DV Berkom Books

Suspense. Adventure. BadAss Heroines

  • Home
  • About DV
    • Interviews/Media
    • Other Work
  • Books
    • Leine Basso Crime Thrillers
    • Kate Jones Thrillers
    • Claire Whitcomb Westerns
    • Boxed Sets
    • Audiobooks
    • Books in Order
    • Translations
  • Blog
  • Free Books
  • Shop
  • Kate Jones Thrillers
    • Bad Spirits
    • Kate Jones Thrillers, Vol. 1 (box set)
    • Cruising for Death
    • Yucatán Dead
    • A One Way Ticket to Dead
    • Vigilante Dead
  • Leine Basso Crime Thrillers
    • A Killing Truth
    • Serial Date
    • Bad Traffick
    • The Body Market
    • Cargo
    • The Last Deception
    • Dark Return
    • Absolution
    • Dakota Burn
    • Shadow of the Jaguar
    • A Plague of Traitors
    • Fatal Objective
  • Claire Whitcomb Westerns
    • Retribution
    • Gunslinger
    • Legend
  • Audiobooks
  • Box Sets
    • Leine Basso Thriller Series, Vol. 1
    • Leine Basso Thriller Series, Vol. 2
    • The Leine Basso Thriller Series, Books 1-8 Boxset
    • Kate Jones Thrillers, Vol. 1
    • Kate Jones Thrillers, Vol. 2
    • Claire Whitcomb Collection

Archives for March 2013

Serial Saturday- Bad Spirits Part V – Bad Choices

Happy Saturday, everybody! Today is the last installment of the Kate Jones thriller-novella, Bad Spirits (Books 1-5). If you missed Part I, Part II, Part III, or Part IV,  click on the ones you missed and then come on back. I’ll wait 🙂

All done? Welcome back!

Without further ado, Bad Spirits, Part V: BAD CHOICES

badspirits5

“Kate–” Luis called as I walked away from the car. I turned and watched him make his way across the weed covered lot.

“Here.” He handed me a wad of bills. “It should be enough to get to wherever you’re going.”

I gave him a half-smile and tucked the money in my pocket.

“Thanks. Luis, I’m sorry I–”

He shrugged. “Don’t be.” He nodded his head at Chance waiting in the idling sedan. “I think even he understands.” He pulled out a pen and a scrap of paper, wrote on it and handed it to me. “My cell. In case you change your mind.”

I folded it and put it in my pocket. “Goodbye, Luis. Take care of yourself and your family.”

I started to walk away when the car rolled up next to me. Chance leaned his head out the window.

“At least let me get you to a bus stop, for Christ’s sake.”

Luis handed me a canteen of water and they watched me board the bus to Mazatlán before speeding off into the early morning. Chance had continued to try to persuade me to stay, to trust him to keep me safe, but my mind was made up. Eventually, he conceded defeat and promised he would keep my surviving the explosion quiet for at least the next few hours. Grateful for that small window of time, I made it look as though I was heading to the large seaside city, knowing I’d have to delay the actual trip until I made a phone call.

As the desert scenery raced by, I felt a pang of guilt for not sticking around to testify. But then I remembered Eduardo and the thought of his execution hardened my resolve. I needed to take things into my own hands, stop trusting strangers. My life tended to work out better when I relied on myself. The times that I got into trouble directly corresponded to my bad choices in men.

All I had to do was avoid falling for anyone.

Simple.

I got off at the next stop–a small, dusty town several miles from the safe house–and found a phone. I dialed the familiar number and had to stifle a sob when my sister Lisa’s voice came on the line and accepted the charges.

“Lisa–”

“Kate? Is that you? Where are you?”

“I-I’m still in Mexico. Did you get the money I wired?”

There was a pause. I thought the connection cut out. Then I heard a sigh.

“Kate– I, yes, I did get the money.”

Relief flooded through me. “Oh, thank God. Lisa, I need you to wire it back to me–”

Another pause.

“I can’t. I promised not to.” The anguish in her voice spoke of indelible pressure from my older siblings. The ones who thought they knew best, always judging my life choices. Granted, they had a point this time, but I would never forgive them their lack of support. To me, family meant acceptance, love. I hadn’t hurt anyone but myself.

And Oggie.

“Lisa, you have to listen to me. It’s the only way I can get out of the country. I wired the money to you because I knew you’d do the right thing and keep it safe until I needed it.”

“I. Can’t.” I heard her take a deep breath, then slowly let it out. “They told me you’d just get into more trouble if I did. Kate, I’m so sorry I–”

I switched tactics and tried a harder line. “The money’s mine, Lisa. You need to wire it to me, now.” Lisa was the youngest of all of us and she caved whenever someone exerted authority. I hated doing that to my sweet, sensitive sister, but damn, my life was at stake.

She cried softly on the other end.

“I-I can’t, Kate. I’m so sorry–”

“Lisa, wait–”

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone. The overwhelming sense of abandonment surprised me. I’d always just assumed I could count on Lisa for anything. Anger soon replaced the loss I felt. I took deep breaths to calm myself and extinguish the dark thoughts I was having of my other sisters. Anger wouldn’t help me now. I needed to formulate another plan.

I hung up the phone and walked to a nearby bench to sit down and think. A scruffy, battle-scarred tabby slid past my leg and rubbed its head on my shoes, purring loudly. I reached down and scratched it behind its ears, glad for the company. Unscrewing the cap from my canteen, I poured some of the water onto the sidewalk. The cat lapped up the liquid, raised its head and meowed. Once it realized I had nothing else to give, it flicked its tail and disappeared behind a concrete building.

The way I saw it, I had two options, and neither one was exactly risk-free. I could go back to Lana’s in Los Otros and dig up the money I’d buried in her yard. Or, I could go back to Oggie’s. My stomach twisted at the idea.

The Lana option appeared to be the biggest risk. Her place was a long way from where I currently found myself, and much too deep into Salazar Country. The thought of having to retrace so many steps in such dangerous territory scared the hell out of me. I relegated the idea to Plan C.

But Oggie’s presented serious risks, too. When Salazar and Anaya got wind that I’d survived the explosion, they could conceivably post lookouts near his place in the event that I really had stashed the money somewhere nearby. I’d have to do a little surveillance of my own, make sure no one was watching the place before digging the backpack out of the cellar. But that used up precious time I didn’t have.

After agonizing over the pros and cons of each option I made my decision and purchased a ticket for the next bus to the small town near Oggie’s.

 

 

The bus rocked me into a kind of stupor and I fell into an exhausted sleep, waking sometime later when we lurched to a stop. The bus driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror and indicated that we were where I’d told him I wanted to get off.

As I walked past him, I thanked him and handed him a tip. He smiled and nodded.

“Muchas gracias, Señora.”

I watched as the back of the bus disappeared in a cloud of dust. The late afternoon sun inked the terrain with dense shadows. Careful to stay off the road in case another vehicle happened along, I began the long walk to Oggie’s house. I couldn’t take the risk of being seen. The only people who knew my current location were the bus driver and two older women passengers. I wasn’t too concerned about the women, and the bus driver had many miles to go before he’d mention the juarita he dropped off earlier that afternoon.

The temperature difference soared between the coast and the interior. Thankful for the canteen of water, I drank deeply to replace what I lost in perspiration. I could refill it once I made it to Oggie’s.

A few kilometers later, the small concrete house came into view. I stopped and scanned the area, searching for the telltale sign of someone waiting, watching. A fly buzzed next to my ear and I swatted it away from my sweaty face. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, I settled down in the shade underneath a palo verde to wait for night fall.

As soon as the shadows had melted together in the deep twilight, I stood and stretched, then checked the main road. Nothing moved. I crossed the road to Oggie’s, stepping over the split-rail fence into his yard.

No sound greeted me–not even the chirp of a cricket. The place felt abandoned. I don’t know what I expected as I crossed the dirt lot and stopped in front of the broken cellar door. A dark discoloration stained the ground in front of me. Dried blood from Frank’s guy. I cast a nervous glance behind me, half expecting Frank to be there with a gun pointed at my back.

I shook off the fear and lifted the door. The gaping maw of the dark cellar yawned open, mocking me with visions of snakes coiled and waiting to strike. With clammy hands, I took hold of the ladder and climbed the few rungs to the dirt floor. I waited for my eyes to adjust to what sliver of light the moon gave me. The back of the cellar rested in total darkness.

Careful not to knock anything over, I groped my way toward the rear wall. A chill settled in my bones as cobwebs clung to my face and hair. Shuddering, I took a deep breath and wiped away the sticky filaments.

Finally, I reached the stack of boxes I’d stashed the backpack under and began to lift them out of the way, digging down to the bottom.

The pack was still there. I realized I’d been holding my breath and let it out with a sigh. My heart in my throat, I unzipped the main compartment and reached inside. Relief washed through me as my fingers closed around a fat stack of bills. I zipped the bag closed, got up and made my way back to the entrance.

I climbed out of the cellar and closed the door behind me. The falling darkness cast odd shadows across the abandoned homestead. Oggie’s house crouched in front of me in silent condemnation. I wondered if anyone had checked on the old man and his sick cat. What if no one had bothered to rescue Wild Bill? Too much time had passed since Oggie gave him his last insulin shot.

Without thinking, I skirted the side of the house and slipped around to the front door. I had no idea what the local authorities would do once they found the body. Murder probably wasn’t unheard of in these parts, but I doubted it was a common occurrence.

Oggie’s VW sat parked in the same place. I walked over to it and looked inside. No keys in the ignition. I reached in and checked under the seat.
Nothing.

A sense of dread traveled upward from my stomach as I walked toward the house, not knowing what I’d find when I opened the front door. What if no one had found him yet?

My mind rejected the thought. I’d read somewhere that a rotting body had a unique odor that was hard to forget. I doubted I’d be able to get this close without smelling something.

The door handle turned easily. I nudged it open, staying to the side in case I’d been wrong and someone waited for me. There’d been no activity during the time I watched the place, so I felt relatively safe in entering.

I edged in and closed the door behind me. Relieved the place smelled of stale kitty litter, and not a decomposing body, I crossed the floor to the kitchen sink and filled my canteen from the faucet. Then I searched the drawers and cabinets for car keys. In the third drawer I checked, I found a small wind up flashlight. I spun the handle until I got a thin beam of light and swept it around the room.

The chair Frank had tied me to still sat upright, but the one Oggie’d been sitting on lay on its side, pieces of tape still attached where his wrists and ankles had been. Dried blood stained the floor surrounding the chair. The scene blurred as tears welled in my eyes.

Oggie died because of me.

I angrily wiped the tears away and took a deep breath to clamp down on my emotions and continue my search.

The fridge light blinked on when I opened the door. The only items inside were a few bottles of Pacifico sitting next to a moldy bolio and an empty box of insulin. I closed the door and walked over to the small night stand next to the bed. The top drawer held a torrid romance and pair of reading glasses, along with a bottle of sleeping pills, but no keys. I looked under the bed, wondering what happened to Wild Bill. I quickly checked everywhere in the house a cat might hide, even though I knew Wild Bill would have come out to greet me if he was still around. Part of me wanted to stop looking, in case I did find him. The tiny bathroom held only the dirty litter box, and it didn’t look like it had been used recently.

I gave up the search and walked back into the living room, ready to leave.

A car door slammed.

Voices.

Cold fear arced up my spine. Gravel crunched outside the door.

I sprinted to the back door and slipped through just as the front door opened.

“If Frank is right and she does come back, I’ve got a little present for her.” The man spoke gutter Spanish. The other man mumbled something I didn’t catch. Probably because of the blood pounding in my ears.

“Who’s going to know? He wants her dead. What we do before we kill her will be our little secret, eh?” The men’s laughter ricocheted off the walls of the small house.

I backed away from the window, careful not to make any noise. Once I’d gone a few feet, I spun around and slammed into an old bicycle, connecting to it with a thud. I grabbed it before it toppled, and froze, waiting for the two men to come running out after me. I started to breathe again when the laughter resumed inside the house. I skirted the mesquites and slipped behind the cellar, hopped the low fence and started running.

 

 

I didn’t stop until the lights of the house had long disappeared behind me. Grateful for the shadows and the soft, blue moonlight, I continued to walk, working out how to hot wire Oggie’s car without being caught. No matter how I looked at it, it was a fool’s errand, and I’d end up dead. With no gun, I didn’t have a chance against those men. The weight of the money against my back assured me that I’d be fine without the car.

There was just one thing.

Salazar obviously knew I was alive, and by extension, so did Anaya. I had to get to Mazatlán. I needed the anonymity of a big city, both for dropping off their radar as well as securing a passport. There was no way I could go to San Bruno now. Salazar or Anaya would have someone searching for me in every town between here and Nogales, and I had history in San Bruno that Salazar knew about. Besides, I’d be able to fly anywhere from Mazatlán’s international airport. Salazar may have an extensive reach, but if he didn’t know my name, he wouldn’t be able to find me in a sea of tourists.

 

 

I woke to lush, tropical terrain flowing past me outside the bus window. I hugged my coat tighter against the bus’ frigid air conditioning. Outside, the air would be humid and warm. Memories of shrimp dinners and late night walks on the beach from a less complicated time crowded my mind, temporarily pushing away the fear that had become my constant companion.

The bus pulled into the brightly lit station in central Mazatlán. I grabbed the backpack from the overhead compartment and got off, orienting myself before negotiating with a cab driver for a ride to the hotel strip along the beach.

Mazatlán hadn’t changed much since the last time I’d visited. It was like remembering another person’s trip; a friend and I had just graduated from college and spent a week at one of the luxury hotels on the strip, dancing and eating and flirting with sexy Mexican guys, all the while believing this was our last hurrah before going back to the states and throwing ourselves into climbing the corporate ladder. She had an internship at her father’s law firm waiting for her, and I was going to be on the fast track at a prestigious investment company in downtown Minneapolis.

Then I met Roberto Salazar.

It’s funny how your life can change with one fateful choice.

I shook off the memories and had the cabbie drop me at a big luxury hotel midway down the strip. I paid cash for the room and ignored the front desk clerk when she looked questioningly at my attire. Good job being inconspicuous, I thought.

When I got to my room, I stuffed the backpack in the closet safe, stripped to nothing and threw my clothes on the king sized bed. Immediately, I went into the bathroom and filled the large tub with hot water and the hotel’s lavender bath salts. A phone call and half an hour later, room service delivered two margaritas and a perfectly grilled steak. I tipped the waiter with the last of the money from Luis, handed him my dirty clothes for valet service, sat down and inhaled the meal.

Margarita in hand, I wandered out to the balcony in my fluffy white robe to watch the orange and purple sunset over the Sea of Cortez. Tourists frolicked in the gentle surf several floors below. The joyful sounds of a large, seaside resort floated up toward me. It all felt so normal and safe. I sank into the comfortable chair and put my feet up on the low table. I was nothing if not good at denial.

The first margarita took the edge off. The second one helped me forget.

 

 

The next morning, I woke early and headed for the nearest drug store. I bought a pair of scissors, some hair dye and three pairs of sunglasses. On my way back to my hotel, I stopped in a trendy boutique and bought myself a little black dress with matching shoes and handbag, and another pair of jeans. An hour or so later when I looked in the bathroom mirror, I barely recognized myself. Goodbye, California blonde with long, sun streaked hair and no mascara; hello, serious looking woman with short, brown hair and exotic makeup.

I kind of liked the change. The shorter hair felt freer, and made washing it simple and fast.

After a late lunch of grilled prawns, I slid on a pair of faux tortoise-shell sunglasses and the stretchy black dress and shoes, and took the elevator to the lobby. I got in the first cab I came to and gave the driver directions. He glanced in the rear view mirror with a frown, as if to make sure I knew where I was headed. I nodded. He shrugged and drove away from the curb.

A short time later, we pulled up to the Mapas y Más storefront in the old section of Mazatlán. I paid the driver and asked him to wait for me, and then went inside.

The long, narrow shop held dozens of neatly stacked maps and books of maps, along with globes, magnifying glasses and intricate ships-in-a-bottle. A man dressed in board shorts and a Baja hoodie with hipster glasses and hair the color of wet sand stood on one side, paging through a large, leather-bound book. I walked past him to the back and rang the bell on the counter.

Behind the register, the dusty velvet curtain parted and a short, muscular man with a neck as wide as his head and the expression of an angry pit bull appeared. Dressed in black jeans, a white golf shirt and worn huaraches, he drew his shoulders back and lifted his chin when he saw me. I removed my sunglasses and smiled at him. His answering smile softened his hardened demeanor, but only a little.

“Hola, Señor. Are you the owner?”

“Sí. May I help you, Señora?”

I’d overheard Salazar mention the map store where I now stood as the best place to obtain forged documents in Mexico. The owner was well-known in the drug cartel world, and gladly acquired any kind of documentation requested. He worked fast, and asked no questions, preferring to remain silent about his clients, as many were members of rival cartels.

I cleared my throat and replied, “Please. I have heard that not only are you the purveyor of the finest, most comprehensive collection of maps in all of Mexico, but deal in procuring other items, as well.”

His eyes narrowed as he considered the gringa standing before him. He clasped his hands on the counter in front of him, his eyes shifting to my chest, emphasized by the low-cut, clingy black dress.

“It depends on what you need, Señora. I have many items for sale.” He continued his perusal, his gaze trailing up my neck to my eyes. My heart skipped a beat. I’d seen that look before. I could only describe it as deadly, and this man had it in spades. I tried to swallow.

Tentatively, I reached forward and touched his sleeve, wearing what I hoped looked like a flirtatious smile. “I’ve mislaid my passport. I am to leave your beautiful country soon, but can’t wait for my replacement, as I would forfeit the large sum of money I’ve paid for the remainder of my trip.” I leaned over the counter to give him a better view. “An old friend told me on good authority that you may be able to expedite the process–for a price.”

The man grinned, his neck muscles bulging even more. We both knew this was a bullshit story, but protocol dictated the false reasoning. That way, no one expressly acknowledged the true nature of the transaction. At least, that’s what I assumed.

I was wrong.

“I’m sorry, Señora, I wish I could help you with your dilemma.” He shook his head and lifted his hands, palms up. “Life would be very good indeed, if I would be able to do such a thing. I’d be a rich man.”

My cheeks burned as I realized my mistake. Of course. He didn’t know me from Adam. He probably thought I was going to turn him in–that I was part of a sting operation or worse. Why did I think he’d respond to a complete stranger? A woman, no less. I could have kicked myself for my stupidity.

“You should visit the American consulate. I’m sure they will be happy to help you.”

“I-I’m so sorry. My friend must have been mistaken.” I turned to leave and noticed the sandy-haired man staring at me. Still embarrassed, I ignored him as I passed, heading for the door. It looked like I needed a Plan B.

“Let me–” the sandy-haired guy said, and reached around me to open the door.

Australian accent. Looked like a surfer.

“Thanks,” I said, and walked through the door onto the street. My taxi was where I’d left it, the cabbie’s head laid back against the headrest, apparently taking a siesta.

“Is this yours?” he asked, indicating the cab. His brown eyes had an earnestness that made me smile. I was tempted to brush his tousled hair away from his face. He wasn’t bad looking, for a surfer.

I nodded and reached for the cab’s door handle.

“I can help you,” he said.

I turned to face him, sizing him up.

“What do you mean?”

“What you asked Juan for in there–a passport.” He looked around, casually. No one was within hearing distance.

“You know him?”

“Sure. Everybody knows Juan. But only a few know what he does on the side.”

Well, then. Maybe there was hope for this idea yet.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

He grinned, and his face lit up. “I thought you’d never ask.”

 

 

His name was Tristan. He was in his mid-thirties and I’d guessed right–he was from Australia and loved to surf. He landed in Mazatlán a month before and decided to take an extended break from his year-long surf odyssey.

“I wasn’t getting any younger, you know? I knew if I didn’t do it this time, I’d probably never get the chance.”

We sat at an open-air bar under a palapa, sipping margaritas. The ocean breeze felt like a caress on my face. If I closed my eyes, I could almost believe I was on vacation.

Almost.

“So what’s your story, Ava?”

I’d given him the name I picked out for my fake passport. The less people who knew me as Kate, the better.

“I’m a little embarrassed,” I began, sliding my finger around the rim of my drink to remove some of the salt. “My boyfriend and I had a fight and I left in a huff, forgetting my passport. Now he won’t give it back, and my flight leaves the end of the week. I met a guy who told me about Juan, but he didn’t mention I had to have an introduction in order to deal with him.” I shrugged and took a sip. “I didn’t get a number.”

Tristan leaned closer, his shoulder touching mine. He smelled faintly of salt water and spicy aftershave. I found myself relaxing for the first time in weeks. The margarita helped, and Tristan had a personal magnetism that reminded me of much better days.

Not to mention he had a great ass.

“If you don’t mind being from a different country than the U.S., I think it would only take a couple of days to get one made. Although, I’m warning you now, it will be exy.”

“Expensive?”

“Yeah. I think the last time it was ten grand, easy.” He finished his margarita and ordered a beer from the bartender.

“You want another?” he asked.

I nodded. What the hell. I hadn’t felt this good in a long time. An execution didn’t appear to be in my immediate future. And ten grand for a fake passport didn’t sound so bad.

Not if it meant getting as far away from Salazar and Anaya as possible.

We left the bar an hour later, headed for a nearby taco stand, giggling like fools from his outrageous surfer stories. He finished off a humungous burrito in the time it took me to eat a taco.

“Why don’t you come with me?” The invitation was delivered with nonchalance, but I detected intense interest in the answer.

I reached over and wiped a drop of salsa off his chin.

“You mean to Fiji?”

“Yeah. What do ya think?” He grinned and nudged me with his elbow. “There’s no better place to learn how to surf, guaranteed.”

He’d mentioned earlier that his next and last stop would be Fiji before returning home to Australia.

“Get me a passport, darlin’ and we’ll talk about it.”

“Too right!” He grabbed me around the waist and started to Samba in the street. I laughed and followed his lead.

He talked me into continuing our dancing at a club, but first, he’d parked his rented van along a side street and wanted to move it closer to the strip so it would be easier to find later. Once we’d accomplished that, we headed for a Latin dance club and more drinks.

By the time two o’clock rolled around, I was seriously ready to get back to my hotel room, and I wanted Tristan to join me. I felt a small measure of safety with him around, even though I knew I was deceiving myself.

As he walked me up the steps to my hotel, I leaned into him and nuzzled his neck. He tightened his arm around me and kissed the top of my head.

“Stay with me?” I asked.

He nodded, and we took the elevator to my room.

 

 

The echo of laughter followed by a door slamming shut in the hallway jolted me awake. I lay still for a minute, trying to remember where I was. The memory of Tristan naked brought a languid smile to my face and I rolled onto my side to snuggle up next to him.

The bed was empty.

I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair.

“Tristan?” No answer. I wrapped the sheet around me and slid off the bed, padding over to the open door to the balcony, half-expecting to see him reading the paper and drinking coffee.

Two empty glasses and a napkin from the night before sat on the low table. No Tristan. I mentally shrugged. Maybe he’d gone for coffee. I turned and walked back into the room, heading for the bathroom.

I stopped. Something wasn’t right.

I back tracked a couple of steps and looked again.

My breath caught in my throat. I sank onto the bed and stared at the closet.

At the open, empty safe.

No.

The events of the night before clicked into place, as though a lock had just tumbled to the right combination.

The sinking feeling in my gut told me the memory that I’d opened the safe and given him the ten thousand dollars for the passport after we’d made love wasn’t a dream.

But I also remembered resetting the safe and closing the door.

How long had he been gone? I flung myself off the bed and rushed to the closet where I threw on my freshly laundered jeans and tee-shirt, slid into my shoes and ran out the door to the elevator. The lift took too long, so I raced to the stairwell and flew down the six flights to the lobby.

When I reached the huge front door, I stopped to orient myself.

Left. We’d parked the van down the street to the left. Almost knocking the doorman over, I sprinted down the sidewalk, past the few early morning tourists sipping cups of steaming coffee, toward where we’d parked the night before.

Halfway down the next block, I spotted the van. Relief surged through me. At the same time hurt and anger at Tristan’s betrayal boiled to the surface.

I spotted him as he crossed the street, carrying my backpack. I was still too far from the van.

“Tristan!”

Startled, he looked up. Our eyes met. Without breaking stride, he opened the door, tossed the backpack into the van, got in and shut the door. He bowed his head for a moment, and then glanced up and watched me through the windshield as the engine turned over.

The force of the blast threw me backward onto the sidewalk. The explosion rocked the boulevard, shattering plate-glass windows and setting off car alarms up and down the street. I rolled to my side and lifted myself onto my elbow. A still burning door from the van landed in the street with a crash, narrowly missing a red car driving past. Pieces of what looked like singed hundred-dollar bills fluttered to the ground. A child’s wail split through the chaos.

I struggled to stand, and held onto the granite storefront next to me for support. Enveloped in flames, the van was a hulking, charred chassis, reminding me of pictures I’d seen on the news of roadside bombings in Iraq. I staggered closer, bracing myself in case some part of Tristan remained, but it seemed improbable that any of him survived.

The wail of sirens broke through the shock. I had to leave, now.

In a panic, I turned away from the scene, and realized I had nowhere to go, no one to turn to.  I couldn’t go back to my hotel room. Obviously, someone knew exactly where I was, who I was with and where I was going. I leaned forward and tried to catch my breath.

People ran in all directions. I scanned the crowd that had started to gather around the burning van, afraid I might recognize someone from Salazar’s army of gunmen.

That’s when I realized it could be anyone. Male, female, it wouldn’t matter. If they could get to me this fast, I didn’t have a chance. Fear rooted my feet to the spot. My brain screamed at me to run.

I forced myself to walk away.

Luis. I had to call Luis. It may not be the most secure option, but it was the best. They’d be careful. They knew Salazar had an informant in one of the agencies. Or, maybe it was Anaya. I had enough information on both to put them away for years. And, I knew how to find Anaya’s camp in the northern mountains.

I reached into my pocket, praying that the piece of paper with Luis’ cell phone number was still there. It was. I sighed with relief. The valet must have removed it prior to laundering the jeans, and then replaced it before delivering them to my room. With knees shaking, I walked into the next hotel and found a phone.

 

 

Twenty-four hours later, I was on board a helicopter, headed for the states. The game had changed after Luis transferred my phone call to Chance, and I told him that I had information on Vincent Anaya as well as Salazar. After his arrest, Salazar had made a deal with the Mexican government to betray Anaya in return for a lesser sentence. Ultimately, the DEA agreed to the terms, as Anaya headed an organization that reached well beyond Mexico. In return, they anticipated Anaya’s extradition to the U.S.

That didn’t happen.

With my recorded testimony, and that of two other witnesses, Anaya was sentenced to twelve years – in a Mexican prison. The Mexican judge was well known for being open to bribes, and the prison he chose for Anaya was well known for taking good care of its prisoners, for a price. He’d be able to run his empire easily from his cell, all with the protection of armed guards. Infuriated by what he viewed as the betrayal of the agents who lost their lives during the operation, Chance vowed to find a way to bring both Anaya’s and Salazar’s operations down, whatever the cost.

As for John Sterling, he received ten years in a federal penitentiary outside of Tucson. I’d be a distant memory by the time he got out.

The sentencing didn’t give me much peace of mind. I knew Anaya would be able to contract someone to kill me from prison. Salazar could, too, but paying someone to kill me would be more an expensive nuisance, especially if Anaya was trying to do the same thing. Why duplicate the effort? Anaya would certainly have Salazar killed in prison for his betrayal. Salazar could pay for protection, as well, but Anaya was more feared than Salazar, so I assumed it was just a matter of time.

Chance offered to place me in Witness Protection, but again, I refused. One of the agencies still had a leak, and supplying either Anaya or Salazar with my contact information would paint a big red bull’s-eye on my back. I opted to get identification on my own, with a little help from an informant Chance knew. Both Luis and Chance pooled their resources and came up with a few thousand to get me started, for which I was grateful.

The only problem being I had no idea where to go.

I couldn’t go home to Minnesota and put my family at risk, and I didn’t want to be anywhere near Mexico, at least for a while. The money I’d buried at Lana’s could wait. Things had to cool down before I could even think about planning a trip back there.

What I needed now was another plan. A plan to get me as far away from Mexico and Salazar as possible.

Luis walked me out to the field office parking lot and handed me a set of keys.

I glanced at them. “What are these for?”

He smiled and turned me around.

“It’s yours.”

Parked in front of us was a slightly beat-up, tan colored Jeep. The two-door, sporty kind. I looked at Luis.

“Really?” I’d always loved Jeeps.

“Really. It’s got a full tank.”

“Thanks.” It was all I could say. Luis turned to go, but stopped.

“Be safe, Kate. And remember–you can call me, anytime.”

I nodded, already making plans. I walked over to the Jeep. The asphalt radiated a furnace-like heat from the hot Arizona sun, but it didn’t bother me. The Jeep’s doors had been taken off and lay in the back. I’d have to buy a canvas top, if I was staying in this part of the country.

That was a big if.

I was now Kate Jones, unemployed, unencumbered, and completely on my own.

Time to go.

The End

Free Book Friday

Here are a couple of places to find free ebooks today:

http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2013/03/29/freebie-friday-free-falling/

http://www.pixelofink.com/category/free-kindle-books/

http://ereadernewstoday.com/category/free-kindle-books/

http://awesomeindies.net/2013/03/30/friday-freebies-mystery-contemporary-fiction-historical-fiction/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Free-eBooks/379003078/

ereader_books

Enjoy!

I’m on RLF today!

I’m being interviewed today on Romance Lives Forever. Stop by, leave a comment and WIN stuff!! #blatantbribery
http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/2013/03/romantic-suspense-bad-traffick-dvberkom.htmldracula

You are feeling very sleepy and vant to comment on the blog….

Serial Saturday–Bad Spirits Part IV – Last Chance

Hi there, everybody! Welcome to Serial Saturday where I’m posting excerpts of my serial novella, Bad Spirits each week. If you missed Part I, it’s here. Part II is here and Part III is here. So sit back, grab a drink and enjoy!

badspirits4

LAST CHANCE

The hood over my head disoriented me and I stumbled, but my captors held me steady. Unable to do anything except try to stay on my feet, I didn’t have time to think about what was happening. The group moved me through the hacienda with a silent swiftness that left me wondering why Salazar would want to keep my execution quiet.

We stopped, and someone threaded a strap of some sort underneath my arms and cinched it tight across my chest. Someone else stood behind me and wrapped their arms around my waist in an iron grip. We frog marched a short distance, then they lifted me off my feet and pulled me backward over what must have been the second floor railing. The falling sensation hit me hard, but a zipping sound told me we were connected to something that would break our landing.

We reached the ground, and the strap around my chest loosened. Other sets of feet hit the gravel in addition to the one who had a hold of my arm. We’d gone maybe ten steps when the first pop of gunfire echoed through the compound.

“Mierda,” my captor muttered under his breath, and dragged me forward. Someone returned fire and then a full gunfight erupted behind us, automatic weapons fire splitting the night. I ran, stumbling, trusting the man beside me to guide us to safety.

Safety? The idea confused me, but I couldn’t sort it out. I could only run.

We veered to the left and I heard a car door open. He shoved me inside. I slid to the floor and attempted to climb onto the seat.

“Stay down,” he said, in thickly accented English.

I ducked my head and pulled the hood off, gulping in air. I lay on the back floor of a large, idling SUV. The gunman that shoved me into the vehicle walked toward the front of the pickup. I peered over the seat back. He stopped and leaned across the hood, aiming his gun at a large gardening shed. Three dark figures rounded the corner, running straight toward us. It must have been his buddies, because he didn’t shoot. One of the figures stopped alongside the building and waited while the other two made it to the truck and climbed inside.

An unmasked man raced around the corner, but then checked and fell back behind the structure. The figure alongside the building melted into the shadows around the back. Two gunshots followed. The masked gunman reappeared and resumed his position next to the garden shed.

The man standing at the front of the truck sprinted back, got in next to me, and slammed the door closed. The SUV spit gravel as it rocketed forward. When he realized I’d taken the hood off, he grabbed it and yanked it over my head. At the same time he pushed me back down behind the seat.

“Keep the hood on and stay down.”

We skidded to a stop next to the shed. The back door opened and closed, and a pair of legs shoved me to the middle. Then we started moving again. The sporadic gunfire faded in the distance. It wouldn’t be long before Salazar’s men followed.

“Milo?” one of them asked.

“Dead,” came the reply. No one spoke after that.

We sped through the night. I fought to keep my legs from cramping and shifted in the small space.

After a while, the man to my left nudged my shoulder. “You can get up now, but keep the hood on.” I crawled onto the seat and stretched my legs, careful not to disturb either gunman.

Who were these men? Did they rescue me only to kill me? They weren’t Salazar’s thugs, obviously, or I’d be dead by now. Would they hold me for ransom? I doubted Salazar would pay to get me back. He’d probably tell them to go ahead and kill me–the only bright spot being that they might not know that.

The SUV rounded a curve and the road became rugged. We seemed to hit every pothole in existence. One of the men in the front seat lit a cigarette. The rancid smoke seeped under the hood, and I had to swallow to keep from choking.

Sometime later, we jolted to a stop. The guy to my left got out and pulled me from the truck. I tensed, uncertain if they meant to kill me here. My heart pounded in my chest. I took a deep breath, hoping to relax. It didn’t work so well with the hood.

“Take it off.”

Someone yanked the hood off my head and the sweet, fresh night air filled my lungs. The others had taken off their masks and stood next to the truck. I’d counted correctly–there were four of them. Five, if I included the unlucky Milo back at the hacienda. I didn’t recognize any of them.

“Who are you? What do you want?” I asked.

One of the men stepped forward, a glint of metal flashed in the headlights.

A knife. Not a pretty way to die.

He lifted my hands and sliced through the ties that bound my wrists.

“We will wait, now,” he replied.

The rest of the men leaned against the SUV, talking in low voices. I rubbed my wrists where the ties had dug into them. We were parked somewhere out in the middle of the Sonoran desert, the stars the only light visible for miles. A lonely yip of a coyote echoed in the distance.

The men broke off their conversation and everyone turned to watch as a pair of headlights danced along the dirt road toward the group. I didn’t know if I should be relieved or afraid. Was it Salazar’s men, or the person they were waiting for?

The four of them reached for their weapons, and one motioned for me to get into the back of the SUV and duck down.

“Uh, guys, can a girl get a gun around here? I mean, if it’s someone you don’t want to see, I know how to shoot. I’d be able to help.” I’d also feel a hell of a lot better with a gun in my hand. At least I’d have a fighting chance.

One of them started for the back of the SUV, apparently to retrieve a gun.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said a big guy with a goatee. The one heading toward the truck looked at me and shrugged. At least now I knew there were more weapons. I gave the big guy a dark look and climbed into the SUV.

The headlights drew closer and the tension rose in the group. All four of them stood on alert, weapons raised, using the truck for cover. Careful not to draw attention to myself, I glanced over the back of the seat to the cargo area to see if I could get a look at what they had for extra fire power. It was too dark to be sure, but I thought I saw the shadowy shapes of several large automatics.

A dark-colored four-wheel drive pickup pulled alongside the SUV and stopped. The gunmen lowered their weapons, and I let out a breath. The driver opened the door and got out. I didn’t know him. He stood half a head taller than the rest of the men there, although dressed in similar clothing. He walked toward me as the passenger door opened and the other occupant exited the truck.

Eduardo.

So he’d been the one behind this midnight invasion. I’d wondered how they’d broken through Salazar’s security without raising the alarm until the end. Now I knew.

The taller man’s lips pressed together in a grim line. He shook his head.

“You did this for her?” He frowned as he looked me over.

Confused, I looked from him to Eduardo as he approached. “Did what?”

The taller man turned to Eduardo. “She damn well better be worth it, Ed. There ain’t no going back, amigo.”

Eduardo nodded, his expression unreadable.

“They were going to kill her, whether she gave them what they wanted or not. She lived with Salazar for over three years. She knows him.” He looked at me and said, “She’ll cooperate.”

“Well?” The taller man crossed his arms and cocked his head to one side.

“Uh, Eduardo, can I have a word, please?” I didn’t like this guy, whoever he was. I grabbed Eduardo’s arm and pulled him out of earshot.

“What the hell am I supposed to tell him? And who the hell is he, anyway? How do I know I can trust him?”

“He’s DEA. And these men,” Eduardo indicated the others standing nearby, “work for a special arm of Mexican drug enforcement.”

“And you’re involved, how?”

“I give them information on Salazar’s operation. I knew when Frank brought you back that I would have to do something or they would kill you, like the others, so I told them you had important information.”

“But if you go back now, they’ll kill you.” The look on Eduardo’s face confirmed my suspicions. “You’re not, are you?”

Eduardo shook his head. “No, they will kill me, if only for letting you escape again. I made a deal with Chance–” He glanced back at the DEA guy. “–to place me in the US federal witness security program, in exchange for my help.” He shrugged. “I will just have to go sooner than I expected.”

“I’m in enough trouble as it is. If I give them information and Salazar finds out, it’s going to get a lot worse–you know how far he’ll go to find me.”

“Talk to Chance. Maybe he’ll make a deal with you, too.”

Great choice. Make a deal with the DEA, and go into hiding for the rest of my life, never contacting my family or friends again. Or, don’t make a deal and look over my shoulder for the rest of my life, wondering when Salazar, or worse, Anaya, would find me. I had no doubt that one of them would.

It didn’t take long to make a decision.

“You put your life on the line for me, Eduardo. For that I am grateful. I will give them whatever information I have, as long as they promise protection for us both.”

Eduardo smiled, relief evident on his face. He wrapped his arm around me as we walked back to the group.

Chance leaned against the SUV, talking with one of the government guys. He looked up as I approached.

“I’ll tell you everything I know, on one condition. You have to guarantee that you’ll put me in the witness protection program in the states, the same as Eduardo.”

“I can arrange it, if what you tell me has any value.”

“Fine. Where do I start?”

###

The interview with Chance took over three hours. He was thorough with his questioning, prying out bits of information I’d forgotten and didn’t think were worth remembering. He was particularly interested in John Sterling’s role in Salazar’s organization. When I got to the part about my first escape, I conveniently left out stealing Anaya’s drug money. It would be nice to think that the men who now surrounded me had altruistic tendencies, but Sterling had been DEA. Money did strange things to people.

The safe house sat nestled in a tidy neighborhood in an innocent-looking town near the Sea of Cortez. The sea-salt air and briny humidity reminded me of happier times. Chance had determined it would be best if I remained in Mexico for now, and he’d assured me I’d be as safe there as anywhere. I assumed it was because once I was stateside there’d be more of a temptation for me to walk away. It wouldn’t matter where they hid me–if Salazar or his people got wind of my location, they’d stop at nothing to kill me.

I found it ironic and not a little annoying that I was so close to my original destination, yet now unable to go through with my plan to obtain a forged passport and leave the country under an assumed name. The only thing stopping me, other than the armed guards, was the belief that sending Salazar to prison would give me a slight reprieve from the fear that now ruled my life.

Monotonous days fluctuated between sleeping, reading, watching Mexican soap operas, and jumping at every sound. I was allowed an hour or so of outdoor recreation each day, and even that was monitored closely. The back yard had a high cement wall and for all intents and purposes I felt like a prisoner, not an asset. Meals consisted of tortillas and beans, with alternating chicken, pork and beef. I craved vegetables. Definitely a first for me.

The day Chance visited, I’d just beaten three of the guards at poker. I was feeling flush what with all the toothpicks I’d won.

We walked to the far end of the enclosed backyard and sat in a couple of lawn chairs in the shade of a large palm tree. The intensity of the midday heat created a death-like stillness. Even the cockroaches decided to take a siesta.

“So when do I get to leave?”

“An arrest warrant has been issued with an extradition order. All we have to do now is pop Salazar.”

“What about Sterling?” I sure as hell didn’t want John Sterling free to move about the country, not when he knew about the money. And me.

Chance took out a pack of cigarettes and shook one out. He held them up, and I shook my head.

“He’s already in custody in the states, waiting for his trial date.” He lit the cigarette, leaned back and crossed his legs. “How’re things going here? The boys treating you all right?”

“Except for some of their taste in television, it’s been fine. But I have to be honest, Chance. The longer I’m here, the more nervous I get. I’m a sitting duck. You can’t tell me Salazar doesn’t have government informants. Eventually, somebody’s going to get lucky and figure out my location.”

“I’ve taken extra precautions and set up a bogus safe house down the street. All transmissions regarding you refer to that address. Only a select group of people from either agency know your actual location. If we think this house has been compromised in any way, we move you.” His serious gray eyes made me want to believe him.

“What’s the word on Witness Security?”

“Good news there. You’ve been cleared to enter the program as soon as you give your testimony at trial. New identity, relocation, a job, the works.”

“Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure.”

“What percentage of takers end up dead?”

Chance shifted in his chair. “I’m not sure I understand your question.”

“Let me clarify. How many people who go into the program have their locations or identities compromised and wind up taking the big dirt nap? I mean, there must have been a few, right?”

A flash of something I couldn’t quite read flickered across his face. Then his expression hardened back to the competent DEA facade.

“Very few, Kate. And those were anomalies. Most were traced to the wit contacting a family member or friend.”

“How many is most, Chance? And can you tell me about the ones who did everything right, but still ended up dead?” I’d started to re-think this whole stupid testifying thing, mainly because I couldn’t shake a growing sense of dread. Granted, I didn’t have a lot to keep my mind occupied at the moment, but I tended to trust my gut instincts. I had a pretty good average.

Except with men. I had a long way to go before I could trust my feelings there.

“I can’t give you numbers. We don’t handle the program. U.S. Marshals do and they’re damned good at it as long as you follow the security guidelines.” He took a drag off his cigarette and leaned forward in his chair. “Listen. Nothing is fail-safe. Life isn’t that kind. It’s the best we can do at the moment. And it’s worked for countless people who did the right thing and testified against the big, bad criminals of the world. Without wits, a lot of scum would go free. I can tell you the program works for ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the people who go that route.”

“You don’t know Salazar.” Or Vincent Anaya, I thought.

Chance raised his hands, palms up.

“Your choice, Kate. Everybody has second thoughts about the program, and I mean everybody. It’s not easy to leave everyone and everything you know and start over. But what else are you going to do? Very few people know how to disappear. The ones that think they do end up dead or worse. You’re on Salazar’s list now, so anything that can help you stay alive is going to be better than going it on your own.”

###

After Chance left for the field office, I tried to occupy my mind by re-reading every book in the house. One of the security guys, Luis, shared my love of American thriller writers, so at least I had a way to get interesting reading material. It didn’t take long before I developed insomnia, and early mornings found me wandering from room to room, usually ending up in the kitchen for a pre-dawn snack or a shot of tequila to calm my nerves. The guys left me to my own devices for the most part, and didn’t insist on my adherence to house rules. Except for one–I couldn’t leave the premises.

It drove me bat shit crazy.

Late one night, I talked Luis into going with me for a walk. Not far, I assured him. Just so I could forget the bland yellow paint on the walls, and smell anything but enchiladas, if only for a little while. He caved when I promised to buy him the newest thriller by his favorite author in hardback.

Since we had to steer clear of the neighborhood streets, we hiked through the darkness in the dry arroyo behind the safe house, Luis with his AK-47, and me with nothing but my fear. Luis spoke of his family, whom he’d sent to live in the states.

“My father has said that Mexico reminds him of Colombia in the 1970s. The drug gang violence is escalating, and I can see it spreading to non-gang members. It’s very sad. Mexico is filled with good, honest people. It is only the brutal few that crave power and stop at nothing.” He glanced at me. “How did you get involved with a man like Salazar?”

“It’s not a good excuse, but I had no idea what he did for a living when I met him. By the time I figured it out, I knew too much about his family and friends. If I said anything about leaving or even wanting to visit my family, he threatened me. The more I learned about him, the more afraid I became. I knew then I’d never be free unless I escaped.”

Luis nodded, as though something connected for him.

“I won,” he said.

“Won?”

He looked a little sheepish. “The other guys and I took bets on why you were with Salazar.”

I crossed my arms. “And what was the consensus?”

“The majority agreed with Chance. That you were interested in the money and power, but that something happened to make you run–either a death threat or he wanted to use you as a mule, something like that.”

“And what did you think?”

“That you were naïve and got caught in his web. The other guys all dismissed it like I was romanticizing you, that no one would be that stupid…”

Luis had the decency to look embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-“

“No apologies needed, Luis. I’m the first one to admit to being an idiot.”

We continued to walk in silence. The night sky glittered with brilliant stars. Insects sang to each other, reminding me of a time when I wasn’t constantly looking over my shoulder. What would my life look like in a month? A year? Once Salazar was locked up and I went into witness protection, maybe then I could relax, start a new life without the debilitating fear I’d been living with for so long.

The old man had said that only when I lost everything would I be safe. Not being able to contact my friends and family again sure felt like losing everything.

We started back toward the house. The inky black sky had lightened to a deep blue, signaling the approaching dawn. As we crested a small rise, a deafening explosion ripped through the still night. I fell to the ground, covering my head with my hands, and curled into a ball. Luis dropped to a crouch next to me and scanned the area.

“Get up. They blew the house.” Luis’ words came out hard and flat. I sat up and turned to watch as the house that once had the word safe attached to it was consumed in flames.

The rooms where I’d been less than an hour before were now a scorched, blistering scar on the once peaceful neighborhood. Blackened outlines where windows should have been gaped like toothless mouths open in a perpetual scream. Flames shot out from the second floor bedroom windows, the blinds and drapes feeding the fire like so much kindling.

No other houses on the block had been firebombed. What happened to the other safe house, the one Chance said he’d set up as a decoy? Confused, I looked at Luis. His jaw set, he grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.

“Come with me.”

We cut across the arroyo and up the bank, keeping to the shadows. Thankful that he apparently had a plan, I followed him past the hulking, dark shapes of trees and bushes, jumping at every little sound. My rapid breathing and galloping heart were by-products of the adrenalin shooting through me. I wondered briefly if a stroke was in my future.

“They knew which house to target.”

Luis grunted. “Yes.”

“This means that Salazar has someone high up in either your agency or Chance’s.”

“Yes.”

“Could you please answer me in complete fucking sentences? Because I’m a little freaked out right now and really need you to talk me down here.”

Luis stopped and wiped his hand across his face. “Or it was someone at the safe house.”

I hadn’t thought of that. Had anyone survived the blast? Luis was in the clear, since he’d been with the target. I ran through the different guards in my head, and couldn’t recall any of them acting out of the ordinary. My gut told me it was somebody within one of the agencies.

That was a problem.

Hyperventilation seemed much more imminent than a stroke, and just my luck, no paper bag to breathe in. I bent over, hands on my knees, and sucked in air, trying to control the anxiety that threatened to take over.

Luis rested his hand on my back. The small gesture helped to calm me enough that my thoughts became semi-coherent. I straightened and inhaled deeply into my lungs.

“All right?”

I nodded. I wasn’t, but that couldn’t matter. The distant glow of the burning house lit up the early morning sky. I turned to Luis.

“I want to see Chance. Now.”

###

Luis called Chance and told him what happened. He sent a car and driver to pick us up near a vacant lot several streets away from the safe house. Twenty minutes later, we pulled up next to a dark sedan with blacked out windows idling behind an abandoned building outside of town. The passenger side window slid down and Chance’s face appeared. Luis and I transferred to the back seat of the sedan.

Chance twisted around in the front seat and focused on Luis.

“From the reports, the house is toast. No one survived the explosion.”

“Diego and Raphael were inside–” Luis cleared his throat.  Once he’d composed himself, he said, “Raphael’s wife just had their second child. A boy.” He stared out the car window.

Chance shook his head. “My guys have been with me for four years. They were the best team I’ve ever worked with. Survived Afghanistan.” He shook a cigarette from a pack on the dash and lit it, inhaling deeply. “Who would have thought an IED in Sonora would get them?”

My eyes started to water from the smoke. Chance hit the button on the door and the window slid down.

“Where were you two?” he asked.

Luis looked at me and then turned to Chance. “We–ah, well, we were outside.”

“Outside? You mean the backyard, right?”

Luis shook his head. “No sir, we-“ He shifted in his seat. “I accompanied her off the premises.”

Chance glanced at me and frowned. “So you broke protocol.” The statement landed flat between them.

“Sir, I-“

“She survived. If you hadn’t done what you did, she’d be dead.” He narrowed his eyes and looked directly at Luis. “Do it again and you’re off the assignment.” Chance leaned back with a disgusted sigh. “How did he get the info? If anything, the decoy should’ve been blown.”

“Simple. He’s got someone in one of your organizations.” I’d been living with Salazar’s reach for the past three years. It didn’t surprise me. “And, unless you have a better idea, I think I’ll take my chances on my own.” I made to open the door, but Chance put a hand on my arm.

“You can’t walk away from this. Our case against Salazar can’t go forward without you.”

“What about Eduardo? He’s got more than enough information to put him away for years.”

Chance bowed his head, then looked at me, weariness evident in his eyes.

“Eduardo’s dead.”

I sank back against the seat, too stunned to speak. My stomach twisted into knots as fear’s icy fingers wound their way up my spine.

“How?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know.

“They found his head in a plastic garbage bag at the border. We haven’t recovered his body.”

Anger boiled deep in my chest, and it was hard to breathe. “He trusted you. You were going to get him into the program.” My hands clenched so hard the fingernails cut into my skin.

Chance sighed. He looked twenty years older.

“That’s just it. The Marshals had him in protective custody, on his way to the states. They were ambushed just before they got to the border. We have no idea how they found him so fast.”

“Then Salazar’s got someone there, too.” My calm, steady voice belied the fact that I wanted to reach over the seat back and strangle the man sitting in front of me. “Remember the question I asked you that day in the back yard? About the ones that didn’t make it?” Chance nodded. “How many were involved with Salazar in some way?”

“None.”

“How many?” I leaned forward, inches from his face. He looked past me at Luis, then back at me.

“Three.”

I recoiled as if he’d hit me. “Three? You put Eduardo in knowing that three of Salazar’s people died? And you think I’m going to cooperate? How fucking stupid do you think I am?”

Chance leaned forward, his face deadly serious.

“It won’t happen again. Yes, there’s a leak, but nothing is one hundred percent secure. Travel with armed agents is a hell of a lot safer than going solo. I put in the request to move you to the states. Once there, we’ll record your statement. After that, you choose what you want to do.”

I opened the door and got out before either of them could stop me. I turned and looked at Chance through the open window.

“You got it all wrong, Chance. I’m choosing what to do right now.”

 

Free Books!

Here are some links to sources for free books. As always, check the current price to make sure they’re still free before you download. You’re welcome 🙂

free,phrases,signs,advertisements,communications,attractive,conceptshttp://awesomeindies.net/2013/03/23/friday-freebies-awesome-indies-available-free-for-kindle/

http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2013/03/22/freebie-friday-7/

http://ereadernewstoday.com/category/free-kindle-books/

http://www.pixelofink.com/category/free-kindle-books/

 

Serial Saturday–Bad Spirits Part III – A Rock and a Hard Place

Welcome to Serial Saturday! A couple of Saturdays ago, I decided to post the novella that started this insane e-publishing journey I now find myself on: Bad Spirits (Books 1-5). Yes, it is available for free almost everywhere, but I know some of us are just too Cover for Bad Spiritsdamned busy to click on over and download stuff, so I thought I’d make it easy for everyone. And, it’s a two-fer, cuz it allows me to think I’m being productive. (I’m all about efficiency, you know, but I’m also very good at denial 🙂 ) If you missed last week’s installment, here’s the link to part II. If you’ve just shown up, have a seat, find a snack, and click here for part I.

Bad Spirits Part III – A Rock and a Hard Place

Cover for Rock and a Hard Place

Frank’s guy dropped his gun and fell to the ground, groaning and clutching his knee.

I moved to the front of the cellar, next to the ladder under the door, body humming with tension.

“You’re not going to make it, Kate.” Frank’s voice sounded like he was near the house. “I guarantee I’ve got more bullets than you do. And a hell of a lot more time.”

I leaned back and pounded my head against the cold dirt wall.

“I don’t have the money, Frank,” I yelled back. I searched the darkness at the rear of the cellar to make sure the pack couldn’t be seen from the doorway.

“Well, then we have a problem, don’t we? Tell you what–” Frank paused.

I waited, but he didn’t say anything. Then, “You tell me where the money is and I’ll let the old guy live.”

He sounded closer. Frank was using the conversation as a diversion so he could move in on my little hideaway. I turned and aimed the gun at the doorway, perspiration running down my back despite the chill of the cellar.

The ragged breathing from Frank’s guy made me want to scream at him to shut the hell up. I was tempted to pull a Jack Bauer and climb out of the cellar shooting for all I was worth. But this wasn’t a television show and that would get me killed. My mind raced for an alternative to winding up dead. At least Oggie had survived.

Unless Frank was lying.

“Come on out, Kate. It’s over.”

He was right on top of me, near the door. The bastard was smart. He stayed out of my line of sight so I didn’t have a clear shot.

If I stayed below, he’d wait me out and eventually I’d either fall asleep or die of thirst. If I surrendered, he could kill me, which didn’t seem likely since I knew where the money was. No, he’d torture me until I told him where I’d stashed it.

Then he’d kill me.

I could always try to wait them out, hope they fell asleep first. Maybe Frank’s guy would bleed out and then it would be a more equitable standoff.

Not many choices.

“You know, Frank. I’m kind of caught between a rock and a hard place.” I hoped that my voice so close to the door would make him show himself and I could get a shot off.

“That’s true.”

No such luck. He stayed where he was.

“See, giving myself up just doesn’t seem to be a healthy alternative, if you know what I mean.”

The sound of Frank’s chuckle sent chills up my spine.

“Well, Kate, you probably should have thought that one through before you took the money.”

I sighed. The gun weighed heavily in my hand.

“Tell you what, Kate. I’ll give you a break, for old time’s sake, all right? You throw out whatever firearms you have down in there and come out real peaceful-like, and after you tell me where the money is, when I do kill you I’ll make it quick.”

“Gee, Frank. You’re the man.”

I had no choice. Killing myself wasn’t an option. I’d figure out a way to escape before he killed me. I had to.

After I quieted the screaming in my head, I took a deep breath and tossed the gun through the door.

“You win, Frank. I’m coming out.” I climbed the ladder and crawled onto my hands and knees. Frank picked up my gun and aimed his 40 caliber at me. I stood, hands behind my head, and glanced at the man I shot. He’d removed his shirt and was using it as a tourniquet around his leg. He looked pale and clammy and was shaking like a wet dog.

“You should probably get your guy to a doctor, Frank. Looks like he’s going into shock.”

“Shut up.” Frank walked behind me and gave my arm a vicious twist. “You should be more worried about what I’m going to do to you.” He shoved me forward and marched me toward the house, leaving the other man on the ground.

I stumbled through the front door, Frank’s gun at my back. Oggie sat taped to a kitchen chair, his face a mess. Frank pushed me into another one along side of him. He grabbed a roll of duct tape from the table and proceeded to wrap it around my wrists and ankles, and then to the chair.

Oggie’s right eye had swollen shut. I gave him a look that I hoped said how sorry I was. He shrugged and shook his head. It broke my heart.

Frank dropped the roll of tape on the table and walked out the door without a word. I turned to Oggie.

“God, Oggie, I’m so sorry you had anything to do with this.”

One-half of his mouth twitched up in a grimace. The other side was too bruised. It gave him a macabre look with the streaks of blood down his face.

“My choice, Kate. Not yours.” Wild Bill meowed at him and rubbed against his leg. “Probably one of the worst ones I ever made, but it’s mine.”

I grew silent at the sound of crunching gravel.  Frank walked back inside.

“I usually let Manny do the honors, but since you shot him, it’s up to me. Now,” he slid a chair over and sat down in front of me, leaning his arms on the back. “Are you going to tell me where the money is, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?”

“It’s gone, Frank. I just wired the last thousand to a friend when you found me at the bank.” If I could get them away from Oggie, maybe he’d forget about him. Let him live.

Frank sighed and shook his head. “Now I’m the one caught between a rock and a hard place, Kate, darlin’. If I don’t bring the money back, my ass is in a sling. I already searched the house and that rat-infested cellar. It ain’t here. Your old buddy here didn’t know anything about it, either. Didja, killer?” He reached over and ruffled Oggie’s hair. Oggie jerked his head away.

“I can’t kill you until I get my hands on that money, so I think we’re at what you call an impasse.” He rose from his chair and moved it out of the way. Then he stepped closer and punched me, hard, in the stomach.

I hinged forward, gasping. Good thing I hadn’t eaten recently.

“Stop!” Oggie strained against the duct tape.

“Why? Are you going to tell me where the money is? Hmm. Didn’t think so.” Frank cracked his knuckles and turned to me. “Salazar said not to mess you up too badly. I won’t leave any marks.”

So I’d be a blemish-free corpse? I sucked in a breath and sat up. Little spots appeared before my eyes.

“What do you mean, Salazar? I thought you worked for Anaya?” I wheezed.

“I do.” He grinned and leaned over, next to my ear. The thick, oily scent of Aqua Velva drifted toward me. My gag reflex was working overtime.

“You stole Anaya’s money.” His hot breath skated across my cheek. Icy dread reached deep into my gut and twisted.

“What do you mean? The money was in Salazar’s van, at Salazar’s house.”

“Yeah. Well, that van was on its way to Anaya’s camp in the mountains. It was Salazar’s payment to Anaya for a shipment.” Frank shook his head. “You really fucked up, Kate. Not only did you steal from Salazar, but in reality, you actually ended up stealing from both of them.”

The import of what he said hit me like another blow to the stomach. I was a dead woman. Vincent Anaya wasn’t known for his temperate ways. With Salazar, I might have had a slim chance of staying alive. He loved me, once. Didn’t he?

A cold-blooded bastard, Anaya’s reputation had risen to mythic proportions in the Mexican and Central American drug running communities. No one messed with Anaya. Not unless they had a death wish. Or were incredibly stupid.

Apparently, I fell into the latter category.

Frank pulled his gun from its holster and stepped next to Oggie. He rammed the barrel against his temple. Oggie closed his eyes.

“Where’s the money?”

“I told you, I–” He pulled the trigger and I screamed.

Click.

I stared at his hand. The gun hadn’t fired.

Frank chuckled as he raised the gun, as if to inspect it. “Hmm. Must not have had a bullet in there. Fancy that.” He pulled the slide, chambering a bullet, and held it back against Oggie’s head.

“Don’t give him the satisfaction, Kate.” Oggie practically spat the words out.

Frank sighed and rolled his eyes. “Where’s the money?”

“I told you, I don’t have it anymore.” My voice shook.

“Not the answer I’m looking for.”

“Wait–” A sob escaped me. I squeezed my eyes shut. I had to tell him.

But then Frank would kill us both.

Out of nowhere the theme from the 1960s television show Hawaii 5-0 filled the small house.

“Shit,” Frank swore under his breath. He pulled his gun away from Oggie’s head, reached into his front pocket and took out his cell phone.

“Lanzarotti,” he said, as he turned and walked away.

I tried deep breathing to calm myself, but the adrenaline proved too much to conquer. Oggie had his eyes closed. His thin chest rose and fell with his breath. Frank stopped talking and walked back to where we sat, holstering his gun.

“Seriously. Hawaii 5-0, Frank?”

“Why not? At one time I was quite the surfer. Nobody rode the tube like I did.”

My shock must have shown. A strangely defensive expression crossed his face.

“Hey, I was a teenager once.”

“Were you an asshole then too, or did you grow into it?”

“Fuck you.” He produced a switch blade and stepped behind me. I winced, waiting for the pain. It never came. He cut my hands free, then bent down to do the same to my ankles.

“Hands in front,” he barked.

I did as I was told. He wrapped duct tape around my wrists, and yanked me to my feet.

“What are you doing?”

“Time to go,” he said in a clipped tone.

“Where?”

He didn’t answer.

###

Frank parked the SUV in the expansive front drive, under the portico. Salazar’s hacienda-style mansion hadn’t changed in the short time I’d been gone.

But I had.

I’d known where we were headed as soon as Frank turned onto the familiar highway. The hammering in my chest made it hard to breathe.

Once Frank had secured me in the front seat of the SUV at Oggie’s, he’d gone back inside the house. A single gunshot shattered the quiet. I hung my head in despair. The old man was right. Bad spirits surrounded me. I hoped Wild Bill would be all right.

Frank had laid Manny on his good side in the backseat. He’d slipped in and out of consciousness during the long drive. As soon as we arrived, two of Salazar’s armed guards hustled out and carried him inside.

Frank came around to my side of the truck, threw open the passenger door and yanked me onto my feet. He dragged me up the tile steps to the huge copper doors leading into the courtyard. The beauty of the setting didn’t register. I was Salazar’s prisoner.

Again.

Frank shoved me through the door into the cool interior. Salazar’s imported Italian gravel crunched under my feet. I used to love coming home to the splashing fountain in the beautiful courtyard. Now it grated on my nerves. The cheerful yellow walls and lush hanging plants had been my idea. How could something that once seemed so good turn so bad?

That’s the last time I fall for the head of a drug cartel, I thought. Oddly, the gallows humor made me smile.

I was sick, sick, sick.

“Bring her here.”

I looked up to see Salazar standing on the second floor balcony. His dark hair framed his tanned, handsome face, and I reluctantly remembered why I’d fallen for the bastard. Conflicting emotions fought their way to the surface. Revulsion, attraction, fear. I checked, but found no trace of tenderness. There might be hope for me yet.

“Move it,” Frank muttered. He grabbed my elbow and pulled me toward the stairway.

My legs wouldn’t budge. I’d seen Salazar’s men take others up these stairs against their will, and my body froze. I was now one of them.

Frank half-dragged, half-carried me up the steps. We reached the second floor. I dug in my heels and dropped to the floor. Frank wheeled around, his face twisted in anger.

“Get up.” He reached for his gun.

“I’m not going in there, Frank. People don’t come back out.” I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears. Salazar would view crying as a weakness, and he despised weakness.

“Let her go.” Salazar stood at the end of the long hallway, smoking a cigarette. His eyes held the same flint-like coldness as when I saw him slit the throat of his friend. It seemed like such a long time ago, although I’d been gone only days. I tried to say something to him, but my mouth had run dry.

Frank released me and I struggled to my feet. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands and stood tall. Damned if I’d be on my knees when he killed me.

Salazar walked slowly to where I stood. He ran his hand under my jacket, caressing my breast, and smiled. I shivered, though not from desire. I thought my head would explode from the searing hatred that coursed through my body. I fought to keep my expression neutral.

Salazar made a tsking sound as he circled me like a wolf with its prey.

“You disappoint me, mi corazón.” He leaned against the balcony railing, and shook his head. “I give you all this–” He spread his arms wide. “–and you repay me with betrayal. Not only that, but you have betrayed Vincent Anaya, and at the same time trampled my name in the dust.” He stared into the distance. His jaw flexed.

I didn’t say anything. He would not let me speak unless and until he gave his permission. I’d seen a similar game with those below him in the pecking order, although it was different with me. Not only had I betrayed him, but in his world, a woman would never leave him. His enemies would view this as a crack in his control of the organization.

Frank stood by at a discreet distance, hands clasped in front of him. The perfect soldier, I thought. Just in case the crazy American woman did something stupid, like hurl herself off the balcony into the courtyard below.

I had to admit, it occurred to me. If I could have guaranteed myself no broken bones, I’d have launched myself over the railing as soon as Frank let me go.

Salazar turned to Frank and muttered something about whether he had recovered the money, to which Frank replied that he hadn’t. Salazar gave him a dark look. “Anaya’s waiting by the pool. I will be there shortly.” Frank nodded and left. To me he said, “Walk with me.”

Salazar’s voice was deceptively gentle. I mirrored his slow, deliberate steps down the long corridor.

“You know I have to make an example of you, yes?” He glanced at me, as if to gauge my reaction.

“Actually, Roberto, you could prove your great strength by letting me go free. Only the most confident of men would let his woman go in peace, with no need for revenge.” It took a tremendous amount of effort to keep my voice steady.

Salazar erupted into laughter. Not the reaction I’d hoped for.

He wiped his eyes and draped his arm around my shoulders. “I have missed your unique way of thinking. It’s so refreshing.”

We stopped next to a closed, wooden door. He pushed it open and we entered the room. I tried to calm the voices inside my head, urging me to turn and run. I knew if I tried anything, things would turn out far worse.

The smell of fresh paint still permeated the air, and the tile floor looked like it had recently been scrubbed. The desk and chair in the corner belied the room’s true function.

There were no windows. Illumination came from a bank of track lighting along the ceiling. On the wall opposite the door hung various lengths of chain with leather cuffs attached to the ends. These chains were connected to a pulley that dropped from the ceiling. My former bodyguard, Eduardo, sat at a large console with rows of buttons in the middle of the room.

Eduardo stared straight ahead, avoiding my eyes. At the end, he’d been the one shining example of humanity in this madhouse of ego and greed. He always excused himself from Salazar’s “meetings” and I’d never seen him raise a hand to anyone. If I ever needed a person to talk to, he was always there to listen.

And, he taught me to shoot.

He’d been the one who showed me how to handle every kind of weapon Salazar possessed, including a machete. The other guards called me mujer Americana loca because of my dedication to target practice. I liked being referred to as crazy. People left me alone.

I cherished my time with Eduardo.

The fact that Salazar chose him to perform whatever torture he’d devised for me spoke volumes. But of course, he would blame Eduardo for my escape. He was my bodyguard. He’d been assigned not only to protect me, but to watch me, too.

“Eduardo has been given the task to find out where you hid the money.” Salazar walked to the wall of chains and lifted one, inspecting the cuff. “He has my permission to use any means necessary to extract your confession.” He stared hard at Eduardo, then at me. “Any means. Although, I have ordered him to keep you alive. For now.”

“I don’t have the–”

“Silence!” Salazar’s expression held a sharp warning. I swallowed my words.

As Salazar walked out, he paused for a moment to whisper something in Eduardo’s ear, then moved past me and closed the door with unnerving finality. The room started to spin and I placed my hands against the wall to steady myself. I wondered briefly what would happen if I fainted.

Eduardo rose immediately and came to my side. He guided me to a chair and lowered me into it. Old habits, I thought. I leaned back and watched the only person I’d thought of as a friend during my time here. I’d been wrong about that, too.

“Eduardo, please–”

He held his finger to his lips, a warning in his eyes. Silently, he slipped over to listen at the door. After a few moments he came back and squatted in front of me.

“You know that Salazar or one of his guards is outside that door, listening for your screams,” he whispered. I nodded, unsure what he was getting at.

“We have to make this look real, like you’ve been tortured in the extreme, or Salazar will replace me with someone who is not sympathetic to you. ¿Tu comprendes?” Again, I nodded that I understood.

“I will have to use some electricity to shock you.” He glanced at the console in the middle of the room. “I can make it so that you only feel a light jolt, but you must moan and carry on as if it’s the most excruciating thing you’ve ever experienced.” A vein throbbed in his neck. “But first you have to tell me what you did with the money.”

My body tensed. So that’s the way we were going to play it. Good bodyguard, pretending to be bad, but getting the information all the same. If I broke down and told Eduardo where I hid the money, there would be no reason to keep me alive. If I didn’t tell him, I’d be alive, at least for a little while. Only then Salazar would replace Eduardo with some sadistic creep who’d be happy to draw out the pain.

Eduardo reached over and took my taped hands in his, looking deeply into my eyes.

“I am not going to let them kill you, if I can help it. You must trust me.”

An idea began to formulate in my brain. Why hadn’t I thought of it before?

In a low voice I said, “Frank stole the money.”

Eduardo looked surprised for a moment, then a slight smile played at the edges of his mouth. “You’re lying.”

“What do you mean? He took the money.”

Eduardo shook his head. “Your eyes move to the right when you lie. Remember that when Salazar questions you.” He thought for a minute. “They’ll confront Frank. They have to. Salazar and Anaya are already paranoid about each other. If you cast doubt on Frank, it will buy us time.”

I didn’t know why Eduardo thought more time would help my situation, but I would work with whatever he decided. At the moment, he was my only chance.

“We need to begin. Someone will come in to see why I haven’t started yet.”

Eduardo led me to the wall of chains. He cut through the duct tape that bound my wrists and then slid a cuff over each one, securing them. Little wires sprouted from each cuff, attached to a larger wire that had been threaded through the chain attached to the ceiling. The rest of the wiring ran to the console. He walked back to the controls and flicked a switch. The chain started to clank its way through the pulley, and as the slack decreased, it lifted my arms over my head, stretching me so that my toes barely touched the floor.

The first shock came as a complete surprise. I didn’t have to pretend to scream. My muscles contracted and I jerked like a fish on a line. I glared at Eduardo.

“Where’s the money?”

“I told you, Frank stole it.” My voice came out shaky at first, but grew stronger.

Another shock racked my body, this time less intense, but still nothing I wanted to repeat. It reminded me of the time I’d accidentally grabbed onto an electric fence on a friend’s farm. I screamed, hoping it matched what others had done before me. By the look on Eduardo’s face, I was convincing.

“Where’s the money?” Eduardo raised his voice.

“Frank has it,” I said, through clenched teeth.

The shocks continued before finally he signaled to me that I needed to ratchet up the screams. The next bolt of electricity shot through me. My fingers curled in on themselves as my body contracted with the current. I broke out in a cold sweat as I threw my head back and screamed.

“Where’s the money, Kate?” Eduardo’s voice echoed off the walls of the small room.

“I– told you.” The words came out in a ragged gasp. “Frank.”

Eduardo nodded and rose from his chair. I heard the door slam as he walked out. My arms had no feeling left in them. My shoulders throbbed as though they’d been dislocated from their sockets. I hung my head, too weak to look up. I realized he had to do what he did, and shuddered to think what the real thing would be like.

Eduardo returned a few minutes later. Or maybe it had been a few hours. I’d drifted.

“Look at me.” A hand grabbed my chin and yanked my head up. I opened my eyes and stared into Salazar’s face. The anger in his eyes would have made me weak in the knees, if I wasn’t there already.

“You told Eduardo that Frank stole the money?”

I nodded.

He dropped my chin and began to pace.

“Anaya will never believe it,” Salazar muttered.

“Of course not.” Eduardo replied. “Don’t you see? It’s the perfect alibi. Why take her word against his?”

“Yes, yes, I see. But we can’t accuse him in front of Anaya. He would kill us both for the insult, even if it is true.” He stopped pacing. “You’re sure she’s telling the truth?”

“She didn’t change her story, even when I gave her the highest voltage I could without killing her.”

Salazar’s breathing was the only sound in the room.

“Take her down.”

###

I struggled out of the dim fog that shrouded my brain. They’d left me lying on a bed in a dark room with the shades drawn. Disoriented, I sat up and slid backward on the mattress until the headboard stopped me.

Something thudded against the door. I froze, holding my breath as I strained to hear.

Silence.

With difficulty, I rose from the bed and groped my way to the door. I thought I heard movement in the hallway. I tried the light switch, but nothing happened.

I slid my hand along the wall, and backed away from the door.  First a chair, then a dresser impeded my progress. Neither of them held anything I could use as a weapon. There wasn’t even a telephone.

The sound of a key being inserted into the lock had the same effect on me as an electric shock; both my muscles and my breathing stopped. I recovered and backed against the wall, wanting desperately to hide, knowing I didn’t have a chance. I slid to the floor and curled into a ball.

The door opened, followed by the thud of more than one set of footsteps. Several hands grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet. A ripping sound preceded a piece of tape slapped over my mouth. I couldn’t get a good look at anyone, even with the light from the hallway. Each of them wore dark clothing and a ski mask.

Then someone yanked a hood over my head.

My executioners had arrived.

Serial Saturday — Bad Spirits Part II (Just Passing Through)

COver for Bad SpiritsLast Saturday, I decided to run Part 1 of  Bad Spirits, the first novella in the Kate Jones Thriller Series. If you missed that installment, you can find it here. If you’re the type of person who can’t wait to read the rest of the story, it can be found (for free) on Amazon, BN and Smashwords (it’s also available at iTunes).

And now, without further yada-yadas, here’s part II:

Just Passing Through Cover for Bad Spirits 2

Paranoia kept me off the highway. The blisters on my feet burned with each step. There weren’t many other transit options in this part of Sonora, apart from the occasional steer. Although I’d left John Sterling broken and bloody by the side of the road, he wasn’t the only one searching for the cash, and I needed to be careful, or I’d end up dead.

I wore my jacket even though the temperature had soared. The ball cap I used to hide my blonde hair didn’t prevent the sun from searing my neck, and I needed the coverage.

My spine ached from the weight of the money. I limped toward what looked like a small carne asada place that had appeared like a mirage on the horizon. Normally family owned, these Mexican versions of an open-air barbecue joint dotted the countryside along well-traveled routes. Since the highway I skirted happened to be the only one that led to San Bruno, I didn’t have the luxury of following a less popular road.

The buff colored hound sleeping in the shade of an ancient station wagon pawed at the air, chasing dream rabbits. The whitewashed structure’s silence told me I’d arrived after the lunch hour, with the inhabitants more than likely taking a siesta.

I shrugged off the pack and let it fall to the ground.

“Hello? Anyone here?” I called out in Spanish.

“One moment,” answered a man’s voice.

A burly, middle-aged man in a white tee-shirt and black trousers walked through the door at the back of the restaurant, wiping his hands on a towel.

I glanced at the menu board propped up on the counter. “May I have two tacos and a Seven-Up?”

He nodded, reached into an old cooler for my soda, and set it on the counter.

As he prepared my lunch, I scanned the road in each direction, aware of my vulnerability. Relieved that traffic was light, I took a sip of the Seven-Up and turned back to watch him.

Finished, he placed the plate of tacos in front of me. He glanced out at the dirt lot, a quizzical expression on his face.

“Where is your car?”

I took a bite of my taco. “I haven’t got one.”

“You’re a long way from anywhere. A woman alone needs to be careful.”

“When does the bus come by here?”

“Not until tomorrow.”

The hound shuffled past me, sniffed at the backpack and, disinterested, wandered off.

“Would you happen to know anyone around here who’s trying to sell their car?” It was a long shot, but the least I could do was try. Although the news of a gringa with cash would travel fast, my feet and back screamed for relief.

“I might be willing to sell that car over there.” He nodded his head at the dusty old pile of metal.

“As long as it runs. How much?”

“Two thousand dollars. US.”

I smiled. He knew an opportunity when he saw it. “No, my friend. The car is not worth nearly that much. Five hundred.”

He smiled back, revealing a gold incisor. “But then I will have no car. One thousand.”

“Is there enough gas to get to the next town?”

“The tank is half full.”

I sighed and made a show of thinking about his reply. I’d give him five thousand if it meant getting my ass to San Bruno faster.

“Seven-fifty. That’s my last offer, friend.”

He held out his hand and grinned. “Deal.”

Aside from the cloying cigarette smell and ripped upholstery, the car was perfect. No one would look twice at the ugly brown station wagon, and the cracked windshield obscured the occasional curious glance inside. The car’s shelf life would only last until I reached the next town, but I’d be that much closer to San Bruno. I didn’t dare keep driving. A bus was my only other option.

I pulled into Los Otros in the late afternoon. A small town within a short drive of the Sea of Cortez, the population consisted of mainly Mexican farmers, with a few ex-pats from the US sprinkled in. Its main street boasted a cantina, a bank, a drug store and a Laundromat. I took a left and parked along the curb on a side street, next to a dental office.

The bank had already closed for the day. My plan to transfer a portion of the money to my sister in Minnesota would have to wait until morning. I’d need to keep the amount small. Anything over ten thousand would attract unwanted attention in the US. The longer I dragged the money around, the more I realized I needed to find a way to unload it. Aside from digging a hole in the middle of the desert and burying it, the only thing that made any sense was to wire it to someone I could trust.

My younger sister Lisa was the only person in my family who had any idea how I’d been living the past three years. I didn’t trust the rest of my siblings to appreciate the finer points of making a stupid, life-changing mistake, like hooking up with a ruthless, power-hungry drug lord, and then stealing his money to escape.

I figured I’d transfer a little in each town I traveled through, holding out enough to buy a forged passport and pay my way back to the states.

I walked into the cantina and sat at a table in the corner. A kid of about twelve came over and asked me what I wanted. I ordered a Bohemia and asked him what time the bank next door opened.

“Nine o’clock.” He put a plastic basket of tortilla chips on the table.

“Where can I find a place to stay the night?”

He turned toward the kitchen. “Mama! This lady wants to know where she can rent a room.”

Mama walked through the doorway that led to the back. Tall and fit, energy radiated off her, belying the dark hair shot through with gray. She eyed me curiously.

“I have a friend, an American woman, who rents out her extra room. Twenty-five dollars a night. It’s not far, maybe two kilometers.”

She wrote down the address and made a crude map on the back of a napkin. I thanked her, paid for my beer and left, following the map to her friend’s place. I looked wistfully at the station wagon as I passed by. I couldn’t take the chance of staying with any vehicle for too long, so I left it at the curb, the keys dangling from the ignition.

The adobe house sat on a large rectangular dirt lot. Cheerful yellow curtains dotted the windows. Two lime trees grew next to a small shed. A profusion of lush plants in colorful pots greeted me as I followed the curving walk to the front door. I rang the doorbell and turned to survey the neighborhood. It appeared relatively quiet, with the exception of a stray dog and a kid on a bicycle.

“Yes?” The door opened and a woman with dirty blonde hair and a lived in face peered out, smiling.

“Your friend at the cantina sent me. She said you might have a room available for the night?”

“Yes, yes. Come in. You’re American?” I nodded. “Lovely. How long will you need the room?”

“Only for the night. I’m just passing through.”

She sighed. “Everyone ‘just passes through’ here.” She glanced at my backpack, then at the walk behind me. “Do you have any other luggage?”

“I travel light.”

“Apparently.”

She showed me to my room and I slid the pack under the bed. She asked me if I wanted to wash up before dinner. I said I would.

Her name was Lana, and she’d just turned forty the day before. We dined al fresco in her backyard under strings of lights, giving it a festive air. She served fish tacos with rice and had finished her third margarita by the time I’d barely drunk one.

“I came here ten years ago. Followed a man.” She shook her head, smiling. “You probably know how that goes.” She stared off into the darkness and took another drink. “Girl meets guy, girl falls for guy and follows him to another country. Guy leaves girl in one horse town with no money.” She shrugged. “Things a girl will do for love, eh?” She had no idea.

Lana noticed my drink was empty and picked up the pitcher. I placed my hand over my glass.

“I’d better not.” I leaned back, trying to relax and enjoy the mild, star-filled night, but that was a thing of the past, now. Alcohol only dulled my senses.

“So what’s your story, Miss I’m-just-passing-through?”

“I’m on my way to Mazatlan,” I lied. No sense leaving a trail for Salazar. “I have some friends there I haven’t seen in a long time.”

We talked long into the night, or, I should say, she did. I answered her questions with the truth if I could, lies if she got too personal. Around one she passed out in her chair, her snores cutting through the still night. I wrapped her arm around my shoulders, hoisted her to her feet and walked her to bed. After taking off her shoes, I tucked her in and walked out, closing the door.

I searched through the kitchen, found a box of plastic baggies in a drawer and took them to my room. There I pulled out several stacks of hundred-dollar bills from the backpack and stuffed them into the baggies.

Next, I carried the bags outside and set them on the ground alongside the two lime trees. Earlier, I’d noticed a pick and a shovel leaning against the house and went back to get them.

It took all the strength I had to hack my way into the caliche-filled ground between the lime trees and shed. At first I used the shovel, but finally resorted to the pick ax. Once I had a deep enough hole, I dropped the bags of money in and covered them with the remaining dirt. I poured water from the kitchen on the freshly dug earth, knowing it would be dry by morning and the evidence obliterated.

I returned to my room. My backpack was much lighter. I calculated roughly a third of the money now lay in the hole in the yard. Satisfied I’d found a necessary temporary home for the cash, I fell into a fitful sleep.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and my eyelids snapped open. At first unsure where I was, I remembered and sat up, glancing at the clock on the dresser. Eight thirty. Just enough time to have breakfast and walk to the bank. I hated doing the transfer in daylight, but didn’t have a choice.

I brushed my teeth with my finger and some toothpaste I found in the medicine cabinet and washed my face. Then I went out to the kitchen to see if I could get some coffee before I left.

Lana stood at the stove, frying eggs and bacon, talking to a dark-haired man sitting at the table. Instinctively, I stiffened. The less people I encountered, the better. Lana turned at the abrupt pause in conversation, and broke into a wide smile.

“You’re just in time for breakfast. Jorge dropped by this morning and offered to give you a lift into town.” She pointed her fork at me. “Kate, Jorge. Jorge, this is Kate.”

“Mucho gusto.” Jorge bowed his head, a charming smile on his face. My shoulders released a fraction. He seemed like a nice guy. Salazar’s men couldn’t have found me so soon. No one knew where I was headed.

We ate breakfast and drank coffee, making small talk. Soon, it was time to go. Jorge held out his hand to take the backpack.

“Thanks, Jorge, but it’s not that heavy.” He looked slightly offended, but shrugged as we walked out to his pickup.

We drove to town in silence, which was fine by me. I hadn’t slept much the night before, having jolted awake with every sound, and didn’t want to make the effort at more small talk.

Jorge pulled up to the curb near the bank and I thanked him and got out. I could feel him watch me walk through the bank’s doors. The teller at the window smiled and motioned for me to come to her window. I’d already separated $7,500 from the rest of the money in the pack, and reached into the front pocket where I’d stashed the bundle.

“I’d like to make a wire transfer to my sister in Minnesota, please.”

As I filled out the paperwork, I resisted the urge to look behind me. I handed the forms back to the teller and smiled. Tiny rivers of sweat ran down my back and under my arms, and beads of perspiration formed on my upper lip. Maybe wiring money to my sister wasn’t such a good idea. It left me exposed in public for too long. The game had changed–my penchant for acting on the first idea that popped into my head could now get me killed. I thought about grabbing the money off the counter and leaving, but stopped short as I realized the transaction was almost complete.

Something hard pressed into my back. I started to turn around to see what it was, and stopped cold at the familiar voice.

“Eyes forward, bitch.”

A cold wave of dread washed through me. Frank Lanzarotti. Apparently Salazar wasn’t the only one looking for the money.

I stared straight ahead and forced a smile when the teller handed me my receipt and told me to have a nice day.

Right.

“Turn around, real slow, and we’re gonna walk out that door together with a smile on our faces, got it?”

I nodded and we moved toward the door, Frank’s arm firmly around my waist.

As we neared the entrance, the guard smiled at us. I stopped and turned toward Frank.

“Oh, honey, I forgot to pee,” I whispered, loud enough that the guard blushed and turned his head. Frank stiffened and his hand clamped down on my waist, hard.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he hissed into my ear.

With no small effort, I pulled away from him, and playfully patted his arm. “Oh, don’t be such a silly, sweetheart. We have plenty of time.” I turned to the guard who was looking at everything except the two of us. “Sir, could you tell me where the ladies bathroom is, please?”

He cleared his throat and answered, “Of course, Señora. It’s down that hallway and through those doors.” He pointed toward the back of the bank.

“Thank you. Now, honey, it won’t take that long, I promise.” Frank’s expression was a mixture of cold, white fury punctuated with splotches of red on his cheeks. I turned around, fast, and headed down the hallway before my shaking knees and frayed nerves failed me.

I burst through the bathroom door and scanned the room for an exit. A bank of high windows ran along the wall in back of the two stalls. I kicked open the door to the first one and climbed onto the toilet. The window opened easily, and I hoisted myself up and over the sill, head first.

I fell to the ground and immediately got up and hauled ass. I made it several yards before I heard Frank scream at his guy to bring the car around. A bullet whizzed past me and pinged off the concrete wall of another building. I detoured through an alley and kept running.

Panic welled up inside of me. I didn’t know the town, didn’t know where to go. I just blindly ran, hoping for inspiration.

I rounded a corner and saw Jorge parked down the road in his pickup. Without thinking, I ran toward him, waving my arms, hoping somehow he could help me.

As I neared the truck, Jorge opened the driver’s side door and got out. I called out to him, but the words died in my throat when I realized he had a gun.

A cry escaped me as I skidded to a stop and fell backward. I scrambled to change direction, mid-step. The weight of the backpack threw me off-balance and I slammed into the ground. Jorge’s bullet barely missed.

I crawled onto my hands and knees, clawing at the dirt to get to my feet when I heard the music. A rusty old Volkswagen Bug kicking up dust roosters headed straight toward me. Classical music blared through the open windows. I dove behind a trash can on the side of the street. The driver of the VW drew parallel with me and slammed on the brakes, stopping in a cloud of dust. A large automatic gun attached to a skinny brown arm appeared at the side window.

The driver pulled the trigger. The staccato burst of repeating gunfire split the air. Then, silence.

I peeked around the side of the garbage can to look. Jorge lay sprawled on the ground, next to his truck. He looked dead.

Behind me, a dark-colored SUV flew past the corner and skidded to a stop.

“Get in,” the VW driver yelled. With no time to think, I ran around the side of the car and threw myself into the passenger seat.

“Stay down,” he barked, as the VW shot past Jorge and his pickup.

I stayed on the floorboards, afraid to look up, waiting for Frank’s bullets to perforate the car.

I tried to anchor myself to keep from crashing into the door and the gear shift as the driver, howling like a madman, steered first one way, then the other. I gave up and curled into a fetal position. The car bounced and bucked to the crashing strains of Rachmaninoff. I hoped like hell he didn’t drive us off a cliff.

He spun the wheel to the left and crowed with delight as the VW fishtailed out of a spin.

“You bastards’ll never catch us,” he yelled to no one in particular.

We took a hard right, slowed to a crawl, and stopped. He killed the engine. I lifted my head to see where we were.

“Stay down,” he hissed. I did as I was told. After a few minutes, he started the engine, and began to drive. To say the road he chose had a few bumps would be an understatement. I covered my head to keep from banging it to a pulp on the dash. The VW hit one last hole, and then the ride leveled out.

He turned in his seat to look behind us. “We confounded ’em,” he chortled.

I carefully lifted my head and looked out the window. We were outside of town, driving past scrub and open space on a paved highway. I breathed a sigh of relief and sat up in the seat.

My rescuer appeared to be about seventy. His face looked like old leather, and his hair resembled Einstein’s on a bad day. He had on a set of green scrubs and wore a pair of ancient huaraches on his feet. He turned off the tape player and we drove in silence. I did some deep breathing to still my pounding heart.

“Thank you,” I said.

He waved his hand at me. “I always hated that prick.”

“Enough to kill him?”

He shrugged. “I euthanize sick animals. What’s the difference?” He turned to me and grinned, extending his hand. “The name’s Ogden. I’m the local volunteer vet.”

Ogden, or Oggie as he liked to be called, had been a veterinarian in the Midwest for over forty years. He’d grown tired of shoveling Nebraska snow and decided to retire in Mexico when his wife died. He’d lived here ever since.

When I asked him how he came to be the volunteer vet, he banged on the steering wheel.

“One day I woke up and decided I had a moral imperative to help the poor farmers in the area. So I started stockpiling medicine whenever I went to the states. Pretty soon word got around.” He grinned. “Keeps me young. And, I’m never bored.” He gave me a sidelong glance. “Why was a piece of shit like Jorge after you?”

I sighed and looked out the window.

“Look, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask again. I’d just like to know what kind of hornet’s nest I stepped in.”

I owed him that much. Frank Lanzarotti was Anaya’s man, not Salazar’s. My life had just become exponentially more complicated.

Still watching the scenery flow by, I said, “Apparently Jorge was working for someone I used to know, Frank Lanzarotti, who works for a drug dealer out of Central America named Vincent Anaya. I was actually running from somebody else and thought Jorge might help me.”

Oggie snorted and swerved to miss hitting an opossum lumbering across the road.

“That’s a good one. Jorge and the word help have never been uttered in the same sentence, at least, not in recent memory.”

“Look, you can drop me at the next town, the next bus stop, hell, the side of the road, even. I don’t want to cause you any trouble. I owe you my life. You don’t need to be part of this.”

Oggie whistled. “Must be some trouble you’re in, Miss Kate. Tell you what–” He reached under his seat and brought out a silver flask, unscrewed the top and took a drink. “I’ll drive you anywhere you want to go, provided you fill up ol’ Bessie’s tank.” He patted the car’s dash affectionately. “But I have to take care of something first.” He took another drink and then offered me the flask.

I shook my head. “It’s too dangerous. There are some really bad people who want to see me dead, and they wouldn’t have a problem killing you to get to me.”

Oggie’s laugh ricocheted around the car.

“Hell, Kate. I’m so old, dirt’s asking me for advice. You think I give a rat’s ass about being safe?” He looked at me. “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand it’s not about how much time you got. It’s about how much life you get. Sitting on my ass in a rocking chair isn’t a life, far as I’m concerned. Besides,” he flicked on the cassette player and Rachmaninoff blasted through the speakers. “You need me.”

We pulled into Oggie’s place an hour later. The small, cinder block house with a metal roof sat in the middle of the square dirt plot surrounded by a split rail fence. A lemon tree and two mesquites stood sentry at the back of the lot near the house, providing the only shade.

I glanced back down the driveway. My nerves screamed at me to get moving, now.

“What’s going to stop Frank from finding your place?” Oggie didn’t appear to be a person who flew under the radar. His home would probably be the first place Frank would check.

“Only two people know where I live. I pick up my messages in town, and if there’s an emergency, the gal at the post office comes and gets me,” he replied. “I like it that way. Less bother.”

Something told me I wasn’t the only person who didn’t want to be found. “Who’s the other one?”

He shrugged a bony shoulder. “A lady friend. We haven’t spoken in a while, though.” He unscrewed his flask to take another swig, raising his eyebrows as he offered it to me again. I shook my head.

“No thanks. I need my wits about me.”
“Wits are highly overrated,” he muttered.

The one room house had a small bathroom off to one side. The kitchen lined one wall and a bed and dresser stood in a far corner. A wooden table, piled high with old newspapers and stacks of books, took up half the living area. I didn’t notice a television or a phone.

“This’ll just take a minute,” Oggie said over his shoulder. He opened the small refrigerator and took out a clear plastic bottle and a syringe. Then he walked around the side of the table. “Wild Bill needs his shot, don’t you boy?”

I looked down and realized what I’d thought was a sweater on one of the dining room chairs was actually a large cat. Oggie gathered Wild Bill up in his arms and sat on the chair. He kissed the hairy feline on the head and murmured into his ear.

“We don’t have time for this.” I kept a nervous eye on the driveway.

“If I don’t give the little feller his insulin, he’ll lapse into a coma and probably die. Now, if you’ll just quit your chit-chat, I can give him the shot and we’ll be on our way.”

He injected the cat and set him on the floor. Wild Bill meowed at me, annoyance plain on his face. Then he shook his head and slowly trundled out the door.

Oggie and I heard it at the same time. A dark-colored SUV barreled down the dirt drive toward us.

“Oh, God. It’s Frank.” My voice matched the panic that constricted my chest.

He squinted at the car. “Quick–” He shoved me toward the back door. “There’s a root cellar behind the mesquites.”

I grabbed my pack and ran.

The cellar turned out to be a hole in the ground with a weathered wood door covering it. I heaved the door open and dropped the pack inside, then scrambled down the handmade ladder, slamming the door behind me.

Not the best hideout. The thought of disrupting a nest of snakes or scorpions crossed my mind. Scorpions I could live with. Snakes, not so much. Light streamed in through gaps in the door that allowed me to see, once my eyes adjusted. I pulled the gun out of the front pocket of the pack and crawled as far back as I could go, behind jars filled with some kind of preserves and boxes of dried vegetables.

I stuffed the pack in the rear of the space, underneath a couple of boxes, then turned back toward the door and held my breath, listening. A sickening feeling twisted my stomach, and visions of Frank beating Oggie to death for information played like a bad movie in my brain. Frank wouldn’t care who he killed to get the money.

I had a gun. I could use it to help him. But, then again, so did Oggie. He knew how to take care of himself.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I needed to be calm. If I tried to make a decision in panic mode, things could go to hell, fast.

The gun felt faintly reassuring. I opened my eyes and stared at the door, willing Oggie to appear and tell me everything was fine. The longer I sat there, the less certain I became.

I raised my gun at the sound of someone approaching, and aimed it at the door. The footsteps stopped and a shadow fell across the gaps in the wood.

The door opened and fell to the side with a bang. I blinked against the bright light, at first unable to make out the person who peered inside the cellar. Then, I recognized him.

And pulled the trigger.

 

For more Kate Jones, stop by next week for the rest of the story:

Bad Spirits, Part III – Rock and a Hard Place / Saturday, March 16

Bad Spirits, Part IV – Last Chance / Saturday, March 23

Bad Spirits, Part V – Bad Choices / Saturday, March 30

Bad Traffick Free Today 3/8/13

Hey there,

Just wanted to let ya’ll know Bad Traffick is FREE for Kindle today on Amazon.com. If you haven’t yet, download your copy today! (And, if you’re so inclined, leave a review when you’ve read it :-))

And, if ebooks ain’t your thang, Amazon has put the print copy on sale (don’t know how long that’s gonna last) for $6.37 (normally $9.99)

I’m off to Portland for a Donald Maass writing workshop–have a fantastic weekend!

View details

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Join DV’s Readers’ List!

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

*Affiliate Disclosure:

This website includes affiliate links on certain items. If you click to buy a book through my affiliate links, I will earn a small commission. This does not affect your purchase price.

Copyright © 2023 · Author Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...