The Buried (30 page)

Someplace like Karl’s K-4.

Less than a quarter mile past the station, Quinn turned onto a dirt road, pulled a U, and parked on the shoulder in front of the stop sign.

“The other Explorer’s getting close to where their friends stopped,” Orlando said, and then studied her screen for a moment. “They’re stopping, too.”

Quinn tapped his comm. “Nate, pull over.”

“Copy.”

Quinn checked his watch. It was eleven minutes until nine a.m. If Karl’s K-4 wasn’t the handoff location, then The Wolf and her people were going to be late.

“Nate, do you think you can close in some without being seen?” Quinn asked.

“Definitely.”

“Do it.”

“Copy.”

Quinn looked at Orlando as he grabbed his door handle. “Keep me posted on any movements.”

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Where do you think?”

When he walked around the car a moment later, she glared at him through her closed window.

“Roll it down,” he said. The glass remained where it was. “You want to hike to the gas station with me? If you can keep up, be my guest.”

After a couple seconds, the window descended.

“I promise, after the baby, you can come with me every time.”

He leaned through the window and kissed her.

“Try not to get shot,” she said.

“My number one rule.”

He’d apparently forgotten to turn off his mic, because Nate said, “See, I told you. You’ve got like a hundred number-one rules.”

__________

O
RLANDO WATCHED QUINN
run south along the shoulder of the highway. When she was sure he wouldn’t turn around, she gave in to the pain of yet another false contraction. It was the second one she’d had that morning.

After it passed, she exited the car and moved around to the driver’s seat.

“How about we have a nice, relaxing day,” she said, rubbing her belly. “Mommy’s got a little work to do.”

__________

O
RBITS WAS CERTAIN
The Wolf would have a manpower advantage, so he had to even the odds somehow. That meant stationing Parnell among the trees at the southwest corner of the lot where he could keep an eye on the road. Stafford and the girl were in the car, a mile north on the highway, waiting to be called in. Orbits was sitting at a window table in the café.

He checked his watch—8:56.
Almost.

“Freshen up that coffee?” his waitress asked.

“Yes, please.”

As she poured, she said, “Your omelet should be up in just a few minutes.”

“Thank you.” He had known when he ordered that there would be no time to eat. It was simply the rental price of the table.

As she walked away, he looked back out the window.

“Come on, come on, come on,” he whispered. “Let’s get this over with.”

__________

N
ATE STOPPED THE
car the moment he caught sight of the two Explorers. Using his binoculars, he watched three of The Wolf’s men cross the road and disappear into the field on the other side.

He radioed it in to Quinn.

“Can you follow unseen?” Quinn asked.

Nate studied the terrain. Running parallel to the highway on the other side was a brush-filled gully with trees lining the opposite bank.

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Nate said.

“Do it.”

Nate and Daeng retrieved their backpacks from the trunk.

As Nate was donning his, Ananke said, “Be a dear,” and held out her weapon.

He slipped her SIG into his pack.

“Thanks, sweetie.” She eyed both men as they finished getting ready. “Maybe after all of this is done, the three of us could go out and celebrate. We could have a lot of fun.”

Putting on his most innocent voice, Nate said, “Great idea! We should include Quinn and Orlando.”

She frowned. “Party killer.”

__________

T
HE WOLF SAT
patiently
in the backseat of the Explorer, Bianca beside her.

It would have been nice if Ricky Orbits had chosen a more cosmopolitan location. She much preferred cityscapes to open countryside like this. She figured he’d chosen it because he was familiar with the area, but no matter how well he knew it, it wasn’t going to do him any good. She would have Danielle Hayes soon, and despite what Orbits might think, it would cost The Wolf nothing.

“Yeah, I’m here,” her driver said into his ear-mounted radio. “Okay…got it.” He twisted around and looked at The Wolf. “Point team reports visual confirmation of Orbits inside the café next door to the meeting point. There’s also someone hiding in some trees nearby they presume is with him. The rest of the area appears clear.”

“No sign of the girl?”

“No, ma’am.”

She checked her watch—8:57. “Have them move into position to deal with the watcher, but not to engage until the meeting begins. Once you’ve done that, you can take us in.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

__________

Q
UINN PAUSED AMONGST
the trees at the north end of the gas station. He glanced at his watch. Two minutes until the meeting.

Needing to get closer, he sneaked to the back corner of the lot and scooted behind the long, rectangular garage.

“The SUV’s on the move,” Orlando reported.

“Nate, status,” Quinn said as he continued down the back of the building.

No answer.

“Nate, status.”

A mic click. Nate was there but couldn’t talk.

“Do you need backup?”

Double click.
No
.

“Are you in position?”

A long pause, then a whispered, “Almost.”

__________

T
HE PARKING AREA
for the café was only a hundred feet away when Nate’s hand shot up, stopping his friends. Squatting down, he pointed ahead at the person he’d just seen. He motioned for them to stay where they were and began creeping forward.

The man was hiding in some trees, his gaze focused on the highway. As Nate’s view of him improved, he saw that the guy fit the description of one those Quinn had seen with Orbits.

Nate was about to move in a little closer when he spotted two other men, twenty feet behind the first, these belonging to The Wolf.

He motioned for Daeng and Ananke to join him. Together, they watched The Wolf’s duo move up another ten feet and stop.

Nate considered the options and then gestured to Daeng and Ananke what he wanted to do.

Ananke raised an eyebrow and grinned.

Quietly they moved forward, just settling into position when Quinn radioed to check their status.

__________

A
T 8:59 AND
56 seconds, a dark blue Ford Explorer pulled into the gas station.

Damn well better be
her
, Orbits thought.

He dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table and got up, his omelet untouched.

CHAPTER
38

O
RBITS’S INSTRUCTIONS HAD
been for The Wolf to park her vehicle on the north side of the gas station’s main building, opposite the café, so her driver did exactly that.

After a moment, the man touched his headset and announced, “Mr. Orbits is leaving the café.”

“Still alone?” The Wolf asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Bianca, be a darling and move into the front, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”

Bianca switched to the front passenger seat, limping only slightly.

“He just reached the gas station,” the driver reported.

__________

Q
UINN LOOKED AROUND
the southern end of the garage. From this new position, he could see the back of the café, but the gas station was hidden from view. He crept to the front corner where he had a view of both. What he didn’t see, though, was the Explorer.

“Do you have a position on The Wolf?” Quinn asked Orlando.

“She’s parked on the north side of the gas station.”

The side he couldn’t see. “Got it. Thanks.”

He sneaked over to the main building, and moved along the back until he neared the north end. Crouching, he used his phone technique again to see the other side.

The Explorer was there, all right. He could even see the silhouettes of the people inside. They seemed to be just sitting there, doing nothing.

He was beginning to wonder if something had gone wrong when Orbits stepped around the front corner of the building.

__________

T
HE SECOND THE
Wolf saw Ricky Orbits, she said to her driver, “You can have the watcher dealt with now.” She then pushed the button that rolled down her window and smiled. “Mr. Orbits. Good to see you. Why don’t you join me?”

__________

T
HE TWO-MAN
team moved again.

When Nate was sure The Wolf’s men were going to take down Orbits’s guy, he, Daeng, and Ananke moved in behind them.

Orbits’s man apparently sensed at the last moment that something was up, because he turned right before The Wolf’s team got to him. A couple seconds earlier and maybe he could have escaped, but the best he could manage now was to get in a couple of hits before they subdued him.

He was barely on the ground when Nate, Daeng, and Ananke grabbed his attackers and rendered them unconscious.

They zip-tied everyone and gagged them with their own shirts.

“Three neutralized,” Nate reported.

“Three?” Orlando said.

“One of the guys with Orbits and two with The Wolf.”

“How did you….You know what? Never mind. Quinn’s over at the gas station. The meeting’s about to start. North side.”

“Copy that.”

__________

O
RBITS DIDN’T LIKE
the idea of getting in the woman’s car, but until he gave her the girl, he knew she wouldn’t try anything.

He climbed into the backseat. In front, there was a man behind the wheel and a woman in the passenger seat, staring at him. She was a looker, the kind he might actually keep around for more than one night. She was sizing him up like he was a meal. It seemed as if at any moment she would start licking her lips. He kind of liked it.

“Pleasure to meet you in person,” the woman beside him said, holding out her hand. “I’m The Wolf.”

“Yeah, swell,” he said, making a quick job of shaking. “How about we get the transfer done and get you your merchandise.”

A chuckle. “You seem to forget the parameters of our agreement, Mr. Orbits. No money until I see the girl.”

“And no girl until you at least free up the initial twenty-five million.”

“Did it not go through?” she asked, feigning surprise. “Bianca, could you pass that bag back?”

The other woman, Bianca, handed The Wolf a thin, leather briefcase from which the Wolf removed a laptop. After she started it up, she spent a few moments navigating to where she wanted, and then said, “You’re absolutely right. I am so sorry. I must have clicked the wrong box.”

Right
, he thought.
The wrong box.

She tapped the keys a few more times and then turned the screen toward him. On it was the bank page for the escrow account with the initial payment. “My apologies again, but I’ve removed the hold so you can transfer it out at any time.” She held the computer out to him. “You can use this if you’d like.”

“I don’t think so.” He pulled out his phone and used it to initiate the transfer into his account. After he verified it was in process, he said, “Now, about the second twenty-five.”

“For that, I will need to see the girl.”

“Give me a moment.”

As he reached for the door, she touched his arm.

“I’m sure you understand, but I must insist you remain here with me until I see her,” she said.

Orbits turned, intending to tell her she could insist all she wanted but it wasn’t going to happen, except the gun Bianca was pointing at him kept the words from leaving his mouth.

“All right, I get it. I can play it this way.” He settled back in his seat. “I tell you, though, it would be easier if I’m not wondering if her finger might accidentally twitch.”

With a nod from The Wolf, Bianca moved her weapon out of sight.

“Thanks,” Orbits said, and then called Stafford. “Bring her in.”

__________

A
SOFT CRUNCH.
Dirt on asphalt.

Quinn whirled around to see one of The Wolf’s men rushing at him. No way to stand up in time, he dove, hitting the man in the gut and knocking them both to the ground.

The guy shoved Quinn away and tried to push himself up, but Quinn got to his feet first and jammed a knee into the guy’s head, sending the attacker back to the asphalt. Dropping onto him, Quinn slammed the butt of his palm into the side of the man’s head. Two more slugs and the guy was out.

“Well done.”

Quinn twisted around, ready to take on a new attacker, but found Nate, Daeng, and Ananke.

“Have I mentioned what a pleasure it is to watch you work?” Ananke whispered.

“Ananke, shut up,” Nate whispered.

With Nate’s and Daeng’s help, Quinn moved the guy behind a Dumpster and secured him.

Three of The Wolf’s men were now out of commission. The woman’s team had been reduced to the guy driving her SUV and the motorcyclist. Orbits was in even worse shape. One man down had cut his team in half.

Quinn used his camera to check on the meeting. Nothing appeared to have changed—Orbits was still inside the SUV with The Wolf.

“Nate, Ananke, go around front and hold at the corner,” Quinn said.

They headed off the long way around.

Quinn watched the phone’s screen, knowing something had to happen soon. The wait ended two minutes later when a sedan turned off the highway and pulled into the spot next to the Explorer.

“Nate, do you have eyes on the sedan?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Nate whispered.

“How many inside?”

“I can only see one. It’s the guy who was driving the ambulance.”