KILLER DATE (SCANDALS) (17 page)

“
You’re staying here tomorrow.”  It was more of a statement than a question, and Killeen’s voice tailed off.  She knew him well enough to know he was disappointed.

“Yeah…I am.
”  Christopher slammed his cup on the pool deck and the ice scrambled in every direction.  “Fuck…I couldn’t tell him no, could I?  Dallas…I wanted you to be here to meet with Piper, but you’re the only one qualified to fly the drone.  Looks like you’ve been promoted to captain for Air Scandals!  You up for it?”

Without hesitation, Dallas answered enthusiastically,
“Cool…promoted to the left seat!  Yes sir.”

“Left seat?”
Tulsa asked.

“
The captain of a plane sits in the left seat and the co-pilot on the right,” Christopher explained.

I made Christopher another drink and handed it to him. 
“What did Nigel want?  It sounded urgent.”

“It is
….to him.  Nigel did some checking and found out that our target, Dante, will be back on campus in three weeks, and he’s having a big party on the 26
th
which would be the perfect time to nail him.  After that he’ll be busy with football camp.”

“Is th
at the one with top NFL QBs running the camp?” I asked.

“
Yeah…three big rings between them,” Christopher told us.  “They’re scouting for the draft.”

“Already?
  He still has his senior year.”  Tulsa looked confused.

“You don’t know much about football, do you?” Dallas asked.

“I know as much about it as I want to know,” Tulsa snapped back.

“
Just joking,” Dallas laughed.  “Scouting for the NFL starts early.  This gives kids from smaller schools a chance to show their stuff.  Then the teams know who to keep a special watch on.”

“
Hey guys, back to Piper…we’ve got to move more quickly than we planned,” Killeen said. 

“
Yeah, we’re going to have to hit the ground running after our meeting with Nigel.  Tulsa?  We’ll need some help with the cameras and sound we talked about.  And Killeen, you need to get registered.”

“
I’ve got it all set up and ready to go.  We have a color spy camera in a fraternity pen.  It has a three-hour battery life, 2GB of storage and it also has sound, and for Killeen, we’ll plant a microphone in your bra.”

“How big is it?”  Killeen asked.

Tulsa peered at Killeen’s breasts.  “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

It was a
nother rare show of humor from Tulsa.  Maybe she was starting to loosen up.  We clapped and laughed.  Everyone except Christopher.

Tulsa noticed his discomfort and quickly added, “I could go with a flower-cam.  It has
a small camera, color and sound.  If Killeen wears her hair up, we could pin it in.”

Killeen
glanced at Christopher and nodded. “Get me the hair camera, Tulsa.  I’ll just have to keep his hands busy.  And make sure my black beaded purse has eyes and ears too.  I’m only getting one chance.”

Christopher
drained his glass, added fresh ice, a splash of rum and topped it with cola.  He took a drink, then pulled his phone out and placed a call to someone on his speed dial.  “It’s me…you ready to go tomorrow?”  He took another drink and went back to his swirling action.  “Good.  But I won’t be going with you.  I’ve got to stay here.  I have another case that has to be dealt with tomorrow.  Listen…is Ricardo good for this?  Holding up his end of the agreement?”

“Is he talking to Nick?” Tulsa asked. 

I shrugged.  “Probably.”

“
Yeah…okay…okay…I do have good news.  Dallas knows what he’s doing.  Okay, I’ll tell him…six a.m.  You guys can take the green Land Rover…it’s better than the Jeep that Ricardo laughed at, and it shouldn’t stand out.  Good luck.”  He placed his cell phone back in his pocket.

He looked at me and Dallas.  “You heard all that?”

We nodded.

“T
he Land Rover needs some body work from a shooting a few months ago, but it should be comfortable since you’ll be doing a lot of waiting while Reno and Nick go into the compound,” Christopher continued, repeating the plan we’d already agreed upon.  “Then if they have to escape through the caves, you can drive around the mountain to the ranch and pick them up there.  Okay?”

“Got it,” Dallas agreed.

“I’m going, too,” Jenny insisted when it sounded like she wasn’t going to be included on the mission.

“Jenny, we don’t allow our clients to go on stake-outs…and such,” Christopher stated flatly, trying the direct approach. 

Jenny wasn’t moved…physically or emotionally.  “I’ll take my own car, and I’ve got Google Maps on my cell phone.  I can find my way there without you guys.”

“
And then what?”  Christopher asked.

Jenny
lifted her chin, her determination unwavering. “I’ve got a few hours to work that out…okay?  I might just drive up to the front gate and see if they’ll let her go.  Neither Angie nor I are of any value to them.”

Christopher
blurted out.  “Are you nuts?  No one is of any value to these guys.  They’ll just kill you both.  One less mouth to feed.”

I ha
ted to side against her, but I didn’t want her to be that close to those maniacs. “Look what they did to Miguel.  They’ll do that to you
and
Angela.  They don’t leave any witnesses.” 

“
Then I’ll die trying.”  She stood and stared down at me.  “I’m not afraid, Reno.  I’m going.”

I looked at Christopher who seemed torn
over us having to let her tag along and his concern over her being on the ground alone at a drug cartel’s compound.  She was either the bravest or the stupidest woman I’d ever met, and definitely the most stubborn.  Either way, she left me no choice.

“I think she should go with us.”  I caved.  “She can stay with Dallas
in the Land Rover.”

“But I want to…,” Jenny started to protest, and I gave her a warning look.  Her mouth snapped shut, and she waited.  She and I both knew she would never settle for being left behind, but now was not the time to challenge that decision.

“Fine, but just let the men lead the way, okay?” Christopher said, knowing that she wasn’t likely to obey unless she wanted to…and it was clear she didn’t want to.

“
I think we’re as ready as we’ll ever be, but we all need to get some sleep,” Killeen said.  “I’m heading up to bed…you coming, Christopher?”  She held out her hand toward him.  He grabbed it and let her pull him up from his lounge chair.

“Good luck tomorrow
, guys.” Christopher gave a little wave.  “I’ll get up to see you off.”

“Thanks…I’m going to check on the drone batteries and make sure they’re charged,” Dallas said. 
He stood and followed them.

Jenny, too, got up and stretched.  “I’m heading up.  I want to take a nice long bath tonight. 
Night all.”

We all called out a goodnight as she turned to go.

“Figure on 4:30 wake up,” I said

She smiled.  “Thanks.
  I won’t be any trouble.  I promise.”

“Yeah, right,
” I muttered once she was out of hearing.  I watched as she disappeared into the main doors off the pool area.

“You
really like her, don’t you?” Tulsa commented in a soft voice.

I blinked
, then turned my head toward her and Liberty.  “Got me.”  I felt a flush heat my face, but it was dark so I figured they couldn’t see it.

“I was pretty sure
yesterday, but now it’s obvious,” Tulsa told me with a smile.

“
You act differently around her,” Liberty commented.  “I mean, you hover.”

“
Do I?” I asked.  “I was just trying to keep our
client
happy.”

“Yeah, right,” Tulsa scoffed. 
“Only honorable intentions.”

“
Well, I think it’s cute,” Liberty commented.  “I wish a guy would look at me like you look at Jenny.”

“No dating on the farm
, huh?” I asked.

“None…although one night I was with Kenny McGuire and he kissed me…once.”

“Once?  On your lips?” Tulsa prodded.

“No, on my cheek,” Liberty touched he
r right cheek.  “I realize that doesn’t really count…I mean compared to what you guys do, I bet.”

I looked at Tulsa and
we laughed.  “I’m not going to be the one to corrupt Liberty.  She needs a big sister right now.”

“
Like I’m the expert,” Tulsa snorted.

“
Better you than me.  A magician’s biggest power is distraction, and tonight Liberty will be my distraction.  Watch carefully as I disappear upstairs.  Goodnight ladies.” I bowed as I backed away and made my getaway before they made me admit something I’d regret.

CHAPTER TEN

The flood lights on the front of the agency illuminated the entire building.  Nick was in the front seat of his truck with his worn and tattered faded blue Navy baseball cap pulled down over his eyes.  I honked the horn and saw him jump in response.  He started his pickup and followed us to the back once the gate was open.  It was 5:30 a.m. and we quickly transferred the drone, and other supplies to the Land Rover.

Christopher had insisted on accompanying us to the agency to see us off.

Nick eyed Dallas, Jenny and me critically.  “I’d rather you were coming with us,” he told Christopher with no shred of tact or confidentiality.  He clearly didn’t give a shit that we were all within earshot.

“Sorry, but the timing sucks.”  Christopher shook his head in frustration.

“So, I’ve got a baby lawyer, a wannabe magician and a day care teacher.  Impressive.”  Nick looked like he would rather be anywhere but here.  The irony was not lost on any of us considering he was, technically, on a beach.

“
We have the element of surprise,” I reminded him.

“
Yeah, right…one look and they’ll be surprised…for about thirty seconds.  Then they’ll shoot holes in us big enough for the vultures to stick their heads in and pull out our guts.

“Nice image before breakfast,” I commented. 

With one more disgusted glance in our direction, Nick checked his watch as he jumped into the driver’s seat.  “Let’s get this fucking show on the road.”

Dallas got into the passenger’s side up front while Jenny and I took our regular places in the back seat.

Christopher stepped forward until he was just outside Nick’s window.  “Don’t forget…sunset tonight at 8:48 p.m. and sunrise tomorrow at 6:42 a.m.  You need to wait until the camp is asleep before you breach the fence, but, most importantly, you
must
be out of there by 6:42.  Ricardo’s Stingers will arrive at sunrise…and they won’t be able to tell you from the Veracruz clan.  You can’t be a second late…understand?”

We all nodded.
We had gone over the plans a hundred times last night, and the timing had been seared into our brain cells.  The last thing any of us wanted was to be within ten miles of the quarry at sunrise.  It was doubtful that Ricardo’s men had had much practice launching Stingers, so collateral damage was inevitable.  Distance was the safest defense…and we planned to be well out of range.

Christopher backed away and gave us a wistful wave as we pulled out of the gate and headed out of town.

We beat the worst of the rush hour traffic as we headed south on I-35 toward San Antonio.  We grabbed a quick breakfast at McDonald’s and after four large coffees and two bathroom breaks, we connected with US-90 west toward Del Rio.  It was a long, boring drive, but we were so amped up about the challenge ahead that none of us dozed off.  Hours later we finally reached Del Rio and pulled into a McDonald’s.

“McDonald’s twice in one day?” I commented, but everyone ignored me. 

“Park over at the end of the parking lot,” Nick instructed Dallas who was taking his turn behind the wheel.

“Aren’t we going in?”
Jenny asked.

“Yeah…but not until the crowd turns.”

“Turns?”

Nick studied every person that entered and exited through the main door.

“What are we lo
oking for?” Dallas finally asked.  “I’m hungry.”

“Drug dealers have to piss and buy Happy Meals.  I want to be
sure I don’t see anyone I know,” Nick explained.

“
Now that you mention it,” Dallas said, squirming in the seat, “I need to piss, too.”

“Go behind the dumpster.”

Dallas grumbled as he exited the car and went behind the dumpster.  A minute later he returned and climbed back into the Rover.  “That was fun.  I almost got caught with my dick in my hand by a girl taking out the trash.”

“Probably made her day,” I teased.  “All she was expecting to see was a rat.”