Approaching Julie, he let his fingers slip over her face. “Such a God damned shame,” he growled. “You were such a pretty little thing.”
Julie’s blood went cold as she had more flashbacks from the past. Brent had been touching her that day, she finally remembered, when her mother had been doing some work for Marilyn in the office on the computer. That’s right. Her mom was working for them a few hours every Saturday afternoon, and the Bradshaws hadn’t mentioned this to anyone. Thinking back, Julie was pretty sure that even her grandparents had been unaware of it.
He studied her emotionlessly. “You must be remembering. I asked your mother to work for us because of you, while Marilyn needed help because she was having trouble with the new computer system we’d just set up.”
Brent turned away. “It took me several weeks to gain your trust, and we were finally there.” He sighed heavily. “But that day? She and Marilyn argued, because your mother wanted to have you sitting with her in the outer office rather than watching television in back. You see, Marilyn had always been aware of my...needs.” Brent gave her a derisive smile. “If Leanne would’ve just minded her own business. Once she started accessing the files, certain information came to light that was easy for her to interpret and it was making her uncomfortable. I think she thought she was going to be able to ‘get the goods on us’ so to speak.”
Brent stared hard out the window. “But little did she know who and what she was dealing with. Our organization is bigger than anyone can even imagine,” he muttered rather absently.
He flung the keys for the house onto the kitchen table, and that was the last thing he said as he walked outside through the doorway.
* * *
Closing his eyes as Brent disconnected the phone, Dylan inhaled sharply staring at the paper Jake had shoved into his hand for writing down Brent’s account number.
Suddenly Dylan stood up, ready to roll.
“Jake. You need to get a plane ready to take him out of the country from the Crystal Rock Airport.”
Dylan barked at Jeff. “He’s got Julie!”
Jeff stood up from the table with his fists clenched as Dylan approached the back door.
“Get Bart Bradshaw on your phone right away,” he told Jake. “I don’t want to tie mine up in case that fucker calls back.”
“Anything else?” Jake asked.
Dylan pulled Jake outside through the doorway, nodding imperceptibly as Jeff and his mother followed behind. “A rifle, Jake,” he whispered hoarsely. “It’s the only way.”
“What about Julie?”
“Let me worry about that,” he snarled. “We’re on our way to the airport as soon as I talk to Bart.”
Jake made a quick call to Sam Danielson and asked him to find Bart, while Dylan demanded that Jeff and his mom wait at the police station.
“We can’t all wind up at the airport. It’ll be tough enough for me to remain out of sight, since there’s only one landing field isolated enough for us to arrange the pickup.”
Jeff growled, “You aren’t going to just let that S.O.B. take off. Are you?”
“Not if I can help it,” Dylan answered grimly.
Dylan and his mom piled into Jake’s truck, while Jeff followed along in his. Dylan sat in front with Jake, waiting for Sam to call back. They’d nearly reached town when Jake’s phone finally rang.
Dylan answered, “Sam?”
“I found him in the real estate office. Here you go.”
“What do you need to know?” Bart asked.
“Has your dad got any hangouts?”
“There’s that cave you guys raided last week for one.”
“Good to know, but it’s still being monitored. Anywhere else?” Dylan asked impatiently.
Bart paused on the other end of the line. “Wait a second. Let me check our property keys.”
A moment later, Bart returned to the phone. “The keys are missing for the Scott place.”
“Good thinking. Thanks, Bart. Maybe you’d better go wait at the police station. Things are going get rough for your dad. I guarantee it. Let me talk to Sam.”
A moment later Sam spoke. “Yeah, Dylan?”
“Get out to the Scott place, but watch yourself. Brent could still be there. I’m hoping that Julie’s alright and he’s not planning on taking her along with him. I doubt it, but you never know.”
“I’m on it,” Sam answered, disconnecting the phone.
Dylan checked his watch. There was still an hour and forty minutes left, but it would take at least forty-five minutes to handle the monstrous transfer of funds Brent was demanding.
He looked at his mom in the back seat before handing over the paper with Brent’s account number. “Have we got enough in our account to handle this Mom?”
“Ten mill?” She grimaced. “That’s a swiss account he wants it in?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t worry. I can get it.” She pulled a phone from inside her purse.
Dylan continued, “I’m gonna need all the time I’ve got. Don’t have it transferred—yet. Just be ready to do it if I say so.”
Stepping out from the truck as they pulled into the service station, he added, “Watch for Jake’s number to show up.”
His mother nodded yes as she began talking with their family business manager, who’d been on speed dial.
Jeff had already parked his truck and was opening the door for his mom to enter the police station when he scowled at Dylan, his face looking haunted.
“I promise, we’ll find her,” Dylan called out through the window.
“You damn well better,” he yelled back before following Anne into the station.
Jake sped through town heading toward the Dragonfly Pointe Inn. The airport was midway between town and the inn, so they would backtrack after picking up the proper weapons for Dylan.
“What’s the plan?”
“That all depends Jake, on whether he’s got Julie with him or not.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
It’d been over an hour now, probably closer to ninety minutes. and Julie’s wrists were beginning to throb. The handcuffs were adjustable, but Brent had clasped them tightly, so when Julie had tried manipulating the chair toward the door, all she’d ended up doing was making the cuffs grip her wrists tighter.
What was he going to do with her?
She half expected him to reappear, but instead a leering stranger suddenly appeared outside and was looking in at her through the patio door.
Where in the heck had he come from? Julie hadn’t heard a car.
When he began sliding open the patio door, a large gray creature jumped onto the guy’s shoulders.
“Meeeeeeeoooooooowwwwwww.”
Julie’s jaw dropped. Buster?
The man began to scream.
Thank God Dylan hadn’t had a chance to have Buster’s claws removed yet. But what was Buster doing outside? She must’ve accidentally left open the patio door when she was sitting on the deck earlier and reading.
At that moment, Julie heard a vehicle pulling into the driveway.
“Halt,” someone yelled out. The man who was standing by the door yanked Buster off from his shoulders and flung him across the deck as he began to run.
Just then, after kicking open the back door, Sam Danielson came rushing through the doorway.
“Julie? Are you here alone?” he asked with his weapon pulled out.
“I think so Sam,” she answered.
He turned left and then right before finally beginning to approach her while harnessing his gun.
He frowned, looking at the cuffs on her wrists. “My key isn’t going to fit. But I’ve got some bolt cutters out in the squad car, so I should be able to free you up.”
Sam rushed outside through the doorway and returned a few minutes later with the bolt cutters. “There should be a key that’ll fit at the stationhouse. I’ve got a pair like these, and most of the keys are standard.”
Using the bolt
cutters, Sam snipped the chain between the cuffs in half.
“I sure hope so,” Julie answered, standing up from the chair. “Is Dylan alright?”
“He’s sure worried about you,” Sam answered, pulling a phone from his breast pocket and hitting the speed dial. “Dylan? We’ve got her. She’s going to be fine.”
Julie asked, “Can I talk to him?”
But Sam was disconnecting. “Not just yet,” he answered, shoving her gently toward the door. “Let’s get you out of here. Your dad is waiting to make sure you’re alright.”
Sam’s deputy appeared at the door, cussing. “Sorry, Chief. The motor for a cruiser was running down below at the pier. I couldn’t quite make out all the registration numbers.”
“What in the hell was supposed to happen? I wonder...” Sam muttered. Looking at Julie, his expression turned grim. “Let’s get moving. Those cuffs are cutting off your circulation and you look nearly ready to pass out.”
Sam turned to his deputy. “Did you notice which way he was headed, Terry?”
Terry nodded yes.
“I know the odds are slim you’ll be able to catch up with him on the road, but just for the heck of it, why don’t you try?”
“Alright, Sam.”
As Sam led Julie toward one of the patrol cars parked along the driveway, Buster appeared and came running up to Julie.
Julie scooped him into her arms and hugged him tightly. “Thank you for trying to save me Buster,” she said softly.
“Meow,” he answered.
Sam was staring at Buster. “This is your cat? I thought he was a vengeful feral stray running around loose.”
Julie laughed softly. “Can we drop him off at home?”
Sam looked at her wrists and frowned. “Better not. What the heck? Just bring him along.”
* * *
Jake was on the way to the airport when Dylan answered Sam’s call.
“She’s fine Jake.” Dylan closed his eyes, heaving a sigh of relief as he disconnected the phone.
“Yeah, I know how that goes. When Danielle was kidnapped...” Jake swallowed. “Okay, so now what’s the plan?”
Dylan was already calling his mom. “Don’t make that deposit. Julie’s alright. Talk to you soon.” He disconnected before answering Jake. “Right now, I just wanna catch that son of a bitch and put him behind bars for the rest of his life.”
They were approaching the main entrance for the airport. “How do you want to handle this? Where should we go in?”
The airport had only recently reopened, and even though security measures were in place in the main terminal, a plan was still being developed for the surrounding airstrips.
Dylan answered, “The pavilion near the park. We’ll come in from the rear. But we need to keep an eye out. Brent’s probably been waiting at the airport for the last two hours.”
Jake nodded. “It’s a shame we don’t have more time. I could’ve used those drones I was telling you about, that we’re planning on trying out for security at Dragonfly Pointe.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing those in action,” Dylan agreed. “Where do you think Brent would be hiding?”
“My best guess?” Jake became thoughtful. “He parked at the beach and walked from there.” Jake drove past the pavilion toward the beach. They had thirty minutes remaining before the plane would be in place on the runway. When they’d retrieved the rifle for Dylan from his office, Jake had contacted one of his veteran pilots, who’d been informed of the situation.
“You’re probably right. He had plenty of time, and there it is,” Dylan said, pointing to the Mercedes that was parked under a hedgerow in the shade. They drove through the beach parking lot and turned back toward the park.
“He doesn’t know we found Julie.” Jake said.
Dylan shrugged. “And even if he did, what’s he gonna do now?”
When Jake’s phone rang, Dylan frowned, answering it. “Yeah Mom?”
“Would it help if it looked like we deposited that money into his account, without actually doing it?”
“Hell, yeah. It could lead us in another direction,” Dylan answered. “But, how...?”
“I have my own connections too. Stay safe. I love you.”
Dylan cleared his throat. “Yeah, same here. Make sure Julie’s okay.”
“Of course,” she answered, disconnecting.
Jake shut down the truck near the pavilion behind a long row of shrubs, and Dylan rushed from the truck after grabbing the duffle bag containing the rifle.
Jake stepped out from the truck as Dylan prepared to take off. “I forgot to ask. Where are you going with that?”
“On top of the faraway hangar. Odds are, he’ll be expecting trouble from the control tower and watching over there.”
Jake agreed, nodding, as he handed over an earphone to Dylan. “Where do you want me?” he asked, testing out the earphone.
Dylan answered, “The nearest hangar? Maybe alongside?”
“That’ll work, and I can read you fine. I’m glad Bradshaw knows nothing about tech savvy equipment, according to Bart. Luke, the pilot, has an earphone too, so he’ll be able to know what’s going on.”
“Twenty minutes?” Dylan asked, checking his watch.
“Let’s get in place,” Jake answered.
“I just hope there aren’t any surprises in store for us,” Dylan muttered. Approaching the hanger, he slipped stealthily behind the cover of bushes and trees.
Finally, Dylan reached the hanger and climbed quickly up the built-in ladder located near the air vent.
“Everyone in place?” Jake asked softly, five minutes later.
The pilot, Luke Bryant spoke. “I’m ready to approach the runway.”
“I’m here,” Dylan answered softly, positioned with his rifle in hand. “Anyone see Bradshaw?”
Right at that moment, Brent Bradshaw came into sight.
And he wasn’t alone.
“What the hell? No fuckin way!” Dylan roared.
Dylan took aim and shot.
* * *
Jake was having a hard time tamping down his grin.
Yeah, yeah, yeah—so he’d nearly shot Brent Bradshaw’s balls off. The guy deserved it as far as Dylan was concerned.
The ambulance had pulled onto the airfield, and one of the EMTs who’d stepped out bent over to inspect Brent’s wound. “He’ll live,” he announced drolly, obviously grasping the situation. “It’s just a flesh wound. And not even a deep one at that.”
Brent had been moaning, groaning and whining the entire time. There was a lot of blood, but then again Dylan’s shoulder wound earlier this month had been equally bloody.
The EMT cut off Brent’s pants, much to his chagrin, and applied bandages, wrapping his leg tightly to try and stop the bleeding.
The tech turned to Jake. “Sorry we’ll have to take him into the hospital first. It’s regulation.”
“I’ll send along an officer and he can give us a call whenever you’re done with him.”
“We probably won’t have to keep him long.”
Sam Danielson pulled up in the squad car along with his deputy, Terry.
“Just in time,” Jake said, when they approached. “Can someone go along with Brent to keep an eye on him for a few hours at the hospital?”
“I can ride along with him Sam,” Terry said. “I’ll give you a call as soon as he’s released.”
“Thanks, Terry,” Sam answered.
Waiting for them to load Brent up, Terry stepped into the ambulance beside him.
Brent suddenly called out, “You’ll never see her again.”
Dylan rushed to the ambulance.
“Damn pervert,” he muttered. “I don’t know what you planned for Julie, but we found her first.”
For the first time ever, Dylan saw panic in Brent’s eyes.
And Dylan smiled grimly. “I can’t believe you grabbed a little girl from the beach and actually expected us to let you board that plane with her. We’re gonna m
ake sure you’re locked up for the rest of your God damned life.”
He kept staring as the ambulance drove off and finally walked back to where Jake and Sam were standing along with Luke Bryant, the wounded warrior pilot who’d been watching the proceedings with great interest. He was actually grinning.
“Great shot, Dylan,” Jake said, patting him on the back.
Dylan cleared his throat.
“What?” Jake asked.
“I’m thinking I’m finally going to break down and have that laser surgery.”
All three men were looking puzzled.
“As much as I’d like to credit for that amazing and rather impressive shot, I was targeting his outer thigh.”
Jake barked out a laugh and they all began laughing loudly.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Julie,” Dylan moaned, when he walked into the police station and looked her over. Her wrists were a mess, but otherwise she seemed unharmed.
Standing up, she rushed into his arms. “Oh, Dylan.”
“I was so scared about what that idiot had planned for you.”
“Meeooww.” Buster had climbed onto the front desk and was staring at Dylan and Julie.
Dylan’s eyes went wide. “Buster? What the heck?” Reaching over, he rubbed Buster’s head.
Julie pulled back, staring into Dylan’s eyes. “Sam got there just in time. There was some weirdo outside on the patio, who was ready to come inside and take me somewhere. Buster jumped on top of the guy and clawed the heck out of him.” Julie grinned. “You should’ve seen him.”
“Some weirdo?” Dylan asked, frowning.
“I have no idea what was going on,” Julie answered.
Jake approached. “I hate to say it, but I might know,” he muttered grimly. “Besides everything else he’s been involved with, I’m almost certain Brent was part of the trafficking ring.”
Julie’s eyes went wide. “That’s gotta be it,” she said quietly. “Part of what my mom discovered while she was working for the Bradshaws on their computer.”
Jeff came up to them. “What about your mom, Julie?”
“Grandpa saved a bunch of her things, Dad. Everything was up in the attic at the cottage. I found her journal along with three different notebooks. Two of the notebooks were filled with names, while the third had a lot of information about property parcels. I’m thinking that one of the notebooks might have contained some of Jake’s trafficking suspects.”
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