Saving The Game (7 page)

"I never wanted to kill you," Julian said harshly. "Van Meer's orders. And no one says no to Van Meer."

"You just did. You chose me over him." Karen said.

Julian looked at her. "Now he will want me dead too."

"Why me?" Karen asked frankly.

Julian revealed the whole plot, including Lucille's role. Suddenly Karen was panicking.

"Daddy! I have to call my Dad!"

"Calm down, Karen. They won't make a move on him until I've given them confirmation that I've--He's safe as long as you are still alive. We have to get to Curacao; that's where your father is with Lucille. I need to get Lucille to tell me what the plans for your father are. I'll radio a friend of mine who is nearby. He'll fly us to the airport and we'll get tickets to Willemstad. They can't know we're coming. We--I won't be expected to check in for another day anyway. Quick. Get your things together. The rest we leave."

Within twenty minutes they were cramming into a two-seater Cessna.

"Ijoye, thank you." Julian grasped the pilot's hand. "You have the cash?" Ijoye nodded. Then Julian said something to his friend in Afrikaans. Ijoye motioned eagerly for them to climb in faster and as soon as Julian shut the door, Ijoye turned the plane into the wind and pulled the throttle knob out full for takeoff.

******

At the airport, Julian paid cash for two tickets to Hato International. They did not check in any luggage and he asked Ijoye to bring the rest of their things to one of Julian's safe places, as he called them. He handed his friend a wad of hundred dollar bills and soon he and Karen were on the next flight out. Julian outlined the plan to Karen.

"First we have to make sure you are safe. Then I'll deal with whoever was sent to kill your father." Julian instructed.

"I need to see him. What if he--I need to know he's safe." Karen was almost crying with anxiety.

"No one can know you're alive, not even your father. It's too risky. He is sure to be being watched. Also, there's no telling who's looking for you and who it is that is watching your father. You have to trust me to take care of things. I've...I've been doing this for Van Meer for a long time. I know you don't have any reason to trust me. I was supposed to kill you..." Julian looked away, disgusted with himself.

Karen looked at Julian, turning his face towards her. "You've proven that you are the only person I can trust now."

Julian took Karen's hand. "I know what your father means to you. I never--I never really had what you have; and I too lost my mother long ago, also to Van Meer. When we get there you have to go somewhere safe. Your father can't have gone alone. Who did he bring that he didn't tell anyone about?"

"Uncle Arthur would know," Karen replied. "He used to be Daddy's bodyguard but they have become best friends. I'll call him. He would be the only man Daddy would trust in a situation like this. He can tell me what to do when we land."

"Good," Julian said, then hesitated. "If you tell your father about me..."

"He doesn't need to know about what didn't happen." Karen said simply.

"Thank you, Karen. I know I'm asking a lot but I swear I'm through with Van Meer and his shit."

Karen laid her head on Julian's chest. "Will you be safe? Van Meer will be after you too."

"We have the element of surprise. I have to use that to its full advantage. Van Meer may not be a hunter but whoever he sent for your father will be. I'm counting on the fact that whoever that is will be watching your father closely so I can slip in unnoticed and do what I need to do."

"Karen looked up at Julian." What do I do if anything happens to you?"

"Run. Ask Arthur for whatever help he can give and get as far away as possible." Julian pressed her head to his chest. "But don't worry. I'll get this done. I've never failed yet with something I wanted to do."

******

The man Arthur told Karen to look for was waiting for them when they arrived. Julian watched him take Karen safely away. He and Karen had separated before disembarking. Julian went to the car rental section and paid cash for a nondescript vehicle. Then he made a quick trip to the seedier side of town to look for a pawnshop. When he'd bought what he needed he drove to the resort where James and Lucille were staying.

Scanning the beach from cover, Julian spotted where the couple was laying in the sun. He waited for Lucille to get up and followed her. She made her way to the ladies room as he was hoping. It was a single hut on the edge of the sand. With a quick glance around, he followed her in before she had a chance to lock the door.

Lucille gasped as Julian entered behind her and locked the door. "Jul--"

He cupped her mouth and held the blade he bought against her jugular.

"I told you I was against this from the start. Now it is time for you to decide, as I did, if you will live true to yourself or forever be in the shadow and the clutches of Van Meer. Who do I kill to keep James safe?" Julian loosened his clasp on Lucille's mouth just enough for her to mumble.

"If I tell you he will kill me."

"And if you don't I will. Tell me who the man is and you may still get away. I'm sure you have money stashed all over the place."

"You wouldn't kill me." Lucille said through Julian's cupped hand.

"Oh yes I would, mother." Lucille remained silent. "It is actually I who am at your mercy. You give me the wrong information and your son dies. You choose. Keep doing this for
Opa
or be a mother to me again--a real goddam mother this time."

Tears began streaming down Lucille's cheeks. "You have no idea how hard it was not to do as he said."

"Yes I do!" Julian said in a harsh whisper.

"I tried to send you away but he always wanted a son. He used you through me." Lucille was sobbing now.

Julian felt his heart soften for his mother, but he persisted. "Who is it?"

Lucille cried for a few moments and then gave in. "It's not a man. It will be the chambermaid who will come in after you would have given me the signal. She is waiting for me to give her the green light."

Julian took Lucille's phone out of her clutch bag. "Call her now. If you're thinking about screaming this knife will cut your windpipe before you've taken in enough breath to do so."

Lucille hit a single number. Controlling her voice she said simply, "The coast is clear." She dropped the phone to the tiled floor and collapsed beside it.

"Not done yet. Call James and say you felt dizzy and to meet you in the room."

Lucille sobbed. "I'm so sorry Julian. My son!"

"You want your son to stay alive you will call James now." Julian said curtly.

Lucille picked up the phone and did as Julian said, modulating her voice.

"I'm sorry, Mama, but I still don't trust you. This is going to take time--us." He pulled the nylon cord out of his rear pocket and bound her hands and feet. He gagged her with a strip of cloth he brought along and tied her to the pipes under the sink. "I will come back for you when the assassin is dealt with. You will have some explaining to do to James, I can't get you out of that, but thank you." Locking the door behind him he followed James to the room. It took all of his skill as a tracker not to be seen by James. He would have been recognized for sure. When they came to the hallway where the couple's room was, a hotel employee was exiting one of the other rooms. Julian cursed under his breath and stayed behind the corner. Bending down to tie his shoe, he let the young man pass then made his way to James' door. He rang the bell.

"Room service for Mrs. Stevens."

As soon as James opened the door, Julian knocked him out. "Sorry James, but I think you'd rather be asleep than dead." Looking down the hall, he quickly pulled James' limp body into the room and waited. After about five minutes the room bell chimed.

"Chamber service."

Julian got behind the door, wound the garrote around his fists and said, "Enter."

He asphyxiated the woman who came into the room and shoved her into a closet.

He left the room just as James was beginning to come around and called Karen.

"It's me, Karen. Call your father now and explain just like we discussed. He is safe but I have to run." Julian returned to where he had left his mother.

Julian untied Lucille. "Run. It's your only chance. You don't have much time." He paused. "If you want to talk to me, call me in a few days on my third number." He left and waited for Karen to arrive. He followed her up to the room. When he entered, father and daughter were still hugging and Karen was crying.

Seeing Julian, James walked forward. Julian braced himself to get knocked on the jaw. Instead, James held out his hand. "Karen told me about how Van Meer tried to kill you both in Africa. I'm sorry that your life was put in danger because of Van Meer's greed for my company. You saved my daughter's life and mine, risking your own. Thank you, Julian."

Julian shook James' hand. Karen came to his side. "Sir, I am truly sorry about Lucille."

James looked solemn but didn't say anything.

"None of us are safe yet," Karen said.

"Karen is right, Mr. Stevens. Van Meer will be after us all. Until the Dutch and American governments can get their shi--act together concerning this international incident, there is only one place we can go where Van Meer can't touch us. And we have to leave right now. I trust you have a source of cash, Mr. Stevens?"

"I do. But it's going to take at least a few weeks for Van Meer to be secured and the American government to make the arrangements to get us into protective custody. Where exactly is this place where Van Meer cannot reach?" James asked.

"We will be hiding in plain sight--I mean within the US, at least. I have a contact in Idaho."

"Idaho?" Karen queried. "Trout fishing."

Julian smiled and looked at his woman. "We'll be able to do some of that, yes. It will pass the time, for sure."

"How do you have a contact in--" James raised his hands. "Never mind. But how do we get there safely?"

"Karen said your friend Arthur can take care of the American side of things," Julian replied. "From here we will be travelling to New Orleans by boat."

"By boat?" James looked puzzled.

"Believe it or not they are less vulnerable than airplanes. Julian replied. You will need to trust me on this."

"Daddy, I trust him." Karen looked earnestly at her father.

"I can see that, dear." James pressed her hand. Then he looked at Julian. "You've handled things well so far, Julian. Plus it doesn't seem that Karen or I have any options. You seem to know Van Meer best. When do we leave?"

"Now." Julian said. "Right now."

END