The Broken Road (The Broken Series)

by Ruff, K. S.

  The sax player looked surprised, but he accepted the gift. “Thanks, buddy.”

  Kadyn cut right to the chase. “I need your help. My girlfriend was here around midnight.” Kadyn showed him the picture from his cell phone. “She spoke with you before she caught a cab, but she never made it home.”

  “I know that woman. She works up the hill.” He nodded toward the Senate buildings. “Pretty lady. Nice legs. Good tipper too,” the guy recalled as he warmed his hands on the coffee cup.

  Kadyn tamped down the anger that was building over the guy’s observations. “Did you happen to notice which cab she climbed into?”

  “Sure. It was one of the blue tops. She seemed to know the driver.” He eyed Kadyn skeptically. “What did you say your name was?”

  “I didn’t. The name’s Kadyn.” He handed the sax player a business card from his wallet. “Please call me if you remember anything else.”

  “Will do. I hope you find her. She seems like a really nice lady.”

  “Thanks,” Kadyn replied as he turned and walked away.

  The guard waved Kadyn over to his desk as soon as he entered the building. “Is this your girl?” He pointed to a grainy picture that was frozen on his computer screen.

  Kadyn examined the picture closely. The face was obscured by the hair, given the angle of the camera, but the clothes and purse were the same ones Kri had left the house with. “That’s her.”

  “That’s an Arlington Blue Top Cab,” the guard noted.

  Kadyn’s phone rang. He looked at the Caller ID. “Phil, what do you got?”

  Phil briefed Kadyn quickly. “None of the cab drivers I’ve talked to recall picking up a woman with long blond hair at Union Station last night. However, there is a cab driver who went off the grid unexpectedly around that same time, and he didn’t report for his shift this morning. I think it may be connected.”

  Kadyn closed his eyes as he dared to hope. “Does he work for Arlington Blue Top Cabs?”

  “Yes. Someone named Habib Ahmadzai. I have his cab number. I've pulled in some additional people to scan footage from the traffic cameras along all the major highways in and out of DC between the hours of midnight and one a.m. I’ll call you as soon as I have something.”

  Kadyn lowered his voice as he walked away from the security desk. “Good. Thanks, Phil. I’d like an address for Ahmadzai. Kri told me about a cab driver she befriended when she first moved here. I think he may be the same guy. The sax player seemed to think she knew the cab driver.”

  Phil immediately began typing. “I’ll text you the address now.”

  Kadyn’s voice hardened. “Listen, Phil. I want to meet with this guy personally.”

  Phil stopped typing. “I know. I won’t send anyone over without you.”

  Kadyn ended the call with Phil. He walked back to the security guard and handed him his business card. “I really appreciate your help. I need to follow up on a lead. Please let me know if you discover anything you think might be relevant. I’ll call a tow company and have the jeep towed to a tire shop this morning so it’s not sitting in your garage.”

  The security guard glanced at Kadyn’s business card. “Okay. Thanks.” He handed Kadyn his business card. “I hope you find her.”

  Kadyn turned toward the stairwell. “Me too.” He called Mason on his way back to the bike. “Hey buddy, I need your help.”

  * * * * * *

  Kadyn glanced at his watch. It was five-thirty a.m. He eyed the Arlington Blue Top Cab parked a half block away as he ate the last of his bagel. He washed it down with Mountain Dew. His eyes narrowed as he watched Mason approach with Cenia, Roger, and Matt. Each of them was dressed entirely in black. “Well?”

  Mason spoke first. “There appear to be three people in the house… two men and a woman… all sleeping in separate rooms. The bathroom window is cracked open, and I’ve already unlocked the back door. This should be a piece of cake.”

  Kadyn’s cell phone rang. The entire group froze. Kadyn looked at the Caller ID and switched over to speaker phone. “Phil?”

  “Kadyn, I’m sorry man, but it doesn’t look good. I have footage from one of the toll booths on the west bound side of the Dulles toll road which clearly shows Kri in the front passenger seat of Ahmadzai’s cab. There's a man in the back seat who has a gun pointed at her head.”

  “Fuck!” Kadyn exclaimed.

  Kadyn’s friends exchanged looks at the expletive that had never been a part of his vocabulary.

  Roger looked at Cenia. “You grew up in this area. What’s out west?”

  Cenia looked thoughtful. “Dulles Airport, obviously; but that place has too much security. He wouldn’t have taken her there.”

  “Then where?” Mason interrupted impatiently. “The guy’s cab is sitting empty in front of his house. He’s inside, and Kri clearly is not.”

  Cenia glanced at Kadyn, uncertain as to how frank she should be. “Well, he’s either dumped her somewhere or transferred her to someone else. There are a number of car rental places out by the airport, but I’d put money on the small executive airport out in Leesburg. If I was trying to get someone out of this area without getting caught, that's where I would go.”

  Kadyn nodded. “You got that Phil?”

  “Let me make some calls,” Matt interjected. “I’ve been taking flying lessons out at that airport, so I know some of the guys who work out there.”

  “Okay. You and Phil work that angle. The rest of us will go talk to the cab driver. We’ll regroup in twenty minutes.” Kadyn ended the call. He nodded toward the house. “Let’s move. The sun will be up soon, and that’s going to make it a lot more difficult to get in and out of that house without being seen.” Kadyn looked at Cenia. “You secure the female.” He nodded toward Mason and Roger. “We’ll take the men.” He glanced at Matt. “Draft a text message to all four of us and send it if we need to evacuate the house.”

  Matt immediately began typing the message. He walked back toward his car and positioned himself so that he had a clear view of the cab driver’s house. He nodded at Kadyn before settling against the car to make his first phone call.

  The rest of the group set their cell phones to vibrate as they made their way to the back door of the small brick house. The four stole silently into the house. Cenia took her place in front of the bedroom housing the female. Mason slid quietly into a second bedroom. He pulled a wallet from some pants that were draped across a chair. He looked over the contents, then nodded once at Kadyn. Roger observed the exchange before disappearing into the third bedroom. Mason positioned himself in the doorway to the cab driver’s room as Kadyn nudged the sleeping man.

  Habib’s eyes flew open. He immediately scrambled against the headboard.

  Kadyn’s fists clenched. When he spoke, his voice was low and eerily calm. “I think you know why I’m here. No one will get hurt if you tell me where Kri is.”

  “I don’t know where she is,” he responded shrilly. His eyes flitted toward the door.

  Mason folded his well-muscled arms across his chest. He widened his stance in the doorway as he glared at Habib.

  “I didn’t have any choice. The man was holding my sister at gun point. I had to take Kristine to him. It was the only way I could get my sister back,” Habib hurriedly explained.

  Kadyn took a single step back. “I want a name.”

  Habib glanced at Kadyn’s feet. His face registered his relief. “I don’t know what it is. He didn’t give me a name. He said he was Kristine’s fiancé.”

  “Where did you take her?” Kadyn demanded through gritted teeth.

  Habib shrank against the headboard. “Leesburg Airport.”

  “Do you know where he was taking her?” Kadyn persisted.

  Habib shook his head. “No, but he had an airplane.”

  Kadyn’s eyes met Mason’s. “Describe him.”

  “I don’t know. It was dark, and it was raining. He… he had my sister. I just wanted to get my sister back,” Habib complaine
d.

  Kadyn’s brow furrowed. “Try. Think about what he was wearing.”

  Habib closed his eyes as he sought to recall what the man was wearing. “He was tall. He was wearing dark clothes and a ski mask.”

  “Did he have an accent?” Kadyn asked.

  Habib shook his head. “No. Not that I can recall.”

  Kadyn studied Habib intently. “And the man who held a gun to Kri’s head… the one in the back of your car?”

  Habib swallowed nervously. “My brother.”

  “The man sleeping in the other room?”

  Habib nodded.

  Kadyn’s eyes met Mason’s. He nudged his head toward the other room.

  Mason disappeared from the doorway.

  Kadyn returned his attention to Habib. Silence spun between them. Finally, Kadyn spoke. “I understand why you did it, but if she’s harmed in any way, you will pay. Tell your brother he’s forgiven… for now.”

  Habib looked on in shock as Kadyn turned and strode from the room. Cenia, Roger, and Mason followed him out the back door.

  “Did you take care of the brother?” Kadyn asked as they approached their vehicles.

  Roger smiled. “Yes. He’ll be incapacitated for some time. It will take them hours to get all of that duct tape off.”

  A slow smile spread across Kadyn’s face, then abruptly disappeared. It was then that it struck him. Kri was likely bound and gagged too.

  Chapter 10 – Try

  I woke with the worst hangover ever. I groaned miserably. Then I ran my tongue over my teeth. My mouth was dry and sticky. I tried to remember how I’d come to be in such sorry shape. My eyes flew open as the fog cleared. I bolted upright, twisting my shoulder sharply. Pain shot through my shoulder, forcing another moan from my parched throat. I looked around in shock. My right arm was handcuffed to a very large bed.

  “Well, it’s about time,” a deeply timbered voice rumbled from across the room.

  My eyes widened with recognition, then narrowed at the man sitting across the dimly lit room. “You…” My voice cracked as I tried to speak. “You asshole. Have you completely lost your mind?”

  “Maybe,” he responded thoughtfully, as if he considered it a valid claim.

  “I have to pee.” I was not lying. I really had to go, so bad, in fact, that it was literally the only thing I could think about at that moment. Then all thoughts of my physical discomfort disappeared as a flood of memories pressed in on me… my slashed tires, the car ride with Habib, Abdul, Diwa, the airport, the guns, and the vial. I suddenly realized that I had a lot more important things to be worried about than peeing my pants. “How long have I been out?”

  “You’ve been out for nine hours. I’ll take you to the bathroom but don’t try anything. You do and you will not live to regret it.”

  I silently studied him. This was a man who clearly was not firing on all four cylinders. “Fine,” I gritted out.

  He unfolded himself from the chair and approached the bed. He unlocked the handcuff that was attached to a thick wooden spindle in the headboard, leaving the other half of the handcuff attached to my wrist. The bed was a massive hand peeled log bed... the kind you find all over Montana but not in DC.

  I inhaled deeply. I could smell pine trees and a wood burning stove.

  He slipped the handcuff over his left wrist, snapping it closed. Nope, not going anywhere anytime soon.

  “Get up,” he growled.

  I tried to stand as he stepped back, but my legs buckled.

  He caught me with his free hand, then pulled me roughly against the side of his body, once again twisting my right arm.

  I would have cried out in pain, but I panicked at the feel of his body pressed against mine. I struggled against him as I attempted to put some distance between the two of us.

  He tightened his hold, giving me no option but to shuffle alongside him to the bathroom while firmly pinned to his side. He released me when we got to the bathroom. “Okay. Go.”

  “What?” I squeaked. “You cannot be serious. I am not peeing in front of you.” What is it with men? Why do they all seem to think that peeing is a spectator sport?

  His eyes narrowed. “You are if you want to pee,” he responded testily. His voice left no room for argument.

  My eyes narrowed with equal disdain. I silently considered how much longer I could hold out before I actually wet myself. Exasperated, I finally relented. “You are such an ass! Fine! Turn around.” This was beyond embarrassing. I did not like peeing in front of anyone.

  With a cruel smile, he turned his back to me.

  I tried to pee as quietly as I could… as if peeing quietly was even possible… but he was standing right in front of me. I closed my eyes and tried to pretend he wasn’t there. When I finally finished… God only knew when I was going to get another chance to pee again… I wiggled my jeans back up and fastened them with one hand. I walked to the sink and washed my hands, irritably dragging his hand into the water along with mine.

  My eyes landed on a toothbrush. I ran my tongue over my teeth again. My mouth tasted like dirty socks… or what I imagined dirty socks would taste like, since I didn’t have any real world experience chewing on them. “Is that your toothbrush?”

  “No, it’s yours,” he grumbled.

  Seriously? The guy makes me drink poison, then buys me a toothbrush? I shook my head. My eyes met his in the mirror. A chill ran down my spine as I noted the coldness in his eyes. I reached for the toothbrush and quickly brushed my teeth. It wasn’t easy with my left hand.

  He led me back to the bed and refastened the handcuff to the headboard. His eyes darkened as he stood towering over me.

  I began to panic as his eyes raked over my body. God, please don’t let him touch me.

  He reached for me as his eyes settled on the hair that had fallen over my face.

  I froze. My heart beat once, then also froze. The air between us grew thick with tension.

  His hand hovered over my face as his eyes flitted to mine. His jaw clenched. We stayed like that… eyes locked… frozen in place… for what felt like an eternity. Then he silently turned and walked away.

  I pulled against the handcuff as I scrambled off the bed. “Wait! Where are you going? What… what are you going to do to me?” I stilled as I waited for a response.

  No answer.

  The silence was chilling. I fell back against the pillows as I attempted to answer my own question. He won’t hurt me, I reasoned. If he wanted me dead, he would have killed me by now. I turned the thought around in my head. What if he regretted his decision to kidnap me? Would he kill me or let me go? My pulse ratcheted up a few notches.

  My eyes searched frantically for something… anything that would help me escape. I pulled the handcuff hard, testing the strength of the spindle. I pushed and pulled against the spindle with my free hand. It was solid, too thick to break. My eyes settled on the only window in the room. I couldn’t see a thing. I had been out for nine hours, and it was still dark outside? Where am I?

  * * * * * *

  “Where is she?” Kadyn asked as he paced across his living room floor. He glanced irritably at Mason, Roger, and Cenia. Kadyn’s phone vibrated before anyone could respond. He ripped the phone from his pocket, glanced at the Caller ID, then switched over to speaker as he answered the phone. “Dan, what do you got?”

  “I tracked down her scumbag ex-husband. He’s at home in bed with some woman who is definitely not Kri.”

  “And Garcia?” Kadyn asked. He watched Cenia usher Matt into the apartment.

  “I’m still trying to track him down. I’m calling because it looks like we may have another suspect.”

  Kadyn groaned. “Who?”

  “Someone she used to work with, here in Montana. A guy named Justin Morris. Kimme tells me he had a thing for Kri. He sexually assaulted her twice, attempted to see her in DC, then tried to pay for her flight back to Montana when you guys came back to see the cousin. The guy hasn’t been to work for the past
two days. No one knows where he’s at.”

  “Unbelievable,” Kadyn grumbled.

  “No shit,” Dan agreed.

  “I don’t think it’s Garcia,” Kadyn mused as he resumed pacing across the living room.

  “Why’s that?”

  “The guy who took her doesn’t have an accent. Isn’t Garcia from Portugal?”

  “Yeah. He’s from Portugal, but he primarily speaks French. How do you know the guy who has her doesn’t have an accent?”

  “I don’t. Not for sure. The guy abducted a cab driver’s sister, then held her hostage until the cab driver delivered Kri in exchange for the sister. According to the cab driver, the man didn’t have an accent, although he did claim to be her fiancé.”

  “The guy he turned her over to may not be the one who’s orchestrating all of this,” Dan speculated.

  “True,” Kadyn agreed.

  “Okay. I’m sticking with my original plan, then. I’ll keep looking for Garcia and Morris.”

  Kadyn eyed Matt as he opened the refrigerator. “Sounds good. The cab driver took Kri to a small executive airport, so I'm trying to locate the plane and their flight plan.”

  “Aircraft would be your area of expertise,” Dan mused.

  “And skip tracing is yours. Track down those men, sailor,” Kadyn responded before ending the call. He turned his attention to Matt, who was helping himself to leftover pizza. “What did you learn from your friends at the airport?”

  Matt slid the pizza into the microwave. “A Cessna 510 left Leesburg Airport at one o’clock this morning. The plane was destined for Minneapolis, but I don’t believe that was their final destination. They were probably just refueling the aircraft. Phil’s trying to secure the flight plan so he can find out where the plane went from Minneapolis. No other aircraft departed the Leesburg Airport until after five a.m. this morning, so we think the Cessna is our plane.”

  “A Cessna 510. That’s a small business jet,” Kadyn noted. He slid into a chair at the breakfast bar. “Any idea where the aircraft originated from?”