Beautiful Bounty (The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros. Book 1)

by Nightingale, MJ

  “Lou, have a seat. If I can get there quickly, before she finds him, things will be okay. I also have to do this before my brothers find out, or they will send in the posse. Hell, they will be the posse. Will you tell me where to look, where she might go?” he asked following her to the sofa.

  Lou saw the concern and love in his eyes, and nodded. Nikko took a pad of paper and pen he saw on the table and sat next to her on the sofa. Lou began to tell him all her thoughts about her wayward daughter’s possible hideouts, and all she knew about Gary and the places he hung out in. Places they had gone together. Nikko had a good start when he left thirty minutes later. He was in a taxi, and headed to the Tampa airport. His ticket on the eleven thirty flight to Bangor, Maine was already booked thanks to his iPhone.

  A little research on his cell told him she had a ten to twelve hour head start on him since there were only two other flights that had gone to Bangor. A little more digging and he was able to access the manifest. It wasn’t legal by any means, but his brothers had some friends who knew how to get around the firewalls of many of the airlines, and if that failed they had friends who worked there who would give such information for a price. And his suspicion that she was on one of those flights was confirmed. He saw the name Louisa Russell on Flight Five-Sixteen. She had taken her mother’s ID. Yes, twelve hours, but he knew she had to sleep, and he knew she had to travel much more surreptitiously than he did. He was already closing the gap. He’d find Ronnie, he vowed to himself. He would find her before the night was over. He just didn’t know where he would put his hands on her first when he found her, her ass, or her throat.

  Nikko’s flight touched down at a little after three, and he was in his rental car soon afterwards. His instincts told him he needed his brother’s resources in this neck of the woods, and he would call them tonight as they expected him at work in the morning. But if he couldn’t find her by midnight, he might very well need them. He didn’t think she would venture out in the day time. She had a motorbike for transportation, so she’d have to circumvent towns and foot it. His nice black sleek charger would eat up the miles and help him eliminate a few of the possible locations before night fall.

  He would check her grandfather’s camp in Presque Isle, the camp Gary’s father owned on Lake Echo in Spragueville, and rule them out first. As both he and Lou discussed, she probably wouldn’t go to those as the authorities would assume that was the first place she would go. The other three places on the list were much more likely locations, and he would check those closer to sundown—the bar her friends often hung out in, Gary’s friend, Tom, had a cabin in the same vicinity as his parent’s camp, or the small servants quarters on Gary’s family’s camp which was vacant unless the family was in residence. He had circled that one. It was a hunch. It just seemed like the place a weasel like Gary would hide, close to the money, and hiding in plain sight. He hoped his hunch paid off. He could check out the hotels too, but he didn’t know what name she would use. He also didn’t want to alert the authorities to the possibility she was missing.

  As he suspected there were no signs of Ronnie or Gary being at the first two locations. His parent’s camp was more like a chalet in the woods. The people were obviously loaded with a spread like that. The servants quarters were a half mile away, and he checked there as well since he was nearby. It looked to be a two bedroom cabin. Everything was locked up tight as a drum. But, that didn’t mean Gary wasn’t there. Tire tracks along the dirt road indicated someone had been their recently. Rain, and he had checked, would have washed the tracks away. It rained two days ago. Those tracks were fresh. The tire tracks were from a four wheeler, so it could just be a ranger or neighbor checking on the place. But it was definitely worth checking out again.

  Nikko had gone in on foot, parking a quarter mile away on a side road. It was nearing seven, so he figured he should hunt down the bar, and wait outside for a few hours, then go check the apartment of Gary’s friend and then come back here. His hunch was that Gary was here, and he suspected Ronnie would probably make a move tonight. He wanted to be nearby if she did.

  He drove the thirty minutes back into the nearest town, and the local bar that catered to the residents and the seasonal renters, and those who had cabins in this part. He got some take out from a Chinese restaurant and ate it in the car while he watched the people coming and going. There was no sign of either one of them. He decided to go in and have a drink, maybe strike up a conversation with the barkeeper, and see what was going down in town that was newsworthy. He might drop Gary’s name and see what the barkeep had to say. He’d be quick though. He wanted to be near the servant’s cabin by nine thirty, ten at the latest.

  Getting out of his rented Charger, he still wore the jeans he travelled in, and the t-shirt he bought at the airport. He picked up a UMaine sweatshirt at the one of the shops wanting to blend in. It would also be his ruse to get the barkeep to start talking.

  The place was definitely a typical one-horse town bar. It had a couple of pool tables, some dartboards with games in progress, wooden tables and barrel chairs scattered about, and a long bar with plenty of stools. Only a few single men sat alone drinking at the bar. None of them were Gary, and none of the females were Ronnie. He’d recognize her anywhere.

  Grabbing a seat at the end of the bar away from the other solitary drinkers, Nikko nodded at the old man who was filling a mug for someone else. When he dropped off the brew, the barkeep immediately approached him. “What’ll it be?” he asked smiling and wiping the counter with his bar towel.

  “A draft, Miller’s if you’ve got it,” Nikko nodded in the direction of the taps behind the bar.

  “Sure do,” the older man replied reaching for a mug, turning and filling his glass to the brim. When he set the mug before him, some of the foam on top spilled over and bartender who was on older gentlemen, was quick with the bar towel once more and began to clean up the mess.

  Not wanting to lose him, Nikko plunged on with the story he planned to use to start up a conversation.

  “Hey, I am supposed to meet some friends in town tomorrow. We rented a place, but I came up early to stock up. I just got here. We plan on doing some fishing while we are here. Can you recommend some great spots?”

  “It’s all good buddy. Just stay away from the state park. The rangers don’t like it much if you are fishing there. They’ll fine you for sure, no questions asked.”

  “Will do. Thanks for the tip,” Nikko took a sip of his beer. “My friends will appreciate the advice but some of my buddies are from around here so I’m sure they’ll be able to keep me away from the preserve.”

  “Some friends you say?” the barkeep added making conversation. Most bartenders liked to chat up the guests as it increased the possibility of a bigger tip. Nikko was counting on that. He put a twenty up on the counter just to be sure to keep the man’s attention.

  “Yeah, me and my buddies just graduated from UMaine and we wanted to have one last hurrah before reality sets in if you know what I mean,” he laughed, picking up his drink taking another long swallow.

  “Oh, I was young once too, son. I get you.” He swiped the counter again. “I went to UMaine myself longtime ago,” he added chuckling. “Do you play hockey, too?” The man was grinning from ear to ear. Must be a fan.

  Nikko didn’t know much about the game, but from the way the bartender asked, he was definitely an enthusiast.

  “Nope, sorry, but I played baseball. A couple of my friends played hockey though, Gary Campbell and Tom Waldron,” he looked down at his beer, when he noticed the man’s eyes got wide. Gotcha, he thought. He knows them. Play it cool, he cautioned. Gary was obviously big news and his family’s wealth meant everyone knew him.

  “They coming up here, renting a cabin you say?” the man asked suspiciously. He obviously had to know of the Campbell’s. They had the biggest place on the lake.

  “Nah, Gary couldn’t’ make it. When I last talked to him, like three weeks ago, he was noncommittal. Sai
d he might, but his folks have a place here, so if he does come out and hang with us, he’ll probably stay by them.” Nikko noticed the man’s demeanor relaxed a bit.

  “Yeah, I know the Campbell’s. Who doesn’t in these parts?” he added after a pause. He was judging Nikko. He wouldn’t want to be caught gossiping about a local celebrity with a stranger.

  Nikko knew he wouldn’t get any more information out of the man. The barkeep was shuffling about, but had gotten quite tense when the name was first dropped. Nikko took another sip of his drink. He was nearly done with it.

  He watched the barkeep continue to distance himself a bit at a time. He had to know Gary was in town, or in trouble. He was acting too strange. Either way, Nikko had a gut feeling Campbell was nearby, and this town would keep their mouths locked up as tight as a drum if they wanted business from the Campbells. He quickly polished off his beer, as the bartender moved down the line to refill other people’s glasses. He left the twenty on the counter, nodded at the bartender on the way out, and left. It was time to go find Gary. And Ronnie. Where one was, the other would be as well.

  ***

  Ronnie was nervous. She woke up and ate again, after a four hour nap. She ran out to get a cup of coffee, again in disguise, at the Dunkin Donuts down the block. She needed the caffeine to keep her alert. She also needed the courage. After finishing her life sustaining brew, she then worked up the nerve to call Gary. She dialed the number to his parent’s servant’s quarters. It rang twice, and he answered. It was Gary. Just as she assumed. She smiled to herself relief coursing through her.

  “Gary, its Ronnie, please don’t hang up, baby. I’m in town.” She added the rest after his initial gasp of surprise.

  “What the hell?” he growled into the receiver. “You shouldn’t be calling me.” Gary looked around the cabin nervously. He was standing in the kitchen. He peeked out the curtain windows, but with the light on he couldn’t see a thing in the pitch blackness.

  “Gary, I don’t want to go to jail. Please baby. Hear me out. I am not asking for you to do anything you don’t want to. I don’t want to bring you down with me. In fact, I haven’t even mentioned your name to the police,” she lied. It was a big lie, but she hoped he would buy it.

  “You . . . you haven’t?” he stuttered. Maybe that’s why no one was really bothering him. The police called his parents two days ago to ask to speak to him, but hadn’t followed up after his parents put them off. His parents sent him here to lay low. They stalled the police by telling them he knew nothing.

  “No, baby. I love you. I wouldn’t want to ruin your future too. I know this is fucked up, but I really thought the police would just think someone else planted them. I didn’t want them to think it was you. But, now they are really coming after me hard. I think I might go down for this. But never, never, would I implicate you.” She got it all out like she planned. Focus on him, on keeping his name out. But drop the hint that she knew he was guilty. He reacted just as she thought he would.

  “What? I don’t know anything about those drugs Ronnie,” he lied. He wasn’t admitting to anything. She could be having the phone bugged.

  “I didn’t say you did, baby. Just . . . you know it wasn’t me right . . . I mean you know how I feel about drugs . . .” she put in a little show of water works pretending to cry. “I can’t go to jail . . . some customs guy must have done it, some drug dealer . . . I just don’t know. But they covered their tracks so well.” She was back pedaling, but wanted to ease his mind. She knew very well it was him, but she just couldn’t prove it, and other than a confession, there was no other way to prove it.

  “Well, what in the hell are you doing here? Why come to me?” he asked suspiciously.

  She could tell he was nervous by the tone of his voice. “Gary, I love you. I thought you could hide me out for a bit until I can figure out what to do. Please, can I meet you somewhere, or come up to the servant’s cabin?”

  “You are here? Close? Um. I was just leaving,” he lied. He had been keeping his head down and staying out of trouble since Ronnie’s arrest like his parents suggested. They told him to come up here when they got wind from the university dean that reporters had called about the incident. His parents didn’t want any more bad press. He had often come up here, on weekends to party with his friends, he even brought Ronnie a time or two. He never used his parents place, knowing there were security cameras in place when he’d come with his friends. The servant’s quarters served him just as well for what he did there.

  “Please baby,” she begged. “I don’t have anyone else to turn to. I thought you loved me.”

  “Um yeah, I did. But . . .” he was stalling. “My parents don’t want me to have anything to do with you. They threatened to disown me, Ronnie,” he whined.

  Oh, the poor fucking baby, she thought. But, she couldn’t say that. “Are they here?” she asked making herself sound concerned and praying they weren’t so she could get to Gary and work her magic. Magic that would hopefully get a confession out of him.

  Gary didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t have her show up here at his parents’ compound. Even though his parents were out of town, it wasn’t a good idea. He was about to tell her that when another thought occurred to him. What if someone recognized her while she was down town? Someone could report her, or worse. She could get picked up by authorities in the area. The locals were quick to gossip and they would assume he had something to do with it. Which he did of course, but he didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. It would look really bad for him, and the Campbell name would be even more tarnished than it already was.

  “No, they went to some conservation conference in Augusta.” He needed to think this through. He needed to get her out of sight.

  He sounded distracted, so Ronnie pounced. “My life is shit, Gary. I’m sorry to have bothered you, but I just thought maybe for just a few days, baby. You could help me come up with a way. Maybe I’ll go to Canada. It’s not too far. Remember the time we drove into New Brunswick via that small town. St. Leonard was it? When we went into that store to buy a drink and we were surprised when they gave us change in Canadian funds. I just don’t know. I can’t think right now. You were always so good at thinking through problems. You’re the only chance I got,” she sobbed, laying it on thick.

  Gary felt a twinge of remorse. He hadn’t thought he would get caught. Not with the stuff in her tank. He didn’t think it would be picked up by the machines, or the dogs. Hell, the girl helped him get his fucking diploma and she was a pretty good lay. His cock stirring. He hadn’t gotten any since the cruise. He had been holed up at his parents for the first few days, while they dealt with the media, and then sent him up here to keep his head low. They also planned on sending him to Canada as well, to work on their operation up in Aroostook, New Brunswick until after the trial. They didn’t want the Campbell name to be tainted by his drug smuggling ex-girlfriend. If they only knew! They probably suspected he had tried drugs, and he wasn’t going to admit it that’s for fucking sure. But having Ronnie in town was definitely a big, big problem.

  Could he trust her? That was the real issue. He could help her. Should help her. After all it was because of him she was in this mess.

  “Not here,” he muttered after what seemed like an eternity. “I can’t have you driving up here, and people seeing you.”

  “I got my bike,” she offered. “I can ride up on one of the trails, and then walk it in.” She offered the solution quickly, the one she planned on all along.

  He thought for a moment. “Yeah, that could work. Take Georgette Rush,” he added. It was one of the lesser used trails by a narrow, rocky stream.

  She knew that path. They had ridden out there before.

  “I’ll meet you, at the quarter mile mark, babe,” he relented into the phone. He hoped he didn’t regret this.

  “Oh, thank you Gary. Thank-you. I didn’t do this baby,” she reiterated for good measure. “I just can’t go to jail.”

  He ran
his fingers through his shaggy blond hair. He needed to cut it, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. He was regretting it already when she kept whining about how grateful she was. She’d better be, he thought. “I’ll think of something to get you out of the country babe,” he grunted into the receiver.

  “I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” she made herself sound relieved even though she was nervous as hell. She had to get him to admit he did it. It was the only way.

  Of all the fucking luck, Nikko cursed. He had been sitting outside behind a wood pile near the servant’s quarters for thirty minutes. He left his car a half mile back on the same dirt road he’d parked on before. He’d pulled it off the road into what looked to be an old abandoned campsite. It was well hidden and he felt confidant no one would notice it. He walked on up to Gary’s parent’s place and stuck close to the tree line. Relief swept through him when he was a couple hundred yards off and saw a light in the servant’s cabin up ahead. As he got closer, he could see someone moving about in what appeared to be the kitchen. He ducked behind the wood pile just in time when the front door opened and a really tall man walked out. He had nearly been caught. His heart pounded in his chest. He wondered if Ronnie was already here. He heard nothing but the guy. And the guy was Gary. He’d googled him, and saw pictures of him and his family at some local charity events.

  He appeared unkempt now. Disheveled from the small glimpse he had before ducking behind the wood pile.

  He was about to take another peek when he heard the sound of an engine roaring to life, and took the chance to peer around the side. Gary was at the wheel of a four wheeler, and he took off like a bat out of hell into the darkness. Fuck. Now what? Wait? Go look around? Where the hell was she? His blood was thundering in his ears. After the sound of the four wheeler could no longer be heard, he took the chance and got up stretching his legs. He made his way over to the cabin. Gary left the lights on, so he peered in the window. He was right about this being a kitchen in the front. When he peered in, he noticed no movement at all. He could see pretty much the entire cabin except for the bedrooms. No one was here. Fuck. The guy left the TV on, so he figured he’d be back soon. He’d give him a half hour and then head into town. He hoped he wasn’t wasting his time.