A Brother's Love Excerpt - now available in print
CHAPTER 1
Rick Thomas sat across from his boss, the deputy director, and wondered what had warranted the private, confidential meeting he had requested here in the Phoenix field office. As usual, Deputy Director Greg Olson sat in his massive throne-type chair and looked upon Rick as if he were an insignificant bug that had to be dealt with. The Deputy Director was definitely in control of this meeting.
Greg knew that if he sat there long enough staring at his agent, Rick would be so intimidated he would agree to anything he asked of him. At least Greg hoped that was the case. He also knew this was going to be a touchy situation, and he would have to use all of his powers of authority and intimidation to get Rick to agree with what needed to be done.
Sitting there, waiting for the browbeating to begin, Rick knew in his heart that while the outcome of this last case was not ideal, it was just one small battle in the ongoing war. It was his understanding that the overall operation was considered a success to date by all FBI standards. Granted, the battle had had casualties. One of the bad guys was dead and could not be questioned, but the death had caused some serious infrastructure issues for the militant group that his partner, Pilar, and he had been assigned to surveil over the last two years.
With his eyes never leaving Rick’s, Greg took a deep breath before speaking. “I’ve read the reports on the Show Low bank incident. Do you have any idea how much money the federal government has invested in the Snowflake Militia investigation?”
Rick stirred uneasily in his chair. “Pilar is the person who usually checks and rechecks the statistics on this case, sir.”
Greg continued to stare at Rick without saying a word, waiting for Rick to continue.
“If I had to venture a guess, sir, with the two years we have been investigating and the marked money the militia group has gotten from the various robberies we’ve been able to set up, I’d have to say it’s in the millions, sir.”
Greg leaned forward in his chair to punctuate his statement. “To be exact, Agent Thomas, the federal government has invested twenty-seven million dollars on this assignment to date.”
Rick exhaled slowly, feeling his confidence slipping away in the face of so much money.
“Once again, we had all of our agents in place at the bank. The marked money the militia group was to take during the robbery was in place, and what happens, Agent Thomas?”
Greg paused to bring his point home. “One of the main perpetrators in the Snowflake Militia Group that we’ve been watching closely for the last two years was killed. Three other members who were involved in the bank robbery and subsequently captured are not talking.” Greg paused, looked straight at Rick and remarked brusquely, “And, of course, one got away.”
Greg held the stare and the silence, knowing Rick would feel compelled to explain the situation again.
Rick clasped his hands together and fervently wished he didn’t feel as though he were standing in front of his grade school principal to explain a cherry bomb and toilet incident. “Sir, there was no other way Pilar and I could have handled the situation. Thorn Baker and the four other men with him had just shot an off-duty police officer while they were exiting the bank. The officer had simply gone into the bank to make a deposit. They saw his uniform and panicked. In a matter of moments, the situation escalated out of control, and we had to move in to stop any further collateral damage and loss of life. We just could not allow any further injuries to happen, sir. We acted in the interest of public safety.”
Rick took a deep, slow breath to calm his nerves and continued. “I understand it was a loss when Pilar shot and killed Thorn Baker, but he had already killed a police officer and was indiscriminately shooting at cars and pedestrians passing by while trying to escape.”
Rick understood fully that his actions and those of his partner were well within the bounds of a justified shoot and couldn’t help but get a little irritated that they were continually being questioned about it. He also knew in his gut that if Pilar hadn’t shot and killed Thorn Baker, that he himself would be dead right now. Baker had had him in his sights and would have pulled the trigger without hesitation. Rick shifted his body in the chair, remembering just how close it had been to being his last moment on this earth.
Continuing with the intimidation tactics, Greg remained silent after Rick's answer to his question, adding a disapproving look to unsettle Rick. Finally, Greg leaned forward. “You and Pilar have a close relationship. Is that a fair statement?”
Surprised at the turn in the conversation and unsure as to what the Deputy Director was alluding, Rick’s face scrunched up. “I beg your pardon, sir?”
Greg picked up a pen on his desk and played with it a moment. He pointed it at Rick. “You and your partner have a close relationship, correct?”
Rick's hands were turning white from the pressure of being clasped together so tightly, and he was completely baffled because he wasn't sure exactly what point the Deputy Director was trying to make. “Pilar is the best partner I’ve ever had, sir. We’ve worked together successfully for the last four years, and our working relationship is solid.” He lifted his shoulders and continued, “We get along well, and we trust each other. If you are asking if we have an intimate relationship, sir, we do not.”
Greg hesitated a moment and decided it was time to proceed with the real reason he had called Rick into his office. “There is someone I want you to meet.” He punched a button on his phone. “Sally, send him in now.”
Rick turned as the door opened, and a tall, very well-dressed man walked into the room. He moved toward them and took a seat to Rick’s left.
Greg made the introductions. “Special Agent Rick Thomas, I’d like you to meet Special Agent Matthew Campos. Matt works out of our Tucson offices.”
Rick turned and held his hand out with a smile on his face. “You’re Pilar’s brother. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Matt sat back in his chair and smiled while thinking of his sister. “I’m surprised that Pilar told you about me. She’s a very private person and doesn’t ever talk about personal things with anyone.”
Rick chuckled, knowing full well that Pilar didn't discuss personal matters with anyone. “We spend a lot of hours together doing nothing but watching houses, cars, hotels. Even the most antisocial person will start talking under those circumstances.”
Matt laughed. “Antisocial. That’s one of the nicest things anyone outside the family has ever said about my sister.”
“Well, she really doesn’t like people that much. I guess that’s why she’s so good at this job. There’s not a lot of interaction with people unless you’re pointing a gun at them and arresting them.” Rick looked at his boss. “What exactly is going on here, sir?”
Greg leaned back in his chair and for the first time let the exhaustion show that he had been feeling since he first started getting the disturbing intelligence reports. The expression on his face was grim. “We’ve got a problem, Rick. Over the last several days, I have had numerous intelligence contacts report that a contract has been placed on Pilar’s life.”
Rick sucked in his breath and stood. “What? Are you serious? Who put the contract out? Why?”
Matt tried to calm him down. “Sit down, Rick, so we can discuss this as calmly as possible.” Rick sat and stared at Matt, wondering how Pilar's brother could seem so relaxed under the circumstances.
“Thorn Baker’s brother, Boone, authorized a payout of one million dollars for the death of my sister. He knows she’s the agent who pulled the trigger that killed his brother. He’s out for revenge, and he’s being very vocal about it. That’s where you come in.”
Stunned, Rick muttered to himself, “She took the kill shot instead of just wounding him because he was going to kill me. She saved my life, and now her life is in danger.”
Rick’s head jerked up, and he directed his gaze at the Deputy Director. “I just saw her this morning getting coffee downstairs. Why haven’t you put her in a safe house, sir? These are some of the most dangerous homegrown terrorists we’ve ever had in the U.S. If these threats are credible, why haven’t you gotten protection for Pilar?”
Greg replied, “We just got confirmation late last night. We overheard a conversation between Boone Baker and Syd Conner discussing the hit.”
Rick was on his feet, his voice growing louder by the minute. “Syd Conner is the Snowflake Militia Group’s enforcer. He’s the most dangerous, vicious man I’ve ever had to deal with.”
Rick started pacing and turned on Greg. “Why hasn’t an order gone out to get these bastards into custody?”
Greg, feeling the weight of his job in the knots in his neck, said, “We can’t jeopardize our operation yet. There’s still too much we don’t know. Hell, we’re finding new members every day, and we’re still following the money trail to find out what businesses are supporting this group. Every day that goes by, we learn more and more about the subjects and their operation.”
He put his hand to his head and massaged his temple to try to deflect some of the tension he felt. “Even if we brought every single member in, the contract would still be valid. There would still be people out there trying to kill Pilar. At this point, there’s just nothing we can do with the group that will stop the events Boone Baker has set in motion.”
Agitated, Rick declared loud and clear, “We have to get Pilar somewhere safe immediately.”
Greg nodded in Matt's direction. “We were hoping you’d say that.”
Rick suddenly had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him his day had just gone from bad to worse.
Greg said, “Rick, you’ve got a…” He shuffled some papers on his desk until he found the one he was looking for. He held it in his hand and returned his attention to Rick. “You’ve got an older brother, Amos, who has a ranch north of the Flagstaff area, correct?”
Once again perplexed, Rick scrunched up his forehead as he held his arms out in a questioning fashion. Frustrated by the runaround, he retorted with sarcasm in his voice, “Yes?” More a question than a statement.
“There’s also a woman who works for your brother named Mabel Forrest, correct?”
Having no idea what this line of questioning had to do with the danger his partner was in, Rick leaned forward to protest. “Sir, I’m not sure I understand what—”
Greg held his hand up to stop Rick. “We’ve dispatched a tactical unit and surrounded your brother’s property. You are going to take Pilar to your brother’s ranch under the guise that she is Mabel Forrest’s long lost niece and have her stay there for at least two months.”
Shocked, Rick leaped out of his chair. “Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what my brother is like? There is no way he’ll agree to this. If he finds your people on his property, he’ll kill them first and ask questions later.”
Greg smiled and visibly relaxed. “He sounds like the perfect person to protect Pilar.”
Rick turned to Matt to try to make him understand the gravity of what was being suggested. “No offense here, Matt, but my brother’s people skills make your sister look like the Queen of England. I’m telling you, he will not agree to this. He hates outsiders and women in particular. They will kill each other within an hour. There has to be another way.”
Matt laughed at the thought of his sister's people skills being compared to the Queen of England. “No offense taken. I know Pilar’s temper can be difficult, but this is the only way to keep her safe. Deputy Director Olsen has talked to both your brother and the local police chief in the area. They have agreed to take this on because Pilar put her life in jeopardy by saving your life. Granted, your brother was not thrilled at the notion of having Pilar stay on his ranch. His only request was to keep her out of his way.”
Rick turned to Greg, incredulous that his brother had already been contacted. “You've talked to my brother? He’s really okay with this? Are you sure it was my brother? Amos Thomas. You spoke directly to Amos Thomas?”
Greg sighed. He was tired from all of the sleepless, tension-filled hours he'd been dealing with this mess. His part was almost over in all of this. He was more than happy to pass the buck to Rick now. “Yes, I spoke with your brother, Amos Thomas. As Matt stated, he was not happy about the situation, but he did agree to keep Pilar under wraps at his ranch. He did make it very clear that he was not running a dude ranch and would not expend the energy to keep Pilar entertained or occupied in any way.”
Matt grinned at the thought of his sister meeting her match. “It sounds like a match made in heaven to me.”
Confused by the turn of events, Rick mumbled, “I can’t believe this is happening. Pilar didn’t say anything to me about this when I saw her this morning. I can’t believe she would actually agree to something like this.”
Rick waved his hands to encompass the people in the room. “We’re all reasonable people here and can see why hiding Pilar is necessary, but I just can’t believe she would agree to it. This is so out of character for her.”
Matt cleared his throat. “Pilar doesn’t know yet. That's where you come in.”
Alarmed by Matt's remark, Rick's voice took on a note of sheer terror. “What? How am I supposed to get her to agree to this? I know her. She will want to stay and fight. She would never agree to go to the ranch, she would think of it as a win in the Snowflake Militia column. There is no way in hell she’ll agree to go into hiding.”
Greg handed a folder to Rick. “We already have this worked out, Rick. You have to calm down because we have to move quickly. Sit down so I can tell you what needs to be done.” Rick took the folder and with shaky legs, collapsed into the chair.
Greg said, “I will keep Pilar here with me while you and two other agents discreetly go to her house and pack for her.”
Rick’s head shot up. “Pack for her? Why can’t she pack for herself?”
Greg smiled at the poor bastard across the desk from him. “Because she is not going to know what’s happening until it’s too late to change the plan.”
“What do you mean? She’s going to know the moment you tell her.” Rick paused, trying to quell the fear of what he knew he was about to hear. With one last bit of hope in his voice, Rick continued. “Oh, wait a minute. You’re going to lie to her, right? You’re going to tell her some kind of story so she doesn’t know what’s happening, right?”
Greg shook his head. “No.” Rick stared at Greg as the realization of what was happening slowly dawned on him.
Greg continued, “I’m not going to tell her anything. That’s going to be your job. She saved your life when she killed Thorn Baker. Now it’s time for you to save hers. You need to be the person who explains this to her.”
Rick felt like he was going to throw up. “You understand, sir, that she will kill me. If she doesn’t kill me, she will beat the crap out of me. You understand that, right, sir?”
Greg smiled, knowing that scenario was a distinct possibility. “She’s just one small woman. I’m sure you can deal with it.”
Matt tried to hide his chuckle under a fake cough.
Rick thought, I’d rather deal with a rabid mountain lion. At least then I’d have a fighting chance.
Greg, knowing this was the only way to save the life of one of his best agents, quickly changed the subject before Rick had too much time to think about the consequences of the next twenty-four hours. “Let’s get back to how this is going to go down. You will go and pack for her. On the way back to the office, you’re going to stop at Dairy Queen and pick up a chocolate marshmallow shake for her. Matt tells me she has an affinity for those things, and will be forever grateful that you got her one. Matt brought some Benadryl. Pilar’s system overreacts to Benadryl. You are going to crush two tablets and put them in her milkshake. When she falls asleep, you will load her into the car we have assigned for you, and you will take her to your brother’s ranch. Nothing to it.”
Rick was out of his chair in a shot. “Nothing to it! What if she wakes up? What happens when we get to the ranch? Sir, she will kill me.” He knew it wasn’t manly, but he was pleading for a reprieve from what seemed a certain death sentence.
Ignoring him, Greg continued. “When she comes out of her Benadryl haze, you will tell her everything we have discussed here. You will let her know that her brother was part of this operation and gave his consent. If that doesn’t work, then you can call me on the encrypted phone we’ll leave for her, and I will talk to her. Do you understand?”
In that moment, Rick realized that Deputy Director Greg Olsen was just as afraid of Pilar’s temper as he was—afraid enough to make sure there was a lot of distance between them if he had to talk with her.
“Are you absolutely positive about this, sir? I have to tell you that I have some serious reservations about handling it this way. If I live through this, and I do mean if, it could gravely damage our working relationship.”
Greg leaned back in his chair, exhausted. “This is the way it’s going to be. You better get started. Pilar is very attuned to when people are following and watching her. She will get the idea pretty quickly that something is up, so time is of the essence. Get moving.”
Matt stood and held his hand out to Rick. “I know this is a difficult task we’re asking of you, but you are going to save her life. My sister is one of the most important people in my life, and I will owe you if you can pull this off. I know her, and once she thinks things through, she will forgive us. Thank you, and please thank your brother, Amos, for me.”
Rick stood and looked at Matt’s outstretched hand, wondering how in the hell he’d be able to collect on a favor from his partner’s brother if he was dead.
CHAPTER 2
Pilar woke to find herself lying in the back seat of an unfamiliar car. Her hands were cuffed behind her back, her feet were tied together, and her mouth was taped shut. The radio was playing a soothing Glen Miller tune. She was nauseous, and her vision was blurry, but without moving or making a sound, she turned her attention to the back of the driver’s head. She’d know that perfectly coiffed, metrosexual head anywhere.
As the realization that her partner for the last four years had drugged and restrained her sunk in, she immediately started thinking of ways to escape. Suddenly, the car pulled to a stop. She closed her eyes and waited for what would happen next.
The windows in the car were rolled up, but she clearly heard Rick talking to two other men with voices she didn't recognize on the passenger side of the vehicle. As stealthily as she could, she scooted down, hoping that Rick would open the door closest to her feet. Being his partner for four years, she had learned that he had a problem with thinking dangerous situations through. As far as Pilar was concerned, Rick would soon learn that this was by far the most dangerous situation into which he had ever inserted himself. She didn’t know why he had kidnapped her, and she didn’t care. She may not be able to get away, but she was going to make damn sure he regretted the decision, if he even lived to regret the decision.
Just as she thought, Rick opened the passenger side door of the car. She waited for him to move in and then kicked with both of her feet as hard as she could.
Amos and Police Chief Stan Klowski jumped back as Rick flew through the air backwards toward them. They looked at the car and saw a woman quickly emerge from the back seat. She was handcuffed, and her feet were tied together with a zip tie. She had what looked like painter’s tape wrapped around her mouth and head. Her eyes were glittering with anger, and she was swaying slightly back and forth.
Stan unholstered his gun and held it at his side, not sure how to handle this situation. He knew this woman had been brought here to be kept safe, but he also knew that it was coming as a total surprise to her. No matter how out of control the situation got, he wouldn’t shoot her, but he also realized that as of this moment, she was not aware that the three men standing in front of her were friends, not foes. With her training in weapons and martial arts, that made her extremely dangerous.
Amos’s first impression at seeing Pilar was that she was magnificent. There she stood, trussed up and immobile, eyes blazing, nostrils flaring, and ready to fight to the death no matter how impossible the circumstances in which she found herself. Her spirit reminded him of the stallion he had been trying to slowly break over the last three months. This woman was full of the same self-preservation, and she was not going down without a fight. He stood back and grinned, waiting for the show to start. He could hardly wait to see how his little brother was going to handle this hellion.
Rick slowly got up and held his hands out to try to pacify his unruly partner. “Pilar, I know you’re angry. I know you’re confused. Listen to me. Deputy Director Greg Olsen asked me to bring you here for your own safety. Boone Baker has put a contract out on your life. At this very moment, Syd Conner and numerous other psychopaths are looking for you. The Deputy Director and your brother came up with this plan,” he added, hoping it would mitigate her anger at him.
Rick moved a little closer. He knew if Pilar’s eyes could kill, he’d be splattered in bloody little pieces all over the front porch of his brother’s house. Trying to soothe himself as much as Pilar, he said, “I’m going to let you go, but first I’m going to unarm you.” He moved a little closer to her. “This is as much for your safety as for mine.”
Pilar made a growling sound in the back of her throat.
Rick hesitantly moved forward and pushed her dress coat aside. He pulled her Glock .40 caliber out of her shoulder holster and handed it to Stan. He leaned down and pulled her pant leg up and removed her Smith and Wesson snub nose .357 from her right boot and handed it to Stan. He pulled her left pant leg up and removed her Bowie knife from her other boot and again handed it to Stan.
She didn’t flinch. She just glared at the head with perfect hair and tried to burn holes into his body with her anger.
Rick stood in front of Pilar knowing that even without weapons, she was a force to be reckoned with. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. “Are there any more weapons?”
Pilar tilted her head and glared at Rick. He could actually feel the heat of her stare, triggering a vision of the ass-kicking he was about to get. He took a step back and regretted the retreat instantly. He saw the flash in her eyes, and he knew that she knew he was terrified of her. Her smile was evident even beneath the painter’s tape.
Amos’s lips perked to one side in a half grin. This was getting very interesting.
Rick hesitantly moved a little closer to Pilar. “Okay. I’m going to free your ankles now, and then I’ll take the handcuffs off. Please stay calm," he pleaded. "I will explain everything to you as soon as I finish taking the restraints off.”
Pilar scowled. Rick took a deep, cleansing breath and resorted to begging. “Please don’t hurt me.”
As he bent to cut the zip tie around her ankles, Pilar turned her attention to the two other men. They were at least a foot taller than her and probably had seventy-five to one hundred pounds on her.
Stan immediately became uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Amos, however, was getting a kick out of it. He turned his head to Stan and observed, “Look. She’s sizing us up.” Amos saw the uncertainty in Stan’s eyes and scoffed. “Relax, Stan. There’s three of us.” Amos turned back to Pilar and found her smiling through the tape at him. He smiled back.
Once Pilar’s feet were unbound, Rick cautiously rose and asked her to turn around so he could get the cuffs off. She complied.
As soon as the cuffs were off, Pilar threw her leg in the air and connected with Rick’s stomach. She grabbed his hand and slammed the cuffs on. She tripped him and threw him face down in the dirt, slammed an elbow into his back, and cuffed the other hand. With her knee in his back, she pulled his side arm and pointed it at Amos and Stan.
Stan dropped all the weapons he was holding and threw his hands in the air. Amos doubled over laughing.
Pilar tore the painter’s tape from her mouth and yelled, “Someone has five minutes to explain what the hell is happening here. If I’m not satisfied with your answers, I’m going to start shooting.”
At that moment, Rick’s phone started ringing. Pilar reached into his pocket and looked at the screen. Of course, she thought, it’s unavailable.
She stood, put the heel of her boot on Rick’s spine, continued to point his service piece at the two men, put the phone on speaker and answered, “Yeah. Who’s this?”
All she heard was laughter.
“Who the hell is this?” she screamed.
“Bravo, darlin’.” Laughter. “I taught you well.”
“Joey? What the hell is going on here? Where are you? I could use a little help.”
“Help? There’s only three of them and they're little at that. I saw you take down five all by yourself not a month ago in the gym. I must say that I did indeed teach you well.”
“Where the hell are you, Joey?”
“Consider me your guardian angel, darlin’. My men are stationed all around the ranch. Now, you should probably put the gun down and get your boot out of your partner’s back before you break something. Be a good girl and let them explain everything to you. Don’t make me come down there." With the smile evident in his voice he continued, "Oh, and by the way, when this is over, how about you and me on a beach somewhere in Mexico with a bottle of tequila?”
Pilar looked at the phone and closed it. She reluctantly stepped away from Rick.
Amos said, “Let’s go sit at the table on the porch to discuss what’s going on here.” Amusing as this was, it was taking way too long, and he had to get back to work. “Stan, help Rick up and out of the cuffs.” Amos turned and walked into the shade of the porch.
Stan moved to help Rick up off the ground. Pilar finally lowered Rick’s gun but kept it at her side.
Rick sidled over to the car and pulled Pilar’s suitcase from the trunk. When he reached the porch, the front door to the house opened, and an elderly woman walked out with a tray full of cold lemonade. She sat the tray on the table and turned to Pilar. “My, you’re a pretty little thing. My name is Mabel, and I’m your long lost aunt. I'm just proud as punch to be a part of this little espionage plot! Don’t let these menfolk scare you none. Their bark is much worse than their bite. You just call me if you need any help with them. I’ll set ‘em right.”
Mabel turned her attention to Rick and started waving her finger at him just like she'd done since he was a small boy. “It’s about time you come home, boy. Come give me a hug. I’ve missed you something fierce.” Rick obeyed, hugging her close. Wiping the tears that had escaped her eyes with her apron, she turned and went back into the house.
Pilar smiled after her. Mabel was one of those rare people who, when she touched you, made you feel as if you had been touched by an angel. Her touch conveyed genuine warmth, comfort, and most important, security.
Pilar was the last to sit, and she slowly scanned the faces at the table. “You better start talking fast, Rick, and just keep to the facts. I don’t want any bullshit.”
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Rick Thomas sat across from his boss, the deputy director, and wondered what had warranted the private, confidential meeting he had requested here in the Phoenix field office. As usual, Deputy Director Greg Olson sat in his massive throne-type chair and looked upon Rick as if he were an insignificant bug that had to be dealt with. The Deputy Director was definitely in control of this meeting.
Greg knew that if he sat there long enough staring at his agent, Rick would be so intimidated he would agree to anything he asked of him. At least Greg hoped that was the case. He also knew this was going to be a touchy situation, and he would have to use all of his powers of authority and intimidation to get Rick to agree with what needed to be done.
Sitting there, waiting for the browbeating to begin, Rick knew in his heart that while the outcome of this last case was not ideal, it was just one small battle in the ongoing war. It was his understanding that the overall operation was considered a success to date by all FBI standards. Granted, the battle had had casualties. One of the bad guys was dead and could not be questioned, but the death had caused some serious infrastructure issues for the militant group that his partner, Pilar, and he had been assigned to surveil over the last two years.
With his eyes never leaving Rick’s, Greg took a deep breath before speaking. “I’ve read the reports on the Show Low bank incident. Do you have any idea how much money the federal government has invested in the Snowflake Militia investigation?”
Rick stirred uneasily in his chair. “Pilar is the person who usually checks and rechecks the statistics on this case, sir.”
Greg continued to stare at Rick without saying a word, waiting for Rick to continue.
“If I had to venture a guess, sir, with the two years we have been investigating and the marked money the militia group has gotten from the various robberies we’ve been able to set up, I’d have to say it’s in the millions, sir.”
Greg leaned forward in his chair to punctuate his statement. “To be exact, Agent Thomas, the federal government has invested twenty-seven million dollars on this assignment to date.”
Rick exhaled slowly, feeling his confidence slipping away in the face of so much money.
“Once again, we had all of our agents in place at the bank. The marked money the militia group was to take during the robbery was in place, and what happens, Agent Thomas?”
Greg paused to bring his point home. “One of the main perpetrators in the Snowflake Militia Group that we’ve been watching closely for the last two years was killed. Three other members who were involved in the bank robbery and subsequently captured are not talking.” Greg paused, looked straight at Rick and remarked brusquely, “And, of course, one got away.”
Greg held the stare and the silence, knowing Rick would feel compelled to explain the situation again.
Rick clasped his hands together and fervently wished he didn’t feel as though he were standing in front of his grade school principal to explain a cherry bomb and toilet incident. “Sir, there was no other way Pilar and I could have handled the situation. Thorn Baker and the four other men with him had just shot an off-duty police officer while they were exiting the bank. The officer had simply gone into the bank to make a deposit. They saw his uniform and panicked. In a matter of moments, the situation escalated out of control, and we had to move in to stop any further collateral damage and loss of life. We just could not allow any further injuries to happen, sir. We acted in the interest of public safety.”
Rick took a deep, slow breath to calm his nerves and continued. “I understand it was a loss when Pilar shot and killed Thorn Baker, but he had already killed a police officer and was indiscriminately shooting at cars and pedestrians passing by while trying to escape.”
Rick understood fully that his actions and those of his partner were well within the bounds of a justified shoot and couldn’t help but get a little irritated that they were continually being questioned about it. He also knew in his gut that if Pilar hadn’t shot and killed Thorn Baker, that he himself would be dead right now. Baker had had him in his sights and would have pulled the trigger without hesitation. Rick shifted his body in the chair, remembering just how close it had been to being his last moment on this earth.
Continuing with the intimidation tactics, Greg remained silent after Rick's answer to his question, adding a disapproving look to unsettle Rick. Finally, Greg leaned forward. “You and Pilar have a close relationship. Is that a fair statement?”
Surprised at the turn in the conversation and unsure as to what the Deputy Director was alluding, Rick’s face scrunched up. “I beg your pardon, sir?”
Greg picked up a pen on his desk and played with it a moment. He pointed it at Rick. “You and your partner have a close relationship, correct?”
Rick's hands were turning white from the pressure of being clasped together so tightly, and he was completely baffled because he wasn't sure exactly what point the Deputy Director was trying to make. “Pilar is the best partner I’ve ever had, sir. We’ve worked together successfully for the last four years, and our working relationship is solid.” He lifted his shoulders and continued, “We get along well, and we trust each other. If you are asking if we have an intimate relationship, sir, we do not.”
Greg hesitated a moment and decided it was time to proceed with the real reason he had called Rick into his office. “There is someone I want you to meet.” He punched a button on his phone. “Sally, send him in now.”
Rick turned as the door opened, and a tall, very well-dressed man walked into the room. He moved toward them and took a seat to Rick’s left.
Greg made the introductions. “Special Agent Rick Thomas, I’d like you to meet Special Agent Matthew Campos. Matt works out of our Tucson offices.”
Rick turned and held his hand out with a smile on his face. “You’re Pilar’s brother. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Matt sat back in his chair and smiled while thinking of his sister. “I’m surprised that Pilar told you about me. She’s a very private person and doesn’t ever talk about personal things with anyone.”
Rick chuckled, knowing full well that Pilar didn't discuss personal matters with anyone. “We spend a lot of hours together doing nothing but watching houses, cars, hotels. Even the most antisocial person will start talking under those circumstances.”
Matt laughed. “Antisocial. That’s one of the nicest things anyone outside the family has ever said about my sister.”
“Well, she really doesn’t like people that much. I guess that’s why she’s so good at this job. There’s not a lot of interaction with people unless you’re pointing a gun at them and arresting them.” Rick looked at his boss. “What exactly is going on here, sir?”
Greg leaned back in his chair and for the first time let the exhaustion show that he had been feeling since he first started getting the disturbing intelligence reports. The expression on his face was grim. “We’ve got a problem, Rick. Over the last several days, I have had numerous intelligence contacts report that a contract has been placed on Pilar’s life.”
Rick sucked in his breath and stood. “What? Are you serious? Who put the contract out? Why?”
Matt tried to calm him down. “Sit down, Rick, so we can discuss this as calmly as possible.” Rick sat and stared at Matt, wondering how Pilar's brother could seem so relaxed under the circumstances.
“Thorn Baker’s brother, Boone, authorized a payout of one million dollars for the death of my sister. He knows she’s the agent who pulled the trigger that killed his brother. He’s out for revenge, and he’s being very vocal about it. That’s where you come in.”
Stunned, Rick muttered to himself, “She took the kill shot instead of just wounding him because he was going to kill me. She saved my life, and now her life is in danger.”
Rick’s head jerked up, and he directed his gaze at the Deputy Director. “I just saw her this morning getting coffee downstairs. Why haven’t you put her in a safe house, sir? These are some of the most dangerous homegrown terrorists we’ve ever had in the U.S. If these threats are credible, why haven’t you gotten protection for Pilar?”
Greg replied, “We just got confirmation late last night. We overheard a conversation between Boone Baker and Syd Conner discussing the hit.”
Rick was on his feet, his voice growing louder by the minute. “Syd Conner is the Snowflake Militia Group’s enforcer. He’s the most dangerous, vicious man I’ve ever had to deal with.”
Rick started pacing and turned on Greg. “Why hasn’t an order gone out to get these bastards into custody?”
Greg, feeling the weight of his job in the knots in his neck, said, “We can’t jeopardize our operation yet. There’s still too much we don’t know. Hell, we’re finding new members every day, and we’re still following the money trail to find out what businesses are supporting this group. Every day that goes by, we learn more and more about the subjects and their operation.”
He put his hand to his head and massaged his temple to try to deflect some of the tension he felt. “Even if we brought every single member in, the contract would still be valid. There would still be people out there trying to kill Pilar. At this point, there’s just nothing we can do with the group that will stop the events Boone Baker has set in motion.”
Agitated, Rick declared loud and clear, “We have to get Pilar somewhere safe immediately.”
Greg nodded in Matt's direction. “We were hoping you’d say that.”
Rick suddenly had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him his day had just gone from bad to worse.
Greg said, “Rick, you’ve got a…” He shuffled some papers on his desk until he found the one he was looking for. He held it in his hand and returned his attention to Rick. “You’ve got an older brother, Amos, who has a ranch north of the Flagstaff area, correct?”
Once again perplexed, Rick scrunched up his forehead as he held his arms out in a questioning fashion. Frustrated by the runaround, he retorted with sarcasm in his voice, “Yes?” More a question than a statement.
“There’s also a woman who works for your brother named Mabel Forrest, correct?”
Having no idea what this line of questioning had to do with the danger his partner was in, Rick leaned forward to protest. “Sir, I’m not sure I understand what—”
Greg held his hand up to stop Rick. “We’ve dispatched a tactical unit and surrounded your brother’s property. You are going to take Pilar to your brother’s ranch under the guise that she is Mabel Forrest’s long lost niece and have her stay there for at least two months.”
Shocked, Rick leaped out of his chair. “Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what my brother is like? There is no way he’ll agree to this. If he finds your people on his property, he’ll kill them first and ask questions later.”
Greg smiled and visibly relaxed. “He sounds like the perfect person to protect Pilar.”
Rick turned to Matt to try to make him understand the gravity of what was being suggested. “No offense here, Matt, but my brother’s people skills make your sister look like the Queen of England. I’m telling you, he will not agree to this. He hates outsiders and women in particular. They will kill each other within an hour. There has to be another way.”
Matt laughed at the thought of his sister's people skills being compared to the Queen of England. “No offense taken. I know Pilar’s temper can be difficult, but this is the only way to keep her safe. Deputy Director Olsen has talked to both your brother and the local police chief in the area. They have agreed to take this on because Pilar put her life in jeopardy by saving your life. Granted, your brother was not thrilled at the notion of having Pilar stay on his ranch. His only request was to keep her out of his way.”
Rick turned to Greg, incredulous that his brother had already been contacted. “You've talked to my brother? He’s really okay with this? Are you sure it was my brother? Amos Thomas. You spoke directly to Amos Thomas?”
Greg sighed. He was tired from all of the sleepless, tension-filled hours he'd been dealing with this mess. His part was almost over in all of this. He was more than happy to pass the buck to Rick now. “Yes, I spoke with your brother, Amos Thomas. As Matt stated, he was not happy about the situation, but he did agree to keep Pilar under wraps at his ranch. He did make it very clear that he was not running a dude ranch and would not expend the energy to keep Pilar entertained or occupied in any way.”
Matt grinned at the thought of his sister meeting her match. “It sounds like a match made in heaven to me.”
Confused by the turn of events, Rick mumbled, “I can’t believe this is happening. Pilar didn’t say anything to me about this when I saw her this morning. I can’t believe she would actually agree to something like this.”
Rick waved his hands to encompass the people in the room. “We’re all reasonable people here and can see why hiding Pilar is necessary, but I just can’t believe she would agree to it. This is so out of character for her.”
Matt cleared his throat. “Pilar doesn’t know yet. That's where you come in.”
Alarmed by Matt's remark, Rick's voice took on a note of sheer terror. “What? How am I supposed to get her to agree to this? I know her. She will want to stay and fight. She would never agree to go to the ranch, she would think of it as a win in the Snowflake Militia column. There is no way in hell she’ll agree to go into hiding.”
Greg handed a folder to Rick. “We already have this worked out, Rick. You have to calm down because we have to move quickly. Sit down so I can tell you what needs to be done.” Rick took the folder and with shaky legs, collapsed into the chair.
Greg said, “I will keep Pilar here with me while you and two other agents discreetly go to her house and pack for her.”
Rick’s head shot up. “Pack for her? Why can’t she pack for herself?”
Greg smiled at the poor bastard across the desk from him. “Because she is not going to know what’s happening until it’s too late to change the plan.”
“What do you mean? She’s going to know the moment you tell her.” Rick paused, trying to quell the fear of what he knew he was about to hear. With one last bit of hope in his voice, Rick continued. “Oh, wait a minute. You’re going to lie to her, right? You’re going to tell her some kind of story so she doesn’t know what’s happening, right?”
Greg shook his head. “No.” Rick stared at Greg as the realization of what was happening slowly dawned on him.
Greg continued, “I’m not going to tell her anything. That’s going to be your job. She saved your life when she killed Thorn Baker. Now it’s time for you to save hers. You need to be the person who explains this to her.”
Rick felt like he was going to throw up. “You understand, sir, that she will kill me. If she doesn’t kill me, she will beat the crap out of me. You understand that, right, sir?”
Greg smiled, knowing that scenario was a distinct possibility. “She’s just one small woman. I’m sure you can deal with it.”
Matt tried to hide his chuckle under a fake cough.
Rick thought, I’d rather deal with a rabid mountain lion. At least then I’d have a fighting chance.
Greg, knowing this was the only way to save the life of one of his best agents, quickly changed the subject before Rick had too much time to think about the consequences of the next twenty-four hours. “Let’s get back to how this is going to go down. You will go and pack for her. On the way back to the office, you’re going to stop at Dairy Queen and pick up a chocolate marshmallow shake for her. Matt tells me she has an affinity for those things, and will be forever grateful that you got her one. Matt brought some Benadryl. Pilar’s system overreacts to Benadryl. You are going to crush two tablets and put them in her milkshake. When she falls asleep, you will load her into the car we have assigned for you, and you will take her to your brother’s ranch. Nothing to it.”
Rick was out of his chair in a shot. “Nothing to it! What if she wakes up? What happens when we get to the ranch? Sir, she will kill me.” He knew it wasn’t manly, but he was pleading for a reprieve from what seemed a certain death sentence.
Ignoring him, Greg continued. “When she comes out of her Benadryl haze, you will tell her everything we have discussed here. You will let her know that her brother was part of this operation and gave his consent. If that doesn’t work, then you can call me on the encrypted phone we’ll leave for her, and I will talk to her. Do you understand?”
In that moment, Rick realized that Deputy Director Greg Olsen was just as afraid of Pilar’s temper as he was—afraid enough to make sure there was a lot of distance between them if he had to talk with her.
“Are you absolutely positive about this, sir? I have to tell you that I have some serious reservations about handling it this way. If I live through this, and I do mean if, it could gravely damage our working relationship.”
Greg leaned back in his chair, exhausted. “This is the way it’s going to be. You better get started. Pilar is very attuned to when people are following and watching her. She will get the idea pretty quickly that something is up, so time is of the essence. Get moving.”
Matt stood and held his hand out to Rick. “I know this is a difficult task we’re asking of you, but you are going to save her life. My sister is one of the most important people in my life, and I will owe you if you can pull this off. I know her, and once she thinks things through, she will forgive us. Thank you, and please thank your brother, Amos, for me.”
Rick stood and looked at Matt’s outstretched hand, wondering how in the hell he’d be able to collect on a favor from his partner’s brother if he was dead.
CHAPTER 2
Pilar woke to find herself lying in the back seat of an unfamiliar car. Her hands were cuffed behind her back, her feet were tied together, and her mouth was taped shut. The radio was playing a soothing Glen Miller tune. She was nauseous, and her vision was blurry, but without moving or making a sound, she turned her attention to the back of the driver’s head. She’d know that perfectly coiffed, metrosexual head anywhere.
As the realization that her partner for the last four years had drugged and restrained her sunk in, she immediately started thinking of ways to escape. Suddenly, the car pulled to a stop. She closed her eyes and waited for what would happen next.
The windows in the car were rolled up, but she clearly heard Rick talking to two other men with voices she didn't recognize on the passenger side of the vehicle. As stealthily as she could, she scooted down, hoping that Rick would open the door closest to her feet. Being his partner for four years, she had learned that he had a problem with thinking dangerous situations through. As far as Pilar was concerned, Rick would soon learn that this was by far the most dangerous situation into which he had ever inserted himself. She didn’t know why he had kidnapped her, and she didn’t care. She may not be able to get away, but she was going to make damn sure he regretted the decision, if he even lived to regret the decision.
Just as she thought, Rick opened the passenger side door of the car. She waited for him to move in and then kicked with both of her feet as hard as she could.
Amos and Police Chief Stan Klowski jumped back as Rick flew through the air backwards toward them. They looked at the car and saw a woman quickly emerge from the back seat. She was handcuffed, and her feet were tied together with a zip tie. She had what looked like painter’s tape wrapped around her mouth and head. Her eyes were glittering with anger, and she was swaying slightly back and forth.
Stan unholstered his gun and held it at his side, not sure how to handle this situation. He knew this woman had been brought here to be kept safe, but he also knew that it was coming as a total surprise to her. No matter how out of control the situation got, he wouldn’t shoot her, but he also realized that as of this moment, she was not aware that the three men standing in front of her were friends, not foes. With her training in weapons and martial arts, that made her extremely dangerous.
Amos’s first impression at seeing Pilar was that she was magnificent. There she stood, trussed up and immobile, eyes blazing, nostrils flaring, and ready to fight to the death no matter how impossible the circumstances in which she found herself. Her spirit reminded him of the stallion he had been trying to slowly break over the last three months. This woman was full of the same self-preservation, and she was not going down without a fight. He stood back and grinned, waiting for the show to start. He could hardly wait to see how his little brother was going to handle this hellion.
Rick slowly got up and held his hands out to try to pacify his unruly partner. “Pilar, I know you’re angry. I know you’re confused. Listen to me. Deputy Director Greg Olsen asked me to bring you here for your own safety. Boone Baker has put a contract out on your life. At this very moment, Syd Conner and numerous other psychopaths are looking for you. The Deputy Director and your brother came up with this plan,” he added, hoping it would mitigate her anger at him.
Rick moved a little closer. He knew if Pilar’s eyes could kill, he’d be splattered in bloody little pieces all over the front porch of his brother’s house. Trying to soothe himself as much as Pilar, he said, “I’m going to let you go, but first I’m going to unarm you.” He moved a little closer to her. “This is as much for your safety as for mine.”
Pilar made a growling sound in the back of her throat.
Rick hesitantly moved forward and pushed her dress coat aside. He pulled her Glock .40 caliber out of her shoulder holster and handed it to Stan. He leaned down and pulled her pant leg up and removed her Smith and Wesson snub nose .357 from her right boot and handed it to Stan. He pulled her left pant leg up and removed her Bowie knife from her other boot and again handed it to Stan.
She didn’t flinch. She just glared at the head with perfect hair and tried to burn holes into his body with her anger.
Rick stood in front of Pilar knowing that even without weapons, she was a force to be reckoned with. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. “Are there any more weapons?”
Pilar tilted her head and glared at Rick. He could actually feel the heat of her stare, triggering a vision of the ass-kicking he was about to get. He took a step back and regretted the retreat instantly. He saw the flash in her eyes, and he knew that she knew he was terrified of her. Her smile was evident even beneath the painter’s tape.
Amos’s lips perked to one side in a half grin. This was getting very interesting.
Rick hesitantly moved a little closer to Pilar. “Okay. I’m going to free your ankles now, and then I’ll take the handcuffs off. Please stay calm," he pleaded. "I will explain everything to you as soon as I finish taking the restraints off.”
Pilar scowled. Rick took a deep, cleansing breath and resorted to begging. “Please don’t hurt me.”
As he bent to cut the zip tie around her ankles, Pilar turned her attention to the two other men. They were at least a foot taller than her and probably had seventy-five to one hundred pounds on her.
Stan immediately became uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Amos, however, was getting a kick out of it. He turned his head to Stan and observed, “Look. She’s sizing us up.” Amos saw the uncertainty in Stan’s eyes and scoffed. “Relax, Stan. There’s three of us.” Amos turned back to Pilar and found her smiling through the tape at him. He smiled back.
Once Pilar’s feet were unbound, Rick cautiously rose and asked her to turn around so he could get the cuffs off. She complied.
As soon as the cuffs were off, Pilar threw her leg in the air and connected with Rick’s stomach. She grabbed his hand and slammed the cuffs on. She tripped him and threw him face down in the dirt, slammed an elbow into his back, and cuffed the other hand. With her knee in his back, she pulled his side arm and pointed it at Amos and Stan.
Stan dropped all the weapons he was holding and threw his hands in the air. Amos doubled over laughing.
Pilar tore the painter’s tape from her mouth and yelled, “Someone has five minutes to explain what the hell is happening here. If I’m not satisfied with your answers, I’m going to start shooting.”
At that moment, Rick’s phone started ringing. Pilar reached into his pocket and looked at the screen. Of course, she thought, it’s unavailable.
She stood, put the heel of her boot on Rick’s spine, continued to point his service piece at the two men, put the phone on speaker and answered, “Yeah. Who’s this?”
All she heard was laughter.
“Who the hell is this?” she screamed.
“Bravo, darlin’.” Laughter. “I taught you well.”
“Joey? What the hell is going on here? Where are you? I could use a little help.”
“Help? There’s only three of them and they're little at that. I saw you take down five all by yourself not a month ago in the gym. I must say that I did indeed teach you well.”
“Where the hell are you, Joey?”
“Consider me your guardian angel, darlin’. My men are stationed all around the ranch. Now, you should probably put the gun down and get your boot out of your partner’s back before you break something. Be a good girl and let them explain everything to you. Don’t make me come down there." With the smile evident in his voice he continued, "Oh, and by the way, when this is over, how about you and me on a beach somewhere in Mexico with a bottle of tequila?”
Pilar looked at the phone and closed it. She reluctantly stepped away from Rick.
Amos said, “Let’s go sit at the table on the porch to discuss what’s going on here.” Amusing as this was, it was taking way too long, and he had to get back to work. “Stan, help Rick up and out of the cuffs.” Amos turned and walked into the shade of the porch.
Stan moved to help Rick up off the ground. Pilar finally lowered Rick’s gun but kept it at her side.
Rick sidled over to the car and pulled Pilar’s suitcase from the trunk. When he reached the porch, the front door to the house opened, and an elderly woman walked out with a tray full of cold lemonade. She sat the tray on the table and turned to Pilar. “My, you’re a pretty little thing. My name is Mabel, and I’m your long lost aunt. I'm just proud as punch to be a part of this little espionage plot! Don’t let these menfolk scare you none. Their bark is much worse than their bite. You just call me if you need any help with them. I’ll set ‘em right.”
Mabel turned her attention to Rick and started waving her finger at him just like she'd done since he was a small boy. “It’s about time you come home, boy. Come give me a hug. I’ve missed you something fierce.” Rick obeyed, hugging her close. Wiping the tears that had escaped her eyes with her apron, she turned and went back into the house.
Pilar smiled after her. Mabel was one of those rare people who, when she touched you, made you feel as if you had been touched by an angel. Her touch conveyed genuine warmth, comfort, and most important, security.
Pilar was the last to sit, and she slowly scanned the faces at the table. “You better start talking fast, Rick, and just keep to the facts. I don’t want any bullshit.”
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