Treacherous Intent (23 page)

The man hesitated, then said sulkily, “Fine. You can tag along. But no cops.”

Liam didn’t respond to his demand about police. “Where are you?”

“I’m hiding off Tyndall Road.”

That was near Liam’s shabby duplex. That might work. “Meet us here in two hours.” He gave his address.

“Two hours?” the man whined. “Don’t be late.”

“What’s your name?” Elisabeth asked.

“You don’t need it.” And he hung up.

Liam and Elisabeth looked at each other for a long moment. “Do you think this is wise?” Elisabeth asked.

“I think it’s worth a shot. I’ll call Detective Carter about having policemen there.”

“Where is this place?”

“It’s my home—a duplex outside of Sonoma, surrounded by vineyards. The other buildings by me are vacant and my duplex neighbor, Mr. Brummell, is away for the holidays. No one around who could get hurt, but plenty of places for policemen to hide in the vineyard rows.”

“That’s a good plan.”

Liam checked his watch. It had taken them four hours to get from Penny Bay to Mendocino, and it would take another couple hours to get back to Sonoma. “If Tomas left Penny Bay the same time we did, he’ll get back to Sonoma only a little before we will.”

“Will it make a difference when we meet this guy?”

“I hope not.” He called Detective Carter and told him about the meeting. He also told him about Joslyn coming forward to testify against Tomas for her father’s murder, and about the vintage Rolex watch Richard Mendoza was wearing.

“I’ll organize some officers to be at your place,” the detective said. “I’ll make sure they’re hidden.”

Next, they called Joslyn, but she couldn’t even say for sure who the man on the phone could be—much less whether or not he could be trusted. “He might be legit,” Joslyn said. “But I don’t remember any gang members with a high voice.”

The two hours back to Sonoma seemed to take forever. What if the flash drive had no useful information? What would be their next move? They were still waiting to learn what the FBI had found out about the shipping container and the Tumibay truck that was to have transported it.

He glanced at Elisabeth beside him. No matter what, he’d make sure she was safe. He’d do everything he could to ensure this meeting didn’t go sideways.

It was after midnight when Liam turned into his driveway, lined with hedges on one side and the duplexes on the other. Beyond both were acres of grapevines, but the lack of streetlights and house lights made the duplexes seem to swim in an ocean of darkness. He parked in front of his house, the third one, and the only one with the porch light burning fitfully.

“I don’t see anyone here,” Elisabeth said.

“He might be late.” But he’d been hiding nearby hours ago. Had he fallen asleep? “Let’s go inside. It’s cold.”

He fitted his key into the lock and pushed the door open.

He heard a faint click.

Before his brain even coherently registered what was happening, he’d thrown himself backward, propelling Elisabeth behind him. They landed on the ground and he covered her with his body.

An explosion ripped apart the night.

He knew it was happening even as the images flashed in front of him. The explosion reverberated in his brain, rattling his thoughts. His heartbeat galloped in his chest, and he was gasping, fighting to breathe as his friends died around him. He was going to die, and he’d never been so frightened in his life. The gunpowder burned his nose, and he tasted grit in his mouth.

“Liam.”

He heard Elisabeth’s voice and clung to it like a man dangling from a ledge. She pulled him from the nightmare. She was softness and sanity in the midst of desolation.

His head was in her lap. The flames from his house made her flicker from orange to yellow to darkness. He was in Sonoma. He was with Elisabeth.

And suddenly he began to sob.

The pain bubbled up from deep inside him. His chest was tight, his muscles knotted. He wrapped his arms around her and felt her hands on his head, his shoulders, rubbing his back.

He just wanted the pain to stop. He wanted it all to stop. He just wanted to be whole again. He was so tired. He was so lost.

“Are you all right? We have to get you away from the flames.”

There were men around them, illuminated by the fire. The policemen who had been hiding in the vineyard.

“Liam, come on.” She lifted his head from her lap, and then she was helping him stumble away from the house. They crossed the hedge and sat on the edge of the dirt lane. She put her arms back around him and leaned him against her. He breathed in her scent of oranges and flowers.

He didn’t know how long they sat there. He heard the policemen calling the fire truck, making sure the other houses were empty. At one point he thought Detective Carter might have come up to him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, but the policeman didn’t say anything; he just disappeared back into the darkness.

“Liam,” Elisabeth said softly.

“I’m okay now.”

“No, Liam. You’re not.” There was a firmness and authority in her voice, and yet she was still gentle. “I’ve worked extensively with abused women. When they are at the end of their strength, they have to reach out for professional help.”

“I went to counseling. It didn’t help, so I stopped.”

“You need to go back.” Her hand stroked his head, caressed his cheek. “And you need to talk to your family about what you’re going through.”

“I can’t burden them with this. First my dad’s leukemia, then the two gangs. I just can’t put even more on them.”

“Liam, they can support you through counseling. They can just be there for you. They can...” She swallowed. “They can pray for you.”

When was the last time he’d asked them to pray for him? For something important, not just that he’d find his lost keys or that his beat-up truck would start? He was embarrassed to admit that he couldn’t remember. He hadn’t shared any of his problems with them. He hadn’t wanted to worry them. He’d wanted to solve this on his own.

Look how well that had turned out.

He realized that the problem was that he’d been trying to do everything in his own strength.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

“Liam, promise me you’ll go back to counseling.” Her fingertips smoothed over his brow.

He took a deep breath. “I promise.”

“And promise me you’ll talk to your family.”

He didn’t answer her. He remained leaning against her, listening to her breathing.

“Liam.”

“I promise.”

She squeezed his shoulders. He felt her cheek against his head.

“Liam, Elisabeth, the paramedics are here.” It was Detective Carter. “I want them to look at both of you.”

Liam slowly got to his feet, finally realizing the flames were out. There was some scorching around his doorway, but the damage looked minimal.

“This way, miss.” A female paramedic led Elisabeth away first. She looked familiar. Maybe she’d been at one of their earlier confrontations.

“How are you doing, son?” Detective Carter’s gravelly voice was kind.

“I’m fine, sir.”

The detective simply nodded slowly. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a slim card case. He handed Liam a white card, then walked away.

It was the business card for a counselor. Liam tucked it into his pocket.

He stared at his house, and now realized he smelled gasoline. Maybe that was what had caused him to react so quickly when he’d opened the door.

But why would the Bagsics try to kill them? They knew Liam and Elisabeth knew where Joslyn was—killing them wouldn’t do anything to reveal her location. Didn’t they still want her?

Officer Joseph Fong came to take his statement. Liam asked him, “No one was hurt?”

“Aside from you two? Not really, just a few burns on the firemen. The fireman I talked to said it looked like the bomb was way at the back of the house, although it was triggered by the front door.”

Why wouldn’t the Bagsics have put the bomb near the front door? Wouldn’t that have given it maximum effect? And
was
it the Bagsics, or the Tumibays, who’d planted the bomb? Liam leaned more toward the Bagsics. In most of their dealings with him, they’d been calculated and organized.

And suddenly he knew where he’d seen that female EMT before.

“Where’s Elisabeth?” Liam shoved past Officer Fong toward the ambulance. He grabbed the male EMT who had just come out of the vehicle.

“There you are,” the EMT said, but Liam interrupted him.

“Where’s the woman who was with you?”

“Woman? That’s my partner.” He nodded to another man who was treating a fireman sporting a burn on his forearm.

Panic gripped Liam by the throat. He tried to shout, but his voice came out reedy. “Where’s the detective?”

“What is it, son?” Detective Carter appeared, his face serious.

“Elisabeth,” he gasped. “Patricia took Elisabeth. The Bagsics have her.”

* * *

Elisabeth awoke suddenly, covered in cold water that smelled like mold.

Tomas’s evil face leered in front of her face. “Good morning, princess.”

She jerked away from him, and ropes bit into her hands, tied behind her back. She sat in a heavy wooden chair with her ankles bound, also.

Tomas laughed and threw aside a bucket, which had apparently been filled with the foul water he’d tossed on her.

“Took her long enough to wake up.” The high male voice came from her right. A young man in a gray T-shirt and wearing bright purple basketball shoes lounged against a table. He’d been the voice on the phone.

“Nice performance on the phone,” she said.

The man preened. “I know. I missed my calling.”

Sitting at the table but not even bothering to look at her was a man matching Liam’s description of Richard Mendoza, typing on a laptop.

“Eyes front, princess.” Tomas grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “Where’s Joslyn?”

She said nothing, simply gave him a neutral look.

Tomas sighed, straightened and then backhanded her across her face.

The blow made her eyeballs feel like they were rattling around in her skull. Stars bloomed in her vision. She found herself going completely still, just as she used to when Cruise beat her. When she went quiet and limp, somehow the strikes had seemed to hurt less.

“I know you don’t want to ruin that pretty face,” Cruise/Tomas said. “Just tell me what I want to know and I’ll let you go. Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a Boy Scout,” she guessed.

It earned her another blow.

“You’re a tough chick. I respect that. But, princess, there are three of us. When I get tired, I’ll just get one of my friends to take over for me.”

“Not me,” Richard said, still typing on his laptop.

“I’ll take double duty,” said the younger man.

She tasted blood in her mouth. Not a lot yet. It would get worse. And this time, she wouldn’t be able to just wait out Cruise’s temper tantrum. They would continue until she told them, or until she died.

She didn’t want to die. And yet she didn’t want to give herself false hope that Liam or the police would be able to find her. She didn’t even know where she was aside from the fact the room was cluttered like a large storage closet.

Then she heard Monica’s voice.

Even in the midst of suffering and pain and loneliness, He’s there with us. He loves us, and we’re not alone.

No, that wasn’t true. She was all alone with these men, and they would hurt her even worse than Cruise ever had.

Joslyn’s voice cut through her mind.

I have to believe that God will save me—will save all of us somehow.

Oh, God,
she prayed.

Why would God answer her? She’d been thumbing her nose at Him for so long. He couldn’t truly care about someone like her, someone who wouldn’t believe in Him.

But God had saved Liam. He’d caused her to overhear him being attacked over her cell phone. Liam wasn’t perfect, but God was his best bud.

Would God want to be her best bud?

Oh, God, please save me.

The tears began to fall down her cheeks, off her chin. She was so scared.

God, please take care of me.

And then somehow, in a way she couldn’t even begin to describe, she knew she wasn’t alone.

She closed her eyes. Dug deep. And believed.

When she opened her eyes, she looked straight at Tomas’s arrogant face and said, “Bring it.”

* * *

Shaun arrived at the duplex just as Liam was about to lose it. Detective Carter had been trying to get him to calm down and think clearly, and the EMT was threatening to sedate him.

Shaun took one look at Liam, then grabbed his shoulders in a hard grip, shoving his face right up to Liam’s nose. “Chill. Now. Or I will punch you.”

Liam jerked away from him. “Who needs enemies when I’ve got you?”

“That’s the brother I know and love. Now take the time to explain what’s going on.”

Liam tried to be concise as he recounted what had happened, but he found himself stuttering and stumbling over words.

Elisabeth had been taken, right after he’d come to realize how he needed to trust in God more. It was like a sick and twisted test.

Was he really sincere in his faith? Could he rely on God’s strength rather than trying to fix things himself?

He thought of all the things he’d never said to her. He might never get a chance to say them.

He could imagine her alone and helpless. In pain. Frightened. Despairing.

All he could do was let himself believe that the God who had parted the Red Sea, walked on water, moved as a pillar of fire, would not leave Elisabeth alone.

God, please help me find her.

“Okay, we need to find this Patricia.” Detective Carter’s voice was urgent and low. “What do we know about her?”

He thought back to the interview he’d had with her. Had she given Liam a business card? No.

“She seemed comfortable with her body,” Liam said. “Like a dancer or a model. When she paid me, she’d emptied some things from her purse to reach the cash at the bottom—wads of receipts from Donny’s.”