Fighting Destiny (29 page)

Right n
ow all that had to wait because he had a private meeting with Sally Flanders at the bar. All he wanted to do was to go to sleep and forget his troubles but this summons from Sally was enough to pique his interest. What could she possibly want with him?

Sally was seated at the bar sipping on a martini and she was giving instructions to her personal assistant who was recording what she was saying on a small tablet.
She had a slight frame and shoulder length honey blonde hair. She looked like she was in her early forties but Nathan couldn’t be sure.

“Hi Sally, I hope that I’m not late,”

“Of course not, I was enjoying this drink immensely. This is one of the times, I wish I could stay on a little longer at one of these shoots,” she said sincerely while waving off her assistant with a twitch of her neatly manicured hand.

“I guess this island
really impressed you!” Nathan said.

“
It definitely has. Let me get straight to the point, it’s late and we both could use the rest I’m sure,” she said as she fished out her olive with a toothpick. “I want to diversify my reality show portfolio and I was thinking for a few months now about producing a show featuring the challenges experienced by people trying to make a career in entertainment or the performing arts. The participants will live together for the duration of the show and they will be given several tests and assignments to complete. At the end the person with the best honed skill set would be the winner. Your academy encourages artistes to be skilled in more than one area and I like that. You don’t train one-trick ponies,” she said with a laugh.

“Thank you,
I didn’t think you knew that.”

“Yes, I really enjoyed the show
tonight and I’ve done my homework on you, so I want to make you an offer.”

“I’m listening!”

“I need an assistant producer slash program director to help me put together an eight week production schedule for the show and to have it ready for filming by early next year. I will need you to find me the best judges, and the appropriate situations we can use to challenge the participants. It’s all still in the early conceptual stage but I’ve already secured the interest of the cable network I work with in Florida. They ran the figures and it seems like it could be really big. I think that you would be perfect for the job!”

Nathan was stunned!
Sally was offering him a job in Florida
?

“I don’t know what to say Sally, I’m extremely honoured by this.”

“Say yes! I know you love the academy but I had the chance to quietly watch your team and they are well trained. I am sure you will be able to find someone to replace you. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. You will be doing many of the same things, just on a wider scale. Imagine the talent this show could attract,” she said smiling.

If he smiled any more Nathan swore his lips would rip. This was exactly what he needed, his way out of this mess with Graeme and Samaroo.
Would it be totally inappropriate to shout right now? He composed himself inwardly.

“Sally right now, I’m saying yes but I would need to see some kind of agreement and have my lawyer look it over
first, he said thinking about Candasee. She was a corporate lawyer and this could be a new beginning for them far away from Darius and Graeme.”

“That is good enough for me. I will be leaving tomorrow
to spend three days filming in Belize and then I will be resting at my summer home in Colorado for a few weeks. I could fly you out there when you are ready to look over the documents. What do you say?”

“I say let’s do it!” Nathan replied enthusiastically.

“Great, look out for my call and I am very excited about this,” she said finally before standing, shaking his hand and leaving to return to her room.

Nathan slumped against the bar counter in relief at what seemed like the first ray of hope in this dark situation. Now what would he do about everything else?

He returned then to his room and when he opened the door, there was a sealed envelope on the floor with his name typed on it!

That was strange! He picked it up an opened it immediately. Inside was a note,

To
: Mr. Nathan Carthswright, Principal of Carthswright’s Academy of the Performing Arts

From:
Mr. Darius Brogan and family

This letter serves to inform you that Candasee
Maxwell will be unavailable in the morning session for her class at the intensive as we as a family celebrate Mother’s engagement.

I do apologize for this inconvenience and ask you to extend your understanding to Candasee as your employee.

We will be off- island and are scheduled to return by noon the following day in time for the evening’s performances.

I regret any inconvenience this causes to your event!

Nathan balled up the note and squeezed it tightly in
his fist as the anger he felt toward Darius surfaced again. He worded this letter as though he was nothing more than Candasee’s employer, her boss? And what was this talk about being off island overnight. Was that the plan for them to spend the night together in some private romantic location? Candasee had said nothing about being off-island and spending time overnight to him!

So why did
she return at six in the morning instead of at noon? What had happened to change those plans? Obviously whatever Darius planned, Candasee didn’t go along with it. That thought gave him some degree of hope as he walked over to the mirror and studied his reflection. He knew who he was inside and he’d let himself be pushed around for far too long.

Having Sally see his worth was the boost he needed.  Graeme needed to see it and so did Candasee. He shouldn’t even need to prove himself to anyone least of all her. Yes, he’d made mistakes but didn’t everyone? Tomorrow he would begin to set things right and the first person on his list would be Darius Brogan.

Darius had instructed his pilot to get the jet ready for seven thirty and that meant he had about forty minutes to get to the airport. He was running late. He opened the trunk and placed his luggage inside and was about to get into his car when he noticed Julia walking stiffly out of the hotel lobby between two large men. They were walking toward a car in the parking lot. Where was she going at this early hour? She looked furtively over her shoulder before the men spoke roughly to her and forced her to get into the car.
Surely he couldn’t be witnessing a kidnapping
. He looked quickly at the car and there was no license plate to identify the vehicle. The two men got in and started the car and it pulled out of the parking lot.

Darius got into his car quickly
and was about to start the engine when the passenger door opened and Nathan got in.

“We have to talk Brogan, and we are going to do it now!”

“Nathan, your timing couldn’t be worse,” Darius groaned, now splitting his attention between the car and the irate passenger in his own vehicle. He had no time to get Nathan out so he would be coming along for the ride. He started the engine and pulled out of the quickly. “We can’t talk now because Julia was just grabbed by two men and thrown into that car ahead.”

“What?” Nathan exclaimed whipping his head around to see the car Darius was referring to
. His body was flung against the door as the car careened sharply as they turned out onto the main road.

“If I were you, I would put on your seatbelt,” Darius warned as he accelerated to keep the car in view. Nathan dragged his seatbelt over,
the previous conversation now forgotten.

Darius
punched a code into the dashboard and made a call first to his private security detail to come and follow him and then to the Derrien Island police. He was sure those men were armed and having no weapon the best he could do was to at least keep them in view.

“Sir where
is the car now?” the on duty officer asked.

“The car is travelling east along the main highway now. I
just passed the Raleigh Fields Rum Refinery on my right.”

“Ok
ay sir, please keep a safe distance behind the vehicle but keep it in view. We will stay on the line to continue to get directions from you.”

“Okay but hurry, I don’t want anything to happen to this girl.”

“We have dispatched officers to the scene. Please confirm what you are driving sir,”

“I am driving a silver Mercedes Benz, license plate EX888 and the car I am following looks like a midnight blue Toyota Sedan.
There are no plates and the windows are completely tinted, so I can’t see inside.”

Darius kept checking his rear view mirror for any sign of his security detail. Gerald should be close behind him by now. He could see a dark coloured SUV some distance behind him and he hoped it was him.
His car was fitted with GPS and tracking so he wasn’t concerned about if he could be found by his team. It was the police he needed to hurry.

“The car picked up the left lane and made a turn off the main highway
onto a road surrounded by tall cane fields. Not even Darius was sure where it led.

“Officer the car turned left off the highway and the only landmark I can see is
the T.A Matthews Primary School a few kilometres down the road.  I am going to follow the car in.”

“Sir
please be careful. The nearest police car is about two miles away, do not engage these men if they stop. Stay out of sight and wait for the officers to arrive.”

“Okay, I’ll try to stay as far behind them as possible. Darius slowed down and tried to keep the car
s taillights in view. This road was much rougher than the highway and his luxury car was already quite conspicuous.

After a few minutes t
he other car stopped opposite a two-storey house which appeared to be abandoned. Darius pulled his car in behind a large ackee tree. One of the men got out and went inside the house and about a minute later the second one emerged and dragged Julia out of the backseat, holding a hand over her mouth. She was struggling and the man struck her across the face and she fell limp in his arms.

“Oh no, we have to help her!” exclaimed Nathan placing a hand on the door to open it.

“You should have thought of that before you made your deal with the Samaroo’s don’t you think Nathan?”

“Damn it Darius, the deal had nothing to do with harming my delegates. I can’t let them do this!” Once again Nathan reached for the door handle to get out.

“No, wait! We need to think this through carefully. We are not armed and we don’t know what kind of situation we’ll meet inside.” Darius hissed holding his arm while continuing to talk on the phone.

“Sir, we advise you to remain in the vehicle. Do not engage these men. Let the police handle it,” repeated the officer on the line.

The man holding Julia, looked around him to see if he was being watched and paused slightly as he noted Darius’ car parked some distance down the road. Thankfully there were a few houses on the other side of the road and he could hopefully pass as someone who’d parked their car outside their home. The burly man shrugged and tossed Julia over his shoulder and entered the house as well.

“Officer, the men have stopped outside a dilapidated
yellow two storey house. I don’t know the name of this road, but you need to hurry. One of the men just struck the girl and I think she is unconscious.”

“The police will be with you shortly, please remain in your vehicle.”

“Okay, but you guys need to hurry. The girl is hurt!” Darius repeated now as he could feel the bile churning in his gut.  He disconnected the call and leaned his forehead against the steering wheel in frustration.

“
I can’t just sit here while those men hurt her inside there,” Nathan argued. “She is my responsibility. Damn this thing is completely out of hand!”

“She was your responsibility all week too Nathan. You
could’ve stopped all of this but you didn’t. You are just as selfish, and guilty as those men inside there,” Darius accused coldly.

“You don’t know the pressure I’ve been under. You don’t get to judge me,” snarled Nathan in rebuttal.

“Yes I do get to judge you. You have everyone fooled, most of all Candasee. At least she knows what you planned with Solange to mislead her now. Your game is up Nathan!”

At that moment a
SUV pulled up behind them with Gerald at the wheel. He got out and came to the window and Darius lowered it.

“Sir, are you okay?”
he asked noting the murderous glare on Nathan’s face.

“Yes
I am, there’s been a kidnapping and I’m afraid the police are going to arrive too late to save this girl. We may have to do something to help her until the police arrive.”

“Sir, I would advise you to wait on the police here. I can go inside
instead,” Gerald replied. The loyalty of his personal security always amazed him especially Gerald. He took his job very seriously but he couldn’t let him risk his life alone here after all he had a wife and two small children at home.

Sudden
ly a high-pitched scream pierced the air and Nathan jumped out of the car and was running toward the house before Darius had the chance to realize what he was doing.

“Nathan wait!”
Darius hissed. Nathan heard and the closing of the car door and the sound of feet following him in pursuit. His heart was pounding in his chest as he feared what would meet his eyes when he reached the house. Darius was wrong about him and he would make amends right now.

“Please let her be okay,” he breathed in prayer over and over as he ran.

Soon, Darius was running beside him and Gerald was close behind. Nathan spied a piece of wood near the steps and grabbed it quickly as he made his way up to the door breathing heavily. He placed his ear to the door and Darius joined him as they listened for any voices in the room. Julia screamed again and Nathan motioned to Darius stand back as he kicked the door open. The lock gave way from the frame with a loud, cracking sound. Thank goodness it was partially termite-eaten.

The two men were
n’t alone but Neveen and Karla Samaroo were there as well.
So much for staying in the car and out of trouble!
It looked like Neveen was about to slap Julia across the face when the door fell inward with a crash.

“Leave her alone N
eveen,” blurted Nathan taking a step into the room. Neveen looked shocked, but the expression on his features soon changed to pure malice. Darius stood beside him in the room and the bodyguards had drawn their handguns and now pointed them at the intruders.

Gerald
remained on the step and out of sight as he tried to phone the police once again.

Julia’s eyes widened in surprise
, as she recognized Nathan and Darius. She thought no one would ever see her alive again and she was so afraid for herself and for her sister.

“Mr.Carthswright! Darius, thank God!” she exclaimed.

She woke up that morning to find these two huge men towering over her bed and they told her to come quietly or something terrible would happen to her sister. So she got up and went with them. Eve was nowhere to be found. Only when she’d seen Eve’s parents at the house did she realize just how evil her roommate really was. Eve knew that she didn’t have the talent to beat her in the competition, but to resort to lying to her parents that she harmed her was unforgiveable.

She could
n’t believe that her parents condoned their daughter’s behaviour. They’d just told her that they would be leaving her there in this house for the next two days and everyone would think she’d given up and gone home because of a family emergency. They were about to tape her mouth and she realized that it was her last chance to scream for help. She had no idea where she was and then Nathan and Darius came bursting in.

“Don’t be too quick to thank God yet Julia,” Neveen sneered. “Look at your rescuers, standing here unarmed and unprepared.”

“Don’t hurt her!” Darius added angrily.

“And as for Mr. Carthswright, he knows why he shouldn’t cross me,” Neveen added looking at Nathan through narrowed eyes.

“Julia is under my care and you have no right to do this. This was not part of our agreement,” Nathan growled noting the man’s distinct Trinidadian accent. Darius stood beside him with his eyes wide with concern as he watched the two men trained their guns and him and Nathan. They were both grossly unarmed!

Gerald
was still hidden by the wall and the people inside hadn’t seen him as yet.

Nathan
forced himself to keep calm. One wrong move and he would have a bullet lodged deeply in his chest and who knew how long it would take for the local ambulance to get here.

“I’m not the one who made the agreement with you, it was my brother Graeme, but today I’m going to be the one to break it. You aren’t going to get away with this, not with kidnapping this innocent girl.”

Neveen laughed scornfully at Nathan’s reply. “Of course you agreed Nathan. It may have been forced out of you but you know that you cared more about your own name and saving face with your fiancée than the outcome of this intensive.”

“I made a mistake trusting that you would keep your word.”

“You really should’ve minded your business and followed orders because now you will end up seeing things not meant for your eyes,” Neveen said with a voice that reminded Nathan of the hiss one would hear in a nest of vipers.

Darius listened
to what was being said and remembered what Mitchell said about the Samaroo family. His hunch was right. The academy was in deep financial trouble with these criminals. In fact, it was Nathan’s brother Graeme who seemed to be at the centre of it all with his gambling addiction while Nathan was the family’s pawn in all of this.

“Look she’s a young
innocent girl. What use could you possibly have for her? Let her go and there won’t be any more trouble here,” Nathan said slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on the men with the guns aimed at him.

“The only persons in trouble here are the two of you,” Neveen replied menacingly.

“Well you are going to have to bring out a
lot more chairs to tie up myself and all of the police officers who are on their way here right now. I am sure this house is going to be easy to find after the detailed description I gave them. You aren’t going to get away with this, not today!” Nathan bluffed hoping that the police were indeed on their way.

“Samaroo, right now I have enough information about you and your money laundering ac
tivities to put you behind bars. You already have kidnapping added to that and I’m sure you don’t want to add murder to the list,” Darius added.

“
And you Mr. Brogan, I believe it is?” said Neveen with a cold sneer.

“That’s my name!” replied Darius with a voice cold as ice.

“What business is this of yours?”

“You chose the wrong property to carry out your illegal activities. I take it as a personal insult that you think you can harm one of my guests in this manner.”