All or Nothing: A Trust No One Novel

by Dixie Lee Brown

  At six thirty her phone rang, the hotel’s wake-up call. The others would be getting ready now. Over the past hour, she’d worked herself into a state of near panic. Now, an eerie calm settled over her. She repacked her bag, took her plant ID from her purse, and clipped it to the edge of Irene’s sweater. Her 9mm fit snugly in her purse, but there was no place to hide her knife. The dress had no pockets, no belt. She was still walking around with the knife in her hand when someone knocked on her door.

  When she opened it, Walker leaned on the door frame. Cara looked him up and down in an exaggerated manner. This was not the Walker she’d grown accustomed to. His long hair was combed and tied back in a ponytail and his scruffy beard trimmed close and stylishly manicured. He was dressed in jeans and a light blue, neatly pressed work shirt, with the name Bob embroidered above the breast pocket. A dark blue jacket almost hid the bulge of his shoulder holster. His dark eyes flashed with humor as he noted her surprised expression.

  “Damn, Bob, you clean up pretty good.”

  He gave her an appraising glance. “Right back at ya.” He grinned and stepped inside her room. “What’s going on here?” He pointed to the knife in her hand.

  “No pockets. Guess I’ll leave it in my bag.”

  “Got a scarf, or pantyhose?” He reached for the knife.

  “Really, Walker, does anyone wear pantyhose anymore?” She pulled a silk scarf from her luggage.

  He took the scarf, threaded it through the scabbard, and handed it back to her. She regarded him in perplexity.

  “Tie it around your thigh, under your dress. I can show you if you like.” He grinned again.

  “Bob, you’re a genius.” Cara took the knife into the bathroom and tied the scarf securely in place, pleased to note it barely showed beneath her dress.

  When she came out, Walker did a quick inspection. “Let’s hope you don’t need that.”

  At a knock on the door, Walker opened it to Tyler and Rayna. As promised, Rayna wore her hooker outfit. Walker whistled.

  She wore tight leather pants, a crop top, and stiletto heels. Rayna thumped him hard on the chest on her way by, smiling at Cara. “You look great, Cara. Next time, I get the classy outfit.”

  Soon they’d exhausted their small talk. Apparently no one wanted to bring up last night’s close call. It was almost like it would be bad luck if they talked about it before they finished today’s mission. Cara’s calm started to fray around the edges. They’d have to leave soon if she wanted to arrive at the plant on schedule. What was keeping Joe? Waiting would drive her crazy.

  As though that were his cue, Joe knocked lightly and opened the door. “Time to go.” He turned away without looking at her.

  Cara’s panic returned full force on the way to the parking garage. Walker seemed to notice and, halfway there, he took her elbow. “Take it easy. Just breathe.” His calm voice and strong presence helped her maintain a manageable level of anxiety. She glanced appreciatively at him, and he raised an eyebrow. “Sure you want to do this?”

  “Absolutely.” She stuck her chin out and tried to sound as unconcerned as he did.

  He rolled his eyes.

  Murphy’s agents met them in the garage with a utility van for the telephone repairmen. Tyler, Walker, and Rayna would drive the van. Cara and Joe would take the Expedition to within a couple blocks of the plant. At that point, Joe would join the others in the van. Cara would continue alone, through the checkpoint and into the plant. Joe made it sound easy, but her heart pounded in her chest. What if her ID card wouldn’t work? What if the guards had been instructed to keep her out? So many things could go wrong. She had to hold it together. She took a deep breath and counted slowly to five. Then she forced her fear to the recesses of her brain and concentrated on the reason they were here—justice for Charlie.

  They rode in absolute silence. Joe finally pulled into a parking structure two blocks from the plant. The van followed. Everyone climbed out except Cara, who scooted across to the driver’s seat. Joe leaned through the window and handed her a small piece of plastic, instructing her to put it in her ear. She did. She could hear Tyler and Walker talking clearly from a few cars away.

  Joe smiled, his first friendly overture all morning. “Say something to Walker.”

  “Hey, Bob.”

  Walker stretched around the end of the van and gave her a thumbs-up.

  “Ready?” Joe asked.

  She nodded, afraid her voice would shake.

  “If anything goes wrong, we’ll get you out.”

  She nodded again. “I know.”

  He hesitated, removed his earpiece, and motioned for her to do the same. “Say the word, and I’ll call it off.”

  What she wouldn’t give to have that luxury. But then what? Hide out at Joe’s ranch for the rest of her life? No doubt they’d both tire of that quickly.

  She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “I’ll be fine, Joe. I just want to get this over with. I’ll see you inside.” She replaced her earpiece, put the SUV in gear, and drove out of the parking garage.

  Two blocks later, she stopped at the guard station in front of Sinclair Arms Distributing. To her relief, Lester’s rotund figure emerged from the shack, a huge smile on his face. He was one of the first employees her father ever hired and Cara’s friend since childhood. He would probably let her enter even if her ID card didn’t work. She hated deceiving him.

  “It’s nice to have you back, Miss Cara. It’s just not the same around here without you.”

  “It’s good to be back, Lester.” Cara returned his smile, handing him her ID badge. Lester swiped it through the handheld computer he carried while she held her breath, praying it would allow her the access she needed. The green light on the machine activated, and Lester handed her badge through the window.

  “New ride?” He looked over her Expedition.

  “Loaner. My car’s in the shop.”

  He studied her closely. “Everything okay?”

  “Of course.” She managed a cheerful smile.

  Lester leaned through her open window. “Be careful. I hear things,” he said in a low voice. “It’s not the same as when your father ran the business.”

  “That’s true. Those days are gone for good.”

  Lester wore a serious expression for a moment, before a grin creased his face. “That’s a fact. Have a nice day, Miss Cara.” He returned to the booth and raised the arm, and she drove through, parking close to the front door.

  “Talk to me, Cara.” She jumped when Joe’s voice sounded in her ear.

  “I just parked. I’ll let you know when I’m inside.” She grabbed her purse, got out, and tried to act like it was just another day at work. At the door, she punched in the access code. If Brian suspected anything, her codes wouldn’t be any good. With relief, the heavy metallic sound of the locking mechanism clicked and she pulled the door open. When it closed behind her, like prison doors behind inmates, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. For a few seconds she couldn’t breathe. Forcing her panic down, she started to move again.

  “I’m inside, on the way upstairs to my office.” She made sure no one was near enough to overhear.

  “We’re almost to the guard station.” Joe’s voice was calm and reassuring.

  Cara reached the second floor. Her office was the first door to the right. Charlie’s old office was next to hers, and Brian’s was at the end of the hall, close to the elevator that went down to the firing range. To the left were three more executive offices and the security station where the cameras were monitored. No one was about, which wasn’t unusual. Nearly all management personnel worked four tens, taking Fridays off to get a start on the weekend.

  Her phone was ringing when she reached her door and shoved it open. She crossed to her desk. “Cara Sinclair,” she said into the receiver.

  “Miss Cara, I’ve got a couple phone repairmen down here who say we’ve got a problem with the lines. You know anything about that?”

  “
Yes. Let them in and I’ll be right down to bring them in the building.”

  “You want me to call one of the guards to escort them?”

  “Don’t bother. I’ll see they get where they need to go.”

  “I’ll send ’em in.”

  Two minutes later, Cara let Joe and Walker in through the front door. Joe was talking through his earpiece to Tyler.

  “Keep a close eye on Rayna. She won’t be audible, so you’ll need to get her out of there at the first sign of trouble.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ve worked out a signal. She’s at the guard station now. Security should be heading this way shortly.”

  Cara led them up the stairs and into her office. Walker waited by the door, peering down the hall toward the monitoring station. Footsteps sounded. When the sound receded, Walker slipped out the door. His voice filled her ear.

  “All three guards are standing in the lot.” He chuckled. “Damned if I wouldn’t be there, too, if I didn’t have a job to do. Back in a minute.”

  Joe and Cara waited in silence for Walker’s return. The plan was for Walker to loop the film so it would constantly replay a segment of pre-recorded empty hallway. She had every confidence in his abilities, but it was taking too long and her nerves were almost fried. She nearly jumped out of her skin when his voice came back.

  “All set. Get Rayna out of there, Ty.” Cara flinched again when Walker slipped back through her door.

  “We’ll search Sinclair’s office and Charlie’s old office first. If we don’t find what we’re looking for there, we’ll spread out and search the rest of the floor.” Joe opened the door a crack, peered out, and motioned for them to follow. In the hall, he fell in beside Cara, and Walker brought up the rear. She led them to Brian’s office and pushed open the door.

  Joe searched through the desk drawers and credenza. Walker took the file cabinets and moved to the bookshelves. Cara tried to remember the combination to Brian’s safe. After several false starts, it finally swung open. Joe and Walker gathered around to study the contents she hauled out, then shook their heads. The notebook wasn’t there either. Walker had a few more shelves of books to look through, and then they’d be finished with Brian’s office, with nothing to show for their efforts.

  Joe stood and looked around the room. “Finish up in here. I’m going to start on Charlie’s office. Meet me there when you’re done.” Walker and Cara, concentrating on the last four rows of books, didn’t look up when he left.

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, Cara heard the whine of the elevator rising from the firing range one level down. Intent on her search, the sound barely scratched the surface of her awareness and caused a vague uneasiness to take root. It wasn’t until the familiar ding announced the elevator’s arrival on the upper level that she jerked her attention from the book in her hand and slowly started to piece together the reasons why that wasn’t a good thing. The elevator wouldn’t move up or down unless someone entered a four-digit code into the control panel. The number of people who possessed the code was severely limited. Cara, Brian, and the security team were the only ones allowed access to the lower level without an escort. The security guards were outside twenty minutes ago. If anyone came back upstairs and down the hall in front of Brian’s office to reach the elevator, she would have heard them.

  The swish of the elevator doors opening came at the same instant she figured out the cause of her foreboding. In the end, she sensed his presence rather than heard him. By the time she turned and saw the man in the doorway leveling a gun at her, it was too late.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  * * *

  Friday, 9:17 am

  “LOOKING FOR THIS, sis?” Brian waved the notebook he held in his hand.

  “Brian.” Cara breathed his name.

  Walker whirled and reached for his gun.

  “I wouldn’t,” Brian said. Two men followed her brother into the room, guns drawn. Walker slowly raised his hands.

  She glanced at her purse on the other side of the desk. Could she reach it in time? Brian’s gaze followed hers. He stepped forward and dumped the contents of her bag.

  “I see you still favor the 9mm. I could never get you interested in a real weapon.” He tilted the barrel of the Springfield 357 Sig he held.

  “Why are you doing this? You can’t get away with it.”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re not going to pretend you don’t know what happens next. That makes it easier for both of us.”

  “Just tell me why. You’re my brother, for God’s sake.”

  “Half brother. No one asked me if I wanted a baby sister following me around, competing for Dad’s attention. I think Dad left the house the minute you were born. When your mother passed away, someone had to take care of you. You always looked up to me like I could do anything. I tried to be a good big brother, Cara. It wasn’t my fault everything changed.”

  “I don’t understand, Brian. What changed?”

  “They threatened Kathy. It’s either you or her. I have no choice—I have to protect her.”

  “Who threatened her? We can help you. You don’t have to do this.”

  “I’ve done some things I’m not proud of, any one of which would land me in jail. Tell me, sis, if I go to jail, who keeps them from getting to my wife then?”

  “I will. I’ll keep her safe.”

  Brian laughed. “Right. Who’s your friend, Cara? I figured you had some help in Lincoln City.”

  She glanced at Walker, who cocked his head slightly to the left—toward Charlie’s office. A kernel of hope took root. Joe was hearing every word they said.

  “No introductions? Oh well. It doesn’t matter. Take him downstairs and wait for me. I’ll deal with him later.” Brian motioned his men forward. One of them took the gun from the holster beneath Walker’s jacket. The other shoved him toward the door. Walker tripped and fell against her.

  “The code!” he whispered as he clung to her.

  “Three-two-seven-six,” she replied in a barely audible voice just before the man shoved Walker roughly away and out into the hall.

  She wasn’t really alone with Walker gone, but she was still terrified. Joe was right next door. Ty and Rayna would be on their way in. They wouldn’t let her or Walker die—if they could help it. The coldness in her brother’s eyes stole what little hope she had.

  “It was supposed to be a nice, clean suicide in Lincoln City. Despondent woman, upset over her recent divorce, washes up on the beach. End of story. You managed to live through that, but you’ve only delayed the inevitable.” Brian motioned her toward the door. “Let’s go. Can’t have you committing suicide here in the plant. Might attract the Feds.”

  “Stall him, Cara.” Joe’s voice in her ear startled her, but she coughed and recovered quickly.

  “You’ve already attracted the attention of the Feds. Who do you think I’m working for?”

  Surprise registered on her brother’s face for an instant before he scowled. “Did you know Charlie Dugan was investigating us?”

  “Yes. For the ATF. How long did you think you could get away with selling illegal weapons?”

  “So you gave that lousy Fed information? How could you turn against your own brother?”

  “Half brother.” Her voice shook with the scorn and fury that gripped her. “Do you hear yourself? How could you kill Charlie or hire someone to kill me? How could you think it was all right to sell automatic weapons to murderers in third-world countries? For that matter, how could you possibly think it was okay to steal from our father’s company?”

  “You are well informed, aren’t you? You don’t get it, do you? This is all your fault.”

  “My fault?”

  Brian paused, listening to something outside the office. Cara heard it too. The elevator had reached the lower level and immediately started back up.

  “What the hell?” Brian said.

  “Distract him, Cara.” Joe’s voice in her ear. “I’m right outside.”

  She inad
vertently glanced toward the hallway. Brian caught the direction of her gaze and must have guessed what it meant. He smiled and stepped behind the door, his gun trained on the opening. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, sis?”

  “Has your paranoia gotten so bad you’ve taken to hiding behind doors now?”

  “Nice, Cara, you’re doing great.” Joe’s voice again. “Stay back away from the door.”

  The elevator stopped on their floor and the doors slid open. Brian slammed the office door shut and locked it. He turned to face her, determination in his cold, gray eyes. He raised the 357 Sig and pointed it at her.

  “Guess I’ll have to settle for an accidental shooting. It will be my word against theirs.”

  He was going to kill her—the brother she’d grown up with and loved. She’d held out hope until this instant there was still some good in him, but it vanished in a heartbeat. Knowing her life depended on what she did in the next few seconds, she raised her chin in defiance and looked him in the eye then dove behind the desk.

  On her knees, head low, Cara struggled to get the knife from beneath her dress, ripped it from the scabbard, and jumped back to her feet. Brian swung the gun barrel toward her. She drew back her arm and hurled the blade with all her strength. At the last moment he twisted his upper body. The knife missed his chest and stuck with a thud in his right arm. His hand jerked in the same instant he pulled the trigger.

  The bullet struck her left shoulder, blowing her back against the wall like a rag doll. Brian, clutching his wounded arm to his side, walked toward her still holding the 9mm level.

  The door splintered and slammed back against the wall. “Sinclair!” Joe roared. Large-caliber gunfire reverberated in the room, but for some reason she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Something heavy hit the floor near her.

  Then… silence.

  Friday, 10:11 am

  “WE NEED TO get her to a hospital, Joe,” Walker said.

  “We’re taking her to Kalispell.”

  “She’s lost a lot of blood. She’ll go into shock.”