Confer, Lorelei - Deadly Deception (Siren Publishing Classic) (25 page)

“We also need to get someone up here from the forensics team to go over the squad car before it’s moved,” Wyatt said.

“I can take care of that with a phone call so there won’t be any invasion into the compound. I’ll have them come in off the main road and forensics should run into the car shortly afterward,” Dave said.

Wyatt agreed. He liked the idea his safe harbor would not be compromised.

“We better get going then,” Sam said. “Dave can make his calls on the way, and I have to make a switch before we get near the city. Don’t want to be identified and lose my cover yet, you know.”

After making arrangements to meet at a designated place and time, Dave and Sam left.

* * * *

Isabella sat confused, stunned. So much happening and so fast. She didn’t understand the plan in detail since they talked so much cop mumbo-jumbo, so she kept running their conversation around in her head.

Wyatt startled her when he came up behind her as she stood on the front porch watching Dave’s car drive away. Wyatt put his hands on her shoulders, and caressed her arms. She leaned back against him and he asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“How confused and scared I am. I know I can’t run away from this anymore, and I really want to put this behind me but only parts of it. I want to keep the parts with you in it. And it’s so beautiful and peaceful here. I’m not ready to leave this part yet either, but I know I have to.”

“You play your cards right, after all this is behind you, you can come back, how about that? I know the owner and can get you a really good deal. I’ll even go further and make it a promise.” Wyatt turned her around to look at him.

“It’s a deal
but
only if the owner tags along!”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

He retrieved their bags, and after a quick security check, they left, leaving the property from a different, but similar, entry or exit gate.

They talked about different sites along the way, and as they neared
Norfolk
, they both became quiet.

Isabella asked Wyatt something she had been thinking about for quite some time. “What happened with Rachael? I know you said you were engaged, but what happened?”

He looked straight ahead for a moment. At just about the time she thought he wasn’t going to answer, he said quietly, “She was an undercover operative in a prostitution ring we busted. She got killed during the sting operation. I found out then she had been prostituted herself, got caught in the crossfire, on the wrong side of the law.”

Isabella was shocked. She had assumed Rachael had died a hero’s death in the line of duty. While he had so much integrity and honor, and Dave and Sam looked to him for answers and assurance, she didn’t understand why Wyatt would feel responsible for her death.

“Why do you feel her death is your fault?” She studied his face.

“I talked her into it. I talked her into going undercover, playing the part of a prostitute. I never thought she would go to the other side. So I blame myself for maybe pushing her over the edge so to speak.” He didn’t seem able to meet her eyes.

“Wyatt, it’s not your responsibility to take care of everybody, and you’re certainly not responsible for their actions. She knew the rules, and she chose to break them, not you.”

Isabella checked the time, which had passed quickly. Her thoughts of the plan and its many pieces were coming together as a jigsaw puzzle in her mind. And there couldn’t be any missing pieces.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Isabella? You know you don’t have to, you can opt out at any time.”

“Yes I’m sure. I’m scared but I want to do it. Just tell me what I need to do.”

“Sam is very good at what he does. You need to follow his lead in everything. You need to be afraid of him even though you know he’s there to protect you. Otherwise, his cover could be blown, endangering his life as well as yours and everybody else’s on the task force. The entire operation could be jeopardized. Part of his persona is mean and rough. After all, he is a hit man and therefore lacking in compassion concerning anyone’s life.

“Sam will have some sort of video recording pin or button for you to wear, and we’ll be able to monitor you both by sight and sound through the laptop inside the car. And at the first sign of
any
danger to either you or Sam we’ll abort the mission and come in and get you both out.

“You need to come up with a code word or phrase you can use if, for example, you take your jacket off and the camera is removed or if you fall and you’re in greater danger than we think. You just need to say the word or words, and we rescue you and abort the mission. Do you have any ideas?”

Isabella thought for a few minutes and then said, “
Vancouver
.”

“What?
Vancouver
? How did you arrive at that word? I’m really curious.”

“Because I’ve always wanted to go there, and when I say, ‘
Vancouver
,’ I want you to come and get me immediately so I can make sure I’ll have an opportunity to get there someday.”

“Okay, so even if things look really bad from our end unless you say, ‘
Vancouver
,’ we don’t make a move until we have all the goods on them, right?”

“That’s right.” Isabella nodded.

“Also, there will be disguised operatives and team members all within two to three blocks with hearing capabilities, and they’ll do whatever has to be done to save you and complete the mission.”

“So let’s make sure I have this straight. All I have to do is pretend to be afraid of Sam? I think that will be the hardest part of it all.” She said with a smile on her face.

“You’ll have to tell me once you see Sam in full undercover mode.”

“And then I’ll wear a button or pin that’ll record everything I say and do. You’ll be able to hear and see it too so you can help me if I need it, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And if something goes wrong I say the magic word and you come and get me.”

“Right again.”

She asked a few questions for clarification throughout the conversation. And after Wyatt answered them he said, “I really admire you. You are a very strong and gutsy woman and I am very proud of you.”

“Thank you. Are you sure you’ll be there if anything goes wrong?”

“I promise you, I will not let anything happen to you. And Dave and Sam wouldn’t let you participate at all if they thought you would come to any danger. So they will be looking out for you too.”

Chapter 44

A short time later they arrived at the rendezvous location, which appeared to be an underground parking garage deep within the city. They parked behind Dave’s unmarked car, parked beside another newer model car with the trunk open.

Wyatt got out of the car and talked to both Sam and Dave with frequent glances from all three back at Isabella still sitting in the car.

She finally opened the door, slowly got out and walked to stand beside Sam.

“Are you sure?” Wyatt asked her one more time.

She nodded. “Let’s get it over with. The sooner I get this behind me, the sooner I can get back to my own life.”

Wyatt looked into her eyes, and when she looked at him, she saw sadness. She wasn’t sure why.

“Okay, Isabella, let’s get you ready,” Sam said.

Isabella glanced at Sam. Pure and true fear washed through her at the change in his appearance. What she had thought to be a rather attractive smooth face now appeared rough with pox scars as well as a large ugly scar running from his forehead, down across his left eye, and ending at his chin. His hair on the top of his head was mussed, and the longer part was pulled back into a ponytail at his nape. He had added a gun to his waistband and held a long-barreled pistol or a cutoff shotgun—she didn’t know which. She hardly recognized him. He had definitely become a formidable foe.

Sam handed her what looked like a clear button cover. “Fasten this onto the second button of your jacket. The camera/microphone will be able to pick up all conversation within fifty feet, as well as video.”

Sam and Dave checked the feedback on the laptop, made a couple adjustments, and then checked with each member on the mission.

Dave received a call on his cell. He said, “Okay,” and closed the phone. He looked at Wyatt. “Everybody’s in place and we need to get going.”

Wyatt looked at Isabella.

“Now remember. Dave and I’ll be just down the street. We’ll be able to reach you within a matter of seconds. As soon as we have a viable confession, we can move in
and
I’ll say when. Nobody, and I mean nobody”—as he looked around at the other officers in hidden spaces—“moves before I say so, okay?”

Wyatt went to Isabella and took her in his arms. “Are you still okay with this?”

She nodded and he kissed her.

“I’ll be right here waiting, listening and watching,” Wyatt said reassuringly.

Sam beckoned for Isabella to come to him and when she did he turned her around and roughly tied up her hands. He smeared some dirt on her face and ran his dirty fingers through her hair.

“You have to work with me, Isabella. If I shove you or say something nasty to you or about you, take it personally. Pretend you don’t know me and you definitely don’t like me.”

“Right now, I don’t know you at all,” Isabella said, “and I don’t think I like you much either.”

“That’s good. Let’s keep it that way.”

Sam led her to his car and helped her get into the backseat. He jumped in the driver’s seat and they quickly drove off.

Chapter 45

Isabella lay on her side in the backseat, her heart beating so loud in her chest that she thought certain Sam could hear it. She was scared, no doubt about it, but she was more determined now than ever. She was in too deep to turn around. She couldn’t if she wanted to.

Wyatt and Dave trailed a short distance behind and parked a few cars behind Sam. They watched as Sam helped Isabella out of the car and then roughly took her arm to lead her into the house.

A small, narrow, Tudor-style house with large windows to the left of the front door had a small amount of light shining out through the drawn shades.

Roughly gripping Isabella’s arm, Sam opened the door, pulled her inside into a foyer, and shut the door. To the left of the front door stood a young swarthy-looking man to whom Sam said, “Hey, kid, Boss around? He’s expecting me.”

“Sure, just a minute.” The kid opened the door, stuck his head in and bellowed, “Yo, Boss, Sam’s here witda’ goods you ordered.”

They heard Boss mutter something like, “It’s about time.” When the door opened wider, Sam towed Isabella into an open living and dining room area, very tastefully decorated.

A short, stout man in a white suit sat on a couch facing the front windows but which also separated the living and dining rooms. He had a cigar in one hand and a short glass of something amber in color in the other. His balding head had only grayish white hair around the bottom; a round, bulbous nose, dark, beady eyes with dark circles and bags underneath; thick jowls around his chin, or
chins
; and a huge, round belly.

When Isabella drew back at the sight of Spike, Sam pulled her back and put her in front of him.

“Jus’ settle down, little missy. We come a long way for the boss, an you ain’t gonna ruin it now.”

When Sam spoke, she barely recognized his voice and became more frightened. Trembling, she looked around furtively, her eyes welling up with tears, for a way to escape and saw a door on the other side of the room. She thought about what they had done to her. She thought about Megan and wondered how many others he had done this same thing to. And she thought about Wyatt’s promise of being right outside listening and watching every move made. She lifted her head and stood tall.

Sam looked at Spike, who pushed her a little more forward and said, “Here she is, Boss. Just like you said, big tits and all.”

Wyatt, watching and listening in the car with Dave, just looked at Dave and rolled his eyes. After a few attempts at getting off the couch, Spike stood. He walked slowly toward her and then all the way around her, looking her up and down as if she were a new car. She expected him to try to kick the tires at any moment.

“Yeah, she’s a beaut all right,” Spike said.

Isabella tried to move her arms in front of her but since they’d been tied behind her back she only managed to thrust her much-lusted-after breasts out even further. Filled with humiliation, she cringed. She felt like a piece of meat ready to be devoured. He disgusted her, and she thought she would vomit if he touched her.

“Yup, Miles’s right. You’re quite a looker and worth every penny I’m paying for you. It won’t be long till I get you trained to do anything and everything I want. You’ll learn that I take care of things what’re mine, and if they ever cheat me or if I happen to get tired of them, I’ll just sell them to someone else and move on,” Spike proclaimed.

Spike walked over to a bar and poured himself another drink. He turned around, took a sip and snorted like a pig as he addressed Sam.