The Soldier's Mission (14 page)

“I've practically memorized it,” Lydia replied with a smile. “My favorite book ever. I have the movie poster in our bedroom even though Devon frowns every time he walks by it.”

Katherine Barton Warwick, the cool Texas blonde now married to Shane Warwick, patted her smooth bob, her gaze moving over Laura. “How do you feel?”

Laura looked up in surprise. “About
Gone With the Wind?
I can take it or leave it.”

They all laughed. “She's asking how
you
feel,” Selena said with an indulging smile. “Are you in pain? Do you want us to leave so you can rest better?”

“I'm fine,” Laura said. “Just sore. And no, I don't
want you to leave. I can't rest. But y'all have taken good care of me. I appreciate that.”

“I made mother and the others go to their rooms,” Katherine replied. “She has a tendency to hover. They all love it when we're gathered here. They try to spoil us.”

“Your mother is nice,” Laura said, wondering how she could keep this constant fear at bay. “And scary at times, too.”

“She is one of the strongest women I've ever met,” Selena replied. “And so are her friends, Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Anderson, and my own mother, for that matter. In fact, we're all pretty amazing.” She grinned then winked at Laura. “It's nice to have a circle of friends to get us through the stress of being involved with men who work in such high-risk jobs.”

“How do you do that?” Laura asked. “How do women live with sending their men into battle?”

Katherine shook her head. “There are all kinds of battles out there and our husbands fight them each and every day. All men have battles to fight, whether they work for some sort of secret organization or they work at the local bank or grocery store. It's part of life. And yes, it takes some adjustment, trying to make it balance. And trying to understand it.”

“It's hard,” Selena said. “But we have to trust in God and in those we love. It took me a long time to figure that out.”

The silence and the glances passing between the four other women forced Laura to ask her next question. “What if the one you love is trying hard not to love you back?”

Selena leaned forward. “Oh, we all have a story to tell about that, don't we, girls?”

“Oh, yes,” Gena said, shaking her head. “That's something I do know a lot about—even though I lived in isolation in Maine most of my adult years.”

“I've got some time on my hands,” Laura replied.

“And I'd really like to hear all of your stories.”

Lydia held up her hand. “It all started with Pastor Dev and me…and you won't believe what happened.”

 

He couldn't believe this.

Paco stood with Shane and Eli inside a big, cozy den centered in the massive hill country hunting lodge owned by Lawrence Henner. Stood and looked at Laura's laptop sitting on a pristine oak desk nestled by the big bay window of the grand room.

“He's not here,” Eli said, stating the obvious.

“But the laptop is, of course,” Paco replied while he searched the desk drawers. And found nothing much to help them. Hitting a hand on the desk, he said, “I don't get the man. He leaves clues and a wide-open trail. What's he trying to prove?”

They'd searched the whole house and that covered a lot of square feet in this creepy, dark, depressing place. Lawrence Henner wasn't here. In fact, no one was here.

Paco touched the mouse pad on the laptop and the screen came to life. “Look, another scripture passage. Revelations Six, Verse Two: ‘And I looked, and behold, a white horse. And he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.'”

“We saw a white horse out in the pasture here,” Shane
said on a low whisper. Then he put a hand on the leather chair behind the desk. “Obviously, he
did
know we were on to him and he set us up. Seems he's also setting himself up to be some sort of hero.”

Paco whirled, headed for the door. “Yeah, which means he could be on his way to Eagle Rock right now.”

Shane grabbed the laptop then hurried to follow Paco and Eli. They made it out into the hallway.

Then Paco heard a chuckle coming from the dark shadows on the other side of the wide planked hall.

“Finally, some company. I was getting downright lonely, waiting for the famous Paco Martinez to come and visit. What a bonus that you have most of the CHAIM team with you, too.”

“Henner?” Paco said, his gun drawn.

“Not even close,” the voice replied.

Then a man stepped out of the shadows, his own gun raised toward Paco and the others. “I suggest you lower your weapons, gentlemen. You're surrounded, even if we didn't extend a nice welcome when you broke in—I mean—arrived earlier.”

“Who are you?” Shane asked, his tone conversational and almost light-hearted.

The slender blond-haired man stepped even closer. “Me? I'm Laura's heartbroken boyfriend—the one she put a restraining order on. I'm Alex Whitmyer. And I've been waiting a long time to meet all of you. Now, tell me, how's my dear sweet Laura doing these days?”

L
ate afternoon sunshine filtered through the windows of Laura's room. All of the women had left except Lydia. She was in the comfortable blue armchair by the bed, reading out loud to Laura from a humorous devotional book.

Laura laughed as Lydia finished yet another comical story with an inspirational point. “Thank you,” she said. “I appreciate everyone sharing your stories. It's so amazing how you all met CHAIM agents and fell in love.”

“Add one more to that list,” Lydia said, patting her rounded tummy. “Paco was the last holdout.”

“He might still be the last holdout,” Laura replied, wondering where he was right now. “I wish we'd hear something.”

Lydia shook her head. “They only tell us things on a need-to-know basis. I'm sure Brice and Devon are getting hourly updates.”

“Eagle Rock does make me feel safe,” Laura said, hoping to hold off the sense of dread coursing through her heart. “I wonder what will happen between Paco and me, when this is over.”

Lydia looked down at her book. “He still has a lot of healing to do. I'd be cautious if I were you.”

“I've always been that,” Laura said, glancing at the clock. “But my one mistake has come back to haunt me. Alex Whitmyer. I think he's involved in this whole mess.”

“He's on the radar screen,” Lydia said. “I've heard his name mentioned but no one can locate him.”

And that was the source of Laura's dread.

They heard footsteps outside then the door opened.

“Dr. Haines,” Lydia said, getting up. “We thought you'd be here at noon.”

The doctor looked haggard, his eyes rimmed with fatigue, a frown pulling on his face. “I…uh…had a conflict.”

“Well, you're here now,” Lydia said. “I'll get Selena so you can examine Laura.”

Another man stepped around the door behind Dr. Haines. “That won't be necessary, Mrs. Malone. No one will be examining Laura Walton today.”

Laura gasped, her worst fears shining inside the man's demented eyes.

Lydia glanced from the man to Laura, realization coloring her skin. “Who are you?”

Laura reached out toward Lydia. “He's the man we were just talking about. Lydia, this is Alex Whitmyer.”

Alex grinned. “The stalker ex-boyfriend, come to fetch little Laura home.”

 

He hurt all over, but Paco was alive. And mad.

And sitting in some dark smelly dungeon.

“Paco?”

Shane's voice was like a hollow echo.

“I'm here. What's left of me, that is.”

“Eli?”

“
Oui
, John-boy,” Eli retorted with a snarl. “Enough with the roll call. We need to get out of here.”

“Got a plan, old boy?” Shane asked, his tone now back to drawing room pitch.

Paco grunted against the ropes holding his arms and legs tied. “He didn't gag us. His mistake. We can scream, at least.”

“No need to silence us,” Shane said. “Who would hear us out here on this lonely stretch of land?”

“Why didn't he kill us?” Eli asked, the echo of his surprise hitting the rafters. “I reckon beating us to a pulp was a bit more fun for him.”

“He wants us alive, remember?” Paco replied. “The man actually thinks he can form his own vigilante team. But if he's trying to convince us to join up, this wasn't the smartest way to do it.”

“Not with us,” Eli said. “He might think he can brainwash us into becoming his puppets, or maybe he plans to drug us to the point we'll do anything he says. Apparently, he tried to do that with the other poor saps. Ain't gonna happen. Not as long as I have breath in my body.”

Paco heard Shane moving around. “While we're figuring out how the man managed to hide a whole half dozen men and how those men managed to overpower us and dump us here, let's also figure out how to get out of here.”

“To get back to Eagle Rock,” Paco said, his fingers twisting against the ropes. “He wants Laura. We
thought Henner was behind this but all along it's been Whitmyer.”

“I fear Henner is long dead,” Shane said, a grunt of exertion coloring his words. “And probably buried somewhere here on his own property. Whitmyer has obviously taken his place. Wonder how that'll go over at the Christmas party?”

“He's gone not only rogue, but psycho-rogue,” Eli said on a snort. “The worst kind. I feel better about my past bad habits now, for true.”

“Enough chitchat,” Shane said, the rustling of ropes around him. “We need to move on while we can still stand.”

Paco let out one last grunt as he managed to tug at the circle of knots around his wrist. “I'm out,” he said, quickly untying his feet.

“Me, too,” Shane replied, his grin flashing in the dark, dank room.

“Eli?”

Paco felt a nudge from behind. “What are we waiting for?” Eli asked. “Whitmyer might have Henner's white horse, but we have something else on our side.”

“What's that?” Paco asked.

“People we love,” Eli replied. “And that can make a man mean with honor, understand?”

“I hear that,” Paco said. Because sitting here in this gloomy cold basement had brought a clear light to his eyes.

He loved Laura.

And he was going back to her, just as he'd promised.

Please, Lord, don't let me be too late.

 

She wasn't going to let this happen.

Laura looked at the man holding a gun on Dr. Haines.

“How did you get in, Alex?”

His glassy gaze held her. “Well, it wasn't easy, little darling, that's for sure. First, I had to take your laptop so I could scan all the files and find some vital passwords and information. Then I had figure out where that brooding has-been soldier was taking you and get the right people to follow you. Only, that didn't work out the way I'd planned.” He let out an exaggerated sigh.

“And then, I had to wait until I could find a way in the back door to this fort. A few security codes jammed and changed and the doctor was more than happy to oblige—”

“He threatened my wife,” Dr. Haines said, pointing a finger at Alex. “And he knocked out that young man out there and moved him to another part of the building. Held a gun on me while I tied him up. He's—”

“Shut up,” Whitmyer said, poking at the doctor with his gun. “We're here now but if you keep whining, old man, I can put you out of your misery. And
then
go after your wife. So I suggest you don't say a word, not about what I've done with that kid or anything else you've seen here.”

The doctor's shocked silence ended that conversation.

Laura tried to reason with him. “You might have us locked inside this room, Alex, but there are others here.” She saw Lydia's warning glance. “There is an agent on sight.”

“Oh, you mean a powerful CHAIM agent? Right. I
get that, Laura. I came prepared, of course. They won't bother us.” He pointed the gun toward Lydia. “Not if they want little mama here to live.”

Laura glanced at Lydia. Whitmyer had forced Lydia back in her chair. They were trapped in this room with a madman and a shaking doctor. And she had no idea where Andre was. Or Brice, Devon and the others for that matter. So she did the best thing she could do. She went into therapist mode, hoping her questions would distract him.

“Did you hire those men to come after me?”

Alex grinned. “Oh, you mean those losers who wanted to be super agents? Yeah, I kind of set them up. I told them if they'd prove themselves I'd let them join one of Henner's special teams.” He laughed. “I learned a lot of inside information, dating you. Found out so many fascinating things from hacking into your files, too. Those wannabes fell for it and did precisely what I thought they'd do. They messed up. Oops. But hey, got everyone's attention, didn't it?”

He laughed, glancing over to where Dr. Haines sat patting Lydia's arm more to calm himself than Lydia, Laura thought, her heart going out to the doctor.

“Where is Mr. Henner?” Lydia asked, her tone calm and guarded, a fierce determination in her eyes.

Whitmyer shook his head. “Out of the country for a while.”

“Did you hurt Kyle's father?” Laura shouted. “Alex, why would you do that? Why are you doing any of this?”

“The old man was depressed,” he retorted with a shrug. “He'd lost focus on our plans. I had to do some
thing to save the company, to save his empire. And to prove to you that I'm worthy, of course.”

“It wasn't your place to do that,” Laura said, her prayers bringing calm over her now that she saw him face-to-face and knew he was behind all of this. Maybe she could talk him through this. “And you don't have to prove anything to me.”

But Alex wasn't having any of that. “It was my place. I worked hard for that man for years, jumping like a dog every time he wanted things done. And he never saw it. He wanted his stupid son to man up and get with the program. Why? He had me right there all the time. I tried to show him we could take his company to the next level. But after you messed things up and his weak son offed himself, Henner went from blaming you to blaming himself. He wouldn't listen to reason so I had to act fast.”

“Is that why you dated me?” Laura asked, stalling, praying Brice, Devon and Kissie would figure things out.

He pushed off the locked door. “No, no. I dated you because I loved you…and I needed access to your file of reject-CHAIM agents and crazy rogue agents. I had this grand plan to take you with me into CSN, to create an organization better than CHAIM. After reading your files, I figured that whacked-out Martinez would jump at the chance. So when I heard you were going to find him, I set things into motion. And here we are.”

“There is no better organization than CHAIM,” Lydia said, rising off her chair. “And you need to understand what a mistake you've made here today.”

Whitmyer pushed the gun at her. “Sit down. The only
mistake I made was wasting my time with Martinez and his merry band of followers.”

“You've seen Paco?” Laura tried to sit up straight. It was hard to breathe. And her calm was fast disappearing.

Whitmyer shot her a cold stare. “Saw him, made him an offer—which he refused—and then made sure none of them will be returning here tonight.”

Laura gasped. “What did you do to them?”

Whitmyer walked over to her bed. “Ah, now, I never heard you worry like that for me. What happened? You go and fall for that worthless burned out soldier?”

Laura swallowed a retort, her mind centered on the one hope that Paco and the others were still alive. “I was trying to help him when all of this started.”

“Yeah, I saw some of those tender moments,” Whitmyer replied, his face inches from hers. “You've betrayed me, Laura. Just like everyone else I depended on.”

“So why are you here then?” she asked, anger giving her strength. “Why didn't you kill me yourself, instead of sending those men? They died because of you, Alex.”

“Actually, I should have done that but I needed you to help me, or so I thought. I decided I'd give you one more chance,” he retorted. “Either you agreed to leave here with me, or—” He pointed the gun toward Lydia and Dr. Haines. “Bang, bang.”

 

“He's posted guards all around us,” Paco said on a frustrated hiss. “That's why he wasn't too worried about us escaping.”

“How many?” Eli asked from his crouch behind Paco. They'd centered themselves near the lone window of the
basement but it was hard to see anything in the growing dusk.

“I count six at least,” Shane replied from somewhere in the darkness. “But I only figure that from the ones we've been able to see moving by. Could be more.”

“That's only two each,
mon ami,
” Eli replied. “We've been in worse jams.”

Shane let out a breath. “Yes, that's true. But we have only our wits and our fists to help us in this jam.”

Paco couldn't argue with that. Whitmyer had stripped them of their weapons and their phones. “Let's just do this thing so I can get to Laura.”

Eli rolled over to stare at him. “What's the plan?”

Paco closed his eyes, said a prayer then forced all the ugly scenarios involving Whitmyer and what he might do to Laura out of his head. “Get their attention, bring 'em in here and then, confuse 'em by gaining control over this situation.”

“
Oui,
and how do you propose we do that?” Eli asked.

Paco motioned to them to come close. “There's this black ops tactic we can use and I'm pretty sure it's one Whitmyer failed to mention to his henchmen out there. Listen and learn, boys.”

 

The phone on Laura's bedside table rang.

She glanced at the phone then up at Alex Whitmyer.

“Answer it,” he said. “But keep in mind, anything you say can be used against those two.” He pointed toward Lydia and the doctor. “I don't have anything to lose if I shoot one or two more people.”

Laura put the image of him shooting Paco or any of
the others out of her mind, willing herself to be calm. “Hello,” she said into the phone, her voice low and shaky.

“Laura, it's Kissie. The system is jammed and we can't gain access to your wing. Talk to me, baby.”

Laura swallowed, trying desperately to show no reaction to the thread of distress in Kissie's words. “Kissie, it's okay. Dr. Haines and Lydia are with me. We're fine.”

“Is someone there, honey?”

“Yeah, we were wondering where Selena went. The doctor wants to examine me.”

“Selena is across from you in another room. She alerted us when she realized the security code went red.”

“Oh, I see. We can wait for her then.”

Alex grabbed the phone away then put it to his ear.

“Listen to me, and listen good. I've got your patient and the pregnant lady in my gun sight, understand? And if anyone tries to come into this wing, I will shoot the pregnant woman first.”