Knockout! A Passionate Police Romance (24 page)

And now she smiled easily and appeared more relaxed. She continued -“He trained here. He hid up and trained for two months in the basement of this house. He trained like no boxer has ever trained. Did he look out of shape to you? Did he ever take off his shirt in public, even on that boat? Believe me - he’s in the best shape of his life! He’s coming into this fight at 200 pounds and that’s solid muscle baby.”

“But he wasn’t training in London when I met him.”

“Oh yes he was - he had done all the hard work. A rest period was needed to build him up a little. I guess he’s done a few press ups Anna!” Said Linda with a knowing wink.

Anna almost blushed. She did not intend to get drawn down this road.

“So we get to the real business. He had to sign a contract for the fight so he came across to London. I tipped off the paparazzi that he’d be at his restaurant. I suggested he had a girl on his arm...

“What!” gushed Anna “What?”

“It’s Okay - it doesn’t mean he couldn’t fall for you - who knows?

“I guess not... but why?”

“He wanted to back himself to win. The only way he could get the odds where he wanted them was to play at being a slob just looking for a good life and a last pay day. We’ve put everything on the fight Anna. I mean everything.”

“And the likes of Scappaticci and Tondelli - where do they come in?”

Linda smiled.

“We’ve used them too. Freddie’s played along. They’ll pay him ten million if he loses. The more money goes on Brennan the better the odds for Freddie. But make no mistake Anna. Boxing is a tough merciless game. When he gets in that ring he’s alone and he has to get it right. The word risk doesn’t begin to cover it. We can hope but nothing is certain.”

Anna sat back and let out a long breath. Everything was clear. He had picked her up in the street because he needed a girl on his arm to please the photographers. He had flaunted her across airports and restaurants. She had come this far to find that she had just been a pawn in a big game. And yet when he had kissed her a few hours ago...

“I’m grateful Linda - it’s better that I know.”

“There’s just a final point. He’s in the open now. There’ll be spies in the gym reporting back on his shape. These guys can judge a boxer’s form by his smell and the look in his eye. To be crude it’s like looking over a fence at a bull. Right now Freddie’s pawing at the ground and bellowing cos he’s just kicked over a hornet’s nest. They’ll be buzzing baby - and you could get stung. You’ve agreed not to see him so if you take my advice you’ll get back to London while you still can.”

She had a point. She pushed aside her fears for herself.

“He just used me Linda - he never loved me did he?”

“Anna - if he said he loved you - then he did.”

She searched in Linda’s eyes for a measure of her sincerity. There were just too many conflicts to think through. He’d given her a ring, he’d asked her to marry him, they had made fantastic love. She had copied his mobile phone and lied to him about everything in her life.

What was for real? How could she ever know? She loved him beyond her own life but who could believe anything anymore?

She held herself together and stood up to go. Spontaneously Linda came to her and hugged her warmly.

“You’ll keep your promise?” She asked searching Anna’s eyes for assurance.

“I gave you my word and you have trusted me - that is enough.” She replied, holding back her tears until at last she made it back to her car.

She sped away carelessly with her vision blurred, luckily swerving around a U haul removal truck parked opposite the house. One day she would move away from Kilburn. More than likely it would be alone.

She needed to think calmly. She pulled into the hotel car park and called guardian agent Mayer.

“What’s up?” He asked in his uninterested voice. She guessed he was fed up with some stupid English detective running around with nothing to report.

“Big zero - I’m just back at the hotel.”

From the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a car - the same old Camaro she had seen cruising near the gym in Seaside. The driver was a woman! She relaxed.

“Hey Anna - do you know how many rounds the fight will go?”

“What?”

“You can get real money by betting on the winner and the round. Has Freddie told you anything?”

“No - I can’t believe he would know it.”

“Just a thought ma’am... if you do get a whisper...”

“Sure.”

The Camaro rumbled away. Now a chance to think. She summoned up the memory of his kiss, the look in his deep brown eyes. Could everything have been a fake?

She stepped from the car. The shock of a hand over her mouth, the sickly chemical taste of a cloth and a sensation of slipping into darkness was all she could recall.

“Freddie” she seemed to scream into the blackness.

Freddie heard his mother go to the door. He had trained hard but his mind churned with thoughts of Anna. His mother had told her everything but he needed to see her himself. Had she just walked away alone thinking he didn’t love her?

The thought was just too much to bear. He had wanted to tell her - tell her that she had originally been just a girl on his arm for a couple of set up photo-shoots. Once things had started to roll and he had fallen so heavily in love with her he could not risk losing her. She must have felt the same about her secret. Poor Anna - poor beautiful baby! He buried his face in his hands trying to blot out his desire and tenderness for her. One day he would have told her about the Foundation and that he was... that he was a killer.

He looked up to see a solid looking guy standing with his mother.

“They got Anna.” She said.

Freddie felt adrenalin pumping into his blood. Anger surged through him as he stood up.

“I’m Special Agent John Mayer of the FBI.”

“How the hell did this happen?”

“It’s Okay Sir - we know where she is. She’s in good shape.”

“This sounds crazy.”

“Let the guy explain.” Urged Linda.

John Mayer sat down. Freddie assessed him. He looked tough but not too full of it.

“We had her under surveillance. She thought she was just floating around but the whole thing was staked out.”

“Why... what? She’s just a beautiful girl. They could hurt her. They could rape her.” He stammered angrily.

“Everything is being monitored Sir. You haven’t seen her police file - she’s beautiful but believe me she’s got some balls.”

Freddie nodded.

“So what’s the plan? Where is she?”

“In a rented bungalow in Carmel. The place is bugged and there’s a team ready to go in.”

“Are you telling me you simply stood back and let it happen?” Freddie raged.

“Not exactly Sir... Do you recall meeting Anna on the jogging path this morning?”

“Sure.”

“Did you see a big black guy on skates?”

“I’ve been seeing him every day... We kinda got to nod at each other.”

“He’s an agent Sir - there’s been a whole team.”

“So Anna thinks she’s been abducted and that she’s on her own. She must be terrified.” Linda commented with a waspish edge.

“I agree Ma’am. I flew to London and met with the boss last week - some old bird called Christine Jones. She’s one ruthless woman. She knew that Freddie and Anna were kinda close - you know Ma’am - very close. She spotted a newspaper picture and decided to let it run. She wants to get the job done at any cost.”

Freddie shook his head. He thought of her in the hands of Tondelli. His skin crawled.

“So they knew she was in too deep and decided to throw her away if it came to it.” He stormed.

“They wanted the best possible evidence... police work has risks Sir...”

“Well, let’s go and get her out of there. I’ll get my clothes.” Freddie leapt up, flexing his shoulders.

“Sir... it’s not quite so simple... ”

Freddie’s cell phone started to ring. He glanced at Mayer.

“Play dumb. Agree to everything... we’re recording the call.”

With a hard look he answered. “Yo!”

“You’re a bad boy Freddie...we’ve got a deal...”

“Tondelli - what the hell?”

“We’re looking after your little beauty. She seemed so alone at that hotel. I’d put her on... but she’s kinda... tied up... ”

Freddie’s blood boiled. He could imagine Tondelli’s sneering face.

Agent Mayer made a “down-boy” gesture with his hands.

He knew he had to stay calm.

“What d’ya want?”

“We hear you’re in top shape... we’re happy for you. We’d back you to win but the odds have collapsed. The word is out that you’ve been playing a game.”

“We’ve got a deal.”

“Sure...we trust you Freddie... but since we’re friends we’d just like to hang on to this lovely little girl - just to make sure.”

“Where is she - I want to see her.”

The line went dead.

“Call Anna’s cell phone. If you genuinely knew nothing that is what you would do.” Ordered Mayer.

Freddie punched her number. It rang...

“How did I know you would call so soon?” rasped Tondelli with a laugh.

“If you hurt her...”

“We’ll be in touch Freddie... don’t you go worrying now - you got a big fight coming up.”

“Tondelli!”

He threw down to phone on the sofa as Tondelli hung up, slamming a huge fist into the palm of his hand.

“Let’s go... Take me along and you’ll get a tip that’ll change your life.” He yelled at Mayer...

The FBI agent appeared to be thinking.

“It’s very irregular Sir. I can swing it just so long as you don’t start anything. You’ll have my career and pension in your hands. Bring your cell phone. I’ll need you to answer if they call.”

“Will you stop all this Sir stuff! What do you weigh John - 230 pounds? You look in shape. You and me - we’re a team.” He declared, pulling off his bath robe and grabbing a pair of jeans to cover his nakedness. Linda averted her eyes. He was not going to accept any arguments.

Two uniformed cops strolled in.

“We’re taking care of your mom.” Explained Mayer.

She felt sick. A light was filtering through closed curtains. She could hear voices in another room. A cell phone rang with the same ring tone as her own. Her mouth was filled with a cloth and her lips taped. Her hands were numb and tied behind her. It felt like she was on a mattress. In the dim light she looked down to see that her ankles were tied with thick blue tape.

She began to analyze her situation. She had been grabbed outside the hotel. Some form of chloroform type chemical had been used to sedate her. Vaguely she remembered a journey on the floor of a van and being carried through the garage and kitchen of a house. She had not come far - no more than five or six miles. The room smelled dusty and damp.

She heard a movement and heard footsteps. A figure stood above her.

“If you yell I’ll tape you back up.” Said a voice she recognized.

A large hand ripped more blue tape from her lips and pulled the cloth from her mouth. He threw it in the corner. She noted the place. Fingerprints, DNA. She had to be professional.

“We just gotta stop meeting like this.” She spat at the ugly form of Tondelli.

“Your man’s a bad boy my little English Rose. We’re only making sure he understands how much we care about our business.”

“What the hell can I do?”

“Just be beautiful baby... he’ll be longing for loving company.”

He squatted down and pulled her upright. He pulled out an evil knife and cut the tapes on her wrists. She felt an agony as the blood surged back into her arms and hands.

He smiled, letting the point of the blade trace up her leg to her groin.

“Sweet meat aren’t you?” He whispered hoarsely.

She stared at his large pock marked face, his loose flabby lips and stained carnivorous teeth.

“You wouldn’t dare.” She threw at him.

“Just be a good little girl...”

She noted that the outside light was beginning to fade. In the morning Agent Mayer would come to the hotel if she did not call in. In another room she caught two different voices. She studied the bay window. It had single flimsy glazing. She ran through her favorite Metropolitan Police issue karate chop with the side of her hand up under the nose. When her chance came it would have to connect. A chance would come.

Tondelli clicked on a light and slumped down in an armchair. She saw her handbag on the floor and watched him pick it up. No worries. No warrant card, no police ID. He pulled out a tube ticket and read it. It was going to be a long night.