A coyote howled in the hills behind the ranch. The man stopped and lowered his weapon. He shook his head and ambled toward the pickup where he rested his foot on the back bumper.
Rats. No way could Lela gain access to the vehicles now. Releasing her breath, she backtracked to the fence and held up the bottom strand of barbed wire. When she wriggled through, a barb caught on her jeans and ripped the fabric over her right thigh. She ignored the sharp jab and rolled away from the fence. Remaining motionless and quiet, she waited among the scrubby weeds for another opportunity to place the tracking devices. She rested her chin on her arms and noted details of the vehicles for identification purposes. Dim light from the porch illuminated most of the California license plate of the dark SUV. She committed it to memory. Other than recognizing the green pickup as an old model extended cab, she couldn’t distinguish any other details.
Without warning, the front door burst open, spilling light onto the porch. The man in charge yelled, “Victor, get over here. Quick!”
Victor dashed to the porch. “What’s wrong, Walter?”
“Harry found a hole in a wall of the shack. I know it wasn’t there this morning.”
Lela drew in a sharp gasp.
“Someone’s been here. There are gouge marks on the outside. Davenport didn’t untie his hands like he said. He had help. Search the area. Javier will meet you out front. Harry and Stoner will check the back.”
No chance now of getting close to the vehicles. Lela slithered away as quietly as a rattle-less snake. A sliver of a moon peeked out from its duvet of clouds and illuminated her gray pickup hidden in an arroyo. With fear nibbling at her neck, she climbed in and made her way to the dirt road. Then she turned on her headlights and sped across the chaparral.
8
As Lela raced out of the hills, she vacillated between getting chewed out for disobeying her boss’s orders, and maybe getting fired, or keeping mum and running the risk of losing track of Chuck and his kidnappers.
The first option won.
Bowen answered her call on the second ring. “I’ve been waiting for info. What’s the scoop?”
Lela massaged the tangles in her stomach. Here goes. “When I arrived at the villa, Mrs. Davenport was close to hysteria. She added little to the discussion. However, the housekeeper filled in details, and the oldest daughter, Danielle, provided valuable intel.”
“Such as? Your voice is fading in and out. Are you at their house?”
“No, but let me explain.”
“Lela—”
“Before you hit the roof, please listen.”
He let out a long breath. “Go ahead.”
“The four children were with Chuck at the beach when he was taken. One guy handed Danielle a note for Beth. For a nine-year-old, Danielle is a smart young lady. She gave me a good description of the men, although they were wearing ski masks, and she provided details about their vehicle.” Lela swallowed. So far, so good. “I guess the men didn’t realize the girl understood Spanish. The most important nugget she garnered was the route they’d take. They mentioned the back roads to El Porvenir.”
“Which is…”
“North of Ensenada.”
“And you went there?”
“I had to, Bowen. And as it turned out, I found Chuck—”
“You have him?”
“No, no.” She outlined the night’s events and included the men’s names, the partial plate number, and other details of the vehicles.
“The tip panned out.” A faint note of incrimination laced Bowen’s words. “Too bad you couldn’t place the transponders. We’ll run the plate and get back to you when we have information. Lela, I commend you for following your gut, although you disobeyed my orders.” He cleared his throat. “Good job.”
Lela cracked a brief smile. “When will help arrive?”
“Smitty’s on his way, but even with IRO’s contacts, we can’t send a fully equipped team into Mexico on such short notice. Cooper Callahan will join you when he wraps up a case here.”
With that information and his praise, Lela had to be content. At least she trusted Preston Smith. They made a good team. She’d heard positive things about Cooper although she hadn’t met him. He was one of the founding agents of IRO and transferred recently from Houston where he’d conducted most of the training programs for rookies. Considering her experience with Hank, they could do with Cooper’s services in the San Diego branch.
Too bad these agents weren’t with her now. Together, they could have overpowered the thugs and rescued Chuck.
By the time she reached the outskirts of Ensenada, pink and gold streaks diluted the inky sky. Lela navigated the quiet streets to the beach villa south of town, punched in the gate code, and parked in front of the palatial portico, now bathed in soft gold rays of dawn. Tomas, the housekeeper’s husband, acting as guard, unlocked and opened the carved oak doors for Lela.
Beth sprang from the padded bench in the foyer and held her hand out to Lela. “Did you find Chuck? Is he…hurt?” Worry lines creased her brow, and her voice dripped with concern.
“Let’s talk in the living room so we don’t wake the children.” Lela guided Beth to the scuffed, tan leather sofa and sat next to her.
“Please, tell me he’s OK?” Beth rubbed her left wrist encased in a splint.
Lela used a soft, even tone. “I tracked the vehicle to a homestead about thirty miles north of Ensenada, close to the little town of El Porvenir. The men had Chuck tied up in a storeroom.”
“He’s alive?” Beth clung to Lela’s hand.
“Yes. I spoke to him. But five men were on guard, and I couldn’t free him by myself.” Lela patted Beth’s hand. “I’ll return with more operatives later today and––”
The double front doors shuddered under a hammering knock.
Both women stared at the doors. Where was Tomas?
“Are you expecting anyone?” With a hand on her weapon, Lela dashed to the doors and checked the peephole.
“My brother. He was supposed to be here earlier, but there was a massive wreck north of us.” Her faint voice barely made it to Lela’s ears. “If you see a man built like a tank with blondish gray hair, then it’s Jay.”
Lela studied the man. He resembled Beth’s description, but to be certain she asked, “Who is it?”
“Jay Vashon, Elizabeth’s brother. I forgot my key.”
Lela opened the door.
Jay barreled in and strode straight to the sofa. “Beth, honey. I drove as quickly as I could. The authorities only cleared the road twenty minutes ago.”
Beth stood and disappeared in her brother’s embrace.
While Beth sobbed out her misery, Lela settled in one of the padded tan and blue striped armchairs. She crossed her legs. Dust coated her brown boots and the front of her jeans. The jagged hole over her thigh exposed a deep gouge. Fortunately, although dried blood rimmed the edge of the material, it didn’t look too bad. She shuddered at a mental image of Victor and Javier with rifles at the ready. Thankful the scrape was her only injury, other than the cactus pricks, she smoothed the fabric and peeked at Jay. His tender ministrations and encouraging words showed his concern for Beth.
A child’s troubled cry drifted in from the hall.
Beth raised her head from Jay’s chest. “That’s Sean. I have to get him.” She swiped at her moist cheeks and gestured in Lela’s direction. “Jay, this is Lela Ortiz. She can explain what happened to Chuck. The other kids will wake soon. They’ll need my attention too.” With a crisp nod to her brother, she fled down the hall, her long, blonde hair streaming behind her.
Jay squinted at Lela as if seeing her for the first time. His smirk indicated he didn’t have a high opinion of her. “Ms. Ortiz, you’re in charge here? What do you know about Chuck?” He dropped to the sofa, and the cushions responded with a whoosh as air escaped.
Observing him through narrowed eyes, Lela drew on her experience working with anxious family members of kidnapped victims and ig
nored the hostility seeping from the man. “Your sister engaged the services of IRO to rescue Chuck.”
A sharp V creased between his eyes. “What’s IRO?”
“International Retrieval Organization. We specialize in—”
“I get the picture.”
If his all-encompassing glare held heat, she would have been singed. Hackles up, she returned his scrutiny. Suspicion sizzled between them. Set jaws. Narrowed eyes. Without backing down, Lela pointed to his bloodied shirt. “I believe you were involved in a car wreck?”
“Huh?” His frown deepened before it disappeared. “No. Yes. I witnessed the catastrophe. Tried to help as many of the injured as I could before the authorities arrived.”
“Where did this happen?” She had a vague idea from Beth’s explanation.
“About twenty miles from here.”
Lips pursed, she studied his eyes. Was he telling the truth? One way to find out. “You just happened to be away from the house when your brother-in-law was kidnapped?”
His eyes widened. “Yes. I had dinner with a…friend—wait. You think I had something to do with this mess? I don’t believe it. If I’d been here, Chuck would be safe.”
“Your convenient absence is suspicious. Besides, it’s my job to question everyone.”
Jay sent her a smoldering look, but then visibly shook it off and clasped his hands. “I appreciate that you have a job to do, but let me explain why you need to take my name off your suspect list. At about three o’clock yesterday afternoon, I received a call from, uh, Kate Reynolds, my former fiancée. She sounded desperate. I agreed to meet her in Rosarito. You can check my phone, if you like. Aha. I have better evidence. We ate at Café de Miguel. Do you want to see the receipt?” His body language matched his words. No lies.
Lela shook her head. “No need. Sorry, but I had to ask.”
They eyed each other across the room.
Lela fidgeted with the hole in her jeans. How could his scrutiny burn her one moment and in the next, send a warm ripple through her body?
Leaning forward, Jay broke the spell. “What about Chuck?”
She rolled her tense shoulders. “I located the place where they’re holding him.”
Jay sprang off the sofa and jabbed a finger in the direction of her face. “You know where he is, and you’re sitting here?”
Lela fixed her gaze on his anger-flushed face. He’s a victim, too. “Chuck’s guarded by at least five men. When my colleagues arrive later this morning, we’ll return to the ranch.”
A hint of a spicy aftershave or cologne accompanied his physical presence.
Jay folded his arms, his biceps straining against the thin knit fabric of his blue shirt. His jaw muscles worked, adding fierceness to his features. But when he spoke, his calm voice gained her respect. “Forgive my outburst. I don’t want to get in your way, but I know my sister can’t hold it together much longer. She’s recovering from her surgery and a nervous breakdown. With Sean’s needs…” He turned to the window and opened the drapes, flooding the room with golden morning light. Back on the sofa, he rested his elbows on his knees. “What was Beth thinking? I’m sure she had a good reason to call IRO, but what can…you do to help Chuck? The bruise on your jaw indicates someone got the upper hand. And you look as if you’re barely old enough to drive, let alone rescue someone.” His visual examination raked her from boots to forehead.
Bristling at his rudeness, Lela touched her jaw before opening her mouth to tell Jay exactly what she could do.
A glass-shattering scream pierced the tense atmosphere.
9
By her wide-eyed stare, Lela obviously hadn’t been told of Sean’s outbursts. Jay flew to his feet at the same time she bolted out of the chair, right hand plunging inside her vest. He swerved in front of her and gripped her shoulders. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing that will require use of your weapon.”
Without shifting her concentration from the hallway, she asked, “What do you mean? Someone screamed.”
“It’s Sean.” Had she met the children?
Although she lowered her hand, her shoulders remained taut. “I know he is…he has a disability.”
A series of high-pitched screams filled the room as Sean scampered in. He stopped and regarded the adults. Clad in navy-blue pajamas, he yanked an adult-size baseball cap over his large, protruding ears then charged Lela and prodded her leg.
Before Sean could harm her, Jay scooped him up and swung him around once. “Hi, buddy. This is my friend, Lela. Can you say hello?”
The child buried his head in Jay’s chest and yelled, “No Jay-Jay. Want Daddy.”
Noting the concern on Lela’s face, Jay pointed to the armchair as he carried Sean to the sofa. “Please have a seat.”
The child wriggled out of his grasp and dashed back down the hall.
“That’s Sean. He’s one reason I recommend the family return to San Diego. With all this upheaval, it’s imperative he be in a familiar environment. Also, Beth will cope better with the support of her regular household staff.” And everyone will be in a secure environment, in a place where I trust the authorities. Jay released a heavy sigh. “Sean didn’t notice the blood on my shirt, but I have to change before the girls see me. I’ll be right back.”
He dashed to his room where he replaced the stained item with a clean white shirt, then joined the agent. “Now, tell me what you know about the kidnapping.”
Lela squared her shoulders. “Chuck and the children were down at the beach yesterday morning. Two men threw a bag over his head, tied his wrists, and gave a note to Danielle, I suppose because she’s the oldest. They told her to deliver it to her mother.”
“Beth wasn’t with them?”
“No. Since only Danielle and Erin were going to swim, Chuck didn’t need her help. She stayed here to rest.”
“I’ve told them over and over they should vacation in the U.S. But do they listen to me? Noooo.” He tugged at the ribbed neckline of his shirt. “Sorry. What happened next?”
“Danielle said there were no other people on the beach. She carried Sean and made Erin hold Alyssa’s hand as they returned to the villa.” From the side table Lela picked up a plastic bag containing a piece of paper. “Here’s the note.” She handed it to Jay.
He held the bag at an angle so he could read the scrawled words. “Do not contact the police. Stay in the villa and wait for a phone call. If you do not obey, we will come back for the boy.” His chest tightened and blood thumped in his head. “I suppose Beth hasn’t contacted the local authorities?”
“No, she called IRO immediately. I was the only operative available and arrived within hours.” Lela shifted in the chair.
“Why IRO?”
“I’ll let Beth explain.”
“How about the phone call?”
“They contacted her late last night, stressing they would kill Chuck and come for Sean if she involved the police.”
“They mentioned him by name?”
Lela nodded. “They haven’t stated their ransom demands yet, which I find suspicious.”
Wandering to the window, Jay set his hands on his hips. “How were you able to locate their hideout?”
“I’m amazed at Danielle’s calm demeanor and clear-headedness in a crisis. She gave me a good description of the men and their vehicle.” Lela joined Jay at the window. “Even though they were speaking Spanish, she understood them to say they were taking Chuck to El Povenir.”
“I’m aware of the name. Is that where you found him?”
“People I questioned remembered a new SUV matching Danielle’s description passing through the little town. An elderly man named the side road he’d seen the vehicle take. I found the SUV and located Chuck bound in a shed behind a secluded house about seven miles east of the community.”
Turning from the riot of garden flowers outside to Lela, Jay nodded. Although young, she appeared to know her business. “What’s suspicious about no ransom demand?”
She fix
ed her dark eyes on him. The intensity of her gaze stirred something in the vicinity of his chest. He stepped backward to escape.
“Although two of the men I saw last night spoke Spanish, I could tell by their accents they’re not locals. IRO contacts have assured us major drug cartels are not involved. Therefore, we believe it’s personal.” She moved to the sofa and scratched her left forearm.
He noticed blotches of dried blood. “There’s—”
A cacophony of babbling voices drew his attention toward the hall.
Bounding like a jackrabbit, Sean held Erin’s and Alyssa’s hands, and they entered the living room. Beth followed with Danielle. Dressed in shorts and T-shirts, the younger children swarmed around Jay’s legs.
“Uncle Jay-Jay,” they chorused as if they hadn’t seen him in days.
“Some bad guys took Daddy and—” seven-year-old Erin said.
“I was scared.” Alyssa’s lips quivered.
“We couldn’t help him,” Erin added.
“Where is he, Uncle Jay?” Holding back tears, Alyssa yanked on his hand.
He squatted and gathered the two girls and Sean into his arms. “I know you must have been frightened, but I’m here now, and you’re safe.” Releasing them and standing, he studied Danielle. With her arm around Beth’s middle, she seemed to have matured years in the time he spent in Rosarito. What more could he do to comfort his family? “This is my friend, Lela, and she’ll be helping to bring Daddy home.”
Although pale and drawn, Beth’s face broke into a genuine smile. She’d taken the time to braid her hair in a long strand. “Run along to the kitchen, children. Marta has made cinnamon and raisin pancakes for breakfast.” She hugged Danielle and indicated she should accompany her siblings.
They disappeared through an arched doorway, with Sean jabbering about raisins.
Beth flexed the fingers of her uninjured hand. “You know Marta prepares extra. Do you want to eat?”
Extending his arms her direction, Jay said, “Not right now. How are you holding up, Bethy?”
At the use of his pet name, she crumpled like a marionette with broken strings.
Day of Reckoning Page 4