When Colton took the exit to Highway 225, the captain called him again. “I’m patching you in with Officer Skinner, who is tailing Wilson. He’ll keep you updated.”
“Sir, he just got off on Sixth Avenue heading west,” the police officer came through the line.
Colton floored his car, determined to catch up with Wilson. In record time he left the highway and veered into the traffic on Sixth Avenue.
“Suspect is turning south on Toledo. Please advise on following. It’s a residential area and I might spook him since there aren’t as many cars.”
Colton glanced at Josh. “This is when I wish patrol cars were unmarked.” Looking at the GPS in the vehicle, Colton said to Officer Skinner, “Hang back. See if an officer is near Parkview Drive and Toledo. They could watch to see if Wilson comes out there. If not, that’ll mean he is somewhere in the area between Sixth Street and Parkview Drive. I’m a few minutes behind you.”
When he turned onto Toledo, Colton saw the officer parked several houses away and pulled up behind him. Leaving his Jeep running but the headlights off, Colton got out and approached the patrol car. It was empty.
* * *
“What in the world are you doing, Hannah?” Lisette asked in a voice full of bewilderment. She had to play dumb as though she didn’t know what Hannah was into.
“Duh. Holding you at gunpoint.”
“Why? I thought we were becoming friends.” Lisette infused a quavering thread through her words while inside she was fighting the panic threatening to take over. It wouldn’t get her out of this mess.
“Because you went through my locker.”
“What! I’d never do that.”
“My stuff was moved in it.”
“Then it was one of the other girls.”
“You were in the room. You’re new. I know the others and trust them.”
“Even Shirlee, who’s mad at you? She went in there right after lunch. I saw her.”
“So did I and I put something in my locker not long after she left. Who are you really?”
“Lisa Mills. I have a driver’s license to prove it.”
A horn behind Hannah’s car honked. She scowled. “Give me your phone and toss your bag into the back.”
While Lisette followed her orders, Hannah grabbed her arm and stabbed her with a needle. She tried to strike out at Hannah while the sound of more than one horn blasted the air. Her vision became blurry as a motorist zipped around Hannah’s vehicle.
“What...did you...give...” Lisette struggled to stay awake, but a black veil fell over her mind.
* * *
Where was Officer Skinner? Colton scanned the area. The house he was parked in front of sat on a curve in the road, and he didn’t see any Honda Accord around. The neighboring home had a front hedge that could hide him from peeking around the bend in the road. Colton made his way toward it and spied a uniformed policeman.
“Officer Skinner?” Colton whispered, in case Wilson was nearby.
“Yes.” He held a pair of binoculars in the hand he dropped to his side, and faced Colton.
“I’m Marshal Phillips.”
“About five minutes ago he parked on the curb in front of a place twelve houses down the street on this side of the street. I hung back so he wouldn’t spot my car when he got out.” Officer Skinner gestured toward a car sitting under a large bare tree.
“Did he get out?”
“No, he seems to be waiting for someone.” He passed Colton the binoculars for him to use.
“On the road, how far back were you from Wilson?” Staring at the red Honda, Colton saw the silhouette of a person behind the steering wheel. The car was turned off and its headlights were off.
“I was at least ten cars back.”
“Is someone at the intersection of Toledo and Parkview?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you for your help. You’ll need to get out of here before someone spots your patrol car. I need all marked cars to pull totally back.”
“I’ll call the Aurora officer at the Parkview intersection and make sure he does, as well as any other ones in the area.”
“I appreciate it.”
While the officer pulled his vehicle into the driveway and turned back toward Sixth Avenue, Colton walked to his Jeep and climbed inside. “We need to coordinate with the local police.” He explained to Josh what Officer Skinner told him. “If Wilson is meeting someone, it might be who we’re after, and we don’t want to scare him. We need unmarked cars in the residential area to keep tabs on what’s going down and eyes if Wilson decides to leave. I don’t want to lose him.”
“I’ll set that up while you stand watch.”
Colton exited his Jeep again and withdrew his night-vision binoculars. He didn’t want to miss anything. “Join me when you have the support in place.”
While peering through the binoculars, everything an eerie green, Colton stomped his feet and blew air on his free hand. He’d left his gloves back at the office. When Josh joined him, he murmured, “Will the police be watching all exits out of this neighborhood?”
“Yes, we may need to make the decision to pick Wilson up. He did leave his cell at the hotel, so he must suspect something. This could be a trap.”
“Besides Hannah, it’s all we have. We may be here for a while. I wish it was a warmer night.”
“Or you could have dressed warmer,” Josh said with a chuckle.
“I thought my gloves were in the Jeep. Now I remember I left them at the office. I wonder if Wilson heard we were looking into him in St. Louis.”
“He shouldn’t be surprised that we would check him out since he was there at the wreck in St. Louis.”
Josh took the binoculars Colton offered him and examined the scene. Colton studied the rest of the houses on that stretch of Toledo. Was Saunders in one of the houses with Baby C? Who was Wilson waiting for?
He pulled out his cell phone and checked to see if Lisette had left him a text. Nothing. So why hasn’t she? His last contact with her a couple of hours ago had indicated she would keep him abreast with what was occurring. Maybe he should send a marshal by Charlie’s Roadside Tavern on the other side of Denver. As he waited to see what would happen with Wilson, that feeling he should have someone go to the tavern niggled him until he called Janice and asked her to see what was going on with Lisette.
Josh peered through the binoculars. “A car’s coming. It’s slowing down. Now it’s stopping next to Wilson’s car. He’s getting out—”
Colton took the binoculars to see for himself. “Wilson is going with Hannah Adams. Where’s Lisette? She hasn’t called and she isn’t in the car.”
Josh tugged on his arm. “We need to hide. They’re coming this way.”
Colton, with Josh right behind him, dashed toward the Jeep and ducked inside a few seconds before the headlights indicated Hannah’s Taurus was coming around the curve. “When they go by, I’ll give them a minute, then we’ll follow.”
Colton poked his head up and watched Hannah’s vehicle disappear around another curve in the road. He started the engine and made a U-turn and began tailing Hannah and Wilson.
“What are they doing together? Going to see Saunders?” Josh asked, then called in the car description and license plate number. When he hung up, he continued, “That’s in case we lose them.”
“I’m not going to lose him, even if I have to let them know I’m following them. They know where Saunders is. This ends tonight.”
When Colton’s phone rang, he jerked, taken by surprise by the sudden sound. He’d been so intent on following Hannah’s car but keeping himself back far enough they didn’t know someone was tailing them. He answered his cell.
“Colton, Lisette isn’t at Charlie’s Roadside Tavern. I showed a picture and no one has seen her.” Worry laced Janice’s voice.
“How about Hannah?”
“She hasn’t been here tonight, either.”
“I want you to track Lisette through her cell pho
ne and let me know what you find.” He punched his phone off. “Where is she?”
“Maybe she went home and fell asleep. You two have been pushing yourselves with long hours, not to mention the fact that you were both assaulted just a few days ago. Being undercover takes something from a person. You always have to be on your toes.” Josh waved his hand. “Hannah’s making a right turn two streets up.”
Colton called Janice back. “Have someone or yourself go by Lisette’s apartment. Check for her car in the parking lot at the medical center and her place.”
When he hung up, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad had happened to Lisette. Concern embedded deep in Colton’s heart and grew. He’d never forgive himself if she were hurt or worse...
* * *
The feel of leather against her cheek seeped into Lisette’s mind first, then the murmurs of Hannah and a man drifted to her. For a moment, with her eyes still shut, she tried to figure out where she was and what was going on. The motion of the car beneath her riveted her back to what had happened—how long ago?
She didn’t want them to know she was awake so she kept her eyes closed, but slowly awareness of her surroundings and the danger she was in stirred in her. The murmurs became clearer. She focused her attention on what was being said. Maybe then she could figure out what she could do to escape.
“We should just kill her now and get rid of the body.” A male voice, deep and gravelly, sent chills down Lisette.
“Saunders will have to decide what to do with her. He thinks she’s the FBI agent working with the marshals, which means everything has been blown apart. At least we’re leaving town tomorrow after Saunders delivers the baby to the couple,” Hannah said from the driver’s side of the front seat.
That meant she was still in Hannah’s car. When did the man join them? How long had she been out? If Saunders had her fate in his hands, then maybe there was a chance she could convince him to keep her alive. If so, that would buy her some time to come up with a way to escape.
“You had a sweet deal. What are you gonna do? If it hadn’t been for her―” the man must have turned to look at her from the way he sounded “―you could have made a lot more money. Your doctor was clueless as to what was going on.”
“We’ll start over in another town. There are couples everywhere who want babies and are willing to pay.”
“What about the people in St. Louis?”
“Saunders says as long as he keeps quiet and stays out of their territory, they’ll leave him alone. If nothing else, there’s room overseas. Selling this baby will give us the rest of the money we need to start fresh.”
“You two worked well together. You supplied the couples and he the babies from his network. How do you know he can do that again?”
“What difference is it to you?” A defensive tone entered Hannah’s voice.
“Because I’ve been asked to kill Saunders.”
Lisette’s breath jammed her throat. She tested her bound hands tied in front, twisting them, but the rope bit into her flesh. This wasn’t going to end well.
TWELVE
His headlights off, Colton inched up to the edge of a warehouse to see where Hannah was going. She parked next to a door into a building beside the one they were at. In the glow from the streetlamp, it appeared abandoned with windows broken out and debris littering the vacant parking lot in front.
“I guess Saunders likes warehouses. That’s where he held Annie Duncan and her daughter captive in St. Louis,” Josh said while Colton backed up a few feet.
“The house didn’t work out for him so he must have decided to go back to what he’s used to. That is, if Saunders is inside. If not, we’ll arrest these two and give them a deal they can’t refuse for Saunders’s location. The warehouse, especially one not being used, will be easier to breach without anyone knowing.”
Out of view of Hannah’s car, the interior light wouldn’t give him away when Colton exited his Jeep, grabbing his cell phone and putting it on Silent. He hadn’t heard from Janice and needed to know that Lisette was safe at her apartment.
He crept to the corner of the building and peered toward where the car was parked. Wilson climbed from the front passenger’s side at the same time Hannah did from the driver’s side. He rounded the rear of the vehicle while she opened the back door and pulled on something.
Colton’s cell vibrated in his pocket. He kept his gaze trained on what was going on with Hannah and Wilson, but he answered the call. “Phillips here.”
“I found Lisette’s cell tossed by the side of the road, and she isn’t at her apartment.”
As Janice spoke, Colton witnessed Wilson helping Hannah drag a bound person from the backseat of the Taurus. “I think she’s with the two we’re following. They’re at a warehouse and taking a limp body into it on the west side.” He gave Janice the address. “I need backup. No sirens. Josh and I are going to try to get in and check it out. I want a net put around this place so if Saunders, Hannah or Wilson leave the warehouse, they’re caught.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll be done.”
Wilson hefted the person into his arms, her head hanging over his arm, a long ponytail tumbling down. Colton tensed, his hands going clammy. Lisette. She’d been wearing her hair that way lately. He thrust his phone into his pocket and withdrew his gun from its holster.
“That’s Lisette. Once they’re inside, we’ll find a way in.” Colton walked back to his Jeep and got his night-vision goggles in case he needed them in the dark building. From this angle, he didn’t see any lights on. If Saunders was in the warehouse―and Colton prayed he was―Saunders would have some kind of illumination but it might be in an inside room.
He returned to Josh, who glanced back. “Have they gone in?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go around back where no one can see us from the street.” As Colton ran toward the alley between buildings, he prayed the limp body Wilson held was an unconscious Lisette. He shoved any thoughts she might be dead from his mind, or he might not be able to do what was necessary.
* * *
The echo of footsteps reverberated through the darkness as Hannah and the man carrying Lisette hurried forward. Lisette remained as limp as possible, although the guy jostled her as he moved. Not a word was spoken, which tempted her to open her eyes and see where they were going. While they had climbed out of the front seat, she’d risked a peek and seen a wooden building with a door near Hannah’s car. She wasn’t being taken to a house.
Even though her eyes were closed, she knew when she was brought into a brightly lit area of the place.
Then Hannah spoke. “You got her to sleep.”
“Yeah, finally. I’ve never seen a baby cry so much.”
Saunders’s voice. Should she be afraid or relieved? He didn’t try to kill her at the cabin, so she prayed he wouldn’t here.
“Good to see you again, Wilson.”
Lisette heard the sound of patting as if Saunders and Wilson had embraced.
“I appreciate knowing about the contract out on me. After all I’ve done for them, it would have been nice if they had trusted me not to turn them in.”
Who? Lisette screamed the question in her mind.
A buzzer sounded.
“What’s that?” Wilson asked, and plopped Lisette down onto a couch—at least, she thought it was by the feel of the cushions beneath her.
“We’ve got company. I rigged the doors to alert me when someone was coming inside the warehouse. Let’s give whoever is trespassing a warm welcome. Hannah, stay here and take care of the baby and our guarantee we’ll get away without a problem.”
So that’s what I am to Saunders.
Then Lisette realized if someone was coming to her rescue, Saunders had nothing to lose in taking them out. He was looking at life in prison with all the crimes he’d committed, and if he could kill one of his own team members, then others wouldn’t be spared, especially when her usefulness was over.
* * *
Colton picked the lock on the warehouse and eased the door open. Pitch-blackness greeted him. Colton slipped on his night-vision goggles, wishing he had a second pair for Josh, and inspected the entrance before he entered. He spied a new-looking wire, strung up above and across the ceiling.
He leaned toward Josh and whispered into his ear, “They know we’re here. Stay close. We need to move fast before someone comes to check.”
When Josh came inside, Colton shut the door quietly. Gun drawn and ready to use, he made his way to the left with Josh following. A faint sound caught his attention ten yards away, and he ducked into a room near the back entrance to the warehouse.
Out of the dark shadows crept Saunders, armed, with Wilson beside him, his weapon in his hand. Saunders had on night-vision goggles and, like Colton, led the way. Saunders made a sweeping inspection of the area in front of the exit. Then he swiveled his attention toward where he and Josh hid, the first room near the back door. Colton dropped back into the room and flattened himself against the wall. He listened.
Again the faint sound of footfalls came closer. He froze, preparing for Saunders to investigate every place a person could hide.
* * *
Saunders had been gone maybe a minute. Lisette wanted to open her eyes to see where Hannah was in the room, but she couldn’t, no matter how strong the urge was. But she listened for any noise that indicated where the young woman was—and for gunshots.
Please, God, keep Colton safe. Or whoever has come into the warehouse.
The baby started whining. Hannah swore and, from the sound of her footsteps, crossed to wherever Baby C was.
“Shh. You’re all right,” Hannah said in a soft singsong voice.
This was her chance, while Hannah was preoccupied with the child. They might have bound her hands but not her legs. She inched her eyelids up and scanned the area around her. The room must have at one time been an office. A desk still sat off to the side.
Where are Hannah and Baby C?
Lisette lifted her head to look over the end of the dirty, musty-smelling couch. In the far corner stood Hannah in front of a carrier, holding Baby C and patting her on the back. Hannah was turned away, her gun stuck in the back of her pants. Lisette scanned for another weapon. Nothing.
WITNESS PROTECTION 02: The Baby Rescue Page 17