“Dear God,” she cried when her gaze landed on two men. Lurid grins across fat greasy faces leered at her. She gagged.
Walsh moved to the side and said, with a wave of his hand, “Let the bidding begin.”
Kay ducked her head and charged like a linebacker. Weak and unsteady on her feet, she stumbled forward. Walsh sidestepped her, and she fell on her shoulder again. He grabbed her by the hair, dragged her back onto the platform and clamped a handcuff around one wrist. His hand tangled in her hair and smashed her head against the post. A dark void softened the exploding pain by pulling her under.
****
For the first time tonight, Nate was glad he’d contacted Tomas and Wayne. With lights and sirens blasting, they’d made record time getting across Dallas to Holly’s apartment.
“We’ll wait here,” Tomas said.
Nate sprinted up the stairs. He’d raised his hand to knock when the door opened. Tyrell and Marcus were there with her.
“What’s happened?” Holly’s hand gripped Nate’s bicep, pulling down on the sore shoulder. “Sit,” she commanded. “You’re white as a ghost.”
“Can’t,” he refused, rubbing his forehead to stave off the headache. He studied her bruised face. How strong was she? Was he about to ask too much of her? Facing the man who’d held her hostage would take balls.
“I need your help.” He led her to her couch. Only after she’d joined him, Nate continued. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t believe Kaycie’s life is in danger, but Jake refuses to speak with anyone except you.”
Tyrell shook his head. “She’s been through enough. I’ll talk to Jake.”
“No, you won’t,” Nate snapped. “I’m asking Holly if she’s up to facing him.”
Tyrell’s eyes were ablaze with anger, but Nate wasn’t budging. He needed Holly’s help.
“Tyrell,” Marcus barked out the name. “It’s Holly’s decision. Let her make it.”
“There has to be another way.” Tyrell’s voice bounced off the walls.
“Stop,” Holly said, raising her voice. “I want to see Joh ... Jake. Deep inside, he’s a good man. If he can help, he will.”
Tyrell towered over her. “He used to be a good man. We don’t know that person sitting in jail.”
Her jaw tightened, thinning her lips. “Don’t you dare judge him.” She grabbed a jacket from the hall closet and stormed to the front door, where she stopped and glared back at Nate. “Get your ass in gear.”
****
“Does he have to be chained like some dangerous criminal?” Holly protested. The anguish on her face worried Nate. She’d gotten too close to Jake.
“I’m afraid so.” Tomas rolled his eyes.
They watched Jake through the two-way mirror.
“Keep him on topic,” Nate cautioned before leading her around to the door. “We’re running out of time. I feel it in my gut.”
She straightened her shoulders and nodded once. “Let’s pray your gut is wrong.”
When Jake saw Holly, his face relaxed, smoothing out the frown lines between his eyes. For all practical purposes, Nate might as well have been invisible. He didn’t care if it got Jake talking.
“Are you all right?” Jake asked, his gaze drifting across her face.
Her hand brushed across the discoloration on her face as if she could dust the bruises away. “Thanks to you, I’m well.” She eased down in the chair across from Jake, and Nate moved to stand directly behind her. “They’ll help you get well, Jake. You have to cooperate.”
“I overheard them talking. The operation might kill me.”
“But the surgery might save your life. Please let them try. And please help us find my friend.” Holly’s tone was urgent yet soothing. “A man kidnapped Kay in broad daylight. Nobody can ID him. The cops are searching, digging into who else was associated with Hank.”
Jake snorted a sound Nate assumed meant disgust. Nate capitalized on it by jumping into the conversation.
“So Hank wasn’t the brains. You did the world a favor by killing him. Although, I’d preferred to have done it myself.”
Holly stretched her hand across the table, almost touching Jake. “Who told you to kidnap me?”
“I followed orders.”
“But who issued them?” she prompted.
“Mr. A is the only person allowed to give me direct commands. His business is very important to him. He has customers who depend on him for good product.”
Nate clamped his hand on Holly’s shoulder when she recoiled in her chair. Damn, Jake’s condition was worse than Nate imagined.
“And you were charged with taking care of Mr. A’s business. How did you dispose of the,” Holly swallowed, “ah, merchandise.”
“Video auction. There would’ve been one tonight.”
Nate took a calming breath and dragged over a chair. He sat, casually leaned back, and rested one ankle over the opposite knee as if two old friends were talking. “Oh yeah? Gotta have a private location for that.”
Nate sat quietly while Jake described where the auction went down and how the girls were transported.
Holly asked, “You think Kay might be at the warehouse where the sales are held?”
“She could be. It’s secure.” Jake’s mouth lifted into a smile. “Hidden behind a fake wall.”
“Really?” Holly feigned interest. “That’s the building I was in, right? Where is that?”
Jake spilled the address easily. Nate wanted to bolt from the room but had one more thing to ask.
“Can you describe Mr. A?”
Jake remained silent, the tendons in his jaw flexed. Nate opened his mouth, but a glance from Holly silenced him.
“Tell us. Please,” she whispered, her tone calm and patient.
Nate held his breath as Jake’s gaze swept across her face. “Tall, thin, gray hair. Distinguished. Sharp dresser.”
“Oh, shit.” Nate sprang from the chair, sending it tumbling backward.
Chapter 30
Nate’s sanity hung by a thread. Why hadn’t they realized the bastard wasn’t the fragile, elderly gentleman he pretended to be? With his standing in the community, Anthony Walsh had the perfect cover. Jesus. No one had suspected him.
All the pieces fell into place. Old man Walsh was the brains behind the entire disgusting organization. How many teenage girls were in captivity because of him? How many were dead?
“One more question. Why was getting Hank’s ring back so important?” Nate righted the chair. The bullet wound in his shoulder burned from the tensed muscles. He steadied himself and moved to the door. Turning, he waited for the answer.
“It’s a signet ring and identical to one Mr. A had to quit wearing when Hank lost his. The last present Mr. A’s wife gave them before she died. Somebody could’ve recognized it and then tied the Walshes to Leann Vaughn’s death.”
“You killed her, didn’t you?” Nate had already guessed the answer.
“I followed orders.”
“Let’s go,” Nate said to Holly.
She leaned across the table closer to Jake. “Take care of yourself. Let the doctors make you well. Okay?”
“They’ll probably kill me. Is that what you want?”
“No. I want you to promise me you’ll let people help you.”
Jake nodded. “I’m sorry you were dragged into this mess. That’s why I insisted on talking with you. So I could apologize.” The corners of his mouth lifted briefly, and then he turned his gaze away from her.
“Holly.” Nate opened the door. His patience was gone.
“Wait,” Jake called out.
Nate spun, his impatience boiling over. “What?”
“Were you lying to get answers, or am I really Jake Donovan?”
“I don’t lie. You’re Jake.” Nate’s anger subsided at the bewildered expression on Jake’s face. “And you have friends who won’t turn their backs on you. We’ll be around, and we’ll be there when you get well. But right now, we have to go.”
Wayne waited just outside, blocking the hallway. “Tomas is getting a verbal warrant for Walsh’s warehouse.”
Nate stepped around Wayne, pulling Holly along behind. “I’m not standing around doing nothing while Kaycie’s in danger.”
“Neither are we. By the time we get to the parking lot, we’ll have the judge’s okay on the warrant. This bust has to be legal.”
Nate hurried Holly outside. Tyrell and Marcus had followed. They’d parked and waited.
“Wolfe,” Wayne spoke from behind. His tone commanded attention. “You’ll agree to do this the right way, or I’ll have you arrested for obstruction.”
Nate placed Holly’s hand in Tyrell’s. “Take her home. She can fill you in. Old man Walsh has Kaycie.”
Turning to Wayne, Nate said, “Then I’m riding with you.”
****
The raid almost resulted in Nate’s arrest. He’d wanted to go in with the first wave. Damn police procedures. As soon as SWAT gave the all-clear sign, Wayne made Nate surrender his weapon before he could go inside. He didn’t get through the door before a group of black-clad, Kevlar-vest wearing officers confronted him. Wayne waved Nate on past the blockade.
They went straight to the back wall and down the now open secret passageway.
Wayne reached out and grabbed Nate’s right arm.
Nate clutched his shoulder, and growled, “Get off me. I’m going back there.”
“With me.” Wayne’s gaze was icy. “Or I’ll have these guys haul you out and handcuff you to my steering wheel.”
A SWAT member stepped into view. He slid his helmet off and shook his head. “No female found, sir. The suspect is in the fourth office on the right. No one has questioned him.”
“Thanks.” Wayne clapped the man on his shoulder.
“I’ll kill him.”
“Not on my watch,” Wayne commented firmly.
Nate couldn’t hold back any longer. He ran down the hall. The doors to rooms were splintered and hanging off the hinges. SWAT must’ve put their boot to each lock and kicked. Guards stood on either side of the door. Nate and Wayne stepped into the office.
“Mr. Walsh.” Wayne wasted no time. “We know you abducted Kay Taylor. Where is she?”
Walsh sat straight-backed in a chair, hands in his lap. His lips curved downward in a sick sneer. The dignified appearance he’d presented to Nate and Kaycie was replaced by pure evil.
The hair on the back of Nate’s neck rose. For the first time, he feared they were too late.
“Like my son, she’s gone. Unlike my son, she’ll suffer great pain before she dies.”
“You scumbag.” Wayne leaned forward. “How do you sleep nights?”
“Very well, thank you. I grew up being passed around like garbage. Do you know the price for a little boy sixty years ago?” He held a finger up as if issuing instructions not to interrupt him. “Not much. It didn’t take me long to learn the value of human life. The fate of other people means zero to me.”
The calm demeanor the old man displayed sent Nate’s rage to explosion level. “You sick bastard. Tell us what you’ve done with her.”
“She’s gone. And you’ll never find so much as a remnant of her.”
In one motion, Walsh pulled a gun from under the desk, pressed the barrel into the underside of his chin, and fired.
Hair, blood, and brains exploded out the top of the old man’s head, splattering pieces of him on everything and every person standing nearby.
Memories of war flooded Nate. He’d seen a man’s head explode before. Hell, he’d pulled the trigger more than once. But never from this close range and never a suicide.
“Son. Of. A. Bitch,” Wayne drawled out his words calmly as if that shit happened right in front of him every day. “Never had a suspect off himself before.”
Tomas ran in with gun drawn. “Holy shit.” He signed the cross before taking another step. “Nobody checked Walsh for a weapon?”
The young cop standing in the door swallowed a couple of times. The color drained from his face, leaving behind a ghastly pall. “I searched Mr. Walsh’s person before ordering him to sit in that chair. I don’t know where the gun came from.”
Wayne shrugged and held his hand out to end the conversation. “Get out of here before you pass out,” he said to the guard, whose face had paled to a ghastly white “We’ll worry about those details later.” He stepped to the door and spoke to a member of SWAT. “Get the techs in here to go over the computers. And keep those night-shift workers separated from each other until we talk to them. Then get a bus out here. We’ll haul the lot downtown. Those bastards knew what was going on back here.”
Wayne’s calm, all-business demeanor said he’d seen death before. “What the hell was Walsh talking about?” Nate asked nobody in particular.
“Don’t know yet.” Wayne shrugged off his jacket and handed it to one of the cops close by. “Nate, he’ll need your jacket, too. Looks like you’ve got brain matter and bone fragments on your collar.”