Operation: Midnight Rendezvous (21 page)

“That’s your code, partner.”

Jake’s voice came to him as if out of a fog. Madrid’s gaze snapped to him. “I gave my GPS unit to Jess.”

“Looks like she’s in trouble.”

Jake was studying him closely, as if expecting him to explode at any moment. “I told her to stay put.”

“Has there ever been any time in your life when a woman has done what you’ve asked?”

Madrid barely heard the words. “I have to go.”

“Not alone you don’t.”

“Cutter isn’t going to condone this.”

“He doesn’t condone half of what we do.” Jake looked down at the coordinates and punched numbers into a larger GPS hand-held unit. His brows snapped together. “Looking at the grid, I’d say she’s on board the ship, partner.”

Nausea rose inside Madrid at the thought of Jess being on board the
Dorian Rae
alone and at the hands of brutal smugglers. “I think that’s where the boy is, too.”

Jake Vanderpol started for the door. “Let’s bring them home.”

J
ESS COULDN’T BELIEVE
she’d screwed up so royally. What was she thinking, rushing into a potentially dangerous situation without a plan and without someone to back her up? But she knew where her mind had been. She’d been thinking of a five-year-old boy with special needs. A child who’d already been through so much and was once again facing terrible danger.

A hand between her shoulder blades shoved her
forward. She stumbled, wondering if Madrid had gotten her message. If he knew she was in trouble. If he would be able to reach her in time to save her and Nicolas.

They came to another corridor and went left, up some steel stairs and through another hatch. The corridor here was wider and better lit. Beyond, she heard voices. At the end of the hall, light spilled from a doorway. Dread and a new terror rose inside her when she realized they were probably taking her to whoever was in charge to decide what to do with her. It didn’t take much imagination to figure out what that fate might be.

She paused outside the door, her heart pounding. She didn’t want to go inside. She didn’t want to face those men. She considered trying to break free and making a run for it.

“Move it.” A rough hand shoved her through the portal. Jess stumbled into a room filled with cigarette smoke. Half a dozen male faces jerked in her direction. Six unshaven men sat at a table with cards and money spread out before them.

“Ah, Jessica Atwood. What a pleasant and unexpected surprise.”

The familiarity of the voice jolted her. Jess scanned the room, her gaze landing on the source. Norm Mummert. Even though she’d suspected his involvement in the smuggling ring, the sight of the police chief still stunned her. Up until yesterday he’d represented the good guys.

“I’m glad you could join us,” he said.

“I can’t say the same.” She tried to make her voice
come out strongly, but the words were little more than a squeak.

She looked around the room, shuddering inwardly at the expressions of the men staring back. She turned her eyes to Mummert. “I can’t believe you’re part of this,” she said.

He shrugged amicably. “We do what we must.”

“And what is that?” she asked, unable to keep the rancor from her voice. “Kill innocent children?”

“Unfortunately, collateral damage is part of the cost of doing business in this industry. You understand.”

“What I understand is that you murdered one of your own in cold blood.”

“Interesting you should mention Angela. I’d like to hear all about her. I understand she was working undercover. Some kind of federal agent.” He tsked. “Her death was an unfortunate complication. I liked her very much. Good thing we had you to take the fall, wasn’t it?”

“She trusted you, you son of a bitch.”

Twisted amusement danced in his eyes. “She always was too trusting.” The amusement turned cruel and hard. “My only true regret is the boy. But then that brings us back to our real lack of options here, doesn’t it?”

Jess choked back a sob at the thought of Nicolas being hurt. “He’s a defenseless child.”

“He saw too much and now he’s in the way.”

She looked around, half expecting to see the child tied to a chair. “Where is he?”

“In a safe place.”

“I want to see him.”

“You’re in no position to be making demands.”

Jess envisioned herself launching herself at him, clawing at his face and eyes and neck with her nails. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted to stop him before he did something irrevocable.

“He’s just a little boy,” she pleaded. “Please, let him go. He can’t speak.”

“I’m afraid I can’t take that risk. You see, both of you are witnesses to something I do not want coming to light.”

“You mean your human smuggling operation?”

Something dark and unsettling glinted in his eyes. “You get an A-plus for ingenuity. It’s unfortunate that both of you will have to die for it. It won’t take much to make the police believe you killed Angela, took her son and fled the country.”

“They’ll never believe it.”

“You have…shall we say, a history of running away from problems.”

“Mike Madrid knows the truth.” The words were out before she could stop them. She knew better than to speak of Madrid, but she was desperate and terrified and grasping at straws.

“Ah, I see. You and the federal agent have grown close.”

“No.” She panted the word, breathless with fear and panic. “He knows all about your operation.”

Mummert stood abruptly. Jess shrank away from him when he approached her. Gripping her chin with his hand, he squeezed hard enough to cause pain and forced her gaze to his. “You have no idea how many problems you’ve caused me.”

“Your problems are just beginning.” She ground out the words.

An evil smile split his face. “I will take no pleasure in hurting that child. But I’m going to enjoy seeing you die.”

Jess responded the only way she could and spat in his face.

Mummert’s cheeks reddened. She barely had time to brace when he struck her with an open-handed slap hard enough to snap her teeth together. Pain zinged from cheekbone to jaw, fierce enough to make her eyes water.

Stepping back, he shook himself, then turned his attention to one of the other men. “Prepare the
Dorian Rae
for departure. I want to be out of this port by oh four hundred.” He glanced at his watch. “I want to be in international waters before dawn so I can watch this little bitch die.”

He looked at Jess. “Take her to the brig and secure an anchor around her neck.”

Jess stared at him, shock and horror punching her. “No!” she screamed. “You can’t do this.”

“I can, and I will.” He nodded to the two men holding her arms. “Go,” he said to them.

Jess fought them with all her might, but with her hands bound behind her she was helpless. “Please!” she cried. “At least let the little boy go. Please!”

Mummert gave her that evil smile again. “You should have thought of him before you got involved in this, princess.”

Chapter Eighteen

Madrid had been in plenty of iffy situations in the years he’d been with the MIDNIGHT Agency. He’d been scared out of his wits too many times to count. But for the life of him he couldn’t remember a time when the fear had been quite so paralyzing. The kind of cold terror that permeated all the way to his bones.

It was a cruel twist that the fear was not born of self-preservation, but the safety of someone he loved.

The realization that he’d fallen in love with Jess stunned him. Made him realize she meant the world to him. That he would do anything—including risk his own life—to save her and Nicolas.

If only he knew how.

“You got it bad for her, huh, Madrid?”

Jake Vanderpol’s voice jerked him from his reverie. For a moment he just stared at the other man, not sure how to answer without changing the dynamics of the situation. But in the end he decided on the truth. “Worse than bad.”

They were in Vanderpol’s car heading toward Hum
boldt Bay. Madrid motioned right and they turned onto the same dirt road he and Jess had used the night before. His heart jigged in his chest when he spotted the RV. “She’s here.”

The car fishtailed in mud when Vanderpol hit the brakes.

“Could be a trap,” he suggested.

But Madrid already had the door open. He hit the ground running, praying he would find her inside the RV. In the far distance he heard Vanderpol shout his name, but he didn’t stop. He had both his gun and flashlight out, a bullet chambered by the time he reached the RV. He burst into the vehicle and did a quick sweep of the place, but she wasn’t there. But then he’d known he would find the place empty. He’d been hoping for a miracle.

He jolted when Vanderpol came up behind him and set his hand on his shoulder. “She’s on board the ship, partner.”

Cursing beneath his breath, Madrid went to the car, to the satchel of items he’d taken from Angela’s house.

“What are you doing?” Vanderpol asked.

“Hoping to find a tool that will help us get on board the ship.”

Vanderpol looked at the bag. “Angela’s?”

“Yeah.” Madrid pulled out a small device that looked like a crossbow that had been equipped with some type of reel.

Vanderpol grinned. “She always was into gadgets.”

“Good thing, because this one is probably going to save her son’s life.”

J
ESS COULD NEVER
have imagined her life ending this way. With so much left undone. With so much love in her heart. She thought of Madrid, and hot tears burned her eyes.

“Keep walking, bitch.”

The words were punctuated by a hard shove. Fury and a cold, numbing fear permeated her as two men forced her down the narrow corridor. Her mind spun between Madrid and Nicolas. Was Madrid looking for them? If so, would he reach them in time to save their lives?

They stopped at a narrow hatch. One of the men twisted the wheel lock and the door hissed open. Another hard shove forced her through the hatch and sent her to her knees. Before she could struggle to her feet, the hatch slammed with a finality that sent a cold spear of fear right through her center.

Sobbing in frustration, Jess struggled to her feet and looked around. Surprise jolted her when she saw two small faces watching her. A petite Asian woman wearing a torn blue dress and a bruise high on her cheekbone set her hand protectively on Nicolas’s shoulder and stepped back.

Jess choked back a sob when she looked at Nicolas. He was wearing the same sweatshirt and jeans he’d worn when she’d left him with Father Matthew and his face was streaked with dirt. But she saw recognition in his eyes. “Nicolas,” she cried. “Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

She went to the boy and fell to her knees, pressing her face to his. She wanted desperately to hold him, but
with her hands bound she could not. At the moment, though, it was enough to feel him warm and alive against her.

A full minute passed before she got a handle on her emotions. Pulling away from the boy, she looked at the woman. She saw the fear and mistrust in her eyes, and Jess realized the woman was every bit as frightened as she was. “I’m not going to hurt you,” Jess said.

The woman’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t speak.

Giving Nicolas a kiss on his cheek, Jess rose to her full height and took a fortifying breath. “I’m glad he’s not alone.”

“He’s very frightened.”

Jess nodded, fighting tears. “Who are you?” she asked.

“Chin Lee.”

“I’m Jess.”

The woman nodded.

“Chin Lee, do you think you could untie me?”

Fear entered the woman’s eyes and she shook her head. “It will only anger him.”

“Who? Mummert? Someone higher on the food chain?”

Chin Lee averted her eyes, looked down at her small hands.

“Please,” Jess pressed. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

“There is no way out.”

“Help is on the way,” she said. “Federal agents. But we’re in danger here. We need to get out now.”

Indecision and something that might have been hope
glimmered in the woman’s eyes. “The men,” she whispered. “They will return soon.”

“Please,” Jess pleaded. “Quickly. Untie me so I can help you.”

The woman bit her lip. Jess didn’t look away. They didn’t have much time. She could hear the rumble of the engines as the crew prepared the ship for departure. “They’re going to kill us,” she said. “They’re going to kill this child. We have to get out of here now.”

The woman nodded. “I will help you.”

Jess turned and offered her bound hands. Seconds ticked by like an eternity as the woman worked at the knot. Jess couldn’t look, keeping her eyes on the door instead. When she felt the rope fall away, relief swept through her.

“Thank you,” she said.

The woman nodded. “You can get us out of here?”

“I’m going to try.” First Jess went to Nicolas and hugged him tightly. The boy didn’t hug her back, but she could feel his little body relax against hers, and she knew that even though he had gone into his own world, he knew she was there. For now, that was enough.

“He’s special,” Chin Lee said.

Jess thought of how Nicolas had named his mother’s killer from the very start and she choked out a sound that was part laugh, part sob. “He’s a little hero.” For the first time she noticed the dirty and well-used toy at his side and another wave of emotion swamped her. Even in this hellhole, this woman had somehow found a small comfort for the little boy.

“It was all I could give him,” Chin Lee said.

Blinking back tears, Jess smiled. “It’s enough.”

Rubbing the rope burns at her wrists, Jess went to the door and tried the handle, found it locked. She looked around the small room. Seeing no windows, no other doors, she was swamped by the sensation of being trapped. A fold-up cot with a thin mattress and thread-bare blanket sat in the corner, a plate holding a few crumbs beneath it. A tiny black-and-white television sat on a rickety-looking stool next to the bed.

Jess looked at Chin Lee. “Is there any way out of here?”

“No way out.”

She studied the other woman. She was young, but thin and gaunt. “How long have you been here?”