Kayla laughed. “Xavier, you were never boring, and I still think about you sometimes.”
“If I recall, you were married the last time we met.”
“That didn’t work out.”
“I’m engaged, Kayla.”
“Oh,” Kayla said, as she released his hand. “What’s she like?”
“She’s beautiful, smart, and the toughest woman I’ve ever known.”
“It sounds like a match made in heaven. Does she know about, you know, what you do?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to meet her someday. I also want you to meet my son. He’s only thirteen, but he looks like Granddad.”
“You still miss him?”
“Granddad? Oh, hell yeah. That old man was the best. When he finally told Zoe and me the truth about who he was, who he had been, I knew it wasn’t as bad as it sounded. Yes, he was a hit man, a Tanner, but he was a damn good man and he loved me and helped make me who I am.”
Zoe returned. She was looking at Kayla with an eyebrow raised in inquiry.
“He’s engaged,” Kayla said.
“Oh, too bad. You and Xavier were always good together.”
“Romeo’s a father now,” Tanner told Zoe.
“Is he still living in Indonesia?”
“No, he and Nadya moved to Florida. I’ll be going there soon for a visit.”
“And how is Spenser doing?” Kayla asked.
Tanner grinned. “He’s the same as ever, even with the missing eye. If not for him, I might not have survived my run-in with that Mexican cartel.”
The conversation turned back to Harvey, and how he was going to help Tanner find Russell and Tonya. When Tanner told the women about the threatening email Harvey had sent off to Russell, they seemed dubious about its success.
“What if Russell just ignores it?”
“He might. If so, I’ll think of something else, but I believe it might bring Russell out into the open.”
Kayla unsnapped her purse and took out a phone.
“This was in Harvey Kenton’s pocket. Is it what he used to send the email?”
“Yeah, let me have it,” Tanner said. After checking for new messages, Tanner held up the phone. “It looks like Russell took the bait. He wants to know where Harvey would like to meet him.”
“Good,” Zoe said. “This could be over soon, and I can get home to my daughters.”
“How old are they now?” Tanner asked.
“Seventeen and fifteen, do you believe it. We weren’t much older when we all met.”
“I think the oldest one looks like Romeo,” Kayla said.
Zoe elbowed her sister. “That’s a lie. Romeo and I had broken up before I became pregnant.”
“She still looks like him, and tell Xavier her name.”
Zoe pouted. “I picked the name Juliet because I think it’s beautiful, so stop teasing me.”
Kayla whispered across the table to Tanner. “Juliet loves to surf too.”
Zoe laughed. “You can be a jerk sometimes, Kayla.”
“But you love me anyway, Sis.”
Watching their banter, Tanner thought about his own sibling, Caleb, whom he recently discovered. He made a mental note to call Caleb once the contract was fulfilled.
“Where are you two staying?” Tanner asked.
Kayla gave him the name of a nearby hotel, then asked what they should do with Harvey.
“I’ll take him back to his motel room tonight but starting tomorrow he’s your problem.”
“Is he a handful?” Zoe asked.
“No, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try and run.”
“Don’t worry,” Kayla said. “We’ve been doing this for a lot of years. Once we get them, they don’t get away.”
“I still want to set him free when he’s done his part.”
“You could just let us have him,” Zoe said.
“No, I gave him my word.”
“Is keeping your word part of the Tanner code?” Kayla asked.
Tanner thought about that.
“A man who keeps his word is the only kind worthy of being a Tanner.”
“Hey, Xavier,” Kayla said. “Tell that fiancée of yours that I said she’s a lucky woman.”
“I’m the lucky one,” Tanner said, as he signaled for the check.
9
Brothers
AUSTRALIA, NOVEMBER 2001
A week after dealing with Damon Ryker, Spenser returned to Sydney late and found a surprise waiting for him outside his motor lodge. It was the same two men who had mistaken him for Vince Ryker. The black guy was behind the wheel of their van and sipping on a cup of coffee.
His partner was in the passenger seat and appeared to be asleep. Their windows were down, and soft music drifted from the van’s radio. On top of all that, they were parked beneath a light post. If they were lying in wait for him, they had a lot to learn about stealth.
With his gun out and at the ready, Spenser sidled up alongside the vehicle until he was standing beside the passenger door. Since he was in Australia, that put him on the left side of the van. Light from the overhead fixture reached into the rear of the vehicle, revealing it to be empty.
“If you make a move for a weapon I’ll kill both of you,” Spenser said.
The black man jumped in his seat and sloshed coffee all over himself. His partner opened his eyes, then gawked at the weapon pointed at him.
“Hold on, mate, hold on,” the black man said. “We didn’t come here for trouble; we came here to tell you we believe you.”
“What are your names?”
“I’m Eddie, that’s Tony.”
Spenser lowered the gun but kept it out and ready.
“Why are you here?”
“We know you’re not Ryker. One of our guys was with us the other day when we spotted you again. He said you look a little like Ryker, what with the beard and all, but that you definitely weren’t him.”
“Ryker’s dead. He died back in the states.”
“Who told you that?”
“His son.”
“Where can we find him?”
“You can’t,” Spenser said, and the way he said it made the two men ask no more questions about it.
Eddie released a deep sigh.
“I guess that’s that then, but our new leader will still want to talk to you.”
“Why?”
Tony shrugged. “He sent us here to ask for a meeting. I think he wanted to know what you knew about Ryker, but if the bastard is dead, he’ll still want to hear the details.”
“I’m not driving anywhere with you two.”
“You don’t have to,” Eddie said. “Our leader wanted us to invite you to have lunch with him tomorrow downtown.”
“When and where?”
Eddie gave Spenser a time and place for the meeting.
“What exactly does your group do?” Spenser asked.
Tony grinned, and sent Spenser a wink. “A little of this, a little of that, you know, mate.”
“I think I do,” Spenser said. “Tell your boss I’ll meet him, but if this is a trap of some sort, I’ll kill everyone involved.”
“It’s no trap,” Eddie said. “And we might be harder to kill than you think.”
The engine on the van came to life and Spenser stepped back to let them pull away. Once he was certain they were gone, he packed his things and drove to a different hotel.
* * *
In Indonesia, where it was three hours earlier, Cody realized he was running alone and turned to see what had happened to Romeo.
They were on the beach, sprinting in sand as part of their training. One moment Romeo had been beside him, and an instant later, he was gone.
Cody saw that Romeo had stopped to talk to a blonde girl in a bikini named Emma. She was twenty, shapely, and smiling at Romeo as if he were the most interesting thing in the world. Romeo had met Emma weeks earlier and had spent every spare moment with the girl, who was English. Emma’s stepfathe
r had been transferred to the area and was an oil executive.
Figuring that he might as well take a break, Cody settled beneath a palm tree, as the sun grew low over the water. Nadya was there, as she had been watching them do their training sprints. Cody smiled when he heard Emma laugh at something Romeo said. When he looked over at Nadya, he saw the sadness in her eyes.
“Romeo is too old for you, Nadya.”
“I know, but Emma is no good for him either.”
“Why do you say that? I thought you liked her. You two got along well when we went out on your father’s boat together.”
“I do like Emma, but she’ll bring Romeo pain someday.”
“What’s that mean?”
Nadya stood and began walking away. “I have to get home before dark.”
“All right,” Cody said.
After Nadya left, Cody watched Romeo and Emma. The two were embracing each other while talking quietly. Cody assumed that Romeo would have a late date, which meant he’d be eating alone again. When Romeo and Emma joined him by the tree, Emma gave Cody a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m sorry I took Romeo away from his training, but we hadn’t seen each other all day,” Emma said.
“He missed you too,” Cody told her.
Emma and Romeo shared a final kiss before she walked back along the beach to join her friends.
“I wish Emma knew some girls who were unattached,” Cody said, as Romeo joined him beneath the tree.
“Emma’s friends are all hooked-up with someone, but Dude, did you see her in that new bikini? And she’s not only hot but she’s smart too.”
“Are you going out with her tonight?”
“Yeah, and I can’t wait.”
“Where are you going?”
“We’ll just hang out.”
“I think you’re falling in love.”
“No joke, Cody, I think you’re right. Emma is on my mind all the time.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yeah, dude.”
“Wow. You’re in love and I haven’t had a date since we got here.”
“We barely have any free time, but I make time for Emma. That girl is special.”
The boys were quiet for several moments, then Cody spoke.
“It feels weird being here without Spenser.”
“I know, but we need to get used to it. It won’t be long until we’re out on our own.”
“And then someday Spenser will have to choose one of us to take his place.”
Romeo looked sideways at Cody. “Who do you think he’ll pick?”
“He’ll pick me. That’s not to say that you’re not worthy of being a Tanner, but I can’t imagine not being one. I have to be the best assassin who’s ever lived, do you get that?”
“Because of what happened to your family?”
“Yes. I made a vow to myself that I would never again be defeated by superior odds.”
“And what if Spenser chooses me? Will that end our friendship?”
Cody smiled at Romeo.
“We’re past being just friends, Romeo. You’re my brother, and you’ll always be my brother.”
“I feel the same way, dude, and I’ll tell you something else. I’d be okay if Spenser chose you. I mean, I’ve loved learning all the cool shit we know how to do, but I don’t think I need it the way you do. Having your family die around you and being the only survivor… it’s marked you, man.”
“I know that. But now, now that I’m trained, if I come across men like the ones who killed my family, I’ll be able to handle them. I’ll kill every last one of the bastards.”
“And you’ll have me to help you,” Romeo said.
Cody stood and brushed sand off himself.
“Let’s head back to the boat and get some sleep. You know Maz will try to wear us out tomorrow.”
“That old dude is amazing. He looks fat and slow, but damn can he kick ass.”
“I’ve been asking the other students about Throne, the guy who won the trophy the last two years. They say he’s Australian, and a jerk.”
“The jerk part figures, or he wouldn’t go around calling himself Throne.”
“They also say he’s unbeatable.”
Romeo laughed. “He was until we got here. If I don’t beat the crap out of him, you will.”
“Throne is coming to Maz’s home soon to start training for the contest. That’s good. We’ll get to see him in action before we have to face him.”
“I want that damn trophy, Cody. Like you said, we’ll give it to Spenser.”
“We’ll have to go through Throne to get it.”
Romeo stood and looked out at the water. “I really love it here, and some of the women are smokin’ hot.”
Cody smirked. “Like Nadya?”
“The little chick is cute, and yeah, if she was five years older I would have been all over her.”
“She really believes you’ll marry her someday.”
“Nadya told me something about you too.”
“What’s that?”
“She said that you would someday marry a woman who tried to kill you.”
Cody laughed. “Why would anyone do that?”
“I know,” Romeo said. “Crazy, huh?”
10
The Great Escape
ARIZONA, AUGUST 2018
While it was true that Harvey knew things about Russell, Russell also knew Harvey well. He had given Tonya a list of three motels Harvey might stay at in Arizona, and Tonya found him on her second try.
She had pulled into the parking lot just seconds before Harvey stepped out of a motel room. There was a man with him. The guy had dark hair and a serious set of eyes. The eyes told Tonya that the man was trouble.
The two men headed toward a black van and climbed into the rear. Tonya couldn’t make out the driver’s face, but judging by the long red hair, she guessed it was a woman. Tonya took out her phone and called Russell.
“Did you find him?”
“Yeah, but he’s not alone.”
“Who’s with him?”
“Trouble,” Tonya said.
* * *
“I might know a way to find Russell without putting my ass in danger,” Harvey told Tanner, Kayla, and Zoe.
“How?” Tanner asked.
“I think his stepsister might know where he is. Her name is Brenda.”
“My researcher told me they haven’t spoken to each other since they were teenagers.”
Harvey blinked at Tanner in surprise. “You have a researcher?”
“At times, the world is becoming more complicated.”
“Oh, well, your researcher is wrong. I was with Harvey when he ran into Brenda last year in Tucson. They’re not friends, but they talk on the phone sometimes.”
“Do you know where to find her?” Kayla asked.
Harvey grinned at her. “Brenda and I got along really well, if you know what I mean.”
“Spare us the details,” Zoe said.
Harvey’s phone made a sound. When Tanner checked it, he saw a message from Russell.
“The meeting has been postponed. Maybe Russell suspects a trap.”
“See,” Harvey said. “This is why we should go see Brenda. She might know where Russell is.”
Kayla looked at Tanner. “What do you think?”
“We’ll head to Tucson. It’s better than waiting for Russell to make contact again.”
“I agree,” Zoe said.
“I’ll follow behind you ladies in my car. Harvey, you stay with Kayla and Zoe, and don’t give them any trouble.”
“I’d like to give them my phone number; these ladies are hot, especially Red here.”
“You’re the expert on hot, firebug,” Zoe said.
Harvey hung his head and moaned. “Damn, you burn one house down and all of a sudden you’re an arsonist.”
* * *
Russell’s stepsister Brenda lived in a tiny house off Route 86. The dilapidated dwelling was surrounded by dirt and scrag
gly brush. Someone had attempted to paint the home with a bright shade of blue. They ran out of paint or desire halfway through the job. The right side of the house still had peeling white paint.
When Tanner left his car and stepped up to the van, Zoe pointed at the house.
“That’s some home, eh? I’ve seen nicer cardboard cartons.”
“Brenda has fallen on hard times because she can’t stay off the booze,” Harvey said. “Her ex even got custody of the kids.”
“I’d say that was lucky for the kids,” Kayla said.
A woman stepped out of the house. She had dirty blonde hair and a pretty face. Her jeans were worn and faded, while her blouse was a dingy white. Harvey waved to her from the van and the woman waved back while smiling.
“That’s Brenda,” Harvey said. “Let me go talk to her alone, and oh yeah, I’ll need to give her some money.”
“You’re saying she’ll rat out her brother for a few dollars?” Kayla asked.
“No, it’s not that, but I like her. And hell, look at this place, she must need money.”
“How much is in your wallet?” Tanner asked.
“I only have about a hundred bucks, man.”
“That should be enough. Give it to her if you want, but you’re not getting a dime from me.”
“How am I going to pay for my motel room?”
“We could see that you get three hots and a cot at the county jail,” Zoe said.
Harvey began fidgeting as he spoke to Tanner.
“We had a deal. I help you and you let me go.”
“That deal still stands. Zoe just likes to tease.”
“She sounded serious to me,” Harvey said, as he opened the van door to leave.
As Harvey walked toward the house, Tanner watched him.
“You ladies stay here. I’m going to look over the area.”
“You’re expecting trouble?” Kayla asked.
“No, but I always prepare for it.”
* * *
Inside the house, Brenda was handing Harvey a cold beer. Brenda looked to be headed toward fifty, but she was only thirty-three.
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