I start following the trail. If Ellie and Cody found this they would do the same thing. I hear Denny behind me on the phone, calling in the bodies and that they need CSI here. He explains to whoever he is talking to the scene we just left.
The trail is going to the other side of the island. I can hear the waves as we get closer to the shore. The first thing I see when we reach the beach is a body crumpled on the sand. My heart sinks, my stomach in knots instantly as I run to the body and realize it is Cody. Ellie is nowhere in sight.
“Cody,” Denny shouts, rolling him over checking for a pulse. “He's breathing,” Denny announces. He is knocked out cold and there is blood dripping from his hairline.
“Where's Ellie? Fuck, Cody, wake up!” I'm frantic, falling to my knees beside Cody, shaking him to wake him up.
“Justin, stop.” Denny puts his hand on my chest to push me away from the unconscious Cody.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I stand and search the open ocean for anything. There is a Zodiac floating in the water about a hundred yards out. I jump into the water clothes and all and swim through the rough waves.
My heart sinks even further when I see the insignia on the side of the Zodiac. El Corazon, this is a Zodiac for one of Alejandro's, Fausto ships. I climb into the small rubber boat that has blood on the side. They were in a hurry if they took off without their life boat. I start it up and drive up, beaching it in the sand.
El Corazon is a large ship, we have to be just on their heels. A vessel that large won't be far.
“Fausto has her,” I yell to Denny who is helping a now conscious Cody up. I want to knock him back out. “What the fuck were you thinking,” I shout at the groggy looking Cody.
“I'm sorry, it was a trap,” he answers, putting his hand up to his head as he tries to stand, but Denny holds him down.
“They have the gold, but Ellie was the biggest payday. They are going to take her to one of Fausto's hideouts,” he explains, the look in his eyes is utter regret and sorrow. “They weren't alone, we thought it was just the two of them. They've been working with Fausto the whole time.”
“How long has it been, how far ahead of us are they,” I bellow.
“An hour at the most.” Cody wins his fight with Denny and stands on wobbly feet. “She's alive and fine. I heard one of them say that Fausto will kill anyone that hurts her. Tammy was getting rough with her, because you know Ellie, she was fighting like hell.”
“We need helicopters, now,” I bark to Denny. “We also need to find out how El Corazon is in American waters.” This must be where Adrian Lewis has been playing his part.
“We are going to get to the bottom of all of it, but first let's find Ellie.” Denny tries to be calm, but I see the panic in his eyes also. If Fausto can pull this off from a jail cell, what else is he capable of and just how far can his reach be?
Chapter 61
Ellie
They have me tied to a chair on the deck of the boat. Once again, Fausto has me. He's in custody, but somehow pulled this off. We thought it was just the two of them on the island. Never in a million years did I think Tammy Coons would be smart enough to pull off the trap they set for me.
When we found the cave, the stench of the rotting bodies was apparent once we were within fifty feet of it. We saw the crew of men, including Jake Coons, hauling the gold bars in a cart toward the shore. We stayed in the cover of the trees counting at least ten men. Cody mumbling under his breath about how we should have waited.
We were so busy watching the carts of gold being funneled from the cave that we did not hear them behind us.
Second time in a week that Fausto's men captured us, and now being tied to this stupid chair on this stupid boat just pisses me off. What kind of agent am I, completely underestimating my opponent?
“Maybe tonight when no one is watching, you and I can have some fun.” Jake comes up behind me, putting his slimy hands on the back of my neck. I jerk away causing him to grab the nape of my neck hard. Putting his face in mine, “You have no idea how much I am going to enjoy this.” His breath hot on my face, I turn my head.
“Jake, sorry, bro, but you know you can't have her.” Tammy stands next to her brother, arms crossed. Head tilted she stares down at me, studying me. “Personally, I don't see what the fuss is about. She's kind of plain and ugly,” Tammy scoffs. “You’re too good for her anyway, you'll have girls swooning over you once we get to Belize. Living the life of the rich on the sandy beaches.” She pats her brother on the arm, but he continues to stare a hole through me.
“You really think you are going to get away with this. Fausto is in custody. Do you really think he is going to be getting out anytime soon?” I retort, and this causes them both to start laughing.
“Oh, he will be out soon and on his way to Belize. The Judge will make sure of that.” Tammy unknowingly reveals that he has a judge on his payroll.
“What about the coast guard, this is a known ship of Fausto's. You don't think they are going to stop you?” I dig.
“Nope, you really don't know who you are dealing with, little girl.” Tammy leans forward, her arms still crossed in front of her. “Everything has been planned from the beginning. Who do you think got Jade working with Fausto? Other than the morons trying to hide the gold, pretty much everything has gone as planned,” she says confidently.
"So I take you are not pregnant with Jade's kid?"
"No, that was to torcher Suzy a little more," she snickers. Just when I thought I couldn't think any less of the skanky bitch, she says this.
“You killed the brothers?” I ask, her pride is making her reveal her secrets to me one by one.
“No, that was all my pleasure.” Bill Pelletier joins in, the three of them now standing around me. “The only thing I regret is not seeing poor Momma's face when she finds out her babies are dead,” he says with a wicked smile on his face.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Mary McGill. What a bitch. She sure doesn't like you, that was very apparent. I believe she regrets you were even born.” I stab and twist the knife of hate he has for his mother.
“You little bitch.” Bill pulls me off the chair so I am standing, but my arms are behind me still tied to the chair.
“Bill, no,” Tammy yells, grabbing his arms.
“Fuck Fausto, this fucking cunt is not going to get away with talking to me like that.” He pulls on me harder and I scream out in pain as the weight of the chair dislocates my shoulder.
“He'll kill you,” Tammy pleads. Leaning down, she pulls out a knife and cuts the rope that has me tied to the chair. My wrists are still tied behind my back and my shoulder is throbbing.
“Not if I kill him first,” Bill sneers, squeezing my arm and snarling in my face. Everyone is distracted by the sound of the helicopter in the distance.
Bill grabs the knife from Tammy and turns me around so that my back is facing his front. Instantly he has the knife at my throat. Tammy and Jack scramble, yelling for others to come. “Armes de fuego!!” She orders in Spanish for them to grab guns.
The ‘copter comes into view, and hanging out of it with one hand on the door is Justin. What I do next I do without even thinking. Justin's eyes meet mine and it gives me the courage to do it.
My head goes forward then back as hard as I can, making contact with Bill's face hard enough that he lets loose his grip. Just as guns start to fire at the helicopter, I run as fast as I can, jumping off the ship as far out into the water as my legs will push me. Hands still tied behind my back and shoulder dislocated, I sink into the cold blue ocean, staring up as I continue to drop, the sunlight disappearing.
Chapter 62
Justin
The ‘copter veers to avoid the gunfire, and I jump without hesitation as we start to ascend. I saw the look in her eyes and I knew what she was going to do. She knew I would save her.
The minute I hit the water I dive, and I see her sinking into the dark blue water. Diving deeper, I have a hard time swimming as easily as nor
mal with the cast on my arm. I see her eyes staring up at me, she's still holding her breath. Reaching her, I grab her shoulders and kick harder than I have ever kicked before to reach the surface.
We emerge and she gasps for air. Holding on to her while I tread water, I work on the ties that bind her hands. I can feel her shoulder is dislocated and she is in a lot of pain. I get her hands free and pull her hard against my chest.
“Relax, babes, relax. I got you.” Her head falls back on my shoulder as we bob in the ocean. El Corazon is at full speed and almost out of sight from us. Two more ‘copters have shown up and a rescue basket is lowered down to us. Once I have her secure she is pulled up to safety.
“I knew my frogman would save me.” She smiles as soon as I am in the helicopter and we are on our way back to land.
“I will always save you.” I lean down, taking her mouth with mine, kissing her soft, sweet lips feeling more love in my heart than I thought was humanly possible.
Epilogue
Justin
After months of investigations, all men on Fausto's payroll are behind bars, including a handful of judges and a few men from the coast guard. Tammy, Jake, and Bill are all serving life sentences. With no one to get him out this time, Fausto Alverez will be behind bars for the rest of his life.
All the gold now confiscated by the FBI, Ellie received a very large, multimillion dollar payday for her pain and suffering of her parents' death. She also decided to retire from the FBI.
Cody, still not able to get over the fact that so much evil went down right in front of him and he never saw it, left the FBI too. He now works for the Bailey Island Sheriff's department and he and Suzy are dating. She's happier than I've ever seen her, and I can relax knowing she is in safe hands.
Right now I am living my dream, sailing around the world with the girl of my dreams. We are on our honeymoon, which has been two months and still going. We had a very small ceremony on the beach, Ellie not wanting anything big. Not having any family, she wanted a very small wedding.
I emerge from below deck to the most beautiful view, Ellie lying on a lounger with a big sun hat on, staring at the coast of Italy where we have been docked for a few hours. Going to take my wife for a nice Italian meal tonight. Her tummy is sporting a tiny baby bump, and I couldn't be happier.
Sitting behind her, she lays back on my chest and we watch a beautiful sunset. After everything she has been through, she deserves a lifetime of this. And I know I will do everything in my power to makes sure she gets it.
The End
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Other books by this author
La Cosa Nostra, This Thing of Ours
Deep Blue Series
Deep Blue Impact
Deep Blue Hold
Deep Blue Forever
Unbreakable, Cypress Grove Series
Unbreakable 2, The Secret of Lilly
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