Now to find Kyle Marx and rescue Caley.
The ride was the longest in history. They’d opted out of contacting Tampa’s local PD for fear the sirens and lights might make Caley’s abductors do desperate things. This needed to go down quietly and with the skill Shep and Wilder possessed, even if Shep couldn’t help second-guessing the decision. The thirty-minute drive to Tampa was a long time.
Wilder kept a tight grip on the wheel, barely speaking. Shep’s knee bounced like a drug addict needing a fix, his insides mimicking it. Neither brought up the fact that Shepherd had declared his love for Caley and quit.
Would she even care that he hadn’t left? That he was doing everything in his power to save her?
They slowed at the street that led to a large exotic animal farm, masking what it really was. An illegal exotic animal ring. A front used to ship these creatures on the black market. Ship the eggs. Who knew what was inside?
“Leo, you should wait here,” Shepherd said. “I don’t know what we’re getting into. You’ll be safer in the car.”
“My daughter might be inside. I’m going. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I want to make them right. I love my daughter. No matter what. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her. And I know she’s messed up. Horribly, but she’s mine. And I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
“Fine,” Wilder said.
This man had made some serious wrong calls lately, but his love for his daughter was pure. Unconditional. Maybe that’s what God’s fatherly love was also like. Pure. Unwavering. Because if anyone deserved to be punished it was Darcy Fines. And Shepherd. But Leo wasn’t thinking about consequences right now. He just loved her.
A Psalm he’d skimmed in Caley’s Bible came to his mind.
Show me Your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By Your mighty power You rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies.
Shepherd had made a lot of mistakes too. Looking back, God had rescued Shep. Time and again. Leading him all the way to Chaplain Chastain. To good friends like Wilder. And to Caley, who had shown him grace in so many ways, demonstrating it in a way he needed to see. From sandwiches to defending him before her brother.
But he’d annihilated it.
Could he make it right?
He’d hurt her more than anyone in his life.
Could he win her back?
Maybe not. But he could save her.
God, help me right this. By Your mighty power rescue her. Rescue me from my past. Help me to truly surrender it all and let it go. Help me to believe. And give Caley the strength to show me grace again. To show me forgiveness.
And if she didn’t, he wouldn’t blame her.
He’d disappear from her life. From Wilder’s.
But he ached for grace.
They exited the car.
“We have about a half mile to the entrance,” Wilder said. The facility was surrounded with fencing about twelve feet high and rolled in barbed wire. “I imagine there’ll be security cameras there so we need to find a different entry point.”
A large tin building sat about a click away. Adjacent to that was a small house. Where would Caley be?
“Pop the trunk,” Wilder said. “Tom said he gave you some surveillance equipment and tools. I know you have them.”
Shep popped the trunk and removed wire cutters. “Let’s go in on the south side. We’ll have better tree coverage.” Wilder nodded and Shep took the lead, using a rabbit ears signal with his fingers to motion them to follow. He and Wilder sandwiched Leo as they kept to the shadows of the trees to gain entrance to the property.
“Ever used a gun, Leo?” Shep asked, retrieving his other ankle-holstered gun. A Glock.
“A few times. I’m not Rambo.”
He might need a gun. This wasn’t going to be an easy extraction. “You shoot. You shoot to kill. Understood?” Shep asked.
“No mercy,” Leo echoed.
Shep wasn’t one to not show mercy since God had shown him so much, but these guys weren’t showing a drop. This wasn’t about revenge or going in and taking out a group of human beings. It was dog eat dog. If Wilder and Shep didn’t take them down, the other team wouldn’t hesitate to kill them both and Leo...and Caley.
So... “No mercy.”
* * *
Strapped to a chair, Caley surveyed her surroundings. Nothing but the stench of animals and their excrement. Stacked crates filled with animals lined the walls. Turtles, fish, birds, an array of cats. Lynx to tigers. Her heart tore in two.
Rob had brought her in and tied her up in an office with a glass window that looked into the immense warehouse. A sliding door led to a section beyond that. Who knew what was in there.
They seemed to have the larger animals sedated. They were too lethargic.
Burly Guy was standing outside. He’d been left to guard her. Where did Rob go? Would they stage her death too? First Mary Beth and now her.
God, help me. Save me.
What if He didn’t? Then what?
She’d have to trust Him anyway. She didn’t want to die. But knowing she’d be in the arms of Jesus if she did gave her some comfort.
Muffled voices sounded from the thin walls. Caley strained to listen.
“Why?” A woman’s voice. “Please don’t do this.”
“I have no choice, Darcy.” A man’s voice. Not Rob. Not Burly Guy.
“No! No, don’t!” The cries pinched Caley’s heart. Oh God!
The crying slowly ebbed until there was nothing but silence. Caley’s gut screamed Darcy was dead. She was going to be next.
She struggled with the ties, hoping to wiggle her way out. No go. The office door opened and Kyle Marx entered. “Caley Flynn. We finally meet. You’ve been a little pill.”
“What did you do to Darcy?” she demanded, refusing to show fear.
“I’m afraid Darcy has always been in trouble with drugs and she’s had an overdose.” He feigned sadness, then grinned.
Anyone tied to this crazy animal ring was being picked off. “How many deaths can you fake before Turtle Bay police figure it out? Mary Beth. Darcy. Me? Did you kill Billy? He’s missing.” Everyone was turning up dead.
“He’s safe. For today. Who knows? Maybe when summer is over and he goes back home, gets settled in school, he’ll also have a tragic accident.”
Caley struggled with her ties. She had to get out of here.
Kyle only laughed. “Caley, you should have never come into my club. Seen the eggs. You could have gotten off scot-free.”
“The cops have the footage I took that night and the GoPro footage. They know your club is selling illegal turtle eggs. How are you going to get away with that?”
Kyle looked out the glass windows. “There won’t be anyone to connect me to that. I’m so sorry this happened and in my own club. I’m appalled. Notice, I’m not on any of the videos.”
Caley wanted to throw up.
“I might get a hefty fine but I can pay that.” He sniffed. “Exotic animals aren’t cheap.”
“What about Leo? He’ll know his daughter was murdered.” Caley squeezed her eyes shut. Leo. Poor Leo.
“He might know it, but he won’t be able to prove it. Besides, Leo won’t say a word. He loves his job. And he gave me a nice stack of cash. Which I imagine can be traced to his bank account. If things go sideways, I always have a plan. Always.”
Leo wouldn’t roll over like that. Maybe he had for Mary Beth. And even Caley when she’d first been attacked. But not his own daughter.
“And what about me? No one will believe I killed myself. You think my brother or Shepherd Lightman will rest until they find you? Because they won’t.” She only hoped they’d rescue her in time. Except Shepherd was gone. On a plane. On a cruise. But Wilder would find her. He’d have to. “They’ll take you apart limb by limb. Slowly. Painfully. I promise you that.” Kyle didn’t know Shepherd wouldn’t be coming to save her.
“Feisty.” He laughed. “No wonder Rob likes you so much.”
He ran his finger down her cheek. She jerked away. “Yes, feisty indeed. You remind me of an exotic animal. Backed against the wall.”
“Doesn’t she?” The door that had been cracked opened wider and in stepped Nora Simms.
“Nora?” Caley’s brain wouldn’t compute.
“Hello, Kyle. I got here as soon as I could. Had to give a stellar speech first.” She turned to Caley. “Was that some applause or what?”
What was going on?
“You’re in this together? You’ve been trafficking animals? Your dad would roll over in his grave!”
Nora’s eyes slanted and she pointed a red-polished nail at Caley. “My father cared about nothing but those precious turtles. And when he died, he left his money to them. What did I get? A measly portion. So don’t talk about my dad like he’s a hero.”
Caley shook her head. “This is some kind of sick revenge on your late father?”
Nora rolled her eyes. “This is about money, Caley. Money. And I don’t mind kicking my dad when he’s down.” She laughed and pulled out a gun with a silencer.
She’d played them all.
“You think you and Kyle are going to just get away with this?”
Nora’s smile turned sickeningly sweet. “This whole thing is a fiasco, Caley. Only one of us is getting out of it. And that’s me.” She aimed her gun and pulled the trigger.
Kyle Marx dropped dead on the floor.
Caley stared, unable to look away from the horrific sight. Blood pumped through her heart at wild speeds. Her ears rang.
“Everything points to Kyle and his club. But nothing points to me. This will look like nothing more than a thug club owner trying to sweep his mess under the rug with a very non-well-thought-out plan.”
“And Leo?”
Nora frowned. “What about him? He might believe Darcy overdosed. He might believe Kyle killed her. Either way, what’s that got to do with me?”
Leo would go on working for Nora Simms none the wiser.
Fear shot through her veins. With Kyle in control, Caley had had a chance. She might have been able to convince him that his plan had holes. That Shep was already on to him, and Wilder too.
But no one was on to Nora.
They’d think Kyle killed Caley. Case closed. They’d go home and grieve.
Nora would get away with it.
Wait. “You just killed your patsy. They’ll know someone else is in on this.”
Nora shook her head. “Not if they never find his body. They’ll think he left the country. And I assure you, they won’t find his body. And they won’t find yours either.”
So this was what hatred and greed looked liked.
Evil. Dark.
Striding to the door, Nora motioned for Burly Guy. “Take our guest to my most favorite creature. I’m leaving. Get rid of the bodies and evidence.”
Burly Guy undid Caley’s restraints. He and Rob manhandled her from the offices, through the warehouse of animals about to be sold and to a cage. He unlocked the padlocked door, and Caley’s knees buckled.
She pressed into Rob. “Don’t do this. You don’t want to do this.”
Caressing her cheek, he grinned. “I’m gonna miss that pretty face, Meg.” He looked at Burly Guy. “But I’m not gonna watch. Come on.”
Burly Guy shoved her inside and locked it. “Me neither.”
Inside the large cage, a sleek Florida black panther stalked the perimeter.
Far from lethargic.
FOURTEEN
Shep had used the wire cutters to create a crawl-through for them to enter the property. To the right of them was a large fenced-in area housing tigers. This could go really bad really fast. The warehouse lay straight ahead.
“Let’s do a sweep of that house just to be sure,” Wilder whispered.
Shep gnawed the inside of his lip. “No.”
“What?”
“No.” In their eyes Caley would be nothing but trouble. Causing all sorts of problems for them. They’d want to hurt her. Make her suffer. No better way than to force her to see animals—turtles—in caskets. Because that’s how she’d see it. Like her grandfather. Right now she was probably reeling. “They’ll have her out here.”
“How do you know?”
“Because it’ll inflict the most pain on Caley. Seeing those caged animals will be pure torture. They’ll know that too. So the quicker we get in and get her away from that sight, the better.”
Wilder rubbed his chin. “Shepherd, I’ve been off my rocker because of Meghan. Even if you hadn’t already been in Florida, I would have sent you anyway.”
Was that Wilder’s way of apologizing?
“I’m protective because, to me, she is my baby sister. I love her too, man. Forgive me for acting like a complete idiot?”
“This has nothing to do with my failed relationships? My past?”
“I wouldn’t call what you had relationships, Shepherd.” Wilder smirked. “I’m looking out for my sister. But if anyone is worthy of her, it’s you, man. It’s you. I don’t care about your past. And Caley, sure as night is black, won’t. Does she love you back?”
He wasn’t sure now that he’d pushed her away. “I walked. Like I always do. I haven’t changed.”
“Not true. You walked away to protect her. Because you love her. Because you’re afraid you might hurt her. It’s stupid. And I should kick your butt for it, but I get it. And if you quit, then you’re walking away from me too.”
Wilder was right. He didn’t want to leave. Before, with others, he’d been protecting himself. Getting out first, keeping them from abandoning him first. But not with Caley.
If anything he wanted to stay.
“I’m afraid it’s too late.” He’d messed up. Royally. She’d kicked him to the curb. By the time he found her, she wouldn’t want him anymore. Like so many people before. He hadn’t lived up to her expectations.
A man who would leave me when I needed him most...
But that wasn’t going to stop him from rescuing her now.
“It’s not too late. And you won’t know until you ask her.” Wilder used his hand and swiped it across the air as if opening a door. “So, brother,” he said in that teasing tone he was famous for, “go get her. I’m right on your six.”
“Me too,” Leo said.
Wilder raised an eyebrow and pointed to Leo’s gun. “Is that safety on?”
Leo glanced at the gun. “No.”
“Then get in front of me.”
Shepherd quietly laughed and scanned the building. One door on the north side. A double door on the south. They’d squeak. Metal. Drawing attention could get Caley killed if she wasn’t already... No. He wouldn’t go there. Couldn’t live with the guilt if they’d made the wrong call to come alone.
A couple windows up on the second floor. He was sick to death of climbing into windows. “Going up and through to Grandma’s house,” he whispered, then darted to some trees near the building, Wilder and Leo following.
“I’ll cover you from down here. Anyone comes out, they’re going night-night. But if you’re not out in ten minutes with her, I’m coming in.”
“Roger that.” Shep tucked his Sig in his waistband, pulled his knife from its sheath and clamped the blade between his teeth. He hoisted himself to the lowest branch and climbed his way up parallel with the window.
A branch stretched out giving him access to it, but he couldn’t be sure it would hold. God, let this thing hold. Scooting out onto the branch, creaks and pops sent his heart slamming into his rib cage. This was his only shot.
Before the branch thinned into nothing but twigs, he laid his belly to the branch, shimmying until he could grasp the small window ledge. When he released his body from the branch he’d have to use his core and upper arm strength to keep himself from swinging into the building and announcing he was here.
Caley’s life was at stake.
Hands on the window ledge, he dropped from the branch, moving toward impact on the metal building. Before
he smacked into it, he used all the power he had to stop his body an inch from the building. He lifted himself up, eye level with the window. Shep used one hand to keep his body upright and the other to push on the window.
If it didn’t open... It did!
Sliding the window open, he hauled himself inside. Sweat trickled down his back and temples. He was in a loft that overlooked... Heart jumping into his throat, Shep watched as a sleek black panther stalked Caley.
She eased backward, hands out in front of her. She tripped over her long red dress.
Shep pulled his gun, aimed between the metal bars...
The situation was dire. The animal needed to be put down and he had the shot. But Caley wouldn’t want this.
He quickly scanned the loft. No time to go down there. No time to look for a... Gun!
Shep spied a tranquilizer gun. Keeping his gun trained on the panther, he quickly but quietly secured the rifle. Darts lay in an open velvet-lined box. He grabbed them, chambered four and slid to the edge of the loft floor, belly down.
The panther growled at an ear-piercing level.
Caley shook uncontrollably, tripping on her dress again. She landed near a large log and snatched it.
This was not how it was going to end. Not if Shep had his way.
The panther charged.
As it lunged for her, fangs bared, huge paws splayed, she raised the branch as a pitiful barrier.
Shep pulled the trigger.
Twice.
The muscled animal landed on top of her, knocking her to the ground with a thud.
He raced down the loft stairs as she shoved the panther off, eyes wide, still shaking. She was in shock. Her dress was tattered at the hem.
She swiveled in his direction.
Made eye contact.
His heart lurched, but he moved toward her. Wilder would be coming through the door soon if he didn’t get her out, and he wasn’t sure how many men were in the building.
He made his way to the cage. Her lips trembled as they spoke his name. “Shepherd. I thought...you left me.”
He never should have.
He rested the rifle against the cage, his own hands shaking. “Are you hurt?” If they laid a finger on her...
Deep Waters (The Security Specialists) Page 18