Devil's Deal

by Terri Lynn Coop

  I’ve heard the phrase “the day turned cold,” but always thought it was a cliché. That is, until now, when goosebumps popped out on my arms despite the sunshine and warm spring breeze.

  “I have immunity.”

  “Yes, and I can tell you that the taskforce has nothing but conjecture and guilt by association on you. But what they do have is your father and a dead stripper. This is still Texas.”

  I rubbed my arms, not sure if I would ever feel warm again.

  “Were you part of the taskforce?”

  “No. I wasn’t assigned until you became a person of interest.”

  “Why you and not someone already familiar with the investigation?”

  He dropped his eyes and his expression went blank.

  “I brought a skill set they thought they needed.”

  I walked to the edge of the pavement. Even though we were only a few blocks from the freeway, the trees shielded the noise, making this park an oasis in a crowded city. With a deep breath, I realized I was tired of this whole damn game. I wasn’t even mad at Ethan for not telling me all this earlier. He’d warned me there was more and he was as bound in his duty as I was.

  And you’ve not exactly been a paragon of the truth.

  If I believed Ethan, the taskforce had the corners and edges, but most of the puzzle was still blank. If Dad didn’t talk, all they really had was glitter and rainbows. Stunned as I was by the perfidy, the reality is that clerks are bound by privilege and nothing they leaked could be used without a crap-ton of corroboration that wasn’t from the same poisoned well.

  The murder was a very real threat. On the flip side, I had the video of Rockhound and the mystery stranger humping her right before she died. I could hand the whole mess over to Gerald and let him sort it out. My father was a big boy and his hands were far from clean. Was I really doing this for him or just because I was a damn cleaner who couldn’t stand to lose? All of my earlier certainties seemed as substantial as dandelion fluff right now. I couldn’t believe what I was thinking, but I had to try it on like a pair of tight shoes.

  “Ethan, have you ever thought about not going in at all?”

  He crossed his arms and looked at me from under his fringe of dark hair.

  “Only every minute of the last two days, but my bag of tricks is empty.”

  “Mine isn’t.” I turned away from him.

  He didn’t say anything, but walked over and put his hands on my shoulders.

  “Jewel, do you know what you’re saying?”

  An angry buzz and sizzling filled my ears. Ethan’s hands jumped and jittered before falling away. I whipped around a split second before he crumpled to the ground, twitching, with his eyes in a frozen stare. Darts attached to wires protruded from his back.

  “Julie that has got to be some of the worse damn fieldcraft I have ever seen. An army could have walked up on you two and your little touchy-feely fest. Bobby, get over there and secure him. My thirty seconds on this burst are almost up.”

  Mike leaned against the corner of the SUV we were parked behind. In one hand was the Taser. In the other was his Beretta M9.

  Two men I didn’t know swarmed over Ethan, zip-cuffing him as soon as the buzzing stopped and his muscles relaxed. Still stunned, Ethan didn’t have time to say anything before they put a strip of duct tape over his mouth.

  “I am damned sorry about this, but I need to take you and the cop to Rockhound. I don’t want to hurt you, but you know I will.”

  Sounds of a scuffle turned Mike’s attention to where Ethan had come up fighting. Even cuffed, he’d head-butted one of his captors, breaking his nose. Without taking the pistol off me, Mike flipped a switch on his Taser, jammed it into Ethan’s arm, and pulled the trigger. Ethan went rigid and screamed around the tape before collapsing.

  “Drive Stun mode and pain compliance. When you overload the brain’s ability to cope, the subject becomes quite cooperative. Don’t worry. Your boy isn’t permanently injured. But if you get any stupid ideas that could change really fast.” Mike’s voice was calm, like he was delivering a lesson on the gun range.

  “Hands behind your back sweetheart. I know you well enough not to trust you.”

  “Mike, what the hell is this and why are you doing it?”

  He didn’t answer. Instead he pressed the barrel of his pistol behind Ethan’s ear.

  “We all have our orders and our reasons. Put your damn hands behind your back.”

  There was movement that I heard but didn’t see, then my wrists were crossed and the plastic cuff zipped home, cutting into my skin.

  Mike holstered the Taser. “Bobby, get the van and get your idiot brother cleaned up. We’ve got someplace we need to be.”

  CHAPTER 72

  The thought of running lasted about three seconds. I was bound, Mike was a dead-eye shot, and Ethan was at his mercy. Yet again, I was hostage to my loyalty to a man.

  The brown van was the soul of anonymity. Not too shiny or grubby on the outside. On the inside, the middle row of seats was gone, and there was a wall of heavy steel mesh separating the cab from the cargo area. It looked like a low-key repairman’s ride.

  The two helpers manhandled Ethan into the van. While zip-tying his feet to the mesh, the brother with the broken nose stepped on Ethan’s bound hands and laughed at his moan of pain.

  Mike spoke sharply. “Knock that shit off. I’ve seen what’s in his military and FBI files and they don’t give that shit out for free. If I’d had a few more like him in Fallujah, I might still have my leg. This is a job, not some fucking kid’s game. Act like a professional.” He turned to me. “You’re next, Julie. Sit on the floor, with your back to the window. Remember, his life depends on your behavior.”

  With my hands tied I had to sit on the carpet and scoot backward. Mike fastened my ankle to an eyebolt in the floor, running his half-ruined hand up my leg during the process. I didn’t react, but was scalded by Ethan’s glare.

  We had one chance. What no one knew—not the taskforce, not Ethan, not Rockhound—was that I had the money. The journal Dad left for me the day he was arrested, the one hidden in the messenger bag in Uncle Jimmy’s floor vault, held the keys and codes to wealth, information, and power that even Rockhound couldn’t ignore and I knew how to read it. Since the secret was out, it was time to use it to our advantage.

  Mike had to holster his weapon to hoist himself into the van and close the door. Settling into the bench seat, he rubbed his knee above his prosthetic leg.

  “Bobby, get on the road.”

  The driver waved in the rearview mirror and pulled out of the park.

  “I have to say. You two snowed me completely. I had zero clue lover boy was a cop. My compliments to you, I don’t fool easily.”

  “Mike, how did you find us?”

  “Julie, like the song says, sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. Guess what turn yours was today?”

  He leaned back and fished a water bottle out of the seat pocket. I smiled, hoping to keep him engaged and maybe sympathetic. I was rewarded with him holding the bottle to my lips.

  He drank again before continuing. “When you two disappeared, I got a frantic call from the boss. He told me it was a setup, that Price was a fed, and that you’d shaken the tail. He was afraid you’d gone off the grid. He was raving about some op to snatch you up that had been compromised. When I talked him off the ledge, he sent me the boy scout’s service records and I balanced my resources against my gut. I knew you didn’t run.”

  Tail? We were being tailed?

  I looked over at Ethan and his expression was as confused as I felt. One thing was for sure, I had to keep Mike talking.

  “How did you know we stayed around? I’ve got half a dozen people who’d loan me a private jet on a smile.”

  “Not with a cop in tow, they wouldn’t, and I knew you two were tight. That’s how you suckered me. You can’t fake that kind of vibe. Also, I didn’t think you’d hang your dad out to dry. I sen
t men to the Dallas FBI office, Loeb’s office, and here. I decided to come to San Antonio personally because the records told me that his rabbi runs this place. Just like the military, when you’re in big trouble, it’s natural to run home to a commander you trust.”

  Ethan closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall of the van. Listening to our plans being so coolly dissected was galling.

  “We were right behind you from the underpass. The plan was to pull up, zap him, and grab you. If we could take him as well, that was a bonus. Not elegant, but fast enough that no one would be able to react. When he shot on past the compound, we followed you to your little love scene at the park. I will say the bike surprised me. I was on the lookout for the Challenger and you caught us flat-footed. We were late teeing off. Had you been paying attention, you’d have lost us.”

  The whine of the engine told me we were picking up speed. With rush hour over, we’d made it back to the freeway a lot faster than this morning’s crawl. Ethan still had his eyes closed, but his posture told me he was completely alert.

  Since I couldn’t do anything for Ethan, I had to concentrate on getting as much information as I could. With that in mind, I turned the full force of my attention on Mike. A couple of wriggles and stretches arched my back and extended my legs at a nice angle. A head toss bared my inked shoulder and landed my thick plait of hair over the other. That was the best I could manage under the circumstances.

  “Okay, Mike, the million-dollar question is why?”

  “Sweetheart, that answer is easy. The reason I’ve put up with the boss the last five years. Better money than anyone else would pay a gimped-up vet. He appreciated what I had to offer without looking at the package.”

  Even though Ethan was fidgeting off to my left, I kept my eyes locked on Mike’s. This was a turning point. I started to speak, but he cut me off.

  “Don’t start with the how you’ve always seen me as a man rap. We both know that’s bullshit. You never gave me the least bit of thought that way. But, that’s okay. Pussy like you was out of my league before I got blown halfway to shit. At least you always played straight with me. You could take a joke, and you never got that disgusted or pitying look on your face.”

  Mike’s voice trailed off, as if embarrassed that he’d said that out loud.

  “To finish up, Rockhound was frantic and I told him this would cost him extra. He asked how much and I named an outrageous figure. He told me it was a deal. Even though I always liked you, I couldn’t say no. When this is done, I’m out of here. I’ve got my fuck-you cash packed and a one-way ticket to the Keys.”

  “You know he’s going to kill us.”

  Out of the corner of my vision I saw Ethan’s eyes pop open. Like he had done to me at Mike’s place, I shook my head so very slightly, signaling him to stay still.

  “Mike, you don’t have to do this.”

  He rubbed his face and sat back.

  “Julie, this is a job. I’m getting paid. Plus, you know my boss. He’s not one to take no for an answer. Yeah, I’ll just pull up and tell him I was wrong, it really wasn’t you and the cop on the bike. It was all just a misunderstanding.”

  I hadn’t really believed I could appeal to his better nature. To my knowledge, he didn’t have one. At least he’d never shown it to me. I decided to go with a direct approach.

  “This is business, right? That’s my second language. Whatever Rockhound is paying you, I’ll add a zero.”

  “That’s big talk, Julie.”

  I detected just a hint of hesitation in his voice. I’d struck meat. Now I needed to see if I could cut to the bone.

  “You take us to Dallas and my lawyer will arrange to pay you off. Whatever you want, you and those two bozos up front, just pick a number. I have resources beyond your imagination.”

  He leaned forward until his scarred face was only inches from mine.

  “You’re good. Smiling and promising me the moon, I have to admit, with an imagination like mine, it’s tempting. Not to mention with you tied up and spread out so pretty, I’ll bet I could even get that blowjob now.”

  The mesh rattled hard.

  Mike leaned back and closed his eyes.

  “Chill out Price. I’m not in the mood, but if you piss me off, I’m sure the boys up front would be more than happy to give your girlfriend a trip around the world.”

  Damn.

  Whatever chord I’d struck wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Enjoy yourself on the beach, Mike, and don’t forget this day. You’re a soldier, not a killer.”

  “Yeah, Julie, I’m going to take morality lessons from you. Let’s not forget that you and me have history.”

  I’d played every card I had up my sleeve. I’d rather face another dozen jeeps with gun-toting fake Africans than Rockhound, especially in his lair. Ethan raised his eyes to meet mine. He knew how serious this was. In my heart, I knew he felt as guilty as I did. He believed this was his fault. I knew it was mine. If I’d taken Joaquin’s offer, Ethan would be safe. Instead, I came back to be with him and go charging in like the cavalry to save my dad.

  Now, I’d killed them both.

  Mike didn’t say anything for the rest of the trip. I tried to suss out where he was at, but the expressionless glare and awkward posture were his natural state. I’d never been able to get a read on him. The driver and his brother acted like they were headed to the hardware store. They had the radio on low and talked about baseball. As for me, I alternated eye contact with Ethan and watching the Texas countryside fly by through the large window in the van’s sliding door. Far too soon we turned onto the gravel road, went through the security gate, and the first of the trees framing the driveway to the massive house came into view.

  I expected them to pull around the side where the service entrances were located. I don’t know why. Maybe because being tied up made me feel like cargo. Instead, the van came to a stop in the curved drive near the double front doors.

  Bobby killed the engine. Turning in his seat, he sawed through the ties holding Ethan to the steel mesh wall. Once free, he flopped over on his side, but the brief glance I exchanged with him told me he wasn’t as weak as he was letting on. Reaching out with his bound hands, he stroked my leg.

  The side door of the van slid open. Mike stepped between me and Ethan and out into the sunlight. He didn’t say anything, but gestured to the men and pointed at me. Before I had a chance to react, Bobby clipped the tie at my ankle and dragged me out of the van. My feet hit the ground and the buzz of pins and needles shot up my legs. Only Mike’s hand kept me from pitching forward onto the concrete.

  Mike bent close and whispered in my ear. “I may not have another chance to talk to you, so I just wanted to say that I’m sorry it came to this. I like you. Hell, I even like him. Remember that first morning when I said if you don’t hear from me by nine to get the hell out of Dodge? For a few minutes, I was tempted to not make the call and let you two get away from the boss. That man is poison. I’d hoped you would just make your deal and disappear. I didn’t know you’d been burned.”

  “Thanks Mike.” I was oddly touched and hopeful that I might be able to rescue something from our earlier conversation.

  In a total surprise move, Mike kissed my cheek.

  “And I’m sorry for this too.”

  Pain erupted under my chin, shooting along my jaw, and ricocheting through my skull. The last thing I saw before my world turned black was his fist on the upswing.

  CHAPTER 73

  Consciousness seeped back slowly. Bells pealed in my head and fire-breathing rats had taken up residence in my right shoulder. My stomach lurched at the chemical smell and taste in my mouth.

  Hard to breathe.

  “I think she’s waking up. It’s about time. Mike shouldn’t have hit her so hard.”

  Rockhound.

  “I got five bucks says she’ll play possum for a while.”

  Familiar. Where have I heard that voice before?

  I kept m
y eyes closed, trying to get my head on straight. I couldn’t move my arms. To relieve the cramps in my feet, I shifted my weight. Bright lights flashed across my eyelids in response to the monstrous pain in my shoulder.

  “Maybe I ought to shoot her boyfriend. Think that’ll get her attention?” The familiar voice again. I discounted what he was saying until I heard the unmistakable sound of a revolver cylinder spinning.

  My eyes flew open. Still gummy, I blinked to clear them. The first thing that came into focus was Ethan. Still bound and gagged, he was tied to an old-fashioned ballet barre running the length of the mirrored wall. His eyes, wide and pained, met mine.

  Oh my God. We’re in the music room.

  My own reflection caused me to suck in my breath, only to realize my mouth was taped. The gagging chemical smell of the duct tape burned my sinuses and throat as I tugged against the plastic ties securing my wrists to heavy metal sconces bolted to the wall. My struggles pitched my weight too far to one side and I lost balance on my toes. As I fell, my shoulders and wrists took my full weight as I screamed against the gag.

  The music room was a running joke with certain members of the party crowd. Covered in mirrors, and wired for light and sound, this is where Rockhound held private gatherings—strictly rough trade, entrance by invitation only. The video of Camille Floyd had been shot in here. I concentrated on breathing slowly, getting my balance back, and getting my panic in check.

  If I lose it, this time I’m the party.

  “See, I told you she was faking it. Rockhound, you owe me a sawbuck. And, by the way, that is the stupidest damn handle the Secreted Surlies have ever given anyone. Let’s get this show started.”

  I saw him in the mirror first. Khakis, button-down shirt, and a snow-white Stetson came into view. He stopped near Ethan with his back to me.

  Stetson? Fisk? It’s Fisk?

  The leak was that pile of crap Ranger Daryl Fisk? No wonder the voice was familiar. The anger actually helped me get control of my panic. I got my weight back on my toes and the pain in my shoulder eased to a steady ache.