Navy SEAL Surrender (8 page)

Chapter Twelve

“I thought we were going to check on those two properties Dev told you about. Ponder is the other direction.” Alicia pointed west.

“Plenty of time for that.” John turned east on Highway 380 and realized they hadn’t spoken since pulling away from the cabin. “Finding those properties seemed a little too easy and something the police would have known about. Besides, it’s almost dark.”

She huffed, crossing her arms and dropping them to her chest.

Did she know she pushed her breasts higher in the air when she did that? If he told her, she’d get embarrassed and stop. He liked it, along with the little puff of air that escaped.

“Please explain your plan.”

“Sure. We’ve all agreed that the Webers seemed surprised at the second ransom demand. Well, what if they’re spooked? What if they want to know what’s going on and plan on visiting the kidnappers? What if the fake drop is tonight?”

“Do you really think they’ll react that way? I mean, surely the police are watching their house, have their phones monitored, et cetera.”

“There’s always a way. Especially when someone thinks they’re smarter than the police.”

“I just don’t see how—”

“First off—” he hated to bring his world to Alicia’s, but he had experience dealing with people she’d never understand “—you should trust me. I’ve dealt with more than my share of scum who think their plan is foolproof. There’s always a way to bring these people down.”

“And the second thing?” she asked.

“Don’t try to understand them, Alicia. You won’t. The price for trying to think like sleazebags is too high. It does something to a person, and you don’t deserve that.”

He drove Dev’s rental for several minutes, watching her peripherally, unable to stop expecting a reaction to his words. An argument? An agreement? More questions? Nothing. Not a hitch in her breathing.

“Is that what happened to you, Johnny?”

“Huh?”

“Do you understand them? The sleaze and scum?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do. Unfortunately.”

“I’m sorry.”

She pitied him. After everything she’d been through, she pitied
him.
What did anyone say after that conversation? Him? He had nothing, so he kept his trap shut before he said something to confuse their relationship further. He didn’t want her to care. He wasn’t her problem. When Lauren was back, when his brother was cleared of the charges and when his dad was back on his feet...

There was no reason to care. Hell, Lieutenant Sloane would be out of here and back in a third-world country for another six months. He couldn’t afford to care when he’d be right back with the sleaze and scum and away from Alicia’s goodness.

Join the navy and rescue strangers all around the world.

Yeah. It didn’t surprise him he had no desire to further his military career. The more time he spent here, the less he appreciated his lifestyle of the past twelve years.

Hard to believe it was less than a week ago that he’d received word his dad had suffered a stroke. The first wave that struck him had been relief hearing his dad was still alive. The second, anticipation. His dad’s illness justified a confrontation with his brother. He’d no longer needed an
excuse to come home.

That hadn’t gone as planned.

“How are we supposed to watch a house that’s being watched by
the police?”

“They won’t be expecting us to be watching. That’s one thing on our side. The cops are watching Brian hang out in the café. They aren’t looking for me here.”

“And the cops believe Lauren is safe with me, not kidnapped at all. Do they think I’m sitting around San Antonio, sipping margaritas, waiting for the ransom money to be delivered?”

“I don’t think they took it that far, Alicia.” He put the car in Park at a stop sign. “That car, second from the end of the block. That’s the surveillance team. I can only see one guy in the car, though.”

He turned the corner and parked their car a couple of blocks away.

“So what do we do now?” she asked.

“Take a walk.”

“You’ve got to be kidding, John. They’ve had my face all over the news. What if someone sees me?”

“I need to see the back of the house.”
Get closer. Evaluate Weber’s expressions, his gestures, his level of anxiety.
But he couldn’t get into all the details.

“It’s a six-foot fence.”

“There’s a utility alley between the houses. A six-foot fence means no one will be watching the back for them to leave. No one should notice us and there will be plenty of room for a walk.”

“So do you want me to stay here?”

“You’re coming with me. A couple is definitely less noticeable.” He shoved the pistol Dev had brought him into the back of his pants and opened his door.

“It’s okay, no one will see us.”

“Leave the gun in the trunk, please.”

“Alicia, I know you aren’t afraid of pistols.”

“We’re just a couple out walking. You don’t need a gun. If we’re noticed, we’re running. Right? You wouldn’t shoot at the cops.”

It wasn’t the cops he’d been thinking about. He nodded, wishing he had a piece of gum. Something to chew and work out the nervous tension in his gut. He didn’t like venturing into unknown situations. Exposed. Defenseless. He wanted well-thought-out plans to execute, and hated flying by the seat of his pants. That was exactly when things went wrong and someone got killed.

He put the pistol in the trunk and sent a text to Dev, also at Alicia’s insistence. His reply couldn’t be repeated in polite company.

Feeling naked without a weapon, he laced his fingers through Alicia’s. She took a step, but he spun her to face him, drawing her in close so he could lower his voice.

“I say run and you run. No discussion. We’ll meet back here at the car. Here’s the key.” He watched her stuff it into the back pocket of her jeans. “Run means run.”

“No debate,” she agreed, without convincing him she would follow any directions from him.

“Get the smile out of your eyes, woman. Think about Lauren. The objective is to find her. If we’re caught, it’ll be a whole lot harder to achieve that goal.”

“You’re worried?” She gripped his biceps, silently demanding an answer.

“Five days is a long time for kidnappers. They’re either feeling confident and getting cocky or they’re starting to lose their nerve. My gut tells me they’ll make a move soon. Probably tonight.”

“I guess I should have asked before now what it is that you do in the navy.”

The laugh escaped before he could hold it back. “Let’s just say I have experience and you can trust me.”

She cupped his cheek with her palm. “Thank you.”

He caught himself leaning into her caress and wanting to capture her lips. “Come on.”

No one was in sight. No cars parked on this street. People were in their air-conditioned homes with their vehicles locked in their garages. Patrick Weber shouldn’t be any different. All the news reports they’d seen had been with the couple standing in their empty driveway. The steps leading up their walk had made it inconvenient to tape them in front of the door.

John had memorized the local landscape this afternoon. Technology and the internet made espionage too easy. The Webers lived on the north side of the street, four houses from the end. At the entrance to the utility ally, John pulled Alicia into his arms again.

“Drop your head against my chest, hon. I need to see over you.”

She did as instructed and he verified they were still alone on the street. He grabbed her hand again and darted into the dying weeds. They ran, staying close to the fence. First yard. Second had a dog that barked once or twice. Third yard was behind them. Target yard. No gate. No lights. No noise.

He motioned for Alicia to stay down and close. His eyes were almost level with the top of the fence. He lifted himself to get a full view of the yard.

Professional landscaping and no pool. That would work in his favor. It was only nine o’clock, and yet no lights were on, with the exception of the television glow from the front room. He lowered himself back to Alicia.

“I need you to go back to the car quickly.” He placed the phone in her palm. “Pull around to the other end of the alley in six minutes. If I’m not there, go back to the cabin and tell Dev what happened. On the way, call Brian and tell him to get the hell out of Aubrey. When he’s sure no one’s following him, pick him up somewhere he can leave his truck.”

He saw the frightening questions in her expressive eyes and caught the slight shaking of her head. He took her shoulders and whispered, “Nothing’s going wrong. You just need to know what to do if it does. I’ve got this covered.”

He kissed her forehead and pointed for her to go.

“Be careful,” she said for his ears only.

“Always.”

She left the same way they’d come in, remembering the dog and switching to the other side of the alley. He marked his watch with a five-minute countdown. In the corner of the yard, he hopped the fence and got to the back of the house without an alarm sounding.

He slid to the side of the kitchen window and had a perfect view of Shauna stacking bundles of cash into a gym bag. And next to the bag, a set of two keys that would fit a much older truck, reminding him of the one his brother still drove. From Shauna’s rich tastes, it didn’t seem likely that either of the Webers would be caught dead driving something that old.

He flattened himself to the brick and listened. Shauna left the room. She’d been barefoot, so they weren’t leaving immediately. He glanced at his watch. Three minutes. One last glance and he was out of the yard the way he’d come. He hid in the shadows behind a telephone pole until Alicia slowly approached. She didn’t come to a full stop as he opened the door and jumped inside.

“My gut was right.”

Chapter Thirteen

I’m tracking my daughter’s kidnapper. How did this happen?

The surrealism of the situation didn’t escape Alicia. She wasn’t qualified. Could only do as she was told. And each time she deviated from John’s instructions, something bad happened. Her shoes were still wet from the dunking she’d received trying to stop an argument between two men who were on her side.

She couldn’t claim to have been doing a wonderful job on her own prior to the kidnapping, but she’d survived. She’d battled all the obstacles of the past four years, and she’d figured it out. Enough that Lauren and she were happy.

I still don’t know what to do now.

A couple of minutes driving around in the subdivision and they found the truck on an empty lot at the end of a cul-de-sac. They parked in view of the subdivision entrance to watch for the truck to leave.

John convinced her to drive, since he had other things to prep. He retrieved his gun, stuffed it into his waistband and texted Dev. He sat next to her, leaning back in the seat, keeping watch and thumbing through screens on the smartphone. She was so anxious to get Lauren back she could hardly think about any of the details he’d been going over.

“Are you playing solitaire? How can you be completely confident this is going to work?” she asked after forty-five minutes.

“I’m never
completely
confident. Solitaire keeps me from thinking about things that can go—”

“Wrong.” There was a long list of things that could go “south,” as he constantly put it.

John put a hand on her shoulder, deeply massaging the tight muscles. “You’re tense. Relax. The steering wheel can’t possibly escape that death grip of yours.”

Two cars passed and had her leaning forward, jumping to start the car. John’s hand stayed her from turning the key. Her heart beat so quickly she checked the mirror to see if the vein in her throat was bulging. She rubbed her shaking hands up and down her thighs, feeling the adrenaline tremble through her body.

Doubt crammed into her mind and blocked her ability to think straight. She had to know if she was as clueless as she felt.

“Did I miss something? Could I have prevented the kidnapping or bank transfers or any of this from happening?”

“No,” John answered quickly, but stiffened.

“How can you be so certain?” Questioning her movements and decisions was a big part of the apprehension building inside her chest. If he knew something... If he had an answer... Maybe that would ease the tension and allow her to function better.

He shifted uncomfortably. His gaze seemed to drift. Then he looked sad, like a memory he didn’t want to face wouldn’t leave him alone. She’d seen that faraway look a couple of times now. He was physically fit and looked like Brian, so she’d sort of
seen
him for twelve years. But something big in him had changed. She’d known Johnny. This man was Lieutenant Sloane. She didn’t know him at all.

“Whoever kidnapped Lauren, they’ve thought this through and planned her abduction for a long time. Framing you and Brian took months. I think they planned for you to die in the car. Then the Webers would rescue your daughter and have custodial control over the trust fund without any questions.”

As hot as the evening still was, her skin was covered in goose bumps. He’d spoken with chilling reality, logic and confidence.

I think they planned for you to die,
his voice echoed in her head.

The sheriff had said something like that, too. And still, she’d shrugged it off, been optimistic, unable to think the worst, and she definitely didn’t want to believe Shauna could really hate her that much.

“Your theory makes perfect sense. I just can’t begin to think like you and I’m so grateful you came home. Without you, I’d be in jail and lost to Lauren forever.”

“Don’t think about that possibility. Besides, why should a nurse who spends her time caring for others think like me? I’m glad you can’t wrap your mind around this situation. Really glad. I like who you grew up to be.”

“Are they going to hurt her? Be straight with me, Johnny.”

“I don’t know. If you concentrate on the unknowns, it sort of makes you crazy. Just remember that we
will
get her away from them.”

No tears. Not even a threat of them. She was all cried out. Too worried about making another mistake. John twisted to face her, taking her chin in his fingers, nudging her to stare from the street toward him.

“Wherever they lead us—if they go at all—you know there’s no guarantee Lauren will be there.” The crease between his brows grew prominent with his concern. “If she is, it might get messy. Maybe I should drop you off and—”

“No. I’ll do anything necessary to keep my daughter safe. Don’t worry about me. I’ve been on my own for a while now.” And she had. Her father, Dwayne’s accident and then her father-in-law. “Talk about something else while we wait.”

“Dev said the money in Lauren’s savings was a series of small cash deposits over the last four months. Different branches. Nothing electronic.”

“Alicia, you okay?” he asked after a minute of silence.

“I’m fine.”

“I wanted to ask before, but where’s your dad and brother through all this? I expected them to show up sooner.”

“Alzheimer’s. Dad had a slow progression in the beginning. I took care of him as long as I could. But he doesn’t recognize me anymore. He mistook me for Mom for a while. But he hasn’t had many lucid moments in a very long time. He was in a nice place in Denton, but when Shauna got me fired, I had to move him to a state facility about four hours from here.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” His large hand covered hers, squeezing. “My dad never mentioned it. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s okay. You didn’t know. J.W. was pretty upset. He lost his two best friends in a short amount of time. My brother’s never been close and is stationed in Germany. He volunteered to go shortly after Dad needed round-the-clock care, and I haven’t called him about Lauren. It doesn’t make sense. What could he do?”

“Alicia, I can’t begin to understand what you’ve been through. What about Roy? Dad said he died from a broken heart. I asked what that meant, but he never said.”

“He shot himself three months after Dwayne’s accident.”

“Son of a— That can’t be true. They’re certain? Who found him?”

“Shauna.” She hated saying the woman’s name. It was bad enough thinking about her. “This isn’t exactly the subject to help relax me.” She forced a short nervous laugh and relaxed her fingers again.

“You’re right. That was stupid of me.”

“What are we going to do when we follow them to where they have Lauren?”

“There’s no
we.
I’ll go inside and do what’s necessary. You’ll stay in the car and call Dev if something goes wrong.”

“I can help. Believe me.”

“I’m sure you can, but we’re going to have to grab Lauren and hightail it into hiding.”

“I don’t understand. Why can’t we just go home? Or at least to the county sheriff. He’ll believe us. We have to tell someone what we know and let the police arrest them.”

“We haven’t proved that you didn’t orchestrate this from the start. It’s their word against yours.”

“But Lauren can tell everyone the truth.”

“No, that won’t work. At this point, you won’t win.”

She was stunned into silence. Where could she take Lauren that was safe? How would they survive without any money? It didn’t matter. She meant what she’d said. She was willing to do anything to get Lauren back. That included becoming a fugitive and hiding until she could prove her innocence.

“You need to prepare yourself for another scenario.”

His tragic tone shouted and screamed
what if.

“No, don’t say it. Don’t think it. I won’t accept that they could hurt her.”

“Alicia. We have to be reasonable.”

“Wait. Isn’t that the truck?”

She started the car, putting it in Drive after the truck passed and they knew which direction he was heading. The older truck could have been mistaken for the one Brian drove. Very distinguishable among the newer models on the road. It made it easy to keep two or three cars between them and not lose sight of its direction.

“Looks like Patrick’s alone. Why would he pay them without Shauna?” Alicia asked.

“Probably the same reason I should be alone right now. It’s dangerous.”

They followed on the main road, being led farther away from the larger cities and even small towns. Onto rural roads, where it was harder to keep the truck in sight without giving their presence away. Sometimes they depended solely on the vehicle lights ahead of them in the distance. Then brakes.

“Alicia, can you see the road in the dark?”

“I think so.” The sandy gravel reflected enough moonlight that she could see and not drive into the ditch.

“He’s slowing down,” John confirmed. “Stop here. It must be the driveway of a house.” He tapped the phone and put it to his ear. “Dev, I need info on a property. Just texted coordinates....Extraction. Solo....Negative....No, I can’t wait. No second pair of eyes. She’ll be secure in the car.”

She was amazed at how matter-of-fact every aspect of Lauren’s rescue was to John. Was this what he did as a SEAL?
Where will you be safe, Johnny?

“Hide the car,” he mumbled as he pointed. “See that spot behind us where the side of the road is flatter? We need to get behind those trees.”

“But there’s a fence. Won’t the car still be in the road?”

“Not for long. And you’re staying in it. You promised to follow orders.” John reached into his pocket, then jumped from the car.

By the time she’d reversed onto level ground, he’d cut the barbed wire and she could park it in the field hidden from other drivers. He pulled the wire mostly back together and motioned for her to join him. The truck hadn’t moved from next to the mailbox.

“Stay close to the car and keep this.” He handed her the phone. “There’s a map of the area and you’ll be able to let Dev know where to pick you up. You can trust him.”

“I’m going with you.”

He just shook his head and smiled. “Not this time, sweetheart. I’m in. I get Lauren. I’m out.”

“What are you—”

John cut off her words with a quick kiss. Not supersexy, but the surprise was effective and shut her up.

“I can’t wait to explain. I want in before Patrick. I’ll be back soon with your daughter.”

John ran. His dark T-shirt and jeans were stark against the light brown of drying hay. The large round hay bales set randomly throughout the field gave him the cover he needed to avoid being seen. Hopefully.

She had to do something. She couldn’t just sit and wait. But what, she had no idea. No frame of reference. No experience. Only one thing—Lauren was her daughter.

Thank God this man had come back home. If it weren’t for him, she’d have no way to prove Shauna’s involvement. And no one to save Lauren.

Too antsy to stay in one place, she wanted to view the map sent earlier. She darted across the road out of view, ducking behind the bushes until no lights from the house could be seen.

Oh, no.
There were more headlights slowly turning from the main road. Like a car wanting to remain unseen or a person who might be lost. She ran hard, making her lungs hurt. Across the rows of dirt and grass until she could hide in the trees.

The car turned the curve and went dark. It took several seconds to pass the bend in the road and roll to a stop close to the drive. Alicia could make out only the silhouette of a head. It didn’t take someone with John’s experience to understand whoever was inside that second car didn’t want to be seen.

The person in the car was waiting. The sound of the engine filled the silence. Had Patrick been followed? Had she and John been followed? Or was the stranger Shauna and this part of their plan all along?

The car loomed like a demon waiting to pounce.

What are you up to?
It didn’t matter.

John was nowhere in sight. She had no way to contact him and he wouldn’t know about this additional danger. Patrick finally drove his truck toward the house. She had to help John, so she ducked farther into the brush and covered the brightness of the phone. The map appeared on the screen.

The objective was to stop these people from hurting Lauren. No matter what happens.