Authors: Ingrid Monique

This Time (15 page)

BOOK: This Time

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“Allan,” Lori gasped, crying louder now. Kelee turned to her, brushing her tears away.

“He'll be fine.” She kissed her cheek.

“Kelee.” Lori clung to her.

“Let's go!” Tyce demanded, waving the gun at her.

Kelee let go of Lori and walked towards Tyce. He grabbed her, putting his arms around her waist and sticking the gun in her side. The still warm gun nozzle penetrated her shirt. Tyce shoved Allan's unconscious body with his foot out of the way. Kelee glanced back at a crying Lori as Tyce led her from the room. She prayed to God she'd see them again.

“Don't make any sudden move,” Tyce whispered in her ear as they came off the elevator. Kelee nodded and held back her tears. This was not happening to her. This was crazy. She shouldn't have left the house; she should have listened to Sean.

The nurse looked up at them as they passed her station. She couldn't see the gun, but Kelee wasn't about to take any risk with Tyce. She had seen him kill Kris. He would kill her, she knew that, and she wasn't ready to die.

Tyce led her outside and towards a black SUV with tinted windows. He opened the back door. “Get in,” he demanded. She did as she was told. “Slide over,” he told he as he got in beside her. A mean-looking Indian sat behind the wheel. He grinned at her through the rearview mirror. Kelee cringed in fear, her mind reeling with thoughts of what they would probably do to her.

“Go!” Tyce told the driver and the man took off. Kelee sat as far away from Tyce as she could get. He still had his gun trained on her. She stared out the window, wondering where they were taking her. They were heading downtown, that much she knew. Kelee closed her eyes and prayed that Sean would find her.

“Talk to me,” Tyce said and she looked at him, annoyed.

“What for?” she spat at him, unable to hide her anger. The driver laughed and Tyce jammed the gun in the back of his neck.

“Shut up!” he snarled at the driver, who instantly became very serious. Tyce looked at her; Kelee glared at him.

“I thought we were friends,” Tyce appealed to her, but she wasn't fooled.

“Yu' call setting me up at the crafts market, threatening my family and my life friendship? Are yu' kidding me?”

Tyce looked at her, surprised.

“By the way, what did yu' do with my sister's car?”

“That's the least of yu' worries,” he said in such a cold tone, Kelee trembled.

“What yu' intend to do to me?”

He smiled and looked her over. Kelee got very nervous. Did he intend to rape her? Oh, God, she prayed Sean would find her.

“It's not yu' he wants,” Tyce told her and Kelee looked at him, alarmed. “Knowin' Sean, he'll come after yu' and when he does, he's dead and yu' can go back to New York to yu' decoratin'.”

Kelee's heart raced with fear. They were going to kill Sean. Sean would come after her, she knew that and they knew that. They'd kill him, because of her. She should not have left the house. Kelee felt the tears well up in her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

Chapter 17

Sean felt like his entire world had been ripped out from under him. They had Kelee. The one thing he knew was that he had to find her fast before she came to any harm. He was the one Mike wanted, not Kelee. He also knew Mike intended to use Kelee to get to him. Sean also had a gut feeling that Mike would kill Kelee; after all, he had killed Kurt. Why the hell had she left the safe house? He looked at a sobbing Lori in the hospital bed and knew exactly why. He felt bad about the whole situation. Kelee had come here to be with her sister, and he had taken her away from Lori. Now they had taken Kelee from him. She was in grave danger and it was his fault. He had to get her back; she didn't deserve this. Lori didn't deserve this, either, having her sister snatched away from her like this.

“He took her,” Lori kept repeating as tears streamed down her face. Allan was trying his best to calm Lori down, but Lori was too hysterical. This wasn't good for her in her present state. Sean was glad that Allan wasn't hurt, either.

Kris was currently in surgery from being shot. The bullet had missed his heart, but he wasn't out of danger yet. Sean prayed he'd make it and come out all right, but right now he had to find Kelee.

“Please find her,” Lori begged him. “She told me to tell yu' to come for her. Please, Sean, find her.”

The rage that filled Sean was starting to consume him. Mike had Kelee and it complicated everything. Suddenly he felt like he was about to lose it, but he had to stay focused. He wasn't about to lose Kelee.

Sean walked over to Lori and kissed her cheek. “I will, I promise,” he told her and quickly left the room. He was halfway down the hall when Allan caught up with him.

“Wha' yu' goin' to do?” Allan asked, rubbing the lump at the back of his head.

“Get Kelee back an' get rid of him once an' for all,” Sean told him in a dry, deadly tone.

“Be careful. If yu' need any'ting. . . .”

“Thanks, but for now, jus' take care of Lori, keep her calm,” Sean said and hurried off.

Jack was waiting for him outside. Sean jumped into the jeep and Jack took off.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yeah,” Jack said.

The minute Sean had learned that Mike had Kelee he had called an emergency meeting; they were now heading to his office for the meeting.

“Yu' OK?” Jack asked. Sean had been staring out the window into passing traffic, thinking of Kelee, praying she was OK.

“Yeah.” Sean's brain was working overtime trying to figure out where Mike might have taken Kelee. He had numerous businesses and homes in St. Pala. Sean didn't know where to start.

“We'll find her,” Jack reassured him. Sean took as much comfort as he could in Jack's words, but he was also prepared for the worst.

At his office, the commissioner, Frank Tam, and Assistant Superintendent Paul Thomas were waiting for him. Sean immediately briefed them on the situation.

“I want every'ting Mike Curve owns raided. I want her found and I want her found alive,” he insisted. “If yu' have to take Curve down, do it 'cause he will kill any of us.”

“Yu' talkin' massive manpower, yu' know that?” Tam said with a smirk.

“No'ting yu' can't handle,” Sean told him.

“Yu' got that right.” Thomas grinned.

They all had a common interest and that was to get rid of Curve. Sean was glad he had their support.

“Just remember one 'ting,” Sean injected. “I want her back safe.”

“We'll find her,” Tam reassured him.

“Thanks.” Sean sighed.

Kelee was taken to a house somewhere in the middle of downtown. Tyce pulled her out of the jeep. Kelee cringed in fear at the sight of the place. This was one part of St. Pala she never thought she'd ever see. It was a rough ghetto area, more than likely known for its violent setting. She noted the decaying homes, some no more than shacks. Zinc fences surrounded most of the homes. The streets were small and in bad disarray. Sewer water ran in the gutters, giving off a godawful scent. Rough-looking men hung on the streets, watching them. It was starting to get dark and Kelee trembled in fear as Tyce led her through a rusty iron gate that screeched into a paved yard. He took her towards a small red house that looked remarkably good for the kind of neighborhood they were in. The small veranda was polished a bright red, the front door of the house had old glazed glass panels. Just as they reached the door a short tough-looking woman, dripping in gold and dressed in the lasted hot fashion, opened it. She was olive skinned with a crazy up-do. She smiled, flashing gold-capped front teeth at Tyce. The woman looked Kelee over with interest. Her eyes weren't threatening, which eased her discomfort a bit.

“Monica, I need yu' to hold her for a few hours,” Tyce said and pushed Kelee into a small, overdecorated, and very clean living room. Tyce shoved her into a still plastic-covered armchair. He gave her a warning look; Kelee glared back at him.

“I wouldn't even 'tink of it,” he said with a smirk. “Yu wouldn't make it a foot past the front gate.”

Kelee knew he was right; she sank into the chair, defeated. In this type of neighborhood she stuck out like a sore thumb, which made her a target. Tyce pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and handed it to a very happy Monica.

“I'll be back in a couple of hours,” he told Monica and left.

“Want some'ting to drink?”

Kelee looked at her, surprised. “Thank yu'.” Kelee gave her a slight smile. Monica disappeared through a curtained doorway. Kelee looked around the room. She noticed family pictures of Monica, an older woman, and two young boys who resembled Monica. She also noticed a picture of Monica and Tyce. They were smiling; she wondered what the connection between them was. Monica returned with a bottled soda. Kelee took it from her, thanking her.

“So, wha' yu' do to vex Tyce?” Monica asked in a serious tone.

“He's the one who kidnapped me and almost killed my sister and her unborn child,” Kelee told her, upset. Monica paused and looked at her, surprised.

“He must be doin' this for C, then,” Monica said.

“Who's C?” Kelee asked.

“Someone yu' don't want to mess with,” Monica said, shaking her head. Suddenly Kelee realized that she was talking about Mike Curve. Kelee trembled in fear.

“Can yu' help me?” Kelee asked, unable to hide the fear in her eyes.

“Sorry, can't; I value my life. Yu' know wha' I mean?”

Kelee nodded, understanding. They had Monica in the palm of their hands, much like they did her. Kelee closed her eyes, squeezing back her tears. Would Sean even find her in time? She had to have faith he would.

Chapter 18

Raids were conducted on every business and home that Mike Curve and Tyce Thomas owed. They found nothing. Tyce had somehow disappeared; he hadn't left the island, that much Sean knew. He had the airport covered. If Tyce made any attempt to leave the island, he'd be arrested. Three hours had passed since Tyce took Kelee and no one had seen them. This was not good. Sean was starting to get desperate and it wasn't an emotion he liked. He knew one thing for sure: he intended to make Curve and Tyce pay for everything they had done.

Tyce returned exactly two hours later, only this time he wore a dreadlock wig and was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He had changed his appearance because he knew Sean was looking for them. Kelee took some comfort in that. Again, she prayed he'd find her. The same jeep and driver were waiting outside when Tyce led her from the house. It was dark outside, which meant they'd be harder to spot. She wondered where he was taking her as they drove out of the neighborhood and back onto the main street, heading farther downtown.

Tyce pulled off the wig and rubbed his head. She looked at the wig, then at him.

“I guess Sean has people lookin' for me,” she said with some satisfaction. Tyce glared at her.

“We'll make sure he knows where yu' are, an' when he comes for yu', we'll take care of him.” Tyce smiled wickedly. She trembled in fear; Sean was going to walk into a trap because of her.

Kelee was taken to a secluded decaying dock area where a small yacht waited. The yacht looked like it had seen better days. Tyce hurried her onto the boat and she was shoved below and locked in a musty bedroom. The room held a bed and built-in storage units. There were no windows, so she had no idea where she was being taken. Moments later she heard the engines of the yacht start up and felt it surge forward. It came to a stop about fifteen minutes later and she heard Tyce's footsteps as he came below. Kelee sat on the edge of the bed, praying he wouldn't hurt her. They were the only two on the yacht and she had no way of escaping him. Her heart raced as he opened the door and entered. He had handcuffs in one hand. Kelee sat quiet, trying not to panic. He walked over to her, grabbed her hands and slapped the handcuffs on her. Kelee looked down at the silver metal on her hand.

“Why the cuffs?” she asked as calm as she could.

“Just in case yu' decide to take a swim.” He grinned.

“I think we are too far for that, don't yu' think?”

“Yes, but yu' never know.” He pulled her to her feet.

Sean got the call just as he was about to leave his office. A dread was spotted with a woman fitting Kelee's description near the decaying east docks. Immediately he called the coast guard to watch out and track the yacht.

Sean hurried toward Jack's office. Jack was just hanging up the phone. “They spotted a yacht heading south; let's load up,” Sean told Jack, who was on his feet instantly. They headed towards the equipment room, loading up on guns and ammunition. Sean was taking no chances.

At the docks a coast guard speedboat waited for them. Sean and Jack got on board. At the helm was Lieutenant Green, a short, stout black man in his mid-thirties.

“They spotted the yacht headin' towards Maze Island,” Green told them over the roar of the engine as the boat bounced on the waves.

Maze was a small secluded island; the only thing there was an old mansion some billionaire had built ten years ago. The billionaire had died some five years ago and the mansion was abandoned. Maze Island wasn't linked to St. Pala, so whatever went on there he had no jurisdiction over.

Fifteen minutes later they came upon the west end of Maze Island. The top of the mansion could be seen through the trees in the middle of the island. There was a small yacht and a speedboat in the dock. Through binoculars Sean surveyed the shoreline; he didn't see any movement. They pulled into the dock.

“Stay here, and radio for backup,” Sean told Green. Green immediately got on the radio.

Sean and Jack, guns drawn, got off the boat and headed ashore with caution.

BOOK: This Time

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Read Book Download Book

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