Exchange of Fire (29 page)

Victor dropped his carry-on bag beside the front door and glanced at the multiple displays on his watch again: 6:42 and 9:42 a.m. He gnashed his teeth. Too early for the bank, but late enough to take care of some business.

He strode to the office and jabbed a number he now knew by heart. “Carlos? It’s Victor.”

“A little early for you, isn’t it?”

“I’m headed out of town in a few minutes and won’t be available to talk for a while.”

“That sounds bothersome.”

“Do you still want the information or not?” he snapped. This Hispanic asshole was going to the top of the list. Once he got his payment, he’d send a team to Miami to take him out.

“I’m sensing some desperation,”
Carlos answered calmly.
“I’m thinking I don’t need to pay you so much.”

“Now wait just a minute—”

“No, you shut your mouth. I’m doing you a favor by getting rid of this bitch for you.”

“What?”

“Oh, don’t act so innocent. I haven’t stayed the head of this cartel because I’m gullible,”
Carlos stated coldly.
“I know I’m not paying for just an address.”

Sweat beaded along Victor’s hairline. He eyed the corner of his luggage waiting for him. He should hang up and walk away. With all the money he had stashed around the world, he didn’t need this two-bit lowlife’s cash.

“I’ve got to go. When I see the full two hundred thousand we agreed upon deposited in my account, then I’ll text you the information. Not a minute before and not for a penny less.” He slammed the phone down.

He stared at the receiver. He gave it two hours tops before Carlos’s need for revenge overtook his greed and he wired the money.

The next forty-five minutes were the longest in his life. He didn’t have the patience or frame of mind to wade through the minutiae of e-mails. About the only thing he could do was prowl the entire first floor with one eye on the clock.

Just when he thought he’d have to destroy something to let out his pent-up frustrations, the minute hand clicked to seven thirty.

“Seguaro Bank of Arizona, how can I direct your call?”

“Peter Calhoun for branch manager Estivo Goya, please.”

“Certainly, sir,”
the perky female voice said.
“Hold, please.”

“Mr. Calhoun!”
Estivo answered robustly.
“So nice to hear from you. What can I do for you today?”

“I’m about to head out of the country for a while. I need to make arrangements to have a large wire transfer coming in later today forwarded to me, as well as withdraw some cash.”

“Certainly,”
Estivo effused.
“What time would you like to come in? I can have everything set up for you by then.”

***

Carlos tapped a finger against the back of his cell phone and stared out at the ocean. The money didn’t matter to him. Two hundred thousand was nothing compared to the peace it would buy him if the information proved accurate. It was the high-handed, superior attitude that rankled.

Victor clearly thought of him as a lowly drug dealer, not as a businessman in control of a powerful empire. That insult couldn’t be tolerated, but—

“But I can’t wait anymore to find this
puta
,” he whispered.

A seagull flew by, screeching before it circled, then landed on his private beach.

“Hey, Tío!” Emilio yelled from the sliding glass door. “You on the phone?”

Carlos ground his teeth. If he was or wasn’t, would he honestly answer that bellow? He peered over his shoulder and motioned for his nephew to join him by the pool.

“What have you learned about that incident in North Carolina?” Carlos said when he sensed the boy approaching.

Emilio dropped into a chaise lounge near him and shoved a spoonful of shaved ice into his mouth. After a swallow he announced, “There may be something to it.”

Carlos sat up. “What? Why haven’t you told me?”

“That’s why I’m here,” Emilio replied, spooning another gob of purple ice in. “Just got a call from one of the regional supervisors. He said that a pair of FBI agents arrived. Shut the local police out to investigate themselves.” His tongue darkened with each bite.

“So you believe there is some legitimacy.”

His nephew shrugged. “I’d call it the best lead we’ve had so far. My contact from school said that you and his source were talking directly so I won’t get any more information from him.”

Victor’s offer rang in his head again. He needed to swallow his pride and seriously consider paying the
pendejo
. But first he’d do a little investigating on his own.

“Contact the local enforcers and have them pick me up at the closest private airstrip, then contact my pilot and tell him I want to be airborne today.”

***

Ted sat on one of the few remaining dining room chairs and sliced open a third large box. He inspected the contents, then pulled out a full-size laptop and opened it on the table. When Sandra had come in last night, Cappy, Romeo, and Magician had swept the hardwood floors and cleaned up all the debris covering the furniture. The oversized demolished items had been stacked in the garage, and the maimed items were repaired as best they could—some even sporting the oh-so-classy silver duct tape.

Romeo had placed the last of a stack of boxes Ted had shipped cross-country in the corner, but Sandra couldn’t calm down enough to stay and help. Between Talon’s bombshell during the fight, her breakup—for lack of a better term—with Grady, and the soul-shattering good-bye kiss, seeing Mars’s olive-green canvas bag beside the boxes had done her in. That bag represented everything her life had stood for up until Mexico, a sniper’s best friend when concealing her weapon. She knew if she opened it, there would be a compartment or pocket for every component of the weapon, plus some extras “just in case.” Like an infrared scope or night vision.

Sandra turned away from it now and smoothed a hand over her jeans. The stitches in her shoulder pulled like crazy and stung when she wasn’t careful.

Grady strode in from the hallway, adjusting a royal blue polo. “I can’t just sit here and wait. I’m going in to the center to keep a watch over it.”

Romeo slid off the bar stool. “Count me in. I don’t have much on my calendar at the moment, seeing as how my job wants me dead and all.”

“We’re all in,” Cappy announced, swiping his keys off the side counter. “Until this is over, we’re not letting you out of our sight. We can wait for Senator Harris’s call there just as well as here.”

Sandra gripped her hands together. She had been fired a few days ago; was she allowed back in?

Grady passed her, his gait stiff and his face not giving her much to go on.
I can’t be with you other than professionally. It’s just too hard.
His words rang over and over in her head. He was completely right, and she respected him more for them, but still, an unfair part of her wanted him to resume the easy friendship they had developed before this all came out.

“I need fuel,” Talon said, opening the kitchen door leading to the garage. “I’ll meet you all there.” He disappeared, and the motor whirred on one of the bay doors seconds before his Ninja roared to life.

Yeah, she definitely was too raw to handle the delicate conversation she’d have to have with that man today. She had a feeling that no matter how she put it, he wasn’t going to take her not loving him back the way he desired very well.

***

Romeo rubbed his hands together. “Who’s got cash so I can get some tokens?” His head swiveled as he perused the different sections adjoining the main entrance. “I see some games in the Arcade I’ve been dying to try. Anyone sucker enough to challenge me?”

Sandra couldn’t help but laugh at his infectious aura. His smile spread from ear to ear, lighting up his face, and he all but vibrated excited energy. One of the very best things about working here was witnessing that same reaction when a person walked in for the first time. It was always the same: eyes enlarged, grin spread wide, and head rotating as if trying to figure out where to head first.

“Impressive setup,” Cappy said, slowly pivoting on one heel.

“Thanks,” Grady replied, his hands in his jeans pockets and a smile filling his face. “Gradwick didn’t start out this way, but over the years I’ve been able to build it out how I envisioned it.”

Two men with gray overalls wandered past. One carried an oversize toolbox while the other spoke on the phone. By the grease and dirt on their hands, they had just completed or were in the middle of maintaining one of the pieces of equipment.
Good to know I’m paying for actual services.

“Can we have a tour?” Magician asked, pulling her gaze away from the up and down escalators off to the left.

“Sure.” Grady faced the group and pointed to the left. “Through those side doors are the outside go-kart tracks. I’ve currently got two different courses, but would like to add a third eventually.” He pointed to the escalators. “One escalator will take you up to the laser tag floor. That section is two stories tall, with an observation room built near the ceiling for parents to watch their children play. The other escalator will take you down to the inside go-kart track and the bowling alley.”

“Okay. I’ve found my replacement career,” Romeo quipped, raising his hand. “I’ll empty trash cans, but I don’t clean bathrooms. You can pay me with free play.”

Magician smacked him, then said to Grady, “Ignore him. Go on.”

“What? I was serious.”

Her teammate shot Romeo a shut-it look, but he just grinned in return.

Grady chuckled as he continued, “As you can obviously see, behind me is the central eatery, which stays open the entire time the center is open, and behind that is going to be a miniature golf course. Construction isn’t quite finished, but I’m hoping to unveil it by Thanksgiving.” He pointed to the right. “Taking up the whole right side of the building is the arcade, which has a set of doors leading to the outside paintball arena as well as the employees’ entrance in the back.”

Two raps echoed off the glass front door.

Everyone turned in unison. Talon stood clutching his helmet and bracing the other hand on his hip.

Ted shot Grady a what-do-you-want-me-to-do expression since he was closest, and Grady motioned for him to let her teammate in.

“I walked the perimeter after I pulled in,” Talon said the second he stepped inside. “We’ve got a patch of woods out back, not real thick. Some Dumpsters by the edge of the parking lot and wide open space beyond that.”

“Check,” Cappy replied, turning back to Grady, who quickly erased the annoyed expression on his face.

These two are definitely not going to be exchanging Christmas cards in the future.

“Ready to see mission control?” Grady asked, taking a step backward.

“Lead the way.”

They all filed through the Employees Only door, and a pang gripped Sandra’s heart. Her office sat near the end of the hall, just before Grady’s. A place she actually thought of as her second home. A space where she had been allowed to live out her do-over fantasy without the drama of SBG ever being in her life. She already missed that person who sat in the leather chair and fretted over figures and construction turn times.

Cappy followed her into the Security Room and whistled. “Nice.” He scanned the room with his hands on his hips. Dim lighting kept the room from being totally dark, but wasn’t so bright that it reflected off the wall of wide-screen TVs. A long security desk stood in the middle of the room with a bank of computers along the top. One guard sat at the center station, alternating his attention between the TVs and their group.

“Hey, Mike,” Grady called. “I’ve got some folks visiting today. Don’t mind us.”

A curious yet respectful expression filled Mike’s face and he waved. “Sure thing. Nice to meet you all.”

“Mike,” Cappy said, “do you mind if Talon, Ted, and I sit with you for a bit?”

The guard’s eyes shifted to Grady.

“Whatever they need, Mike, is fine,” Grady answered, crossing his arms.

Mike shrugged and indicated the chairs around him. “Find a seat.”

“Can you tell us about the setup?” Romeo asked, strolling toward the wall of TVs.

“I have thirty-two cameras placed throughout the building and in the parking lots,” Grady answered. “I know I need to add more, but I haven’t gotten in all the bids yet.”

“I’ll say it again; this is impressive,” Cappy said, pulling a rolling chair out near Mike. “Don’t mind us if you have things to work on; there are plenty of things to keep us entertained.”

Grady rode the escalator down to the bottom floor. It was strange not to hear the revving of the go-kart engines bouncing off the walls as kids raced by on the indoor track. In their stead, service technicians were bent over several go-karts on the now closed track.

“After those maintenance men are done, I bet those puppies will fly on that slick track,” Romeo remarked from the step above him.

“My insurance company would be ecstatic to hear you predict that,” Grady retorted wryly, striding onto the landing behind Sandra and Magician.

All day he’d tried not to stay attuned to Sandra’s presence, but his body acted like a damn tuning fork. He could tell exactly where she stood at any given moment with his eyes closed. Pathetic.

For the past few hours his nerves had been steadily drawing tighter. Acting like nothing had happened between them required so much effort, he felt drained. But he had one item left on his mental list he needed to address before he could—his heart skipped—let her go.

“Sandra, can I talk to you for a second?”

She cast a quick glance at Romeo and Magician, who stood side by side.

“Oh look, Magician, they have a red kart for me and a blue kart for you,” Romeo enthused brightly, pointing. “Let us go check them out.” He threaded his arm through Magician’s and pulled her toward the track.

Wow. Subtle. Grady led Sandra to the bowling alley on the opposite side. The supervisor of the large crew had told him they had finished fine-tuning all the mechanics for the eight-lane section yesterday. The area seemed so lonely with its lanes all lit up, colorful bowling balls resting in the racks against the wall, and TVs mounted on the ceiling to show the scores as well as little animations during the games.

He leaned against the back of one of the plastic U-grouped chairs and crossed his arms.
All right, Grady. You got her here. How to begin?

She picked at the bottom of her green polo. The sight of her wearing one of his Gradwick uniform tops was bittersweet.
You asked her to wear it, dumbass.
True. The caveman in him liked the stamp of his logo resting on her breast, as if it somehow told the world (and a certain teammate) that she was his. The other part of him knew it was a lie. He’d only asked her to put it on to keep up pretenses for the guards.

Get on with it.
“I, ah, wanted to thank you for getting Entertainment Industries to come out.” His gaze slid to the men in gray uniforms now joking with Romeo and Magician.

“It’s the least I could do.” She shifted her feet and put her hands into her back jeans pockets.

“I can’t believe you were able to get them here the same day you called. I bet that cost a fortune. I—”

“If you’re about to offer to pay for it all or even give me a dollar, I’m going to seriously knock you out again.”

“Again,” he snorted. “Think that would be so easy this time?”

“Test me,” she retorted, dropping her hands to her sides.

A stab of pain lanced his heart. He could so easily fall back into their old pattern of flirtation and temptation. He held his hands up. “You win. I couldn’t let you g . . .” He cleared his throat.
Nope, not going to blunder into that trap.
“Southern manners dictate I acknowledge the excessive gift by at least saying thank you.”

“Everyone,”
Cappy interrupted in his earpiece.
“Report to the Security Room.”

He stiffened and exchanged a look with Sandra, his stomach knotting further. Was this it? Had his time with Sandra actually come to an end?

Her eyes searched his as if asking the same questions herself.

“On our way,” Romeo said from the escalator, breaking the spell.

Grady opened the Security Room door and allowed Mike to leave on rounds while everyone else fanned out around a twenty-seven-inch monitor sitting on top of the security desk. Magician and Romeo moved to the side so he could squeeze in next to Cappy while Sandra moved to the other end.

“Turn it up,” Cappy instructed.

Ted twirled the dial on the computer speakers.

“Just moments ago, Victor Dalmingo, CEO of SweetBriar Group, was taken into custody by the FBI at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona,”
a female voice-over reported as a video filled the screen. Two men stood on either side of Victor—the contrast between the CEO’s Italian-cut and the agents’ cheap off-the-rack suits was jarring. They escorted him out of a set of electric doors with his hands cuffed behind his back.

“SweetBriar Group is the largest privately owned environmental company in the world,”
the voice-over continued as the three of them trudged past a group of gawking travelers with their overstuffed suitcases at their feet.
“The company was originally formed by two entrepreneurs, Thane Milton, then CEO, and Sam Clover, then head of operations. Victor Dalmingo was elected as the company’s CEO five years ago, when Milton died of a heart attack at the age of forty-nine and Clover died in the jungles of South America.”

Pure rage radiated from Victor’s face, and he stiffly marched between the agents. Grady’s heart raced and at the same time began to sink. The man responsible for terrorizing this team as well as jeopardizing Grady’s business glowered at the cameraman as he stomped by. The CEO shrugged off the two FBI agents’ hands when they tried to steer him toward a navy SUV waiting at the curb.

“We’re not exactly sure what he’s being charged with at the moment since we’ve received two conflicting reports. Sources inside the airport tell us he was traveling under a different name, which had been flagged for drug trafficking when they ran his passport. Another source inside the FBI stated he’s being picked up for questioning about the deaths of Thane Milton and Sam Clover. Stay tuned as we uncover more about this shocking turn of events.”
The SUV’s door slammed shut against Victor’s scowling face, and a large red icon popped up in the middle of the screen with
PLAY AGAIN?
in the center.

The room exploded into excited chaos: Magician hugging everyone, Romeo slapping backs, Cappy conversing with Ted, and all talking over one another.

Grady swallowed around the lump lodged in his throat and slowly allowed himself to meet Sandra’s gaze from across the room. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for, yet dreading the entire time.

Unshed tears filled Sandra’s eyes, and she held a fist over her mouth. Bruises, cuts, scrapes, and bandages covered almost every part he could see, attesting to the battle she had fought to achieve this victory. But the sorrow reflected in her hazel irises would make an outsider think she had lost.

Goddamn it, this sucked. A vise clamped around his chest, squeezing until he practically suffocated. He had to stay strong and fight against the impulse telling him to march across the room and claim her mouth and body. Wrangle the urge to be selfish and take what
he
wanted instead of what was best for the community.

A meaty hand clapped him on the shoulder, knocking him off balance.

“This is it, Casper,” Cappy boomed. “Thank you for your help.”

Grady grabbed the CO’s proffered hand and inhaled. Had Cappy not intervened, Grady was pretty sure he’d have done something stupid.

“You’re welcome.” His eyes strayed toward Sandra again and his blood pressure spiked. Talon had her in his arms and gently patted her noninjured shoulder. No matter what Grady did, in the end the bastard was going to win, wasn’t he?

A spasm raced through Grady’s fists. Cappy ripped his hand out of Grady’s grip and shook it as if to get feeling back. He turned toward the pair, then said, “
Ah.
Are you—”

Ted’s super phone rang, silencing the celebrating room.

Cappy snatched the device out of his side cargo pocket and answered, “Hello.” He pressed a button on the phone, allowing them to hear the Senator’s response.

“Enjoying the news coverage of Victor’s arrest?”

“Yes, sir.”

Senator Harris’s voice held a hint of amusement.
“It’s interesting how the bastard’s name, and an alias at that, found its way onto OFAC’s blacklist for drug trafficking.”

“That sure is a mystery.”

“Mm-hm. I’m told by the time the FBI agents showed up, Victor had been chewing out every airport security person who was stupid enough to enter the holding room. Also interesting how he had a briefcase with a large amount of cash, a one-way ticket to Cancún, and a regional flight into Columbia.”

“A country that just so happens to have a shady outlook on the US’s extradition treaty.”

“Yeah. Strange coincidence that didn’t help his claim he wasn’t a drug trafficker.”

Cappy laughed. “I guess not.”

The Senator’s tone dried up.
“I don’t have anything more to report yet. I’ll call you when I have something concrete. With this drug trafficking mess, we should be able to hold Victor longer while we sort through all the stuff you sent me.”

“What about SBG?”

“Again, I have nothing for you other than they’re in turmoil. Stay strong.”
The connection ended.

“Not everything we hoped to hear,” Romeo said, stepping in between Talon and Sandra, then placing a hand on her shoulder, “but seeing Victor handcuffed and humiliated is definitely worth celebrating. Sorry, Ted.”

Ted raised a weak hand, his face now casting a sickly hue as he continued to fiddle with the tablet in his lap.

Everyone resumed their animated conversations. Romeo dipped his chin slightly to Grady, then proceeded to talk loudly to Sandra while leading her to Magician.

Shit.
Am I that obvious?

“What’s all the hubbub about, and who are all you people?”

Grady whipped around to find his most trusted security guard standing in the now open doorway with his wrinkled fingers still clinging to the handle.

The room plunged into silence.

“Henry!” Grady exclaimed, attempting to sound lighthearted instead of tragic. “What are you doing
here?”

Henry’s gaze narrowed. “Answering a question with a question? That’s a sign of stalling, Casper Grady.” He shuffled into the room, his hunched shoulders stiff.

The door snapped shut behind the old guard as he met the eyes of every member of Delta Squad. When he got to Sandra, his bushy eyebrows snapped down, and he regarded her with suspicion.

“Henry?” Grady asked, racking his brain on how to handle the wily old man.

The security guard’s gaze narrowed onto Grady. “What happened to your face?”

“Walked into a door,” Grady quipped, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Repeatedly.”

“Hmph.” Henry’s shrewd expression roved over Talon. “And you? The door get you too?”

Talon shrugged and answered blandly, “Not sure how to describe it other than faulty engineering.”

“Right.” Henry pointed at Sandra. “And I guess you’re going to tell me the same thing?”

“Tree, actually,” she retorted, gripping her fingers together. “Raining hard, didn’t see the branches.”

“Can’t knock out nature when it’s in your way, huh, missy?” Henry answered waspishly. “It fights back.”

Okay. Guess the old man’s still a little peeved about that.
Grady hid a smile. Kinda nice to have someone completely in his corner for a change.

“When did you upgrade to the new hardware?” Henry pointed to Grady’s throat, then ear.

Crap. He opened his mouth, praying inspiration would allow him to come up with something witty.

“On loan from the Bureau,” Romeo replied smoothly, moving forward with his hand outstretched.

“Bureau?” Henry gripped the hand, but eyed Romeo like a science experiment.

“Yes, sir.” Romeo pulled a leather billfold out of his back pocket. “Special Agent Raymond Stiles, and this is my partner, Special Agent Sonya White.” He motioned to Magician, who had slipped up beside him.

“Special agents,” Henry repeated skeptically, taking the badge from Romeo’s hands. “When did the department add a supermodel division?”

“A few years ago,” Magician quipped with a smile. “And thank you for the compliment.”

“Hmph. And the others?” The security guard’s finger motioned to the rest of the room. “They agents too?”

“Consultants, actually.” Romeo turned and pointed as he introduced the rest. “Meet Talon, Cappy, and Ted—”

“What the heck kinda names are those? Except Ted. I understand that one.” His skeptical gaze wandered over the group, stopping at Cappy. “You. You look like you’ve been in the military.”

“Yes, sir,” Cappy answered with a nod. “I’m guessing you’re retired law enforcement.”

Henry’s chin notched up. “Forty years with various departments.”

“Excellent. Then I’m sure you’ll understand when I say I can’t go into details,” Romeo inserted smoothly. “We’re still conducting an active investigation, but I can tell you it involves a nasty drug ring.”

“Sorry about the drama I caused on Saturday,” Sandra said, her tone beseeching. “I didn’t want to get Grady involved.”

“Hmph. So you decided to knock him out? That your usual method of handling problems? Violence?”

“Henry.” Grady drew the name out in a warning tone. “She’s not in one of your old interrogation rooms. Back off.”

“Maybe she should be,” Henry muttered. “So what are you celebrating?”

“A case of ours appears to finally have had some resolution.” Magician beamed, her smile so infectious, Henry grinned with her.

“Henry,” Grady said, needing to get the team out of there before Eagle Eyes had a chance to spot any more bullshit flying around, “I’ve been informed the maintenance crew has finished working on the bulk of the problems. I trust by the sight of your uniform, you’ll stay and help me get the word out that the employee event is going ahead as planned tonight?”

“Of course. I can’t think of anywhere else I need to be except here.”

“Great!” Grady feigned enthusiasm. “Why don’t you call all the supervisors to enact the phone tree while I escort the group to the door?”