Hard Case V: Blood and Fear (A John Harding Novel Book 5) (16 page)

“Good to know.” Dannie sighed.

“Oops.” Lynn laughed appreciatively at Clint’s omission. “It would have been fine, Dannie. We would have simply called my minions for a cleanup on aisle seven. Then during John’s ocean training workout, Clint and I would have fed the fish. Now what’s this all about? Is Amara really inside?”

Danessa became very agitated. “Yes! Her Dad beat the crap out of her. Her nose is broken, and she’s been switched with something. There are welts all over her body. Can we really protect her?”

“That’s a rhetorical question, right Dannie,” Clint asked with a smile. “We have so many damn bedrooms and bathrooms in our house John got for us, we could start our own abused women’s shelter. I’m sorry your friend had to flee here, but I’m very glad she has you for a friend. Lynn and I have already been plotting other confrontations with the supposed followers of the religion of peace… actually submission. As Lynn said, you brought this to us at a good time. Did you show Amara the way to use our safe-room?”

“Yes,” Danessa answered. “I never thought anyone could find her so quickly.”

Clint shrugged. “All she needs is to keep her smartphone on, and they can track her, especially if daddy has been paying the bills. We’ll have to smash a couple of her prized possessions, but such is life without beatings or death for the moment. Let’s go inside. We’ll need to formulate a plan for the next more violent approach.”

Danessa gasped. “You…you think they’ll come back?”

“Hell yeah, Dannie,” Lynn answered. “We would have had to kill all of them right now on the sidewalk to avoid any after-hours’ retribution. They can’t get into our place anyway… lucky for them. C’mon. Let’s talk Amara into attending Al’s softball practice. It will get her mind off this mess. We’ll bring Tonto along today too. This will be a great time to introduce John to the new trick Tonto does.”

“Uh oh.” Danessa backed away from her mentors with palms out, as both Lynn and Clint enjoyed the thought of Tonto’s new trick being demonstrated. “I don’t think I like the sound of that.”

“It’ll be fun,” Lynn insisted. “It will definitely make Amara smile. Let’s go recruit her for our practice session. We’ll talk out the situation later with John after practice.”

* * *

I noted our beat up girl in slightly too large sweats in the outfield shagging balls. Judging by the raccoon eyes, taped over nose, and split lip, she didn’t need me to interrogate her. The fact she giggled and laughed next to Clint and Lynn’s ward Danessa made me hopeful this was some kind of therapy session. As we gave the girls a five minute break while changing batters, Lynn filled me in with a very entertaining version I’m sure was deadly accurate – including my canine buddy, Tonto’s part. Our main mission dog was following me around the field as if he hadn’t seen me in weeks.

“She can stay, but she’s too old to play.”

Lynn appreciated that short rejoinder. “I wanted your opinion on whether bringing her here would endanger the other girls.”

“You’re joking. You must be. You, Clint, Casey, and Lucas are here helping the girls. How in hell would I be thinking you’re endangering the girls? Even if someone showed with automatic weapons, they wouldn’t get two steps out of their vehicles before Clint gave them new holes in their heads.”

Lynn sighed. “I guess even being around us could be considered an endangerment. I know you feel the same way as Clint and I do, John. In this instance, we may need backup if they arrive as we think they will at some point to try and collect Amara. I didn’t want to blindside you. These clowns don’t quit. Ask Samira. If a young girl quits Islam as Amara’s doing, she’s marked for death.”

“Noted.” I didn’t want a discussion of capability. Hell, I wouldn’t throw a Seal Team at Lynn and Clint in their domain. The outcome would be questionable. Civilians don’t recognize the categories. There are inadvertent killers, professional killers as the Seals are, and then there are Clint and Lynn… and much of my team: professional killers without conscience. Have we ever killed innocents? I expect so. Did we obsess over it for more than a few moments? Ah… no. “You know we’re with you, Lynn. No explanation necessary, and I know you and Clint have already discussed plans if we have to add this new pack of hyenas onto our boating list. What’s wrong with Tonto anyway? He’s shadowing me as if I had bacon pinned to my jeans.”

“Oh… that… Tonto is waiting for the right time to show you the new trick he’s learned,” Lynn said. “He didn’t want to disrupt practice. Ask him.”

The hairs were standing on the back of my neck, especially when I saw our outfield ball shaggers and coaches inching in closer. I stared at Tonto. The big mutt grinned at me in his usual calm, drooling way. I knew we needed to get on with practice so I threw caution to the wind, much to my regret.

“Okay, Tonto,” I addressed him while leaning down with hands on knees, “show me your new trick, pal.”

Tonto gave out a short bark, walked over next to me, lifted his leg, and peed on my tennis shoe. I didn’t bother dancing out of the way. I was a day late and a dollar short perceiving this new smack-down for the Cheeseburger. I hung my head in deference to this ace. To say great hilarity ensued on the part of my ball field companions would be an incredible understatement. Lucas, for one, was rolling around on the ground, hooting helplessly. The girls, initially stunned, quickly joined into the merriment. Clint of course ran over with an award winning horrified look.

“Tonto? What have you done? Oh, for shame. Tell John you’re sorry this instant.”

Tonto dropped on his back, legs straight up, and head cocked off to the side, playing dead. This brought on more pandemonium. Finally, I shook my shoe out, and pointed at Clint. “Of course you know, this means war. Batter up!”

I walked over with soggy shoe to the pitching mound. Tonto popped out of his death act to follow me. Such is life in Cheeseburger land.

* * *

“That was so much fun, Mr. Harding,” Amara said. “May I help with practice while I’m visiting every day?”

“Sure. We have another game on Saturday morning too. You can sit with us in the dugout,” I answered. We had adjourned to a picnic table with all of us in attendance, including Jafar and Samira, who sat next to Amara. Only Casey, Tommy, Jess, Dev, Denny, Laredo, and Lora weren’t on hand to enjoy Tonto’s trick, but Clint had filmed it for them, sending off the video clip after practice resumed. “Although, you’ve gone through a lot, I guess Samira explained how difficult your future may be.”

“Yes, she did.” Amara gripped Samira’s hand. “I will be shunned from now on by everyone in my family if I live. When my Father told me about the marriage he had arranged with a much older friend of his, who does financial dealings with him, I was shocked. He is in his forties. I have never been permitted to date, and now I am told I will be married to a man over twice my age. When I refused, and appealed to my Mother, she turned away. I am almost twenty. They… they changed. Everything changed. Even Imam Ahmad at the SALAM Center was forced to side with my Father. The Imam tried to reason with my parents, but there is much pressure on him to enforce any parental edict.”

“I understand not wanting to be bludgeoned into an arranged marriage,” I replied carefully. “Are you certain though that leaving Islam is what you want?”

Amara’s bruised face contorted slightly in distaste. “It has been building for some time. When I helped Dannie unknowingly to find the kidnapped little boy in our Masjid, and the way those men went after her, it was a turning point. I later found out Imam Ahmad did indeed know there was something more to the boy’s situation. I kept in touch with Dannie, and she gave me many links to Samira’s speeches. It is all true! We women are nothing but slaves in Islam. My Father made this all clear to me when he tried to drag me to a meeting with his friend and I refused. He beat me until I thought he meant to kill me. I e-mailed Dannie. She drove to Sacramento right away, and I snuck out of the house when my Mother thought me too beaten to leave on my own. Dannie believes in God. Is there not but one God? Samira has admitted to me she cannot safely visit a Masjid except if disguised, because she tries to work within Islam to change the way women are treated. I will never go back. I will pray to Allah on my own. I know there is much danger for all of you. Is it possible to escape this without getting my friend Dannie killed?”

I saw my monsters grinning at me. Yeah, it probably wouldn’t be Dannie that got killed. “We’ll help you all the way through this. Clint and Lynn already stated they want you to stay with them until we can clear this mess up. I have to warn you though, and I’m sure Dannie has explained this to you, we’re not the police. To end this threat so you can leave Islam, and live on your own, there will probably be casualties, even amongst your family members. We want to help you get free with as few people getting hurt as possible. We have a fund for this kind of thing.”

“We do?” Lynn smirked at me.

“We do now,” I corrected my error in thinking I could get anything past my companions, even to ease Amara’s mind. “It’s my fund.”

“Like hell,” Lucas piped in. “We share everything. Amara gets a new start somewhere, preferably far away from her family. Jafar can handle the new identity papers with Denny’s signature. Amara and Dannie can put their heads together to pick a place she would like to start over in. I want this on the record for everyone though. It would be very bad if I come face to face with Daddy Dearest… clear?”

“Ditto,” Lynn said, echoed by the entire team. “That’s the drawback, Amara. There are, as John tries to point out to us constantly, inadvertent consequences. Our team doesn’t take casualties. We give casualties. Hopefully, we’ll have you in a new place before your Daddy knows what’s happening. Clint and I will teach you the ways to stay in contact with us and Dannie if you need help. You have to be all in though, because if your Father or any family attack us before we get you to safety with a new identity, they won’t survive.”

Tears streamed down Amara’s cheeks. She gestured at her face. “Could any of you do such a thing to your own daughter?”

There was no need to answer. We also had no doubt he would kill her, given the chance. My iPhone went off with an indication of a Denny message. I read the text with growing concern. “Well shit… Denny has the facts on the seven clowns sent after Amara. They’re all Isis and Soldiers of Allah connected. Anyone else seeing a web of crap descending over us?”

Amara swiped at her eyes. “What does this mean? Are… are you saying my Father is a terrorist? He is a brutal and unforgiving man… but I do not think he has ever exploded bombs or plotted anything in my hearing. I would have mentioned such-”

“Relax, sister,” Samira said soothingly. “John means there are connections between the men who tried to take you and terrorists.”

“That your Father could reach out into a possible nationwide web for help in kidnapping you from our house makes us wonder if the net of these terrorist tools has finally closed,” Lynn added. “I’m sure our boss Denny has already reached that conclusion. It means this may be a full strike through intimidation not only as a terrorist network, but also an attempt to bolster Sharia law.”

“Lynn’s right. If all these terrorist imports, we’ve been stupidly allowing to slip through our borders, close ranks in communication and purpose, they can strike at will while covering their tracks. If a family decides to crack down on a recalcitrant daughter, or an opportunity arises to further the takeover of the United States through Sharia law, these jokers have the puzzle pieces in place to do exactly that. It is unfortunate for you, but very fortunate for us we had this interaction, Amara.”

“Then… you will still help me, Mr. Harding?”

“We’ll be helping you no matter what. This other info has only to do with us. It paints a clearer picture of what we’re up against on a more official level. We certainly won’t hand you over to your family because things get tricky settling you into a new place. We have some new leads to follow on our regular cases now. Don’t let any of this bother you. Lynn and Clint will take great care of you, and the rest of us are only a phone call away. I think we’ve covered everything we can at this time. C’mon Al, we’ll have to ride with the damn windows open, because Tonto didn’t only get my shoe.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” Al said from where she was sitting on the ground petting the main culprit in making me disgustingly aromatic. “Tonto’s sorry. He says he was forced into evil by his housemates.”

“Be careful pulling the ‘Dog Whisperer’ card on us, Al,” Lynn warned. “It won’t go well for you. C’mon crew. Between boat cruises, confrontations, and softball practice, I’m running low on fuel. I think a quiet night at home is in order. Tomorrow’s Saturday, so I’m thinking Sunday will be the first night we’ll have to worry about late night visitors.”

Then as we were walking to the parking lot Tommy arrived. He had texted me, wondering if we were still at the park. We met him with the usual fanfare of greetings, accusing him of being a slacker for not helping at practice. He had been taking my place at work, so I kept my mouth shut. His nose crinkled as we traded one liners.

“What is that smell?”

“I know Clint sent you the video, T. Don’t dig a hole for yourself. I know you didn’t only arrive here to perform a discovery phase of my Tonto decorated shoe.”

“Alexi called. He wants us to meet with Yuri and Marko about an earlier match date just as all of you suspected. Grab Lora, change your piss-pants, and we’ll have dinner with Al at The Warehouse. It’s on for six.”