“Sit tight for now. You’re going to need some stitches and that arm needs to be set. When you get to the emergency room, don’t lie to them. Tell them you were in a fight. Observe the doctors and nurses closely. Learn from them. Ask them questions. Ask them what they’re looking for when they examine your eyes and take your blood pressure. Ask them how broken bones heal.”
Toby said nothing, just looked around the room as if he were already seeing things from a new perspective.
“Make sure the vision in your left eye doesn’t become blurred or doubled over time. If it does, see a specialist right away, okay? Your retina got jarred. Hopefully, not too badly. I want you to wait here while I bring the women back in. They’re human beings, Toby, not just objects of entertainment. They have feelings. Like you and me.”
“I should leave.”
“Not yet. You need a few butterfly bandages to control the bleeding.” Nathan retrieved a clean washcloth from the kitchen and folded it into a quarter of its original size. “Hold this over the cut with pressure. Is your truck an automatic or stick?”
“Automatic.”
“Think you can drive?”
“Yeah, probably.”
Nathan patted his shoulder. “Details. Start noticing them.” He retrieved his 9-millimeter from the bedroom and told Cindy to follow him. They left the house through the front door and found Mara and Karen sitting in his Mustang.
“Party’s over,” Nathan said.
Karen climbed out and hugged Cindy. “Are you okay?” She looked at Nathan. “Is he gone?”
“No, but he will be soon. I think you’ll find he’s sorry for what he did.”
She stared at him for several seconds. “We’ll see about that.”
He led the women back into the house. As Nathan hoped, Toby apologized and offered to pay for all the damage he’d caused. Karen said she’d forego the money if he agreed to never come back and they struck a deal. When Nathan was sure things had cooled down and Toby was no longer a threat, he motioned for Mara to follow him. Once outside, he removed his wallet and handed her a wad of hundred-dollar bills. “To cover the damage.”
She was reluctant to take the money, but accepted it with thanks and a long hug.
“You could’ve hurt that guy a lot worse than you did.”
Nathan didn’t respond.
“Did you want to?”
“At first.” He answered her unspoken question. “I saw something in him.”
Mara stared for several seconds, hugging herself in the cool air. “If you ever want to talk, I mean, you know, just talk.…”
He turned to leave.
“Nathan?”
“I’ll call you soon. Thanks, Mara.”
He retrieved his shirt from the rear deck and pulled it on. On his way back to his Mustang, he diverted over to Toby’s truck, pulled a business card from his wallet, and set it against the Plexiglas cover of the speedometer where it wouldn’t be overlooked. It was a dual message he was sure Toby would understand. He slid into his car and waited. Sitting there, he ran the whole encounter back through his mind. Mara was right. He could’ve hurt Toby, hurt him badly. He knew the consuming rage Toby felt. Knew it well. But over the years since his captivity, he’d learned to control it, to use it like a tool and make it work for him, not against him. Maybe Toby could too.
His cell rang. “Harv. Sorry about that.”
“No worries. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll call you right back.”
“You got it.”
Toby walked out the front door a few minutes later, his right arm hanging uselessly. Using compact field glasses he kept in the glove box, Nathan watched Toby grab the business card from the dashboard. The big man stared at it for several seconds before backing out of the driveway. Keeping his headlights off, Nathan followed Toby’s truck until it was clear of the neighborhood.
He called Harvey back.
His partner answered after the first ring. “All right, tell me what happened.”
“One of Karen’s girls got slapped around by that big guy I told you about last week.”
“And.…”
“I put a reprimand in his personnel file.”
A pause. “Did you kill him?”
“Now would I do something like that?”
“Yes.”
“I’m deeply hurt by that comment.”
Silence on the other end.
“I didn’t kill him,” Nathan said. “The circumstances didn’t warrant it.”
“I would’ve helped.”
“There wasn’t time. I broke a few traffic laws getting there and a few bones after I arrived.”
“How many?”
“Bones or laws?”
“Is there a difference?”
“Radius, ulna, and a nose. Nothing serious.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you. Now, is everything okay with you?”
“I’m fine. But Frank Ortega’s not. He’s worried about his grandson.”
“Frank Ortega? The former FBI director?”
“The same.”
“Who’s his grandson?”
“Third-generation FBI. He’s currently undercover inside some kind of arms smuggling racket.”
“What kind of arms?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Where?”
“Up north. Lassen County. Nate, he’s missing. Ortega wants our help. I didn’t promise anything, but I said we’d meet with him.”
“What, tonight?” Nathan heard his partner sigh.
“Yeah, tonight. Hold tight. I’m already on my way.”
Chapter 2
Nathan’s Clairemont home was similar to every other on the block, meticulously landscaped with a pastel stucco exterior and tile roof. What set Nathan’s apart was its state-of-the-art security system. Some would call it overkill, but Nathan called it an indulgence. He and Harvey Fontana owned a company that installed such systems. Why shouldn’t he own the best?
A metallic-blue Mercedes pulled into Nathan’s driveway and its driver climbed out. Harvey, the same age as Nathan, stood six inches shorter. His light hazel eyes were an extreme contrast to his tanned, Latino complexion. Gray hair was definitely winning the battle. Nathan thought Harv had the classic look of a politician, but wouldn’t hold that against him.
“You know I’m here,” Harv muttered. He sounded like James Earl Jones with a Spanish accent. “The least you could do is meet me outside.”
“I am outside,” Nathan said.
