The sound of laughter had Tal opening his eyes to stare into the barrel of a gun. “Wake up, sleepy heads,” Newington chimed. “Time to go.” Newington stepped back out of the room but stood in the open doorway as Tal and Kayla untwined themselves from around each other, and he helped her to her feet. When they both moved forward to leave, Newington held up one hand to stop them. “No, just Kayla. I’ll be back to let you use the bathroom after they’ve gone.”
Kayla turned to Tal and wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn’t care they had an audience. For an all too brief moment in time it was just the two of them. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her. She poured part of herself into their kiss and felt as though he was trying to leave a part of himself imprinted on her soul.
“All right already, enough,” Newington whined. “Didn’t you get enough last night? Let’s go.”
Reluctantly, Kayla released her arms from around his neck and backed away. As she stepped across the threshold she said, “I need to use the bathroom before we leave.”
Kayla knew she’d only have time for a quick call and Patrosky answered the phone.
“I can’t talk long,” whispered Kayla. “We’re getting ready to leave. Where are your people?”
“We’re on the island. How many in the house and where are you being held?”
“There are four of us. The caretakers are on one end of the house and Tal’s in a linen closet at the top of the front stairs.”
There was banging on the door before it began to open. Kayla had just enough time to put away the phone. She stood up from the toilet seat when Newington opened the door entirely. “What do you have, a pissing fetish?” Kayla asked sarcastically. Thank God, she had already pulled up her pants after using the bathroom.
Newington didn’t reply to her taunt, just watched her as she washed her hands and gestured her out the door. When she started back toward the closet, he stopped her. “No,” he said. “Head for the stairs. Sally’s waiting. I’m going to walk you both down to the dock. After you get to the mainland, I’ve got a car parked there. You’ll drive to the bank. The money’s been transferred to an account in your name. The check is ready and they are expecting you.”
“I’d like to see Tal before I leave,” she said trying to keep her voice steady. She wanted to tell him help was on the island.
“You can see him when you get back. The faster you hurry, the faster that will be. And don’t bother to try anything. If I don’t hear from Sally when you all get to the mainland and again after you leave the bank…well let’s just say that would be a real problem for Tal.”
A chill went down Kayla’s spine at the threat in his beady little eyes. Having no choice, she walked down the steps. She spotted Sally standing by the doors leading down to the docks. What Sally saw in the creep was beyond Kayla.
Sally handed Kayla her purse. “Almost over, Kayla,” she said.
Kayla didn’t say anything; she just followed Sally. Newington followed behind her. She turned around once to see he still had his gun aimed in her direction. She also noticed a flash of movement inside the house. She quickly returned her attention to Sally’s back, not wanting to give away the presence of the help she knew was there. And silently thanking God for them.
Sally didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry. She took her time walking down to the dock, commenting to her lover on the scenery and how beautiful the surroundings were. Even if the sky was overcast at the moment. Kayla only half listened to what Sally said; she was too busy trying to look around without giving anything away. But she could see no other sign of any FBI or police, which only meant if she couldn’t see them neither could her captors.
They were getting closer to the boats. She could see them rocking on the water. During their short walk, the wind had also picked up. Something better happen soon. She knew she could not get on a boat with Sally. She pretended to trip and allowed herself to pitch forward onto Sally, taking them both down to the ground.
Apparently that was what everyone had been waiting for. A shot rang out behind her, then the sound of a bullhorn. “You’re surrounded, put the gun down.”
“What the hell!” Newington screamed.
Sally scrambled up and began to run toward the boats. Kayla stayed on the ground, and covered the back of her head with her hands as another shot ran out. Then she felt hands wrenching her arm up. “Back off,” Newington yelled as he pulled Kayla to her feet.
She tried to kick him but he back handed her across the cheek, and put the gun to her temple. Stunned, Kayla could do nothing but feel the pain from his blow. He spun her so her back was to his front and he wrapped his free hand around her neck. They both faced the direction of the house where the shots had come from. Kayla blinked back the tears threatening, but still couldn’t see anyone.
“Sally!” Newington screamed.
Kayla twisted her head around to look behind her, and saw Sally lying on the ground. Using her as a shield, Newington dragged her toward Sally, who was bleeding from the shoulder.
“Hurts,” Sally moaned.
“Can you get up?” Newington asked.
They watched as Sally, breathing hard, rose to all fours. “Help her!” he yelled at Kayla.
Kayla bent down, Newington mimicking her motions keeping her between himself and Sally. Kayla grabbed Sally’s arm and helped her to her feet.
The bullhorn came again. “Let Ms. Michaels go. You are surrounded. Ms. Henderson is hurt and needs help.”
Newington looked around wildly as he shoved Kayla who held Sally up closer to a boat. “If anyone tries to stop us, I’m going to shot her. I swear it,” he yelled just as Sally, this time, stumbled and fell at the edge of the dock, taking Kayla down with her. Newington moved forward to help, when a shot rang out, spinning him off balance and to the ground.
Kayla watched as he crawled to where she lay. She sat up, but he still held his gun, and he was aiming it at her. “Sally,” he moaned. But there was no response, Kayla could see the rise and fall of Sally’s chest, she’d passed out. Her lover hung his head over her face for a moment before making eye contact with Kayla.
“Move,” he rasped to Kayla. They were only a few feet from the boats. Using her as a shield, he kept them both low to the ground as they made their way to the boats. Red blood stood out against the paleness of his skin at the side of his neck, but it looked like a scratch. He reached up with his free hand to swab at it and his fingers came away with blood on the tips. He wiped it on his shirt. Kayla swallowed hard to keep what little contents she had in her stomach still.
There was a splash to the right. They both glanced in the direction of the sound but could see nothing. Newington managed to get them on one of the boats, which wasn’t easy because the boat was moving around so much. The weather was changing, the wind had kicked up even more, and the normally calm seas were choppy.
Kayla looked over her shoulder to see the local law enforcement and two men and a woman in blue wind resistant jackets, probably the FBI, come out of concealment. As they got nearer, she made out the blond hair and features of Agent Patrosky. She took the bullhorn from the man who had been speaking to them.
“Mr. Newington,” Patrosky’s projected voice said, “you’re surrounded. You cannot get away. Look out on the water.”
Where before there was nothing but an open expanse of moving blue water, now there were two police boats rolling up and down on the turbulent sea.
“I’ll kill her. I swear I’ll kill her!” he screamed over the blustery wind. He shoved Kayla to stand in front of the wheel of the boat. She had to grab the wheel so she wouldn’t fall as the boat rocked from side to side.
“Start it up,” he said.
“I…I don’t know how to drive this,” she said.
“I’ll talk you through it,” Newington replied, staying low beside the seat. “Sit down. See that key? Just turn it to the on position.”
Kayla sat and turned the key, but nothing happened.
Newington waved his gun around and said, “Try it again.” When nothing happened for the second time, he reached past her and turned it himself. Still nothing happened. That’s when it dawned on Kayla, either the boat didn’t work or it had been tampered with. She voted for the latter and Newington must have come to the same conclusion.
“Shit!” he exclaimed.
Standing up, he grabbed her arm, and hauled her unsteadily to her feet. He placed her in front of him and stayed crouched behind her. Kayla had to hang on to the edge of the seat as the boat dipped. She could see Sally’s body; it still lay unmoving at the edge of the dock.
Newington pushed her forward, keeping pace with her. She tripped when the boat dipped again, throwing her against the railing, which she grabbed as Newington stumbled behind her. Holding onto the rail beside her, he yelled to the men and woman now visible on the beach.
“I want this boat fixed or another one, and I want it now!”
One minute he was there, the next he wasn’t. Kayla whipped around to see him grappling with a wet figure.
“Tal…” she gasped. It was Tal wrestling with Newington for the gun. Tal was bigger than the thief, but Newington was cornered and desperate, and the wild rocking of the boat wasn’t helping Tal’s leverage. Tal held Newington by the throat with one hand while he tried to pry the gun from his hand. Kayla could see Newington’s eyes bulging in fear. The boat rocked to the side and Newington used the motion to try to leap over the side. The momentum pitched both Tal and Newington over the railing.
“Tal!” Kayla yelled running to the other side of the boat. She looked down at the rolling waves and could see neither man. By this time, the FBI and the local police were on the boat or walking around the dock. Kayla whipped her head back and forth across the water, looking for any sign of them.
“There,” a voice called beside her.
She turned and saw two bodies holding on to the rocks a few yards down from the docks. She was off the boat in a second. She ran past Sally who was being helped by two officers. She made her way as quickly as possible across the rocky beach. A man in a wind jacket, with FBI written on the back was already there, helping Tal out of the water before turning to grab Newington. By the time Tal stood up, she was there flying into his open arms.
“You mad man!” Kayla screamed.
He gingerly touched the bruise on her face. “Are you all right?” he rasped.
“Me…” she screeched. “You! Are you all right?”
“I am now.” He lowered his face to hers and covered her mouth with his, and Kayla knew they were both all right.
The sound of someone clearing his throat pulled them apart. “I’m sorry,” said the agent who held a handcuffed Newington by a skinny bicep. “But you are blocking the safest path off these rocks.”
Tal grinned and keeping his woman close to his side, they turned and walked off the rocks back to the path.
“How did you get out of the closet?” Kayla asked.
“Patrosky. They were in the house. As soon as you left, they came and got me out, along with the Mendosas.”
“Oh thank God, the Mendosas are safe.”
“Yes, they’re fine. A little shaken up, but unharmed.”
“Well why didn’t they get Sally and Newington earlier this morning, before we left the house so we could have avoided all this drama?” she asked.
“I can answer that.” Their heads snapped up at the sound of the female voice.
Agent Patrosky stood in front of them on the dock. “It took us a little longer to be able to make our move than I would have liked. We had to wait until we could get a description of the island and the interior of the house. It also didn’t help the local chief down here wouldn’t let us go in until he’d spoken to the owner.”
“Well at least you got here,” Kayla said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How’s Sally?” Kayla asked.
“She should be all right. The bullet went straight through. We’ll take both to the hospital, and I’ll need you two to come into town with us to give a statement.”
“We’ll be in later,” Tal said.
Agent Patrosky stared at him hard for a minute before sighing. “Okay, I owe you both. Since neither Newington nor his accomplice is going anywhere anytime soon, you can come in later this afternoon to give me your statement.”
There was a loud rumble overhead, and when they looked up, rain fell against their faces. The skies had finally delivered on their earlier promise, Tal thought. He turned with Kayla to walk toward the house as Agent Patrosky turned toward her fugitives.
“Some vacation this is turning out to be,” Tal said, in no hurry to get out of the rain, but he was already wet so it probably didn’t matter. And from the way Kayla seemed to be enjoying the rain by keeping her face turned into it, it didn’t seem to matter to her either.
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s been kind of exciting,” Kayla said finally looking at him.
“So you want excitement in your life do you?” he asked.
She grinned. “Last one in the shower has to wash my back.”
Tal smiled and watched as she ran through the patio doors. He was in no rush to win this game, but then again, it was a win-win for him either way.
Epilogue
“Nervous?” Tal asked walking beside her.
She turned her head slightly so she could look at him. His skin now had a beautiful bronze glow from their time in the sun. She also knew for a fact he had no tan lines. At the thought, heat flashed in her eyes.
“I know what you’re thinking about,” he said.
She blinked and looked away from him. “Later,” she whispered huskily, then in a more normal voice she said, “No, I’m not nervous, just excited and ready to start.”
He took her hand. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed his. He had never wanted to hide their relationship and after what they had gone through in Cabo, well she wasn’t going to either. People would just have to deal. Life was just too short for them to pretend.
They got on the elevator together and someone came in behind them. It was Phil.
“Good morning,” Phil greeted them both with a smile. “Welcome back and Kayla, welcome officially. I hope you have a great first day.”
Kayla grinned back at Phil. “Thanks, Phil.”
“Listen, if you guys aren’t busy next weekend, Ginnie wants to have a little dinner party. Very informal.”
“We’ll be there,” Kayla answered for them. “I’ll look forward to it.”
When the elevator stopped, both Tal and Kayla got off. Tal looked back at Phil. “I’ll be up in a minute.” The elevator doors closed and he took Kayla by the elbow and escorted her toward the receptionist’s desk, introducing her to the secretary there. She called Wynona, the senior vice-president Kayla would be working closely with, to let her know they had arrived.
Tal took her through an area with cubicles—most were unoccupied. He said good morning to the three people who were there, but he didn’t stop to introduce Kayla. This was Wynona’s department; he’d already told her he thought it best to have her make the introductions.
There was a carpeted hallway in front of them with three doors on one side, and a windowed conference room running the length of the hallway on the other. Tal stopped at the first door and knocked before opening it, Wynona was on the phone.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “It’s my kid. Good morning, Kayla, I’m so happy to finally meet you. Tal, take her to her office and I’ll meet you there in a minute. I’m sorry.”
Tal smiled. “No problem.”
He pulled the door closed and headed to the office next door. Kayla stopped to touch the nameplate by the door. It had her name on it: Kayla Michaels, Vice President.
She looked at Tal with a smile in her eyes. He had to fight to not press his lips to hers. While they weren’t going to hide their relationship, he had to practice some restraint, because if he kissed her it wouldn’t be a quick kiss.
He opened the door, held his hand out for her to enter first, then closed the door. As soon as he did, he kissed her. He couldn’t help himself but at least he waited until they were out of the hallway.
He pulled back and turned her around to face her office. “Well, what do you think?” he asked.
He watched as she walked forward and spun around. He knew it was twice the size of her office at her old bank. She walked over to her desk and looked out the picture window behind her chair. She turned around to look at him with a smile encompassing her entire face.
“I love it.”
He found himself jealous of that smile. He wanted it to be because of him. “What about me?” he asked. He hadn’t meant to ask her the question aloud. And this sure as hell wasn’t the place. But her smile never wavered, if anything it glowed even more and he smiled in return. “Wait,” he said holding up both hands palms up. “Don’t answer, not yet. You can tell me tonight.”
“What about you?” she asked instead.
But before he could respond to her question, there was a knock on the door. He turned to open it. He introduced the women and reminded them they were all having lunch together along with Phil, and he left them to get acquainted.
Kayla really liked Wynona. She thought they’d get along well. The work was challenging and fascinating, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it. Lunch was casual. It was about work and the ramifications the bank was still going through because of the theft. Tal had already hired Zach’s company to do a complete overhaul of the computer system so it wouldn’t happen again, and the bank was able to recover most of the money. At least there’d be no trial. Both Newington and Sally had pleaded guilty to the theft for lesser charges stemming from the kidnapping.
But throughout the day Kayla kept zoning out, thinking about Tal’s question and how she would answer it. At lunch he held her hand right on the table and kept rubbing his thumb over her fingers. She knew how she felt, and she suspected how he felt. Was she ready for this? Especially, after such short a time? Well ready or not, a year from now or ten, her answer wouldn’t change.
Chances Are Page 16