by Kylie Brant
Eve released a long shuddering breath as she reached for the elevator button again. “Going down?”
“I think that would be wise.” As he kept a careful eye on the man on the floor, she started the elevator. Declan reached out to take her hand. Tug her forward. And had time for one frustratingly short kiss before he glanced at the man stirring on the floor. With a quick move he gave the guy a kick where he had to already be throbbing. And didn’t much mind the misery-filled moan that filled the space.
Slipping out of his suit jacket, he wrapped it around Eve’s shoulders. “Royce.” Her voice was worried. “He’s still up there and Malsovic bragged that there was a lot of interest. We have to get back before he’s sold.”
Rewrapping an arm around her waist, he hugged her close. The relief that came from touching her nearly made him weak. “Kell and Finn are up there. Inside the ballroom.” Which reminded him that he needed to send a message that Eve was safe. “We’ve got a plan.” Much like the one that had just been enacted. “But first we have to get you somewhere safe.”
“No, I can…”
He shot her a look, and she subsided. “You’re right. Give me money for a cab, and go do what needs to be done. The only thing that matters now is Royce.”
His arm squeezed her tighter. “You matter, Evie. You matter plenty. When this is over we’re going to talk about that.” And because she did matter—too damn much—he wanted her somewhere safe before the final scene with Malsovic went down.
When the elevator doors opened, they left the man lying inside the car and swiftly headed toward the nearest exit. Declan summoned a cab and gave her a short rundown on what she’d find in the hotel room when she got there. “We’ve already texted the girl’s mother her location. Huan is still upstairs, but she may arrive for her daughter before we get there.”
“Yes, I’m acquainted with Huan, although I didn’t know she had a daughter.” A taxi rolled slowly up to where they stood. “She provided the tub of water for Malsovic to try his hand at waterboarding.”
His organs went to ice. His hand rose to cup her face. “He…tortured you?” Ever dark fear he’d had while they searched for her congealed in his chest. Searching her gaze, he asked, “What else did he do to you?” Cold deadly fury spread through him.
“Nothing.” Her hand came up to cover his reassuringly. “We were never alone. And I want you to promise to be careful when you return to the ballroom. I didn’t come through this to lose you now. Don’t let your hatred of him blind you to the fact that he’s still dangerous.”
He reached in back of her to open the cab door and then pulled out some bills so she could pay the driver. Once she was seated inside he leaned down for a lingering kiss. “Don’t worry about me.” He straightened, his smile grim. “I’m dangerous, too.”
_______
“The payment is complete.” Finn Carstens didn’t give Royce much more than a glance. The boy would recognize him, and hopefully not be too traumatized to play along on the final act. He pretended to peruse the documentation Malsovic had on Royce’s parentage with a critical eye. Finally he collected it into a pile and looked up at the man. “Everything seems to be in order.”
“I wish you luck with your future transactions.” Malsovic’s voice was heavy with meaning.
Finn offered him a small smile. “I have been waiting a long time for such an opportunity. The boy is quite a prize. It’s too bad Trettin takes such a large percentage from each transaction for himself.” He could tell by the man’s grimace that he’d struck a nerve. He looked around, lowered his voice. “I think perhaps you and I could do further business together, but there is no need to discuss it here. Too many ears. But I have a small job I need done, and I would pay well. No transaction fees.”
Shrugging, Malsovic said, “It never hurts to discuss business.”
“My philosophy exactly.” He drew out his phone to text Kell. “I’ll have my associate come to take care of the boy. Valuable merchandise requires close monitoring.”
Malsovic stared at Royce. “He is a troublemaker, that one. He will take supervision.”
Finn shrugged. “I won’t have him long.” When Kell approached he said, “You may take him out of the cage, but do not let go of him. If he escapes your life will be worth nothing.” Malsovic handed Kell the key and the man bent to unlock the door of the cage, grabbing Royce by the arm and drawing him out. Finn gave him the receipt he’d received to prove he’d made payment and the documentation on the boy.
“I’ll guard him with my life.” Kell led the boy toward the door.
Finn watched them go then turned to Malsovic again. “Let’s step outside the ballroom and find a quiet corner.” He was somewhat surprised when the other man followed him but probably shouldn’t have been. Every person there had been searched for weapons. Armed guards dotted each of the doorways. Malsovic probably thought he was safer here than he’d be anywhere else.
They walked across the plush lobby outside the ballroom, with its scattered couches and chairs grouped for intimate conversation. Finn pretended to look around, and be unhappy with the smattering of people there. “Follow me. Our business is too sensitive to discuss out here.” He led the man toward the men’s restroom in the far corner. Ushered him inside.
There was a sitting area outside the restroom itself. The place appeared to be deserted. Finn turned to the other man. “There is someone I want you to meet.”
“I meet no one without hearing of your needs. And payment must be made first.”
Declan appeared from around a corner. “I agree. Payment definitely needs to be made. By you.”
Finn moved to block the door should Malsovic decide to flee. But the man showed no fear. “Gallagher. It is a pity I missed you with the rifle.” The two men circled each other warily. “Not a pity that your wife was unharmed, however. She earned me fifty thousand dollars tonight and is already on her way to an Indonesian brothel.” He bared his teeth. “She will spend her life cursing you for not rescuing her.”
A quick feint had Malsovic dodging. Declan followed up with a wicked cross jab that rocked the man’s head back. “She is safe in my hotel room, and have you checked your overseas account lately?” The other man wiggled his jaw and spat blood at Declan’s feet. “The money bid for her came from the money you stole from me.”
His face suffused with fury, Malsovic charged, head butting Declan in the gut and taking him down. Finn settled against the door, arms folded across his chest to watch the show. Malsovic had a thumb gouging Declan’s eye, which was dislodged a moment later when Declan kneed the man in the balls, before plowing his fist into the man’s face. Malsovic wrapped his hands around his throat. Squeezed. Bucking beneath him, he dislodged Declan and the two men rolled, a tangle of limbs and flying fists. Malsovic grasped Declan’s head in his hands and rapped it hard against the floor. Declan’s hand came up to lock around one of the man’s wrists and gave it a quick vicious twist. The sickening crack had Malsovic screaming in pain.
“That,” Declan said as he brought his head up to crack it against the other man’s, “was for Royce Raiker.” Giving a might heave, he unseated him and rolled quickly on top of him. “This,” he drew his fist back, “is for what you did to Eve.” Blood sprayed when his blow landed. Followed with a second. And then a third. Malsovic’s movements were growing weaker. And the rage in Declan’s face showed no signs of dissipating.
“Gallagher.” Finn’s voice was mild. “C’mon, man, that’s enough.”
“It’s not nearly enough.”
He’d been in enough fights to recognize the ferocity in his words. The fury hazing the man’s eyes. Crossing to stay his drawn back fist, Finn said quietly, “He’s got a lifetime behind bars ahead of him. You don’t want to deprive him of that.”
Slowly reason returned to his friend’s expression, although it was no less fierce. “Let’s get th
is piece of shit handed over to the authorities. The sooner he starts that life sentence, the better.” Declan got up, hauling Malsovic to his feet, shoving him toward the door. He and Finn flanked the man, one on each arm, but they provided more support than restraint.
They moved to the lone elevator, shared it with a corpulent man in an ill-fitting suit. He held a length of rope, and it entwined the three small Asian girls who had been held in a cell in the ballroom. With a pudgy finger the man reached out to press the button for lobby floor. Finn and Declan exchanged a meaningful glance.
“How much for the girls?” Declan asked. Malsovic picked that moment to ram his elbow hard into his gut, and Declan slammed the man’s head against the side of the elevator twice in quick succession.
The man frowned at them, sidling away to the corner of the elevator. “No English.”
Finn pulled out his wallet. “US dollars.”
Shaking his head, the man clutched the rope more tightly. Stared at the floor numbers as they descended. Declan reached into his pocket and brought out a pen, handed it to Finn. “Go for the eye,” he advised.
It wasn’t necessary. The elevator settled on the lobby floor and the doors slid open to frame a half a dozen cops in full riot gear, weapons ready, shouting commands in Malay. Another dozen were running through a door that must lead to the stairwell.
Declan raised his voice above the chaos. “Take us to US Federal Agent Stillions.”
_______
“Your mom is going to be pretty mad that she slept through this.” Adam Raiker’s voice was gruffer than usual. His jaw was tight. But no one could mistake the raw joy in his gaze as he gazed at Royce on video chat.
“Is she going to be all right?” Eve knew the boy was looking past his stepfather to where Jaid was hooked up to a serious amount of machines.
“She really is. The doctors upgraded her condition this morning. The medicine makes her sleep a lot, though. Don’t worry. As soon as she wakes up and hears the news, she’ll make me call you back.”
“Promise?” The boy had been a trooper, but Eve wondered if he was about to crash. He’d been through more—far more—than any kid should ever experience.
“Are you kidding? If I don’t she’s liable to crawl out of that bed, order her own plane and fly to get you herself.”
That drew a smile from the boy. “Bet she would, too.” He was silent for a moment. “Eve and me talked in Spanish. She said to be ready to run when she said run. And I did. As fast as I could. But there were too many people. They caught me again.”
Adam’s throat worked. It took a moment for him to reply. “You used your head. That’s what counts. Go ahead and eat.” Room service had been delivered next door minutes ago. “You’re going to need your strength for the trip back to the States.”
Royce beamed. Heaved a sigh. “First place I’m going is to the hospital to see Mom. Then I’m ready to go home. Our place, not the one in Virginia Beach.”
“I’m pretty sure that can be arranged.”
“Okay, Royce, Kell and I have got the weirdest meal ever laid out on the desk in the next room.” Finn popped his head in the door. “You have no idea how hard it was to get pancakes, a hamburger and french fries, a chocolate malt and popcorn.”
“Have them come get me if Mom wakes up, Adam.”
“Think she won’t make me?”
The silence in the room lasted until the door closed behind Royce. Then the man heaved a sigh and muttered, “That situation was much too close.”
“There were some dicey moments.” Eve allowed. She slid a glance to Declan. “I was pretty happy to see this guy in the elevator. From the looks of Malsovic, the rounds he went with Declan did real damage.” She’d had no sympathy for the monster. Though the bruises on Declan’s face and knuckles still had her stomach clutching with worry for him.
“Good. Stillions sent me updates throughout the hours of debriefing after the raid, and I got the texts from all of you. Paulie has kept me apprised. But there are still details missing. Start from the time you met Pascal and fill me in.”
They took turns doing so, not glossing over any of it, because he’d have their heads if they did. When they finished, Declan said, “You probably already know that Stillions and the State Department people are pretty pissed that we went to the hotel without their okay. They were trying to cut us out of that end of things, I guess by leaving us completely out of the loop. We had no idea of they’d gotten the photos to convince the Malaysian authorities to mount the raid. And we couldn’t wait any longer. So we went with our own plan.”
“If you’d waited for them, Eve would have been gone. And if they hadn’t showed up, you wouldn’t have been there to rescue Royce. Stillions isn’t getting any sympathy from me. Although he wasn’t a fan of your tactics. What you call leverage he insists on referring to as kidnapping.”
“Declan smoothed that over with Huan, the mother,” Eve put in quickly.
He shrugged. “I pointed out that she was in a unique position to mitigate any charges leveled against her for participating in the auctions by turning evidence against Trettin. First one who flips usually gets the best deal, and there’s a pretty substantial international reward out on the guy.”
“In the interest of expediency, Stillions prevailed on the police to allow me to interpret at Malsovic’s interview.” A quick shudder worked through Eve at the memory of the hatred in the man’s eyes. “Malsovic spoke freely, because he was blaming everything on Zupan. When he wasn’t blaming the man, he was throwing Shuang under the bus. I…ah… asked more questions than what the police told me too.
“According to his answers to the questions I put to him, Lexie Walker was a runaway who had come looking for work and was eventually caught in bin Osman’s web. She was a favorite of his. He kept her for himself at the Kaula—what’s now the Latifma--while renting out the other women. This made the other women bitter, but none as much as Shuang, who, according to Malsovic, wasn’t one of the enslaved women, but bin Osman’s right hand in the operation. Then Lexie got pregnant. We saw the paternity report and birth certificate. She was terrified bin Osman would take the baby.”
“He probably would have,” Declan murmured. “The local police seem to think bin Osman would have gladly paid Malsovic for the boy. But no one can get through the layers around the man. And we learned that Pascal, the man Eve met with, is known to have a close working relationship with bin Osman’s two oldest daughters, who are suspected of being part of their father’s criminal network.”
Raiker seemed to digest that for a moment. “When Royce is old enough he’s going to have to be told the whole story. How did Jaid’s father end up with the baby? He was only weeks old when Royce Benning took him to Jaid.”
“Malsovic claims he found texts between the two of them on Benning’s phone. Jaid’s father and Lexie had hatched a plan to get her and the child out of the hotel. Malsovic claims he doesn’t know how it went down, but he got called to the scene afterwards. The baby was gone and Walker was dead. Stabbed several times in the chest. He said Shuang admitted killing the woman in a fit of jealousy, but she swore the child had been there when she’d left the room. So bin Osman ordered Malsovic to find his son and the killer.”
“And he kept Shuang’s secret. Blaming Lexie’s killing on whoever had stolen the child,” Adam guessed.
“Yes. Benning stopped coming to work, so suspicion eventually fell on him. Malsovic said the truth came out about Shuang killing Walker after bin Osman fled back to Malaysia. That’s why the man hated her. On Malsovic’s phone he had pictures of a lot of the evidence he used to prove Royce’s parentage. He had more documents in a bag he had at the auction. There were copies of the text messages between Benning and Walker. And six copies of framed photos of the same girl/woman he found in Benning’s apartment.”
“You mean Jaid.” Raiker’s voice was as
soft as she’d ever heard it. “You know he abandoned her when she was eleven.”
Eve could only imagine what that had done to the woman. And how much forgiveness it must have taken to heed her father’s wishes and adopt Royce as her own. “Maybe he was trying to keep his family safe. He surely knew how dangerous bin Osman was, and he was in debt to the man. Malsovic had a more recent photo of Jaid from a tabloid when the two of you got married, and then he had a name to go with a face.”
“Bolton.” Bitterness laced the word. “A so-called journalist who was trying to write a tell-all book on me. Ended up losing his job at the paper and now sells sensational pieces to whoever will pay him.”
“Who…are…you…talking to?”
Raiker turned away from the screen to look at his wife. Her eyes were open. “The question is, who are you going to be talking to. Your son has been waiting to speak to you.”
“Royce! You…found him!”
The man nodded at the computer. “Well, my people did. He’s good, Jaid.” His tone gentled. “He’s okay. Worried about you.”
“Just a minute. You can talk to him yourself.” Eve and Declan rose. She carried the computer to the door, which he opened. Finn answered the knock next door, a broad smile on his face. “Looks like someone’s awake.”
Royce abruptly forgot food he was shoveling into his mouth. From the looks of things he’d made serious inroads into the meal. His mouth full, he yelled, “Mom!”
Eve set the computer down next to him. The picture on the screen jiggled as Adam moved his laptop to a table that swung out over his wife’s bed. And the tears running down Jaid Raiker’s face had Eve swallowing hard and turning away. “Maybe we can give them some privacy,” she murmured to the men in the room.
“Of course.” Finn surged to his feet, followed her and Declan to the door. “C’mon, Kell.”
“Yeah, sure.” The other man strolled after them. “We can go next door.”