plan was for him to leave with the case and the FBI to take him down at the hotel after they had freed Latimer. But he was waiting for a signal to come that told him Latimer was safe and it hadn’t come. Agent Sinclair was with him but he seemed just as baffled. They were all moving toward the door when there was a knock. His assistant stepped in and confused him further.

“
Sir, I am very sorry to interrupt but your wife called. She said the delivery you were waiting for didn’t arrive and she would pick it up instead. She said to make sure to tell you under no circumstances are you to let the cat out.”

“
Ah women, always thinking they run the show.” Castillo laughed and Jace faked it halfheartedly. He locked eyes with Frank to make sure Frank got the message. He did. He pulled his gun and ordered Castillo to put his hands up. Several of Frank’s men came into the room and Jace stepped back out of the way. He really didn’t care to see Viktor arrested. He was more concerned about the part of that cryptic message that had Lou fixing the problem herself.

“Whoa, I wasn’t taking anything. This man needs medical help.” Lou bluffed. This was the first time she had ever been on the wrong end of a gun. She had to admit it was not an experience she was looking to repeat.

“
Back up.” The man said coolly. His African accent was thicker even than Viktor and Elena. She had a gun, unfortunately it was on the same side as the injured agent and she wasn’t really looking to try a quick draw contest anyway. She helped Latimer turn and they reentered the hanger.

“
Let the girl go. She just saw me escaping and tried to help.” Latimer said, his breathing very labored. She wondered if he had a collapsed lung.

“
Too bad you had to drag her into it.” He gestured for them to walk with the barrel of his gun. Progress was slow but when he reached the plane he motioned them up the stairs.

“
I have a terrible fear of flying and I really think this man should get clearance from his doctor before he flies.”

“
Get in the plane.” The man yelled right in her face.  Much as she hated doing what he told her too she saw little alternative. Climbing the few stairs was a trial for Latimer, she suspected he might have a punctured lung or some broken ribs at the least. He was not going to be any help. He could not fight and he could not run.

Their captor fished a cell phone from a jacket in one of the seats. He called someone and spoke rapidly in a language she
couldn’t identify. He kept the gun trained on them the whole time.  She helped Latimer into a seat. The man yelled something at her that she suspected was a curse word but since she didn’t know the language she chose to ignore him. She was holding onto her bravado like a shield because in reality she was terrified. She could not acknowledge the fear. The fear would not help her now. It would be hindrance instead of a help. Time seemed to crawl as she sat there wondering what they were waiting for. Then a yellow VW Beetle pulled into the hangar. She was momentarily stunned. A yellow bug? Bad guys didn’t drive yellow bugs? They drove black cars with tinted windows and big trunks apparently. She shook herself back to the present and forced herself to focus. It was a skinny white guy. He came up the stairs and began arguing with the driver again in some other language. It appeared the new guy was uncomfortable with the idea of killing her. At least she assumed they we talking about killing her. Their distraction wouldn’t help them escape because there was no back door on a plane but it was at least buying them some time until the cavalry arrived.

Inspiration struck and Lou sat down across the aisle from Latimer and put her face in her hands. She began to sob loudly. Finally the driver yelled one last time at the new guy and stormed off the plane. The new guy looked at her as if she were unstable and tried to walk past her. Once he had passed she sprang up and jumped on his back. The man buckled immediately but it was too late Lou had him in a sleeper hold and she
didn’t let up until the man stopped moving.

Frantically she searched for something to tie him with but found nothing. She saw a few backpacks and grabbed one. Hoping for a parachute with some
paracord she jerked the bag open. Instead thousands of small stones cascaded from the bag. Uncut diamonds she realized with a bit of a start. The other bags yielded much the same results. Some varying sizes and the last bag contained cut diamonds separated into little bags that were marked with the carat weight and color.

“
There must be a fortune here.” She said mostly to herself.

Latimer
hadn’t said much so she had sort of forgotten about him but he spoke now. “Blood diamonds.” He rasped.

“
Yeah I know.” She shoved the baggies back into the backpack and continued her search for something to tie the unconscious man.

“
Use his belt.” Latimer suggested and she felt a bit dumb that she hadn’t thought of it. It wasn’t as easy as it looked to relieve him of his belt in the small space but she managed to get it off him and secure his hands. She looked out the window of the plane again and didn’t see the driver anywhere.

“
I don’t know about you but I wasn’t really planning to travel today.” She helped him up but this time she pulled her gun and kept it in her hand. “Let’s get you back to your girl.”

“
Elena.” He suddenly perked up. “You’ve seen her? She’s okay?”

“
Yeah she’s good. Worried about you.” She helped him down the stairs and felt a ridiculous sense of déjà vu when the driver appeared again with his gun drawn.  She leveled her gun at him as well and he shouted at her what she was again fairly sure were curse words.

“
I think we have a stalemate. What do you say we call it a draw and live to fight another day?” Lou had little hope he would go for it but she had to try.

“
You won’t shoot me.” The man sneered. “I have no qualms about shooting you though.”

“
Shoot him.” Latimer whispered. Lou was quickly weighing her options when a blur of black and tan fur took the driver to the ground. The growling and snarling was punctuated by the man screaming. She looked up and saw the rest of her team rush in. All had their guns drawn and she breathed a sigh of relief. Jace rushed straight for her.

“
Are you alright?” He asked gruffly. She nodded trying to stay on her feet. Now that she had some help her knees felt like jello.

“
Latimer needs an ambulance.” Jace took over supporting Latimer and Lou sagged to the floor.

“
Cooper Hierr.” She called sharply and he released the man and ran to her.

“
Good timing buddy.” She rubbed his neck and behind his ears.

“
Thank Colby. He’s the one who got him out of the car.”

“
Are you crazy? What did you do that for?” She glared at Colby. “He could have been hurt! He could have been shot!”

“
He saved your butt.” Colby defended.

“
That’s your job!” She said angrily.

Sam chuckled,
“She’s got you there.” Before she could finish yelling at Colby she heard a sharp cry. She saw Elena rush to Latimer and despite his injuries he wrapped his arms around her.

Lou stayed where she was on the floor with her dog while FBI swarmed all over the place and asked a million questions. Finally Jace put her in the car and took her back to his place. She climbed into his big bed and slept for twelve hours straight.