Forced to Kill

“There’s a big eucalyptus stump next to the gate.”

“From a cut-down tree?”

“The girls wanted to know why the owner did it.”

“It’s cut pretty low to the ground?”

“They can climb on it.”

Harv looked his way. He pointed to his wrist.

“Thank you, Ms. Dalton,” Harv said. “You can open your eyes now.”

Nathan took over, moving closer to Nichole Dalton and gently taking her hand. “You’ve given us really helpful information. The man who kidnapped you is very resourceful. If we take you to a hospital, the police will get involved. The news media monitor police and fire frequencies. Lots of people do the same thing with scanners. We’re going to tend to your needs outside the normal chain of the EMS. It’s the only way to ensure you’ll remain hidden and safe. You need to trust us. What I’m about to say may sound insensitive based on everything you’ve been through, but it’s not my intent. Okay?”

She nodded.

“I know your cuts are painful, but they’re not life threatening. You’re in no danger of dying. It’s important we keep you completely hidden. Harv and I know a doctor. He’s a very skilled plastic surgeon who can suture you up much better than an ER doctor. He’ll get you on antibiotics too. You’ll be in very good hands. I promise. You need to trust us, okay?”

“I do trust you. You just rescued me. But what about my girls?”

“Like I said, you need to trust us. While you’re being treated, we’re gonna be busy.” Time for a white lie. “I promise we’re going to find your girls. All those questions you answered help us a lot. It’s also the reason for the secrecy I mentioned. We don’t want their kidnapper to know we’re closing in on him. I promise to have you out of here in the next ten minutes or so. I can’t tell you everything, but there are other people who’ll want to talk to you about your kidnapper.”

“The NSA.”

“Probably the CIA and FBI too. We can insulate you for a while, but you’ll eventually have to talk to them.”

“I don’t understand any of this. It’s like a bad dream. I keep thinking I’ll wake up in my bed and none of this will be real.”

“That’s a normal thing to feel. Ms. Grangeland is going to stay with you while Harvey and I talk to those men out there. I promise this won’t take long.”

Nathan motioned for Harv to follow him out of the room. “She’s not a spook.”

“I agree,” Harv said.

“We need to find out which one of those goons is in charge and get Montez’s phone number.”

Chapter 31

The great and powerful Duane Dalton-a truly pathetic sight-broken and sobbing like a child. Not so great or powerful anymore. Yet something bothered Montez. He didn’t feel a sense of satisfaction with Dalton like he had with Kramer. He supposed it might have something to do with familiarity. Over the last six years, he’d had frequent contact with Kramer. Interrogating Kramer had been… what? Enjoyable? No, that wasn’t the right word. Satisfying. He’d always sensed a smug superiority oozing from Kramer, as if the man felt interacting with a mere Nicaraguan interrogator had somehow been beneath him. At the end, he’d actually lost his cool with Kramer at Bullfrog Bay. Montez winced inwardly. He was better than that. Above it. Still, casually pushing Kramer into the water with his foot had been sweet, as had seeing Kramer’s final expression.

Dalton was in bad shape, but not as bad as Kramer. Montez’s interrogation techniques always produced a lot of blood, but not fatally so. He’d never lost a subject during questioning. Accidentally killing a subject was inexcusable and costly. Rule number one in interrogation: You can’t question a dead subject.

Still, he hadn’t fully broken Dalton. The man acted as if he were telling all, but decades of experience told Montez he hadn’t extracted everything yet.

His cell rang. An unavailable number. Should he answer it? He doubted it could be anyone threatening. No one but his men had this number. With irritation he asked, “Who is this?”

“It’s Julio. We’ve got trouble.”

“What phone are you using? Where’s Hector?” Montez put the call on speaker so Duane Dalton could hear it.

“Two men broke in here and started shooting the place up. They killed Hector and Pablo!”

“Calm down. What’s your status?”

“I’m okay, but Miguel is hurt bad.”

“Where are the gunmen?”

“I shot them from the second floor office, they didn’t see me in time. They’re both dead. We can’t stay here, the police could be coming.”

“Who were they?”

“I don’t know. Big guys. No uniform or IDs.”

“By big you mean tall?”

“Yes.”

“What phone are you using?”

“Hector’s phone is broken. I’m using a dead guy’s phone.”

“Kill the woman and leave immediately. Don’t leave Hector and Pablo there. Put them in the van. Miguel too. Torch the warehouse and get down here right away.”

He ended the call and turned his attention back to what was left of Duane Dalton. He yanked the gag from Dalton’s mouth.

“Wait! Don’t kill her.”

Montez smiled. “Oh? And I suppose you had nothing to do with this latest attack?”

“I didn’t. I swear.”

“You have lied to me for the last time.”

“Please, she’s no threat to you.”

“I don’t give a damn about your ex-wife.”

“Please, I’ll tell you-”

“Tell me what?”

“Everything. Call your man back. Don’t kill Nichole. Please!”

Montez took several steps away and pretended to dial his phone. He had no intention of sparing Dalton’s ex-wife. He’d been betrayed for the last time.

“Julio, change of plans. Don’t kill the woman,” he feigned. “Take her with you. Call me when you’re almost here.” He completed the act by pressing the end button, then turned back to Dalton. “All right, you have my complete attention. Conceal nothing, color no facts this time, or I promise I’ll let my men have their way with your precious little girls. Many, many, times.”

Montez inserted a thumb drive into the laptop, opened the video recording program, and turned on the camera. “From the beginning, please.”

Satisfied, Nathan took his cell back from the mercenary and tucked it into his pocket.

It took several minutes to secure the wounded men and leave the warehouse. With Grangeland and Nichole Dalton following in her sedan, Nathan again pulled his phone and dialed the number Cantrell had given him at the hospital.

“Cantrell.”

“It’s echo five.”

“You’re using your cell. Find a payphone and call me back.”

The signal ended. “She wants me to call back on a payphone.”