COLLATERAL CASUALTIES (The Kate Huntington mystery series) (31 page)

            It took some effort for Rob to hoist his bulk over the four-foot wooden fence around the yard. He was dropping to the ground on the other side when the back door of the house opened. Kate waved him inside.

            Rob sat down at an oval table that divided the house’s kitchen from an adjacent family room. Kate was pacing back and forth between the two rooms.

            He took a moment to catch his breath, then he pulled out the phone he’d been using for the daily calls to his five colleagues holding the insurance policy packets.

            Kate came over and sat across from him as he was completing the fourth call. “Are you sure we should be keeping the ambassador’s secret at this point?” he asked her.

            “No, I’m not. But I’m also not sure this would all end if we blew the whistle on him. Delgado doesn’t seem to be willing to leave even the slightest loose thread dangling.”

            “Good point,” Rob said.

            “I sure hope the Secret Service got our messages and they catch up with these thugs soon,” Kate said. “I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”

            Rob searched his brain for something to say to reassure her, but he came up empty.

            He punched a speed-dial number on the phone, then repeated the same message for the fifth time. “It’s Rob Franklin checking in. Please hold the package for another day. Thank you.”

            At least if we all get killed, these guys will tell the police who’s responsible
. Then for the first time in his legal career, Rob realized how unimportant justice is to the victim.
We’ll all still be dead.

~~~~~~~

            “I owe you big time, Lilly,” Skip said. They were in Rose’s car on Route 50 going through Annapolis, a mile or so from the Bay Bridge. “I’ll find a way to get you out of any charges.”

            “We’ll deal with that later,” Lilly said. “The bottom line is you can’t be in a cage. That’s life or death. Everything else pales by comparison.”

            A phone rang in Skip’s pants pocket. He shifted in his seat to get it out. It was the number he’d given to Sid Pierce.

            “Yeah, Sid.”

            “I’m out walking and a couple
Hiss
-panics just drove by. Stopped and asked me if this here was the road to Middletown, Delaware. I pointed them toward the turn off, real neighborly-like. But they drove on past it.”

            “Thanks, Sid. Get inside and lock your doors.”

            “Doin’ that as we speak.”

            Skip punched in Manny’s number. The signal was intermittent.

            “That...Skip...s happen...”

            “Get out now! Can you hear me? Go!”

            “Got...call you when...clear.”

            Skip disconnected and started praying.

~~~~~~~

            The guards burst into the cabin, startling Sue who was watching a talk show on the small TV.  “You two take Skip’s SUV.” Manny tossed the keys to Claude. “There’s a track through the woods that comes out further down in the field. I’ll try to draw them off, then meet you in town by the Acme. If I’m not there five minutes after you get there, leave without me.”

            Manny waited until Claude had turned Skip’s truck off into the woods. Then he jumped into Dolph’s car and raced toward the paved road. Halfway there, he hit the brake as a dark sedan turned into the lane.

            Veering off into the cornfield in the opposite direction from the way Claude and Sue had gone, Manny prayed that the car could handle the rough terrain.

            He risked a quick glance in the mirror. The sedan was still moving down the lane. Then they must have seen him. The car turned into the field.

            “Good,” Manny muttered as he floored it. The car bounced across rows of corn stubble, fish-tailing occasionally on muddy patches. He looked in the mirror again. The sedan was gaining on him.

            The cornfield ended at a paved side street. As Manny drew nearer he realized there was a large ditch between the field and the road. It was half full from last night’s rain. He slowed, allowing the sedan to get closer. Then he raced toward the ditch. At the last second he swung to his right, his back wheel coming within inches of the slippery edge. He wrestled with the steering wheel to get the car headed straight again, along the edge of the field.

            As Manny had hoped, the driver of the other car had been too focused on watching him to notice the terrain ahead. He didn’t start to turn soon enough. Manny watched in his mirror as the sedan’s front end swung around, and the driver’s side of the car slid over the edge and down into the ditch. The engine roared. Spinning wheels threw mud and slimy water into the air.

            Grinning, Manny drove as fast as he dared around the perimeter of the field. At the entrance to the dirt lane, he swung left and then out onto the main road.

            He glanced in the mirror. Two dark-haired men in suits ran into the street a hundred yards back. Manny laughed out loud and hit the gas pedal.

            He called Claude and then Skip. “Everybody’s out and away clean,” he reported to his boss.

            “You need to ditch my truck. There’s a BOLO on it again.”

            “We’ll leave it at that shopping center in Chestertown.” Manny disconnected, then smacked the heel of his hand against the steering wheel. Damn, this job could be exhilarating at times.

~~~~~~~

            Skip’s call caught Dolph as he was climbing out of his car in front of the police station. The younger man filled him in on the latest development on the Eastern Shore, reassuring him that Sue was safe.

            “You all get to the new safe house now,” Dolph said. “I’ll pick up some groceries after I meet with Judith.”

            “At least we’ll have real beds to sleep in tonight,” Skip said, then disconnected.

            After they were settled in the interrogation room Dolph had insisted on–one he knew was sound-proof with no one-way mirror–he asked his former partner to swear there was no recording device in the room or on her person.

            “Oh come on, Dolph. You’re acting like we’re in some grade-B spy movie,” Judith snapped at him.

            “That’s actually pretty close to the mark. Skip and his wife have gotten themselves into something, through no fault of their own. They have some information about an ambassador of a third world country, information that no one’s supposed to know. Someone’s been trying to kill them, and anyone else they might’ve told. That’s why Skip can’t risk being in a jail cell, even for a few hours. They killed that boy, Jamal, and set him up for it.”

            “Who the hell are ‘they,’ Dolph?”

            “I wish we knew. It’s more than a little complicated. But things are in the works to stop whoever’s doing this. If you’ll back off from chasing Skip, we’ll hand you a solve in the boy’s murder.”

            “You’ve got to be kidding. The man held a gun on me, resisted arrest–”

            “Now did you actually tell him he was under arrest?”

            “We hadn’t quite gotten that far when he pulled his gun, but–”

            “Did you actually see his gun?”

            “He said he had it aimed at me under the table.”

            Dolph just looked at her for a beat. “You really can’t make those charges stick.”

            “I bet I could. And what about that gal, who mysteriously showed up and held a gun on my partner?”

            “Now I didn’t hear about that. What gal?”

            “Oh cut the crap, Dolph. You’re in this up to your ears. I know damn well you came in to case the place. You sicced the girl on Dan.”

            Dolph decided it was time to change tactics. “Let me ask you a question. Would your two witnesses, by any chance, be Hispanic?”

            Judith stared at him, eyes narrowed. “And what if they are?”

            “And they gave you names and addresses?”

            “Of course.”

            “Have you checked them out?”

            “I called them both back to verify their stories.”

            “Did you check out their addresses?”

            Judith stared at him again. “Not yet,” she finally answered. “I’ve been busy chasing Canfield.”

            “Check ’em out. I’ll be real shocked if they’re legit.” Dolph stood up. “These guys aren’t interested in seeing Skip convicted. They just want him temporarily where they can take him out and make it look like a jailhouse killing.” He turned toward the door.

            “Now wait just a damned minute, Dolph.” Judith jumped to her feet. “You can’t waltz in here and tell me you know something about my case, and then get up and leave. Who’s behind all this?”

            Dolph turned back toward her. “I can’t tell you yet. And I’d advise against you trying to figure it out.” There was a hard edge to his voice now. “These guys are ruthless, and they don’t give a shit about that gold badge you carry. They’ll kill you if they think you know too much, and make it look like an accident or a mugging. Anything that’ll keep it from being investigated.”

            “Are you trying to tell me they’re more powerful than the police?” Judith said.

            “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. Check out your witnesses. They’ll be bogus. Then back off and wait for me to get back to you. I don’t want you hurt, Judith.”

            Dolph turned and left the room.

~~~~~~~

            Rose dropped Lilly and Skip one block over from the new safe house. They had decided it best that she park several blocks away, just in case there was a BOLO on her car now.

            When Kate let them in the back door, the look on her face tore at Skip’s heart. It was a mix of anger, fear and relief.

            She opened her mouth but he gathered her to him before she could say anything. “It’s alright, darlin’. Everybody’s safe.”

            With her face pressed against his Kevlar-covered chest, her voice was muffled. “You told me she wouldn’t try to arrest you.”

            “I didn’t know these assholes were going to produce another bogus witness.”

            He held her until he felt the tension start to ease out of her body. Then he stepped back to shrug out of his jacket.

            He had just finished filling Kate and Rob in on what had happened on the Eastern Shore when Rose arrived. Lilly let her in.

            “We’re running out of vehicles,” Rose said as she stepped through the door.

            “We can get my car, or Liz’s,” Rob said. “They’re at Kate’s house.”

            “Liz’s. It blends in better.” Rose glanced at her watch. “We’ll wait ’til tomorrow. Let the dust settle some.”

            Skip had shed the Kevlar vest. His shirt was plastered to his body with sweat. “I’d forgotten how damned uncomfortable those things are.” He held the wet shirt away from his skin and waved his other hand in front of his nose. “And our spare clothes are on the Eastern Shore.”

            “Ah but we’ve got a washing machine and dryer here,” Kate said. “I’ll wash your shirt while you take a shower.”

            “Shower? As in hot water and real walls around you?” Skip asked, exaggerated wonder in his voice.

            Kate chuckled and led the way down the hall to the bedrooms. “Come on. I’ll show you the way to Nirvana.”

            In the master bedroom, Skip laid his gun on the nightstand. He unbuckled his belt and stripped off the offending shirt. Kate walked over and wrapped her arms around him, snuggling her cheek against his bare chest. He left the belt dangling and drew her tight against him, burying his face in her hair.

            Suddenly he was overwhelmed with the need to make love to her. Every moment seemed so precious. “You think anyone would notice if we didn’t surface for awhile?”

            Kate’s breath tickled his skin as she answered, “They’ll notice but they won’t mind.”

            He closed his eyes, letting the warmth of her body soak into his own. He felt his muscles begin to relax. “I’m not too smelly?”

            “Never.”

            His hand moved to lift her chin so he could claim her mouth. Her lips parted, inviting him in. By the time they surfaced for air, he’d removed her blouse and she’d unzipped his jeans. He picked her up and gently deposited her on the bed. Her slacks joined his jeans on the floor.

            He stretched out beside her, head propped up on one elbow, and drank in the sight of her. Kate snuggled up against him and put her hand on his cheek. “I love you,” she whispered.

            Skip started to reply but the words caught in his throat. It scared him witless that one or the other of them might not live through another day. He struggled to push aside the fear, to concentrate on loving her.

            Starting at her neck, he kissed and nibbled his way south, relishing the little gasps and moans. Hands fisted in his hair, she arched her back. He rose over her, staring into her eyes, turned dark indigo with passion. Dropping onto his elbows, he kissed her again, swallowing her moan as he entered her.

            He felt the familiar and almost unbearably intense sensation of melting into her body. A small corner of his mind realized that parts of himself that had been dark and cold for several days were now filling with a sweet warmth.

            The fear dissipated, replaced by a fierce determination to savor every moment they had left, whether it was another hour or several decades. Inherent in an experience as wonderful as the love he and Kate shared was the painful reality that someday it would come to an end. One could succumb to the pain in advance by worrying about that reality. Or one could glory in the joy of the moment.

            He experienced all this in a matter of seconds, less as conscious thought than as a visceral feeling that something profound had shifted in his world, in his being.

            He lowered his lips to hers again as they moved together, waves of pure pleasure breaking over them. When the sensations mellowed out into a warm glow, he rolled over on his side and gathered her up in his arms.