Second Chance Hero (17 page)

He looked at Anna. Stared hard. She met his eyes, and Lil was proud. Fear was an aphrodisiac to this maniac. Good for Anna.
 

Degas smiled almost gently. “You have the look of your mother.”
 

Anna stiffened, her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t answer him. That too seemed to make him happy.

After a few seconds he turned to Lil, unlocked her cuffs, grabbed her arm and turned her to face Nancy and Miguel.

“You have a choice, Miss Palmer.”

His voice was soft, cultured, evil.

She didn’t speak. He’d give her the choice soon enough.

It didn’t take long.

“You can come with me now, quietly, no fight, and we leave your friend Nancy, your student Miguel and your boyfriend’s sister to meet their fates. Rescue or capture by my men, whichever comes first.”

He pushed her across the room now, away from Anna, near the others.

“That’s not a choice.” She couldn’t leave Anna. Or Miguel. Or even Nancy. Not like this.

He laughed and he sounded almost sane.

“Of course it’s a choice.”

“I leave with you or…”

“Oh Miss Palmer. You don’t want me to answer that. Not really.”

She saw the fierce pride in Miguel’s face as he stared at the man who’d murdered his family. She saw the skepticism in Anna’s eyes as she stared at the monster she’d only heard horror stories about.

“You know they’re close, Lil. David was picking you up.” Anna said the words as a threat, a taunt. Lil didn’t know which. She just wished Anna hadn’t given Degas the information.

“You have three seconds.”

She didn’t have time to answer. Didn’t have time to even comprehend his words before his hand snaked out, sliced through the air and caught Nancy’s face with the edge of his ring. Her lip split, blood splattered across Lil’s shirt as Nancy’s face swung sideways.

Everyone cried out and Degas turned back to Lil. Removed the gun from a holster. “She dies next. Decide now.”

 
“I’ll go. I’ll go. I’ll go.” Lil practically screamed the words. Somewhere in the background she heard the click of his gun, saw him put it back to his side.

Nancy’s eyes were filled with pity and she wondered if her old friend had wanted her to challenge the man, the monster, Degas. “I’ll go.” She said it again.

Challenging him with Nancy would lead to Miguel and then Anna. She couldn’t do it.

“I’ll go.” She said one last time. And then he was pushing her out of the room. She turned back once. In the room Anna looked terrified and alone. Miguel looked beaten and furious. Nancy was simply blank.

Degas had cancelled her out even though he’d left her alive.
 

They would be there. David and Ryan or Ortiz. She had to believe. It was the only way she could make her feet move forward.

David rode with Ortiz. He didn’t care if he ever spoke to Ryan again. The agent had been almost gleeful at the news of Lil’s disappearance. They were closing in on Degas. The monster of San Mario would soon be eliminated.

David didn’t give a damn about Degas right this minute. He wanted Lil safe. He wanted her back. He’d kill Degas with his bare hands if the man hurt her.

They neared the border, lights flashing and the appropriate Mexican authorities met the caravan of cars, led them closer to their destination.

His phone rang just before they reached the border. His first thought was Lil. His second his family. He checked the number, saw it was his mother.
 

He should let it go. She didn’t need to know, and she would. Somehow she’d know exactly what was going on.

His voice mail picked up and his phone rang again. She wasn’t giving up. He clicked through. Started to tell her he was busy. But she didn’t let him speak.

Her voice was hysterical as she cried. “Anna is gone, David. She’s gone.”

He didn’t need this now. Not now. “
Mamà
, she’s not gone. She’s just….”

“No, David, she’s gone. Mr. Miller called. He told me Degas has her. He’s got her and he’s got Lil too. Your brother’s calling the police. I’m calling you.”

He
had Anna too. David closed his eyes and bit back a curse as fear coursed through him.

Ortiz looked at him, the question in his eyes.

He tried to reassure his mother. “I’m with Detective Ortiz now,
Mamà
. We’re going to get them. I gotta let you go.”
 

He ended the call but not before he heard his mother crying. Heard her beg him to be careful.

Damn this man.

“He’s got my sister too.”

Ortiz never flinched. His face never changed.

They crossed the border behind the other cars, trucks and SUVs, lights flashing. Usually they’d have to stop. But this time they had a destination and the courtesy of a Mexican police escort.
 

“Miller called my mother. Wonder how he knew?”

Ortiz didn’t crack. Didn’t let on what he knew about the principal at all.

But he did give him news. “Your sister saw Nancy Valdez last night. She’s a loose end.”

“She saw Nancy?”

“At the Tejano concert.”
 

Dammit. He’d told her not to go.

“I’ll kill him.” After he said the words, David wondered if they were smart. Ortiz was a cop. Murder was murder.

“If you go in there panicked, you’re going to screw up, David. You go in if and only if you can do it right.”

Right? What the hell was right in a situation like this? Killing Degas was just and fair and it damn sure felt right.

“I’m with you. But I swear if he hurts Lil or my sister…”

“One step at a time. Let’s get where we’re going, worry about the rest later.”

The rest. Ortiz thought Degas had hurt them.
 

David willed the cars to go faster.
 

A few minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of one of the churches Solidad’s papers had led them to.

Agents and SWAT in full battle gear jumped from their vehicles. They’d planned for this moment, but they hadn’t shared the plan over radio waves. They couldn’t chance Degas knowing ahead of time.

Of course, David figured that was a waste anyway. The man had people on the inside on both sides of the border.
 

The echoes of his mother’s tearful pleas sounded in his ears as he followed Ortiz to Ryan and another team of federal officers.

“We got him, David. Lil did good,” Ryan said.

David fought to keep his hands at his side. Lil could be dead because of this mess.

“Miller called my mother. They have Anna too.”

Ryan frowned. Ran a hand over his forehead. “Miller’s been apprehended by now. Damn. Your sister’s in there too?”

David could tell he knew already. But then Ryan knew everything about this case. He was determined to take down Degas regardless of the cost.

The officers laid out the tactical maneuvers, and David watched somehow feeling separate from the action.

Anna and Lil were in there with that madman.

It was his fault. He should’ve taken Rafe away the minute he’d gotten to the school. Lil didn’t need to be involved. Now she was captive. He should’ve told his family the entire truth. The way Lil had wanted to. Maybe then Anna wouldn’t be in there.

The authorities moved forward and he started to follow, but Ortiz stopped him. “You’re a civilian, Martinez.” He handed him a two-way radio. “I’ll call you when we’re ready.”

David paced outside the vehicles. Listened to shouts unanswered, doors slamming open.
 

He prayed, begged God to keep Lil and Anna safe. Swore he’d do whatever if it were so.

He didn’t dare close his eyes. Every time he did visions of Lil filled his mind. Lil eating, Lil cleaning, Lil losing Scrabble calling him a cheat, Lil playing with Scamp, drinking her wine, asking him to come to bed with her.

Dead.

How could he have gotten sweet Lil messed up in this crap?

“All clear, David, all clear. Your sister’s here.”

Ortiz’s voice rang clear, and David started forward overjoyed until he realized what the detective hadn’t said.

He followed the line of officers through the church, through the halls, the rooms and finally there they were. Anna was rubbing her wrists, crying, hugging Detective Ortiz. Someone was helping Miguel Hernandez to his feet. The poor boy could barely stand. Ryan was slapping cuffs on Nancy Valdez.

But Lil wasn’t there.

“Lil.” Her name came out as a tormented question. Anna heard it and ran to him, launched herself in his arms. “He has her, David. Degas took Lil.”

Lil rode beside the man who’d so recently threatened to kill, who’d given her a choice.

She tried not to think about the scar on his face. About the blood on her shirt. About what might be happening back at the church.

“Miguel’s mother….” Her scratchy voice broke and she realized fear was a great generator of thirst.
 

Degas turned on to a dirt rode. “Miguel’s mother has turned up in her home town. Juarez is a big city. The police will find her. If the police get to Miguel in time, he and his mother will be reunited.”

If.
She closed her eyes and prayed the police would get there. Degas didn’t know about Solidad’s papers. He didn’t know everything.
 

“Why are you doing this?”

Degas turned onto another dirt rode. “I’ve been in business a very long time, Miss Palmer. If I’m going to be brought down, it won’t be without a fight.”

The words sounded true, but she didn’t believe them. If he wanted a fight, he could’ve had it at the church. This wasn’t about a fight. It was about something more. Something dark she didn’t yet understand, probably never would.

She tried not to focus on the scar running down the side of his face. Tried not to think of the life he’d led, the things he would be willing to do to get his way. “If you were doing this for a fight, you wouldn’t worry about David. He’s not the one responsible.”

David had helped the agents, but he wasn’t the one who’d connected the dots. He’d just stepped in to keep her safe.

Degas knew that. It was obvious when he turned his head to her, when he smiled that cold gentleman’s smile that turned her to ice.

“We both know who’s responsible. No more questions.”

David fought the emotions tearing through him. The fear for Lil competed with the relief that his sister was okay.

Anna was nearby, watching everything unfold. Miguel had been taken with a team of Federal agents and medical personnel to a hospital. They’d flown away in a helicopter, but not before Miguel had shaken his hand. Thanked him for saving their lives. His and Rafe’s.
 

Now he was left surrounded by agents, police officers and Mexican officials, and he knew he’d failed. Lil was out there with a madman. A madman who’d be out for revenge and who knew what else.

He couldn’t stand around waiting for someone to make a decision, to figure out what to do next. Lil needed him now.

Across the group of law enforcement officials he saw his sister watching him, a frown on her face, and he knew what she was thinking.
Why are you here? Go get her. Go get her now.

He turned away, looked out over the desert separating them from wherever Degas might be hiding with Lil. Where Ryan said Degas could be found. Where they were planning to attack right now. Attack with an army of who knew how many men. An army that could accidentally kill Lil.

No. Going after them wasn’t a problem. But if he screwed this up, Lil was going to die. She might die anyway.

His heart hurt at the thought. Anger threatened to overwhelm him. Somewhere inside him was the ability to turn emotion off. He knew it was there. Sought that ability now. It wasn’t working. Where Lil was concerned the emotion was too intense. Too painful. Too full of fear.

He couldn’t wait. Not any more.

As if he could read his mind, Ortiz appeared at his side.

“We’ll find her, Martinez.”

David didn’t hide his skepticism. “If Degas wants to be found. That’s the only way.”

“Interesting you say that.” Ortiz walked away from the crowd and David followed, sure now the detective had more to say. More he wanted David to hear, but no one else.

“Interesting, how?”

“Interesting in the same way this entire case is interesting.”

He was done playing games. “Say whatever it is you want to say Ortiz.”

The detective narrowed his eyes as he looked at him in the blinding afternoon sun.

“It’s a little too coincidental to me, that’s all. You being involved all this time. Lil ending up in the middle of it. It’s almost…” he paused, watched a piece of tumbleweed blow across the dirt at their feet. David wondered if he was deciding whether or not to say what he was thinking.

“Almost?”

“Almost like this whole thing was orchestrated. I don’t know how or why but it doesn’t flow with Degas’s actions in the past. We‘ve been chasing him for years and suddenly he falls. I don’t like it. I don’t like that it feels like Lil’s been used.”

David didn’t like it either. Didn’t like the possibilities that opened.

“Using Lil is pointless.”

“Pointless?” Ortiz laughed. “In less than a week she’s helped take down one of the biggest criminal elements in the United States and Mexico. She’s a schoolteacher. That doesn’t make sense to me. When things don’t add up, I start looking for variables in the math. What could have changed, what could’ve been skewed? She’s the new variable, but it still doesn’t make sense.”

It didn’t to him either. But he wasn’t going to sit around all day talking about it. “I’m going after them.”

“You and what army?”

The army gearing up for attack was part of the problem.

“Me. Alone. Now. I’m not waiting anymore. While Ryan and his team and you and your team and the Mexican authorities are all discussing operations and strategies, Degas has Lil. I can’t just sit here waiting.”

Ortiz leveled him with a stare. “Don’t you think Degas anticipates that reaction?”

“I don’t give a damn what Degas anticipates.”

“That’s what I’m saying, David. Think it through. Degas has stayed a step in front of us for years because he understands us. He knows what we’ll do. Where we’ll go. He beats us at our own game. If you do what he expects, you’re playing into his hands.”