I didn’t know cousin-speak could also be brother-speak.
Adam shrugged. “True. But he uses handcuffs and blindfolds and sometimes whips in his practice of being alpha. I just use my intimidating, steely gaze and authoritative voice.”
“Well, you have me there,” Jake said.
Not brother-speak. Leesa realized that Jake was trying to ease the tension at the table so that she could take a bit of a step back from the moment. It almost worked, too.
Leesa still felt that blanket of unease across her shoulders. “So, you’re pretty sure that we’re clear? That I don’t need to worry about my ex jumping out at me from behind a tree somewhere?” Leesa met Adam’s gaze. She told herself she’d know if he was lying, but the truth was that she doubted, very much, that she would.
“Well, I don’t have all the details of what’s going on with Bateman,” Adam said, “and that makes me nervous as hell. I do know that his agency is looking into his cases and his recent movements. I also know that he’s under surveillance, and Peter’s involved in that.”
“They’re investigating the investigator?” Phillip asked.
“They are.”
“Did you give Bryce a heads-up about Bateman?” Leesa didn’t want anything to do with her ex-husband, but she didn’t wish him harm, either.
Adam looked over at Marc Jessop—and Leesa did, too. He didn’t appear all that relaxed, considering the consensus was that Leesa’s part in whatever the situation was had definitely come to an end. Oh, he was smiling, but he wasn’t nibbling on the wings, and he wasn’t drinking his beer. Instead of wondering, Leesa asked.
“You think something’s off, too, don’t you?”
“‘Too’?” Marc tilted his head to one side and met her gaze. “You’re having weird vibes?”
On either side of her, her men edged closer. Jason, on her left, took her right hand in his while Phillip, on her right, laid a hand on her knee.
“I can’t explain it. I should be heaving a giant sigh of relief, but I feel just the opposite of that.”
Her cell phone chimed. She tugged her right hand free and fished her phone out of her jeans pocket. Maybe her odd sense had nothing to do with Bryce. Maybe it was her parents. Maybe something had happened to them.
Leesa didn’t recognize the number on her call display, but she did recognize the Dallas area code.
“Hello?”
“Lees…” It was Bryce’s voice, but he sounded off. Really, badly off.
“Bryce?” She sensed every man at the table stiffening. She put her gaze on Jason but focused her hearing on the phone in her hand. She eased it away from her ear slightly, located the volume button on the side, and used one finger to turn up the volume. Bryce groaned, and then he coughed and groaned again.
And then another voice came on. “He’s a dead man if you don’t do exactly what I tell you to do, Leesa. I have the roadhouse in sight, so don’t let any of those local yokels come with you. When I hang up, you’ll have two minutes to leave that place and drive to where I tell you to go…”
Adam shoved back his chair and pulled out his cell phone, Jake pulled out his, and Marc pulled something out of his pocket and, after fiddling with it for a moment, gave it to Jason. He mimed something, and then she felt Jason slip whatever Marc had given him into her pocket.
“There’s no need for anyone to get hurt, Arnie,” Leesa said. “Let me grab a pen and some paper then tell me where you want me to go.”
Ginny pushed a pad of paper and a pen over to her. “Okay, go.” Leesa nodded, scanned the table, and began to write.
* * * *
Jason planned to stay close to Adam Kendall. Looking over at his best friend, he saw the same determination on Phillip’s face. Jason knew they weren’t, either of them, willing to let Adam out of their sight.
The last few minutes ran through Jason’s mind on a continual loop. When Leesa had finished writing out Bateman’s directions, Adam had taken a pic of her note with his cell phone and then given the paper back to her. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this.”
“Bryce is an asshole, but he doesn’t deserve to die.” Then she patted her pocket, the pocket Jason had slipped that disc Marc had given him into. “I assume that’s a tracker. So, if y’all are going to track me and follow close behind, I’m sure.”
“You will be under observation the entire time.”
Jason had wanted to protest her going. But Leesa laid her hand on his cheek and met his gaze. “It’s going to be okay, love. I’ll need your keys, though.”
Jason gave them to her, along with a fast kiss. Phillip had planted one on her, too. Then he watched as she headed for the door, and it was all he could do at that moment to let her go.
Adam held his hand up, a sign to stop….and that was when he understood why Marc Jessop was nowhere in sight.
It felt like hitting rewind and then replay in his mind. While Leesa had been writing down her directions, Marc had shed his denim jacket, slipped a watch cap on his head, and walked away, toward the back exit.
“Marc’s following her.” Phillip said.
He met his best friend’s gaze. “I just figured that out, too.”
“Yes, and I’ve learned to pay more attention to that man’s instincts in the last little while,” Adam said. “He left his car around back, out of sight.” Then he grinned. “And so did I. Marc will track Leesa.”
Jake held up something that looked like a walkie-talkie. “And we’ll track Marc.”
Only a couple of minutes had passed since Leesa had walked out the door, though it felt like a lot more. Adam nodded. “Let’s go.”
He and Phillip ran after the sheriff and Jake then quickly got into the back seat. Adam had stepped on the gas before either of them had fastened their seatbelts.
Jake called out directions, and when Adam’s phone rang, the sheriff put it on speaker.
“I see Leesa’s car, and we’re separated by one other vehicle. I think that’s Bateman behind the wheel, following her.”
Jake’s phone rang. He put his on speaker, too. “Peter, tell me you’re on him,” Jake said.
“It’s a fucking parade.” The voice belonged to Peter Alvarez-Kendall. “But since Adam sent that note and we know where he’s headed, I’m going to peel off. I see Marc, and he’s on them. I alerted the rest of the team to let them know. There are already a couple of reinforcements in place.”
“Copy that.” Jake hung up the call.
“Reinforcements?” Jason looked at Phillip then met Adam’s gaze in the rearview mirror.
“I told you that others had Bateman under surveillance,” Adam said. “The man was more than a little pissed off at being slapped back by his boss after my phone call. But he didn’t appear to get suspicious and didn’t realize that he was also being investigated. According to Peter, the thinking now is that Bateman did more than just pretend to be a part of that drug business in Kabul.”
“Was he lying to us about Jordan being a part of that scheme, then?” Jason asked.
“No, he’d reported Bryce as being a part of it when he was over there. But Bryce Jordan was never caught at it, and now, of course, any testimony Bateman tries to give would be inadmissible.”
“Because he’s dirty?” Phillip asked.
“Because he’s dirty, and likely was back when he was in country.”
“So, you know where we’re going—where they’re going?” Jason asked. Knowing that there were federal agents in the picture made him feel marginally better. He wouldn’t feel completely at ease until this was over and they had Leesa safe between them again.
“Oh yeah, we know. It’s a barn that’s the only remaining remnant of an old farm that’s no longer in use.” Then Adam looked over at Jake. “You win. I just realized that we have to keep that fucking barn. It seems to be the one place where all the rat bastards who come to Lusty are drawn to.”
“It’s the only abandoned structure around.” Jake shrugged. “And we keep everythin
g else in good repair, so it’s the only place that looks abandoned—and therefore useable to the rat bastards of the world.”
Jason had watched this comedy routine between these particular brothers Kendall earlier in the evening. It was their way of putting the real targets of their banter—in this case him and Phillip—at ease. They’d used the same tactic on Leesa once Adam and Marc had returned to the table.
“We’re okay,” Jason said. “We hate like hell that Leesa is out there, but we know she’s not alone.” He exhaled heavily. “We also know she’s not without skills. Fifteen years in the army taught her how to survive.”
“But you’ll only really be okay once this is over,” Adam said. “We understand that, believe me.”
“I remember what you said about Ginny facing her abuser, so we do believe you. Fair warning, though. If there’s an opportunity, I’m probably going to punch Bateman in the fucking face.”
“Of course,” Jake said. “That’s the Benedict way.”
“I heard that’s how Kendalls do things, as well.” Phillip’s quip put smiles on the faces of the Kendalls in the vehicle.
“Jessops are like that, too.” Marc’s disembodied voice reached them from Adam’s phone in the console of his cruiser. That particular cousin’s humor held a fine, wry edge that Jason appreciated.
I guess I know my family here better than I thought I did. There was no question that Jason was scared out of his wits at the moment. But his faith in all these cousins—in his family—was absolute.
“Okay, they’ve turned off onto the road that leads to the barn. I’m driving to the secondary entrance. I’ll let you know when I have them in sight again.”
“That’s where we’re headed, too,” Jake said. “So don’t shoot when you see us approach.” To Jason and Phillip, he said, “There’s an unpaved road that wends its way to a small rise, over which you can see the barn and everything going on around it. And, of course, there are the security cameras.”
“An abandoned barn has security cameras?” Phillip asked the question before Jason could.
Jake turned around and shot them both a look that wasn’t too hard to interpret. “What do you think? We already told you. Too many rat bastards find this place. So of course, we installed security cameras—inside and out. I’m pretty sure that, especially in the dark of night, Bateman won’t see the ones outside. And I know he’ll never see the ones inside. I couldn’t see those suckers, and I knew they were there.”
Jason guessed he was getting into the same mindset as his Texan cousins. In that moment, it didn’t seem strange to him at all to have security cameras on and in an abandoned barn.
“Of course. Well, then, let’s get this dog and pony show wrapped up, shall we?”
Chapter Eighteen
“Stop your car now. Open your window, pop your trunk, turn off the ignition, and sit still, with your palms on your knees.”
Leesa had been surprised when, the moment she’d slid behind the wheel, Bateman had called her again—and kept her on the line during the entire drive here. She wanted to call him a dumbass because the time he should have been listening in—while she’d still been in the restaurant—he hadn’t bothered to do so. Or maybe he’s stupid and didn’t think of it.
Leesa followed his orders and waited to see what would happen next. Behind her, headlights on high beam blinded her. She couldn’t see if Bateman was moving behind her, but of course, he likely was. That was confirmed when she heard the trunk lid raised.
She’d thought she’d completely forgotten all of the safety classes she’d taken in Kabul. Defensive posture drills, what to do if she was approached or taken. Classes, she thought now, she’d never had to utilize while in enemy territory.
No, she’d had to come home to Texas to do that.
It’s just a damn good thing that now that I do need that information my mind has decided to bring it all back from my personal archives.
She blinked when a flashlight hit her in the eyes. Then Bateman used it to examine the interior of the car.
He grunted then stepped back. “Get out of the car and keep your hands where I can see them.”
“Well, I have to undo my seatbelt first.”
He let loose an expletive she barely heard then sighed. “Do it.”
Her heart pounded in her chest as she obeyed. Then she was standing outside her car, with her hands raised. He motioned her back toward his vehicle, and Leesa wondered if the asshole was going to take her somewhere else in his car.
He used his flashlight to illuminate the interior of his trunk. “Asshole has a glass jaw. Pick him up and carry him inside that barn. I know you know how to do that. You were a soldier for fifteen years.”
She did know how to carry someone more than twice her weight. It was all balance and leverage. Bryce groaned when she lifted him, and she didn’t know if he was awake or not.
“Easy, jerk. I’ll try not to hurt you.”
Leesa saw a chance when Bateman let her get too close to him. She could have heaved the weight she carried onto him and taken him down. But not without risk to Bryce, and like she’d told Adam, he was an asshole but didn’t deserve to die.
Just before they reached the barn, Bateman stepped ahead. The barn door was locked, a sturdy padlock barring the way. Bryce aimed his weapon and fired. At the last moment Leesa closed her eyes and turned her head. She felt a sting on her cheek and knew a piece of metal had gotten her.
He opened the door and kept it open. He hadn’t turned his car headlights off, so there was just enough light for her to see where she was going.
Bateman looked around then walked to where a string dangled. One pull, and the barn was illuminated, but not brightly.
“That was a new lock. Figured there might be something in here, but it’s just an old abandoned barn.”
“I think the lock was to deter teens from using it as a party palace.” Leesa had heard about this barn and the interesting uses it had been put to over the last couple of years. She’d once heard Adam and Jake quibbling about whether or not the damn thing should be torn down.
“Put him down.” He looked around. “Hell, there’s not even a water source in here.”
Leesa saw what appeared to be another room. “Maybe in there? That would have been the tack room, when this was a working barn.”
“Doesn’t matter. You won’t be here that long.” He pointed at Bryce with his gun. “Wake him up.”
Leesa didn’t know how the hell she was going to do that. She looked down at her ex and met his gaze.
“I’m awake. What the fuck, Bates?”
“Not Bates,” Leesa said. “Bateman, and he’s with the DEA. He was undercover when we knew him back in the day.”
“You two sure as fuck don’t talk like mortal enemies, which strangely is good for me.”
“Hey, asshole, I might not be the smartest man alive, but even I know the mortal enemy is the jerk holding the gun on me.”
“Shut the fuck up.” Bateman raised his gun and held it steady on Bryce. “Leesa, I’m going to ask you a question, and whether or not your ex here—and you—lives or dies depends on your answer.
“When you were in Kabul, one of your ex’s pals came to you and gave you a letter to hang on to—gave you a sob story about having no family and wanting you to notify his friends back in the States if anything happened to him. Do you remember that?”
“Of course. Jerry Levine. Said something about not trusting the brass to take care of his effects, that he only trusted me.”
“Where is that letter, now?”
Leesa looked at Bateman. “I gave it back to him. He came to visit me in the infirmary, just before I was shipped back home. I handed him back his letter, because I was leaving the army. Told him to give it to someone else.”
On the ground, Bryce started to laugh. Leesa looked down at him, a kind of horrified fascination taking over. As far as she could see, he’d been punched in the face. His lip had bled, and his left eye was lo
oking swollen. She didn’t see any wounds on his legs.
So she kicked him. “Are you fucking nuts? Dude, asshole here has a gun pointed at us and he doesn’t look happy!”
“What the fuck are you laughing at, Jordan? I don’t need to keep you alive if there’s no fucking letter.”
“I’m laughing because I finally get all that crap I’ve heard all my life about karma.” Bryce stopped laughing and stared at Bateman. “I’m laughing because I overheard the bastard bragging that he gave Leesa the letter. So while she was on duty, I rifled through her stuff, found it, and opened it. There were directions to a farmhouse, which I copied out and then memorized. I’m fucking laughing because the first fucking thing I did when I got out of prison was to make my way to Virginia. I found Jerry Levine’s fucking farmhouse—I overheard him tell ol’ Johnny Appleseed about the place, back in Kabul, and how he had a secret stash. I remembered every fucking word he said. So yeah, I found that house, and in the back bedroom, I found the stash hole—the safe he’d buried there was open and empty except for a lousy C note.” He shook his head. “Good ol’ Jerry played us all, because that was the kind of sick, twisted bastard he was. He got that stash himself—and then the poor, dumb bastard was killed in a car accident. It was in the news. The crash became an inferno that melted a hole in the highway—and likely turned all those thousands of greenbacks into ash.”
“You’re fucking lying! Both of you! You’ve got some sort of a deal going on here, haven’t you?”
“Well, fuck a duck.” Leesa put her hands on her hips. “How stupid can one man be? That’s the trouble, you know, when you’re a liar and a cheat. When you live your life the way you clearly have, Bateman, looking for the fast and the easy, the down and the dirty. You think everyone else is a liar and a cheat and lives that way, too.”
“Sanctimonious bitch. I sure as hell don’t need you.” Bateman swung his gun toward Leesa. She was nearly close enough to kick it out of his hand. Nearly, but not quite.
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