Desperate Measures

by Cindy Cromer

  Barry stood and took the old man’s pulse. He didn’t give a damn if this asshole croaked after what he just heard but he still needed the rest of the story. “Let me get you a glass of water. Take it easy for a few minutes before you continue.”

  Barry shuffled backwards, keeping the man in sight. Lukas craned his neck and his gaze followed Barry to the rear of the aircraft. Barry entered the kitchen area and retrieved the water. The task took a few seconds but when completed, the sight Barry saw caused him to race down the aisle.

  Lukas crouched on his knees, his left hand supported him and his right hand was lodged in his pants pocket.

  Barry helped him up from the floor. Lukas appeared to be healthy but seemed flustered as if he’d been caught doing something wrong.

  Barry handed him the water and asked, “What the hell happened, are you okay?”

  Lukas nodded and pulled his closed fist from his pocket. “I’m fine. I just wanted to stretch my legs. When I stood I got a little dizzy. It’s time for my blood pressure medication. I have a pill right here. I had it in my pocket.”

  Lukas placed his right palm over his mouth and then gulped the water.

  Anxious to hear the rest of the sordid details Lukas had to offer, Barry swiveled to return to his seat. In the process he stumbled on his briefcase. It must have shifted during the flight, or Lukas knocked it over before he collapsed. Whatever, Barry had more pressing matters.

  “Thank you, I’m much better. Where was I?” Lukas asked.

  Time for sympathy over, Barry couldn’t refrain from making a snide remark. “In your spare time you earned yourself a psychiatry degree and have taken on Nick Holland as your pet project, studying the inner workings of his demented mind! Michael, Nick, Mackenzie, whoever the hell he claims to be, called you last week and mentioned Caitlin. What the fuck did he say?”

  “He said that Caitlin received some warnings about DNA, blood was found on the floor of her new home in St. Kitts.”

  “And?” Barry prodded.

  “He demanded another five million.” Lukas picked up the case below his seat.

  Barry became unglued. “You’ve got to be shitting me! You aren’t seriously going to pay this monster, not to mention murderer, off are you?”

  Relaxed and in control once again, Lukas retorted, “Of course not, this case only contains a million, just like last time.”

  Barry exploded and lost all self-control. He yanked Lukas by his shirt collar and lifted him out of his seat. The plane started to make its descent. “Just what are you up to? Where are you supposed to make this payoff, goddammit?”

  The jet banked sharply to the left, both men stumbled. Barry’s nose pressed against the plane’s window. He was able to make out the clouds hovering over the rainforest. He had to act quickly. He stood erect and pushed Lukas back into his seat. “Thanks to your shenanigans, throwing up road blocks with your fancy lawyer, Zach Owens, to run interference in an FBI investigation, you just may have signed the death certificate of my goddaughter. I love Caitlin more than you ever could, even though she has the misfortune of your tainted blood flowing through her veins! Nick Holland is already on the fucking island!”

  Unfazed, Lukas relayed the plan. “When the plane lands, I have a helicopter chartered with a customs agent ready to fill out our paperwork. The chopper will take us to the Black Rocks, a car will follow on the ground.”

  Taken aback, Barry didn’t know how to counter the remark. The bastard had it all figured out, didn’t he? Barry cursed, the plane was landing. He couldn’t use his cell-phone to get a message to Chris or Scott. The aircraft made a low pass over the beaches, the wheels of the plane disengaged. Barry prayed that Caitlin and Chris were back at the hotel, safe and sound.

  Cell-phone in his hand, the minute they touched down he intended to start dialing frantically. He couldn’t wait that long, a burst of inspiration shot through Barry. The pilots had sophisticated communication equipment. In violation of Federal Aviation rules, he unbuckled himself and entered the cockpit. After a brief conversation with the co-pilot, he commandeered a line of communication. He successfully sent a short, concise, urgent text message; If Caitlin is not with you go to the Black Rocks. Now! BS.

  Satisfied, for the time-being, Barry returned to his seat.

  * * * *

  Caitlin walked to the waiting silver truck, her back ramrod straight. The gun poked against her lower spine. Forced into the driver’s seat, Caitlin scooted over to the passenger side and pressed her body against the door. As her captor moved behind the wheel, the gun remained on her. She wanted to lunge forward but knew she couldn’t dodge the bullet that would be discharged if she made any sudden movements. Instead, she spoke in what she hoped was a confident voice. “Who are you?”

  An eerie and sinister laugh erupted from the driver holding the gun. “You still don’t know? You’re not as smart as I thought you were. Nana would be disappointed, Aces!”

  * * * *

  The driver removed a shoulder length wig. The rest were just cosmetics, blush, eyeliner, and lipstick. The resemblance between Constance and Nick was uncanny for fraternal twins, especially a boy and a girl. Nick didn’t look feminine in the least while Constance by no means appeared masculine. Nick was short by male standards, Constance tall for a woman. The structure of their faces so similar, seeing them side by side, even when they were young children, caused a double take. The wig gone, he rubbed off the make-up. Caitlin should finally make the realization that it was her very own uncle that held her fate in his hands.

  “Recognize me now, my dear niece?”

  Caitlin gasped, “Nick? Why? Why have you done all of this?”

  He laughed like a crazy man. “I’m your uncle. Address me correctly!” He pointed the gun at her forehead.

  Caitlin gauged her response, assessing her uncle’s demeanor. She knew he was unstable, psychotic more like it. From his tone, she knew any mention of his beloved and departed mother would only add to his angry and agitated state. The same if she mentioned her own mother, his sister. She carefully weighed her options, studying the direction in which her captor drove. They were on a small path at the base of the mountain.

  Nick kept looking up at the main road, obviously searching for someone speeding to her rescue. The road remained empty. Making matters worse, the sandy path they traveled on was devoid of civilization. If Caitlin attempted to flee, she had nowhere to go for help. To top it all off, today was Sunday. Many, if not all, of the locals were at church until eleven a.m. She decided to make small talk and hope for a diversion of some kind.

  “Uncle Nick, where have you been all of these years?”

  “Here, there, you name it. I get around, thanks to your grandfather.”

  Caitlin twitched but refused to take the bait. “So you’ve done pretty well for yourself?”

  “You could say that.” The truck stopped.

  If there had been something other than the empty beach and uninhabited woods, Caitlin would have opened her door and run like hell. She stayed put in her seat. Her spine pressed against the cushion. The gun still aimed in her direction, the hand holding the weapon steady.

  “Give me your cell-phone please,” Nick requested.

  Caitlin, nauseated at the polite term of please, debated saying she left her phone at the hotel. Lying presented serious risks. Nick could search her purse and find it or the damned thing would ring. She opted to play it safe and handed over the phone. Nick tossed it out onto the sand and continued driving.

  “There. That should put enough distance between the body and your phone.”

  Horrified, Caitlin could only manage to squeak, “Body? Oh my God! What did you do to Chris? Where exactly are you planning on disposing of my body?” she challenged the demented man.

  Nick chuckled. “Oh don’t worry, your boy back there won’t be out that long. As far as disposing of you, I could never do that, you’re my meal ticket once Lukas meets us at the Bla
ck Rocks.”

  Playing dumb Caitlin asked, “Who’s Lukas?”

  Nick’s head turned sharply, the truck swerved. Caitlin was certain they would hit the palm tree in front of them. Her uncle, realizing he needed both hands, placed his hand with the gun in it on the steering wheel. Caitlin leaped across the cab but Nick managed to get the vehicle under control before she could grab the weapon. Caitlin’s bold actions angered Nick further, he pointed the gun at her right eye.

  “Try that again and your grandfather will never have the chance to finally meet you. I’ll splatter your brains from here to his villa in Barbados!”

  Caitlin could no longer contain her emotions, her lip quivered, she sobbed, completely confused. She didn’t know who the real enemy was, her uncle or someone else. Unbelievable thoughts raced through her mind fueled by fear. What is he talking about, he’s taking me to my grandfather, is Lukas Bucklin really behind all of this? I’ve never met the man and could care less if he sired my father or not. What the hell is going on? I’ve got to figure a way out of this mess. Scott, where are you? You’ve got to realize something is wrong by now. Surely you have read my note. Chris is out like a light, who knows what this maniac did to him.

  Caitlin stifled a sob as terror shot through her. Her phone had a GPS tracking device, certainly Chris’s did as well. She mentally begged Scott to trace Chris’s signal first. If Scott went after Caitlin’s phone, on the beach, he would be on a wild goose chase, wasting precious time. According to Nick, Chris might still be alive. He saw Constance/Nick last and can identify this truck. Caitlin stared ahead and said nothing as the truck started up the incline , leading them to the main road, which ran all the way to the Black Rocks.

  Chapter Forty

  Jack put the phone back together with the bug and listening device in place. He held the tape recorder in his hand, ready for the next incoming call. He needed to talk to Barry first and tell him what he’d discovered. Barry might have called during the time he had the phone dismantled. He picked up the receiver. Before he could hit the last digit, the phone alerted him of an incoming call. Not bothering to check caller ID he snapped, “Hello.” At the sound of a low unrecognizable female voice ridden with tears, his heart skipped a beat.

  Through sobs and gasps, Ginny finally managed to speak so he could understand. “Jack, I’m so sorry, so very sorry. I didn’t know Nick would go this far.”

  “Ginny, what the hell are you talking about? What didn’t you know about Nick? Tell me and tell me now!” The tape recorder whirred.

  Ginny relayed the details of the FBI investigation and then started crying again. “Jack, I thought he changed, he was so different. I know you didn’t approve of our affair when my husband was dying of cancer. When he told me he’d tried to make amends with Constance, I thought he truly had changed.”

  Jack was right, the bastard had been in his home. Why didn’t Constance tell him? “Get to the goddamn point and I mean now!” Jack demanded.

  “You were right in what you said last week when you called. Please believe me this time, Jack. I really didn’t know he was this devious. He goes by Mackenzie Zegar now. When the truth finally came out about our father, or I should say your father, I blabbed everything to him. A few months later he changed his name.”

  “Ginny, I know all this, except for the Mackenzie Zegar part. Tell me what you’ve done.”

  “He wanted the picture and I didn’t have it, so I stole it from Gary when I went to see him in Las Vegas.”

  Jack’s throat constricted in panic, restricting the intake of air, but he managed to speak. “So Gary told me the truth, you took his picture.”

  “Yes. Jack, I need your help. The FBI is after me.”

  “Sorry, Sister, you should have thought about that a long time ago, before you hooked up with the likes of Nick Holland or whatever you say he’s calling himself these days. Also, as a reminder, I’ll repeat what I said when I called your top secret phone last week, this has you written all over it. I can’t end this call without a surprise for you. Everything you’ve just told me has been recorded. Thanks to your boyfriend’s visit to my wife and the bug he planted in my phone, he’s listening to this conversation as well. Say hello to Nicky, Mikey, Maxy, whatever. Do you know where he is now? I do. He’s posing as Constance, using her passport, at Miami International Airport, on his way to kill my daughter. Don’t go far. I’m calling your local police department and the South Carolina FBI field office as soon as I hang up. Tell the rest to them!”

  * * * *

  Scott struggled with the decision but finally opted to go with Tomas to the warehouse and leave Mitch and Pam with the kids. The killer was after his wife, not his children. He gave strict instructions to Mitch and Pam. “Do not under any circumstances open this door for anyone, except Tomas or me.”

  Pam answered. “Clear, but the way this bastard has been getting around, as a safeguard lets come up with a password too.”

  “Good idea,” Scott agreed. “Rallo, our dog.” The minute the words left his lips, he knew what a stupid idea he’d suggested.

  To confirm Scott’s foolish remark, all in the room shook their heads. Pam spoke first and emphasized the valid point. “Nope, this guy knows too much. We can’t assume he doesn’t know your dog’s name.”

  Tomas jumped in. “Map. He or she will never guess that one.” They all looked at each other in agreement. Alexandra and Chad were engrossed in a Wii game. Scott and Tomas would have laughed at the irony of the code name chosen, but due to the severity of the situation, they couldn’t fathom the thought of humor.

  “Perfect.” Three voices sounded. Mitch threw the keys to his police car at Scott. “Here, use my wheels. Drew certainly won’t mind, use the flasher and siren.” Tomas and Scott ran out the door and raced to the parking lot.

  Scott drove, Tomas powered up his laptop to obtain a signal from the GPS chip in Chris’s phone. The signal was poor but a blip finally flashed on the screen. They had a location. It blinked on the computer. The closer they got to the warehouse, the stronger the signal grew. Chris and Caitlin were still there. Scott turned down the sandy road, they were almost there. Another blip filled the monitor. Caitlin’s cell-phone was nowhere near Chris’s.

  Tomas cursed. “This can’t be. Shit!”

  Scott didn’t know whether to stop or keep going. The decision was made when he saw the body of Chris Dobbs. He slammed on the brakes and motioned for Tomas to hurry. Chris had a pulse and strong vital signs. So did the two patients admitted to the emergency room last night. The two men loaded the unconscious man into the back of the police car. Tomas barked orders for Scott to follow the location of Caitlin’s phone. “Back there the way we came, she’s near the beach.”

  Awakening from the back seat, Chris struggled to sit up, and grabbed his phone. He ignored his voice mail messages, opened and read the text marked urgent. “She’s nowhere near that beach, it’s a trap. Are there Black Rocks around here? If so get us there as fast as you can.”

  Scott, even Tomas by now, knew exactly in which direction to drive. Their fears had been realized, the steep drop with no guardrail. The local vendors closed on Sundays, the place was the perfect killing ground.

  * * * *

  Caitlin spotted the police cruiser as it crested the path of the mountain leading to the beach areas. Once the car passed out of sight, the silver truck accelerated and entered the main road heading in the opposite direction of the only rescue Caitlin had observed since her abduction.

  They had to go through the downtown area, hope remained for an escape. They reached a traffic circle and merged onto the road. Civilization was only moments away. Nick missed the turnoff, continued around the circle and took a sharp left. The truck bucked under the poorly maintained side road. Caitlin’s hope of escape dwindled. This road led behind the golf course of the resort, a shortcut that bypassed the airport and city traffic. Within seconds they’d be on the isolated road that led to the Black
Rocks. Caitlin said nothing but observed all of her surroundings.

  Nick broke the silence with a cheery voice. “After all of my meticulous planning, you didn’t think I’d be stupid enough to take the main roads did you? Everything has gone just perfectly. You people have no idea who you are dealing with. I have concocted this plan to the point of perfection, right down to Ian Yates.”

  Caitlin flinched inwardly at the name, one of the several she heard for the first time yesterday. She refused to show any reaction. She let Nick continue his monologue. The more he talked, the better chance she had to figure out a way to stay alive.

  “Yeah, poor Ian, all he wanted to do was take a vacation and fish for a couple of weeks this summer. Three months ago he put down a deposit for a cabin in Maine. That move thrust him into the center of this. You see, I make it my business to keep up with my neighbors. I don’t like any unsavory individuals invading my space. I have a hideaway house in the mountains of Maine. I like my privacy but welcomed my new neighbor, even if he stayed only two weeks. Why? Let me explain. Ian was different. We used to work together and sort of look alike. Of course I’m much better looking. When I found out he travels to Nevis on business frequently, I couldn’t wait to see him again. I made a point to re-introduce myself to the man when he first arrived. He thought I was Michael Holmes.” Nick paused for a moment and cast a glance in Caitlin’s direction. “Ever heard of Michael? Oh well, never mind all of that. Your father can tell you about Mr. Holmes. That is, if you see your dad again. Lukas should have gotten my subtle signal by now. He’ll be on his way to rescue you.”