Knock Out (A Reynolds Security Novel) Read online

  “Chauvinist assholes.” She muttered. “What about our team?”

  “Charlie, Sam and Colby are hauling ass your way.” That made her feel a bit better.

  “Whatever you do, do not let Jace let go of Castillo.”

  “Got it.”

  Lou hung up and took a deep breath and looked at Elena. She started the car and drove up the road to the airport parking lot. It was mostly empty. There were four private hangars. She didn’t see the black sedan she’d been following anywhere so she assumed it must be in one of the hangars.

  “It’s that one.” Lou looked up sharply and saw Elena pointing at hangar number four. “Viktor’s jet is inside. Here take this badge to get through the airport gate.”

  “Thank you. Elena, you have to stay here.”

  “I know.”

  “No matter what happens, promise.”

  “I promise.”

  “Okay, lock the door.”

  It had just begun to rain when Lou stepped out. She pulled the collar up on her leather jacket and walked toward the gate as if she had done it a hundred times. It wasn’t until she neared the hanger that she slowed. Doubts began to assail her. What if he wasn’t there? Or worse what if he was already dead? She had to believe that they were keeping Latimer as an insurance policy until they had the diamonds back. When she reached the large open doorway she stopped and listened. She didn’t hear anything. She peered around the corner and saw the sedan but the driver was gone. The space was huge and open. It made it very difficult for her to hide. She crept along the wall hiding behind anything she could. She heard a noise coming from the plane and ducked behind a pallet. She saw the driver of the sedan step out of the plane and walk to a store room at the back of the building. He came back with a couple of suitcases and placed them on top of two crates near the back of the plane. Then he walked into another room. Lou slipped into the room nearest her, it looked like an office of some kind but it was empty.

  If I were keeping someone prisoner where would I put them? She peeked into the hangar again and looked at the open space. There was nowhere to confine a person there. The rooms were small and all seemed to be open. Her eyes fell on the car. He could be in the trunk. If she was holding an ATF agent that’s where she would put him. Of course he could be on the plane already.

  Lou channeled her inner bond girl trying to determine what she should do. But all she could think of were the gadgets she didn’t have, the bond she didn’t have, and the very real pounding of her heart she did have. Biting her cheek hard she sprinted to the car. The driver’s door was unlocked. She searched all the usual places until she found the trunk release. She pulled it and checked the ignition for keys just because. There were none.

  She wanted to cry with relief when she saw a man in the trunk which was odd because she normally would consider that a bad thing. His hands and feet were duct taped and there was a piece of duct tape over his mouth. He was beaten and bloody but he was breathing. His eyes were closed so she shook him and whispered as loud as she dared.

  “Latimer, wake up. We’ve got to get you out of here.” His eyes didn’t so much as flutter. She tried again with the same result. She was strong but there was no way she would be able to hoist a two hundred and fifty pound man out of the well of the trunk. She shook him again and finally his eyes opened. They were unfocused and glassy but he seemed to understand that he needed to move. She used her knife to slice through the tape at his wrists and ankles. She helped him sit up and supported him while he stood. She jumped when she heard a noise and rushed him to the nearest doorway. Too late she realized she had forgotten to close the trunk.

  The driver saw it immediately and pulled his gun. Lou pulled hers as well where she and Latimer were crouched behind the doorway. She prayed he didn’t come her way. She was a great shot but she had never had to shoot a real person before. Not even when she was in the army. She really didn’t want to start now. The man roared and kicked the tire of the car. He turned and quickly stalked back to the room he had just come from. Lou knew she should stay put but there was no way out where she was. If she waited she was a sitting duck. She helped Latimer to his feet and supported him by putting herself under his arm so he could lean on her. Then she hurried as fast as he could go toward the giant open door. She had just rounded the corner when she came face to face with the barrel of a gun.

  Chapter 23

  Jace hated lying. Even when an acting job was required, like now, he hated it. But he could do it. In fact was doing it to catch a rat. He made small talk and joked with Castillo, he lied about the supposed crazed fan who had them. He waited for the signal to send him on his way but it never came. Viktor began to grow impatient and Jace finally gave him the Jewels to verify. He did identify them and put on a show of his own tripping over himself to say how happy he was to have them returned. He wrapped them up. Tucked them into a nice little case and prepared to leave. The plan was for him to leave with the case and the FBI to take him down at the hotel after they had freed Latimer. But he was waiting for a signal to come that told him Latimer was safe and it hadn’t come. Agent Sinclair was with him but he seemed just as baffled. They were all moving toward the door when there was a knock. His assistant stepped in and confused him further.

  “Sir, I am very sorry to interrupt but your wife called. She said the delivery you were waiting for didn’t arrive and she would pick it up instead. She said to make sure to tell you under no circumstances are you to let the cat out.”

  “Ah women, always thinking they run the show.” Castillo laughed and Jace faked it halfheartedly. He locked eyes with Frank to make sure Frank got the message. He did. He pulled his gun and ordered Castillo to put his hands up. Several of Frank’s men came into the room and Jace stepped back out of the way. He really didn’t care to see Viktor arrested. He was more concerned about the part of that cryptic message that had Lou fixing the problem herself.

  “Whoa, I wasn’t taking anything. This man needs medical help.” Lou bluffed. This was the first time she had ever been on the wrong end of a gun. She had to admit it was not an experience she was looking to repeat.

  “Back up.” The man said coolly. His African accent was thicker even than Viktor and Elena. She had a gun, unfortunately it was on the same side as the injured agent and she wasn’t really looking to try a quick draw contest anyway. She helped Latimer turn and they reentered the hanger.

  “Let the girl go. She just saw me escaping and tried to help.” Latimer said, his breathing very labored. She wondered if he had a collapsed lung.

  “Too bad you had to drag her into it.” He gestured for them to walk with the barrel of his gun. Progress was slow but when he reached the plane he motioned them up the stairs.

  “I have a terrible fear of flying and I really think this man should get clearance from his doctor before he flies.”

  “Get in the plane.” The man yelled right in her face. Much as she hated doing what he told her too she saw little alternative. Climbing the few stairs was a trial for Latimer, she suspected he might have a punctured lung or some broken ribs at the least. He was not going to be any help. He could not fight and he could not run.

  Their captor fished a cell phone from a jacket in one of the seats. He called someone and spoke rapidly in a language she couldn’t identify. He kept the gun trained on them the whole time. She helped Latimer into a seat. The man yelled something at her that she suspected was a curse word but since she didn’t know the language she chose to ignore him. She was holding onto her bravado like a shield because in reality she was terrified. She could not acknowledge the fear. The fear would not help her now. It would be hindrance instead of a help. Time seemed to crawl as she sat there wondering what they were waiting for. Then a yellow VW Beetle pulled into the hangar. She was momentarily stunned. A yellow bug? Bad guys didn’t drive yellow bugs? They drove black cars with tinted windows and big trunks apparently. She shook herself back to the present and forced herself to focus. It was a skinny white gu
y. He came up the stairs and began arguing with the driver again in some other language. It appeared the new guy was uncomfortable with the idea of killing her. At least she assumed they we talking about killing her. Their distraction wouldn’t help them escape because there was no back door on a plane but it was at least buying them some time until the cavalry arrived.

  Inspiration struck and Lou sat down across the aisle from Latimer and put her face in her hands. She began to sob loudly. Finally the driver yelled one last time at the new guy and stormed off the plane. The new guy looked at her as if she were unstable and tried to walk past her. Once he had passed she sprang up and jumped on his back. The man buckled immediately but it was too late Lou had him in a sleeper hold and she didn’t let up until the man stopped moving.

  Frantically she searched for something to tie him with but found nothing. She saw a few backpacks and grabbed one. Hoping for a parachute with some paracord she jerked the bag open. Instead thousands of small stones cascaded from the bag. Uncut diamonds she realized with a bit of a start. The other bags yielded much the same results. Some varying sizes and the last bag contained cut diamonds separated into little bags that were marked with the carat weight and color.

  “There must be a fortune here.” She said mostly to herself.

  Latimer hadn’t said much so she had sort of forgotten about him but he spoke now. “Blood diamonds.” He rasped.

  “Yeah I know.” She shoved the baggies back into the backpack and continued her search for something to tie the unconscious man.

  “Use his belt.” Latimer suggested and she felt a bit dumb that she hadn’t thought of it. It wasn’t as easy as it looked to relieve him of his belt in the small space but she managed to get it off him and secure his hands. She looked out the window of the plane again and didn’t see the driver anywhere.

  “I don’t know about you but I wasn’t really planning to travel today.” She helped him up but this time she pulled her gun and kept it in her hand. “Let’s get you back to your girl.”

  “Elena.” He suddenly perked up. “You’ve seen her? She’s okay?”

  “Yeah she’s good. Worried about you.” She helped him down the stairs and felt a ridiculous sense of déjà vu when the driver appeared again with his gun drawn. She leveled her gun at him as well and he shouted at her what she was again fairly sure were curse words.

  “I think we have a stalemate. What do you say we call it a draw and live to fight another day?” Lou had little hope he would go for it but she had to try.

  “You won’t shoot me.” The man sneered. “I have no qualms about shooting you though.”

  “Shoot him.” Latimer whispered. Lou was quickly weighing her options when a blur of black and tan fur took the driver to the ground. The growling and snarling was punctuated by the man screaming. She looked up and saw the rest of her team rush in. All had their guns drawn and she breathed a sigh of relief. Jace rushed straight for her.

  “Are you alright?” He asked gruffly. She nodded trying to stay on her feet. Now that she had some help her knees felt like jello.

  “Latimer needs an ambulance.” Jace took over supporting Latimer and Lou sagged to the floor.

  “Cooper Hierr.” She called sharply and he released the man and ran to her.

  “Good timing buddy.” She rubbed his neck and behind his ears.

  “Thank Colby. He’s the one who got him out of the car.”

  “Are you crazy? What did you do that for?” She glared at Colby. “He could have been hurt! He could have been shot!”

  “He saved your butt.” Colby defended.

  “That’s your job!” She said angrily.

  Sam chuckled, “She’s got you there.” Before she could finish yelling at Colby she heard a sharp cry. She saw Elena rush to Latimer and despite his injuries he wrapped his arms around her.

  Lou stayed where she was on the floor with her dog while FBI swarmed all over the place and asked a million questions. Finally Jace put her in the car and took her back to his place. She climbed into his big bed and slept for twelve hours straight.

  Chapter 24

  When Lou finally woke she was starving. She found Jace in the kitchen making omelets and realized the smell was probably what woke her.

  “Hey sleeping beauty.” He smiled at her and it made her feel warm. “Feel better?”

  “Yeah I do.” He put an omelet in front of her and she dug in. “What happened to Viktor?”

  “Arrested, he’ll probably turn on bigger fish and be out in no time but hey that’s the system at work.” Lou glowered at that sentiment.

  “Elena?”

  “Last I saw she was pretty cozy with Latimer in his hospital room.”

  “You think he really loves her?”

  “Sure seemed like it.” She finished the omelet and pushed her plate back.

  “If I never see another diamond again it will be too soon.” She grumbled.

  “I hope you don’t mind just one more.” He placed a black velvet box on the bar in front of her. She straightened and stared at the box. A sour feeling of dread filled her stomach.

  “That better not be what it looks like.” She said softly.

  “Lou, I love you. I know you think you can’t do a relationship but there is nothing that we can’t conquer together.” He looked at her and she slowly shook her head. “It scared me to death when I saw that gun pointed at you Lou. It made it very clear what I wanted and who I wanted it with. You can take all the time you need but I want you to know that I want to marry you.

  Lou leapt off the stool and began to pace. “Are you crazy? Don’t you hear anything? I tell you I don’t want a relationship and you have me practically moving in. I say we are moving too fast and you want to get married? You are showing your stalker tendencies again.”

  “They aren’t stalker tendencies! I love you. There is a big difference.”

  “That’s what all stalkers say!”

  “You might succeed at pissing me off. God knows you’re good at that but you are not going to succeed at pushing me away.” he said with a calm he didn’t feel.

  “Look I am not doing this. I don’t want to share my space. I like my life the way it is. I don’t want to get married ever.”

  “If you like your space why do you prefer to stay here? Why do you keep a gun in your bathroom? Why does Cooper have to sweep your apartment before you’ll go in but never here? Your space terrifies you.”

  “I am not terrified. I am cautious.” she said indignantly.

  “Tell me what happened, Lou. Help me understand.”

  “What gives you the right to know all my secrets?”

  “Because I love you.”

  “I don’t love you. I am not capable of love. You want to know what happened? Fine. I was raped by my CO and his brother in law. I wouldn’t go out with him and they called me a tease. They broke into my apartment while I was out for a run and attacked me while I was in the shower. They took turns holding me down.” There were tears glittering in her eyes. “Satisfied? Now you know why I am neurotic about making sure my apartment is secure.”

  “Lou…” He reached for her but she jerked away.

  “Don’t touch me. I don’t want your pity.”

  “That’s good,” he said angrily. “Because that is one thing you’ll never get from me. My anger you have. My frustration, yep. Also, my love, my adoration, my respect, my pride but never my pity. What happened to you makes me want to kill someone, and that might happen still, but it does not change how I feel about you. How I will always feel about you.”

  Lou wiped at her tears. Her heart soared at the idea that he would always love her but fear rose up to meet it. “The last guy that said he would love me forever got my best friend pregnant.”

  “I’m not him.”

  “I’ll never trust again Jace. I can’t fake it. It’s not fair to either one of us.” Her cell phone rang and she grabbed it desperate for any excuse, any distraction.

  Jace watched Lou�
�s face pale as she listened to whomever was on the other end of the line. Finally she hung up after having said very little.

  “My father had a stroke.” She said softly. “They don’t know how bad it is. He is in the hospital.”

  “Are you going to go?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Go, you’ll regret it if you don’t.” She nodded slowly. She looked up at him and there was raw pain in her eyes. “I’ll go with you.”

  “No. I’m sorry Jace, but I am not the girl you’re looking for. I’ll never be that girl.” He was stunned by the conviction in her voice. She walked swiftly from the room. Two minutes later he heard his front door close. A small whine caused him to look down. Cooper was at his feet looking up at him.

  “Looks like she left us both buddy.”

  Chapter 25

  Lou stepped into the hospital room and stopped. The sight before her was more than she had been prepared for. He looked… old. He certainly hadn’t been a young man when she left but he was completely gray now. He had a patch over his left eye. That was the eye that he had been losing his sight in. She imagined the patch meant the sight was completely gone now.

  “Ah Mr. Silva, it looks like you have a visitor.” The nurse said warmly. His visible eye opened slowly and blinked a few times. She approached slowly and he looked towards her.

  “Ellen?” He rasped. “Ellen you came back. I missed you so much.”

  “No,” she had to stop and clear her throat. “No Poppy it’s me, it’s Lou.”

  “Lou?” He whispered. By this time she had reached the side of the bed. He put his hand out to her and she took it. “You look just like your mother. So beautiful. Even the giant earrings.” His voice was soft and tired but she had never heard anything that sounded better.

  “You remember my mother?”

  “Of course I remember her. She was the love of my life.”

  “I… I didn’t know that.”

  “I missed you Lou. I never said… I should have and I almost never got the chance.”