“So what do you suggest?” Diaz asked. “Let these guys run around free forever?”
Skylar drew a long breath. “The only way to bring The Chaplain out of hiding is to let everyone believe Dylan is flying out on Friday…just like he’s scheduled to do.”
Barillas shook his head. “That’s two days from now.”
“I know. But if word reaches The Chaplain that Dylan was short on funds after receiving the drop at the airport, there’s a good chance he’ll make an appearance. Especially if he believes Alvarez was involved.”
Barillas huffed. “So how do you expect The Chaplain to believe that?”
“Use Mateo Gonzales. Put him in a room and let him overhear a conversation about Alvarez bribing pilots and offering larger cuts to anyone willing to work for him. Mention that he’s stealing money and plotting to shut The Chaplain’s organization down. Then turn Mateo loose. Let him believe charges have been dropped against him and he’ll get word to The Chaplain. I guarantee it.”
Diaz nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. Alvarez is the key to half the cocaine coming through Imperial Valley. He’s evaded arrest numerous times. Grabbing both of these men won’t end corruption in the corridor, but it will definitely slow it down for a while. As long as we have a witness and solid evidence against them.”
Barillas stood up and began to pace around the room. “We should focus on The Chaplain, at least for the time being. A lot of things could go wrong when it comes to Alvarez. He’s sketchy and dangerous…and possibly even more so than The Chaplain. It’s a known fact that he made family members and his own board members disappear. No one escapes his wrath. Not if he believes he’s been wronged.”
Skylar turned away from Barillas, hiding the fear in her eyes. She couldn’t erase the thought of shooting Volkov and what might happen if she came face to face with Alvarez.
Barillas softened his tone. “Now maybe you’ll understand why you have no business being involved. I never should have mentioned The Chaplain to you. I just thought with your relationship with Dylan there might be some information he mentioned to you. Something he wasn’t willing to share with us.”
“You’re right,” Diaz said. “She needs to be kept out of this. It really isn’t safe.”
What the hell? Skylar jumped out of her seat. “We made a deal! A deal you promised to honor. You might think I’m young and stupid, and totally inept, but I’m going to prove you’re wrong. I’m going to make sure Dylan Haines walks away free and all the bad guys go to jail.”
“You’re such an idealist,” Barillas said. “What makes you think you’ve got this all handled? That anyone who enjoys dicing up people would spill their guts to you? Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Skylar. Believe me, you’ll only regret it.”
She sat down, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “You don’t need to worry about that, Inspector. I already have a lead,” she lied.
“Really? So, what is it?”
She tapped the table nervously. “I can’t tell you. At least, not yet.”
“And you expect me to believe you?”
Skylar nodded, all the while wondering what the hell she was thinking.
Barillas squinted, trying to determine her logic. “Well, you better not be lying to me. That’s all I can say.”
“Why would I, Inspector? What could I possibly gain?”
“Maybe you should cut her a break,” Diaz said. “With everything that’s gone down, she might turn out to be a godsend.”
Barillas scoffed, “Yeah, right.”
Diaz ignored his sarcasm and reminded him, “We’ve only got two more days before Dylan flies out. His drop site is still unknown with Schuler out of the picture. And no one’s willing to talk to anyone. So what have we got to lose at this point? I mean, if we assign a shadow to her and she promises to stick with them…”
Barillas pursed his lips. “If I go along with that and it all falls apart, I’m going to hold you personally responsible, Diaz. How’s that sound? Do you believe in her now?”
Diaz looked at Skylar and smiled. “With or without our help, there’s no doubt in my mind Skylar will deliver. Just as she says.”
Barillas shrugged and reluctantly agreed. “Okay. Just make sure you’ve got something solid,” he told Skylar. “And I want to know where you are at all times.”
She gave a dismissive wave of her hand and turned to Diaz. “One more thing. What’s the story with his name? The Chaplain.”
Diaz stroked his bushy beard. “We’ve been told that he carries a revolver inside his bible and tells his victims to pray. Just before he blows their brains out.”
Skylar made a conscious effort to keep her expression bland. “I would think that’s rather important to know.”
“Oh, and one more thing,” Barillas said, handing her a phone. “This is for you. Keep it turned on.”
Diaz followed Barillas outside, leaving Skylar alone in the back room. In her heart, she believed she was giving her parents a chance at life. If The Chaplain was caught by whatever means necessary, Dylan wouldn’t be forced to run drugs anymore. He would be able to stick around and take care of Lily. Give her the life she truly deserved.
Skylar rested her arms in her lap. I can’t be selfish anymore, she thought to herself. This is about them, not me. My purpose for coming here is to help them survive. That’s what this is about. Why my father saved me from crashing. The only way I can make that happen is with your help, Roxy. Please, I beg of you…don’t let me fail. Don’t let me be stupid and blind to the truth.
She tugged gently on the airplane dangling from the necklace Roxy gave her. Then she stood up and walked out, leaving through a screen door at the end of the hall between the kitchen and bathroom. She didn’t see the point in disturbing the janitor mopping the main floor. As she walked around the building, she came up to Diaz and Barillas talking quietly at the corner of the building. They were keeping an eye on the front door to know when she came out, so they obviously felt they could talk freely.
“Why didn’t you tell her?” Diaz was saying. “Don’t you think she has a right to know?”
“To know what?” Barillas answered. “That Dylan’s father is Alvarez’s partner? To know that Jessop Haines is one of the most corrupt men in town? I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he works for The Chaplain too. You know…now that I think about it…he was a crop duster pilot in the late seventies. Right? Which means he knows the ins and outs of flying. He’d know how to avoid being detected and where to hide drugs too.”
Diaz heaved a sigh. “What about Dylan Haines? Sooner or later, Skylar’s gonna figure out that replacing him on his next flight is his only path to freedom. He told Ethan as much on that call we overheard. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to warn her…”
“Yeah, and it would also be incredibly stupid. She’s our inside track and the only person capable of bringing these guys down. Dylan and his buddy Ethan trust her more than anyone. It’s only a matter of time before The Chaplain does too. With her working for all of them, we’ll have a better chance at bringing everyone down.”
Skylar shook her head. It couldn’t be true. Dylan wasn’t the bad guy in all of this. He was the naïve soul—the dependable, trustworthy pilot just trying to get by. The hero willing to do anything for a friend. Or was it the other way around? Was she the stand-in for Dylan’s role, giving him the chance he needed to escape? With so many lies floating around, it was becoming hard to tell truth from fiction.
13
Deception
“Trust, once you get it, it’s priceless. But once you lose it, you’re useless.”
— ANONYMOUS
Skylar returned to Dylan’s house and found him passed out in the kitchen with flour on his face and a stack of perfectly-made pancakes in front of him. She dipped her finger into the small pitcher of syrup and tasted it. Warm and sweet. She could only hope his appreciation for cooking exceeded his gift for lying.
Skylar sat down as quietly as possib
le, but he awoke anyway. “Morning,” she said.
He raised his head, startled to see her sitting at the table. Then he surveyed the kitchen and relaxed. “Oh, hi. You’re back.”
“Did pancakes sound good this morning?” She chuckled, looking around at the mess.
“Yeah, they did. Lily had a rough night and is still sleeping. I got up after you left and didn’t know what to do, so I started cooking. I even made you a grilled PBB sandwich for lunch.”
She tilted her head and feigned a smile. “I’m glad Lily is sleeping in. Can I join you for brunch?” The hands on the wall clock indicated it was 11 A.M., but for Skylar it felt like a full day had gone by.
Dylan served her pancakes and set the pitcher of syrup next to her plate. “Coffee?” he asked.
“Nah, I’m good.” She pulled out a small pad of paper and a pencil and then she waved at the table. “Thanks for all this…and my sandwich too.”
“What happened?” he asked.
She stabbed a bite of pancake with a fork, waggled it to get his attention and pointed it at the pad of paper before shoving it in her mouth.
He nodded and read to himself. Remember, they might still be listening.
She closed her eyes, savoring the morning treat. “Mmm…great pancakes.”
“Um, good. Glad you like ‘em.” He sounded unsure of what to say. “So what happened?”
“Barillas agreed to let you off…as long as we agree to work with him.”
He rested his elbows on the table. “What exactly does that mean?”
Skylar swallowed another bite of pancake. “I’m going to do whatever I can to help identify The Chaplain.” She flipped the pad to a new page and wrote: You won’t need to go anywhere, if The Chaplain’s identity is revealed. He’ll be arrested, and they’ll be eternally grateful. Then they’ll let you off like I said.
As Dylan read, his brow furrowed. “Sounds like dangerous work that you shouldn’t be involved in.” He reached for her pencil and furiously scribbled. Are you nuts?? What about the guy you shot? Wasn’t he Alvarez’s bodyguard? How are you going to explain his disappearance? Better yet, what if he turns up?
“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Skylar said. “Everything is going to work out the way it should.” She took another bite of pancake and talked while chewing. “I’m not kidding. These are really good!”
Dylan’s voice shook with suppressed anger. “What the hell? Are you expecting me to sit around and do nothing? You’re not Wonder Woman, you know…”
“Yeah, I sorta know that.” She set the pad of paper and pencil aside. “By the way, your new car drives great. It’s going to be perfect for your wife and new baby.”
“Okay, okay…I get it. I’ve got priorities, but I still don’t agree with any of this. Why can’t the police just do their job and leave you out of it?”
Her lips fought a smile. For some reason Shakespeare came to mind. Ah, the gentleman doth protest too much.
“Skylar?”
“That’s the condition I agreed to. The only way I can keep both of us out of jail. Now, I’m going to leave for a while, but I’ll be back soon. I’m going to the airport to help Ethan. When word gets out, I can almost guarantee that one of Alvarez’s men will show up. He’ll insist on a meeting and I’ll go with one of Barillas’ men, of course. They need to keep me alive for a while. At least until The Chaplain’s identity is known.”
“Geez, Sky. Why are you doing this? You certainly don’t owe me anything. Least of all your life.”
“I’m doing it because you deserve a chance for a better life, Dylan. Don’t you agree?”
“But this is way too much. I need to go with you.” He rose from his seat, and she reached for his arm, pulling him back down. Dylan’s coat was hanging on his chair, making it easy for her to slip Barillas’ phone into his pocket. With it turned on, the phone would serve as a tracking device. Especially if Dylan decided to visit The Chaplain.
“Stay here,” she said. “It’s going to be hard enough to keep Ethan under control.” Skylar smiled, but inside her heart was breaking. If he was as crooked as Barillas and Diaz said, she’d know soon enough.
“So it’s okay for Barillas to use you as bait?” Dylan asked. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Yeah, I know how it sounds. But you also need to remember that it only works if I’m alive.” Skylar set her dish on the counter. Then she turned to look him in the eyes very seriously. “Just do me one favor.”
“Of course. Anything.”
Skylar pulled a sealed envelope out of her pocket. Inside was the news story about Roxy’s death. She kept it with her as a reminder of that horrible day. On the back of the envelope she had scribbled a note. To Sophia Capellan: Open on April 23, 2014. It was the day before the incident and the only warning she was capable of giving. Although Skylar had failed Adrian by not noticing he was suicidal, she knew what depression meant. Without being treated, he would have taken his life at any given moment. But the same wasn’t true for Roxy and her mother. The date, time and location of the incident were written in the story. Belief was the key to their survival.
Skylar handed the envelope to Dylan. “I need you to deliver this to someone very special.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll deliver it right away.”
A car honked outside, announcing her shadow’s arrival. A mere taxi driver, according to Barillas’ half-baked plan.
“Oh, and don’t forget your sandwich,” Dylan said. “I threw in an apple too.” He handed her a brown paper bag and smiled. “You seem to make a habit of skipping meals.”
“Really? So now you know what’s good for me?” She smiled back. It felt nice to have someone care. But then she found herself doubting his motive. Maybe Dylan’s show of concern was just part of his scheme. A clever means to earning her trust.
Skylar left the kitchen with Dylan trailing behind. She reached out a shaking hand to open the front door, hoping he hadn’t noticed. Without a backward glance, she walked to the waiting car and slid into the back seat.
“Let’s head to Aerocon…next to the Reno-Stead airport,” she told the officer. Then she texted a message to Barillas and leaned back in her seat. She closed her eyes and said to herself, Let’s see what happens now, Roxy.
14
Payback
“Stress is when you wake up screaming and realize you haven’t fallen asleep yet.”
— ANONYMOUS
The red-headed officer glanced into his rearview mirror, while steering with one hand and talking incessantly. “Good morning, Miss Brennen. I’m Nathan Kaufman. I’ve been working with Inspector Barillas for the last six months and was instructed to keep an eye on you until Inspector Diaz arrives. I’ve also been told to bring you up to speed in regard to the case we’re currently working on.”
Did this man ever breathe?
“Barillas now thinks the murderer he’s after was one of The Chaplain’s men and not actually The Chaplain.”
Oh, yeah. I wonder where he got that idea. She slid with every tight corner as Kaufman tugged the wheel hard from side to side.
“Diaz also informed me that some of the corpses they found in a recent bust had crosses on their backs. Are you familiar with branding irons?” He looked in the mirror for confirmation then he continued. “They were used on people who were singled out for questioning. Who were willing to cooperate with the Feds by becoming informants.”
Skylar felt herself shrink, gripping the door for stability as he swerved around another corner.
“To be honest, Miss Brennen,” Kaufman said, “I’m having trouble understanding why you’re involved in any of this. These are very dangerous men who don’t take prisoners, and you’re just…just a civilian. And a pretty one at that.”
Just a civilian, huh? He obviously meant to say woman. Although his attitude made him a chauvinist, for the most part he was right. She wasn’t a cop, a trained DEA agent, or a hired private investigator. She was simply a stunt pilot seeking t
o clear her father’s name for a crime he’d been committing for months.
“I believe you’re current with Schuler. But you might be interested in knowing that everyone who was connected to him, including his family, is being systematically eliminated.” He jammed a foot on the clutch and downshifted for the road’s slight incline. Sharp, crisp and precise—all highly intimidating.
“What about Dylan?” Skylar asked. “Is he still safe?”
“As long as he serves his purpose,” Kaufman said. “But something’s off according to the information we’ve received. It seems Schuler was branded. If he wasn’t a member of Los Vitas and was working strictly on The Chaplain’s behalf, he shouldn’t have been marked like everyone else.”
Skylar thought about his troubling comment. “What if it’s reserved for people in his inner circle? That would also explain why their deaths are so violent when they turn.”
Kaufman nodded. “You could be right about that. By the way, I’m taking a short cut through the desert. They’re blacktopping the highway today, so it’ll get us there faster.”
Dust blew into the half open window as he took roads that actually only resembled roads. Meanwhile, Skylar hashed out her theories about Schuler. “Even though he was a thug and west coast dealer, The Chaplain would want complete loyalty from him, just like he does with Dylan. From what I’ve seen and heard, anyone who refuses to take orders from this man doesn’t live to talk about it.”
Wait a minute. Dylan had refused. He even claimed he was working for Alvarez on the day Julian attacked him. So, aside from being a skilled pilot, why was he still breathing?
The car rumbled along the road as the dust turned to tarmac. She eyed the speedometer, which was pushing 65mph, but figured the cop knew what he was doing. Even if he was driving like a dirt road racer.
“Well, you know your fair share of this business, don’t you?” Kaufman said. “If I didn’t know you were a stunt pilot, I would’ve taken you for a cop…or a smuggler.”
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