Bronco's Rough Ride (Bad Boys of Beta Squad, 0.5) (5 page)

Relief poured through her as
she grasped the cool metal. She quickly replaced the rock and returned to the door. The interior of the cabin sat in musty darkness and more of Lindsey’s tension fled. She pushed open some of the drapes to let in the light. The floors had been swept and the counters washed recently.
Shit, would they come back this weekend? Think, Jarvis!
Father’s Day weekend had already passed and she recalled her uncle coming to the cabin every year to celebrate.

If they’d come for Father’s Day, more than likely, they wouldn’t be back until Fourth of July and she had at least ten days before they returned for the holiday weekend.
That should be enough time to get him safely out and cleaned up
. John would need the detox time from the chemical cocktail LeBeau pumped into him.

Lindsey flipped on the lights, grateful for the soft glow of low wattage. John probably wouldn’t like bright light. She checked the pilot light on the stove and water heater to be sure they’d have gas, and opened the kitchen taps. The water ran clear.

“Good.” The house would be ready for them. If not that night, then on Saturday.
If Courtney doesn’t come up with another option.

Lindsey turned off all the lights, checked the doors and windows, and
retreated to her car. Now all she had to do was wait. Her jaw tightened as she headed back to the highway. Waiting sucked. To distract herself, she ran over the list of items she’d need if they stayed at the cabin. Non-perishables, can-opener, bottled water, flashlight, blankets, men’s clothing, shoes…

Burner phone and a suit. He has to look great for the Club.

But she just had to get him out. No one would be looking at the brand or cut in the darkness of the Club. Once in the car, it wouldn’t matter. Excitement tightened her belly. They’d be out in less than thirty-six hours, and John would be safe.

Lindsey took a deep breath as she waited for the valet. Her mind rechecked her inventory to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She had her own casual clothes in addition to what she’d purchased the day before. Jenna Black would go missing that evening, right along with Chief Petty Officer JH Andrews.

Squaring her shoulders, Lindsey pulled up to the valet and smiled at the young man who waited for her to get out.
Show time.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Black. Are you leaving your car with us today?”

“Hello, Pedro. I am. I need it to be taken care of tonight. I have a date.” She gave him a smug smile.

“Oh-ho, this I’ve got to see. The infamous
ly single Ms. Black with a man? You’ve dashed my hopes.” He theatrically threw a hand over his heart and staggered back a step.

Lindsey laughed. She’d miss the young man. “Yes, I’m sure. Please be sure it is safe and secure. I don’t want my plans messed up.”

“Of course, Ms. Black. You can count on me.” His smile widened as she slipped him a fifty dollar bill. “You’re always so good to me.”

“I know you want to go to college and it costs. Education is very important, Pedro.”

“I know, I know. I remember. I won’t let you down, Ms. Black.”

“Excellent. I’ll see you tonight with my date.” Lindsey waved as she pulled the suit bag out of the passenger door and headed for the hotel.

Everything was in order. Courtney had called to say still no safe house, but Lindsey had figured it would be the case. She’d replied she hoped they still had a nice time and she had a date with the guy in the card.

“He said yes? That’s great. When?”

“Tonight. I’ll call you when I get back.”

“You’re sure you’re okay with not house-sitting?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. You know you’re ruining my weekend plans, don’t you?”

Courtney had snorted. “Yeah, right. I know you. You always land on your feet, Jenna.”

She couldn’t argue with that. They’d signed off and Lindsey had put her all her attention into Plan Bravo. She allowed a confident smile to crease her lips as she hugged her purse to her side. The Luscious Lash syringe case and the burner phone sat snug in the zippered pockets. She’d activated the phone that morning, but hadn’t turned it on since. No point in using it until necessary.

When she arrived in her suite, she hung John’s suit and unzipped the bag. It wouldn’t fool anyone on close inspection, but in a Club with hundreds of people jostling in strobe lights,
he’d look like a decent date for Mistress Black. She’d dated a few others in her term undercover just to give legitimacy to such activities, but she’d never run with a man before.

Here’s hoping I make a decent kidnapper.

She snorted as she sat at her little laptop and typed out a request for her toy to be delivered to her suite that evening. While not common to have a private audience with purchased products, it was allowed upon occasion.
This is a great occasion
. Lindsey hit enter and headed for the shower. Anything to calm the excitement building as the time approached. She had to be cool or she’d give away the whole game.
And I’m not losing this one.

****

Lindsey’s cell rattled out the
Ride of the Valkyries
as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. She really did appreciate Courtney’s little gift and gave herself a false smile as she picked up her phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Jenna. I just wanted to see how you’re doing. Date night tonight, right?” Courtney’s voice sounded excited, but Lindsey suspected that hid the anxiousness.

Or maybe it’s my anxiousness I’m reading into it.

“Yes, tonight is the night. I got the confirmation he’d be here in… Ooo, five minutes.” She checked her hair and lip gloss in the mirror then left the bathroom for the main suite.

“Are you staying in or going out?”

“I think we’ll have drinks here, then head to the club. Why?”

“I just want to make sure you’re safe. Men can be a handful, you know. Especially this guy. He’s so big.” Courtney hinted at John’s strength and training.

Lindsey forced a laugh. “I’m sure we’ll be okay, but I’ll be careful. This Club takes a dim view on physical abuse and I’ll be surrounded by people. Don’t worry, Court. I’ll be fine.”

“All right. I just want you to know I’m here for you and you can call me any time.
”

“Thanks, Court.
He’s meeting me at the hotel, but left his car where he’s staying. I’m sure it’ll be great. He’ll at least need to be nice to me to get a ride back.”

“Did he tell you his hotel?”

“No, but I can probably weasel it out of him.”

Lindsey heard keys tapping in the background. Courtney already started the search for John’s car. “Good. Just be safe and h
ave fun tonight, ’kay?”

“Will do. Say hi to Bill for me and you kids have fun, too.”

“We will. Bye.”

“Bye.”

A knock at her suite door made Lindsey snap her phone shut and smooth down her dress.
It’s the moment of truth
. She strode to the door and pulled it open, trying not to show her disgust at the vision of John Andrews strapped to a board on a dolly. She covered it with a smile she could only hope appeared pleased.

“Excellent, wheel him over to the
bed.”

The orderlies nodded as they delivered her package and she ignored the urge to pull out her weapon and shoot them both. Instead, she left the door open, an implicit request to leave. They hauled him up on the bed and rolled the dolly out into the living space.

“If I want to keep him longer than my arranged time, I’ll send in a new request. I’ll get a confirmation email, isn’t that so?”

“You will.”

Resisting the urge to untie him before they’d gone, Lindsey followed them out of the bedroom and picked up her purse. She pulled out two twenties and extended it to the taller orderly.

“Thank you, ma’am. Much appreciated.”

“No, thank you.”

“We’ll be back in two hours to re
-administer his meds or take him back to the holding cells.”

“Thank you. I’ll be ready.”

The orderly nodded and the two men left, closing the door behind them. Lindsey turned the security lock and engaged the security bar then took a deep breath. If she had any say in the matter, neither she nor John would be here when they returned.

Lindsey grabbed a glass in her kitchenette and filled it with water
to calm her nerves. She’d swept the room for bugs earlier, but her whole mission depended upon her appearing completely at ease.
Even if they can’t see or hear me.
She refused to admit her nervousness came from the man lying on the bed in the other room.

She gulped down the last of her water and headed for the room. He needed to be untied and dressed. She chuckled and shook her head.
This isn’t going to be like dressing a baby doll.
None of her dolls had ever been fully articulated, much less anatomically correct.

The orderlies had laid him on the bed on his back, his hands and ankles bound.
Growling, she darted to her purse. She might only have a small decorative pocketknife, but zipties still broke before steel. Who knew a TV show would come in so handy?
Rule number nine: Always carry a knife.

“Hang on, John. I’ll have them off soon.” She snapped the ties at his ankles with one swipe of the little blade, but the bonds on his wrists took some sawing. Fury brewed with each
cut through the plastic. “We’ll get you out of here and bring the sick bastards down.”

The zipties fell away and she tossed the knife back into her purse before settling down beside him.
Deep welts marked the skin at his wrists. He stared straight up at the ceiling and she angled his head toward her so she could meet his gaze as she rubbed his hands.

“Sit tight. Let me get the nullifier into you so it can work its magic before I get your circulation going again.” Lindsey rose and dug through her purse, retri
eving the syringe disguised as the mascara tube. “Ready?”

John blinked twice.
Yes.

“You’re stronger than you think and this will work fast.” Faster than two hours at least.
That’s all I need.

She swallowed against revulsion as she readied the needl
e. She could face down a jacked-up junkie with a loaded weapon, but one little needle entering skin made her want to run screaming for the hills.
Just push it in and be done, Jarvis.

Lindsey pressed the plunger to let out the air and inserted the needle into his vein. She kept her mind on the feel of his warm skin in her hands to push off the threatening nausea.
Focus.
At last the plunger hit bottom and she pulled the syringe out.

“There.
That should do it.” She glanced at his eyes. “At least get it started.” She deposited the used syringe back into her purse. “Let me get you a towel.” She selected one of the fluffy burgundy towels from her bath and returned to the bedroom. “This will be like a swanky massage, right?” She gave him a half smile as she laid the towel over his lap and tucked it around his hips. When done, she sat down beside him, certain to keep in his line of sight.

“
I guess we have a little time to get to know each other.”

She paused, resisting the urge to run her hands over th
e taut muscles of his legs. She’d learned the softness of his hair and ached to touch it again.
You get no liberties now, Jarvis.
“So I did some checking and I found out you’re in the Navy headed to Coronado Naval Base on a Permanent Change of Station. Is that right?”

Lindsey met his gaze and he blinked twice.
“I know the Naval SpecOps trains there.” She scanned his body. “And no tattoos, which is unusual. Most military guys get tats, but not you.”

The scars stood out against his tanned skin
, but no ink. “Unless you’ve removed them, which leaves bad scars and hurts like hell, so I’m told. Did you once have a tat, John?”

He blinked once
and she nodded. “Me, either. Given my job, I don’t want too many indentifying marks.”

She leaned forwa
rd and glanced down at her feet, suddenly nervous.
What are you, a teenager on a first date? You’ve had sexual intimacies with this man. You aren’t strangers.

Lindsey scooted back on the bed closer to John so he could see her better. “Do you want me to prop you up on pillows so you have a better view of the room?”

John blinked twice and she smiled. “Yeah, I figured you’d prefer to be able to see all escape routes, even if you can’t use them.” She crawled behind him and looped her hands under his arms then pulled back toward the headboard.

“Holy moly, you’re heavy
.” She succeeded in moving him only inches.
Damn, remind me not to go out for SpecOps in the military any time soon.
“I’ll pile pillows behind you and prop you up. It might be just as well. I’ll have to dress you and it’ll be easier if your legs are near the floor.”

She slid out from behind him and rested on the bed. “Damn, you smell good.
At least they finally gave you a bath.” He didn’t say anything and she wished an end to the one-sided conversation. “I feel like I’m talking to myself, you know?”

John blinked two times
and moaned. Lindsey gasped. “I heard you. This is a good sign the nullifier is working.” John’s lids fluttered with agreement.

“So I’m sure you’re wondering at my plan.” She rolled over so they la
y nose to nose. He blinked twice. “I figure you’re going to be unsteady on your feet and slurring words. The perfect cover has us as a drunken couple leaving the Man Cave Club downstairs. My handler couldn’t get a safe house set up in time, but you can’t stay here longer. The ketamine will shut down your heart and other organs. We weren’t given a choice so I found my own safe house. Once we’re out of the club we’ll head straight there. Copy?”

John blinked twice again.

“I promise I’ll get you out and keep you safe until you come down off the ketamine. Then we can bring you in.” She ignored the pang at how little time she’d have to spend with him alone.
This is a job, Jarvis. You don’t even know this man very well
.

It didn’t stop her desire to know him better. Unfortunately, he couldn’t answer any complex questions. Yes and no was all they had at the mom
ent. Lindsey studied his golden-brown eyes full of intelligence below the thick brows. She wondered what his face would look like with full animation. Did he have dimples in his cheeks? Crow’s feet at the edges of his eyes? She still didn’t know how hold he was, but he didn’t look too much older than her.

John groaned and his brows contracted a little.

“Sorry, am I hurting you?”