For The Love Of Laurel (24 page)

He stopped beside her. “Send him another one. Tell him that if he doesn’t acknowledge and understand the first email, please acknowledge this one. Otherwise, I will have your
amigo
, Juan, begin to cut off your fingers, one a day for ten days, after which time you will be killed.”

Chapter 38

“Now he’s threatening to torture and kill her,” Gerald said, closing his laptop.

After a minute, he opened it again, logged onto his email, and began to type. Dylan looked over his shoulder
.

Madeira, your terms are unsatisfactory. I’ll give myself up, but only to you and only after you’ve freed Laurel. Name a neutral place and I’ll be there—alone.

Within minutes, Madeira replied there would be no negotiation. He would give Gerald three more days before he’d let anyone touch Laurel. After that, there were no guarantees.

“See if you can find out the ETA of the others,” Dylan said. “If not, we’ll go it alone.”

“Agreed. I won’t wait any longer.”

“Make the call.”

Dylan felt just like Gerald, but knew the more help they had, the better. For him, the only person of importance was Laurel. He couldn’t live with himself if something happened to her because he and Gerald screwed this up.
Admit it, fool. You couldn’t live if anything happened to her for any reason, period.

After the call, Gerald said, “They just arrived and were getting ready to contact me. They’re in the lobby in disguise. We’ll meet in ten minutes.”

“What’s their disguise?”

“Tourist nightlife. Slacks, casual short-sleeve shirts just a cut above a T-shirt. I hear they balked at ordering umbrella drinks.”

“How many and how will we know them?”

“Six of the best. Strohman—I know him—Kowalski, Jensen, Barrett, Stansbury, and Michaels. We’ll go to the lobby and play it by ear.”

“My least favorite way to play it,” Dylan grumbled.

The lobby wasn’t crowded. Two restaurants and several bars opened onto the lobby, absorbing most of the guests. Dylan and Gerald headed for one of the bars as they scanned the room for signs of agents. There were just enough men in the lobby dressed tourist nightlife, as Gerald had put it, that they weren’t able to make a connection at first.

“There’s Strohman.” Gerald headed straight for the agent, as if to greet an old friend.

“Stroh, how the hell are you? Haven’t seen you since you and the wife got married.” They hugged each other.

“Great. You’re looking good.” Strohman talked at the same volume as Gerald—not so soft as to seem secretive, but not so loud as to attract unwanted attention.

Dylan joined them and shook Strohman’s hand. “Glad you’re here. How are we going to do this?” When he let go of Strohman’s hand, a small piece of paper was in his.

“Take a cab to the first address on the paper. Then, leave the cab and walk east one block, turn south for two blocks. That’s where the second address is. It’s a safe house. We’ll all meet there and get some shut-eye and food. At oh four-hundred, we’ll gear up, and go get us one fucking son-of-a-bitch.”

Chapter 39

The team looked at the compound from their vantage point among trees and bushes. The walk had taken several hours, during which time they had met a number of men with assault rifles and taken them out with their HK MP5 sub-machine guns. The Gemtech Raptor II Silencer on each weapon rendered it almost completely silenced, so they weren’t worried they’d been heard.

It was now the middle of the day. The heat and humidity were stifling, the insects malicious. Kids played outside. Once in a while, a mother would open the door of a small house and call her son or daughter in for lunch. No activity was apparent in the large ranch house.

Dylan took a drink of water and wiped sweat from his forehead just as Gerald gestured to the team.

They retreated fifty yards and formed a close circle, eight men with a single goal. Dylan knew from experience that they were highly attuned to each other. Everyone knew their role and how to execute it.

“He has to be here,” Gerald said in a low whisper. “Are they all waiting in the main house?”

“If they are, they are really sons-of-bitches, leaving their juveniles exposed,” Strohman said.

“I don’t think so. They’re certain we’ll walk into their trap, rather than risk collateral damage in the crossfire,” agent Barrett said.

There was general agreement.

“No collateral damage would be preferable, but we have to get Madeira, no matter the cost,” Jensen said.

They all pondered that as they crept back to their original position. A door slammed, stopping them cold.

Dylan put a warning hand on Gerald’s arm as Madeira walked off the porch of the ranch house and into the open, accompanied by Laurel. They appeared to be arguing.

“For Christ’s sake, Laurel, stop it,” Dylan muttered.

The men were close enough to hear the conversation. They all raised their weapons and concentrated on Madeira.

“How old is Juan?” Laurel said.

“Seventeen. What of it?”

“He needs martial arts training. I could teach him.”

“You? What do you know about it?”

“Plenty. Do you?”

“I find guns are faster and do a better job.”

Laurel had hoped that by offering to teach Juan, she could prolong the inevitable. But now, she knew she wouldn’t have to. She glanced at the trees to her left as she and Alejandro stopped walking. She could swear she saw a man in camouflage. He never moved, but he was there.

“What are you looking at,
Querida
?”

“Nothing. Just trees.”

Alejandro squinted as he followed her sight line.

“See? There’s nada.”

“Perhaps you need glasses, because I’m certain I can see part of a camouflage uniform.”

Laurel gulped. “Maybe
you
need glasses,” she said. I’m sure you have men everywhere protecting your compound.”
Damn! How long do I have to keep him talking before you guys make your move?

“Sí, but if they were that close, they would show themselves.”

“Who else could they be?” She laughed. “You don’t think it’s my father, do you? He said he would come alone. You can’t be thinking he managed to avoid all your men, can you?”

He grabbed her arm and put her between him and the trees. “Of course it’s your father, Bitch. And I’m sure he’s not alone. He isn’t stupid. But he’s the only one of your pathetic operatives who could successfully breach my security with or without backup.”

He yelled for his men. As they ran out of the house brandishing their weapons, he pointed to the trees. “Shoot them!” he screamed.

Laurel whirled around and kicked him below the belt. She didn’t know what good it would do, but she had to try something. He yelled and doubled over. She dropped to the ground and rolled away from him. In pain, he worked to take his gun out of his belt. When he couldn’t get it out, he copied Laurel’s maneuver until he was beside her, then yelled for his men to keep shooting.

Women screamed as they ran out of their houses and herded the children inside.

Alejandro grabbed Laurel’s leg so she couldn’t move. Once the women and children were safe, he stood, pulling Laurel up with him. He used her as a shield and faced the trees.

Laurel could no longer see anyone.
I must have been seeing things. I’m alone. Nobody’s coming.

Alejandro managed to get his gun and point it at Laurel’s head. Her knees got weak, but she refused to give in to her fear.

“¡Basta!”
Alejandro screamed.

The shooting stopped. Alejandro’s men pointed their guns at the ground, but remained vigilant.

He tucked his gun in his belt and turned Laurel toward him, making sure he kept her between him and the trees. “Just what did you think you would gain by injuring me? Were you expecting your father to rescue you?”

She looked at him defiantly. “No, but apparently you did. Do you think he’s going to jump out of the trees and magically whisk me away?”

“Of course not,” he scoffed.

“You told him to come alone, yet you have all your men backing you up. Are you afraid to face him
mano a mano
? For all you know, he is already here, just waiting for his chance to take you down.”

“I know he’s there. And so do you.”

“I wish I could hear what they’re talking about,” Gerald said softly.

“Actually, you probably don’t,” Dylan commented. “If she’s pissed, and I’d say that looks to be the case, she will often speak before she thinks.”

“Great. Just what I needed to hear. How are we going to do this? If we can distract Madeira, Laurel might be able to get far enough away that I can take the kill shot.”

Before they could plan any further, Madeira raised his voice to his men, speaking in rapid Spanish. The team watched as he gestured directly toward the place where they hid.

“What’d he say?” Strohman whispered.

“He wants them to infiltrate the trees. Our cover will be blown momentarily,” Gerald said. He raised his weapon and pointed it directly at Madeira.

They all knew it was up to the rest of them to take out Madeira’s men. Madeira was Avidon’s kill. The problem was the drug czar still hid behind Laurel.

No one on the team moved as Madeira’s men advanced. A few of his men glanced back at their boss, clearly confused by his orders.

Dylan wished he could signal Laurel but there wasn’t any way to do it.

Madeira’s men ran to the relative safety of the houses. Some opened the doors to use as a shield. Others ran behind the houses and swiftly crossed the small spaces between them.

The team had them all covered. None of them would make it to the trees.

Dylan saw Laurel tense. He knew at once what she was going to do. “Get ready,” he said.

Laurel looked toward the trees and yelled. Startled, Madeira let go of her. Her body was a blur as she spun around and kicked Madeira hard enough that he fell. She followed up with a one-two punch to his nose. Blood spurted down his face.

Before his men could react, she once again rolled until she was under the porch. The men turned their attention toward the trees when they realized several shots had been fired and some of their men were down.

Both sides traded fire. A crying toddler came out of one of the houses. The team held their fire and dropped to the ground. They waited while the girl’s mother came tearing out the door, screaming and waving her hands. She grabbed the child and rushed back inside. Madeira’s men kept firing into the trees.

Laurel was still under the porch. Her arms covered her head. She heard someone yell “Cover me!”

Dylan rushed to her and scooped her into his arms. He ran for the safety of the trees. Once there, he put her in Gerald’s waiting arms.

“Daddy?” Her voice cracked.

“Shh, baby. You’re just fine. Get behind a tree and stay low.”

He set her down and picked up his weapon. He trained it on Madeira, who had yet to move. The shots from his men got fewer and further between as more of them were brought down.

At last Madeira struggled to sit up. He stood slowly, swaying to keep his balance.

“Avidon, you won’t win,” he yelled. “Even now my men are surrounding you.” He coughed and spat blood out of his mouth.

Gerald said nothing. He simply squeezed the trigger and put a neat hole between Madeira’s eyes.

Dylan saw Laurel go numb with shock.

The shooting stopped, creating a stark silence. Laurel’s ears rang. What was left of Madeira’s men put down their rifles and raised their hands. She watched as her father, Dylan, and the other men left their cover and entered the compound open area, weapons at the ready.

Gerald went to Madeira’s body and gave a salute. “A worthy opponent.”

Her attention was drawn to a movement behind Juan’s house. She watched in horror as Juan sneaked around the side of the house.

“No, Juan,” she screamed. “Daddy, to your left!”

Gerald moved quickly, but not quickly enough. She could only watch helplessly as Juan came around the corner, aimed his gun at Gerald, and pulled the trigger.

Epilogue

Laurel sat in a lounge chair on the deck of her condo that overlooked the ocean, deep in thought. Apparently, the government decided she was no longer in danger, so Dylan had been re-assigned after they returned from Colombia. She hadn’t heard from him for six months, until yesterday. He had called to say he would be in San Diego and would like to see her. Now, he would be at her condo shortly. Her stomach felt queasy from tension. Had he changed in six months? Had she been in his thoughts as much as he’d been in hers?

Would he like the dinner she had planned? He liked steak and pizza—oh, right—and Chicken Cordon Bleu. Did he like hot dogs barbecued on a grill? Out of necessity, she was learning to cook but admitted she had a long way to go. She’d made a potato salad from a recipe she got online. She hoped he’d like it.

Her thoughts turned to that last day in Colombia. After Gerald had died, Juan had been next. She would never get over the images. They were as fresh in her mind today as the day it all went down. So much of the next few days had been a jumble—except finding out Gerald wasn’t her father after all. That was stamped solidly into her brain. Dylan broke the news to her as gently as possible, but there was no easy way to tell someone her entire life had been one big joke.

The doorbell rang. Laurel took a deep breath and went to the door. She stood with her hand on the doorknob and closed her eyes. Could she do this? The bell rang again. She opened her eyes, composed herself, and twisted the knob.

There he stood, as gorgeous as ever, holding a wrapped box. “Delivery for the lady.” He handed her the gift.

“Thank you. Come in.” She put the box on the counter of the built-in bar, and then faced him.

He took her hands. “I’ve missed you.”

“How much?”

“Too much.” He pulled her against him and kissed her until she could hardly breathe.

She broke away reluctantly. “Oh.
That
much.”

“And then some. Open the box.”

She did, and pulled out Tae Kwon Do sparring headgear. “Wow. Mine disappeared when I moved.” She tried it on. “Perfect. Thank you.” She kissed his cheek.

“You’re welcome. I brought my own too, just in case. I remembered how you don’t play fair, and when I saw you deck Madeira, I knew you’d been practicing. That was one fine kick.”

She put the headgear back in the box. “Let’s not talk about him or that time. Instead, let’s have a drink on the deck and catch up. Then you can barbecue hot dogs. I hope that’s okay. Mari once told me you could cook.”

“I love hot dogs. Speaking of Mari, how is she?”

“Frazzled, I think. She calls once a week to keep me updated on her parents. It can’t be easy caring for two elderly people, but she’ll do it right.”

Laurel got two vitamin water bottles out of the bar’s refrigerator and motioned for Dylan to follow her to the deck.

“Nice view,” he said as he opened both bottles and sat in a chair at a patio table.

She sat opposite him. “I spend a lot of time out here, especially this time of year. The sunsets are amazing.”

They watched the color of the sky and ocean change as the sun began to set and drank their water in companionable silence. As the sun disappeared, white lights came on around the deck, giving enough light to see by without being intrusive.

“Why’d you move?” Dylan said.

“I already had the condo and didn’t move back to Rancho until he needed me. I still have such mixed feelings about him. I remember all the fun things we used to do together when he was home. He tried his best to be a good father. But, he wasn’t home a lot, and I sometimes felt like a prisoner. I understand why, now, but I didn’t feel comfortable living there anymore, so I put it up for sale. I kept a lot of mementos, but most are in storage. I don’t have room for them here. Maybe it’s just as well.” She gazed at the ocean.

“Funny thing is, he never knew he wasn’t my biological father. I want to show you something.” She went into the house and came back holding a white legal-size envelope and a notebook.

She handed the envelope to him as she sat back down. “Before I put the house up for sale, I went through the hidden room again. I shredded all the contracts and everything else that I could. The boxes I hadn’t gone through before didn’t contain anything of importance except this envelope. Read the letter inside.”

Dylan took a piece of stationery out of the envelope and read aloud, “‘Gerald, I’m pregnant. Because of the timing, I know the baby is yours. What should I do? Gina.’” He handed it back to her.

“Since DNA paternity testing wasn’t readily available in nineteen eighty six, the most Gerald would have wanted was probably a blood test. I can well imagine he might not have believed my mother, but would he take a chance?

“I know Mel Chaber hired him to kill the Markhams. That expensive pen and Mel’s note I found is proof enough of that.”

Dylan put his empty bottle on the table. “But I just can’t imagine him, not only letting you live, but actually taking and raising you.”

She was quiet for a moment. “I would agree, except for this notebook. I found it the first time I looked in the boxes, but didn’t read past his essay, ‘The Fine Art of Murder’. If I had, I’d have seen this.” She turned the pages until she found what she was looking for. She read to him.

“‘September, nineteen eighty six. Gina is pregnant and swears it’s mine. As usual, her timing is impeccable. I made her get a blood test, but it was inconclusive. She told me she was going to marry that idiot, Bob Markham, so I wouldn’t have to worry about the kid. Fine with me. It probably isn’t mine anyway.

“‘December, nineteen eighty six. Gina was at the office with the kid—a girl. I looked at her carefully. She looks like Gina, but I can see Avidon in her too. That’s okay. She’s better off with the Markhams.

“‘January, nineteen eighty seven. Christ. Chaber told me he wants Markham taken care of. Gina and the kid, too. No loose ends. I’ve been thinking about this for days, how I killed my old man, what a worthless bitch my mother was, all of it. The baby is better off dead. What would I do with her? One thing I know is that I would be a better father than mine was. Or would I? I could hire good nannies to take care of her. What’s the point? She’s better off dead.

“‘February, nineteen eighty seven. The hit is in two days. I’ve decided I’m not some monster. I’m a product of my upbringing, as the shrinks like to say. But that doesn’t mean I’ve lost all my humanity. I will look at her closely after I kill the Markhams. If I still think she favors the Avidons, I’ll take her. If she doesn’t . . .”

“It stops there.” She glanced at Dylan. He stared at her. “What?”

“You don’t look anything like him. He saw what he wanted to see.”

“Lucky for me. Another water? Or I have scotch—just in case you ever showed up.”

“Water’s good.” He took the empties. “I’ll get them.” He went to the bar and got the bottles. Back on the deck, he opened the bottles and handed one to her.

“Thanks. So after all that, I wanted to start fresh, reinvent my life. I sold the house, dissolved my P.I. business, and spent time traveling. I keep in touch with Sue. She married Jim Tanner.”

“The guy who broke your dad’s, uh, Gerald’s code for you?”

“Right. I’ve visited Aunt Velma, not because she’s really my aunt, but because she is a sweetheart and I wanted to tell her in person about Gerald. She said she’ll always consider me her niece.”

“So what now?”

“I don’t know. What about you? Why did you come back to San Diego?”

“I decided to change my life too. My mother and I had a long talk. She told me I needed to stop feeling responsible. Sandy’s choices were her own and I should get on with my life. She said that’s what she was trying to do. I knew she was right when I realized you were the one uppermost in my thoughts now. Sandy became a bittersweet memory. It gave me the courage to face my demons and start living with a clean conscience. I quit the DEA and applied to the San Diego Police Department. I was hired and here I am.”

“Why’d you quit? You could have made peace with yourself and still worked for the DEA.”

“Because I never knew where I’d be and I wanted to know. I wanted to be where you are. The last six months have been hell without you, but at least now I’m certain of my feelings. Once upon a time,” he said, smiling, “I told you I was falling in love with you. Your answer was that it wasn’t on your agenda because there were too many things in your life you had to straighten out first. I’m here to ask if anything has changed, and love might now be on that agenda.”

“I’ve had six months to think about it, but I didn’t need that long. Right after Colombia, I knew love for you was at the top of my agenda.” She rose and went to the deck railing. She looked out on the dark ocean.

He followed her. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I could ask you the same question.”

“I couldn’t ask you to share my life, such as it was. My job was too uncertain.”

“Will you regret leaving the DEA?”

“Not if you agree to marry me. I’ll still be in law enforcement.”

She was quiet for a minute, completely aware of his gaze on her. She sensed his tension, but as she turned to him, his face revealed nothing. As he had promised once upon a time, she was in charge.

She took his hands in hers. “I am not Ludmilla, you are not Cedric, I’m not a rich girl, you’re not a law man. And I’m not Laurel Avidon. I am Delilah Regina Markham, and I love you. If you will have me, Dylan Kraft, I’m yours. Now and forever.”

He took her in his arms. “I love you too. And I am yours. Now and forever.”