Half an hour later the superintendent came in for a brief meet. He was the guy I’d be working closest with and I could already tell it wasn’t going to be a good fit. I can’t say that I blame him, but this wasn’t about who had the biggest dick. There was a young girl in deep trouble out there.
I accepted the new information he brought and looked over all the Intel they’d gathered thus far. My mind was already processing and discarding. “You’ve checked the whole island and you’ve had divers out there already.” I said it more like a statement. “Yes, that’s protocol in a situation like this. Plus there were a few sightings near the beach.”
“What about these boys she was seen with?”
“There’s nothing there.” Not the question. I looked up from the report I was reading over and stared him down. “You have these boys in holding?” He didn’t like the question and I quite frankly didn’t give a fuck.
“Yes, but we can’t hold them for much longer. Without any evidence of foul play, you know…” Yes, I know only too well. Another reason I resent the fuck out of law enforcement. They cater more to the criminal than the victim. Thank fuck I don’t suffer from that stupidity.
“And why have you come to the conclusion that they’re not involved?” I almost expected him to tell me ‘because they said so’.
Unbeknownst to him, I’d already ran him and his boss. I don’t trust one fuck and I know a lot of these assholes are on the take.
Corrupt fucks take an oath and forget it the first time they see green. According to the report she was last seen in the company of these young men. Only a rookie on his first year would dismiss that out of hand. I wasn’t sure about this one yet, didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. But I already didn’t like his ass.
“They all tell the same story. They last saw her at the club before they left. They believe she went back to her friends…”
“Let me see them.”
“I don’t think…”
“I didn’t ask you what you think. I said take me to them.” In all fairness he probably didn’t see much of this sort of thing, but this was my playing field.
I already had a good idea of what happened here, but I needed to see these boys, talk to them myself. He wasn’t too happy but led me to the holding area where the three young men were being detained all the same.
I assessed them as soon as they came into view, studying their demeanors. One of them held himself apart, both physically and mentally, that would be the unrelated one. He had a different air about him. The other two were huddled together looking a lot more afraid and unsure than he did.
They were all no more than eighteen by the looks of them, but the two who were reportedly cousins looked a little more rough around the edges. Less groomed if you will. It took them a minute to become aware of my presence and once they did they tried to look like the young toughs they thought themselves to be.
I summed up the situation at a glance. Mr. Money bags was the leader of this outfit and these two just played follow the leader. I’d seen it plenty of times in my youth. Some spoilt little rich shit using his family’s money and connections to run rough shod over everyone else, or those he thought were weaker than him. Enticing or sometimes bullying others into doing their will.
Beneath all that bravado though, was usually a scared little asshole, who couldn’t wipe his own ass without mommy or daddy’s help. “Sven’s parents are already trying to get him out and have forbidden us to even speak to him without a lawyer.” I’d almost forgotten he was there.
“How old is he?”
“Seventeen, our hands are tied, the law says…”
“Yeah, I know; very well, what about the other two?”
“Roland is eighteen and Cedric seventeen.” I turned my attention back to the boys and noticed the one called Sven staring me down aggressively. He had a look in his eyes, like he knew we couldn’t touch him. Little shit had done this before. I’ll leave him for last. I gave him the look that I was sure I could make his young balls climb into his ass and hide and watched his throat work as he swallowed around the lump that had formed there. Good!
I turned to head back to the office while I sorted shit out in my head. I’d already been exposed for much longer than I liked, though I wasn’t too worried about the people of this little known island knowing fuck about me. Wilson was going to owe me big for this one.
I huddled down in the office they’d given me to use for the duration. I had to work fast since the boys would be released in another few hours if we didn’t come up with a reason to hold them. Once again I went over everything they had including surveillance. The picture that was beginning to form went much deeper than a bunch of kids and I knew I had to move if I was going to save their latest victim.
I ignored the hunger in my gut, and forged on. Outside the window the sun was going down, and for the first time since I landed, I allowed my mind to wander to my wife. I’d made a few calls to the boys before taking off so I knew she was safe, but it was still a fucked up way to spend the day after her wedding.
There was a commotion at the door, which took my mind off of my musings. I went on alert when my body tingled. This wasn’t my usual danger-warning signal, but something I’d picked up in the last few weeks. Since it was a relatively new feeling for me, one that had only manifested itself since I met my woman. I wondered what the fuck could be causing it here, so many miles away from her.
“What the fuck?” I stood to my feet when she entered the room with some smarmy fuck in a suit. He had ‘Bureau’ written all over his spit polished ass, but I dismissed him with barely a glance before giving her a lifted brow look.
“The FBI is here. Since it’s an international situation involving a US citizen they’ve been called in to assist.” If the superintendent was pissed at my arrival he was even more put out by the newcomers.
I didn’t give away my feelings, unless anyone noticed the tic in my jaw from me gritting my teeth so hard, but other than that I played it off.
She looked just as uncomfortable and wouldn’t even look at me. The local cop left, leaving me alone with the two of them. I was pissed; maybe that’s why I did it. I ignored the asshole next to her when I walked over and took her face between my hands and kissed her.
“Hello sweetheart, what are you doing here?”
“It’s not what you think. I had no idea this is where you were I promise.”
“I know.” But someone obviously did, or so it would appear. “This is agent Davis, Davis, this is Hank Mancini, my husband.”
From the way his eyes widened, I knew he’d heard the name. His reaction also put any doubts to rest. This really was a strange coincidence. “Are you going to share? They only gave us the basics so far. Have you talked to anyone yet?” Oh no, I’m not working with these fucks not even if one of them is my wife.
She knew what I was thinking. The little smirk she threw me said as much. Fine. I let them look over what the locals had given me but kept my thoughts and findings to myself. I wasn’t sure how I felt about her being here. She’s a profiler for fuck sake. Shouldn’t she be in a room behind glass, away from danger?
“I’ll be right back.” I left before either of them could ask where I was going. I found Sealy down the hall talking to his men. “Bring me Roland. I’m going to need another room.”
“Right away sir.” I guess he hated the feds more than I did because their presence seemed to have warmed him towards me.
I sat in the room he offered and waited. It wasn’t long before he came back with the kid in tow. “I’ll take it from here thanks.” He huffed a little but closed the door behind him when he left.
The kid looked like he was about to shit his pants and I hadn’t even started yet. I walked around his chair and stood behind him, crowding him. An old interrogation tactic to put him off center. I wanted his nerves shot by the time I asked him the first question.
“Are you ready to go to jail for the rest of your life?” He turned his he
ad and opened his mouth to speak but I shushed him. “Before you say anything, think very carefully. In another hour or so, your friend Sven is going to be released to his parents, leaving you and your little cousin holding the bag. His parents are already making plans to get him off the island and who knows where he’d go into hiding.”
I didn’t know that for sure but I know how that type works. The truth is, unless this was a horse and pony show, they wouldn’t let any of the boys off the island until this shit was cleared up. He didn’t know that though, I was banking on it.
His nervous twitch and the way he squirmed under my gaze told me all I needed to know. “I’ve been looking over your history. You seem to be a smart kid. What I don’t understand is why you’d let yourself get caught up in something like this. It doesn’t sound like you.” My voice was parental. Not accusatory, more conciliatory. I was putting him at ease, getting him to trust me. Trust that I was on his side.
It only took five minutes to break him. All it took was constant pressure on the fact that he was throwing his life away while Sven the one in charge, the one who’d called the plays was going to walk free. “He said we’d make good money. It was our first time…”
“No, no it wasn’t.” I said it with surety so he’d have to ask himself how I knew, and more to the point, what I knew. “I can’t help you if you lie. I already know enough to put you and your cousin away for life but I’m willing to work something out. But if you lie to me now, I will walk out that door and leave you to face this thing alone. As long as you have my ear you stand a chance. You lie to me, you lose that chance.”
He swallowed hard and I could see his mind was racing. Eighteen years old and he was already done. I couldn’t save him, but if he gave me what I wanted maybe I could save the girl before it was too late. “Who did you sell her to?” Now his eyes widened with fright. Bingo!
“I told you I knew so there’s really no point in hiding it now. There’s still time to make this right. Just tell me what you know.”
I gave him time to compose himself but never stopped crowding him. “Okay, I’ll tell you. But you have to promise to help us. We really didn’t…it was all Sven’s idea, we just went along Cedric and I.” He looked at me as if gauging whether or not I believed him. My face gave nothing away.
“I don’t know the name of the buyer, Sven does, I guess. He works with Tomas.”
“Who’s that?”
“The bartender at the club.” He was nervous and sweating and I could see the fear coming off him in waves.
“And what does this Tomas do?”
“Sven chooses the girls. He’d dance with them then offer them a drink. Some women don’t accept drinks from strangers so Tomas spikes their drinks at the bar where they feel it’s safe.”
“Tell me about Cassandra. How did you choose her?”
“They all have a look. Blonde, blue eyes and a nice body. And they have to be pretty. We saw her as soon as she walked in with the others. Sven approached her, put the moves on her as usual. She wasn’t easy, she was just…I think I’m going to be sick.” He jumped up and retched into the trashcan.
I waited him out and once he was back in his seat pressed on. “Go on.”
“After the dance, the place was warm so he took her to the bar. Cedric and I slipped out and got the car ready. That’s all we did, I swear.” I nodded my head, which wasn’t a con. I did believe him. I just didn’t find him as innocent as I led him to believe. He knew what he was doing. It’s a long way from childhood pranks to selling human flesh for profit.
“She was laughing when he brought her out. They all do.” I guess he forgot that this was supposedly the first time. “We took her down to the water where the boat was tied off and then we took her…” I got up from my seat then. “Where did you take her?”
“To Sven’s family’s warehouse. We were supposed to pass her off tonight, but with all this going on I doubt the buyer’s still here.” I left the room and Sealy who’d been standing at the door came in. “Hold them.” That part of my job was over. The feds could have them. I was only interested in the girl.
The two of them were still looking over the paperwork. Fucking feds, pencil pushers. “I’ll be back.” I don’t know why I was saying it to her, it certainly was the first time I’d had to stop and tell my wife I was stepping out for a few in the middle of an op.
She nodded her head but looked at me suspiciously. I had no doubt she’d be questioning the superintendent before I left the parking lot. I didn’t ask anyone for directions, it was an easy thing to get the location. The family owned one warehouse on the east coast of the island and that’s where I headed in the little rental car Wilson had procured.
It was full dark now and not many people on the street. The reporters were still staked out at the station, but the locals seemed to have gone back to their lives. I didn’t go into the warehouse when I arrived, just drove around as if I were just another tourist out for a night ride. The kid hadn’t said anything about guards, but the bartender was still on the loose and for all I know he could be here.
I didn’t let myself think about the fear the young girl must be feeling. I didn’t beat myself up over the ones that had already been lost. Instead, I thought about how pissed my wife was going to be when I did what I had planned. The agent was going to have my ass. The thought gave me my first smile of the day.
I was making my way back around when I saw the lights of an oncoming vehicle. I shut mine off and hoped that the trees were good enough shade to keep me hidden until I assessed the situation. I sighed in frustration when she stepped out of the car with the asshole getting out on the other side.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” I didn’t know yet if the situation was dangerous or not and just like a fucking fed these two just walked out into the night without cover. I slammed out of the car and jogged towards her just as the first gunshot rang through the night air.
I never moved so fast in my life, even with my heart in my fucking lungs. I could hear feet running and voices calling out with a strong island accent.
“Hank?”
“It’s me.” I’d taken her down and left the asshole to fend for himself. He was crouched down next to the building, looking for the enemy.
“What the fuck are you doing here? When this is over, I’m going to spank your ass.” More bullets flew through the air. I had to do something to get her out of here, shit.
“Tomas, is that you?” There was a pause in the barrage and I was able to crawl away with her. My aim was to get her back to my car and away from the building, but it was too late.
I covered her head and upper body with mine as glass flew and bullets rained down around us. I’m not one for emotion in the middle of battle, but the fucker was dead, he shot at my fucking wife. What the fuck!
I waited for another break in the action and then with my body shielding hers, got her back to my car. “Hank, I have to stay with my partner.”
“Stay your ass in this car, I’ll be right back.” I went around the other side from where we’d come and looked for an opening.
The shots had come from outside, closer to the water. There was still a good chance no one was inside with the girl if she was still here. The asshole agent was still out there where I’d left him, I was guessing; amateur.
I found a door and worked to pry it open. Inside the place was cavernous and the only light came from the moon and the stars through the filthy windows.
I didn’t have time to comb the place so I closed my eyes and opened up my senses. The first floor was too obvious so I made my way towards the stairs and started up. Outside there were more shots but they didn’t seem to be any closer than they were which meant I still had a little time.
It was easy to see the tracks in the dust, which made it easy to follow to the door at the very end of the hall. I kept my back to the wall as I made my way down the hallway, gun drawn, ears pricked for the slightest sound. The door made a sickening squeaking sound wh
en I eased it open, but a quick scan around the room showed only the figure crouched in the corner.
I rushed over to her and her eyes and mouth flew open at the same time. I covered her mouth with my hand and rushed to reassure her. “Hello Cassandra, your uncle sent me to get you.” Her body convulsed and tears gathered in her eyes. She’d been tied and shackled to the wall so I knew her limbs would be numb.
“I’ll have to carry you. I need you to be as quiet as possible and do whatever I tell you.” The shots were coming closer now and I didn’t know how many of them were out there, but I knew if they were willing to hang around this long they weren’t leaving without the merchandise. If they got past the agent who was holding them off then this would be their first stop.
We made it down the stairs and to the door I’d used to get in. Once I was sure the coast was clear, I took her back to the car. The empty car, I’ll kill her. “Stay down.” I laid her in the backseat and closed the door before heading back to where I’d left the agent earlier.
I snuck up on them and tapped her on the shoulder. I’m sure she saw the look on my face in the moonlight but now wasn’t the time to light into her stubborn ass for putting herself in danger. “I’ve got her, let’s go.” I took her hand and left the agent to find his own ass out of there. “She’s coming with me, you can follow.”
I didn’t wait around for his answer. In the car, I held it in for the sake of the young girl in the back who was crying her heart out in fear. I made a call and headed for the airstrip instead of the precinct. “Wait, what’re you doing? We have to get her back to the precinct.”
“Not gonna happen. I don’t work that way.” I got out and took Cassandra from the backseat and up the steps of the jet. “Your parents are waiting for you inside.” If not for Cierra, I would be going with her but I wasn’t about to leave her here alone.
The asshole was now pulling up when I went back to the car. “You can’t do this Hank, that’s not protocol.” She looked back at the plane as I drove away.
Hold Me If You Can (Mancini Way 2) Page 14