Julie swung her head between the two women as Sylvie and Babs shared a look. Shrugging, Babs tossed out, “I’ll go talk to the men and let them know your idea.” Pressing her hands down on the wide arms of the Adirondack chair, Babs pushed herself upward. Walking back toward the house, she called over her shoulder, “Personally, it wouldn’t bother me if they put a bullet right through him just like he did to that other guy.”
Helena lifted her hand to her throat, watching Babs walk away. Sylvie shot a sympathetic look toward Julie, and said, “Don’t get your hopes up. I can’t imagine that the Keepers would ever agree to put you in harm’s way just to get this man.”
While the other Keepers were working, Walker found himself at loose ends, unable to concentrate, which only served to make him angrier. The sound of the chair next to him shifting caused him to look over, seeing Drew settle his large frame into the seat. Staring at his ravaged face, he almost did not recognize his friend.
Seeing Drew’s mouth working as though he were trying to decide what to say, Walker jumped in first. “I know what you’re going to say, man. I also know that nothing I tell you is going to make a difference right now. You feel guilty, but there’s no reason. We’ve all made contacts in our years with military and CIA missions. You had no reason to look into this man considering the only thing you ever needed him for was a good place to land your plane. What he did, and what we think he wants to do, is on him. Not you. On him.”
Drew gave a curt nod, but Walker was not finished. “Right now, I can’t focus worth shit because all I can think of is if he’d gotten into Julie’s apartment. So I’m relying on you, as well as the others, to help us figure out a way to get this piece of shit. I just got my head out of my ass about her realizing she’s the one for me, and no way am I gonna let a fuck like him take her from me.”
Drew’s jaw tightened, and he clapped Walker on the shoulder, his fingers flexing. “I’ll do anything, man. Anything.”
They were interrupted as Tate, at his station, began to curse in frustration. “I can’t tell exactly where Joseph is right now. I got him on security cameras throughout the airport and getting into a taxi. The taxi records have him dropped off at a busy intersection in Jacksonville. I’ve got no other record of him in any hotels or using any other transportation. I figure he was picked up by a cartel contact.”
Bray moved to the table and sat near Mace, across from Walker and Drew. “I hate to bring this up because I want to get this fucker as much as the next person, but even if we find him, there’s nothing to get him on. He didn’t enter the States illegally. We’ve got nothing to tie him to the attempted break-in at Julie’s, and the murder she witnessed was in another country. The best we can do is turn him over to our contacts in the government and have him deported through back channels.” Lifting his palms up while giving a little shrug, he added, “Of course, we can eliminate him ourselves, which none of us would have a problem doing.” Staring across the table, he said, “I figure Walker and Drew would want in on that action, but I just wanted to bring this up so that we can be clear on our objective.”
Before anyone had a chance to speak, a signal sounded letting them know someone was coming down the elevator. The doors opened, and Babs strolled back in, walking straight to the table. Walker watched her progress, the expression on her face unreadable. Knowing she had just been with Julie, he sat up straighter, his entire body alert.
Babs made it to the table, slid a chair back, and planted her ass in it, her eyes skirting around the other Keepers who, like Walker, also had their attention riveted on her.
Unable to hold back, Walker asked, “Is Julie okay?”
Babs sucked in her lips for a second then plunged ahead. “Julie’s a smart woman. She’s already noodled that no evidence at her apartment is linked to the crime she witnessed in Mexico. She’s also realized that she’s the only witness to the murder in Mexico, so Joseph will get away.”
The room was quiet, but Walker could not help but interrupt. “We know this, and as you say, Julie’s smart, so I’m not surprised she realizes this, too. But then she doesn’t know what we might do to mete out our own sense of justice….unless…"
“Fuckin’ hell, Walker! What kind of idiot do you take me for? Of course, I wouldn’t say anything like that to Julie!”
The air in his lungs rushed out in relief, not wanting Julie to know the extent of how far he would go to keep her safe. Scrubbing his hand over his face, he said, “Sorry, Babs… I just…well, I just want this taken care of.”
Lifting an eyebrow, Babs tilted her head to the side, and said, “Well, to that point, Julie has a suggestion.” Before anyone had a chance to say anything, she rushed, “Julie knows that Joseph is in this country and is the person that was at her apartment. She also knows that she’s at risk because he wants to get her. So, in order to be able to get him while attempting a crime here in the States, she proposes using herself as bait.”
Not a sound was heard in the cavernous compound as Babs’ words sunk in. Then, all at once, the uproar of protestations began, Walker’s being the loudest.
36
Mace once again called for quiet, which all the Keepers obeyed with the exception of Walker who had jumped to his feet, fists on his hips, staring down at Babs, protest still on his lips.
Throwing her hands up in front of her in a defensive posture, Babs said, “Hey, I’m just the messenger. We all tried to talk her out of it, but she’s determined.”
“Walker,” Mace said, pouring a lot of meaning into his name.
Swinging his gaze from Babs to Mace, he was unable to keep the incredulity from his voice as he asked, “You cannot be seriously considering this?”
Mace tilted his head to the side and replied, “And you cannot seriously be thinking that I would do anything to put one of our women in danger.”
Walker knew his boss was right about that, and he jerked when a hand landed on his shoulder. Rank had walked up next to him and said, “Take it easy, man. Nobody wants anything to happen to Julie, but let’s think this through. We all want Joseph to go down.”
Walker sat back down, his heart still pounding erratically, but turned his attention to Mace.
“I’ve been talking to José Munoz, head of the Mexican Federal Crimes Unit. He knows about Joseph Martinez and was very interested in what Julie witnessed at the airstrip. He knows as well as we do that her word against a retired Mexican military veteran would not go over well, and without any other evidence, Joseph would not be convicted of that execution. But he also admitted that Joseph is a person of interest in their fight against the cartels. He’s not at the top of the chain by any stretch of the imagination, more like a middleman, but they would love to get their hands on him. They don’t care how we get him as long as we hand him over to them.”
Walker’s training had him focus carefully on not only Mace’s explanation but where he knew the conversation was leading to. Outwardly stoic, his blood ran cold at the thought of LSI using Julie as bait.
Mace continued, “I propose that Drew call Joseph. He left a message on Drew’s phone saying that he was in the States and wanted to touch base. He did this after trying to get into Julie’s apartment, and I think we all agree that it was most likely him who was at her place. Let’s have a plan in place, then have Drew call Joseph back. If it looks like he’s digging for information about Julie, then let’s see if we can lure him in.”
“How the fuck would we do that?” Rank asked. “Drew would need to act like he knew where Julie was and create a place for her to be that Joseph would figure he can get to her.”
Walker, his emotions in turmoil, blurted, “Boston. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.”
Silence once again filled the cavernous room as all eyes turned toward him. Shaking his head in disbelief that he had actually spoken aloud, he sighed heavily. “I can’t fuckin’ believe I’m even considering this fuckin’ plan,” he bit out. “But I don’t want her looking over her shoulder forever w
ondering who’s coming up on her. I want this guy.” He pinned the others in the room with his stare before landing on—and holding—Mace’s eyes. “Full disclosure from me…I don’t give a fuck if we hand him over to the Mexican government or he ends up having a fatal accident while here in the States. I want him eliminated.”
Mace did not speak for a moment, then lifted his chin in acknowledgment. “Why the museum?”
“Just something Julie mentioned to me the other day before all this happened. She said the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston was having a special exhibit on Mayan artifacts. If we’re looking for a place for her to be that’s well lit, public, and easy for us to monitor, not to mention that it makes sense she would be there, that’s the only place I can think of.” Swinging his gaze back to Drew, he said, “But that’s only if Joseph even mentions her. I’m not sending this guy after her, swinging her ass out there, if he’s got nothing to do with it.”
“Jesus, this sucks,” Drew groaned, leaning back heavily in his seat. Looking up at Walker, he asked, “I’ll make the call, but I gotta know…do you trust me with this shit?”
Without skipping a beat, Walker replied, “I trust everyone in this room with my life, and now with Julie’s.” As the words left his mouth, he knew he spoke the truth but wished the sick feeling in his stomach did not churn so hard.
“I can go with her.”
All eyes now swung toward Babs, who continued to blurt, “I know y’all will be there as well but more in the background. I could go with her as a girlfriend just hanging out at the museum.”
Drew startled, his brows lifting. “You don’t have to do this, Babs,” he said, lowering his voice. “You just helped…I mean…oh, hell, Babs…”
“Aww, Flyboy, I didn’t know you cared,” she joked.
Drew grimaced, adding, “You know I do…we all do.”
The air left her lungs in a rush as she looked at him, uncertainty moving through her eyes. Opening her mouth to reply, Mace got there first.
“I decide who does what in LSI. Right now, we don’t even have a mission to plan so let’s take care of the business we need to.”
Walker turned his attention to Mace, whose thoughts were passing through his intelligent eyes. Finally, he looked toward Walker and said, “Let’s go talk to Julie.”
In the time he had been around her, Walker was already learning the signs of Julie when she was nervous, and now, sitting on the sofa next to him focusing on Mace, she was nervous. Already regretting he had opened his mouth, he could not help but respect her for standing fast. Mace had laid it out for her, gently, that even without her assistance, they could possibly get their hands on Joseph before he left the country and quietly turn him over to the head of the Mexican agents in charge of investigating the cartels and curbing the drug business in Mexico. Mace had also let her know that LSI was not in favor of using her as bait to draw him out, keeping him in the country longer in hopes of capturing him.
“I understand what you’re saying to me, Mr. Hanover—”
“Mace. You’re part of the Lighthouse family now, and you call me Mace.”
She offered a slight smile, her fingers linked with Walker’s flexing. “Okay, Mace. I do understand what you’re telling me, but I know he could be getting ready to leave right now. If that happens, we’ll have no idea when he might come back. I know we can’t know for certain that he was the one who tried to get into my apartment, but with everything you’ve told me, it seems like he’s here for me. I still want to try to keep him here long enough and thinking he can get to me so that you can definitely get him first.”
Walker’s grip tightened, and she shifted while twisting her head around to look at him. Her voice a whisper, she asked, “Are you mad at me?”
Grimacing, he battled the desire to pull her into his arms and say, “This is madness, and I refuse for you to do this!” But he knew she was right…this was their chance to capture him.
He shifted their hold, pulling his hand away from hers so that he could wrap his arm around her shoulders, then moved his other hand in to link fingers with her again. With her now ensconced in his embrace, he shook his head and said, “No, babe. I’m not mad at you. Just concerned.”
She gifted him with her full smile and said, “Don’t be, Walker. I know you’ll keep me safe.”
With those words, his heart swelled, and he knew, no matter what, he would make those words come true. Shooting his gaze to the side toward Mace, he nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
Hating to leave her side, he bent and kissed her lips before standing and walking out of the room with the others.
Once back inside the secure compound with Tate and Josh ready at their computers, Drew lifted his gaze to Walker and sighed. He pulled out his phone, made sure he had it on speaker, and dialed.
After the initial greetings, Drew said, “I was surprised to get your message and find out you were in the States. Where are you?”
“I flew into Miami,” Joseph lied. “I have some relatives that I decided to visit.”
“I was in Florida when I got back from Mexico,” Drew said. “If I’d known you were coming, I could have made plans to stick around.”
“What a shame we missed each other. By the way, how did everything turn out for you?” Joseph asked.
“Oh, yeah. Once we got away from that crazy-ass airstrip near Cancún, everything was fine. The woman we were flying out was shaken up, but she must be doing okay. She keeps up with a friend of mine. In fact, funny that you mentioned her, because I think she’s up here visiting now.”
“Oh?” Joseph asked. “Where are you these days?”
Chuckling, Drew said, “I’m in Maine now.”
“I guess visiting Maine would be much cooler than Florida,” Joseph continued.
“You wouldn’t believe it, but my friend and the woman are getting ready to go to a Mayan artifact exhibit in Boston tomorrow. Crazy, isn’t it? You’d think she would have had enough of seeing all the Mayan pieces when she was in Mexico. But she convinced my girlfriend that it’d be a really cool thing to see. Museums aren’t my thing. You wouldn’t get me caught near one, but my girlfriend likes it.”
Joseph said, “She must be doing well to be traveling again and ready to see more Mayan art.”
“Why all the interest in her?” Drew asked, drawing Walker’s wide-eyed look of surprise at his question.
“My country needs all the tourism we can get,” Joseph replied smoothly. “I hated to think of anyone leaving with a bad impression.” Pausing for just a few seconds, he continued, “It’s been good to catch up with you, Drew. I’ll be going back to Mexico in a couple of days, and perhaps we can see each other some other time.”
Saying goodbye, Drew disconnected. No one in the room spoke until Tate confirmed, “The connection is dead.”
And so is Joseph, Walker thought, his hands clasped in fists.
37
The only light in Walker’s bedroom was coming from the full moon reflecting onto the couple lying in his bed. The tension from the previous hours spent at the lighthouse in going over and over their plans had taken its toll on Julie, and he wanted to do nothing more than ease her worries, reminding her how good it was between them.
They had undressed slowly, as though they had all the time in the world. He had lowered her gently onto her back on his bed, determined to worship her body until she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
With her naked body stretched out next to his, they kissed for long moments, tongues gently exploring, breathing each other in. A little sigh of pleasure slipped from her lips and his arms tightened around her. Her fingers soothed up and down his back, occasionally stopping in their path to dig her fingernails into his muscles as she rubbed her body against his.
Kissing the corner of her mouth, he moved his lips over her jaw and down to the pulse point at the base of her neck. She leaned her head back giving him full access, and he nuzzled the soft, quivering flesh as he continued trailing kisses d
own her chest. With one hand cupping her breast, his lips latched over the other nipple, slowly drawing it into his mouth, his tongue teasing the beaded tip.
Her hands moved from his back, up over his neck, into his hair where she clutched him to her breast. His hand slid over her tummy, fingering lightly as it reached the tickle spots, before continuing its path downward. Her legs spread for him as she moaned, the sound vibrating against his lips still at her breast. Her hips undulated as he gently fingered her folds, his thumb circling her clit. Her body stirred to life, her desire evident in every little shift.
Leaving her breast, his lips trailed back up over her jaw before he held his face just above hers, their eyes meeting. She reached up, fingering the stubble across his jaw. Neither spoke, but emotions passed between them.
With his fingers sliding in and out of her sex, he watched as her eyes hooded with lust, her teeth digging into her bottom lip just before she sucked in a quick breath, a heated blush rising from her chest toward her face as she fell apart. Slowly withdrawing his fingers, he brought them to his mouth, sucking on them deeply. He leaned over, kissing her once again, allowing her to taste herself on his tongue.
Her chest heaved in desire and she whispered, “Please.”
His lips curved, and he shifted his body, placing his hips between her open thighs as she wrapped her arms around his back, holding him close.
His cock nudged at her sex, and she tilted her hips upward to ease the entrance into her passage. Sliding into her, inch by inch, her eyes never left his even as she gasped. In the silence of the night, he continued to thrust, slowly at first and then with more vigor as their emotions collided with the physical need pounding between them.
Walker: Lighthouse Security Investigations Page 21