He flipped the light switch, squinting against the bright light. He was surprised that they’d cut the power back on. But it made sense. They had to get out of the garage, and they probably took one of his cars in the process. It would be in a million pieces by now, he already knew, but he still held onto the hope that Aaron would be able to track the car before the GPS signal was lost.
Kelissa’s phone vibrated from its perch on the marble counter in the bathroom. It was one less way they had of tracking her, but it was better that way. Salvador didn’t know who Kelissa was, and if he didn’t have her cell phone, there was no way for him to get her personal information to use against her. With her cell, he could find the names and locations of everyone she loved and use that to hurt her even more.
He cursed under his breath when he saw Julia, the top half of her body visible from the master closet. Kelissa had obviously tried to make it to the panic room, but the kidnappers had set Julia in there to hide her body while they laid in wait. It was obvious that they’d used her to gain access to the house. They’d probably surprised her as she was leaving the house.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No matter what happened, he would make sure that she got a proper send off and that her family never had to work a day in their lives again. It was David’s fault that Julia was caught up in this mess, and she’d paid with her life. Now Kelissa was missing and Salvador was waiting for him to come after his men. Everything was a mess, and he didn’t know how he was going to get out of it. Even if he managed to save Kelissa, she would probably never speak to him again.
“David!” Aaron called out from the kitchen.
“I’m here,” David called back, wincing at his pounding headache.
He heard Aaron rush up the stairs, then suck in a deep breath when he saw David standing a few feet from Julia’s body.
“Is that Julia?”
“It is.”
“I’m sorry, David.”
“Not as sorry as I am.”
“Did you see anything, or hear anything?”
“No. I thought it was Kelissa. She had just left the room to shower and I thought maybe she was coming back down the stairs to have another drink. Before I could turn around, something hit me in the back of the head and I hit the floor. Everything else is a blur.”
“Your head looks okay. I have some hyper bond in the car; it’s better than stitches. Cade will patch you up while I drive.” He opened his handheld device that always reminded David of a miniature laptop. “What else do you remember?”
“Nothing, but they took one of my cars.”
“Are you sure?”
“They turned the lights back on after they caught Kelissa. I remember them talking about which breaker turned off the upstairs, then giving up and hitting the main. The lights are back on and I didn’t do it, so they must have turned them on so they could get out the garage door.”
“It was open when we pulled up. Tell me what you had in the garage.”
He listed the cars off, skipping over the Jaguar that Kelissa drove that was parked in the driveway of his house in Bonita.
“It’s the Porsche,” he said, pulling something up on the screen. “That’s a dead end. It’s in Mexico, but the GPS is weak at best. I would wager that they pushed it off a cliff or set it on fire. I don’t think they’re over there, anyway. It’s too remote and too obvious.”
“Where is the car?”
“Near the old bull fighting arena just over the border. There are a couple warehouses over there, but nothing you could hide a kidnapping victim in for long. Does she have her phone on her?”
“No.”
“What about—” Aaron asked, stopping when David perked up, hurrying into the bathroom and rummaging through Kelissa’s discarded clothes.
“I think she’s wearing it.”
“That will help, now we just have to be within two miles of her to pick up the signal.”
“Let’s go,” David said.
“Are you sure you’re up for it?”
“Aaron, I got her into this mess, I’m going to get her out of it.”
He was already going down the stairs, not even acknowledging the men that filled his kitchen, dressed in tactical gear.
“There’s a body in the master,” Aaron said. “Get what you can for evidence, then call it in.”
The man closest to Aaron nodded his understanding, and David and Cade followed Aaron to the car.
“I don’t know where she put her clutch with her ID in it. I think she left it in the limo.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Aaron said, firing up the black Jeep Cherokee and handing a large black bag to Cade, who had climbed into the back with David. “We’re not coming back through the checkpoint.”
“So, you have a plan.”
“I do. But it’s a longshot. And that depends on Kelissa. It will be easier to track her if she’s outside or at least near a window. Does she know?”
“She has no idea I put a tracker on her. I didn’t want to scare her.”
The Jeep was flying down the road, the traffic lighter than it had been only a few hours before.
“That’s good, it’s better if she doesn’t know, but if she’s in a cinder block building we’ll have to be a lot closer to her in order to track her, and that’s going to take time.”
David hissed when something wet and going poured onto his scalp, but the sting quickly numbed and then he could only feel pressure as Cade dealt with his wound, then held it together while the hyper bond dried.
“That’s wet to set in about sixty seconds, so you should be feeling a little more held together in about a minute.”
“I just hope that they didn’t hurt Kelissa.”
“She’s more valuable alive. They don’t want her; they want your cooperation.”
“I don’t know why. I paid my father’s debt when I sold the business. We’re free and clear.”
“The cartels never see it that way.”
“I’m learning that the hard way. I don’t know why he was suddenly interested in me. It’s been years since I sold the car dealership.”
“What about the San Diego Thirty Under Thirty feature?”
“I guess that could be it.”
“Using your vacant homes to move his drugs is much more beneficial than using luxury imports. The houses give him a place to stash people and drugs.”
“Could you imagine the hit my reputation would take if people found out I was letting a drug cartel use the houses I was paid to sell?”
“Being indebted to the cartel is usually passed down through the generations; that’s why families can never break free from it. Your father owned a business and gave it to you, so Chacon believed that you were indebted to him by default.”
“But, it wasn’t even my father’s debt.”
“I know that, and you know that, but the cartels don’t care about that. Your father’s best friend left him a mess, and you’re going to be picking up the pieces until Chacon is stopped.”
“Can you help me? Or at least, help Kelissa? She shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“I helped your father, didn’t I?”
“You did, but I don’t want that help for her. I don’t think Kelissa is cut out for witness protection.”
“Your parents didn’t think so either, but they’re thriving.”
“Good. I wish I could visit them, or at least know where they are and how they’re doing.”
“You will, someday.”
“I just wish I hadn’t lied to Kelissa. I told her they were retired and living in Mexico.”
“You can’t tell anyone about what you know, even if it’s not much.”
“Kelissa isn’t just anyone.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“When we find her, and this is over, I’m going to tell her everything.”
“Do you think she’s going to believe you?”
“I have to believe that she will. I know she must think the worst of me
, but whatever she decides, I want her to know everything and decide from there.”
“She doesn’t seem like the type to see your involvement with the cartel as a gray area.”
“I know. But I have to take that chance. She’s worth it, Aaron. She’s worth that and so much more.”
“Do you love her?”
“I do. I just wish I’d told her before tonight. I was afraid it was too early, and I would scare her off. But now, I’m afraid it’s too late.”
“There’s never a perfect time,” Cade said, his deep voice booming in the quiet care, even though he was speaking as softly as he could. “When you love a woman, you have to tell her when you feel it.”
Aaron and David looked at Cade in shock, but the frighteningly large man just smiled. He wasn’t one for talking, but when he did, he always dropped a bomb, then retreated back into silence. David knew he was right. As soon as he could, and not a moment later, he was going to tell Kelissa he loved her and what happened after that would just have to happen.
“Last Us exit,” Aaron read, his voice changing as he went into search and rescue mode. “This is it, guys. Get ready.”
The handheld was on the center console in full view of David and Cade, but there was nothing on the street yet.
“I’m going to start on the west end of town nearest where the Porsche was probably torched and work my way back. If you see anything let me know.”
“That could take hours,” David groaned.
“Don’t think about how long it could take. Focus on the screen and be ready to tell me which way to go when you see it. We can’t afford to cut corners, even if it gets frustrating. You have to trust me on this. There’s a method to my madness.”
“Got it,” David said.
They watched the screen intently, but Cade looked out into the darkness now and then, scanning the area for dangers. They were in Chacon territory now, and things could turn in an instant.
An hour passed, and still nothing appeared on the screen. David’s eyes were starting to feel fuzzy, and he was getting the urge to sleep that hinted at a possible concussion. He poured water from a bottle he found in the back seat on his hands and rubbed it across his face, trying to stay awake.
“Are you alright?” Cade asked softly.
“I think I have a concussion, but I’ll be fine. Just don’t let me fall asleep.”
“You can count on it, brother.”
“Thanks,” he said.
He scrubbed his face again, doing one side at a time so he could keep one eye on the screen at all times, but still, there was nothing.
David managed to stay awake, head still throbbing, but the pain a little better. He didn’t see anything at all for some time, then for an instant, a tiny blip appeared on the screen and disappeared just as quickly.
“Turn left here,” he said excitedly, watching the screen.
Aaron did as he asked, heading toward the spot on the map where the faint dot had appeared for just a split second.
“Anything?” Aaron asked.
“Not yet. But I saw something.”
“Are you sure.”
“I saw it too, boss,” Cade said.
“Alright,” Aaron said. “Tell me if you see it again. I’m going to do a search grid pattern in this area gradually heading north. When you see it, holler.”
David nodded, too intent to say a word. His eyes were burning but he was afraid to blink. He knew he’d seen it, and having Cade confirm it was even better. She was close. Hopefully they weren’t too late.
“Anything?”
“Still nothing,” David said, frustrated. “I saw it right around here. I know I did. She’s got to be close and—There! Turn right here. She’s right around the corner.”
Aaron did as he was told, turning down a brightly lit road near the tourist area of downtown Tijuana. David searched the surrounding area frantically, trying to connect the winding roads with the dot on the screen.
“She’s on the move,” Cade said. “We’re almost there.”
The three of them looked around, but David didn’t see her. Then he looked back at the screen, and the fast-moving dot and his stomach dropped. The dot stopped abruptly and disappeared off the screen again. David cursed out loud in frustration.
“It’s gone again,” he said. “Something happened. We have to find her now.”
Chapter10
Kelissa pushed the button to release her seatbelt, dropping down onto the roof of the upside-down car. She didn’t even remember putting the belt on, but the old habit was so engrained in her that she had, and she was grateful. The window had shattered in the accident, the tempered glass held together by the window tint. She army crawled out of the car, looking around and trying to get her bearings.
There was a car on the side of the road not far from where she’d stopped rolling, and it looked like it had rolled, too. But at least one man had been thrown from the vehicle, and it didn’t look like he had made it. Were there more men after her, looking for her in the dim light from the brightly lit streets beyond, or were they all dead?
She didn’t wait around to find out, running as fast as she could toward the bright lights that were so close, but felt like miles away. She had her answer a few seconds later when automatic fire ate up the ground yards behind her, but whoever it was either had horrible aim or couldn’t see her in the dark.
Her body was sore as she ran, but she didn’t stop, pushing herself further than she ever had, thankful that she ran as often as she did.
She was running across a dirt field, dodging tumble weeds and cactus, the path before her getting easier to navigate as she got closer to the street ahead. There were people on the street, and the relief that flooded through her was amazing. She was saved. She just had to get to the semi-crowded street and find someone to help her.
Daring to look over her shoulder, she saw the men in the distance, piling into the only car that was still running and driving down the road they’d been on. The little four-door sedan couldn’t take the terrain she was on, but they knew the city better than she did, and they were no doubt coming around to cut her off at the pass. She wasn’t out of danger yet, but she wasn’t going to just give up. She had the upper hand, and surely, someone would help her.
The sky in the east was starting to turn gray. It was just a sliver of light, but for some reason, the thought of the impending sunrise gave her hope. She had no idea how long she’d been in the trunk of that car, and though she’d lost consciousness in the car wreck, she was sure it was only for a few seconds and from fear rather than injury. Still, if the sun was beginning to rise, that meant that it was at least four in the morning. It would be at least six before the sky turned gold, and almost seven before the autumn sun would make a full appearance. She just had to survive until then. There was no way Chacon’s people would come after her in broad daylight, right?
When she finally reached the street, she called out to the first person that she saw. An older woman with a street cart that smelled of tamales, the woman saw her running and immediately stopped dragging the cart to stare at her.
“Ayuda, por favor,” she said in broken Spanish, searching her mind for the few words she’d picked up in high school.
“Chacon?” the woman asked, motioning the direction Kelissa had appeared from.
“Yes!” she said, stopping just short of where the woman was standing.
“You go!” the woman said gruffly, grabbing her cart and all but running away.
“What? No, I need help,” Kelissa said, but the woman was still retreating, moving much faster than she should have been able while dragging the cart behind her.
“You help you,” the woman said, her English rough, but the message was clear.
The woman wasn’t going to help her if it involved Chacon and his men.
She almost followed the woman, but decided against it. She was wasting precious time trying to convince this woman to help her when she could be running. Someone would hel
p her, but standing here wasn’t doing anything.
She gave the woman one last look, catching the old woman with tears in her eyes as she made the sign of the cross over her breast and muttered in Spanish. Kelissa ran, long legs eating up the distance, adrenaline pumping through her veins and pushing her faster and faster.
Keeping an eye out for the car, she ran as fast as she could, staying close to buildings and calling out to people as she ran past them. Some shook their heads, others pretended not to see her. The fear they felt was palpable, but she didn’t care. In her place, she knew she would help someone in need. At least, she wanted to believe that. But these people were too scared to even look her in the eye, and suddenly the reality of the danger she faced was larger than she ever imagined. Even though she’d escaped, and even though she was surrounded by people waking up early to sell their wares on the street that would be filled with tourists a few short hours later, she was essentially alone.
She heard the engine rev as she was running across a wide road with signs scattered haphazardly, and more than four directions in the intersection. Turning to look in the direction she’d heard the engine rev, she saw the car filled with Chacon’s men at the end of the street already barreling toward her. She ran the rest of the way across the street, frantically searching for a place to get off the sidewalk and out of the car’s reach, but there was nowhere to go that she could see.
Her feet hit the sidewalk and she pushed herself faster, breath coming in ragged gasps, the car gaining on her with each passing second. People on the sidewalk scattered, screaming in fear. A door opened to her left, and a large hand reached out into the pandemonium and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her off her feet and into the building, slamming the door shut behind her.
The car whizzed by, then rubber screeched on the street as the driver slammed on the brakes, but the man who’d grabbed her was already leading her out the back door.
She was trying to pull out of his grasp, but he held tight. He was tall and dark, Mexican but of obvious Indian descent, his body huge in the small room that appeared to be a trinket shop.
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