by Linda Ladd
Novak knew they were wasting time that Lucy and Judith did not have. Sitting there watching was getting them nowhere. Even when the sun finally bludgeoned its way, kicking and screaming, out from under the cloud cover and light blazed alive across the land, nobody showed. Locke’s hired henchmen walked their assigned posts, AR-15 rifles slung over their shoulders, clueless they were being watched. They were armed for trouble but not expecting it. He turned his focus onto the dock that stretched maybe thirty yards out past the surf. Two fast and sleek speedboats were tied up on either side. Nobody seemed to notice or care about the forty-foot sailboat that lay at anchor just off the beach. So that was one good thing.
Lori’s arm appeared to be killing her at the moment, but she had stubbornly refused to take her meds until they finished what they’d come to do and weighed anchor for home. She was good at surveilling, had more patience than he had, so Novak felt better about bringing her along. She hadn’t started an argument, either, which was even more to his liking. He glanced back at her. She lay on the opposite couch. The sling was tight against her torso. She was lying on her back, fully dressed, holding up pretty well despite some shallow, restless breathing. She groaned and twisted around and muttered in her sleep, locked inside her subconscious mind with something terrible. Novak could pretty much figure what she was reliving. He had nightmare problems himself. He turned back and refocused his concentration on the house.
Oversized sliding doors opened out of a giant living area, all seen up close as if he stood inside. A kitchen had been built against the back wall, separated by a long white marble counter with six matching stools. Lots of couches and chairs and tables were sitting around in conversation areas. There was a fireplace set with logs ready to be lit and a wet bar with glass shelves holding every kind of liquor made by man. The bottle of bourbon looked pretty good to Novak at the moment. That open room encompassed the entire ground floor. He could see everything, but had yet to see anyone inside.
The guards remained outside. It appeared that was one of Locke’s idiosyncrasies—keeping his bodyguards outside—and not a particularly smart move on his part but good for Novak’s intentions. He noted when and if the guard duties shifted, mentally filing back any unpatrolled areas. Tired, Novak put down the binoculars, leaned back, and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. He was fighting serious mental fatigue and inner frustration. They couldn’t waste much more time. Lucy’s days were numbered; he felt it in his gut. He had counted on finding one of the women there, but it was a dead end. He decided to give it another night.
His perseverance paid off two hours later when a vehicle appeared on the road leading up to a rear gate. A long black limousine drove toward the beach, all sleek and shiny and expensive, the kind of car that carried self-important people. Novak perked up, fairly certain this one belonged to the corrupt judge he had been waiting for. Novak hungered to get that guy alone and enjoy some violent chitchat. He was not calm and collected anymore. He had a personal stake this time. So an encounter with the judge was going to go down, he just didn’t know when. It was Saturday, so he assumed the judge was following his old habit of weekends at the beach. That was good news. Habits set in stone always helped a pursuer.
The limo slowed and drove through the iron spiked gate when a man ran to open it. Novak watched it proceed around to the south side of the house and disappear into the garage. Novak waited, interested to see who stepped out of that car. Nobody appeared, so they had entered through an interior door. Swiveling his glasses back to the stretch of windows, he caught sight of someone moving around inside.
Minutes later, the center slider pushed back, and who should step out but Calvin Locke himself. The sun was gone again, huddled behind a hump of storm clouds, and the judge glared up at the sky as if it had disobeyed his command. In the flesh, the notorious judge didn’t look so threatening. He was overweight but tidy with a protruding paunch and had on attire similar to some 1930s film star. He wore a white silk ascot around his throat, a tan blazer, navy pants, and a brown felt fedora pushed down on his head. Hell, all he needed was a twelve-inch white cigarette holder. Instead, he preferred a fat cigar that he held between his thumb and forefinger. Minutes later, a woman walked outside. She was older than the judge, late sixties, graying and stocky and dressed in a plain black dress that almost reached her ankles. More important to Novak, she held the hands of two little girls. She looked as if she was scared to death of anyone and everyone. He felt a sense of elation. Those kids had to be Judith Locke’s daughters, had to be. Novak smiled to himself. Gotcha, Locke.
Novak called out to Lori, and she joined him at the porthole. The sun came back out as if a token of good luck, and the day brightened as if a switch had been thrown. The surface glittered and shone and so did the windows. Both children looked hangdog and unhappy, totally unlike most kids arriving at a beach. They were cute girls, with the same unusual shade of platinum-blond hair as their mother. Both pressed in close to the nanny’s legs. They looked very little.
“Oh my God, that’s Sammi and Susie! We found them, Novak!”
Novak nodded. “You’re positive it’s them?”
“Damn right. I’d know them anywhere. God, they look so scared, don’t they? We got to get them out of there now.”
“Not now. Tonight.”
“Oh, they look so sad.”
“You see anyone else in the house?”
Lori scanned her glasses back and forth. “No, but they might have them locked up in the bedroom wing over on the side of the house. Or the garage or guesthouse.”
Novak stiffened when Locke sat down in one of the cushioned patio chairs and motioned the children to be brought to him. They hung back, clinging to the woman’s hands. The nanny bent down and spoke to them and then nervously pushed them toward their sleazebag grandfather. After that, she disappeared inside the house. They walked over to the big man, holding hands, and the judge scooped both up onto his lap and started kissing them on the face.
“That bastard,” Lori said viciously. “I can still smell his tobacco.”
Novak wanted those little girls out of that house and as far away from that perv as he could get them. If Calvin Locke had molested his daughter and separated those children from their mother, the reason was obvious. The idea of what he might be planning ate at Novak. He focused in closer on the older girl’s face. Both of them looked small for their ages and somehow delicate. Locke kept caressing their cheeks with his fingers and pressing them up tight against his chest. Roiling emotion inside Novak’s chest kindled quickly to rage. He let himself feel the fire of it race through his blood, and then he shut it down by force of will. “Look at how he’s holding those kids.”
“He’s an animal. Please let me help you take that monster down.”
“Maybe.”
“You think Judith’s in there, too?”
“Maybe. The guards seem to hang around the guesthouse more than is necessary.”
“It could be Lucy.”
They sat there and watched the judge cuddle and tickle his unwilling granddaughters for almost an hour. The girls kept trying to squirm out of his grasp, especially Susie. Novak was happy when the nanny returned and hurried the children inside. Once he was alone, the judge shed his blazer, rolled up his shirtsleeves, and took a swig out of a silver flask. He stretched out, relaxed back on a double chaise longue, and closed his eyes. Novak lowered the binoculars. He had already decided what he was going to do.
Lori knew, too. “We’ve got to move in tonight. He’s already touching them inappropriately. We’ve got to get them out before he goes further.”
Judging by the way the girls shied away from him, Novak was afraid that might have already happened. “I need to check out that guesthouse and garage for Judith and Lucy. How many bedrooms does this place have?”
“Four. I can’t see him having a prisoner in the house without the girls asking him questions. E
specially if it was Judith, he wouldn’t want her around to interfere now that he has control of the girls. If anyone’s in there, it’s probably Lucy.”
“I think you’re right. He’s got a live-in nanny. Did they have that before?”
“He hired her not long ago, but before that, Judith always took care of them herself. She’s a hands-on mom. She loves those girls more than anything. He needed a nanny once he decided to lock Judith up. And she doesn’t understand much English, so she won’t know exactly what’s going on.”
“Okay, I go in tonight. You stay here and cover my back.”
“I’ll do whatever you say. I want them out of there.”
“Were you really a sniper?”
“Why would I lie about it?”
“Just how good are you?”
“I was based in Mosul for a year. That’s all I did.”
“How good are you?” he repeated.
“Wanna see my medals?”
Novak wanted to smile. She looked so smug and self-satisfied. She should be. You had to be damn good to qualify as a sniper in a battle zone; they chose the best of the best. “Glad to hear it. You have to cover me as soon as I hit the beach. I’ve got a rifle with the best silencer I could find. It’s a good one, so you shouldn’t have a problem. Night scope’s the best you can buy. If anybody gets in my way when I’ve got those kids in my arms, you have to blow them away. No hesitation. Can you do that?”
“I’ll kill every one of them to get those kids away from that pedophile.” Her eyes were hard and did not waver.
“Just don’t get too carried away. You may not have to shoot anybody. I should be able to get past them without being seen unless something goes wrong. You are strictly backup in case I run into trouble. Just don’t let them kill me.”
“No worries.”
That was easy for her to say. She might be the best sniper in the history of the United States Army, but she had gone through a traumatic nightmare and only days ago. She could be triggered by emotions and freeze. Then he’d end up dead. “Just keep me in your sights the whole time, okay? Especially on the way out with those little girls. That’s when I’ll be most vulnerable.”
“I know. I’m good with it.”
“How’s your arm?”
“Better. I can sight in and pull the trigger. No problem, Novak.”
“Once inside, I’m going to check out the grounds first, and then I’m taking the girls out of the house. No way I’m leaving them out here.”
“They’re scared of him. Did you see the way they were pulling away?”
“Maybe they can tell me where he’s got their mom locked up. If she is in that compound somewhere, I’m bringing her out, too.”
“How? They can’t swim yet. And his guards are everywhere.”
“Did you see the Zodiac boat at the stern?”
“I did. We used the same boats in training.”
“I’ll paddle to shore, extract the kids, and bring them out here in that boat. I’ve done this kind of thing under worse conditions. I can get past the guards without being seen. But I’ve got to be able to depend on you if I get in trouble.”
“Dude, this convo’s getting old.” Lori scowled up at him. “Let me tell you something about your extraction. Those kids are not going to want to come with you. Know why? Cause you’re a big, scary guy showing up in their bedrooms in the dead of night. They’ll be scared to death of you.”
“Yeah? So? You’d rather me to leave them in there with Locke?”
“What if they scream and cry?”
“They won’t if you tell me something I can say to them that’ll put them at ease. You know, something or someplace you’ve been, a pet name you’ve got for them, anything to prove you’re out here waiting and that’s where I’m taking them.” A thought occurred to him. “Did Judith give them a safe word?”
“Probably, but I don’t know what it is. They know me pretty well.” Lori suddenly smiled. “Tell them Bunny. That’s what they called me when they were toddlers because I gave them both a bunny stuffed animal. Tell them that and they’ll go with you. We had lots of fun on that visit.”
“I’m going in as soon as it gets dark.”
“You’re certain you can get past all those guards?”
“I’m not absolutely certain that the sun’s coming up every day. But yeah, I can do it, and I won’t get caught. You think he’s already molesting them?”
“Judith was older when it started. God, it makes me sick to even think about it.”
“We’ll get them out.”
“Did you see those boats at the dock? Even if you get them out, they’ll come after us.”
“If things go according to plan, we’ll be long gone by then. But I’ll sabotage the boats. Just do your part and trust me.”
“You got it, Novak.”
He and Lori Garner went together like oil and water. Still, he sort of liked the woman. She was holding up better than most. “You keep watching. I’m gonna get my gear ready and then get some shut-eye. Call me if anything happens.”
“Yes, sir. Can you really sleep now?”
“I can sleep anywhere.”
“I’ll wake you up if anything shakes.”
Novak’s instincts were telling him he could trust this young woman, but his past experiences were dragging the idea down. He left her on watch, went into his cabin, and lay down on the bed. In minutes, he was asleep. Three hours later, he was up again and pulling on black sweatpants, T-shirt, and nylon windbreaker. He quickly packed a waterproof bag with the tools and weapons he’d need, and then he pulled the long gun out of the rack bolted beside his bed. He slung the bag over his shoulder and carried the rifle up to the stern, checked out the beach, and found no guards watching the ocean approach. They were really stupid. Then he set about lowering the Zodiac on the starboard side, out of sight of the house. The judge was in residence, so they should be on their toes. They no doubt felt safe inside that walled compound with no close neighbors and no easy access, but they shouldn’t. They’d find that out the hard way, as soon as the sun came out tomorrow morning.
Chapter 11
Inky and impenetrable, night fell like a black hood dropped over Novak’s head. That was good. He wanted to be invisible. Periodic rain persisted and so did his case of nerves. Novak felt an unfamiliar but innate sense of doom. He wasn’t sure why. This extraction was not far afield from many others he’d successfully completed while with his SEAL team. He usually felt something akin to exhilaration and high expectations, a keen sharpening of purpose right before he walked into danger. He had to go in and rescue those little girls. Still, something nagged at him, held him back.
Maybe he was afraid of what he’d find inside that beach house. Maybe Lucy and Judith were there, injured or hurt. Maybe they were already dead and buried. He lay on his bed in the dark, his body totally relaxed, his mind, not so much. Although he’d mastered the art of patience a long time ago, waiting for the perfect moment had never been his thing. He liked to prepare and then get things done. This time he needed to wait. The guards were terrible, but he wanted them drowsy and tired, because he was going in alone with only Lori Garner for backup.
Despite the inexplicable reserve, he had managed to get some sleep. Lori had not. Last time he checked, she was still surveilling at the port but she had yet to see Judith or Lucy show up in the house. She reported the guards worked in two-hour shifts and had since they’d dropped anchor. Each man had specified posts they worked every time and mostly along the perimeter wall. Unfortunately for Novak, they were more alert and efficient with the boss in the house. Since the judge had arrived, the hanging out together while smoking and laughing had ended. Still, he could zero in on areas to avoid or how he could evade their notice.
They were heavily armed, with both rifles and 9mm handguns. All now wore desert camouflage, the pa
nts legs tucked inside heavy black leather boots. Their uniforms were too hot and too formal for this kind of beach patrol. The judge was a pompous fool who wanted matching toy soldiers in his own little private army. Too bad their wardrobe was better than their fight skills.
On the other hand, there was the nanny to worry about. She would fight for her charges. She was too old, too short, too stout, and no problem. That is, unless she screamed bloody murder when he stepped out of the dark in her bedroom. He would be better off to avoid her. If she slept in the same room as the girls, that’s when she’d become a problem. He hoped she didn’t interfere. He didn’t relish tussling with a little old lady in the dark.
For most of the evening, she’d been sitting at an outdoor table shaded by a red-striped umbrella while watching the two little girls sit cross-legged and play with Barbie dolls. She looked nervous. Maybe she already sensed that her employer was a damn disgusting pedophile. Maybe she didn’t know. Maybe she would protect the little ones if Locke tried to molest them. He didn’t think so. She looked more frightened of him than the children did. He had to get those kids out tonight. No way was he leaving them in there alone.
When the house finally went completely dark inside, and the night guards got lazy again, Novak stepped down into Zodiac and picked up a paddle. He glanced up at the roof of the main cabin. Lori was lying on her stomach, hidden inside the soft and velvety darkness only found when alone on the ocean. His high-powered rifle was propped on a tripod in front of her, and he had watched her zero it in and fix it on the beach house. He had watched her check out the weapon, load it, and adjust the settings on the scope. She knew what she was doing, all right. She was motionless up there now, bad shoulder resting on a pillow, both hands steady on the weapon. If she had the guts to put down any guard who tried to stop him, Novak might make it out of that house with those kids still breathing. They would know soon enough.