The South Beach Search

by Sharon Hartley

  She briefly considered rushing up the stairs and tackling Hector, knocking him off balance, but knew she didn’t have the strength to overcome a two hundred pound personal trainer. Plus, she was weak and he’d probably catch up to her within a hundred feet. Better to stick with her original strategy. If it wasn’t wrecked by this late dinner delivery.

  He clicked on a flashlight and almost blinded her with its beam. “Hey, Taki.”

  She put her hands in front of her face. “Please.”

  Hector laughed and moved the light to the left, illuminating the toilet. “Bet you thought I forgot your supper.” He shook a paper bag and then tossed it to her.

  Taki ignored the food and pressed a hand against her racing heart. What if Hector noticed something weird about the door? She’d left the bottom two pins in, but...

  “I have good news,” he said.

  “What’s that?”

  “We’ve had some real progress on your situation.”

  “Are you going to let me go?”

  “Can’t do that.” He laughed softly. “Hey, I know you don’t want the money, girl, but I do. Guess what? Your father is going to pay two million dollars to get his precious Kimmie back.”

  A dizzying wave of disbelief washed over her. My father? Hector knew who she was. But how?

  “I always knew Taki wasn’t your real name.”

  She swallowed hard against the old resentment. Once again the Spencer fortune had wrecked her life. Another challenge to forgiving her father.

  “So you’re holding me for ransom?”

  “We tried to do it the easy way and ransom that stupid bowl, but your friend Reese kept getting in the way. That’s when we decided to grab you instead.”

  “You know I don’t have any money, Hector.”

  “Yeah, but my partner believed that you’d contact your trust fund people to get the money.”

  “Your partner was wrong.” Her mind scrambled for answers. Who was his partner? Mayhugh? Had Benny discovered her identity? For sure Hector wasn’t in charge of something as complex as this kidnapping.

  “No matter. We have you now.”

  Taki nodded. So you do, Hector. So you do.

  “And your father wants you back.”

  Sure he does. Just not for the reason most fathers would want a daughter’s return. “When are you going to get the money?” she asked.

  Hector shifted his weight. “We mighta had a little problem delivering the ransom note to the right party, but that’s been handled. Just thought I’d let you know since you’ve been asking so many questions. Soon you’ll be out of here, and I’ll be driving a new red Porsche.”

  Taki stared at Hector. Surely he couldn’t be foolish enough to believe it would all be so easy. Did he think she was an idiot? She knew most hostages never made it to freedom alive. Her father had drummed that into her from the time she was ten.

  “Who told you who I was? Who is your partner?”

  “Never mind about that. Dios, chica, I couldn’t believe it when I found out how rich you are! How could you turn your back on all that money? You could live anywhere, do whatever you want.”

  “Money will bring you nothing but unhappiness.”

  Hector snickered. “Yeah, right.” Still laughing, he exited and locked the door.

  Taki closed her eyes and exhaled when the dead bolt turned, giving silent thanks Hector hadn’t noticed anything unusual about the hinges.

  She lay still for several long moments as she absorbed what he’d revealed. At least she knew the truth now. She was being held for ransom. Why hadn’t she considered someone had learned who she was and went after the Spencer money? How had that happened?

  What did it matter? She’d been foolish to believe she could remain hidden as Taki forever. She’d gotten attached. Another life lesson, no doubt.

  Hating that her father’s money would free her, Taki longed to resume managing her own escape. But right now...now she could barely move a muscle.

  The terror of almost being caught in the act of unhinging the door had drained her energy. The shock of learning why she was imprisoned overwhelmed her. She understood what was happening, that this temporary weakness was the result of her fight-or-flight instinct, the body’s response to danger. Adrenaline had flooded her when Hector showed up, depleting all her blood sugar, and now she had zero strength left. Trying in vain to muster some, Taki rotated her ankles.

  She’d had nothing to eat but chemical-seasoned meat and sugar and that didn’t help her stamina, either. Not only was she a hostage, but she was being slowly poisoned.

  Her thoughts turned to her father. Would he come to Miami to coordinate the ransom drop? No. He wouldn’t bother to make the trip. Most likely he’d send his private security team and insist they run the show. Her father turned everything into a show.

  He’d want to control the whole scenario in his usual overbearing manner and likely drive Reese and the FBI nuts with his demands. But maybe Reese wouldn’t let him.

  She closed her eyes. What would it be like to see her father again? Her stomach cramped at the idea. She’d spent four years trying not to think about him and his cruelty. Now she had no choice.

  Yes, she did. She had a choice. Her guru taught if you controlled your mind, you controlled everything.

  Willing herself to relax to speed her body’s recovery, Taki touched the journal on the floor beside her. She’d take it and the bowl when she squeezed out that door. She’d take Reese’s phone, too, since it was so important to him.

  What was Florida’s future governor doing right now? She pictured Reese when they’d last been together, flushed from sex and confused by her anger. And what exciting lovemaking it had been. Their passion for each other had consumed them. On the floor of her cottage even. But she’d liked it the first time, too, when he’d been slow and sweet and gentle.

  Making love with Reese had been something special for them both, and in her deepest soul she knew it always would be. Wishing he were with her now, she smiled and closed her eyes. Maybe she could pretend he was. Fantasy wasn’t a bad thing.

  * * *

  TAKI’S LONG BLOND hair tickled Reese’s chest as she sucked and teased first one nipple and then the other. She raised her head, her eyes twinkling with erotic mischief.

  “I’m going to make you forget all about work tonight,” she whispered.

  Her mouth slid across his abdomen, licking and planting kisses of pure pleasure against his fevered skin. He groaned and stroked her head as she moved lower and lower.... With a rushed intake of air, Reese woke from the most intense dream he’d ever experienced. He cut the shrill alarm, surprised that he didn’t have to reach over Taki’s nude body. Her jasmine fragrance lingered in the air.

  What was going on? Had worry over her whereabouts driven him into X-rated dreams? Two mornings in a row he had woken with Taki not just on his mind, but in it and consuming every thought.

  As if she were in the room with him. As if he could just ask her where she was.

  Reality settled in, and a cold wave of terror washed over him. He needed to find her, talk to her, make sure she was safe. He wanted her always safe. Meeting Taki had altered his life forever. For the better. He loved her. What if he never got the chance to tell her?

  Reese rolled onto his stomach, dreading the idea of spending another day in Judge Robinson’s court selecting a jury. How could he endure that monotony when Taki remained missing?

  He mentally reviewed what he knew. Last night, he’d reached Guru Navi, who had no information about Taki’s location. A thoroughly confused Benny Schwartz readily revealed the phone call from Mayhugh to Taki setting the meet at Fairchild for Saturday morning. Benny claimed he’d only been trying to help, that he knew Mayhugh from breakfasts at the Puerto Sagua restaurant.

  Had
Taki already agreed to rendezvous with the fence again when they’d... Reese groaned and closed his eyes, remembering the unbelievable passion that had exploded on the floor of her cottage. Well, at least she’d notified Javi. That was something.

  He loved Taki more than he had ever loved or wanted anything in his life. Okay, so far they weren’t exactly on the same wavelength. If...no, when he found her, he’d find a way to make it work between them. He’d show her there could be a happy ending. He’d make her happy.

  When he’d called Javi to report the results of his interview with Benny, Javi agreed that Taki’s disappearance had to be related to the meeting between Taki and Mayhugh. With Fairchild closed for the day, Reese couldn’t interview anyone there, so he’d driven to Homestead. But Mayhugh hadn’t answered his pounds on the front door.

  Reese returned home well after midnight, and was due in court at 9:00 a.m. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to drive to Fairchild and find out if anyone had seen her. Most likely they had surveillance cameras he could review.

  When the phone rang, Reese grabbed it. “Beauchamps.”

  “This is Winslow. Kim’s been kidnapped.”

  Reese stood. “You got a ransom demand?”

  “Yes. Some idiot delivered the note to an office in Newport that’s closed for the winter. When they didn’t hear from anyone, they finally found a better address. I’ll fax you a copy as soon as we hang up.”

  “What do they want?”

  “Two million dollars.”

  Reese swallowed, surprised they hadn’t asked for more. But still, coming up with that kind of cash... “When?”

  “Today at 3:00 p.m. in the gardens at the old Deering Estate.”

  “Have you notified the FBI?”

  “Mr. Spencer has been in touch with his contacts at Quantico, but you should reach out to the local office to expedite the process.”

  “I’m on it. What time will Spencer arrive?”

  “Mr. Spencer is far too busy to leave New York. I’m handling the ransom.”

  “But she’s his daughter,” Reese said, controlling his voice with effort.

  After a pause, Winslow said, “Frankly, I think we’re lucky he’s willing to put up the money. He can quit looking for her if he has a body.”

  Stunned by that comment, Reese hung up and stared at the phone. Taki was right. The man is a monster.

  Reese placed a call to the home of Max Levine, his first-year assistant. Max’s day was about to turn very bad.

  “Hello?”

  “Max, this is Reese. You have to work the Romero jury today. I won’t be there.”

  A long, silent moment passed. “Reese, you can’t do this to me, man. Judge Robinson will have me for sushi.”

  “Sorry, Max. I’ll make it up to you.”

  “Reese, come on, you know better. This is no way to score points with the top guns. You need—”

  “Maybe I’m tired of playing the game.” Reese disconnected and punched in Javi’s cell number.

  “Yeah, Reese,” the agent answered.

  “Taki’s father received a ransom demand. I’ll fax it to you as soon as I get it.”

  Javi gave a long whistle. “Damn. That changes things. What are the particulars?”

  “We’ve got to be at Deering Estate with the money today at three.”

  “Aren’t you going to court?”

  “No way. I’m working on an expedited warrant for Mayhugh’s farm. We’re paying him a visit as soon as it comes through.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  TAKI LISTENED TO the pin from the top hinge clatter to the concrete floor and reveled in an extraordinary sense of accomplishment. Her arms and shoulders ached from reaching and hammering and pushing, but finally she’d done it. She lowered her arms.

  She was free. Or would be.

  She descended the stairs and looped her bag over her neck and shoulder, patting the diary inside. She grabbed her bowl and Reese’s phone, then hurried back up the stairs.

  The door levered open with surprising ease, and she wedged her way through. Faint morning light showed the promise of a clear day. She took a tentative step into fresh air and luxuriated in a sense of freedom. But only for a moment.

  Seeing the back of Mayhugh’s stone house two hundred feet to the east, she turned west and struggled through an overgrown field toward a pine forest. So she was in Homestead. She pushed weeds aside, trying to keep low and out of sight. She stumbled with the uneven footing and hated what the days in solitary had done to her strength. She’d duck inside the woods and stay close to the tree line until out of danger. Then she would turn back toward the main road.

  She’d call Reese as soon as she found a phone.

  * * *

  REESE BRAKED HIS Jag to a stop behind the Crown Vic driven by Javi and jumped out. They’d arrived at Mayhugh’s farmhouse.

  Car door after car door slammed behind him as a small army of federal agents arrived to execute the search warrant. Spurred by phone calls from D.C., the local bureau took the kidnapping of the Spencer heiress quite seriously.

  “Look for an underground room,” Reese told Javi as they stepped onto the front porch.

  “Why underground?” Javi asked.

  It’s a feeling I have. Reese shook his head as he held back what he actually wanted to say. “Just a hunch.”

  No one responded to Javi’s knock.

  He shouted, “FBI. Open up.” Still no response.

  With guns drawn and ready, agents used force to breach the front door.

  As the FBI swarmed the stone house, Reese couldn’t shake the sensation that Taki was close by.

  Agents yelled, “Clear!” in room after room. To all appearances, the house was empty.

  He let others go through dressers and closets. He was technically an observer, but he opened every door that he found, looking for one that led down. After no luck in the house, he moved outside and began searching for doors around the perimeter.

  “Reese. Out here.”

  Reese looked up as Javi shouted. He spotted the agent in an overgrown field behind the house with Agent Scott. As Reese approached their position, he noted that they stood next to an elevated mound in the dirt. A ventilation shaft extended out the top.

  “What’s this?” Reese asked.

  “Looks like an old fallout shelter, probably from the early sixties,” Javi reported. “Someone locked inside removed the door hinges and escaped.”

  The three men shoved against the door with their shoulders, splintering wood to make a larger opening into a dark underground room.

  “See if you can find a light switch,” Javi said as they peered into the darkness below. Scott illuminated the space with a flashlight.

  Reese located a breaker switch near the door and flipped it on, then stepped through the shattered door behind Javi.

  His open briefcase lay in the center of the subterranean bunker. He approached and squatted before it. Someone had destroyed the case by removing its metal hinges.

  “Is that your property?” Javi asked.

  “Yes,” Reese said, disappointment and frustration mounting steadily, convinced Taki had been held prisoner in this room. Her presence, even her fragrance filled the small space. Had she been here last night as he’d pounded on Mayhugh’s door?

  Where was she now? The copy of Claudia’s journal was missing, as well as his old phone. Had Taki taken the diary or had someone else?

  “Man, I’d go nuts locked in here for very long,” Scott said as he surveyed the small room.

  Silently agreeing with Scott, Reese hated the thought of Taki locked in a room with no windows. Her spirit should always be allowed to soar free.

  “But where is she now?” Javi said. “Did they catch her or did she make g
ood an escape?”

  “Maybe that’s why Mayhugh isn’t here,” Scott suggested. “They’ve moved the Spencer woman to another location. They might have done that anyway if they knew we were coming with a warrant.”

  “We need to find Mayhugh,” Reese said, his sense of dread growing, convinced that Taki remained in danger.

  A shadow moved past the opening and disappeared.

  “Hey,” Javi shouted and darted up the steps.

  Reese followed, emerging from the fallout shelter as Javi yelled, “Stop where you are. FBI.” The man kept running, and Javi fired a warning shot into the air.

  Hector Morales dropped a paper bag from a fast-food restaurant and raised his thickly muscled arms.

  * * *

  “VICTORIA! THANK GOODNESS.” Taki reached inside the driver’s side of Victoria’s old blue Cadillac and hugged her friend. “Thank you for coming!”

  “Hurry and get in, dear, before they discover you’re gone.”

  Taki ran around to the passenger door and hopped inside. She’d hiked along the tree line for what seemed like an hour before cutting back to a major road. Then it took forever to find a phone.

  “How are you?” Victoria asked as she pulled onto Krome Avenue. “They didn’t harm you, did they?”

  “Other than trying to poison me with red meat, no.” Taki raised her arms overhead and stretched. “Ooooh, it feels good to be free.”

  “Did you ever get ahold of Reese?”

  “No.” Taki lowered her arms. “His secretary said he’s in trial this morning but would try to reach him.”

  “Did you call the police?”

  “No. I want you to drive me straight to the closest police station.”

  Victoria gave her a sidelong look. “Maybe you should get cleaned up first, dear. They won’t let you bathe if we go to the police station, and I believe you could use a bit of a...” Victoria raised her eyebrows “...a toilette.”

  “A hot shower.” Taki released a soft sigh at the delicious notion of cleansing, steaming water. “That would be heaven, but we need to notify the police first. Do you have your cell phone?”

  Victoria frowned. “No, but I grabbed some of your favorite mineral water on my way out. Would you like a drink?”