by Val Welch
Forty-Six
Shelby stared at the phone in her hand for a few seconds before dropping it back into the cradle. She immediately picked it up again and dialed Doc’s cell phone.
“Doc Ryan,” he answered.
“When are you coming back to the hospital?”
“Five minutes. What do you need me to bring you?”
“Clothes. I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not leaving, you’re recovering.”
“Come and get me so I can work at home or I’m checking myself out. Carson and Gabe need me. They’re on their way to apprehend the Malones.”
“Dammit, Shelby.”
“Doc, we can’t waste time debating this. Please just come get me.”
“I’ll be right there.”
She dialed Morgan’s cell.
“Tell me everything that’s going on with the case.”
He laughed. “Well, it’s nice to hear you’re feeling better.”
She sighed. “Sorry. I just got off the phone with Carson and know he’s getting on a chopper for Tucson.”
“Yeah, they just lifted off. He should be in Tucson within an hour. He’s hooking up with a hostage rescue team and they’re going in to find Gabe Navarro and his Aunt Stella. Navarro just ditched the tail we had on him, but thanks to Carson we know where he’s going anyhow.”
“I’m going to access the case files and get up to speed. Anything else I need to be doing?”
He laughed. “I suppose recuperating from severe frost bite is out of the question?”
“Yep. This is my case. I may have to sit on the sidelines right now, but I’m going to support the team however I can. And by the way, what were you thinking, letting Carson go in there? He’s not a tactical guy and you know it.”
“Shelby, after you read both Navarro’s and Carson’s incident reports on the taking of the EFA camp, we’ll debate Carson’s tactical abilities.”
“What do you mean?”
“Read the reports.” He laughed. “It seems your partner has been holding out on both of us. Hang on,” he said abruptly. She heard him barking orders at someone, and then he came back on the line. “We’re setting up satellite surveillance on the ranch right now. You can access the feed from the case files in a few minutes.
“Also, I don’t think you know, but there was an EFA informant at the command center during your rescue operation. They leaked operational information to Nick Malone via a satellite phone which prompted his escape. We had a list of six possible suspects, who had both the opportunity and knowledge to tip Malone off. One of them, Ben Hawkins, just walked into the command center a few minutes ago and surrendered. He’s still being interviewed, but he’s admitted to being a member and tipping off Malone. He’s also saying that he and his wife have been caring for Eden Malone’s two year old daughter off and on since her birth.”
“Eden’s daughter? No way. He’s got to be lying. How could we have missed Eden having a child?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought at first. But, I’ve got to say, he’s pretty convincing and obviously very concerned for the child’s safety. Evidently Eden and Nick Malone forcefully took her from his home late yesterday.”
“Does he know where they were going?”
“Destiny Canyon.”
“Where’s that?”
“That’s where Stella Navarro lives.”
Shelby took a deep breath and tried to steady her voice. “So, they’re all going to be there.”
“That’s what it looks like.”
She swallowed hard and fought to maintain control. “Does Caron have this information? He didn’t say anything to me.”
“No. This is evolving right now. I just stepped out the room to take your call. I have to get back in there. Call Carson, and get him up to speed. And don’t worry about him. He’s ready for this.”
“I hope you’re right.”
She put the phone down, looked out the window at the darkening night and tried to keep the panic at bay. She knew Carson was a great agent, but she also knew how ruthless Nick Malone was. And given the bad blood between Gabe and Nick Malone, she had an awful feeling Carson was walking into more than he was equipped to handle.
Forty-Seven
When Carson arrived at Davis-Monthan, the advance team was waiting at the chopper pad. He jumped out of the chopper, ducked and ran toward the waiting Hummer. An agent stood at the open back door. “Special Agent Billings?” he asked.
Carson nodded. “Yeah.”
“Climb in. We’ll brief you in route.”
Carson climbed into the Hummer. The agent slammed the door, took the front passenger seat and swiveled around.
“I’m Special Agent Sullivan, Pearson’s driving and he’s Martinez.” He nodded toward the other occupant of the back seat. “The three of us are with the Operations Training Unit. We provide operations management and oversight of the Hostage Rescue Team. We all just flew in from Yuma where we were on a training mission. The HRT squad is already in route to the objective.”
“Okay. What’s Navarro’s present location?”
Sullivan shook his head. “Unknown. Surveillance lost him outside of Dudleyville.”
“Damn,” Carson said. “It would be so much easier if we had him under control before we go in.”
“Agreed. Not knowing his location or intent definitely complicates the operation.”
“Has the base CO been debriefed?”
“Affirmative. He is suspending all training flights until further notice.”
“When was the next scheduled flight in the vicinity of the objective?”
“Six hundred hours.”
“Is the satellite surveillance in place yet?”
“Affirmative. We anticipate having audio surveillance in place upon our arrival.”
Carson leaned back. “Are you familiar with the layout of the objective?”
“Affirmative.”
“What’s your deployment plan?”
“As you know, the objective is located in a canyon in the foothills of the Rincon Mountains. There’s a two mile dirt road leading to it from the county road. There’s also a four-wheel-drive trail connecting via a series of switchbacks over the mountain ridge due east and a hiking trail over the ridge to the west which leads to a campground. We’ll cover all three routes and deploy teams from each of them.”
“Do you have updated intelligence on how many hostages there may be?”
“Negative. Our first goal is to run a covert op using satellite surveillance until we determine the number, condition and location of all the hostages and tangos. Then we’ll determine the best course of action for obtaining the optimal outcome.”
Carson looked at his watch. “What’s our ETA?”
“We’re less than an hour away.”
“Given his departure time from Pine Ridge, Navarro should be arriving at about the same time. Let’s hope we can find him tonight. I’m assuming the earliest they’d be planning a missile attack would be the six hundred hours training run.”
“That’s the assumption we’re operating under,” Sullivan confirmed.
Carson nodded, felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket and pulled it out. Sullivan discreetly turned toward the driver and began a quiet conversation as Carson answered his phone.
“Hey, are you there yet?” Shelby asked.
“Yeah, I’m with the hostage rescue team and we’re in route to the objective now.”
“Oh … so they’re all listening to your conversation?”
“Affirmative.”
“I’m looking at a satellite feed of the ranch right now.”
“See anything of interest?”
“Not really. There are some lights on in the main house and a couple of the outbuildings. There’s a large vehicle of some sort parked in front of the house. I’ve seen no movement. It looks like they’re bedded down for the night. But, I just got off the phone with Morgan. There’s a new development.”
“Oh
yeah?”
“One of the guys that worked the command center during the search for me just surrendered. He’s admitted to being an EFA member and had some new information.”
“Yeah?”
“He and his wife have been caring for Eden Malone’s two year daughter.”
“No way.”
“Morgan thinks the guy’s telling the truth. Seems Eden and Nick Malone showed up yesterday and forcefully took the child.”
“Shit. Gabe has a kid?”
“That’s what we’re assuming.”
“We’ve got to find her. Did the guy have any idea where they were taking her?”
“He says they were going to Stella Navarro’s home. But, we don’t have confirmation on any of this. He’s still being interviewed. Morgan wanted you to know, just in case.”
“10-4.”
She laughed. “Why are you talking like that? Have they already brainwashed you?”
He lowered his voice. “No. I’m in mission mode. You need to go to sleep.”
“I’m not going to sleep and you should know that I’m at home and Doc is hovering around, driving me crazy.”
“You checked yourself out of the hospital? Are you crazy? Let me talk to Doc.”
“No, you’re not talking to Doc. I’m going to be fine …”
“Shelby, give Doc the phone now,” he yelled into the phone.
He heard her sigh and cover the phone. A few seconds later, Doc came on the line. “It wasn’t my idea.”
Carson ran his hand through is hair. “Damn, can’t you sedate her and haul her back? I’m in the middle of a mission here. I can’t be worrying about her too.”
“Carson, you know there’s no use. She’s going to do what she’s going to do. Don’t worry, I’m here with her. Just take care of yourself, okay?”
Carson looked around the cab of the hummer and lowered his voice. “All right, Doc, thanks. Can you put her back on the phone?”
“Sure, here she is.”
“Satisfied?” she asked laughing.
“No, but we’ll have to talk about it later.”
“Let me know when you find Gabe, no matter what. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“You better and take care of yourself.”
“Talk to you soon.” He dropped his cell back into his pocket and glanced around the cab of the hummer. They were all studiously ignoring him.
He leaned back and began to methodically go over the case, still unable to shake the feeling he was missing something crucial.
He realized everyone was intently listening on their headsets. As they slowed and turned off the pavement onto a gravel road, Sullivan turned to Carson. “Special Agent Billings, we have established audio surveillance. There are children at the objective.”
“How many?”
“We’re hearing at least four distinctly different children’s voices discussing whose turn it is to take a bath.”
“We heard a rumor there might be one there, but not a group of kids. How is that possible? She’s an unmarried fifty-eight-year-old woman.”
Sullivan shrugged.
“Any adults?”
“Two females, one has been referred to as Eden and other Sister Stella.”
“Ahh, Eden is there. Well, Nick Malone is there too then. They were seen together late yesterday.” Carson called Shelby.
“Hey, Eden is in the house along with at least four kids and she’s referring to Stella as Sister Stella, do you think she’s a nun?”
“Hold on.” He heard her talking to Doc, and then Doc came on the phone. “Yes, Carson. Stella was a nun.”
“Why would she have kids living with her?”
“She left the order years ago, brought an old dude ranch in Destiny Canyon and has devoted her life to helping abused children. She usually has several foster children living with her at any given time. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Stella’s?”
He sighed. Shit, that’s what he was forgetting. Doc would have known about Stella Navarro. “Damn, I should have asked you about this. Eden’s here too. What do you know about their relationship?”
“You show up on Stella’s doorstep and she’ll take care of you. She always tried to help Eden and William too for that matter. Even had them help out on the ranch with the kids. But she had no use for Nick Malone. She’d never knowingly let him stay there.”
“Do you know how many kids are there now?”
“When Lydia and I were there last month, Stella had three boys from about seven to fifteen living with her fulltime. But, she sponsors day trips for kids too. So, there could be a dozen kids show up there this morning in a van. They do trail rides, picnics, help with the animals.”
“Well, we’ll have access from the county highway closed any minute, so that shouldn’t be an issue. What’s the layout like? How many buildings? Where does everyone stay?”
“Like I said, it’s the old Destiny Canyon Dude Ranch. They actually used to film movies there back in the sixties. There’s a main house where Stella and the three boys live. It’s a big rambling adobe, surrounded by a low wall. Lots of trees, mesquite, palo verde. She has a little kitchen garden at the back of the house. She raises vegetables, herbs. It’s all geared towards showing the kids’ an alternative lifestyle. There’s a barn with a corral and maybe a tack room, I’m trying to think here. And then there’s about a half a dozen guest cottages scattered around on the property. There’re all empty except for the one that Kitty and Dale live in.”
“Kitty and Dale?”
“Yeah, they live in the cottage closest to the house. They’re in their sixties. Help out around the place.”
“Does she keep guns in the house?”
“Yes, and she knows how to use them too.”
“Okay. Anything else you can think of that might relevant?”
“Well, if Gabe’s trying to slip in unseen, he’ll be coming over the ridge to the west from the campground trail. You can walk right up to the back door from that direction.”
“Okay. Keep talking to Shelby and have her call me if you think of anything else.”
“Will do.”
Carson looked at Sullivan and exhaled. “I’ve got new information,” he said, and then told Sullivan everything Doc had just told him.
“We’ve already restricted access from the county road and we’re five minutes away from having a team in the campground,” Sullivan said, listening on his headset. He nodded at Martinez. “Give Special Agent Billings a headset please.”
Martinez pulled a duffel bag from the impressive array of tactical gear in the cargo compartment and handed Carson a headset. He quickly donned it as they pulled off the road behind a massive palo verde tree and waited while listening to the reports from the teams moving into place.
Alpha team reported finding Gabe’s vehicle in the campground, occupied by a lone male. Sullivan swiveled around. “Do you want the team to apprehend him?”
Carson shook his head. “No, don’t send them in. I’ll do it at first light.”
Forty-Eight
A coyote pack foraging in the deserted campground woke Gabe a little after four a.m. He stepped out of the Tahoe and stretched before walking to the back of the truck to take a leak. Dawn was still at least an hour away, but he knew the trail well enough to start the climb up the hill in the dark. He slung his pack and rifle over his good shoulder and started up the trail. The first sliver of light was breaking on the eastern horizon as he passed through the notch in the mountain and crouched down behind a rocky outcropping. He took his binoculars out of his pack and looked at the ranch buildings below him.
The first sweep of the ranch revealed lights on in both the house and the barn. Stella’s old Chevy suburban was parked in its usual place outside the low adobe wall surrounding the front yard. All seemed normal. There was movement in the kitchen window and he suspected Stella was making coffee and maybe some of her world famous cinnamon rolls. He zoomed in on the kitchen window and caught a glimps
e of her at the sink. She looked fine, happy in fact, as she spoke and smiled at someone over her shoulder.
Gabe sensed movement to his right. He slowly slid his hand inside his jacket and had his hand on the grip of his nine millimeter when Carson walked up beside him. “Damn, I thought I lost you guys.”
Carson nudged him on the shoulder. “You did. But we suspected you where coming to check on Aunt Stella.”
Gabe watched as a team of heavily armed FBI agents, decked out in tactical gear moved into position along the ridge line. He turned back to Carson. “That looks like some heavy duty fire power for a welfare check.”
“Hostage rescue team. Just happened to be training nearby,” Carson said. He pointed toward the ranch below them. “Eden’s down there with your aunt Stella and we suspect Nick Malone is going to be showing up to take a shot at an F-16 around 6 a.m. this morning.”
Gabe nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. How did you know about Aunt Stella?”
Carson paused for a moment and then shrugged. “Gabe, Anna is still under surveillance. We heard your conversation with her. Why didn’t you just tell us your suspicions?”
“Fuck you, Carson. That’s a prime example of big brother at its finest, eavesdropping on a devastated wife whose husband will probably be in jail when she dies from cancer in the next few months.”
Carson hung his head. “Damn, I’m sorry. I didn’t know the cancer was back.”
“Yeah it’s back and it’s uglier than both times before.” Gabe took a deep breath and forced himself to move past it and stay focused. He nodded toward the ranch. “So, what’s the plan here?”
“Maintain surveillance until we know what the Malones are up to. Do you know how many kids are there for sure?”
“There were three yesterday afternoon, when Anna and I called Stella and told her what we suspected. At the time, Eden wasn’t there, so Stella has a good idea what’s going on.”
One of the agents who had been carefully listening to the conversation interrupted. “Are you sure of that? She’s not showing any duress in the conversations they’re having.”
Carson gestured at the agent. “Gabe, this is Special Agent Sullivan, Special Agent Sullivan, this is Chief Gabe Navarro.” The men nodded at one another.