Regan Harris Box Set

by Kelly Wood

  Gray breathed a sigh of relief as he followed Guy’s instructions. The CA-5 was the direct route to Guy’s hostel. If Regan found his clue, she would be headed straight for him.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Regan Harris

  Tegucigalpa Airport, Private Terminal

  Tegucigalpa, Honduras

  I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and back again. The customs agent inspecting everyone’s passports was taking too long. Didn’t he understand we were in a time crunch?

  I resisted the urge to wave my hand in the air, indicating he should speed up. Liam and Jax had been cleared and stood to my right while Ben and Gracie stood behind. I was the only one showing my disapproval and worry. Ben held his bag in his hand. I glanced at it, knowing my gun was safely tucked away with his. He swore the concealed compartment wouldn’t be found by any inspection or x-rays, but my nerves were frayed with worry. We’d be arrested and sent to jail immediately if caught. Going to prison, any prison, let alone a foreign one, was not on my bucket list. I’d forgotten about the gun in my waistband until the captain had announced it was time to land. Ben’s reaction to my being armed had been surprising. He’d shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Liam and Jax had wanted me to leave it behind, but I’d refused once Ben gave me an alternative.

  “Has estado ocupada esta noche?” Gracie said.

  I looked at her in shock. My Spanish was limited. I was able to pick out ‘busy’ and ‘tonight.’ Gracie had spoken with a mild accent, perfectly enunciating each word. Her speech alone would trick people into thinking she was a local even if her blonde hair and fair skin gave her away.

  Gracie patted my arm and explained. “When you don’t work a regular job, you learn to fill your time in creative ways. I learned Spanish.”

  “Clearly,” I said. My Spanish was passable. I usually depended too much on Gray to do the talking for me when we were in Latin countries. Gracie’s knowledge would be very useful to us.

  “Sólo unos pocos. ¿Qué te trae a Honduras?” the agent asked.

  Gracie giggled and blushed. The color was very becoming on her. Was she flirting?

  “I haven’t used my Spanish in so long. I’m truly sorry at how rusty I am,” Gracie said in English. Her hand fluttered to her throat.

  “Your Spanish is excellante. I promise.” The agent quickly processed the rest of the passports once Gracie had him eating out of her hand.

  “Gracias, Señor,” Gracie said, her voice airy and breathy.

  We moved into the main terminal. No one was around except for one woman manning the front desk. Through the windows, I could see the night sky, now lightening with the approaching sunrise.

  “Ben, why don’t you find us a rental car?” I suggested. I wanted him out of the way and occupied so the rest of us could look around. Ben turned toward the woman and asked her where to go. She pointed toward the main terminal building and commercial flights.

  Fear shot through me when Ben suggested all of us go together. Jax stepped in.

  “Do you mind if we wait here? You can get the car and drive around for us,” she said to Ben.

  Ben eyed us warily before agreeing. I held my breath until he was out of sight.

  “Let’s be quick,” I said. “Liam, check the men’s room. Jax, the women’s. Gracie and I will search this area. Remember, look everywhere. Last time it was written under the toilet paper dispenser.”

  Everyone followed my instructions even though they didn’t need the reminder at the end. I started with the seating area. I flipped through magazines and skimmed the pages. We were searching blind this time, unlike last time when we’d seen video of Gray going into the men’s room.

  I got down on the floor and looked under the chairs. I ran my hand along the bottom of the seats and tables. Gracie followed my lead and searched the other row. Jax and Liam returned from the restrooms.

  “Nothing. We even searched the janitor’s closet and the hallway,” Jax said.

  “Could it be outside?” I asked.

  “Maybe. I’ll go look,” Liam said. Warm air blew inside as he pushed open the door to exit.

  “Jax, do you still have Carl’s number?” I asked. She nodded. “Call him. See if he has any updates for us?”

  Jax walked away and stood by the front desk. I watched as she dialed her phone. She bent over and picked up a discarded piece of paper. She crumpled it in her hand. The edges stuck out of her fist. Her natural exuberance showed even though Carl couldn’t see her on the other end. Jax smiled and flirted as if he were standing right in front of her. It made me smile.

  The receptionist watched us as I returned to crawling around on the floor. My frustration mounted. We were so close. I knew it. I could feel it. I wasn’t giving up. If Gray didn’t leave us a clue or if we didn’t find it, we were lost. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack without his guidance. I kicked the leg of the chair as I stood up.

  I started to scan the walls. I ran my hands along them as I moved, hoping to feel something out of place. I realized I was reaching at this point but couldn’t stop now. I ran my fingers along the back of an end table. I even picked up a lamp and looked under the base. It was a hiding spot that had worked for us in Chicago, but there was nothing there.

  “Regan, we need to go,” Jax said as she ran over to us, her phone in one hand and the crumpled pamphlet in the other. Gracie and I turned to her. Liam entered the building again.

  “Anything?” I asked.

  “Nothing out of place,” Liam said. “We could search the garbage cans?”

  “We may need to,” Gracie said.

  “Wait. Listen. We don’t have much time. Carl said that Frank and Michael are on their way. They left right after us and will be landing soon,” Jax said.

  I groaned. “Now we have no clues, no direction, and no time to look.” Tears welled in my eyes.

  “Is there something I could assist you with?” the receptionist asked, her English flawless. Her eyes, skin and hair were varying shades of brown and very becoming.

  “I don’t think so,” Jax said, defeat clear in her voice.

  “I can take that for you.” The receptionist pointed to Jax’s hand. “I meant to pick it up earlier when the man dropped it, but it slipped my mind.”

  “Someone dropped this?” I grabbed it out of Jax’s hand. “On purpose?”

  “Yes. I thought it strange, but then Americans always seem strange to me.” She blushed when she realized her insult was inadvertently directed at all of us.

  Hope surged through me again. She said American.

  “Señora, could you describe this man?” Liam asked her.

  “I really should not. Guests expect their privacy.”

  “I’ll pay you.” I blurted the words out without thinking. I was grasping at straws here.

  “How much?” Her greed was evident.

  I dug around in my bag, grabbing the first cash I came to. “This much.” I didn’t even count it. If she could help us, it was worth every penny.

  The receptionist tucked the wad into her bra before speaking. “Tall, dark hair, light eyes. Almost gray in color. They were very striking.” The receptionist blushed again at the mention of Gray’s looks. I just knew it was him.

  I gasped. “That has to be our clue. He was here!” I looked down at the pamphlet. Liam, Jax, and Gracie crowded around me to look over my shoulder. G and G Brewery and Hostel. I felt a memory tugging on my mind. I opened the front cover. The pamphlet was a tri-fold. Inside showed pictures of the lodgings available and the attractions. I’ve been there! I opened the final flap. A group shot of the staff stared back at me. The owner’s smiling face front and center.

  “Garcia!” I said.

  “Guy!” Gracie said at the same time.

  “What?” The word echoed as Liam, Jax and I said it together.

  Gracie pointed to Garcia’s face. “That’s Guy. I’d know him anywhere.”

  “That’s not Guy. That’s Garcia. Gray and I met him
before. We’ve stayed here before.” I tapped the paper with my finger.

  “I promise you, that is Guy. I know my husband.” None of us pointed out the fact that Gracie didn’t really know her husband. To her, he’d been dead for thirty years.

  I stared at the picture, trying to see him without hair and with stubble on his face. My mind wouldn’t let me. The Garcia I knew had a full head of hair, a friendly smile, and was clean-shaven.

  “G and G?” Jax asked.

  “Guy and Gracie,” Gracie said.

  A car horn outside drew my attention. Ben waved from the driver’s seat of a small SUV. I ignored him and continued to huddle with the others.

  “Jax, could you send a picture to Carl? Maybe he could compare Garcia’s face with Guy’s? He used facial recognition software before,” I suggested. I still couldn’t believe Garcia and Guy were actually one and the same.

  “I’ll do that. I bet he could get a photo of him off the G and G website,” Jax said.

  “How long ago were they here?” Liam asked the receptionist.

  “Oh, about two hours, maybe.” She flattened her hand in the air and tilted it from side to side. “Señor was polite and nice as always. I enjoy it when I see him.”

  “Señor? You mean Garcia?” I asked.

  “Of course. He is a regular here.”

  “Did he say where they were going?” Liam asked.

  “No. I assumed the hostel. I didn’t ask. It’s none of my business.” The girl’s face pinched close when she realized how much information about Garcia she had just shared with strangers. Señor would be upset with her if he found out. “You must go now. No more questions.” The receptionist shooed them away from her desk and toward the door.

  “Thanks, anyway. You’ve been a tremendous help.” I smiled at her but her face flushed red. She was more helpful than she would ever know.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Gray Thomas

  Two hours outside of Tegucigalpa, Honduras

  Gray watched Guy end his phone call in the rearview mirror. He flicked his eyes back to the road. The highway wasn’t crowded. Gray followed the posted speed limit signs even though he knew the limits weren’t actually enforced. Honduras didn’t have policemen who monitored the roads the way they did in the US. Here, random police barricades were used instead. It made the driving in Honduras a free-for-all for the drivers. Driving the unknown roads could be quite a harrowing experience with cars passing on curves, drivers texting, and even movies playing on small TVs.

  “Your Regan seems to be quite resourceful,” Guy said as he pulled his phone down from his ear.

  Gray met his eyes in the rearview mirror. “Excuse me?”

  “Regan and some of her friends have just landed in Honduras. At the very same airport we used. Like I said, very resourceful.”

  Gray bit into his bottom lip to hide his grin. Yes, she is, he thought.

  “Friends?” Gray asked. He assumed the person on the other end of the phone confirmed their names. Gray’s guess would be the customs agent had called the minute they were out of sight. He would have access to their names and other personal information. It wouldn’t hurt for Gray to also know who he should be on the lookout for.

  “Yes. Let me see if I can remember. A Jason Hayes.” Gray didn’t correct him. Jaxon was an unusual name for a woman or a man. “Liam something-or-other. Sounded Irish to me. And a Benjamin Jackson, is it?”

  Gray jerked the wheel at Guy’s words, sending the car into the oncoming traffic lane. Luckily, there weren’t many cars on the road yet today, so he didn’t hit anyone. Liam and Jax, Gray had expected. Ben floored him. Rage rocked through his body. How was he with Regan? And why? Had Regan called him? Did she go running back to him the minute Gray was out of sight?

  Gray’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. His knuckles turned white. He grit his teeth together and tried to calm his speeding heart. The surge of jealousy had taken him by surprise.

  “I see this doesn’t please you. How interesting,” Guy said. He watched Gray’s reaction without showing any emotion. “I’m not pleased either. There was one more companion on the plane with them.”

  Her high school boyfriend, too?

  “Who?” Gray asked.

  “My Gracie. It seems your Regan and my Gracie are together.”

  Gracie? Interesting. What a ragtag group Regan had compiled. He expected Jax and Liam. Liam for his detective skills and Jax for moral support. Gray had assumed Uncle Bob would’ve been with her, too. Bob hadn’t been at the show so maybe he didn’t know what was going on.

  But, Ben? Ben. He was the last person Gray had expected Regan to run to. The absolute last person. She claimed not to want him in her life.

  And Gracie? Gray knew Gracie well. She probably forced herself on Regan and, out of guilt, Regan had folded.

  Although Gracie’s presence could come to be a benefit. Guy might be less inclined toward violence knowing she was with the group. He might want to ensure her safety.

  On the other hand, it could make him a loose cannon. Guy may be so distracted by emotion for his long-lost wife that he became unpredictable. Gray eyed Guy in the rearview mirror again. Guy was looking out the window, for once, his attention not on Gray. The gun sat in his lap, his hand loosely holding the weapon. His finger wasn’t even on the trigger.

  Gray looked to the road ahead. They now traveled on N54, still heading toward Guy’s business. With Guy distracted, this was his opportunity to crash the car. Gray’s seatbelt was secure, and a driver’s-side airbag added extra protection. Guy had his seatbelt fastened but would not have the benefit of an airbag. On impact, the gun would fly out of his hand. Gray hoped, anyway.

  The roadway was clear. Not another car in sight, but there were many houses. Gray didn’t want to hurt an innocent bystander. He scanned the sides of the highway. Trees dotted the scenery on both sides but were planted near the homes and businesses. Plus, the roadway was very curvy. He would need a straight stretch to gain any speed.

  “Turn here.” Guy pointed to the sign ahead.

  “I thought we were going to the hostel,” Gray said.

  “You thought wrong. We have a stop to make.”

  Gray slowed and eased the vehicle into the turn. Signs for Pulhapanzak Falls lined the side of the road. Gray and Regan had toured the waterfalls years ago. They were beautiful with natural caves behind them. Using a guide, they had made the treacherous trek behind the falls. It was like walking through a hurricane. In America, the hike would probably have been banned. Or highly controlled with harnesses, ropes, helmets and other safety gear. Here, the ‘safety line’ was holding onto the guide’s hand. Each person held hands “in case one of you gets swept away.” Those were the exact words of the guide. It had been terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

  “Turn here.” Guy pointed to the right. Gray turned into the parking area for the waterfall observation deck. Gray parked the car and waited for further instruction. Guy remained silent.

  After five long minutes of silence, another SUV pulled into the lot, kicking up dust. Guy motioned for Gray to hand Guy the keys and to get out after the car parked on their right. Gray walked around the car and opened the passenger side door.

  Two men emerged from the car. Both were shorter than Gray by several inches and of a darker skin tone. Their bone structures gave away their differing ethnicities. Gray guessed one to be Colombian and the other Mexican, but he could be wrong. The men stared at Gray and Guy but didn’t speak. Gray kept the men in sight while his hands double-checked the closures on his bag. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck, keeping him on full-alert.

  “What are you doing?” Guy asked Gray.

  “Just wanted a drink of water.” Gray pretended to dig in his backpack for the bottle he kept there. He stayed standing in the open door of the car. He wanted access to his bag and a quick getaway if necessary. Something about the early-morning meeting just didn’t sit right with him. The sky was starting to light
en, but it was still quite dark, giving Gray the cover he would need if he acted quickly. Gray could just make out the shapes of the trees behind the vehicles since there wasn’t much ambient light. Not like in the States at all.

  The smaller man pulled his coat aside, revealing a pistol in the waistband of his pants. A clear warning to both Gray and Guy. He was the first to break the silence.

  “Do you have our money?” he asked. Gray labeled him ‘Number One’ since nobody was introduced.

  “I do,” Guy continued the conversation in Spanish. Gray kept a blank look on his face while he sipped his water, even though he understood every word.

  Guy motioned to the back of the vehicle. He pushed a button on the key fob and the tailgate slowly raised. Gray took two steps closer to see the exchange.

  ‘Number Two,’ the slightly taller Colombian man, unzipped the luggage. He opened the flap to reveal stacks of cash neatly bundled and placed in the bag. He checked the three other cases. All were full of money as far as Gray could see. Gray guessed at multiple millions in the bags.

  “Did you have any troubles?” Number Two asked.

  “None. Smooth as always,” Guy said.

  “Then who is this man? You know el jefe wants you to work alone.” Number One pointed at Gray.

  “It’s personal. I just didn’t have time to drop him off before our set meeting,” Guy said. “He’s a nobody.”

  Gray knew the term ‘el jefe.’ Directly translated into English it meant ‘the boss.’ It was the underlying meaning that sent shivers up Gray’s spine. While mob bosses were called ‘dons’, drug lords were known as ‘el jefes.’ But there was one el jefe who was scarier and far more dangerous than the rest. He was referred to only by the nickname since no one knew who he actually was. El jefe was known by everyone in the US, mentioned daily on the news. His name was synonymous with drug busts, gang killings and raids. He was the most sought-out international criminal. Every alphabet agency was looking for him. Gray had led Regan into a far more dangerous situation than he had expected.