"If you’d give us the tape, we’ll be glad to process it as evidence," Vic said.
Parsons shot him a glare. "Never mind. I’m sick of waiting for you." He sliced his hands through the air. "I’m through with all of you bastards."
Jess grabbed the man’s shoulder and held him in place. "Listen to me! Don’t do anything foolish. If we find you’ve harassed Staff Sergeant Severance…"
Parsons shrugged free and stomped away.
Vic massaged the back of his neck. "We’ve got to get the goods on Susan Bolotnik before this gets out of hand."
"Looks like it’s already out of hand to me," Jess said. "But let’s handle one problem at a time. We’ve got Ellie under close watch. Parsons can’t go near her without us seeing."
And if he tried, it would be over Kurt’s dead body.
* * *
Kurt stood in front of Ellie’s bathroom mirror and made the final adjustments to his gray-streaked beard. A similarly colored wig and nondescript clothing completed the over-the-hill look. He’d fit in well with the stool-hugging old timers who lined the far side of the bar. They watched the young people nightly from the shadows, perhaps a little envious of what they were missing, but willing to nurse their drinks in silence. It would be the perfect vantage point to keep an eye on Ellie.
"Well? How do I look?" Ellie did a little pirouette in front of Kurt. The cocktail-length burgundy dress sighed around her shapely legs. Her long, dark hair followed, curling and clinging to her neck and back. "It’s something I bought a few days ago. I thought it would give you a nice color to focus on. You should be able to find me in a crowd."
But it wasn’t perfect to hide a wire. From the waist down, it hugged her hips accentuating the sway in her walk, and the stiletto black patent heels helped her sway a lot. Waist up, it clung softly, accentuating her feminine curves. They’d have to tape the wire down smoothly.
"It’s great."
"And I love these contact lenses. I don’t know why it took me so long to decide to take the plunge."
Kurt admired the subtle application of eye makeup, the way her gray eyes shone like black pearls. But, strangely, it didn’t matter to him whether she wore glasses or contacts. She was still his Ellie—beautiful inside and out.
"Who knows, maybe we’ll be talking you into lasik surgery before long. Let’s get this wire in place and test it. Vic and Jess are around the corner in the van."
Ellie pulled her curtain of hair to one side while Kurt unzipped her. The device was flat enough to be unobtrusive, but if anyone tried to touch her…
"Don’t let them dance with you. Just get in, ask the questions, and get out like we rehearsed. All we need to do is find out what they want. That’s enough for now, okay?"
She nodded, a faraway look in her eyes.
"You’re scared, aren’t you?"
"Yes." Her voice was just above a whisper.
Kurt clicked his gaze down to hers. "You can always back out and no one will fault you."
She gave a quick shake of her head. Pulling in a breath, Kurt taped the wire and receiver in place just under her breasts. "That’s going to hurt like hell when we pull it off."
"Promise me a bubble bath afterward and I’ll let you peel it away." Her attempt at a smile faltered.
"Anything for you, sweetheart." He gave her a kiss. "It’ll all be over soon. Okay, here goes. I’m turning it on. Test, test, test."
His cell phone blasted out a single ring. Kurt straightened. "That’s it. I’ll see you there in fifteen minutes. No sooner." Another kiss and he was gone.
* * *
Ellie heard him pull away. Scared? She shook, she was so frightened. She prayed she could play her part well and her quivering voice wouldn’t give her away. All she needed to do was convince them she knew what Jeremy was up to. Hopefully, they’d grab the bait and not only reveal where the rest of the shipment was, but also anyone in on the deal.
Minutes ticked by. It was time to go. Purse slung over her shoulder, she got into her car. The dress, the heels, the intrigue all held a surreal quality, like she watched herself from a distance. Or like when she was a little girl and played secret agent femme fatale.
Ellie gave a humorless chuckle. It seemed ages ago. It was ages ago. And here she was in the thick of it. Every child’s fantasy come to life. All she wanted was to get it over and get back to her real life. No…the real life she wanted to have with Kurt. Her watch beeped. Time to go.
* * *
The lights of the Lost Oasis beckoned. From her parking space Ellie saw Kurt walk casually into the club. She’d passed his car just one block away. The surveillance van was perched across the street in the shadow of a long-abandoned restaurant.
"Okay, guys, here I go." She shoved open the car door.
A gust of chill wind wiggled up her dress, taking her breath away. Clutching the hem to keep it flat, Ellie ran to the front door. The noise slammed into her the second she stepped across the threshold. Her improved vision revealed the faces that went along with the noise. Somehow, it was all the same. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand how someone could put up with coming here night after night.
She scanned the crowd for McConnell and Clark. Nothing. Walking up the stairs from the entrance area, she passed her gaze over the Marines at the bar. They laughed and made sport of the old men seated on the other side. Still no sign of her quarry.
Jeez, she was nervous. She wove through the crowd until she reached a table near the bar. A waitress zoomed up before Ellie’s bottom could touch the seat.
"What’ll you have?"
"Diet Coke. I’m driving."
"At least that’s the plan, huh? Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky, especially dressed like that."
The cheeky girl flashed a smile and was back in seconds with a tall glass. Two cherries were plopped on top. Ellie picked up one by the stem and yanked it off with her teeth. The other soon followed. Still no McConnell or Clark. Nor had they shown by the time Ellie finished her second drink.
Maybe Jess’ info was wrong. Or the two had gotten wise to the trap. Or maybe it was something as innocent as having to sit duty at the base. No, Jess would have checked that.
Ellie sighed. The soda traveled through her fast. She motioned the waitress over. "Another Diet Coke, please, and could you save my table while I run to the ladies room?" To ensure her assistance, Ellie slipped the girl a generous tip.
She passed the old timers on her way. A few heads turned, Kurt’s in particular. As she ducked down the tiny hall to the restrooms, she thought she heard footsteps behind her. Kurt checking on her safety, no doubt. She glanced over her shoulder as she slipped into the room in time to see someone duck into the men’s room. How could a woman not love a man so protective? She half expected to see him standing there when she walked out and was a little disappointed to find the hall vacant.
Tamping down her smile, Ellie hung her purse over her shoulder. The men’s bathroom door swung open, blocking her way.
"Going somewhere, girlie?"
Her eyes widened at the dark-haired Marine standing in her path. He was solid, built like a boxer, with over-muscled arms that strained the seams of his shirt. His hands were huge, his shoulders doubly so. His flat dark eyes were fixed upon her face with unnerving intensity. Fear twisted her gut.
"Let me pass or I’ll scream."
He shook his head slowly. "And you expect to be heard over this noise?" He gestured toward the din that pounded down the hallway from the dance floor. He smiled, revealing a row of white, even teeth. "You and I have some unfinished business, baby."
"I’m not who you think I am." God, the man was huge. All the self-defense training in the world wouldn’t help her bring him down. The best she could hope for was to stall him until Vic and Jess realized she was in trouble. "You’re making a mistake. This is going to land you in very serious trouble." She tried to dive back into the women’s restroom, praying he wouldn’t follow.
"You’re coming wi
th me." He struck out one huge hand and snagged her with a grip of steel.
Ellie slammed her small purse against his head. Nothing.
He laughed, an oddly high-pitched sound for a man of his size. "Yeah, I know you like it rough. And I’m ready to play."
His hand lashed out with the speed of a viper. Ellie’s head snapped back. Her cheek burned fiery hot. Shock stole her breath. Tears blinded her. She pulled in a breath, praying someone would hear her scream. He merely laughed again, stuffed a gag between her lips and yanked her arms behind her back. He put his face close to hers, breath hot upon her cheek.
"Now we’ll see who’s in serious trouble, pumpkin."
Chapter 14
* * *
Kurt nursed his bottle of beer. Every so often he’d bring the opening to his lips and take what looked like a drink. The liquid hadn’t dropped below the top of the label. That was the good thing about a dark bottle—unless someone looked carefully they’d never notice if it was full or empty. But he’d been sitting here for almost an hour with no sign of their target.
So far no one had paid him much mind. Even the bartender slid the beer to him without so much as a glance and left him alone after that. Probably didn’t expect a scruffy old guy to spend much money on beer. The only other person who had even glanced his way was Tripp, and he’d merely rolled his eyes at the unkempt get-up when Kurt walked in the door.
Jess must have alerted DEA to their plan, or Tripp wouldn’t have put in an appearance. Kurt cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner, but he did have other things on his mind. Seeing his cousin lounging at the booth nearest the front door gave him some peace of mind. At least he’d have immediate back up if he needed it.
What he didn’t like was the way Tripp’s midnight blue eyes measured Ellie when she walked in the door earlier. Stripped her naked with a glance. Looked like the Duncan cousins were going to have to have a serious talk real soon.
He glanced toward the restrooms. How much longer was she going to be? Not that it mattered since their prey had failed to show.
The front door opened, disgorging another flood of people. Surely the building exceeded the fire code by now. Ellie’s instincts about the burgundy dress were good. She stuck out like a rose on a snowdrift and looked just about as out of place.
There they are.
McConnell and Clark staggered in, each draped over a women and looking like they’d seen better days. They were in the perfect position to get a front-on look at Ellie when she came out of the ladies room. Kurt couldn’t wait to see the expressions on their faces.
"We’ve got a problem." Vic’s voice crackled into the earpiece Kurt wore. "I can hear her shouting at a man."
Kurt tensed, waiting for more details, trying not to show any alarm. He glanced again toward the restrooms. Ellie still hadn’t come out. He slid from his stool and started walking in that direction. A burst of static made him wince.
"Someone’s got her," Vic said. "She’s in trouble. I don’t hear her voice anymore and the wire isn’t picking up anything. Do you see her?"
"No, damn it! She’s in the head," he shouted, breaking his cover. No one in the bar bothered to look his way.
Kurt shoved himself through the crush of bodies. It might as well have been an impenetrable wall of thorns. Through an opening ahead, just outside the hallway to the restrooms, he saw a flash of red. Then a curtain of dark hair came into view as Parsons ducked toward the back of the club with Ellie tossed over his shoulder.
Kurt broke into a cold sweat as he shoved the packed crowd aside in a wild attempt to reach Ellie. He shouted desperately into his own transmitter. "Parsons is taking her out the back! I can’t get through! I can’t get to her!"
He thought he heard Vic scrambling. It was hard to tell with all the noise. Someone had to get to Ellie.
The music changed. The tide of people shifted. Kurt shoved forward through a gap and sprinted out what looked like the club’s unused kitchen. The back exit door was still wide open. Kurt sprinted for it and burst into the cold, dark night, chest heaving. He spun around, searching.
Parsons’ white Grand Am careened across the dirt parking lot toward freedom. Kurt jerked his pistol from his shoulder holster as he raced after it. He caught movement from the corner of his eye as Vic approached from the van. Weapon drawn, his friend took a stance in front of the onrushing vehicle.
"Law enforcement! Stop! Now," Vic shouted.
Dirt and gravel spit from behind car. Kurt watched, horror-stricken as Parsons plowed headlong into Vic. His friend bounced off the hood like a crash test dummy, then landed in a crumpled heap ten feet away.
"Man down! 9-1-1," Kurt shouted into his own transmitter. He prayed Jess was still in the van, monitoring the operation. As he ran to his friend and knelt by his side, he saw Parsons’ red taillights disappear into the night.
Tripp skidded to a stop beside him. Kurt jerked his head around, pointing in the direction of the departing vehicle.
"That way! Now! He’s got Ellie as a hostage! White Grand Am."
It still took his cousin a full minute to reach his own car and begin pursuit. Kurt felt a wrench of despair and fear at the thought of Ellie in Parsons’ demented clutches. Tripp would never pick up their trail in time.
Jess looked grim as he dashed across the street from the surveillance van. "Police and paramedics are on the way." When Vic groaned, Jess knelt beside him to grasp his hand. "Hang on, Vic. It’s going to be okay."
"Helen—" Vic muttered.
"We’ll call her," Jess reassured him.
Vic’s eyes flickered to Kurt. "Her wire’s still running. You might get some clues."
"They’re out of range by now. My guess is that she’s knocked out cold. Tripp followed. They went east. If I leave now, I might be able to catch up. We could have the police run the plates under Parsons’ name. Put out an all points bulletin for his car." Kurt realized then that he was rambling aloud.
Jess stared up at him across Vic’s body, his hand firmly grasping the fallen agent’s. The older man sympathized. Kurt was grateful for that. But Jess was also clear-headed about the reality of the situation, something Kurt couldn’t be right now. Hard as it was, he forced himself to take an emotional giant step back and evaluate things objectively with more common sense.
Someone needed to call Helen and tell her about Vic before she found out from the local radio news. Someone also needed to monitor the van’s equipment just in case they were closer than Kurt suspected. If there was a chance Ellie could give them a clue as to her whereabouts, they needed to take it.
He swallowed hard. "I’ll be in the van."
"Good. I’ll meet you there as soon as the paramedics get Vic on his way to the hospital. I need you to call Helen. Have her meet us at the emergency room."
"Will do." Kurt ran across the street. Flashing red and blue lights signaled the arrival of the local police. An ambulance closed the gap behind them. He slipped his cell phone from the deep front pocket of his baggy jeans.
Helen took the news without hysterics, but her voice was strained and high. Luckily, Janie Brighton was still there to offer moral support. Still, it had to be a nightmare for both of them considering they’d lost a dear friend in a similar accident the year before. Kurt prayed that Vic would be all right. After repeating Jess’ instructions to Helen, he disconnected.
He stopped two feet from the van’s back door. The pointlessness of his actions overwhelmed him. He should be following, giving chase, trying to find her, not sitting in this damned van feeling like his hands were tied behind his back. The thought resurrected the image of Ellie being hauled from the bar. Her hands were tied behind her back. He didn’t want to think about what Parsons had planned for her. The man was obviously insane. Anything could happen.
To hell with it. Kurt did a one-eighty and ran down the street. He couldn’t sit still and wait. It might be like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack, but he had to do something to find her. He
tore off the disguise piece by piece as he ran. By the time he reached his car, only the baggy jeans remained. He stripped down to the regular jeans beneath, then tossed everything to the back seat, plugged in the earpiece to his cell phone, and started up the engine.
As he combed the streets looking for any sign of the Grand Am, Kurt tried to think like a madman. If he were Parsons, where would he take Ellie? Parsons wanted the blackmailer to leave him alone. He would want all the blackmail pictures and videos Susan had taken, and Kurt didn’t doubt he’d use force to get them. This was a man who acted on impulse, not on common sense. Kurt was counting on that fact to help find them.
He sent up a short prayer. "Hang on, honey. Just hang on."
* * *
Ellie tasted blood in her mouth. By slow degrees, she pulled away from unconsciousness. She was in a car. Judging from that crisp, one-of-a-kind smell, it was a new car. The man had tossed her in the backseat like a bag of dirty laundry and she now lay crumpled, face-down on the floor. At least she could be thankful it was a new car—she didn’t have to deal with the filth from an old one.
Still, being on the floor, stuck in this discarded rag-doll position was no treat. With her hands tied behind her back, it was impossible to move. The carpet scuffed her cheek. It was hard to breathe and her head throbbed from the blow he’d delivered when she spit his gag back at him. Probably wasn’t one of her smarter moves, but did he actually expect she would allow him to kidnap her without a fight?
She pulled her eyelids open, then had to blink several times to settle her contacts in place. How long had she been out? Were they still in Twentynine Palms or one of the other nearby towns? Surely she hadn’t been unconscious long. Ellie forced herself to focus on the surroundings. The car rode smoothly so she knew they were on a hard surface road. Street signs passed at regular intervals—still in town somewhere. Few vehicles passed them—not on the main thoroughfare.
Who was this man? One of Susan’s victims out for revenge, one of Jeremy’s associates wanting the ketamine, or just a crazed fool? It didn’t look good for her, no matter who it was. If she could talk to him, reason with him… Ellie didn’t want to think beyond that, refused to speculate on what he had planned for her.
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