Heart pounding, her breath caught in her throat. Oh, God…Bill let him in!
Lance, listening to Mitch on the radio, drove past the Baytown Elementary School’s parking lot first, looking over to see Jade’s loaner car in the lot and an old, dark blue, pickup truck parked to the side of the building.
“Son of a bitch,” he growled, still listening to Mitch’s instructions.
“There’s a side road that the buses use…turn down there and we’ll come up behind the gym where there won’t be any windows.”
Following the road around the curve, he pulled behind the school and parked just as Mitch arrived as well. Seeing another truck, the bed partially filled with boxes, he alighted from his vehicle with Mitch, Ginny, and Grant on his heels.
“Colt and some of his deputies are on their way,” Mitch said, “since the school is part of Baytown but also the county of North Heron.”
“That’s Bill’s truck,” Ginny said, jerking her head toward the red pick-up.
Mildred’s voice came over their radios. “10-24, 10-29. Reported intruder at the Baytown Elementary School.”
His brows lowered as he looked at Mitch, who spoke into his radio. “Who called it in?”
“Bill…said he saw Skip inside the school and he’s got a gun.”
“Shit,” he cursed. Staring at the large, one-story building, he knew it would be a labyrinth. Grimacing, he looked at Mitch. “You know the layout?”
“For emergency purposes, we have the area school buildings coded and the floorplans memorized. Stay with one of us.”
With a nod toward him, they drew their weapons and slipped through the door.
Opening the door with a shaky hand, Jade stepped into the quiet hall. The peaceful school, normally so full of children’s voices and the excitement of the day, now lay eerily silent. The bright halls covered with children’s art were now dimly lit, the shadows casting fear through her.
A nudge from behind caused her to stumble slightly, and she was surprised when Skip mumbled, “Sorry.”
As he stepped into the hall behind her, he instructed, “Go left. Don’t know if Bill’s still here, so we’ll take the long way around to the back door.”
With hesitation in her step, she moved forward, eyes shifting right and left, wishing some idea of escape would suddenly occur to her. Turning the corner, she gasped at the sight of Bill as he jumped behind another corner.
Skip looked over his shoulder at the empty hall behind him as he dragged her along with him. “Where does this lead?” he whispered hoarsely.
“Pods…first grade…pod,” she stammered, as she tried to not think about the weapon in his hands while refusing to take her eyes off it.
“Pod? Jesus, this place is a maze.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to explain the concept of pods for organizing an elementary school before realizing how ridiculous that would sound. His fingers, wrapped around her upper arm, tightened as she stumbled. The heavy bag of sea glass frames banged against her leg as they moved around another corner.
A fire exit door was in the middle of the hall and Skip pushed it open, dragging her along, his gun now facing forward. “Fuck,” he muttered, when they entered a center courtyard. Sweat poured from his brow despite the cool weather.
A shiver ran over her as the breeze hit her. He turned his glazed eyes to her, his chest heaving.
“How do we get out?” he growled.
Realizing he assumed the fire door led to the outside, she looked around the school’s garden courtyard and shook her head. “We have to go back inside the school,” she said slowly, forcing her voice to stay soft.
Turning, he grabbed her injured wrist as he headed back toward the door they just came through.
She cried out as the sharp pain stabbed her wrist. Tripping, the canvas bag hit the back of her legs and she stumbled through the door, Skip falling forward as well. She tumbled on top of his body. Before she could react, hands grabbed her waist and lifted her upright while Skip attempted to scramble to his feet.
“Come on,” a voice yelled behind her and, twisting her head around, she peered into Bill’s eyes. Trying to back away, he held onto her arm.
“But you’re with him. You let him in!” she said, struggling.
“No, I’m not!” he cried. “I saw you in the classroom and called the police. I’ve been following, trying to figure out how to help.”
Accepting his answer, they darted around a corner just as a gunshot rang out in the hall. Instinctively throwing her hands up over her head, she felt a chip of cinderblock slice her arm as the bullet slammed into the wall.
“Shit!” Bill cursed. “What the hell is he doing?”
“He wants the diamonds,” she replied, barely able to hear her words over the pounding of her heart.
“What diamonds?”
Giving her head a shaky jerk, she whispered, “I don’t know.”
34
Grabbing her hand again, Bill ordered, “Come on,” as he ran across the short pod to the next hall. Rounding the corner, she gasped at the sight of Lance and Mitch, guns drawn, as they moved down the side of the hall toward them.
“Lance,” she breathed, her body moving forward.
“Stop!” Skip yelled from behind, causing her to skid to a halt, Bill right next to her.
Lance’s heart pounded as he viewed Jade and Bill trapped in the middle of the long hall, Skip right behind them.
“Skip,” Mitch called. “It’s over. You need to drop your weapon and let them go.”
“Not happening, Chief,” Skip yelled back. “I want what’s mine and she’s gonna make sure I get outta here.”
Jade’s gaze stayed plastered on Lance, seeing not only anger in his tight jaw, but fear sliding through his eyes. Like a punch to the gut, she understood what he had said all along. To care is to risk losing. It can all fall to pieces. Staring at the face she had come to love, she whispered, “Lance…it’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
His expression morphed into anguish as he stared at the unfolding scene in front of him. Lance caught Mitch’s subtle movement to the left, knowing he hoped to get a better angle at Skip. Hoping Grant and Ginny were coming up behind Skip, he forced his thoughts to calm. With a nod Jade’s way, he watched as a sad smile barely curved her trembling lips.
Skip moved forward, his gun steady in his hand, still pointing at her back. “You,” he said to Bill. “Move back with us. You’re my insurance that they won’t shoot me now.”
Jade felt Bill shift to her side and, with Skip’s hand on her shoulder, he pulled her back down the hall toward another corner.
Desperate to keep Skip from getting Jade out of his sight, Lance called out, “Skip, when did George decide he wanted out? That he no longer wanted to help you?”
“George was worthless,” Skip growled, wiping his brow with his free hand before reaching down to jerk the canvas bag back into his hand. “He wanted what these could bring but decided to take the moral high road and stop.”
Grant called into the BPD earpiece his location. “Backup from Colt is here. Pod one and two are clear. Blue hall and green hall are clear. Moving toward yellow.”
Lance’s eyes shifted upward to the colored paint strip at the top of the hall, understanding the code. With Jade working here, he vowed to have the layout memorized as soon as possible. But, Jesus, I hope I never need it again.
Determined to keep Skip talking, so they knew his location, he called out, “George took the moral high road?”
“The asshole didn’t mind working for me as long as we were dealing in smuggled diamonds, but he balked at fish.”
Another radio call came through. “Colt and deputy are approaching the orange hall, past the fourth pod.” He inwardly cursed again at not knowing the building’s emergency plan. Looking over at Mitch, he caught his nod and moved forward toward the corner. From the new angle, he saw that the hall Skip took Jade and Bill down had an orange stripe at the top.
Approaching
the corner, he received the signal from Grant that Colt was at the other end of the orange hall. Steeling his nerves, he held his weapon steady. Nodding toward Mitch, they rounded the corner but only saw Colt and his deputy. “Shit, he moved into another pod,” he growled.
“Fish? What is he talking about?” Bill whispered, turning to look at Jade. She shrugged, her eyes moving toward Skip, who had taken them away from the police and into the fourth-grade pod. This area contained an exit that was used for fire drills and emergencies only.
“Perfect,” Skip said. Waving the gun, he indicated for her to move through the door.
As she put her hand on the push bar, she hesitated for a second, knowing a shrill alarm would go off. Before she could warn the others, she was pushed from the back, Skip’s hand between her shoulder blades. Slamming into the door as it gave way, the exit alarm began to shriek.
Skip startled, his eyes shooting upward toward the alarm over the door, allowing Bill to take the advantage. Flinging his arm out toward Skip’s gun hand, the two men grappled for the weapon. Righting herself, she turned quickly but Skip tripped into her, sending them both to the concrete pad outside the door.
The gun went off, the sound reverberating throughout the building.
Lance, Mitch, Colt, Grant, and Ginny had just met outside the pod when a deputy from outside called over the radio that he had visual contact with the trio coming through the emergency door. As Lance readied himself to move around the corner, he jolted at the blast of a gun being fired.
The sound of Jade’s scream pierced his heart and his knees threatened to buckle. As Mitch surge forward, Lance bolted into action along with the others, his pulse racing. Seeing a tangle of bodies at the door, his mind shut down when he saw Jade lying on her back, eyes closed and blood splatters across her face, Skip and Bill laying sprawled over her.
“Fuck,” he roared, charging to her body, dropping to the sidewalk. Rolling Skip’s body from hers, he looked at her bloodstained shirt. “Jade,” he moaned, ripping her shirt open, but only seeing pale skin beneath. “Oh, Jesus, oh, thank Jesus.” Cupping her face as she blinked her eyes open, he bent, kissing her lips gently. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you, baby.”
Hearing his vow, Jade inhaled a shuddering breath, her voice ragged, “Bill? Skip?”
Lance looked over as Zac and another EMT approached the scene while Grant put pressure on Bill’s bleeding arm. Skip, appearing dazed, sat with his hands behind his back as Mitch cuffed him.
“My bag…that’s my bag,” Skip groaned, seeing Ginny pick up the canvas bag.
“They’re not there,” Jade said, sitting up with Lance’s assistance. Seeing Skip’s gaze jump to hers, she drew another ragged breath and reiterated, “The frames…they don’t have any of the sea gla…uh…diamonds in them.”
Shock, and then anger, flew over his face before fearful resignation appeared to hit. Lance growled, pulling her to a safe distance. Mitch and Grant hauled Skip upward, dragging him away from her.
“You…you said they were there,” Skip accused, his voice now full of defeat. Looking at the surrounding officers, he said, “It’s gone. All my work is gone.”
As Colt’s deputies read Skip his rights and pulled him away toward their vehicle, she looked at Bill. “How is he?”
Bill offered a wan smile, wincing as Zac had him moved to the stretcher. “Can’t believe I got shot…over fish.” Looking at Lance, he said, “What the hell was that about?”
Mitch stepped in, placing his hand on Bill’s shoulder. “We’ll fill you in, but for now, just concentrate on healing.”
She stood, supported by Lance. Holding on to his arm, uncertain her legs would hold her up, she stepped over to Bill. “I’m so glad you were here.”
Grimacing, Bill said, “I knew I kept hearing a noise by the gym door. I came down the hall to find you, but that’s when I saw Skip in the room, holding a gun. And I realized he must have slipped in the gym door when I wasn’t looking.”
Lance, his arms around Jade, fearful of letting go, nodded at Bill as the stretcher was loaded into the back of the ambulance. “Thank you, man.” With a smile, Bill lay his head back and the doors closed.
Turning Jade so he could fully see her face, he took in Bill’s blood splattered across her. Cupping her cheek again, he peered into her green eyes, but saw no fear…only love. “Oh, baby, I thought I’d lost you—”
Shushing him with her fingers over his lips, she shook her head. “I’m here, Lance. I’m here. Just for you…I’m here.”
The sunset painted the sky and Jade shivered in her jeans and sweatshirt, despite being wrapped in a blanket.
“Babe, come in,” Lance ordered, walking to her side with his hand extended. “You shouldn’t be out here.” He had gone to the station for a debriefing after making sure Jade was safely at his house, Belle keeping her company. When he arrived home, he found Belle standing at the sliding glass door, peering out at Jade, sitting alone on the deck.
“I tried to get her to come in,” Belle explained, her eyes full of concern. “But she insisted that she needed to sit by herself for a little while.”
Thanking Belle before seeing her out to her car, he walked back through the house and onto the deck, where he noticed Jade shiver in the evening breeze.
Jade peered up at him and offered a slight smile as she took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Tucked underneath his arm, she stepped inside the house, feeling the warmth surround her.
After they settled on the sofa, she asked, “How’s Bill?”
“He’s gonna be fine. It’s a flesh wound and he’s already discharged.”
Nodding, she sighed. “What can you tell me?”
Lance stared at her for a moment before he spoke. “There’s a lot of the investigation that is still ongoing, but when Skip was arrested, the gravity of his situation took hold and he began to confess. It seems that he and George did become close over the past decade and especially when their wives died within a year of each other. Both of their savings were almost drained by the cost of their wives’ cancer treatments and the two men began to discuss how they could make more money. Skip knew of the many smuggling operations that went on in the bay so he was the brains of their operation. It took a while, but they began simply. They would go out at night on George’s boat after disabling the GPS, and would approach a predesignated ship. They would take the diamonds from one and transport them to another ship, keeping a cut of the money before going back to deliver the payment to the first vessel.”
Shaking his head ruefully, he added, “It was really brilliant in its simplicity. They essentially were transporters for hire.”
“So, what happened? Why did Skip kill George?”
“According to Skip, he didn’t. He says that as he learned more from the smugglers, he realized that, besides just moving the diamonds and money between the ships, he could use the diamonds as collateral for smuggling other, more lucrative items. And that’s where George’s moral code came into play, at least as far as Skip is concerned.”
Twisting in his arms, Jade looked at Lance, her brow crinkled. “Moral code?”
Chuckling, he explained, “It seems George didn’t have a problem transporting diamonds and money back and forth, but when Skip told him one night that the diamonds were going to get them money to use in buying and selling illegal fish, George balked. As someone who respected the sea he fished in his whole life, the concept of killing endangered fish or smuggling them to make money, did not suit him.”
Eyes wide, she shook her head. “This is crazy. It doesn’t seem real.”
“I think that’s how it seemed to George, also. Skip’s plans got more elaborate and convoluted. George told Skip he wasn’t on board with the plan and wasn’t going to do it, but the deal had already been struck. When Skip wasn’t looking, George must have tossed one of the bags of diamonds into the water and when they got to the next ship, they did not have all the diamonds needed for the transfer of goods. Ski
p said George told them he hid them somewhere. According to Skip, an argument ensued and the foreign smugglers, to make a point, killed George right in front of Skip then told him to clean up the mess and get the diamonds or the money.”
“That bag I found was the diamonds and I just thought it was someone’s lost sea glass.”
“Skip had no idea how to make things right until the news article about you finding the body was aired and the Gazette had a picture of you holding up a bag of glass. He recognized what it was.”
Leaning with a huff, she shook her head. “It makes no sense. Hearing the story, it still makes no sense. I sat on the deck, watching the sunset, hoping that I could rectify everything with the sweet men I knew, but now that I hear everything, I’m still stunned.”
After a moment of silence, Lance’s fingers gently smoothing her shoulder, she whispered, “What will happen to Skip?”
“He’ll go to prison, baby. But, maybe with his testimony, it will break open the smuggling that has plagued the bay for a while. Callan says the Coast Guard will be actively involved in the case, so that they can identify the other participants. At least that way, some ships will be banned from U.S. waters.”
“Do you feel sorry for them?” she asked.
“Sorry? Why should I?”
“Because they suffered so much when their wives died…I know you once talked about how difficult it is to move forward when you lose people close to you.”
Lance shifted her body around, so that she was facing him, lifting his hands to cup her cheeks. “I did say that and, at one time, thought removing myself from others was a way to protect my heart. But after meeting you, I was willing to expose myself to pain, just to be with you. One day, one of us will have to face losing the other, but baby, there’s no money in the world that would make that hurt less. The choices George and Skip made were wrong, and I can’t help but think their wives would be hurt knowing how far the two of them had fallen.”
“You’re right,” she nodded, leaning in for a kiss. Pulling back slightly, she added, “Thank you for taking a chance on me.”
Picking Up the Pieces Page 25