Rise of The Iron Eagle (The Iron Eagle Series Book 1) (28 page)

It was half past ten when Walter decided to make an appearance in the wine cellar where he had Sara. He undressed, put on a warm terrycloth robe, and grabbed a second one from his closet. Sara was alert, and the look of shock on her face when the door opened and Walter walked in said it all. “Walter, what in God’s name are you doing to me?” Much to his surprise, her tone was one of anger not fear. “I’m freezing. Where are my clothes? Where am I?” He walked over to her and released her hands and feet and helped her up. He gave her the extra robe that he had in his hands, but he didn’t respond right away. “Walter! Where am I, and how did I get here?” He walked over to the bathroom and flicked the switch. The light from the room was blinding. She could hear water running, and when Walter emerged drying his hands with a white towel, he said, “I’m so sorry for this, Sara. I just didn’t see any other way.”

“Any other way for what?” Her voice was loud and resonated off the concrete floor. “Can’t you see, Sara? We were meant to be together. I’ve never desired a woman the way that I desire you.” She was at a loss for words but only for a moment. “Where are we?” “In my home, Sara. Well, a very special part of it.” She looked at the open door where Walter had entered. She pointed in the direction of the opening and asked, “Where does that door lead?” He got a shy smile. “Into my wine cellar and then my bedroom.” “Your bedroom? Walter, just what are you planning here?” He moved toward the third door in the room and asked Sara to follow. She stood firm at first, but her feet were bare, and the floor was cold, so she followed him hesitantly.

The room was large, it had the same red walls but white carpet. She walked in and felt a sudden rush of relief from standing on the cold concrete floor. She looked around the room; it was very neat and tidy. There was a king-sized bed with an elaborate bed frame and headboard; she also noticed that the room was warm. Walter showed her the bathroom with a hot tub and shower, as well as a dry heat sauna. There was another door that she guessed was a closet, but when she went to open it, it was locked. “What’s in here, Walter?” He smiled, “Oh that’s a special room. Only a handful of my closest friends have ever been in there with me.” That statement alarmed her. She knew that she was in trouble, that Walter was not well, so she tried to use her medical training to manipulate him. “Well, I’m your friend, Walter. Do I get to go in there?”

He smiled pleasantly at her. “Oh, my dear Sara. First, you really, really don’t want to go in there, and please don’t patronize me. You and I are not friends; you told Marty as much this morning. He told me about the whole conversation. I really believe that we can be friends, Sara. I believe that we are really much more than that. I know you don’t see it that way right now, but I think that over time you will come to love me as much as I love you.” There was a pair of chairs in a sitting area, and she walked over and sat down on one and invited Walter to join her. He complied and sat next to her. “Walter, the conversation I had with Marty was related to working for the hospital as well as asking that you not make any more unwanted advances. Marty made the counteroffer and said that you agreed to my terms.” He nodded. “Then why have you brought me to your home against my will?” “I don’t want you to leave me, Sara. I don’t want you to go to San Diego.” She smiled and patted his bare knee. “I’m not going to San Diego, Walter. I’ve decided to accept the offer and stay with Northridge.” A smile grew across his face. “That’s wonderful news, Sara. That makes me so happy.” “I’m very glad that you’re happy, Walter, but taking me to your home against my will is wrong. I would like to go home now.” He stood up and walked out of the room, speaking as he exited, “You must be starving. I had my staff prepare us a small meal. Would you care to join me in the dining room for a late night snack?” He was out of sight when she mumbled to herself to play along. “It’s the only way you’re going to come out of this alive,” she whispered before telling Walter she was starving and following him to the dining room.

Chapter Twenty-Five

‘“You an alcoholic or something?
Its okay; we’re all friends here.”
Steve piped up, “Hey…the guy just
started working for me. We are not
friends. No offense, John.”’

T
here was no one in Santiago’s when John arrived, Valente was standing behind the bar cleaning some glasses; he looked up and recognized John immediately. John recognized him as well, and there were a few moments of awkward silence. John asked, “Is this your place, Valente?” “No. It’s now my father’s; it’s been in our family for over five generations. He wants me to take it over, but I’m still on the fence.” John ordered tonic water, which Valente gave him with a wedge of lime. “How long have you been out of the Corps?” he asked Valente. “Um…four years.” “You were special forces, so you’re still on active reserve, right?” Valente nodded. “You, too?” “Yes.” He fidgeted nervously as John sipped his drink. “So…how is Colonel Bolton?” Valente looked at the floor as he responded. “I don’t know, John. I haven’t spoken to her since her court martial.” John put the drink down on the bar and looked him in the eye, “Does anyone in this room know about your MLS in the Corps?” Valente laughed, “‘Multiple listing service?’You would think we were realtors. No. No one knows; it’s classified.” “I know you talk to Colonel Bolton. Please pass along my sincerest regrets over her treatment by the Corps. She didn’t deserve what they did to her.” Valente just nodded and nothing more was said.

John sat sipping the beverage when Jim and Steve came through the door. They were arguing over something, and Jim was both yelling at Steve and calling out to Valente at the same time. “Oh shut the fuck up, Steve. Valente, a bucket of beers over here, please.” He plopped down on a seat in front of one of the bar tables. Steve followed suit, and John walked over and joined them. Jim looked at his glass with the lime in it, “I thought you said you didn’t drink?” “It’s tonic water.” “Hmm…I don’t know, Steve. You hired a guy who doesn’t smoke, drink, or swear.” “Do you swear, John?” “Are you asking if I swear an oath or if I curse?” Jim shot him a look and said, “Curse, smart ass!” He took a sip of his tonic and said, “I used to, a long time ago. I try not to now. It helps me keep perspective.” “How the fuck does not fuckin’ cursing help you keep any goddamn perspective?” He looked at Steve with pleading eyes. “Hey…don’t look at me; I want an answer as well.” Valente came over with the beers and put the bucket down next to the table. Jim grabbed two, popped them open, and handed one to Steve and said, “A toast to The Iron Eagle for leaving our wives and friends alive.” They clinked bottles and took a drink. “So what the fuck do you make of this whole situation, Steve? The Eagle kills that little street thug, then takes our girls, ties them up but doesn’t hurt them, and then gets me in a shitass load of trouble.” John got a strange look on his face. “What happened to you?”

“Oh man…you’re just a kid. I know that you were married, and I mean no disrespect to your late wife, but The Eagle screwed me big time.” “How so?” “Well, he grabbed Steve’s wife and her best friend and tied them up in his bedroom closet. Okay, that’s bad.” He looks at Steve and says in a softer tone, “You know that I love Molly, Steve; I’m really glad that she wasn’t hurt.” Steve nodded and continued drinking his beer. Jim continued, “Does The Eagle cut me a break? Fuck no. First, he booby-traps the door to the head that I’m hiding in, so I can’t get out to help Steve. How the fucker knew I would go to that bathroom is beyond me.” Steve interrupted, “Oh…I didn’t tell you. He booby trapped all of the bathroom doors in the park. He didn’t know which one you were going to go into, so he had his bases covered.” “Great… thanks, Steve. I feel a lot better now. May I continue?” Steve gestured for him to continue. “So, now I’m locked in the head, I get out, and learn that The Eagle has taken the girls. We take off for Steve’s…” “Why didn’t you each go to your own homes?” “I’m divorced,” Jim said, “Steve’s happily married. It was a knee jerk reaction. Anyway, the girls were alright, so I took off to check on my ex. I get to her house and find a note from The Eagle telling me where she is.” “And where was that?” John asked. “Get this…he hog-tied and gagged her and put her in the bathroom that I was in at Legion Park while covering Steve. He leaves me a polite note, and the long and short of it is I left her in the bathroom because I couldn’t see her or even know she was there. She ends up at County; Steve and I go there to get her, and when we find her she rips my head off. You have to understand, Barbara is full-blooded Irish, born and raised in Dublin, and moved to the U.S. to go to college.

“I spent the rest of the night trying to calm her down while she kept screaming ‘YOU LEFT ME!’ I tried to explain, but she didn’t care. I’d been freaking out because I was certain that The Eagle had killed her.” John interrupted, “Why would you think that The Eagle would kill her?” Jim stopped and slowed down, “Oh…I’m sorry. You’re new to the drama that is my life. You see, my wife divorced me several years ago because she’s, and I just learned this two nights ago, bisexual. I caught her in bed with her partner several years before she filed for divorce. So, to make a long story short…” “Too late,” Steve interjected. “Asshole. She left me for her.” “I still don’t understand why you would worry about The Eagle killing her?”

“My wife’s lover was Jill Makin; she was a recent victim of The Eagle.” “Okay, but how do you get from your ex-wife’s lover being killed to The Eagle killing your ex?” “She confided to me that Jill told her the night before she was murdered that she thought she knew who The Eagle was. She told my ex that she had met the guy, and he was a shield, and that she let him know right away that she was gay and had no interest in men. Anyway, she said that the friendship flourished, and she was going to have the guy over to their house for dinner. However, the night before, Barbara said that Jill canceled the dinner, and that she was going to do some more checking on her new friend.”

John’s glass was empty, and Jim called to Valente for a refill. John thanked him as Jim asked if he wanted a couple of fingers of vodka in it. John thanked him for asking but said no. “Have you ever had alcohol before?” John nodded, which made Jim ask if he’d had some bad experience with it. “You an alcoholic or something? Its okay; we’re all friends here.” Steve piped up, “Hey…the guy just started working for me. We are not friends. No offense, John.” “None taken.” “It’s okay, though, to confess your sins here. Jim, and I are both lapsed alcoholics.” “No, it’s nothing like that. My wife was a wine enthusiast, and we shared that passion. After her murder, I hit the bottle pretty hard. I woke up one day after missing a week of my life with no memory of what happened and realized that alcohol wasn’t the answer, so I gave up drinking. Who knows? Maybe I’ll take up wine as a hobby again, but right now I like to keep my head clear.” “Amen to that,” said Jim, and Steve and Jim toasted.

“So you think that because your ex-wife was in a relationship with one of The Eagle’s victims that he’s going to come after her?” “Yes.” “Does she know anything about him at all?” “She has his cell phone number!” John took a sip of his drink. Jim said he ran it but nothing came up. “Then why are you afraid; it doesn’t sound like she knows anything about The Eagle.” “I called the cell phone from the head last night when Steve was talking to The Eagle before he killed the kid, and The Eagle answered and addressed me directly. He knew who I was, which means he knows where I got his cell phone number.” John took a drink of his tonic and let out a little laugh.

“Did I say something funny?” “Yea sort of.” “What?” “Hey, I know I’m new on the job, and I’ve only done a cursory profile on The Eagle, but based on his past behavior and the facts you’ve shared, neither you nor Barbara have anything to worry about.” Steve and Jim both sat back in their chairs. “That’s a pretty ballsy statement, John. How can you be so sure?” “I can’t put it into words for you guys, call it intuition, a gut feeling. I don’t think that The Eagle will come anywhere near your families again.” “That’s exactly what Molly said.” “You know, Steve, if there is one thing I have learned in my years as a police officer, a soldier, and a husband, firsthand experience with a person is always a good indicator of their future behavior. I’m not saying it’s a hundred percent, but I would say that the odds of The Eagle coming after your families again are about as good as the three of us hitting the lottery at the same time.” “Well, thank you for your insights, John. I will take them into consideration. It’s now half past one. I’m going home to my wife and her best friend because she leaves tomorrow.”

Jim laughed, “So you want to hit that one more time before she leaves?” Steve laughed, “One more time? Try two or three. Shit, I’m going to try to get Molly to drive when we take her to the airport, so that I can get a blowjob from her before she gets on the plane. I’m telling you… Gail could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.” They all laughed. “What about you? You going back to Barb’s tonight?” He nodded, “Yea…I’m horny, and even though she’s pissed at me she thinks I saved her life. I know I’ll get some good sex after she yells at me some more.” “What about you, John? Two days off. Any big plans?” “No sir…I’m going to spend the weekend working on the new information on The Eagle, and since he got to the Basin River Killer before we did, I want to try to see what we missed.” They got up together and said good night to Valente. Before they went to their cars, Steve stopped them both and admitted that he was glad that The Eagle got Basin River.” Jim said, “Got him? The Eagle made the guy feel everything that he did to his victims. He saved the taxpayers and the families of the victims a ton of time, money, and heartache.” John looked at the two men and said, “Yea…but that’s vigilante justice. You don’t have a problem with that?”

“Do we have a problem with it?” Jim interrupted Steve to say that on the record he’d say it was wrong and dangerous and that the police should handle it. “Off the record, however, I think the guy’s a badge. I think he knows exactly what he’s doing, and if he gets a whiff of a killer God help him. The Eagle is a well-trained, methodical thinker. Steve just told me that he thinks The Eagle is a sociopath, not a psychopath. If you ask me, I think he’s a cop with a grudge. Someone hurt him or someone that he loved, and he’s hunting for him. I think that the guys he’s caught so far were just lucky coincidences or flat out accidents. If I’m right, and he finds the man he’s hunting for, God help him. I don’t think law enforcement will even know about it.” Steve and John both remained silent. They all shook hands and went their separate ways, at least for a couple of days.

John called Sara’s cell phone again but got her voicemail and was getting concerned. He left Santiago’s and drove straight to her house. He got there a little past two a.m. Her car was parked in the driveway, and there were no lights on inside. He knocked on the door, but there was no response. There were no other cars around her house, nothing that would tell him that she had guests. He walked back to his truck and grabbed his Maglite and started to walk the perimeter of the house. He walked to the back gate and was able to access the backyard. The back of Sara’s house had large windows that looked out over a lap pool and Jacuzzi. He knew the house well. Sara had purchased it while they were dating. It was a cute little two bedroom, two bath bungalow in a great neighborhood on a corner lot with a guest house behind it right at the corner of Gothic and Aldea in Granada Hills. He walked around the pool and flashed the light into the living room windows. There was nothing out of the ordinary; the house was immaculate, which is how Sara had always been. As he looked into the living room, a memory of Amber came back to him. He saw her sitting on the couch the first time they met. He remembered Sara introducing him to her and the sparks that he felt when their eyes met. He was staring with the flashlight a bit too long because the next thing he heard was, “Freeze right where you are. Drop the light and put your hands in the air.” He complied and as the officers approached he said, “I’m FBI, and I’m armed. My ID is in my back right pocket.” One of the officers ordered him face down on the ground with his arms out to his sides, and he complied. The other approached and slowly removed John’s weapon and dropped it next to his body. He heard the other officer calling for back up. Within three minutes there were six units surrounding the house, and his ID had been taken from him. He sat with his back against the glass windows of Sara’s living room in handcuffs.