Out Of The Past (7 page)

“Why would you matter?” the Croatian asked.

“I know a lot of secrets.” A.J. forced a smile, while he wanted to roar as he knocked out the guy’s teeth. “They’d be worth a lot of money on the black market.”

Come on you greedy bastard, grab the bait.

Interest flashed in Slavko’s eyes. “Such as?”

“For my last assignment, I took down a gang of human traffickers. I memorized the off-shore banking account.”

Slavko leaned closer and squinted. A tad of doubt clouded his otherwise sharp features. “And can you access that account?”

Looking away, A.J. shrugged. “Maybe.” Turning back, he stabbed the Croatian with a murderous glare. “I don’t know. I haven’t tried. I’ve been saving it for a rainy day.” He continued to stare. “Over seventeen million dollars.”

“Perhaps you will make effort after we move you to better location.”

With that, they released A.J. and Zoe from the chairs and shoved them in the backseat of a vehicle they drove toward Grapevine. After turning onto Dove Road, A.J. knew they were going to the lake because that’s where the road ended.

They pulled into a side street and stopped in the driveway of an upscale home. After checking, they jerked him and Zoe out with a threat to go inside without any problems.

Little furniture decorated the inside, and all the blinds were drawn. Obviously, this was the intended hideout, while they held Zoe. And who would look for him here in the chic Grapevine lake community?

Again, they were tied in chairs next to a dining table. While the men went into the kitchen, A.J. leaned his head back to whisper in Zoe’s ear. “How are you holding up?”

“Okay. But I’m more worried about you. With two wounds and no help, I’m not sure we’ll get out of here alive.” Her voice hitched. “It’s just that we’re so cut off from everything.”

“Never give up, Zoe. We’ll get out of here. Brody is on his way, and Frank is updated on what’s happening.”

The Croat entered the room and put a laptop in front of A.J. “You pull up the account, now.”

A.J. looked down. “I can’t do that tied up.”

“Untie him.” Slavko glared at the other kidnappers. “If he makes any wrong moves, kill him.”

Finally released, A.J. rubbed his wrists then put his fingers on the laptop. “First, I have to know if I give you this money, she and I walk.”

The Croatian didn’t blink or take time to think about the agreement. “You will give me the money, or I’ll kill her now.” He pulled out his revolver and pressed it against Zoe’s head. “Very slowly.” He laughed. “After my men have had a little fun.”

“I’ll have to bring up the bank before I can get into the account.” He looked at Slavko. “Do you have an account you want it to go to?” A.J. didn’t dare look at Zoe. She had to be scared to death.

“Yes, but I will take care of that matter.”

“Fine.” A.J.’s heart almost froze in his chest. The gun pressed against Zoe’s right temple made him nervous as hell.

A.J. banged away on the keyboard. He had to be very careful, or he’d lose the only chance they had. He accessed the bank, filled out several lines of information.

The big blond thug, who’d thrown them in the car, took out his gun and tapped A.J. on the shoulder. “Hurry up.” He stared at the screen. “You are taking too long.”

“I have to convince them I’m not hacking into an account, idiot. One wrong move and they’ll lock me out.”

Slavko nodded. “Leave him alone. If he gets the money, we’ll be rich.”

A.J. continued to work, but soon Slavko’s patience wore out. “Either be done, or I kill her.”

“All right, I’m almost in.” He looked up, smiling. “There, I have access now.” After a few more strokes, he handed the laptop to the Croatian. “You just need to enter your account number.”

He typed in the number then frowned. “This message says it will take up to an hour for the transfer to take place.”

“That’s not unusual.”

“Now we have no use for you.”

“You do if the bank comes back with additional questions.”

The Croatian didn’t look happy, but A.J. knew the power of money and that this guy wasn’t above stuffing his pockets. Perhaps it was the only chance he and Zoe had. “You know, with all that money, you don’t have to kill anyone. It would be easy to simply disappear as a very rich man.”

“I will finish what I started. Then I go. In the meantime, if you have tricked me, you’re both dead.”

“What would you do if Frank asked for proof of life?”

Slavko laughed and stuck his hand in his pocket. He pulled out a recorder and clicked a button. Zoe’s voice carried over the speaker. “Frank, I’m alive and they are treating me well. Please do as they say. I love you.”

Zoe straightened, her mouth thinned. “I never said that.”

“No, but you talk on your cell phone. We put a bug in there and recorded your conversations and picked the words we would need to convince Hamilton you’re alive.”

A.J. watched as the guy retied his wrists. “Too bad you didn’t have her add the password.”

“What?”

“Oh, you don’t know. In situations like this, there’s a code word that assures us you actually have the person, and they are alive.” He smiled. “Frank will be asking for that.”

“What are you talking about?” the Croatian shouted. “I know nothing about a password.”

“I told you,” his comrade said.

“Only Falcon employees are privy to that information.” A.J. chuckled, stalling for time. “You didn’t think you were the first person who ever kidnapped a Falcon agent or one of our employees, did you?” He resettled his body. “You’d have to get at the end of a very long line, buddy.”

The man punched A.J. with a right hook that knocked him backwards in the chair. Then he kicked him in the ribs and stomped his mid-section. While refusing to struggle, A.J. hoped nothing was broken. Wiser to conserve his strength should he need it later.

“It’s really easy to beat up a guy who can’t defend himself,” A.J. said. He spit blood on the man’s shoes. “Untie me and we’ll make this a fair fight.”

“I will kill you.”

The computer dinged that an email was coming in, and the man who had tied A.J. earlier brought the laptop to the Croatian, who read the message from the bank. “They have additional questions.”

A.J. was righted and again untied.

L
ee Stallworth had joined a friend for a round of golf late Saturday afternoon. Now, he looked forward to going home to shower and a scotch and water. Just as he backed out of the parking space at the country club, his phone rang. “Hello?”

“This is Frank Hamilton. Is this Lee Stallworth?”

Lee’s heart jumped to his throat, and goosebumps slithered down his spine. “Yes, yes, it is.”

“Good, you want to explain to me how a bunch of Croatians got the location of Falcon Securities’ safe houses?”

“I...I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure, you do. You gave up that information.”

Sweat broke out on his brow. “No, I’d never do that.”

“You’re a liar, a traitor, and the FBI is parked right next to you in that grey sedan. You’ll be taken into custody and tried for treason.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You went to your office last night, ran off the information they needed, and passed it on. I talked to the night watchman, and I also had the FBI check the surveillance cameras across the street from your agency.”

“I didn’t give them anything.”

“You’ve been caught, Stallworth. I’m notifying the President Monday morning. In the meantime, you’ll be a guest of the FBI, until the government and your supervisors decide what to do with you.”

A heavy gloom draped over him like a wet towel. “I can explain.”

“Don’t bother. But if anything happens to my secretary, who I consider a daughter, or my agent, while in Slavko’s hands, I’ll kill you myself.”

The phone went dead, and he looked at the parked car. Two men in suits stepped out with their weapons drawn. He hastily placed a phone call.

This wasn’t over yet.

***

Z
oe’s heart beat like a jackhammer. She’d be surprised if it didn’t pop out of her chest. Why would A.J. agree to give them all that money when he knew the Croatian was going to kill them?

Zoe raked her memory banks trying to remember her secret password. She never imagined she’d have to use it. But Frank had been very specific about her not forgetting the word that might save her life.

She wondered if the rest was a ruse. Could A.J. be doing something other than transferring money on that computer? If so, it could very well end their lives. Yet, considering their situation, she didn’t think they stood a chance to get out of here alive anyway.

These men could kill them any second. A.J. had managed to buy them some time, but they were under guard and helpless. She looked around and wondered about Frank. How would this affect him? He’d probably mourn her loss for as long as he lived.

Even though A.J. was untied, the goon waved his gun in warning. Balancing the laptop in one hand, A.J. typed with the other. He suddenly closed the computer and swung, busting it against the side of the thug’s head.

The Croatian fought for his weapon, but A.J. had him by the neck and twisted his gun hand behind his back.

“Release me,” he demanded.

“Fuck you, buddy.”

Then the bearded man grabbed her by the neck and pulled out a long-bladed knife. She screamed as he pressed the sharp edge against her flesh.

Slavko struggled against A.J.’s grip. “Go ahead and kill the bitch.”

Before the man could obey his boss’s orders, gunshots came from the rear of the house. The knife clunked to the tile floor. The man slumped over Zoe’s shoulder. She ducked fearing they would all die.

Several more shots peppered the room as Brody came in firing. Before she knew what was happening, Slavko’s people lay dead. A.J. spun the Croatian around and punched him so hard several of his teeth went flying.

Looking up at Brody as he slung Slavko’s limp body to the floor, A.J. asked, “What the hell took you so long?”

“Long?” I just landed and nearly killed myself getting here from the airport.”

“You cut it damn short.” Looking into Zoe’s eyes as he untied her, A.J. gave her a reassuring wink. “Zoe could’ve died. Good luck explaining that to Frank.”

She rubbed her wrists and then massaged her shoulders that still hurt from being hung up in the basement. She fought back tears from the agonizing pain, the horrible ordeal and the stark fear that racked her body like a fever. Trembling, she was certain her heart rate would never return to normal. Letting out a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tears coursed down her cheeks.

A familiar voice had her opening her eyes. She looked up thankful to see Brody, and tried her best to smile. “How did you know where to find us? I’d hug you if I could move my arms.”

A.J. rubbed her shoulder and gently smoothed back her hair. “He’s who I’ve been communicating with,” he said. “I don’t know where seventeen million dollars is, and if I did, I damn sure wouldn’t give it to those scum bags.”

Hugging her lightly, A.J. looked at Brody. “We need to get her to a safe place. From the conversation I overheard in Weatherford, they have a plan B.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He held her by the waist when her knees buckled. “Are the police on the way?”

“No, I called the FBI. They picked up Lee Stallworth leaving the country club earlier. Bet that spoiled his day. It appears Homeland Security betrayed us. That’s how these bastards got to our safe houses.”

A.J. pulled her close, and she calmed at the touch of his firm body.

“Okay, we need to get to DC.”

“You don’t think the Secret Service can take care of Frank?”

“Not with whatever the Croatian planned.”

“Where should we put Zoe so she’s safe?”

She tightened her jaws. “You’re not putting me anywhere. I’ve been tasered. Twice, mind you. Kidnapped, strung up to a pipe, shot at, and had a knife held to my throat. I’m going with you.” Straightening her aching shoulders, she didn’t leave an opening for either of them to argue. “Being with you is the only way I’m safe.”

Three black SUV’s slid to a stop, blocking the driveway. FBI agents poured out, guns drawn. Zoe had never seen anything more welcome.

A.J. opened the front door of the house and identified himself. “Sorry, you missed the party, but we left you a present.” He pointed at Casmir Slavko. “Watch that SOB. He’s mean.”

“Oh, we know him well. He’s been on our list for a few years.” Two agents yanked the half conscious bastard off the floor. “The UN is going to love this.”

“Let’s get to DC.”

***

A
.J. knew they looked a sight, but that didn’t matter. They had to get to Frank as fast as possible. That meant using Falcon’s private jet at DFW. With the pilot on the way, they all met up at the corporate terminal.

Once airborne, A.J. brought Brody up to date on what he’d heard. If they weren’t able to foil the plans, lots of innocent people would die and nobody wanted that. A.J. didn’t bother to call Frank yet. He knew his boss would tell him to stay in Dallas, and he’d handle DC, but A.J. wanted Frank’s only concern to be testifying.

He and Brody would do the rest. And while they had Zoe, she might play well into their strategies. Now, all he had to do was make sure Gabric didn’t get off, and no one got hurt.

Much easier said than done. It would take a lot of skill to implement his plan. In a way, he wished Mac were here. Or better yet, Tony. This kind of shit was their specialty, not his.

But Brody as a sidekick held a lot of power. Brody was fearless and lethal. He could split a toothpick at a hundred yards with any weapon on the market.

Also, he was smart, having been a member of Mensa since a teenager. Never be taken in by those dimples and that slow Texas drawl. The man was brilliant and deadly.

Zoe rested comfortably on the plane with a Coke in her hand. They’d missed lunch and hadn’t done anything but run for their lives all day.

“You okay?”

She smiled. “I’m fine. A clean change of clothes would be nice, but hey, it is what it is.” She touched his arm. “I’m so sorry about your beautiful home being destroyed.”