Chapter 17
Watson slammed the car into park in front of a small wooden cabin. They had turned off the highway and headed down small country roads that took them deeper into the hill country. Elizabeth sat in the passenger seat terrified. She had been so upset at Callum and how he left her, that she did not put on her watch that was equipped with a tracking device. The only thing she wore was her jogging outfit, socks, and sneakers. She promised herself she would stay alert and look for a chance to escape or a weapon. Elizabeth took a deep breath and hoped that if the opportunity presented itself, she would be able to act to protect herself.
"Stay there. Believe me. You don't want make this worse on yourself." Watson claimed out of the car. His blue eyes never wavered from hers as he walked about the car and opened her door. He grabbed her arm, his fingertips dug deep into her flesh, and pulled her to him.
"You made me wait four years. I smiled and acted like the sap. Luckily I had girls that satisfied me, while your icy ass when to sleep alone every night. But then, imagine my surprise when I hear that an American stayed in your room for the entire night." Watson leaned in and whispered into her ear. "I will erase every memory of him you have. He might have made you cry out in pleasure, but I plan to make you scream."
Elizabeth tried to wretch her arm from his. She fought and squirmed with all of her might. The crack of the slap across her face stunned her. His smile made her shiver in fear. He readjusted his grip and pulled her with him as he strode toward the cabin. He yanked her up two stone steps and across a deep porch. The cabin was a combination or stone and wood. There was no other structure or sign of life anywhere she looked. Tears of frustration and fear pooled in her eyes, making the dark room blurry when he threw her inside. She stumbled and fell to the dusty wooden floor.
The room was dark with the only light coming in from dirty windows covered by fabric curtains. Watson pointed to a chair, one of two that flanked a large stone fireplace.
"Sit. If you move, it will be the last thing you do."
Watson closed the door and locked it from the inside with a key that he slipped into his pocket. As he walked around the room, looking out the windows, Elizabeth picked herself up off the floor and surveyed the cabin making possible weapons and exits. The main door was the only one she could see, although it looked like there might be other rooms down the hallway. The simple kitchen was tucked in the corner and there was a small island that separated the area from where she sat. There were three paned windows, one that led to the front of the house and two to the side.
"Watson, the signing is this afternoon. We will both be missed." Elizabeth had no idea how to reach this monster in front of her. He was not the boy she grew up with or the man she was about to marry. But she knew she had to bide her time. Someone would miss her. Someone would come for her. She had to believe that. It was the only way to keep her sanity in this insane situation.
She watched as Watson pulled open a closet in the wall. He pulled out two pump action shotguns and boxes of ammunition and set them on the island. She knew now that whatever happened to her or him would end here. Fear threatened to immobilize her, but she knew she had to refocus. If some did come to her rescue or if she had the opportunity to escape or hurt Watson, she needed to be ready. Although Watson concentrated on arming the weapons, she knew that he was attuned to her every move. She sat on the edge of the upholstered chair, he cheek still burning from his slap, ready to run the moment she had the chance. She counted the steps she would need to take the window as she imagined opening the latch and jumping out. In her heart, she knew she would never make it, but she needed to keep her hope alive and not give into this man turned monster.
She reasoned with herself that Callum would find Cal and Callum would figure it out. Even after all he had put her heart through. Even after he walked away this morning, she knew he would come for her no matter what. She made a promise to herself and whoever might be listening to her prayers. If he were to come for her, she would try to hold on to him. She would do the only thing he ever asked of her, which was to appreciate what they had and then let him go. She wanted to cry and scream. If she had not pushed him so hard this morning, maybe all of this would have turned out differently. He was never hears to keep. He told her he gave her all he could, and she just begged for him to give her more. She felt guilty for wanting him even now. What if he was hurt or worse?
Silent tears fell down her cheeks. She tried to control them. She did not want to show any weakness, but she could not help herself. Watson looked over to her and his face softened. He put the gun her held down on the counter and came over to her. Her hands gripped the edge of the cushion she sat on as he crouched down in front of her.
She forced herself to remain still and not pull away as he reached out and used the pad of his thumb to wipe the tears from one of her cheeks. She thought he might be reverting to the Watson she knew, the one she might be able to reach and convince him to let her good. She believed that until he took his thumb, wet with her tears, and sucked on it. His lips curled into a smile.
"There will be more of those today." The confidence in his voice unnerved her.
"No, there won't."
A gun shot rang out and defend her. Before Elizabeth knew what had happened, Watson slumped to the side a bullet hole the size of a silver dollar gushed blood and brain. Her body shook violently as she moved off the chair and looked back to where the shot had come from. Victor stood there in the hallway dressed in a grey suit and crisp white shirt open at the collar. She ran to him and threw her arms around him.
"Oh, thank God you are here."
She felt him return the hug with one arm. His gun remained at his side in the other.
"Are you alright, Princess?" Victor asked as she pulled away from him.
She nodded her head. Tears of relief mixed with shock.
"How did you know where to find me?" Her voice vibrated as the words fell out.
"I have been here many times before. I knew when Watson came for you this would be where he would take you. He was so predictable." Something in Victor's voice made her take a step backward. Her brain went back on alert.
"I did not know you knew Watson so well." She asked.
"I've known him a lot longer than you. I met him when he was just a boy and even then I knew that something was wrong with him in the head, but he had promised me that he would treat you well as long as we supplied him with other women who could appease his other," Victor paused as if he searched for a word, "um, desires."
Elizabeth felt her heart skip a beat. The fear resurfaces. She was not safe. She knew that. But, at least with Watson she understood the threat. Now, she tried to remember all Callum had told her about her bodyguard and his connections to AP and Russian intelligence. But, he brain was too addled to be able to piece it all together.
"You look lost, moya printsessa."
She understood he said my princess in Russian. He rarely spoke his native language to her. His use of it unsettled her even further. Something was defiantly wrong. She turned her head and looked at Watson's lifeless form then her eyes went back to Victor.
"Do not mourn him. Now, go sit while we await your boyfriend and his little team." Victor stashed his gun into a shoulder holster underneath his suit. He padded her on the arm as he passed her. A chill went through her.
"What are talking about? Does Callum know where I am?" A hint of relief peaked though her fear, but she was too afraid to hold on to it. She still did not understand if Victor was a threat.
She held her ground, wanting distance from him. She also stood in front of the hallway. Elizabeth figured Victor came down the hallway. Maybe there was another exit she could take if she needed it. She kept her voice as calm and tone conversational and hoped that if Callum and his team did know where she was that they were close.
"Victor, can you please explain to me what is going on. Why didn't you tell me that you knew Watson so well?"
Watson picked up on the sh
otguns and cocked it with one hand. The loud clap of the bolt action sliding into place made her jump.
"No time, Princess. They're here."
Sam and Bailey had located the red Ferrari by on of Edward's satellites and sent Callum the coordinates. The rest of the team had assembled with a group of trained Corranian elite soldiers and was in bound to the location. Callum parked the car about a quarter mile from the cabin close to the helicopter landing zone Sam had identified. Callum checked his gun and clips, making sure they were ready. He planned to ask forgiveness not permission when he ran into Watson.
He radioed the group that he was in route to recon the cabin. His plan was to stay in the wooded perimeter and then ingress to the target with the rest of the team. That as the plan until he heard the gun shot. Callum gave up any pretense of trying to move quietly through the forest and ran toward the cabin. His heart was in his throat. One word played over and over in his mind. Please. Please. Please.
He reached the cabin and took the two stairs in one giant leap. He rolled for cover underneath the windows as glass shot out above him. The whirl of helicopter blade told him that his team was close. But, for Elizabeth, that could be the difference of life and death. He forced down the bile that threaten to come up at the thought of her hurt or worse. All he knew was that he needed to get in that cabin and to her without dying in the process.
Callum heard the distinctive pump of a shotgun being cocked.
"Callum, it’s Victor. It’s just the two of us. One bog room. He is . . ."
Relief washed over him at the sound of her voice. It sounded strong before it was cut off. He could have kissed her - and he would as soon as she was in his arms against - for the vital information she passed. Not only did he know he was up against Victor, but she was also standing northeast of his current position.
He listened hard for any movement, but did not hear any, which meant that Victor silenced her at her position. She was not dragged to another. A soft whistle from the woods told him his team was in place and they marked his position. He held up one finger and then made a sweeping motion over his arm to signal one suspect. Then he held up one finger and cupped his hand around his throat to signal one hostage. He made a pump action with his hand to signal a shotgun.
Sam had described a brief layout of the cabin to the team as they were in route based on satellite imagery and some pictures Bailey found when she hacked in to Watson's accounts.
Callum knew that Buzz and JT would be making their way about to the back of the cabin where they was a door that came off one of the backrooms. Elizabeth and Victor were likely in the larger main room, which he imagined did not give him many options for cover.
"Major Evans. I suggest you call your team back from the cabin before I blow off your beautiful Princesses' head." Victor's voice came out through the open window frame above him.
"Now, Victor, what kind of bodyguard would you be if you shot your own client. It might hurt your chances for follow-on employment."
Callum wanted to keep Victor as distracted as he could from Sam who had silently climbed onto the porch behind him. Sam worked a small camera on a snake scope underneath the front door as Callum distracted Victor. It was a long shot, but if they could get eyes on the room even for a second, the chances of Elizabeth and the rest of them making it out alive increased dramatically.
"You failed her twice, but yet here you are paid by you government. I believe both of our futures will be secure no matter if she lives or dies."
Callum swallowed hard. He would not let this man get in his head. Callum looked down at his cell phone as a blurry black and white image appeared. He saw the leg of a chair. Then what he was assumed Watson's feet. As Sam maneuvered the camera around the room, Callum continued to distract Victor.
"I failed her, but you didn't. I know in the end you care for her. You would not hurt her. Just let her go. You can I can finish this man-to-man. Okay?"
Callum's fingertips were white as he gripped the phone.
"You let her go, and I promise I will walk in empty handed."
Callum heard Elizabeth struggle then go quiet. His heart flipped and he had to mentally hold himself back from jumping through the window to get to her. He would be no good to her dead.
Victor barked a laugh. "Why the hell would I want you? Your team is dead anyway. As soon as I gave the signal, you flew in with two men on my payroll who had already radioed me your position and had your men within their gun sights. Now, what do you have to bargain with, Major?"
Callum tuned his neck so he could see Sam behind him. Sam gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. Callum then turned to the forest and signaled for his team to watch their backs. He looked back down at his phone. Sam moved the camera around to show the locks on the front door that he would be breaching as soon as they could locate Victor and Elizabeth.
"Thanks for the info, Vic."
Callum squeezed the phone harder as if he was wiling Sam to get the camera into position. Bingo! He saw through the circle scope Victor holding Elizabeth, his hand calmed around her upper arm and the shotgun pointed at her head. Callum willed her to hold on. Victor held himself far enough away from her that she could not surprise him with a body blow. He would know she was trained in hand-to-hand combat.
He turned back to Sam who nodded his head once to indicate he saw the same thing. Sam pivoted the camera to take in the rest of the room. They both looked for cover opportunities and vulnerabilities. Sam held the camera on the window above the kitchen. Since Callum was without a radio, he turned back to Sam who signaled that the sniper was in place. He hoped that it was someone they could trust. They were all moving on the fly and without Cal on the other end of the scope, Callum was nervous that the room for error was wider than he would like.
They had all of the intelligence they were going to get. It was time. Callum turned back to Sam who gave the signal. Three. Two. One.
Chapter 18
Callum reached out and held Elizabeth's hand. She had not regained conciseness since the forest. The helicopter raced them to the hospital as the rest of the team wrapped up the scene on the ground. The doctor's asked him to wait in the waiting room as they assessed her condition, but he refused. He would never leave her side again. His look must have told him her was serious, because they handed him a mask and told him to wait in the corner. Callum felt better when her friend Sophia came in. She immediately took charge. When they had finally stabilized Elizabeth and moved her into a private room with security send by the king, Sophia came by and explained her condition to him.
"It's called cardiomyopathy caused by an intense shock to the system. The massive amount of adrenaline stunned her heart."
Callum rubbed the back of his neck and swallowed down the lump in his throat.
"And," was the only word he could get past his lips that began to quiver. He swallowed again.
Sophia reached out and rubbed his arm. "Time will tell. She needs rest and quiet."
Callum nodded his head. He did not trust himself to speak.
"Why don't you head home and I'll call you if anything happens."
"I'm not leaving her." His voice was rough with emotion. "I'm not leaving her ever again."
Sophia smiled. Her eyes were watery with tears. “Aye. Okay, then. Well, then I suggest you get out those clothes. I can get you some scrubs. I also want to take a look at your wounds. Is that your blood or someone else's?"
Callum looked down at his blood stained shirt. He honestly could not answer her question.
"Okay. Come over here and sit. I don't need two of you passed out from shock."
He let Sophia lead him to a chair where he took off his shirt and she assessed his wounds. It was a surprise to him that he had been grazed by a bullet on his shoulder and his side. With his own adrenaline wearing off, every emotion was intensified. The fear of what could have happened if he had not covered Elizabeth with his body overwhelmed him.
"Nurse, get me a tray so I can see to his stitch
es then I want you to help the Major with a shower."
Callum glowered at her.
"Aye. I know it may not be kettle of tea, but I am not having you pass out in the shower on my watch. The sooner you let me take care of you, the sooner I can get you back to sitting by Elizabeth. Okay?"
Callum grunted his agreement. It did not take long for him to be stitched up, showered, and back in a chair next to Elizabeth. He let Sophie order him some food. He knew he needed to eat. He knew how to recover from a mission as intense as the cabin. But, he had no idea how to recover if he lost the woman he loved.
He had never loved anyone before. Sure, he loved Sam and his team, but not like this. Not with this soul crushing intensity. And, he had no idea what to do with it. Elizabeth's family had visited and received the same update from Sophie that she had given him. The only time he stepped out of the room was to give the Queen and Prince time to visit with her.
He wanted to apologize to them both. Tell them it was his fault she was lying in a hospital bed unconscious. He knew he should beg for their forgiveness, but he knew once the words passed his lips, a dam would break and he needed to stay strong for Elizabeth. After the family visit, the Queen came up to Callum as he sat there in chair outside of her room. His head was bent as his arms rested on his knees. A pair of black heels and trim ankles came into view.
"Major?"
A soft, melodic voice carried past the pain. He looked up and saw Elizabeth's golden eyes in an elegant face that was twenty years older. The Queen.
"Ma'am." He made the effort to stand, but she gestured for him to sit. She took the chair next to his and he sat up straight. Security was tight around her and Elizabeth's room. He could see the Prince still inside Elizabeth's hospital room.
"I think my family has you to thank for saving my daughter's life."
"If I had done what I should have done, she would not be here."
She gave him a small smile. "But you are here, and so is she. That is what matters. None of us can live focusing on past regrets. The only thing we can do is learn from them and try our best not to repeat our mistakes."
Princess Bodyguard Page 20