1
Carson Dyer slipped silently through the scrub brush at the edge of the Mexican vineyard, his night-vision goggles providing an eerie green glow to his path. The air was dry, and only a slight breeze blew down from the mountains in the distance, barely rustling the grape leaves but sending the scent of earth and vegetation his way. The north-south rows were meticulously laid out, the vines lush although not all were heavy with fruit at this time of year. With stealth, he moved down the alleyways and rows, focused on his surroundings due to the mission at hand, not the beauty of the landscape.
Many wineries used dogs to guard their vineyards, but their intel indicated this estate had none. Hardly surprising considering the owners would never expect anyone to dare to step foot on this land. This estate was guarded more by the threat of cartel retaliation than any real need for foot soldiers or dogs although armed guards still patrolled the area.
Coming to the last alleyway at the end of the row, he signaled to the others with him, waiting until they reported.
“In position,” came each voice through his radio.
“Stay on target. Get as close to the house as possible. Note security guards. Send all feeds to Jeb. Do not engage unless necessary.” He turned toward the man on his left to see his nod, knowing Rick would follow his instructions. Rick Rankin was a former SEAL and had experience with Carson’s business partner in the original Lighthouse Security Investigations firm based in Maine.
Radioing similar commands to the two others circling around the vines toward the winery barns, he received affirmatives from Leo and Poole. Both Lionel Parker and Frederick Poole had served with special ops as had all his men. These two also worked for several years for Carson when he’d first started a security firm hiring out bodyguards to the stars. Fuckin’ nightmare of a job.
Continuing reconnaissance as he stealthily traveled on the dirt path toward the mansion on the hill, he grinned. This. This job. Right here. Right now. This is fuckin’ worth it.
The massive estate included the family mansion, several guesthouses, extensive lawns and gardens with patios and a pool, the grape farms, the large buildings where the grapes were pressed and the wines produced, barns for equipment, and the public wine tasting area. There were several entrances, each with a guardhouse, and then guards and workers that lived in housing nearby.
Getting eyes on the property and buildings’ security of one of the winery owners in the Guadalupe area of Mexico was their mission. Not just any winery. One that was a suspected cover for smuggling drugs to the United States by a cartel drug lord. Tasked by the FBI and DEA, Carson was ready to show that LSI-WC could handle the private special op missions at this level.
Their reconnaissance had let them know the entire family was not in residence at the moment, giving them the perfect timing for their mission. The guards would be lazier, and the entire winery estate would be easier to access. The electronic security system on the winery was tight, and Carson needed his men to physically tap into the cameras so that the override of the system could be accomplished by his computer guru, Jeb Torres. Jeb, normally back at their compound, was currently on a boat off the coast, waiting for their return.
His gaze narrowed as he slipped around one of the buildings. “Dolby, I see a light in a guesthouse. You take the main house, and I’ll check it out.”
“Roger that.”
Peeling away from the dirt path leading to the main house, Carson changed his trajectory toward the lighted window of the smaller guesthouse. The mansion was L-shaped, with gardens and a pool to the east. A guesthouse was down the hill and on the other side of the pool.
Crouching, he moved through the shadows to the side of the guesthouse, staying hidden. The windows were covered with lace sheers, offering transparency while blurring the images of those in the room. Peering in from his vantage point, he observed a coiffed, older woman sitting in a chair, her feet propped onto an ottoman. Wearing a deep purple robe with a monogram embroidered on the lapel, her grey hair styled, and holding a china cup in her hands, she was smiling at someone just out of his view. His pre-mission preparation had identified all the family members, and he recognized her as an American relative by marriage to the winery owner but wondered why she hadn’t traveled with the others to their vacation home on the coast in Los Cabos.
Taking another step closer to see who she was smiling at, he spied a younger woman in nursing scrubs, her head thrown back as she laughed at something the older woman said. She has a nurse. If she’s not well, that must be why she didn’t go with the rest of the family.
He could only see the nurse’s profile, but as her head lowered, she turned slightly, giving him a partial glimpse of her face, still somewhat obscured through the sheers. Porcelain skin tinged with blushing cheeks. Dark brown hair with auburn highlights, the waves hanging over her shoulders. Crinkles emitted from the sides of her eyes as her mouth curved upward into a smile. Beautiful.
He appreciated an attractive woman but not the plastic Hollywood beauty he’d encountered with his years in the bodyguarding business. He’d spent time with some of Hollywood’s premier actresses, and outward beauty was something he’d seen a lot of. He considered himself immune to the distraction while on a mission… or building my business. But, to his surprise, his gaze stayed on the nurse for an extra beat, wishing he could see her more clearly. Hell, appreciation of beauty is about all I have time for anymore.
A magnetic force seemed to pull him closer, the desire to see her more clearly filling his mind. As though she could hear his thoughts and felt the pull as well, the woman stood with a puzzled expression on her face and walked toward the window. He stayed hidden while keeping her in view. There’s no way she could tell I’m out here. Through the filmy sheers, he could see her eyes a little more clearly as she peered out into the darkness. They appeared shadowed as though full of things seen that couldn’t be unseen. That’s what you get when you work for a drug lord even if you stay in a luxury guesthouse.
He jerked at the path his thoughts had wandered and stiffened his stance. Shutting down all thoughts of her, he stepped away, veering toward the wiring where the security panel entered the house, needing to keep his mind on his task. Unable to keep from looking over his shoulder one last time at her, a strange sense of déjà vu slithered through him as though he’d seen her somewhere else. Another time. Another place.
Shaking his head in irritation, he dislodged those thoughts. I’d tear into my men if they let their minds wander like this. Opening the panel on the side of the house, he worked on the wires and slipped a drive into a port, radioing for Jeb to check the connection. Given the affirmative, he removed the drive and turned to head toward the main house. Skirting the pool, he stayed in the shadows.
Easily finding Dolby, he waited as his man slipped inside the main house after Jeb disarmed and overrode the security system. Following, they moved stealthily to the security panel just off the massive kitchen. Having studied the estate, they knew exactly where to go, moving unnoticed. He stood watch as Dolby worked quietly and efficiently. As soon as he performed the same task on the security panel that Carson had with the guesthouse, they slipped back outside. Once more given the okay from Jeb, they made their way to the large winery building where Leo and Poole had completed their same checks. This location was trickier given that workers still monitored the barns, their work often running through the night. But his men had no trouble getting what they needed, and once again, he grinned in pride. This job… these men… fuckin’ perfect.