Framed (32 page)

“His name,” Kade hissed.

“Jared White.”

Kade rose as a paramedic shoved his way to the injured man’s leg.

“His name,” Kade asked Chapel, jerking his chin at Trigger.

“Beauregard White,” Chapel answered, holding up his driver’s license.

“Trigger,” the man bit out as the tech applied pressure to his wound. “Do me a favor,” Trigger blurted out as Kade turned to leave. “Kill him when you find him. He won’t let me live when he finds out I gave him up.”

“Not a problem,” Kade answered with a lethal tone.

“No honor among thieves,” Prez said, disgusted.

“I’ll call the authorities in Everglade City,” Chapel said.

“No. This is our area of expertise. The local boys will get trigger-happy. We have the advantage right now. He won’t try anything until he gets her alone in the cabin, he told me that much. I’ll arrive ahead of him and set a trap.”

“How are you gonna arrive before him?” Chapel asked. “He’s had a two-hour head start.”

“Dude, haven’t you been paying attention?” D smirked. “We’re fuckin’ SEALs . . . Sea. Air. Land. We’ll fuckin’ fly in.”

“I’ll get Bosworth on the phone,” Prez mumbled, “and see if he can get someone at Whiting to give us a lift.”

Kade spun on his heel when he heard Williams gasp and moved to the man. Once he’d recovered his bearings and started coughing into the oxygen mask, Kade leaned down to have a word.

“We’ve got one of your boys, but I want to know the
why
from you,” Kade growled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Williams replied, his voice scratchy and hard to hear. “I’m a victim . . .
cough
. . . of assault . . .
cough
,
cough
,
cough
. . . and nothing more.”

Trigger White reacted immediately. He tried to stand but fell back in pain. “The hell you’re innocent. You hired my cousin to take out Sutton. I want a deal,” he spit out at Chapel. “He and the Mayor were in this together. My cousin and I were the cleanup crew. You were just collateral damage, Kingston. In the wrong place at the wrong time. Sutton found out Williams was dumping toxic waste in the wetlands, so he had him killed.”

For a man who had been technically dead minutes before, Williams gathered his strength back quickly. He pulled the oxygen mask off his face and tried to stand.

“This man attacked me. He’s delusional. I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

“I don’t have time for this shit,” Kade clipped. “I need to be wheels up, now.”

“Excuse me,” a woman’s voice said over the snarling taking place between Trigger White and Doug Williams. “We have a helicopter on the roof.”

Kade swung around and found a woman in her early fifties, dressed in a designer suit of light purple. Her dark hair was cinched tight in a bun at the nape of her neck. She was attractive, looked hard as nails in that Leona Henley type of way, and she was staring daggers at Williams.

“Janet,” Williams growled, “he doesn’t have my permission to use it.”

“Considering the shit you’ve gotten yourself into, my dear husband, and the fact that I own half this company, I don’t give a shit what you think. Your mistress called the house this afternoon. Apparently, you were too busy kidnapping people to eat lunch with her,” she answered, sweeping her arms wide towards the whole room.

She turned to Chapel and put out her hand, introducing herself. “Janet Williams. Give me a call when you’re done here, and I’ll turn over his books. He keeps two sets. He doesn’t know I’m aware of that fact or that I know how to access them.”

“You bitch,” Williams hissed, trying to stand again.

His wife was nonplussed by his outburst. She just turned calmly, saying, “Tsk, tsk, Doug. Such language.”

“I want my lawyer,” Williams shouted.

“I’ll call him, dear, right after I turn over your books,” she replied smiling. Then she turned to Kade.

“Take our company helicopter; it’s a two seater, so only two of you can go. I’ll call up and let them know you’re coming. You’ll have to refuel midway between here and the Glades, I think, but you’ll beat White by a few hours.”

“Thank you,” Kade said.

“Just find her and bring her home. That’s all the thanks I need.”

Not wanting to waste another minute, Kade turned towards Prez and D and they began to move towards the door.

“Kingston,” Chapel called out. “I need him alive. I’ll give you a head start for Harley’s sake, but I’m calling in the locals once you’re in position. Bring him out alive.”

Kade nodded. He understood, but he didn’t agree. “I’ll bring him in if he hasn’t laid a hand on Harley. If he has, all bets are off.”

I was dreaming Kyle had been shot and bright red blood spread revoltingly across his chest, arcing out like a deadly flower, when a voice cut through the darkness.

“Wake up, Harley,” a voice purred into my ear. “I need you to drink this.”

“Waaa?” I tried to say but the word wouldn’t come at first. My head seemed to float among the clouds even though I was sure my feet were planted firmly on the ground. My eyes opened sluggishly at his command, blinking until they fixed on a tree outside a car window.

“Just a little more then you’ll sleep all the way home.”

“Home?”

“That’s right. Home to the Glades.”

“Will Kade be there?”

“Sure,” he chuckled. “Now open up and take some more.”

“Kade’s . . . he’s coming for me,” I mumbled, trying to clear my head.

“Sure, Harley. He’s coming for you.”

I felt my head rise, not of its own accord, then a bottle touched my lips. I was thirsty, so I didn’t hesitate to take a long, deep pull.

“That’s it, just a little more.”

“Okay,” I answered with my eyes shut. The lids were too heavy to keep open.

“Sleep,” the voice purred again.

“Okay,” I mumbled again. “I’ll dream of Kade.”

“You do that, Harley. Rest up because you’re gonna need your energy.” His voice still purred, but there was something sadistic about it. I tried to focus on his words, but nothing made sense. The car started, and the gentle rocking as it moved over uneven ground started to lull me to sleep. But not before I remembered why I should be afraid. Pirate Man had me.

“Pirate Man,” I muttered.

“Yeah, Harley?”

“Just so you know, my boyfriend’s gonna kick your ass . . .”

Deep, blissful slumber claimed me then, but I smiled in spite of my fear as I fell into sleep’s gentle embrace. Kade wasn’t going to kick his ass; he was going to rip his balls off and feed them to the man, and for some reason, that didn’t bother me all that much. I just had to stay alive long enough to watch.

I woke later, my head still floating, to the sound of Pirate Man nearly shouting in his phone. “Trigger, call me back. I need to know what the fuck is going on.”

I smiled again. I didn’t know who Trigger was, but from the sounds of the call, Trigger was an accomplice and he wasn’t checking in.

Kade’s coming
.

That thought filled me with comfort and a certain amount of glee.

***

Kade set down the Robinson R22 just south of Boggy Creek Landing in an open field. Janet Williams was wrong when she said he’d have to refuel once. Kade had to refuel three times to make it to Everglade City. That cost him valuable time, time he couldn’t afford to lose, and by his calculations, if White drove straight there stopping only for gas, Kade wasn’t ahead of him, he was behind by thirty minutes.

By the time he’d left Pensacola, Harley had been gone over three hours. He’d had to deal with Harry and calm him down, then with Chapel so he wouldn’t arrest the Mayor until the following morning. If word leaked to the press, it would sign Harley’s death warrant quickly and he needed time to get to her. He agreed to place Williams under arrest and watch him at the hospital while he recovered from his near death at the hands of Trigger White. And he’d delayed Trigger’s booking to avoid him using his one phone call to warn White. Then he’d had to help him see the light about not calling in the local authorities until the following morning.

He’d argued that a single man going in under the cover of darkness would put Harley at less risk than a trigger-happy swat team with flashing lights. That, and as far as rescuing hostages was concerned, there was no one better for the job than a SEAL. More than one would have been better, but he’d insisted Prez and D stay behind. They were active duty and he wouldn’t put their careers on the line. Besides, this was between him and Jared White, and he looked forward to making the man pay for the years he’d lost with his grandfather and for laying a hand on his woman.

Kade shut down the helicopter then reached for his duffle. A light from a truck suddenly shone bright in the darkness and Kade reached for his gun, pointing it through the windshield. He watched as an old man who looked to be in his seventies slowly crawled out of the truck and made his way towards Kade. He lowered the gun, concealing it from the man’s line of sight, but kept it at the ready.

“Hello in there,” the old man shouted, ducking as the rotor blades slowed.

Kade raised his hand and opened the door.

“Sir,” Kade responded.

“I was heading down the road and saw you come in. Are you ok, young man? You got engine troubles?”

Kade set the safety on his 1911 Colt and shoved it into the back of his pants. “No, sir. However, I am in need of directions. Can you point me to Boggy Creek Landing?”

“Sure, it’s about half a mile back the way I came, but it’s closed now.”

Kade knew this, but it wouldn’t stop him. He’d planned on breaking in and borrowing one of their airboats.

“Yes, sir,” Kade replied, “but I still need to find it.”

“You aren’t one of them drug smugglers are you? Flyin’ in under the dark of night seems a bit unusual.”

“No drug smuggling, sir, I’m an ex-Navy SEAL on a rescue mission in the Glades.”

“Rescue mission? In the Glades?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is it dangerous?” the old man asked, narrowing his brows.

“Yes, sir.”

The old man scanned Kade and took in his size. “You’ll do fine, I’d guess. If you need a boat, I’ll call Randy and have him open. You’ll need his help if you’re heading out in the dark of night. He’s got a few rigged out for gator hunting.”

“Appreciate it,” Kade replied, putting out his hand. “Kade Kingston.”

“Kade Kingston? Hold on now, aren’t you that SEAL who got arrested for that murder and then set free?”

“Yes, sir,” Kade answered, expecting the old man to rescind his help.

“Well, hell, man, get your ass out of there and let’s get you on your way. Are you chasing the bastard who framed you?”

“Yes, sir. He’s got my woman and I need to find them.”

“Jesus Christ,” the old man barked. “Get in my truck. I’ll have Randy meet us there ASAP.”

Kade grabbed his duffle and exited the helicopter. He followed the old man to his truck, stored his gear in the back, and then climbed in the cab.

“I didn’t catch your name,” Kade asked the old man as he started his truck.

“Huh? Oh, right, right. Sorry, my mind wanders. Max M. Gentry. The M stands for Miracle because my momma wasn’t supposed to be able to have kids. But I showed up nonetheless.”

Kade barked out a laugh. “You’re shittin’ me. You’re Miracle Max?”

“Sure am,” Max grinned, then executed a three-point turn and headed down the road.

“Harley will love this,” Kade mumbled, looking towards the Glades, praying he’d arrived before White.

Twenty minutes later, Kade was loading a top-of-the-line airboat with all the bells and whistles. Max was filling the tank and Randy Patterson was pointing out the features of the boat.

“Got it,” Kade answered. “Have any other boats launched tonight?”

Patterson shook his head. “I worked late tonight, was still in the back office when Max called. No one’s launched a boat since this afternoon.

“If a man comes through here in the next hour with a woman, don’t approach them. Just stay inside.”

“If they haven’t launched yet why are you heading out?”

“I can’t risk they launched someplace else and are already at the fishing shack,” Kade explained. “If they haven’t, then I’ll be waiting for him when they arrive.”

Max capped the tank and hung the nozzle up. “You’re all set. Godspeed, son. If you’re not back by the morning, I’ll call your friends like you asked.”

Kade reached out and shook both men’s hands.

“Thank you for your help. I appreciate it more than you know,” Kade said then turned on the engine. Both men stepped back as the huge propellers engaged, sending debris into the air. Kade gave the throttle gas, moving into the main channel. Then he turned on the spotlight, gunned the engine, and flew across the top of the dark water, heading into the night.

“Hold on, baby. I’m coming,” Kade mumbled into the night, looking up at the heavens. “You keep her safe,” he told the stars. “I need this one last thing from you. Just keep her safe.”

The Everglades could be treacherous in the sunlight. At night, they were deadly. Shallow water and beaches can take a boat by surprise, disabling it. Alligators hunting for prey, hidden logs that can sheer propellers off a boat, leaving a boater dead in the water and at the mercy of the elements. He didn’t have to worry about his propeller, but he did have to keep an eye out for logs and uneven banks. One wrong turn at the speed he was traveling could send him flying out of control. Then, just the predators would be his biggest problem.

He checked the odometer to see how far he’d traveled. The green glowing numbers indicated he’d traveled point seven five miles so he slowed his speed and shone the spotlight on the tree line looking for a Gumbo-limbo tree with a dick growing out the side. There were small inlets that would take boaters into small coves, but a major one that you could travel on for two miles would be easier to find.

When the odometer rolled to the mile mark Kade saw nothing, just hundreds of trees and bushes packed tightly together. He kept pushing forward, batting mosquitoes the size of birds off his neck. Sweat poured down his back as a nagging, deep feeling in his gut took hold.