A chime echoed off of the cabin walls. Dante glanced at his phone and quickly typed out a reply to whatever notification he received. “It’s time to go, ladies. I trust that I don’t need to restrain you?” His eyebrow cocked as he gazed at us. His eyes were sharp yet warm. He didn’t look like he wanted to hurt us.
“No, you don’t,” I replied. Kendra was eerily silent and still shaking next to me.
“And your friend?” He tilted his head to indicate Kendra’s vacant stare.
“I’ve got her. You don’t need to restrain either of us.” I squared my shoulders.
“Very well. Shall we get out of this hell hole and get you back to your sheriff?” He exited the cabin without glancing back. He had the stature of a man who expected his orders to be followed and didn’t stop to check and make sure everyone did what they were supposed to do.
I stood, hefting Kendra up with me. “I am so sorry, Kendra. I’m sorry,” I whispered as we followed him out.
“Frank, you’ll drive us to the rendezvous; I’ll join Enzo in the back. Remember, you are transporting precious cargo.” The SUV pulled out ahead of us.
The ride wasn’t as long this time, and when we arrived, Dante got out to join his boss as he departed the SUV. I held my breath, expecting the guards he left with us to make a move, but when they didn’t, I decided it was time to see where we were and the best route of escape. I leaned back as if stretching my back and peered out a corner of the window.
“We’re at the quarry,” I whispered.
“What?” Kendra finally whispered back.
“The quarry, that’s where he’s meeting Jason.” I glanced over and breathed a sigh of relief to see Kendra’s eyes had lost that vacant stare.
“There’s only one road in or out.” She scooted closer to me, bending her head towards mine. “But there’s a trail behind the pit we used to take in high school when we snuck up here to party. If we can get there, I can get us out of here and back into town. It’s a long walk.”
“Hey, what are you two talking about?” Enzo or maybe it was Frank barked.
“I’d walk to the north pole if it meant we could escape these guys unscathed.”
“You don’t think they’ll just hand us over?”
“Answer him or you’ll be going back with a couple of extra holes in ya.” Non-Enzo or Non-Frank scooted to the edge of his seat, hand on the gun at his side.
“We know who they are and what Jason has done. Do you think they’ll just let us walk away?”
“Shit! It’s like an episode of some crime show.”
Before we could attempt to escape and the goons could act on their threat, we heard shouts and gunfire erupt outside the van. We both dropped down to the floor, hands over our heads. I couldn’t tell where the shots were coming from, only that none had hit the vehicle we were in. Yet.
“If we don’t make it, Genni, know that I love you!” Kendra mumbled into the floor.
The side door on the van flew open while shots still ricocheted outside. My heart leapt into my throat as my fight or flight response kicked into hyperdrive. Our rescuer incapacitated Enzo and Frank in the blink of an eye before addressing us.
“Genevieve? My name is Jordyn. Brian sent us.”
My eyes shot up to find a short woman fully decked out in military tactical gear.
“Come on, we don’t have much time. Grab your friend, and let’s go,” our guardian angel in camo barked.
I grabbed Kendra’s hand and shimmied out of the van as fast as I could.
“Stay close to me, and don’t stop until I say.” She raised her hand to her left ear. “Package in hand and headed toward carrier.” She led the way, and the rest of her team positioned themselves around us.
We didn’t stop until a familiar truck came into sight. I pushed past our rescuers and ran toward the man who emerged from the driver’s side. I had never been so happy to see anyone in my life. I ran into Brian’s arms, sobs escaping me as he wrapped me up in a tight hug.
“Shh, pet, I’ve got you.” His whispered words full of emotion.
11
Brian
I drove by the police station on my way back from getting pastries and verified both Jason’s personal vehicle and his cruiser were parked out front. I left the envelope with the sheets I had printed at the library, my note, and my sugary offering on the table before checking all the windows and locking the door as I left.
I drove the few blocks to the hotel I was staying at to grab a shower, a quick nap, and fresh clothes. Sleep overtook me before my clean body hit the bed and dragged me under to oblivion.
A phone ringing woke me. The landline in my room was emitting a shrill ring, which could wake the dead from slumber, and I grabbed the receiver if only to stop the offensive sound. “Yeah?” I mumbled in my half-asleep status.
“Brother, we have an issue.” Brody recited our code for “Get your ass to a secure line pronto because shit is going to hit the fan” and hung up.
“Fuck me.” Those words cleared the fog from my head and had me moving in action in seconds. I drug out the black duffel bag I had hidden in the closet and extracted the tactical gear Brody had provided me years ago when I helped him on a stakeout. After changing into the black tactical pants and black T-shirt, I set the bulletproof vest aside, choosing to put on the black jump boots and black baseball cap, which rounded out my uniform. Taking out the 9mm he had given me along with two extra clips, I checked to make sure they were full before securing them in the appropriate loops at my back. I checked the 9mm to ensure one was in the chamber and the clip was full. Safety on, it was snug on my hip, locked into place. I didn’t know what was coming my way, so I packed a variety of items in my pockets, making sure each was within easy reach. The last thing I snagged out of my duffel before putting the bag away was the SAT phone Brody had sent me for times such as this.
It paid to have a brother who was a former SEAL and who now worked for the biggest security firm in the country—if you believed what he said. Either way, they got the latest and greatest tech almost before the military did. I didn’t know how and didn’t ask.
I glanced, for a moment, at the jeans and shirt I had laid out on the chair along with my best Stetson before I left the room. Genni and our talk would have to wait a bit longer.
Five minutes later, parked in an abandoned gas station’s lot, I cut the engine and dialed Brody on the SAT phone.
“About damn time, brother. Where are you?”
“I’m sittin’ at the abandoned Shell station at the east end of town.”
“Get your ass to Genevieve’s house. I’ll explain as you drive.”
I cranked the engine and took off back into town.
“Jason has his ass hemmed up with some bad guys. The biggest mob conglomerate in Chicago has been using your girl’s little town to filter guns and drugs through it. It’s basically a waiting port, and Jason is the point man. He takes money to hold their shit in the evidence lockers. Once a month, he meets three goons to exchange items, but recently they have been using him to wash money. How, I don’t know, but they bring him a few million, and two months later, he brings it back, except the last couple of months, he’s been skimmin’ off the top and comin’ up with excuses. The don isn’t happy, and Jason knows it. He was supposed to make it all square at the meet up last night, but he was still short. The don has sent his top three enforcers. They will be there soon if they aren’t already there. This guy doesn’t play fair. He goes for the family first, which means your girl.”