He clapped Zeus’ shoulder. “Practice. Practice. Practice.” He began going over strategies and movements, and then recommended VR sims that would help.
Two hours later they finished.
Zeus wiped his face with a towel. “I would like a raise, sir.”
Steel drank some water. “You do realize that I just spent two hours training you for free, and you will continue training on state-of-the-art VR, also free.”
“I do appreciate the training, sir. It’s first rate.”
“Plus, while you’re training here, I’m not charging you for room and board,” added Steel.
“I appreciate it and enjoy that, sir. But I do add a level of security while I’m here too.” Zeus waved a hand. “And I’m happy to do it, sir.”
“I’m even cooking Cajun chicken tonight with Rachel for all of us.” Steel frowned. “You’re being very demanding, Zeus. Is there some reason you believe you should get a raise after just one field assignment?”
Zeus spread his hands. “Let’s see. Sharks, snakes, gators. Saving everyone’s butt—those are your words, sir.”
“Uh huh. What if I charge you three hundred per hour for training, plus VR use? Then I think we’ll be about square on the raise, Zeus.” Steel smiled. “How does that sound?”
“Well, I mean, that’s nice, but...” Zeus eyed him. “You’re kidding me, aren’t you, sir?”
Steel chuckled. “Payback for sir and Mr.” He clapped Zeus’ arm. “Christie and I agree. You deserve a raise.”
“Why thank you, Mr. Steel.” Zeus grinned.
“Don’t push it, kid.”
NEXT STEEL DROVE TO Alexandria, Virginia. An upscale neighborhood. He parked and walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Birds were singing in big oak trees and the air was fresh. Still, tension stiffened his jaw.
Darcy Edwards answered the door. Dressed in jeans and a blouse, she had a simple, yet attractive face. Short brown hair, beginning to gray. Her eyes revealed strain. “Come in, Mr. Steel.”
Steel didn’t say anything.
She led him through the living room and into the kitchen. Phil Edwards sat in a wheelchair there. Apparently they had to amputate his lower left leg from the alligator bite. The bullet chest wound from Dima had missed his heart and lungs. Darcy and Steel sat down. Darcy clasped her hands tightly atop the table.
Edwards spoke first. “We are prepared for whatever happens, but we’re asking you to please keep Therese out of it.”
Darcy’s eyes welled up with tears. “Whatever you do to us, I want you to know we can never repay what you did for Therese. She told us everything.”
Steel felt her pain. “I have a daughter too, so I understand.”
Edwards cleared his throat. “What do you want, Steel?”
Steel leaned forward, his voice demanding. “The truth. All of it. My team took a hit and we could have died.”
Edwards paled. “Dima blackmailed us to get information about the pickup and the hand-off. I betrayed you in the pickup, but I tried to ambush Dima before the hand-off. He outsmarted me.” He swallowed. “He was going to put Therese into the sex slave trade. I’m...I’m sorry.” He looked down at his lap. “Even without considering what you did for Therese, I know it was the wrong thing.”
Darcy’s voice trembled. “We didn’t know what to do. We panicked.”
Steel digested that in silence. He had expected as much. He wondered what he would have done to save Rachel in that situation. Anything. Everything. He hoped to never find out.
“Are you going to turn us in to the CIA?” Darcy’s lips trembled. “Or worse?”
Steel took a deep breath. “One of my friends was shot, others hurt.” He faced Edwards. “A week ago I wanted to put a bullet in you.”
“And now?” Edwards’ forehead creased.
Steel thought on that. Good people, trying to save their niece who they loved like a daughter. He understood, even if he didn’t like the results. “Therese needs both of you. But if I ever need a favor from the CIA, I’ll expect it.”
Edwards’ shoulders sagged. “I’ll do whatever I can, Steel.”
“Thank you, Mr. Steel.” Darcy wiped her eyes and rested her hand atop his.
He nodded. “I was glad to help Therese.”
The front door opened and closed, and in a moment Therese walked in. She stood at the entryway, watching all of them. Steel thought she looked fresh, stronger, her hair combed and clothing clean. The bruises on her face had faded. That made him happy. He wondered about her emotional bruises.
She held Steel’s gaze. “I know what happened. Phil and Darcy told me.” She hesitated. “I lied to you and the CIA. I talked to Phil and Darcy before the pickup in the Bahamas. I’m sorry. I didn’t want them to suffer.”
Steel thought it was a sign of strength that she could be honest. “My daughter would have done the same thing for me.”
Therese gestured to Edwards and Darcy. “Are you going to turn them in?”
He smiled. “No. I just wanted to clear the air. I really came to see you.” He pushed his chair back. “How are you doing? You look great.”
She flicked her hair back. “Pretty good. I’m in counseling, but it’s helping me figure out what area of therapy I’d like to go into.” She smiled. “You’ll never guess what I got for a pet.”
He chuckled. “A snake?”
“A small one.” She stuffed her hands in her pockets. “I didn’t want to hate snakes for the rest of my life.”
Steel stood. “I’m happy for you. And I’m glad you have parents to lean on.”
She crossed the floor in a rush and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Jack. For everything.”
“Anytime. If you ever need to talk, call me.”
He left, feeling good about himself, about life. Saving Therese had been worth all the pain. And he’d been informed that the CIA had passed Lucian’s information to the FBI and local police. They had made arrests and rescued dozens of girls thus far. It was a start.
IN A FEW HOURS HE WAS walking in the woods with Rachel. They searched for what they needed, and he spent two hours showing her how to start a fire with a bow drill. After that he demonstrated how to make a primitive bow, with her following his instructions. He enjoyed every minute of it, and so did Rachel. Part of his introduction to some of his heritage.
Afterward, they headed back. “I want to keep talking about what happened in Montana.” He studied his daughter’s red hair, her height, her lean body. “Again, Christie said you were amazing. I’m so proud of you, honey. But you might have some feelings about it that are not so great.”
She gave a big sigh. “Okay. How about tonight?”
“You’re on.” A woodpecker was banging on a tree, and they stopped to listen. Steel said, “Christie mentioned you’ve been worried about a few things.”
“Yeah.” She stopped, her hands in her pockets, her expression serious. “Are you going to send me away, Dad?”
Steel placed his hands on her shoulders. “Never. Ever. But let’s face it, even with all your training, I’m in a dangerous business. And I want you to enjoy yourself and not have to be worried all the time.”
“I can practice harder, Dad,” she said earnestly. “And Zeus is here, and Christie, and—"
He interrupted with, “I have a better idea, honey.”
She studied him. “What?”
Quiet footsteps.
They both turned. Rachel tensed, but Steel kept a hand on her shoulder and winked at her.
Prizrak still had pink lips and nails, but she was dressed in loose designer tan sweats, running shoes, and a loose tan blouse. She wore a fedora, and her blond hair fell past her shoulders.
“I allowed you to hear me sneaking up on you.” Prizrak smiled. “Some security you have here, Mr. Steel.”
Rachel looked up at Steel. “Dad?”
Steel raised his eyebrows. “I want you to just sit down and watch, Rachel.”
Rachel’s mouth opened, but s
he sat quietly with her back against a birch tree trunk.
“Good choice, Rachel. Back against a tree. Always pick the safest spot.” Prizrak took off her fedora and threw it in a spin to Rachel’s lap.
Rachel caught it and looked at Steel. He shrugged.
Striding forward, he attacked Prizrak with hand strikes, punches, and kicks. She was very light on her feet, very fast, and blocked or avoided everything. Steel thought she looked bored. He went at her harder, and she defended a few blows, and then rolled away from him, ending up on one knee near Rachel. She took her fedora off Rachel’s lap and put it on her head.
“What do you think, love?” She cocked her head at Rachel. “How did I do?”
Rachel smiled. “You’re good. I mean, that was amazing. Dad’s excellent and you handled him pretty easily.”
“Well, I wasn’t trying that hard.” Steel rolled his eyes.
“Women can be as tough as men, Rachel.” Prizrak stood up. “I’m skilled with many weapons. We’ll have to work out some time. See what you know. I love teaching. Would you like that?”
“Sure, if Dad doesn’t mind?” Rachel looked at Steel.
Prizrak smiled. “There is one condition.”
“What’s that?” Rachel pushed to her feet.
“You teach me everything you know about the forest and birds and such. I love the quiet here.” Prizrak stuck out her hand. “Deal?
“Deal.” Rachel shook Prizrak’s hand. “Is she my new trainer, Dad?”
“Prizrak is your new bodyguard. Every day. That will make me feel safe, make you feel safe, and we can both relax more.” He smiled at Prizrak. “And we’re going to treat her like one of the family.” He turned to Rachel. “She’ll live with us. Are you alright with that?”
Rachel’s eyes lit up. “I love it, Dad.”
“I talked to your father, Rachel.” Prizrak straightened a few strands of her hair. “I told him I was only interested if I could have the job until you’re eighteen.” She leaned over slightly. “But you can put me on probation for a month, see if you still like me, love.”
“I love your accent and clothing.” Rachel looked impressed. “I’ve never heard of a name like yours before.”
Prizrak straightened. “It’s an old name, and I think I’m ready to use my real one. You can call me Sasha.”
LATER STEEL TOOK AN evening walk with Christie. Lacy and Spinner walked quietly beside them. An owl hooted in the forest; the two dogs stopped with them to listen.
Christie seemed rested and content. She had spent the last week in Montana, helping Harry and her father. Steel was happy for her.
“I need to do that more often,” she said. “Spend more time with my parents. I don’t want to wake up someday with regrets.”
Steel grabbed her hand. “I think you should. If mine were around, I’d want the same thing.”
“Two days ago some hikers found Dad’s .30-06 Springfield rifle near the west trail.” Christie shook her head. “It’s hard to believe Rachel and I missed it.”
Steel’s eyes narrowed. “You think the poacher returned it?”
“Maybe he wanted no ties to the gun. We had it checked for prints, but it was wiped clean.” She shrugged. “Dad was happy to get it back.”
“Then maybe it’s over.” Steel thought on that.
“Maybe. I can’t get over the fact that Erik Lansing knew my name.”
He thought on that. “If Dima hired them, it’s probably a dead end for now. Agapov would be the only one who might know the other killer.”
At one point she said, “So, you didn’t call me when you were taken prisoner.”
“I figured you were in Montana. All I would do is worry you.”
“What if our positions had been reversed?” She lightly nudged his shoulder.
He thought about that. “It would kill me not to hear from you. Okay, I get it.” He eyed her. “You didn’t call to tell me what you were dealing with either.”
“Guilty as charged.” She linked her arm through his. “Agreed, Steel. No more holding back. Ever.”
“I like that.” He smiled. “Small wedding. Pies with the cake. No band.”
She batted her eyelids at him. “Okay, Mr. Decisive. What made that happen?”
“One very big snake and some nasty drones.”
They kissed each other for a few moments. Steel smiled and held her hand. “I have one more secret.”
She raised her eyebrows.
They took the dogs to the house, and then walked into the barn. Steel slid the inside door deadbolt and went to the computer station. He put his cell phone next to the computer. “Val sent me a text a few days ago.”
“How are they doing?” Christie sat in a chair next to his.
“Feeling good about going into witness protection.” He turned on the computer and brought up a folder and opened it up. There was one file in it. He clicked on it. It asked for a password.
Christie leaned closer. “Is that the file we gave to the CIA?”
“Yes. I emailed it to myself from the Bahamas.” His cell phone rang. He put it on speaker. “Hello, Anton. Steel here, with Christie.”
“It is good to meet you, Jack Steel and Christie. My daughter Valentina has told me much about you.”
“Will you stay in touch with Val?” asked Steel.
“My goal is to eventually bring Valentina out of witness protection. But Leonid Agapov has to be neutralized. We are alike, Steel, training our daughters to be tough, worried about them, yet bringing danger into their lives by the fact of who we are.” He paused. “I owe you, Steel, for protecting my daughter. And now we can protect all daughters.”
“You knew the flash drive passwords before you gave Val the flash drive, didn’t you?” Christie sounded certain.
Anton chuckled. “Of course. But Valentina needed the flash drive for witness protection so she could be with Matt.” His tone became serious. “And we can’t depend on the CIA to do the right thing with the flash drive, can we?”
“Doubtful,” said Steel.
Anton gave him the complex password, and Steel opened the file.
EPILOGUE
Jessop Raimus walked down the hallway to his father’s study. Apex predators and large herbivore heads, along with some stuffed bodies, lined the mahogany walls. It always impressed him.
Two guards in suits stood at the end of the hallway doors. Big men, strong, skilled. Jessop sized them up every time he visited. He could kill them in seconds. Hands or weapons. It didn’t matter. But these men guarded his father and he respected them for that.
One of the guards opened the door for him and said, “Sir.”
“Thank you.” Always polite, Jessop entered the venerable room. Bookshelves and more stuffed carnivores. African artifacts. It always interested him. Every time he entered there was something new to catch his attention. And he had been here a hundred times at least.
His father, Arthur, sat in a leather chair behind a big desk, typing on a desktop computer. Imposing. Six-two, solidly built, moustache, and a graying thick mane of hair. Wearing jeans and a denim shirt. He was writing a book of his lifetime exploits and already had an advance from a major publisher. Jessop would read it when he was finished. His father was a good storyteller.
Sitting back and smiling, Arthur gestured to the chair in front of the desk. “Good to see you, Jessop.”
“You too, sir.” Jessop sat, wondering how his old man would react to the news. As the youngest of his three sons, Jessop knew he was the most favored to take over his father’s business and estate, though he didn’t know if he wanted it. His two older brothers were more ambitious, but they also had other businesses that occupied their time and might not care that much about who their father left his estate to.
Arthur studied him. “You bring bad news. I can see it on your face.”
“Erik Lansing is dead.” Jessop didn’t like to waste words on chitchat. His father respected that too.
“Oh no.” Arthur frow
ned and sat back. “Erik was a good man. He was like family to us for four decades.” He shook his head. “How did he die?”
“A teenage girl shot him first, then a woman with the teenager shot him multiple times. I believe the girl stabbed him too.” Jessop winced. It felt embarrassing to say these things. Erik was one of the greatest hunters he ever had the privilege to know, and one of his closest friends, and yet he had been taken down by a woman and a teenage girl.
Arthur tented his hands, his elbows on the chair arms. “You saw Erik die?”
Jessop heaved a breath. “I saw the teenager shoot him. We didn’t think she would be carrying a gun. Twelve years old, maybe a young fourteen, out hiking in the Bridger Mountain foothills with a woman. Erik went down, but he signaled me later saying he had captured them. Before I could reach him, I heard shots and found him dead. I chased the girl and woman, but they had help at the end and I had to get out.”
“Was this the woman and girl you two were supposed to take?” Arthur eyed him. “Certainly a teenager didn’t do this unprovoked in the forest?”
“Erik’s contract was to take the woman and girl that evening. I told him I would help. But the targets were hiking on the mountain so we ran into them early. We were about to take down a mother black bear and get her two cubs.” Jessop shrugged. “Fun, with some money involved.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed. “Was this in the area where Erik shot the old man earlier?”
Jessop shook his head. “An hour east. There hadn’t been a police response, so that part of it was safe.”
Arthur’s voice lowered. “But Erik still had the old man’s rifle?”
“Yes.”
Arthur got up and walked around the perimeter of the room, barefoot as usual, stopping in front of a rhino head. “You know the story of this rhino, don’t you, Jessop?”
Jessop had heard it in detail many times. “Gored you three times before you killed him.”
Arthur turned to Jessop. “My bowie knife finally took his precious life, before he could take mine. That is the hunt. You give the prey an equal chance, and if you’re lucky you kill the prey before it kills you.”
Steel Trap: A Jack Steel Action Mystery Thriller, Book 4 Page 28