How Far Will You Go?

by Barbara Baldwin

  "Los hombres malos, the bad men, they have my parents!” He still mixed his Spanish with English, but this time, Kelly understood. She stood, taking the little boy's hand.

  "Maria, find a policeman and give him Pedro's address.” She spoke slowly so Maria would understand. Maria raced off down the street.

  Pedro was tugging her along, and as they hurried down the sidewalk away from the clusters of people preparing for the parade, Kelly pulled her cell phone from her waist clip. She dialed Lou's number automatically, trusting him to do something. Wasn't that his job? When he didn't answer, she left a hurried message.

  "Lou, I don't know what's going on but you have to get to Pedro's house. Oh dear, I don't know where he lives, but we're going down Becker Street past Third.” She tipped the phone up for a second to holler at Pedro. “Pedro, wait. Don't run ahead. Lou, please hurry; something's wrong.” She quickly hung up and raced after the little boy who had released her hand to run through a small backyard.

  Before she thought twice about it, she followed him into the house, skidding to a halt when she got to the living room. Pedro had raced into his mother's arms, the woman crying as she clutched him to her breast. Next to her on the couch sat Mr. Celaya, Pedro's father. He was bound hand and foot and had been badly beaten.

  "Oh, my God!” Kelly stepped forward only to be yanked to a stop by a heavy, sweaty arm around her neck as a rough voice growled in her ear in Spanish.

  "Be very still if you don't wish for me to use this.” The cold, flat blade of a knife slid down Kelly's left cheek and she forgot to breathe.

  Another man spoke, off to the side where Kelly couldn't see him. “I told you it would be easy to get your pretty teacher here."

  Her eyes jerked back to the couch. Mrs. Celaya hugged Pedro tighter to her, but her eyes met Kelly's. Along with the fear, she was sure she detected regret.

  "Lo siento, Senorita Kelly. I'm sorry,” Pedro said.

  "Keep that kid quiet!” hollered the man Kelly couldn't see.

  Pedro's mother immediately clamped her hand over the child's mouth as tears coursed down her cheeks. Mr. Celaya was slumped over, not moving. Kelly hoped he was unconscious and not dead.

  Kelly's legs were shaking so bad she could hardly stand, but she forced herself to remain as still as possible. They had used Pedro to lure her to this house, but why?

  "Make the call, Rocco,” the unknown man said.

  The man called Rocco grumbled something in Spanish as he shifted her against his side. The moment the knife was away from her face, she tried to twist away but his grip instantly tightened, cutting off her air. When his other hand started groping along her hips and waist, she struggled anyway. She would rather die than let him assault her that way.

  "I want only your phone.” Rocco snagged her cell as he gave a coarse laugh. “You are too skinny for me."

  Kelly couldn't see but she heard the beep, beep as he dialed her phone. She still didn't have any idea why she and Pedro's family were being held hostage, until she heard him speak.

  "Senor Kincaid. You have ruined my life and so I am now going to ruin yours."

  Kelly bit her lip to keep from crying out loud. All of a sudden, the pieces fell into place. These were the men Lou had busted! She didn't know how they had gotten out of jail, but they were now set on revenge.

  "Tell him you are here.” The Mexican shoved the phone to her mouth, tightening his grip on her neck.

  She violently shook her head, clenching her teeth together. She wouldn't tell Lou she was here because he would come after her. She knew that was what Rocco wanted, and she had no doubt that if Lou showed up, these men would try to kill him.

  The man she couldn't see yanked her head back with her hair, bringing tears to her eyes. “How far will you go to save your lover?” He, too, had a knife, and Kelly felt it prick the sensitive skin at her neck.

  Still, she said nothing.

  Rocco spoke into the phone. “It would appear she is willing to die for you, Senor."

  There was a pause and Kelly wished she could hear Lou's voice.

  "You don't believe we have something of yours?” Rocco asked. He twisted her part way around. “Is she not the one with a pretty orange and yellow butterfly on her..."

  Now Kelly could definitely hear Lou's expletives across the distance.

  "Ah, I see. You do know her.” Again that coarse laugh. “You have one hour to find her to trade your life for hers."

  * * * *

  The phone went dead in Lou's ear and with a string of curses, he threw it against the building just as Dom drove up.

  "What's going on?” his partner said.

  "They've got Kelly!” Lou was already in his truck and had slammed it in reverse when Dom was only halfway inside.

  He had just finished his practice run at the rodeo grounds when Kelly had called, so he hadn't gotten her message until after he had stabled his horse. Thank God he wasn't clear out at the ranch. He immediately called Dom and then headed for the parade route, the last place he knew Kelly had been.

  Talking with the people on the float as it had crept down Main Street in the middle of the parade, he had finally understood what happened and had an address for this Pedro. He'd had enough forbearance to wait for Dom—until his phone had rung. And until he had realized that Kelly wasn't on a mission of mercy for one of her students, but had gotten caught in the middle of his job.

  Now, he drove like a madman down a residential street. Being on the opposite side of the parade route from where Pedro lived, he had to take a circular route. “How the hell did those bastards get out of jail?"

  "Shit, you're kidding!” Dom pulled out his phone and punched in a number.

  "I wish I were,” muttered Lou.

  Dom spoke to the sheriff, then clicked his phone shut. “The judge released them on bail. I guess importing illegals doesn't make you a dangerous felon."

  "I'm the one who's dangerous,” Lou said, low and hard. “They're dead.” He parked a block away from the house, reaching past Dom to get his gun from the glove compartment. Dom caught his wrist.

  "You can't go in there."

  "The hell I can't.” Lou jerked his arm loose.

  "You're thinking with your prick,” Dom stated, far too calmly as far as Lou was concerned.

  He got out of the truck, Dom only a step behind. “I'm pulling rank on you, Kincaid. We're partners and you're in charge of operations, but not this time. There's too much at stake."

  "Christ, don't you think I know that?” Lou didn't pause as he put on his flak gear.

  Dom shook his head. “I really hate to do this, but—"

  Lou heard an ominous click and turned to see both Dom and a deputy with guns leveled at his chest. His eyes narrowed.

  "I called for backup,” Dom said.

  "You wouldn't shoot me,” Lou accused him.

  "I might not, but he's just a local deputy. You know how unpredictable they can be.” Dom reached for Lou's gun. “You've got to trust me on this."

  "Fuck you.” Lou tossed Dom the other remote headset and sprinted for the house, clearing his mind of every emotion except one—rage.

  * * * *

  Kelly opened her eyes but the scene hadn't changed since she had shut them what seemed like hours ago. The Celaya family still sat on the couch, huddled together in stark fear of the two men who had begun pacing the length of the living room.

  They had tied her to a chair after she refused to talk to Lou, the ropes so tight she couldn't feel her feet or hands. Her shoulders ached from the tight pull of having them behind her for so long, but anything was better than Rocco's arm around her neck and his knife against her face.

  "Please, let them go,” she said, nodding to Pedro and his parents. “I'm the one you want.” They hadn't gagged her and she decided to plead with what she hoped wasn't her dying breath.

  "Shut up!” the large blonde man said. She still didn't know his name, but assumed he was one of the men Lou had put in jail. He turned
back to the front window, peering through the blinds.

  Rocco leaned against the wall close to the front door, cleaning his nails with his knife. “When Kincaid gets here, can I take care of the bitch?” He sneered at her. Kelly had to guess he was still angry because she had bitten him on the arm right after the phone call. He had backhanded her, and she knew her cheek was bruised, but at least afterwards they had put her in the chair instead of having his arm around her neck.

  She turned her head to the side, tired of looking at them; tired of thinking she was going to die without ever seeing Lou again. Even though she hadn't spoken to him on the phone, she had left a message earlier, and she had no doubt that he was looking for her at this very moment. She felt sick to her stomach to think she had inadvertently led him to these men.

  A flash of movement caught her eye and she gasped, covering it quickly with a cough, turning her head the opposite way so she gave nothing away. Someone was moving in the kitchen! When she felt it safe to look again, she slanted her eyes in that direction, aware that the two men at the front of the living room couldn't see through the kitchen door like she could.

  Domonic Harris shot her a grin from where he was plastered against the inside wall like he didn't have a care in the world. Kelly's heart froze and her gaze darted back toward the front door. Please, God, she prayed, don't let Lou come crashing through the front door. They're waiting for him!

  The barest breath of a sound came from the kitchen and Kelly straightened her back and rolled her shoulders before daring to look in Dom's direction again. He quickly drew a large question mark in the air with his finger.

  Kelly scowled at him. What did he want? When he held up one finger then another and another, followed quickly by the question mark again, she realized he wanted to know how many men there were. She looked back at the two fugitives waiting for Lou to come waltzing in the front door. How could she warn Dom?

  "Do you two really think Lou Kincaid is going to walk right in the front door while you stand there ready to knife him?” She spoke loudly and clearly, hoping against hope that if Lou was ready to rush the front while Dom took the back that he would hear her and proceed cautiously.

  "Shut up,” Rocco snarled at her, but Kelly wanted to egg him on, perhaps make him careless.

  "How do you know he's not ready to break in the back way right now?” she asked.

  The blonde jerked his head towards the kitchen and Rocco pushed off the wall, swaggering toward that room. Unfortunately, she was in a direct line with it and he stopped to bend close.

  "As soon as we take care of your boyfriend, I am going to kill you, very slowly.” His putrid breath fanned her cheek and Kelly turned her head to the side. She glanced past the Mexican but could no longer see Domonic. She closed her eyes, having no idea what was going to happen, but knowing she didn't want to witness it and fearing she could no longer be brave if she saw his knife coming towards her.

  * * * *

  "Go!"

  Simultaneously with Dom's command over the headset, Lou kicked in the door and rushed through, followed by the deputy. It was easy to overpower the one man standing by the window. In less than a minute, it was all over.

  Lou's training had taught him to take in an entire room in a split second glance, so he knew right where Kelly was. However, his legs nearly buckled as he moved toward her. His vision blurred with tears he didn't try to hide.

  He knelt beside the chair, mentally willing her to look at him. “Kelly?"

  Her eyes flew open and she let out a cry.

  "Sweetheart.” He cradled her face in his hands, raining kisses all over. “Are you all right?"

  She actually giggled. “My legs are asleep. Can you untie me?"

  Lou made quick work of the knots and lifted her carefully in his arms. He turned and carried her outside. She circled his neck and he heard her sigh.

  "Lou, you really need to find another line of work."

  Feeling the tension of the last hour drain away, Lou could finally laugh. “Well, there's always the rodeo."

  She dropped her head against his shoulder. “Why did I have to fall in love with an idiot?” she muttered but Lou heard every word.

  "You love me?” He had waited so long to hear her say those words and now he could hardly believe it.

  She lifted her head, narrowing her eyes at him. “No."

  "Kelly?"

  "Fine,” she sighed. “I do love you, but it won't do you any good because I refuse to sit up in those bleachers every weekend and hope you don't get your brains knocked out."

  "Okay, I'll quit the rodeo,” he said with a shrug because it really didn't make any difference to him as long as she was by his side.

  "Really? What will you do?"

  Lou sank to the ground and leaned his back against a tree, settling Kelly on his lap. He slid his hand up to the side of her breast, his thumb teasing her nipple. He gave her a long, hot, totally lecherous look as he licked his lips in anticipation of how he would like to spend the rest of his life.

  "Oh, I think I can find something to keep myself occupied."

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Barb was born in California, married in Iowa and now resides in Kansas. The years in between were lived in many of the southern states and three years in Japan, as her father was an Air Force pilot. That probably explains why she still loves to travel and explore new places. She has written practically all her life, beginning with journals of family vacations. She is published in poetry, short stories, essays, magazine articles, teacher resource materials and full-length fiction. She has a BS in education and an MA in Communications and has been a secretary, teacher, grant writer and has worked for public television. Barb can be reached at writer0926@yahoo.com or through her website at www.authorsden.com/barbarajbaldwin.

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