Surrender (18 page)

“How is he?” The words rushed from Netherland’s lips and when Ashton didn’t answer quick enough she said frantically, “Tell me! How is he?”

Ashton heard the agitation in her voice and understood. She and Clayton Madaris had been friends for a long time. “He’s been taken to surgery.”

Netherland inhaled deeply, knowing Syneda was probably going out of her mind. She then remembered something else Ashton had said. “Someone actually tried to run over Syneda?”

“Yes.”

“Do they have any idea who?”

“Yes.”

Netherland studied Ashton’s features and knew there was more. There was something he hadn’t told her yet, and she had a feeling it wasn’t good. “Who?”

“Anthony Roberts. He broke out of prison earlier today.”

“Anthony Roberts? Jada’s ex-husband?”

“Yes.”

Netherland took another deep breath when she remembered something Jada had told her about—the threats her ex-husband had made against her and Syneda at his trial. Netherland was out of bed and on her feet in a flash. “Someone has to warn Jada that he’s out there on the loose! She needs police protection! She—”

“Netherland,” Ashton interrupted in a soft voice as he tried to calm her down. “You need to contact Rome.”

She sucked in a huge gulp of air, almost too afraid to ask but she did so anyway. “Why?”

Ashton had her complete attention. He took a deep breath before saying. “Because Jada is missing, and there is a strong possibility that Roberts has grabbed her.”

T
he crowd of people inside the hospital’s waiting room got eerily silent when they looked and saw Dr. Marvin Goldstein standing in the doorway. Dr. Goldstein had been a friend of the Madaris family for years.

The crowd parted, and Syneda rushed forward, flanked on both sides by Clayton’s brothers, Justin and Dex. Clayton’s parents and three sisters stood directly behind Syneda and his numerous friends brought up the rear. All were there to give Syneda their support.

One look at Syneda, and Dr. Goldstein knew that due to her delicate condition it would not be such a bad idea to check her into the hospital, as well. It was obvious what had happened to Clayton
had taken a toll on her. The last thing he needed was for her to become overly distraught. He knew she’d been checked out when she first arrived but he could tell by looking at her that she was emotionally drained.

“How is he, Dr. Goldstein?” Syneda asked, frantically close to tears.

Dr. Goldstein placed a comforting hand on Syneda’s shoulder. “We were able to stop the internal bleeding and that’s good. He has a cracked rib and a concussion. I consider your young man very lucky. Things could have been a lot worse if he would have gotten hit at another angle. And although the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours are critical, there is no reason for me not to believe that he’ll come through this with flying colors. I suspect he’ll be back on the golf course in full swing after an adequate healing period of three to four months.”

Syneda let out a relieved breath and found herself leaning against Justin, then Dex for much needed support. They placed both of their arms around her. “When can I see him?” she asked.

“I’ll let you know as soon as they get him settled in the recovery room. He’s still unconscious and will probably remain so for a while. That was some blow he took.”

“And all because of me,” Syneda said as tears began filling her eyes.

“Now you listen to me, young lady,” the doctor said. “What he did was heroic, and something any
man would do who loved someone. You can’t blame yourself for his actions.”

“But that car was meant for me. I was the intended victim, not him.”

“And had it been you, then I would be standing here possibly telling Clayton that we had lost both you and his baby. He knew what he had to do to save you both, and he did it. Let’s just thank God that it turned out this way and you’ll have young Madaris back in your life in no time.”

No sooner had the doctor left than Lieutenant Karl Barton from the Houston Police Department arrived. Netherland, who had arrived at the hospital with Ashton thirty minutes before, made her way over to him.

“Any word on Roberts and where he has taken Jada?”

The lieutenant sadly shook his head. “Not yet. We checked the prison’s visitors log and as a result, have picked up his cousin Billy Roberts for questioning. Another visitor he had recently, a thug by the name of Lamar Stokes, can’t be found but we’re still looking.”

Netherland nodded. “You have to find Jada. Roberts is dangerous and abusive and has kidnapped her before.”

“Yes, ma’am, I know. I’m very familiar with the case. I was the one who made the last arrest. Trust me. I want Roberts back behind bars just as much as anyone. This time I hope we throw away the key.”

“I’m available if you need my help, Lieutenant,”
Alex Maxwell said, coming forward. “I have a background with the FBI’s Missing Persons Division.”

“Thanks for the offer, but Houston’s finest should be able to handle things. The car Roberts was driving was stolen. He’s dumped that one and has stolen another right on the outskirts of the city.”

“So you think he’s left town?” Ashton asked, coming to stand next to Alex.

“Yes, but which way he’s headed, we’re not sure. We’ve alerted the police departments in all surrounding counties to be on the lookout for a new white Camry.”

After Lieutenant Barton left, everyone remained in the waiting room for more news on Clayton.

“Thanks for being here, Nettie,” Syneda said to her friend a short while later.

“You know that Ashton and I had to come. How are you holding up?”

“Better now that I know Clayton will be okay. I just wish he’d regain consciousness. I want to tell him how much I love him and how appreciative I am for what he did for me and our baby.”

Netherland gave her an assuring smile. “I think he knows that already, but I can understand your wanting to tell him.”

Syneda nodded. “I’m also worried about Jada in the clutches of that madman. I understand she’s been seeing a lot of your brother. Have you notified him about her disappearance?”

Netherland nodded. “Yes, and with Ashton’s
help he’s on his way back. He should be arriving in a few hours.”

“I hope we have some good news to tell him when he gets here,” Syneda said softly.

“So do I.”

At that moment Syntel Remington walked in. His gaze immediately found that of his daughter’s.

“Daddy!” Without a moment’s hesitation Syneda left Netherland’s side and went straight into her father’s outstretched arms. And there she cried the tears she had tried so hard to fight back, while he held her and gave her comfort as only a father could.

Dr. Goldstein returned half an hour later. “Mrs. Madaris?” When he saw about four ladies getting ready to respond, he clarified by saying, “Mrs. Clayton Madaris.” He smiled at Syneda. “I’ve told the nurses to let you go on in to see Clayton for a few minutes. Right now I only want him to have visitors one at a time every two hours. Once he regains consciousness, then he can have more.”

Moments later Syneda entered the small room where Clayton lay quiet, still. His face looked bruised, cut and swollen, and his body was attached to an assortment of machines. She spent the next half hour with her husband, talking to him, telling him how much she loved him and making promises she intended to keep if he regained consciousness.

“Put those promises in writing, will you?”

Syneda snatched her head up and looked at Clayton. He had spoken. And he was looking at her. Tears
clouded her eyes when she took her husband’s hand in hers after buzzing for the nurse. “You can have anything you want, Madaris,” she said, smiling happily through her tears. “Anything.” The only thing she could think about was that he was no longer unconscious.

“What about a new set of golf clubs?”

The corner of Syneda’s lips tilted into a grin. “Maybe I should clarify by saying, anything within reason.”

Clayton tried to smile but it was obvious the effort was painful. “I’m still holding you to that promise of cooking more.”

Before Syneda could tell him that he must have been hearing things, the nurse arrived. “He’s awake and talking,” Syneda said, smiling to the older woman. “Please tell everyone that he’s regained consciousness.”

The woman nodded and quickly left the room.

“How about a kiss?” Clayton asked.

Syneda ran her fingertips lightly over her husband’s bruised jaw. “How can you think about kissing at a time like this? You just regained consciousness.”

“So? How can I not think about kissing? I nearly lost you and the baby.”

More tears sprang into Syneda’s eyes. She brought his hand to her lips and placed a tender kiss on his knuckles. “No, sweetheart, we nearly lost
you.
Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again, Madaris. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you but I ain’t listening. I’ll do it all over again if I thought it would keep you and my baby
safe.” He was silent for a moment, then said, “I need that kiss, Syneda.”

On tiptoe she leaned over the bed and gave her husband the kiss he wanted.

And that was how his brothers, sisters and parents, as well as her father, found them. They were still kissing and from the way things looked, they had no intentions of stopping anytime soon, with or without an audience.

Dex Madaris shook his head, grinning. “Why doesn’t it surprise me that the first thing Clayton wanted to do after nearly coming back from the dead was to suck face with somebody?”

“And why doesn’t it surprise me,” Justin Madaris decided to add, “that his wife was so eager to oblige him?”

Marilyn Madaris smiled happily. A weight had been lifted off her heart now that she saw her youngest son was all right. She leaned back against her husband’s strong, solid chest. “Probably because those two are so evenly matched,” she said in response to her sons’ comments. “I think we can all agree that Clayton and Syneda were made for each other.”

Jada nervously looked at the man sitting next to her in the car. It seemed that they had been driving for hours. He had taken the sock out of her mouth a hundred miles back after feeling fairly comfortable that it wouldn’t matter if she took the notion to scream her head off. They were nowhere near civilization.

“Where are you taking me, Tony?”

Momentarily taking his eyes off the road, he looked over at her with a sardonic look on his face. “Someplace where no one will ever find you. You’ve been a bad girl, Jada, a very bad girl. You’ve dishonored our vows and brought me shame. Since it seems that beatings don’t work with you, I’m going to have to deal with you in another way.”

Fear ran down Jada’s spine. She didn’t want to even think what he had in mind. “You won’t get away with this. The authorities will find you.”

He looked over at her again. The look on his face made her skin crawl with panic, dread and terror. She had never seen such a look on his face before, even during his worst fits of anger.

“Yeah, they may find me but I’m going to make damn sure they never find you. Count on it.”

R
ome checked his wristwatch again, then looked out the front windows. Lieutenant Barton had called more than an hour ago, indicating there had been some new development. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, almost at the end of his rope. It had been five days and still Jada and Roberts had not been found. It was as if they had disappeared off the face of the earth.

“Keep the faith, Rome.”

He turned his head to look at his mother. Her dark eyes shone with compassion and understanding. Nettie had called in the Cavalry. Within an hour of his return to Houston, his parents had shown up and by the next day, so had his three brothers. All of them
were there, giving him support for a woman they had not met but loved just the same because they knew he loved her.

“I’m trying, Mom, but it’s hard.”

“I know but you have to believe that she’s coming back and this nightmare will be over soon. You have to stay strong. She’s going to need you now more so than ever before.”

Rome nodded, knowing he would be there for Jada at any cost. Even if he had to resign from military service. He would make whatever sacrifices were necessary. “Where’s Dad?”

Nadine Kalloren threw a quick glance to the other room and smiled. “He’s in there talking to your sister’s young man. Your father likes him. We all do. Ashton seems to have made her happy.”

Rome nodded. Just as Jada had made him happy during the short while they had spent together. At that moment he heard the sound of a car door opening. Glancing out the window he saw Lieutenant Barton get out of the car. Following close on his heels, arriving in another car, were Trevor Grant and a man who, when he’d been in the Marine Corps, had become a legend in his own right—Drake Warren. He had heard that Warren was in town for Trevor’s son’s christening.

His mother’s gaze followed his. She recognized the lieutenant but not the other two men. “Who’re those other men?”

Rome smiled faintly. “Friends of Ashton’s.
Recon men who used to be the marines’ finest.” And for the first time in five days Rome felt a leap of hope within him.

“Is that it?” Rome was saying to the lieutenant with hard-edge steel in his raised voice. “You came to tell us that the police apprehended Roberts a few hours ago but Jada wasn’t with him, and that he isn’t being cooperative and telling where she is?”

Ernest Kalloren intervened after sensing his son was about to really lose it. “Rome, calm down and let the lieutenant finish talking.”

Rome shot a glance at his father. “He doesn’t have to, Dad. I have a feeling what he’s going to say.” Rome met Lieutenant Barton’s eyes. “You don’t think Jada is still alive and will be calling off the manhunt now that Roberts is back in custody.”

Netherland was up off the sofa in a flash. “Is that true, Lieutenant Barton? Surely you won’t call off the search based on that assumption. She could be anywhere out there, needing help. Isn’t there a way someone can force Roberts to tell where she is?”

“Yeah, just give me less than an hour with him, and I’ll have him spilling his guts all over the place, literally.”

Everyone’s attention turned to the man who had made the statement. He was Trevor and Ashton’s friend, Drake Warren, whom they called Sir Drake. And just looking into his dark-brown eyes led everyone in the room to believe the man was dead serious.
The eyes that returned all of their stares were cold, dark and lethal. According to Ashton, Sir Drake worked for the CIA, and he looked the part, a modern-day Rambo. He was handsome as sin yet just as dangerous. There had been a deadly calm about him when he’d been introduced to everyone, and he hadn’t spoken another word until now.

And when he spoke it seemed that everybody listened.

“Well, yeah, I’m sure you could, Mr. Warren,” Lieutenant Barton cleared his throat and said after a few moments of tense silence. “I’m sure that with the CIA, anything goes that will work. But here we have to worry about lawsuits, charges of police brutality and things getting thrown out of court for failure to acknowledge a person’s human rights.”

“Men like Roberts shouldn’t have any human rights,” Sir Drake said slowly, banefully. “As far as I’m concerned he lost those rights the first time he raised a hand to hurt his wife.”

Ashton stood, deciding to spare the occupants in the room a summation from Sir Drake about his own personal brand of punishment. He doubted the women, as well as a few of the men, had strong enough stomachs to take it. Most people couldn’t handle his friend’s ruthless attitude and intolerance when it came to criminals.

“Are you going to call off the search, Lieutenant?” He asked the man the same question Netherland had asked earlier but one Lieutenant Barton had smoothly
avoided. He wouldn’t give the officer the luxury of doing that to him.

Evidently the lieutenant caught his drift. He met his gaze and said, “Not completely. But we will pull back until we have more concrete information. Right now, until Roberts decides to talk, it’ll be like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

Ashton nodded. “Any ideas where she might be?” He was good at reading body language, and although the lieutenant was saying one thing, he had a feeling the man was thinking another. Evidently the policeman’s decision to pull back had not been his own but had come from a higher source within the bureaucracy of the law. The city, embarrassed by the way Roberts had easily escaped, was trying like hell to bring closure to their screwup. And why not? The young woman didn’t have an immediate family who would stay on their backs to keep the case open. Ashton glanced at the many faces in the room. Boy, was that a wrong assumption. She may not have an immediate family but she sure had an adopted one who wanted her found.

Lieutenant Barton met Ashton’s gaze as he leaned back in his chair. “Yes, I have some ideas but it might be pulling at straws.”

“Let’s hear them,” Ashton said calmly.

Lieutenant Barton shot a quick glance over at Rome, as if deciding whether or not the young man would be able to handle what he was about to say. Making a decision that he would be able to, he began
after clearing his throat. “One of the reasons we think Jada Roberts may not be alive is that we found a shovel in the trunk of the car Roberts was driving. The dirt samples off the shovel have been sent to the lab, and we hope to determine just where that type of soil may be located.”

He took a deep breath before continuing. “But the main reason that I personally don’t think he’s killed her is his attitude when he was apprehended. He acted as if he had expected to be caught and that he knew a secret that no one else did. I think killing her would have been too easy for him, and he may have wanted to teach her a lesson. I think he’s left her someplace where he figures she won’t ever be found by anyone. In my opinion, he’s playing a sick game, one that will eventually cost Ms. Roberts her life if she isn’t found within a reasonable time.”

The room got deathly quiet as everyone absorbed what the lieutenant had said. Ashton was the first one to speak. “So, at the moment, everything hinges on that dirt sample?”

“Yes.”

“How soon will we know anything?”

As if on cue the lieutenant’s beeper went off. “I’m hoping that’s our answer now.” He took the beeper off his belt and after glancing at it, turned it off. “May I use the phone?”

“Certainly,” Netherland responded. “It’s over on that desk.”

A few moments later the lieutenant had ended the
call he’d made. The expression on his face alerted everyone in the room that it wasn’t good news. “I’m sorry, the analysis of that dirt sample indicates it’s from some region in north-central Texas, but doesn’t pinpoint where. In order to do that we’ll have to ship it to the crime lab in Washington and that could take days, even weeks to have that sort of an in-depth breakdown of the soil particles. If Ms. Roberts is still alive, we don’t have that much time.”

“We won’t have to send it to Washington,” Trevor Grant said. “I’m foreman for Madaris Explorations and my boss, Dex Madaris, will be able to tell you anything you want to know about any kind of soil. Dirt is his business and has been for close to twenty years.”

A relieved sigh broke forth from Lieutenant Barton’s lips. Then those same lips eased into a faint smile. “Then what are we waiting for? Have Mr. Madaris meet me at police headquarters immediately.”

It took Dex less than an hour to analyze the dirt particles and come up with his own conclusion. “You’re right, Lieutenant, this type of soil can be anywhere within the north-central part of Texas. However, soil with this type of richness, mixed with the type of minerals and vegetation particles it has, can only be found in one place.”

“Where?”

“Deadpan Hollow.”

Lieutenant Barton raised a brow. “But that campground has been closed for three years, ever since
that wildfire swept through there and destroyed almost everything. The state declared Deadpan off-limits to anyone because it’s a torch bed waiting to happen. It’s been so dry up there it’s liable to go up in smoke and burn to a cinder at any time.”

“And that’s probably why Roberts would consider it if he never wanted Jada found,” Ashton said, trembling in anger. It was evident to him, as it had been all along, that Roberts had a sick mind. “So what are you going to do now, Lieutenant?” he asked, studying the man.

“The only thing I can do, which is to ask my superiors to contact the police department in that area for the man power needed to locate Ms. Roberts. It might be a long shot but at the moment it’s all we have to go on. Let’s just hope they back us on this.”

They didn’t. The police department claimed they could not spare any extra men to go on a wild-goose chase for a missing person. Besides, sending men into Deadpan Hollow was putting lives at risk when a fire could break out at any time.

That bit of news didn’t sit too well with anyone.

“So, what do we do now?” Trevor asked the group as they left the Houston police station moments later.

Ashton smiled. “As usual, if Plan A doesn’t work we go to Plan B. And I’m it. I plan to leave out first thing in the morning.”

Later that evening Netherland’s office at Sisters turned into a battle zone as men and equipment were
moved in, with plans to use it as a command center. She eagerly gave up the space, wanting to do her part to help find Jada as soon as possible. Roberts still wasn’t talking, and it was taking everything for her family to keep Rome from storming the prison and forcing the information out of Roberts with his fists. Earlier today her brothers had to hold Rome down while their father tried talking some sense into him.

“I finally got you all to myself, sweetheart.”

Netherland looked up when Ashton walked through her office door. For the first time in nearly three hours, her office was empty. The men had left to bring in more equipment and wouldn’t be returning for another hour or so.

She stood and walked over to Ashton. He looked tired, and she wondered how he thought he could locate anyone when he was already exhausted. And she told him so.

“I’m fine.” He stared at her for a moment, as though he wanted to say something else. But instead he shook his head and took her hand in his. “We need to talk.”

She raised her brow. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He smiled faintly at her. “Nothing to worry about. I just want to take some necessary precautions.”

Netherland nodded, understanding. She then glanced around her office. “It seems like you’re getting a lot of help.” She knew that Alex Maxwell had hooked up his state-of-the-art computer that had a direct link to FBI headquarters and that Howard
Reeves, who had arrived in town that morning to visit Rainey, and who happened to also have an extensive background with the FBI, had offered his assistance. After being introduced to everyone he was immediately put to work.

“Yes, but the precautions I’m talking about are with you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

Netherland saw the concern etched on Ashton’s face. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave town worrying about her. “Ashton, I’ll be fine. My brothers are here, my parents and friends are here. I should be worried about you. You shouldn’t be worried about me.”

He looked at her. He hadn’t told her about the last vision he’d had. The only persons he had confided in were Trevor and Sir Drake. And although they didn’t fully agree, they had understood his need to go into Deadpan Hollow alone. He’d explained that it was connected to an Indian legend involving a test of worthiness he had to go through. He had been shown a part of the vision and had to actually endure the rest. The result would depend upon his skill and stamina and his will to survive. Besides, going into the Hollow was risky enough for one man. He didn’t want others to put their lives on the line. And for that, he had to go in alone.

“I’ve put some plans into motion regarding us, Netherland.”

“What sort of plans?”

“We need to get married before I leave.”

She frowned, not understanding. She lifted her arm and showed him the leather band around her wrist that symbolized their union. “But we are married.”

“We need to get married legally so it can be recognized by the courts, sweetheart, just in case…”

She swallowed, not wanting to go there, where he was thinking, but knew she had to anyway. “Just in case what, Ashton?”