Heart Lies & Alibis (36 page)

Ortiz didn't act surprised at the news. "No, no of course not. We are aware she is no longer with us. God rest her soul. We just need directions to her house, if possible. We are actually interested in speaking with the current owner if he happens to be home."

They weren't looking for the owner, they were looking for us.

"Well sure I can give you directions. He isn't around here much, I think this is his summer place or something, but you might get lucky. I thought I saw a car parked there yesterday afternoon when I passed by on my way home."

Oh holy hell. The clerk had seen Declan and I arrive and now Ortiz and Malachy knew they were on the right trail.

I didn't wait to hear the rest of the conversation. I needed to get back to Declan as soon as I could. I slipped out through the back store room door and took off running across the parking lot and away from the store. I stopped at the edge of a dirt road that ran parallel to the main highway. I leaned against a large tree and dialed Declan's cell, hoping I couldn't be seen from the highway. Declan's phone rang and rang but he didn't answer. We hadn't set the voicemail on the phones so my call went nowhere. Oh god, where was he?

I had just hung up when the SUVs went flying by on the outer road headed toward Declan. I took off at a dead run, not sure what I was going to do when I got back to the house and not stopping to figure it out. I had to get to Declan before it was too late.

The tree line that marked the left side and back of the property provided enough cover for me to get close to the house without being seen. I was out of breath from the pace I had run but I had reached the house only twenty minutes or so after Malachy and Ortiz had left the store. The trucks were parked out front, one blocking the garage and the other in front of the stairs leading to the porch. I could see two of Ortiz's men out front, their weapons visible under their unbuttoned jackets, as they paced back and forth. I knew I had to get closer to see what was happening and to make sure Declan was still alive.

I slipped along the back of the property until I reached the edge of the sunflower garden. The tall blooms provided enough cover for me to get to the back of the garage without being seen. I sidled along the house until I stood just beside the kitchen window. Luckily, Declan and I had opened it this morning before breakfast allowing me to hear the voices inside without a problem. I listened for a moment and felt ill at what I heard.

"Did you think we wouldn't find you Mikey?" I heard Malachy ask. "Hayes wasn't nearly as clever as he thought he was. Remember that secret file we told you we found? Well, dumb shit put his mother's address in there. It didn't look like much at first but we did some more digging once you took off. It didn't take much to find this place and I figured it would be where you ran. The only thing missing from our reunion party is your lovely lady friend. Where is she Mikey? Where is Reagan?"

From where I was crouched I heard Declan yell, "FUCK YOU!" a moment before I heard Malachy swing and connect a punch to his face. Malachy continued the beating to the sound of Declan's moans and groans and my stomach clenched with fear. I had to see what was happening.

I glanced in the window for just a moment before jumping back to press my body against the wall. They had Declan tied to a kitchen chair, his face bloodied from the punches I just heard. Malachy was rubbing his hand so I knew he was delivering the punishment this time. Two more of Ortiz's men stood off to the side and Ortiz sat near the table, his legs crossed casually and an amused expression on his face.

This was as bad as a moment could get in a string of shitty moments. I pressed my back against the wall of the house again and squeezed my eyes closed. Think Reagan, think. What are you going to do to save Declan?

Malachy laughed and the sound filled my ears with dread. "Wrong answer Mikey. I told you from the start, we could do this the hard way or the really hard way. The choice is yours." I heard the distinct click of a switchblade and took the chance to glance back in. "We both know I am supposed to deliver you to the old man alive but he didn't say how alive you had to be." Malachy walked closer to Declan and for the first time Declan looked afraid for his safety, his previous anger clouded with genuine fear. Malachy stopped in front of him, placing the blade at the edge of Declan's neck and leaning close to his face. I held my breath.

Malachy pressed slightly, the tip of the blade piercing Declan's skin and releasing a small droplet of blood that slid down to the collar of his shirt. Declan strained to stay still, eyes flicking down at the blade and back up at Malachy's hateful stare. Declan's face was tensed but solid and I could see he was refusing to let Malachy have the upper hand by showing any fear even as he sat at the wrong end of the knife.

"Mikey, you remember how impatient I can get. So I will ask you again and I suggest you answer this time with a bit more information and a whole lot more politeness. Where is Reagan?" The blade moved deeper into the skin.

Declan flinched again but remained quiet his eyes burning a blaze of hate into Malachy. He was going to protect me even if it meant he lost his life. I had to stop this madness.

I was about to scream and announce my presence when I heard one of the men inside say. "Hey boss, Amberly's here." What the hell was she doing here?

Malachy straightened and looked toward the window while Ortiz motioned for his men to let her in. She swept into the room, her blonde hair a cascade of curls down the back of the short shift dress she wore. It was black and hit mid-thigh while hugging all the right places. She walked in like she owned the room and I saw Ortiz smile with pleasure before she reached him, bending to give him a kiss.

"Hello my love. I'm so sorry I'm late. Traffic was unbearable." Who was this girl? Certainly not the one I knew who seemed afraid of her own shadow back in Houston. She had fooled me in more ways than one I realized.

"Hello my dear. Your timing is just right. Mr. Lynch is having a difficult time convincing Mr. O'Shea to reveal the whereabouts of Mrs. McCallister. So we are a bit behind schedule as well. Perhaps you could offer him some assistance darling?"

Amberly smiled as she walked around Declan looking him up and down, her face a portrait of such viciousness my heart skipped a beat. She stopped in front of him. He stared at her with unveiled disgust. She leaned towards him, running her manicured nails down his left cheek before Declan turned away breaking the contact. He turned back and their eyes met and the look they shared was filled with equal distaste.

"It appears he may need a little persuasion." She ran her hand behind his head before sliding her fingers into his hair and yanking his head back roughly. "I know you know where that ice bitch is, sweetheart, and it would be in your best interest if you told us sooner rather than later." I heard Declan grunt slightly from the pain of having his head jerked back but otherwise he was silent. I was seething as I watched her and I wanted to kill that little bitch worse in this moment than when I found her fucking my piece of shit husband.

"I think it would be in your best interest to let me go you fucking whore. And if you lay a finger on Reagan, I will kill you." Declan hissed.

Amberly was laughing as she let go of his hair. "Ah, I guess chivalry isn't dead after all. This is so romantic. You still won't give her up even when you are facing near certain death. I think I feel a tear." She laughed again before walking over and sitting next to Ortiz. He looked at her with affection. I wanted to kill them both now.

I watched from my concealed place outside the window with growing terror and no idea what I was going to do to save Declan when a hand slid over my mouth and an arm pulled me roughly back into the shadows by the garage. I started to struggle when I heard a familiar voice whisper in my ear, "Don't scream, Mrs. McCallister."

With his hand still over my mouth and the rest of my body held firmly in place, I could only just twist my head to look into the chocolate brown eyes of Detective Davis. Oh shit.

He whispered again. "If I let you go, I need you to not scream or run. Do you understand?" Though his voice was still a whisper his tone was stern. I nodded slightly and he released my body before his hand slid off my mouth.

"How did you find us?" I whispered while keeping an eye out for Ortiz's men.

Davis was also keeping close vigil on the area, his eyes darting between me and everywhere else. "We followed Amberly Jones down here. A few inconsistencies with her story, and with her background, and a few other things had us looking at her closer the past few days. Then yesterday, before the shootout at your house, we saw her meet with a high ranking member of the Lazcano Drug Cartel and we knew something was definitely wrong." She must have met with Ortiz.

I nodded. "She works for them and she helped them kill Thad. Now they have Declan."

His dark face hardened. "I know. We have some of the evidence we need to charge her. But now we need to get you out of here so we can do our best to rescue Mr. O'Shea." His face told me he thought rescuing Declan was very unlikely but he was going to try.

I shook my head. "I'm not leaving. I can help you do something, anything, but I am not leaving and you can't make me."

He gave me a stern glare but I stood my ground. What did I have to lose at this point? Everything I cared about in the world was the answer so he wasn't going to scare me away no matter what he did. "Fine. You can stay only because trying to get you out of here will cause a scene and we need the element of surprise on our side." He shook his head and looked to the sky in exasperation. Finally, he looked back at me again. Pointing his finger at me for emphasis, he barked in a quiet voice "But you will do what I say when I say it. I know you want to do whatever it takes to save Mr. O'Shay but right now I need you to keep a level head and follow my directions. I don't want to have to rescue you too. Do you understand?"

He locked eyes with me, making sure his unspoken threat was clear. I nodded. "Okay, Perretti is out at the edge of the property, waiting for local backup and watching in case these guys call in reinforcements. I need to let her know I found you and tell her what the hell is going on inside." He stepped away and spoke in low tones into a walkie-talkie. I was sure Perretti would not be happy to hear of my involvement in this situation after our previous run-ins and the thought almost made me smile in spite of the situation.

I continued to scan the yard while Davis finished his conversation. He returned to my side, his face more grim than before. "Perretti says it will be at least twenty minutes before the closest SWAT team can arrive."

I inhaled sharply. "I don't know if Declan has twenty minutes."

Davis nodded gravely. "I know."

"So what can we do?" I was desperate now. I couldn't lose Declan. Not like this and not if I could do something to save him.

"We need to just hold tight and hope for a miracle." Before he could say another word he yanked me back to the side garage door. He opened it pulling me inside and closing the door just as one of Ortiz's men came around the corner and into view. We pressed into the shadows of the garage and were silent. I watched, my heart in my throat, and my body rigid with fear.

The man glanced in the window and for a brief second I thought he could see us but he retreated back and kept walking toward the front of the property. The sound of exhaling breath from Davis filled the room.

He whispered into my ear again. "That was too close. We need to get the hell out of here and wait for the backup with Perretti." I knew couldn't leave Declan no matter what. Of that, I was certain.

"No. I can't do that." And then before he could stop me and before I really had a plan as to what I was doing, I opened the door and walked out. He hissed my name and tried to grab for me but I had walked far enough into the yard he missed. Ortiz's thug hadn't yet cleared the end of the yard so I called out to get his attention.

"Hey there, I think your boss might be looking for me." He turned his gun drawn and the look of surprise on his face almost comical. I smiled and waved, hoping to throw him off guard even more.

He walked toward me. With his weapon leveled at my chest and a scowl on his face "Hands up. Are you alone?" I wondered briefly if anyone in a situation like this ever tells the truth when asked that question.

I lied, of course. "Yes. I am alone."

The thug stopped a few feet in front of me with his gun directed at my head. "Hands on your head, turn around." I followed his instructions and caught sight of Davis out of the corner of my eye. He was still inside the garage and I barely saw him before he slipped back into the shadows. I knew he was mad, rightfully so, and I knew this was probably the stupidest thing I could have done but desperation can drive a person to do many things. The thug finished his quick pat down and when he was assured I was without a weapon, he barked "Walk to the front of the house. Move" I again did as I was told with my brain in hyper-drive as I tried to figure out what the hell I was going to do next.

I walked up the stairs and towards the door being held open by the other yard thug. I walked inside the small house and into the living room with my hands still on my head.

All eyes turned at my entrance, including Declan's, and I almost cried out when I saw the fresh damage on his face. Malachy had obviously restarted his interrogation of Declan, upping the motivational punches in his pursuit of ascertaining my location. Declan's left eye was nearly swollen closed while the other sported a huge cut, his lip was bleeding and his nose looked crooked and swollen next to a bruise flowering to a deep shade of purple on his cheek.