by Carsen Taite
“You realize that once we’re out of here, you’re never getting felt up by another woman the way Nancy was feeling you up. Right?”
I grinned at the sound of Jess’s voice. “Nothing would make me happier. Are you okay? I was starting to get worried.”
“I’m fine. Calderon’s a pussy. Perez called him right after I left here and he nabbed me when I stopped at Walgreens on the way back to Ryan’s office. How did you know I was here?”
“Long story, but it ends with I didn’t have a clue you’d be here. Walters admitted she and Perez were involved with Calderon, so I dragged her over here to try to get Perez to talk.”
“Oh, so I guess there’s no cavalry waiting outside.”
“Not in the traditional sense. I left Jorge Moreno outside, but if he follows my instructions, he’s not going to charge in to the rescue. I do have a knife in my boot though.”
Her turn to grin. “Look at you, saying the most romantic things.” She wiggled her hands. “Maybe if you get close enough I can reach in and get it. I was staying quiet before to keep Perez’s anger focused on you. She didn’t notice I was holding my hands as far apart as possible. She’ll never get a gig as a kidnapper. Now get your ass over here.”
The carpeted floor made it hard to move, but cushioned the sound of my attempts. Seemed like forever before I finally managed to maneuver my chair so I was sitting behind Jess, my side to her back. “It’s in a holster, right inside. See if you can reach it.”
I watched while she stretched her hands as far down as she could reach. She tugged on my jeans, but couldn’t quite get them over the top of my boot. “Hang on a sec.” I looked around. “Maybe if I tilt back against the bed, I can get my leg closer to you.”
I rocked the chair and swung back against the mattress, my leg now almost parallel to the ground. I whispered encouragement, while Jess struggled against the rope to reach into my boot. As her fingers fumbled around inside, I felt my chair start to slip. “Hurry, I’m—”
Gravity struck before I could finish my sentence. I managed to turn on my side before the chair hit the ground, but damn, that was painful. My eyes went to the door. I was sure my fall had been loud enough to send Calderon and his goons running in to check on us, but no sound of footsteps headed our way.
“Are you okay?”
“I’ll live. Tell me you got it.”
“Damn right I did.” Jess’s excited whisper sounded really loud. She started sawing away at her bonds, but I was still disturbed by the intense quiet.
“I don’t hear a thing. Do you think they left?”
“All I know is I want to get the hell out of here.” She kept jabbing.
“Be careful with that thing.”
“Ouch.” Blood trickled down her hand. “Now you tell me.”
I watched her hack away at the rope for the next few minutes while I strained to hear something, anything. Maybe Calderon and company had left. If so, maybe Jorge would muster up some detecting skills and spring us. I considered sharing my rambling thought process with Jess, but I didn’t want to distract her from her work and I didn’t want to take the chance our talking would bring anyone back in here to discover us breaking loose.
A few grunts later, she jerked her hands loose and held the knife over her head in a silent cheer. Before I could offer congratulations, a loud bang echoed through the house.
“What the hell was that?” I had no chance of assessing the situation from my vantage point on the floor.
“Not a clue.” She hefted my chair back up and cut the ropes around my hands. She kissed me hard, then handed me the knife. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”
I stood up, a little wobbly from the strain of the ropes and the fall. Jess was almost to the door before I felt steady, but before she could open the door, it flew open toward her and she jumped back. Calderon stood in the doorway. He was alone, but with a gun fixed on Jess, he didn’t need backup.
He barked at Jess. “C’mon, we’re getting out of here.”
“She’s not going anywhere with you.”
He turned toward me, like he’d only just noticed I was there. “I didn’t ask you.”
We stared each other down. More gunfire cracked through the silence, and I looked down at the knife in my hand, realizing his gun had me beat. He raised the gun and I knew he realized it too.
“Leave her alone and I’ll go with you.”
“Dammit, Jess. No.” I wanted to say more, but I recognized the look in her eyes. She’d made up her mind and words wouldn’t change it. I started moving toward her, but stopped when he shot just to the left of my moving feet. I stopped in place, feeling the heat rise from the punctured carpet. I raised my hands in surrender.
“Drop the knife.”
I wanted to needle him. Ask him if he was such a bad marksman that he was worried about a knife beating his bullets, but it wasn’t just my life at stake. I shook my head in defeat and set the knife down.
“Go over there.” He pointed at the bed. “Lay down. You follow us, I’ll kill her. You stay, she’ll live.”
Jess’s face was blank, like it had been when Perez was tying her up. Was she checking out or was she plotting? I knew she thought she could handle him on her own. She’d been with him all day. But no way was I going to let him walk out of here with her. Not while I could still breathe. I hung my head, like I was whipped, while I counted the steps. Three to the bed, four to Calderon. I raised my head and faced Calderon square. “Okay, you leave me no choice.”
The last word was barely out of my mouth before I took a step to the bed, bent down, grabbed the knife, pivoted, and lunged toward him. I heard Jess yell, “No,” but I blocked it out, focused on Calderon’s stomach. The whole thing was happening in slow motion. I saw him fire the gun, even heard the bang, but I kept moving forward, fire ripping through my side. I was about to go down, when I saw him turn the gun on Jess. I channeled every ounce of pain flooding through me and turned it into enough fuel to launch the final step and drive my knife deep into his gut. I heard another shot as we hit the floor, Jess first, me on top. We both lay still for a few seconds, while I prayed he’d missed or hit me again instead.
The next thing I heard was shouts of “clear” ringing through the house. I rolled over, groaning in pain, but with one arm still pinning Jess to the floor. Calderon was lying next to us, a big red river running out of his chest. Jess struggled against me and I released my hold. She sat up and immediately began pulling at my shirt.
I pushed her hands away. “I know you want me, but is this really the time?”
She leaned down and kissed me, soft this time. “Damn, you piss me off. You could’ve been killed. Lie down and let me take a look at you.”
“Only because you asked me nicely.” I leaned back and closed my eyes. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and I was starting to drift.
“You two lovebirds want me to give you some privacy?”
I knew that voice. My eyes shot open. Sure as shit, Diamond was standing in the doorway, a gun in one hand and zip cuffs in the other.
“Guess I won’t be needing these,” she said.
I started to say something like thanks for finally showing up, but Jess beat me to it.
“I hope you have an ambulance on the way,” she said. “Because if Luca dies, you will too.”
“Guess you don’t have any qualms about threatening a federal agent.”
Jess put her arm around my neck, cradling me in her lap. Her touch was gentle, but her tone was protective, fierce. “Not a one.”
“Hey,” I called out from my spot on the floor. “Bleeding here.”
“On it.” Jess kissed my forehead and then practically growled at Diamond. “Ambulance. Now.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Even with my eyes shut, I could smell the layer of Lysol barely covering the stench of illness. I hate hospitals. The food sucks, you can’t get any rest, and it’s expensive. I’d recover better and cheaper at a luxury hotel fo
r less money.
“She’s waking up.”
Maggie. In a hotel, I’d be able to lock my door and keep pesky friends at bay. No sense delaying the inevitable. I went ahead and opened my eyes, but shut them quickly, blinded by the glow of her neon green dress. She looked like a radioactive pear.
“Don’t worry about sitting up for us. We’ve been waiting all night and we can wait a little longer.”
She continued babbling, but all I heard was the “we” part. I opened my mouth to ask for Jess, but all that came out was a hoarse cough. I cleared my throat and tried again, but Maggie put a finger over my mouth and held up a cup.
“Don’t try to talk. Try these ice chips.”
I listened while she rustled around. If there was anyone else there, they weren’t saying anything. Maggie placed one hand against the back of my neck and the cup against my lips. Who knew ice chips could be so amazing? I felt something cold against my arm and instinctively reached for what I thought was a stray piece of ice, but instead my fingers connected with fur. The fur barked.
“Cash,” I croaked.
“He’s been here the whole time. He went nuts when they rolled you into surgery. We hustled up one of those damn vests so the nosy nurses would lay off. Jessica snagged the vest from the Lab who plays with the kids in the children’s wing. If anyone asks, Cash’s name is Banjo.”
“Got it. Banjo.” In response to my touch, he snuggled his head against my right side. My left side throbbed and I remembered being shot. I fought the pain and struggled to sit up. “Jess, where’s Jess?”
“She’ll be right back. Didn’t want to leave, but those men in suits insisted on talking to her. She was scared you’d wake up while she was gone. She made me promise to call her as soon as you woke up. Guess I forgot. I’ll do that right now.”
She stepped out of the room, thank God. I didn’t have the energy to handle her. When she left, Cash tried to tell me what had happened, but as close as we’d become, all I got out of his yips and yelps was that it had been very exciting. When he exhausted his vocabulary, I drifted off with his chin resting on my arm.
“She’s asleep.”
I shot up at the sound of Jess’s voice. “I’m awake.”
She looked like she should be in bed. Her eyes were red and circled in black, and a big bandage tried to hide the cut on her throat. Made me want to kill Calderon again. Instead, I said, “You look fantastic.”
“You’re a liar.” She settled onto the edge of the bed and took my hand in hers. Cash strayed only long enough to lick her hand and make sure it was really her.
I struggled to sit up again. Like Cash, I wanted to touch Jess, make sure she really was okay. She’d been with Calderon for hours before I’d stumbled across her and I’d been too caught up in getting us out of the mess at Perez’s house to even ask what she’d been through. I ignored the shooting pain and managed to achieve something between flat on my back and slumped against the rock that served as the hospital pillow.
Jess watched my struggle, her eyes telling me she knew I had to do this on my own. She waited until I was done to talk.
“Bullet didn’t hit anything major. It’ll slow you down a bit, but you’ll be out of here soon.”
Maggie piped in. “You’ll come to your father’s house and we’ll take good care of you.”
My turn to talk with my eyes. I held back the “hell no” that rose to my lips and willed Jess to read my mind. She turned to Maggie and said, “Hey, Maggie, would you mind getting me something to drink? Coffee, Coke, something with caffeine.”
“Sure, Jess. Whatever you need. I’ll be right back.” She was out the door in a flash.
“Like you’re going to drink coffee from a machine at the hospital. Thanks for the save.”
“She could use the break. She’s been here since you came in.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Two days. Your dad and Mark have been here the whole time too. And Mark’s wife. Apparently, she’s a surgeon. You’re getting the royal treatment from this place.”
“That would explain why I’m feeling no pain.” I squeezed her hand. “And you? How are you?”
“I’m fine.”
Her lips formed a tight line and her eyes were hard. I’d have to wait to hear more about what she’d gone through before I showed up at Perez’s house, but I figured everything after that was fair game, so I changed the subject. “I don’t remember much after Diamond showed up. Mind filling me in on what happened?”
“Happy to, but if you’re up to it, there a few other folks who can help fill in the details. They’re all waiting outside. You up for visitors?”
“If one of them has a cheeseburger, I’m all yours.”
“You may be getting treated like royalty, but I think Jell-O is probably the best I can do. These nurses are guarding you like you’re the crown jewel. Frankly, I’m a little scared of them.”
I laughed. It felt good and it hurt at the same time. “Rain check on the cheeseburger. Bring in whoever and an extra helping of Jell-O.”
She stood and I instinctively reached out. “Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Come here.” I motioned for her to bend down and waited until our heads were touching. “I was scared shitless.”
“I know. Me too.”
“I don’t usually get scared. Pretty sure it was because I love you.”
“I figured as much.” She kissed me. Light, but sure, like we’d have forever to do it again. “We’re both okay or we will be. I’ll be right back.”
She was only gone a few seconds, but I spent the whole time seeing a future I’d never even considered. When the door opened, Jess led a small army into the room. Ryan, Brett, Ronnie, and Diamond. I watched while they moved chairs into place and surrounded the bed. Diamond looked like she was bursting with news. Jess motioned to her to start talking.
“Hope you’re enjoying yourself, being waited on and all, while the folks that saved your ass are still working hard to close this case.” Diamond grinned as she delivered the words, and I knew she was enjoying her role as the one with all the answers.
“Whatever. If you did your job right, I wouldn’t have gotten shot. And don’t give me the line about how this is still an open investigation. Start spilling.”
“Well, our unit’s been investigating the DPD vice squad for a while now.”
“Let me guess. Roberto Garcia was working undercover.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny the identity of an undercover agent.”
Didn’t matter what Diamond said on the subject, the lack of denial was enough to confirm my initial suspicion that Garcia had been working with the feds. To further confirm my suspicion, Ryan chimed in.
“I can confirm it. I spoke with the U.S. Attorney this morning. He called to tell me they are considering joining in our suit due to new evidence that DPD’s vice squad was engaged in practices designed to deprive individuals of their basic freedoms. A fancy way of saying, we knew all along what was going on and we don’t want you to sue us for not helping you out.”
“You knew about Calderon all along?” I asked Diamond and I didn’t attempt to hide my anger.
“We knew about the cops, but we weren’t entirely sure of the connection. We couldn’t get close to the source. Calderon was Mexican Mafia, Cartel. He managed the operation, but didn’t do the deals himself. Garcia had plenty of intel on the fake drugs, but he didn’t have a direct link to how the operation worked after the drugs were traded out. He was trying to connect with one of the new officers in the unit to get them to work for us, but it didn’t work out.”
“Jorge?”
Diamond nodded. “Right after he made contact with Jorge, Jackson intervened. I guess Jackson and crew thought Jorge wasn’t a safe bet to keep quiet about their enterprise. Seeing as how he came to your rescue, I guess they were right.”
I looked over at Ronnie. “Is he okay?”
“He was shot, but he’s going to be
fine. Frankly, I don’t think he’s feeling any pain, he’s so hopped up on adrenaline from being involved in taking down Calderon. All he really cares about is clearing his name.”
“Damn. I told him to wait outside.”
Diamond took up the story. “He waited outside for a while, but when you didn’t come out or respond to any of his texts, he came in after you. Bad timing on his part. He got in the house just before we raided and he got caught in the crossfire.”
“I’m sorry. He’s a good guy. He’ll get through this and he’s going to come out of this whole thing okay. Agent Collier will make sure of it, won’t you, Agent?”
Diamond nodded.
Ronnie stood, her eyes focused on me. “I should go check on Jorge. You want to send me a bill for the rest of your fee?”
Her tone was formal, and I knew this was probably the last time we would see each other. I chose my good-bye carefully. “We can call it even.”
She nodded and her smile was forced. Part of me wanted to say something to make her feel better, but part of me just wanted her to go. She left before I had to choose.
Jess turned to me as the door closed. “We’ll make sure Jorge comes out of this okay.”
“What about the rest of them?” Now that I knew the background, I wanted to know more about what had happened after I’d blacked out.
“Two of Calderon’s guys are in custody,” Jess said. “Get this—one of them had teeth marks on his arm. I’m betting he was one of the guys who Cash bit a hunk out of after they gunned down Jackson and Walters at the Lucky Seven.”
“Good boy.” I rubbed his head and he licked my hand.
“Speaking of Jackson, he was still in bed when we arrested him,” Diamond said. “We caught Walters trying to climb out a bathroom window.”
“And Perez?”
Diamond looked around the room.
“What?”
“She’s in the wind. I don’t have a clue how she got past us, but she’s gone. We found her car several miles away, parked in a church parking lot, but not a sign of her. She’s not using her credit cards and the GPS on her phone led us right back to her house.”