Diamond in the Rough (Diamond J #2) (22 page)

“My father owns a huge meat processing company. They treat cattle like a product. It’s all about volume. The BMC is run by a guy named Brennan, a scumbag who wouldn’t care where the stock came from to get more pounds through the door.” He pushed to his feet, scraping his chair back from the table. “As long as there were no inspectors around, he’d take anything.”

The Sheriff pushed his chair back, too, but Gina held out a hand to stop him. “If you go in there guns blazing, Toby could get hurt.” She didn’t care about the cattle or the crooks. All she cared about was her son.

“But I can go.” Aidan pushed his chair in and stood behind it, gripping the back. “I’ll take a look around and report back.”

Gina jumped to her feet. “I’m going with you.”

“No. No, absolutely not.” Aidan shook his head and wagged his finger at her. “Not a chance.”

She glared at him. Like he had a choice in the matter. “I’m going and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“Listen, son, I’m not crazy about letting you go in there, but I’ve got sense enough to see that might be the best way to save her little boy.” The Sheriff put his hand on Aidan’s arm. “I’ll follow you, but hang back. You go in there, observe, then report to me. Got it?”

Aidan nodded once, then spun on his heel and hurried out the door. Gina jogged to keep up with him as he strode across the driveway. He was already turning the key in the ignition of his truck by the time she climbed in. She buckled her seat belt as they reversed out of the parking spot. The Sheriff pulled out right behind them. Charlotte stood in the driveway and watched them, still wringing the tea towel gripped in her hands.

“This isn’t a good idea,” Aidan said as he glanced over at her.

She shrugged. It didn’t matter what he thought was a good idea. While they drove, her thoughts turned to Steve. An undercover agent? And here all this time she thought he was a low level criminal, skirting trouble. She snorted. This was nuts. This had to be a dream. It was all so crazy.

She glanced at Aidan. The glow of the dashboard highlighted the set of his jaw. It seemed like hours had passed since she’d been in his arms. Goose bumps pimpled her skin and she shivered. She turned forward to watch the truck eat up the ribbon of gray highway, mile after mile.

The fact that Steve was involved gave her hope. Her stomach twisted with worry. Her biggest fear was that they’d use Toby to get to Steve. Would Steve take unnecessary risks? Would he do whatever he could to save his son?

Her chest rose and fell as she heaved a sigh. Yes, Steve would do whatever it took to save Toby. He’d always been a devoted father.

Time seemed to slow as they drove. She kept checking her watch, desperately willing the truck to go faster. She glanced at the speedometer. Aidan was already pushing the truck as fast as he dared. They wouldn’t do Toby any good if they wrecked or were stopped by a highway patrolman.

Finally, Aidan pointed at a road sign. “That’s our turnoff.”

She nodded. “What’s the plan?”

“When we pull in, hunker down in your seat so nobody sees you. I’m going to go inside and take a look around.”

She watched his face. His teeth were clenched. “You said you don’t have much to do with your father. Won’t he think it’s weird that you just show up, especially so late?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about that. Chances are, he won’t be there. It’s the middle of the night. But Lloyd Brennan might be. He’s my dad’s right hand. He’s the one that does the dirty work. If I run into him, I’ll have to come up with a reason for being there.”

“Something about a family member?” she offered.

“I’ll come up with something.” He signaled and turned onto a narrow blacktop. After a couple of miles, he pointed ahead. “See that glow? That’s the great Brackston Meat Company.”

She remembered what he said about how bad the conditions were, and made a mental note to never buy anything with the Brackston name on it again. He turned onto a gravel road without signaling. “We’re almost there.”

She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the Sheriff pull in after them and cut his lights.

He hissed, “Hunker down.”

She unfastened her seatbelt, slid into the footwell and wrapped her arms around her legs. The truck slowed as Aidan applied the brake. As soon as the truck stopped, Aidan looked around and whispered, “I’m leaving the keys here with you. If anything goes sideways, get out of here. Don’t wait for me.”

She watched silently as he swung open the door and jumped out of the truck. She knew he was right, that she had no business going in, but she hated waiting here alone. She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. Was Toby close? She was sure he was okay. He was alive. He had to be. She couldn’t let herself think otherwise. Besides, she’d know if something had happened to him.

She’d feel it.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Smart Kid

Rondo reached for the kid, then shrugged and stopped. Not like the boy could go anywhere anyway. The kid wiggled and squirmed and threw the blanket off. His eyes were big as half dollars and snot ran from his red nose.

The kid swiped his arm across his face and sniffled. "Where's my daddy?"

Rondo said, “You just sit there and keep your mouth shut—”

Right on cue, the kid opened his mouth wide and screamed. A big, hearty, blood curdling scream.

Rondo dove for the boy and slapped his palm over the kid’s mouth. The kid bit down hard, and Rondo jerked his hand away, cradling it against his stomach. The little snot opened his mouth again, but Rondo swung his hand hard, backhanding the kid hard enough to send him sprawling.

Rondo stood over the brat and shook his finger at him. “No more yelling. Got it?” This was what was wrong with the world. Kids didn’t listen to their elders. They needed to be smacked around, taught to respect adults.

The kid’s eyes blinked rapidly, but he nodded.

Rondo turned away and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He held it up. No signal. Of course. He shook his head and started pacing. He poked around at the boxes stacked around the room, then glanced at his watch and sighed. What was he going to do until Lana and the golden boy returned?

The kid sniffled again, then started sobbing. “Oh, jeez,” Rondo groaned. “Enough with the waterworks.”

A stack of boxes caught his eye. He pulled a knife from his pocket and flipped it open with a quick flick of his wrist. The kid squeaked. Rondo looked at him and raised his eyebrows. The boy shrank into a ball. Rondo slit the box open and pulled out a handful of meat sticks. He shrugged. At least he wouldn’t go hungry. He peeled back the plastic and bit off a piece. Mmmmm. Jalapeno. His favorite. He glanced at the boy, who smacked his lips hungrily.

“Ah, jeez,” Rondo moaned. “You want one, too?”

The kid nodded. Rondo pulled another meat stick from the box and tossed it to the boy. The snack landed on the floor with a soft smack and slid across the floor. The kid scrambled forward, snatched the package up and retreated to his pallet. He fumbled with the wrapper, then ripped at it with his teeth. As soon as he discarded the plastic, he devoured the snack. Rondo shrugged.

It had been a long night for him. Probably seemed even longer to the rug rat. No wonder the kid was hungry. The brat watched him like a wary wild animal as he chewed, gripping the meat stick in his chubby hands as if he were afraid Rondo would rip it away from him.

Rondo ran his tongue over his teeth. His mouth was on fire. That’s what he got for eating a jalapeno stick. He looked at the kid, then walked across the room and peered out the glass window. He turned back to the boy and said, “I’m going to go find us something to drink, okay?”

The boy nodded seriously and pulled the blanket around him.

“Don’t move a muscle.” Rondo held up his hand like a gun and pointed at the kid. Wouldn’t hurt to put the scare into him. “Got it?”

The kid yanked the blanket over his head and whimpered.

Rondo nodded. Stupid kid was scared shitless. Rondo strode across the room, flipped the deadbolt open and unlocked the door. He glanced back at the mound under the dirty blanket. He went out the door and strolled down the hallway, looking in side windows as he went. Every now and then he glanced back. Though he was fairly sure the brat wouldn’t try to escape, he wasn’t taking any chances.

A sign on the door at the bottom of the stairwell was marked “Break Room.” He pushed the door open and smiled when he spotted the soda machine. He dug in his pockets and pulled out a handful of change. He counted out enough for two sodas, and plugged quarters into the machine. He got a Coke for himself and a Sprite for the kid. The brat didn’t need caffeine.

He popped the top on his soda and sipped the sweet liquid as he strolled back to the storage room. He grabbed the door knob and twisted.

Locked.

What the—? He peeked through the window and saw the brat sitting on the pallet, staring back at him. He pounded his fist on the heavy door. “Open up!” He jerked the knob, then put his shoulder to the door and pushed. He spun around in a circle, trying to think.

Outsmarted by a damned kid!

He looked over his shoulder toward the stairwell. He had to be in that room by the time Lana and the golden boy returned, or he’d never hear the end of it. He stalked down the hall, and looked into the rooms for anything he could use as a tool. Keys? Would there be extra keys somewhere? He jogged to the break room and yanked open cabinet doors and drawers, scooping stuff out, but he found nothing. He heaved a sigh.

Think.

He jerked the door open and stomped down the hall, when a bump in the wall at the end of the hallway caught his eye, just past the storage room.

A fire extinguisher.

He hurried down the hallway and yanked the big metal canister from the wall. He turned to the storage room door and held the extinguisher over his head, then swept it down as hard as he could. It bounced off the metal knob.

Shit!

He lifted it up and slammed it against the knob, over and over. The noise of metal striking metal echoed in the wide hallway. Finally, he stopped. He tossed the dented canister to the side and tried the door knob again.

Nothing.

He pounded his fist on the door again, then looked inside. The kid had pulled the blanket over his head again, a shivering lump of scared shitless. Rondo cast around for something, anything he could use.

Suddenly, he remembered the Sprite in his jacket pocket. He pulled it from his pocket and held it up to the window. “Hey, kid!” he shouted. “Aren’t you thirsty? Open this door and I’ll give it to you. You’re not in trouble. Just open the door.”

He peeked in. The kid’s head poked out of the blanket like a turtle. He blinked his big eyes, but shook his head no.

Damn it!

A flash of reflection caught his eye. He stepped back to the niche in the wall where he’d gotten the fire extinguisher. An ax. That should take care of it. He pulled it from the wall and hefted the weight in his hands, then turned toward the heavy door.

If he had to knock that thing off its hinges or rip it to splinters, he’d get in there before Lana returned.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Mama Bear

Gina hugged her legs to her chest and listened to her heart thud wildly. This was crazy. She couldn’t just wait here when her son was so close. She knew it. She could feel it.

She raised up and peered out the window. A couple of pickup trucks, several cars and a minivan were parked in the lot, but that was it. The night shift must be pretty thin.

The bright, glaring lights lit up the graveled parking lot like day. There was no movement, no sign of life. She pulled herself up onto the seat, but stayed low. The building was massive, a hulk of steel and concrete.

A mural depicting an idyllic scene of cattle grazing in a rolling meadow covered the entire front of the building. Aidan had parked in front of an unmarked door, next to a huge roll up garage door.

She couldn’t stand it any longer. She carefully pulled the handle, slipped out of the truck and pushed the door shut as quick as she could. She winced at the loud sound, and froze. When nothing happened, she crept forward along the side of the truck then stopped to peek around it. No sound other than the muffled mooing of cattle. What now? Should she creep forward like a burglar, or walk in like she belonged? She took a deep breath, stood up and strode straight to the door. The knob was loose in her hand, rusted and dented. One twist and she was inside.

The smell was overpowering. Mud, muck, urine and shit. The sound was just as bad. The mooing wasn’t like what she’d heard during her visits to the Diamond J. That sound was peaceful. This sound was distraught, bellowing and bawling. Mothers looking for babies. Underlying the cattle sounds was the hum of machinery, clanking and clacking. A quick glance around the room revealed a staging room of sorts, with keys and lockers and a time clock.

Which way to go? Where did Aidan go? There was only one door leading deeper into the building, a scratched up door covered in peeling green paint. It had taken a great deal of courage for her to walk into the building, and now she needed to go through yet another door.

She took a deep breath and immediately regretted it, nearly gagging from the stench. The thought of what might lie in wait on the other side of that door made her stomach squirm, but the thought of her son being in the building and needing her gave her the courage to move forward. She turned the knob and opened the door a crack. A narrow hallway ran to the left and right.

No sign of anyone, but she could she hear a forklift running. She stepped through and pushed the door shut behind her, then walked quickly to her right. A large freezer door was on her left. She glanced through a small porthole and saw sides of beef hanging on tracks running along the ceiling. The placard on the wall indicated it was Cold Storage 2.

Moving equipment meant people. She had to be close to the butchering area. She flattened against the wall and moved forward, then froze, her eyes pinned to a small camera set in the ceiling ahead of her. A flashing red light indicated it was on. She shuffled forward faster. Whoever was watching that camera had already seen her. If they were watching. This time of night, maybe no one was, if she was lucky.

At the next door, she ran her fingers along the placard. Cutting Room. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and swore she’d never eat beef again. Just as she rose up to peek into the room, the next door down swung open and Aidan appeared. She ducked down and hurried toward him.

His eyes rounded and his jaw dropped. “What are you doing here?” he hissed.

“I couldn’t sit out there and do nothing.”

He nodded once, but his expression was dark. She asked, “Have you seen anything yet?”

“No. But if I were going to hide a kid here, I’d sure as hell not be here on the main level.”

She pointed at the door he had come from. “What’s in there?”

His eyes narrowed. “Leads to the kill floor.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She didn’t want to know. He hooked his thumb of his shoulder. “The other side of the building is full of cattle. A bunch of paddocks, crisscrossed with catwalks. Nowhere to hide anyone there.”

Gina looked back toward the first door. It had said cold storage 2. “There has to be more cold storage, right?”

He nodded. “What are you thinking?”

She knelt and touched the floor. “Feel that? Ventilation. Condensers, maybe.”

Aidan looked down and seemed to mull it over. “The lower level has a mechanical room and storage.” Then he pointed past Gina. She turned to follow his gaze. Just past her was a sign on the ceiling. Service elevator. She was right. There was another level to the building. Every nerve tingled, every muscle tensed. She needed to go, she needed to do something. Her son was here, close. She could feel it. But what would be waiting for them? It didn’t matter. She had to go.

She turned to him and said, “Are you going with me?” She lifted her chin. Toby needed her to be brave.

He nodded and grabbed her hand. They walked down the hallway, ducking when they reached a door with a window. She whispered, “There are cameras. We need to hurry.” She pointed up toward the corner, where another red light shone above a camera.

He shook his head. “I found the security room. Nobody there.”

She felt a rush of relief. They needed every little bit of luck they could get. As soon as they reached the elevator, she punched the down button. Machinery groaned and creaked. Something was wrong, she could feel it. She grabbed Aidan’s hand and pulled him to the side. The lift ground to a halt. She heard voices just as the door slid open. They dashed through the doorway into the stairwell. Aidan reached back and slowed the door, letting it ease closed. They pressed against the wall, waiting.

Who was in the elevator? What if they had Toby? Gina pushed past Aidan and very carefully pulled the door open. Metal creaked and she froze.

Aidan mouthed, “What?”

She mouthed back. “I need to know if they have Toby?”

He nodded and slumped. She didn’t need his permission. Didn’t want him to get in her way. Yes, it was risky, but she had to know. She poked her head out the door and looked down the hall. Two men walked down the hall, slowly, casually, like they had all the time in the world. She wanted to follow them, see where they were going. She strained to hear what they were saying, but all she could hear was muffled words.

Kid.

Her eyes brightened. They said kid!

Toby was here!

Somewhere in the distance, somewhere in the depths of the building, she heard a muffled shout. Aidan’s head snapped around. He’d heard it too. She turned, ready to explode down the stairs, but Aidan grabbed her arm.

“Easy,” he whispered. He pulled her behind him and peered over the metal railing. She squeezed next to him, keeping close, and looked down. Two flights, one landing. Another shout, then a crashing sound. She started down the stairs, but Aidan put his hand on her shoulder. He shook his head no, then motioned for her to get behind him.

She shook her own head in response and kept going. She went slowly, one step at a time. She peered over the metal railing, watching for any sign of the door below opening. Her ears tingled. If she were a wolf, they’d be pricked up straight, swiveling. She could feel Aidan right behind her. He kept one hand on her back, a reassuring touch.

At the bottom of the steps, she paused. The yells were louder, punctuated by sharp cracks. Aidan whispered in her ear, “Let me look.”

She looked back, but he pushed her to the side and slowly turned the doorknob, then peeked out the door. He whispered, “Someone’s trying to break in a door.”

She put her hand on Aidan’s back and leaned over him to see for herself. A man was raging at the other end of the hallway, screaming, yelling and slamming a fire extinguisher at a door. While she watched, he stopped, and she thought for a moment he had given up. Suddenly, he took two quick steps and returned to the door with something in his hand. Gina peered at the weapon as he raised it over his head. Light glinted on the blade.

An axe.

The man bellowed, “You little snot! Unlock this fucking door!”

Gina’s eyes widened. Before Aidan could stop her, she darted out of the stairwell and pounded down the hallway, hell bent on taking that man down. There was no conscious thought, no plan of action, just adrenalin. The man turned and looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise, jaw slack. He lowered the ax just as she lowered her shoulder and hit him like a linebacker on Sunday.

He grunted as she connected with his stomach, knocking him off his feet. He landed on his back, with her on top of him. His face turned purple as he struggled to suck air into his lungs. Gina didn’t let up. She straddled him, wrapped her left hand around his throat and squeezed with all her might. Her right hand balled into a fist and she drove it down with all her weight behind it, aiming for his nose.

Her knuckles connected with the bridge of his nose with a satisfying crack. The man cried out, a high pitched whine. She pulled her fist back, ready to drive down again, but Aidan grabbed her hand.

She looked up and realized Aidan held the ax the man had dropped when she hit him.

Aidan jerked his chin to the side. “I’ll keep an eye on him. You see if Toby is in there.”

Toby! In her blind rage, all she’d thought about was hurting that man. She leapt to her feet and grabbed the knob. Locked. She twisted and shook it, but it wouldn’t give. She stretched up and looked through the small window. No sign of him. She pressed her face to the glass, but there was nothing but boxes and pallets.

She spun around to the man and screamed, “Where is my son?”

The man had scooted back against the concrete wall. He didn’t respond, just stared at her sullenly. He held one hand to his nose, blood streaming between his fingers.

Aidan held her back with one hand. She was vibrating with anger. Aidan hissed, “Keep it down. He’s not the only one we have to worry about.”

She breathed in and out, short, quick breaths. Her son’s life depended on her keeping her cool. What next? Where else could he be? Her head swiveled back and forth. One of the other rooms? But why was that man so desperate to get in that room?

She grasped the edge of the window with her fingertips and stood on her tiptoes. The blanket. It moved. She tapped on the glass. The edge of the blanket lifted, and Toby looked at her. His eyes widened with recognition, then he jumped to his feet and ran to the door. He fumbled a moment, then the lock clicked and the door knob turned in Gina’s hand.

The door swung open and Gina swept Toby up in her arms, holding him tight and nestling her head against his hair. She breathed in that little boy scent, mixed with dust and dirt and sweat.

Oh, she never wanted to let him go!

Aidan leaned close. “I hate to break this reunion up, but we’ve still got to get out of here.”

She nodded quickly and turned. Aidan grabbed the man on the floor and hauled him into the storage room. Gina watched as Aidan snagged a packing tape gun from a hook on the wall and quickly secured the man’s hands behind his back, then his feet. Finally, he wrapped tape over his mouth and around the back of his head. She winced. That was going to hurt when it came off.

She cradled Toby against her chest. Before they closed the door, she twisted the lock on the inside. She glanced back at the man and his eyes pleaded with her. Let his buddies save him. She pulled the door shut and they darted down the hall.

Gina reached out to punch the elevator button, but Aidan shook his head. “Stairs are safer.”

She nodded and followed him through the doors and up the stairs. They were almost safe. Toby wrapped his arms around her neck and held on tight. A short hallway and they’d be home free. They stopped at the top and Aidan pressed his ear to the door. He held up one finger, then he pulled the door open and peeked out.

He pulled the door open and went out. Gina followed. He put one arm around Gina and they hurried down the hallway. She panted with exertion, but held on tight to her son. They reached the doorway to the break room and burst through, but slid to a stop.

A man and a woman spun to face them, shocked at first, but then their faces contorted with anger. The man pulled a gun. The woman was that pigtailed woman she’d seen at the truck stop.

Gina shook her head and pleaded, “My son is all we want. Let us go. We’ll never tell anyone—” Toby buried his head tighter against her neck.

Aidan huffed out a breath and said, “Lana?”

The woman looked up at him and grinned. She looked absolutely manic, eyes wide and wild. “It’s over. Shoot ‘em and get it over with, Brennan.”

The door behind them burst open and Steve strode through. Lana turned to look at him and tilted her head. It was a look of endearment. Of fondness.

Gina stared open mouthed at her ex-husband. He looked at her, eyes wide. His jaw dropped. His gaze flitted from Gina to Aidan to the boy in her arms, then back again, then he gathered himself and his face went blank.

Lana hooked her hand in the crook of Steve’s arm and turned him toward the door. The door exploded open and two officers in full riot gear burst through and slammed Brennan to the floor in seconds. Lana stared at them blinking in surprise.