The Heart Page 27

  “Hmm, my man is going to be mad when he gets here.”

  “I figured a cute little filly like you would have a man. Well you make sure you tell him, you’re still alive because of the Senator. Mac would have let that city slicker have his way with you then kill you sure as shooting.”

  “Why am I here?”

  “I’m not sure, but we’re about to find out.”

  She turned as the door opened and two men walked in followed by the Senator. She knew right then and there, she was going to have to fight her way out. “I take it Willie Ray has been treating you well. I see he’s trying to charm you with his famous barbecue.”

  “It’s really good,” Monique said as she continued to eat. “Would you like some?”

  “What I would like Monique,” he said as he sat at the table, “is to know who put you in my office?”

  “Anna Murphy hired me for your office and you approved it.” she pointed her fork at him as she talked. “Why would you do that knowing who I was?”

  “It was a good political ploy that seems to have back fired on me,” he smiled that winning politician smile. “I wish I had time to play this game with you. I so enjoyed the one in the office. But it seems time is running out for either you or me. I prefer we didn’t have to do an either or.”

  Monique put her fork down. “Senator, if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “Try me.”

  Monique smiled. “Would you believe it if I told you Jerry got me the job?” she shrugged her shoulders. “I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “You want me to believe my son put you in my office?”

  “You don’t have to believe me, ask him.” Monique picked up her fork and continued eating.

  “If what you say is true, we have a bit of a situation.”

  Watching him as she took a drink, she nodded her head, “Yes, you do have a situation, Senator.” She sat the glass down. “Since you had me removed from my home without my consent, some, like my father, may view it as a kidnapping. I’m sure that wasn’t your intent. And I’ll be happy to tell my father just that as soon as you allow me to walk out of that door.”

  The Senator stood, “Willie Ray, please take good care of our guest until I return.”

  “Senator, since we are being so reasonable, I think it would be a good idea if you returned my purse and cell phone.”

  The Senator looked away as he said, “I’ll take that under consideration.”

  Once the door closed, Monique turned to Willie Ray, “Got any more barbecue?”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Al, Ryan, Joshua and Tucker reviewed the tapes from Monique’s condo. Four sets of eyes were glued to the computer monitor Joshua held, examining every aspect of the tape. Joshua stopped the tape.

  “What do you see Joshua?” Al anxiously asked.

  Joshua pointed to the screen, “Him,” he replied as he pulled out his cell phone. “Ned, get me a location on Lucifer.”

  “What is it?” Al asked again.

  Joshua put up his hand indicating to hold on.

  “He’s no longer with the agency,” Ned replied.

  “Who is he working for?”

  “Private security for Senator McClintock, however, he’s also worked for Mac from time to time.”

  Joshua disconnected the call. “Let’s go back a little ways.”

  “There he is again,” Ryan pointed out.

  “This is the last time I’m going to ask you. Who in the hell is he?” Al asked through clenched teeth. Ryan rubbed Al’s shoulders, trying to ease his anger. She wondered if her father would be this concerned if something were to happen to her.

  “Ex-CIA. He now works for McClintock.”

  “The Senator?” Ryan asked.

  “Unfortunately, he works for the Senator and Mac.”

  “Do you think he has Monique?”

  Joshua nodded, “Yes.”

  “All you CIA people have specialties,” Ryan asked. “What’s his?”

  “Extracting information by any means necessary.”

  As cool as he could, Al inquired further, “This man could be torturing my little girl?”

  “We’re going to get her back,” Tucker spoke for the first time. “Then we’ll kill the men that had the nerve to take her.”

  “Monique is tough.” Joshua stated, “She can handle herself with the best of them.”

  Al looked down, “How do you know that Joshua?” he asked in a chilling voice.

  “Because, I know.”

  Now glaring at the man, Al asked. “Why would the Senator want Monique silenced? What does she have on him and why do you know more about this than you are saying?”

  Joshua called Ned as he held Al’s glare. “Give me a location on Lucifer.”

  “I have one better than that,” Ned boasted. “It was difficult to trace Monique’s face. She was in a bag. However, using our trusty traffic satellite system, I tracked our friend Lucifer from the condo to the airport. It took a little time, but I picked him up again at the airport in Austin. I was able to track him to I-35 right before Buda, Texas. One guess who has a place near there?”

  “The Senator?”

  “No. The Senator’s mistress.”

  “Eleanor McClintock?”

  “Bingo.”

  “You are the Geek-Master,”

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.”

  Joshua hung up the phone, “We have a starting point.” He walked to the carpit to speak with Melissa Sue.

  “Any chance Monique is working for the agency?” Tucker asked.

  Al just held Tucker’s glare as he felt the shiver that went through Ryan. He looked into her eyes and wondered why she couldn’t do the same with him. “It doesn’t matter at this point. My daughter is being held somewhere against her will. It’s my job to bring her home.”

  Chapter 19

  After giving the order to Lucifer to extract information from Monique, the Senator needed a drink. He didn’t want to have the girl killed, but if she was the only one that could connect him to the cell phone, he may not have a choice. He slumped into the chair in his office thinking she would be dead now if it was his father. He never had the heart his father did, and more he wasn’t sure he wanted one. The bottom line for him was seeing his son in the White House. It was something he could not accomplish, but Jerry was different. Jerry cared about people, about the country even about other countries. He deserved to be President. Taking a drink and allowing the brown liquid to smooth his ruffled nerves, was the best thing to do at that moment. For the thought of what would be happening in the guest house was not a pleasant thought.

  “Father—father. Where are you?” Jerry yelled through the house as he walked into the study. He stopped and stared at his father. “Tell me it’s not true.” He slammed the door behind him. “Tell me you do not have Harrison’s niece somewhere on this property.”

  “I don’t have Harrison’s niece on this property,” the Senator replied right before taking another drink.

  “Where is she?”

  “What concern is it of yours?”

  Jerry shook his head in disgust. “I never put you in that category with grandfather. But if you’ve done what Harrison is accusing, I know I was wrong. You are too smart for this. For God’s sake you’re a United States Senator, not some street gangster trying to protect his turf. Which by the way, do you know who Monique’s father is? Do you have any idea what chain of events you have started?”

  “While you decide which of those questions you want me to answer, I have one for you. Did you put that girl in my office?”

  The question caught Jerry off guard. “Yes.”

  The Senator rose, “Why in the hell would you do that son? He slammed his glass on the desk. “You put a spy in my office.”

  “Monique is not a spy, Father. She’s an intelligent young woman that I happen to enjoy being around.”

  “Are you sleeping with this girl?”

  “No mo
re than you are sleeping with my wife. But that’s neither here nor there. What’s important is you releasing Monique this instant. Where is she?”

  “We can’t release her.”

  “We who, and why the hell not?”

  “Son,” the Senator pleaded. “You have to understand. The girl knows too much. We can’t let her go.”

  “Knows too much about what?”

  “Jerry,” the Senator began to explain, “We’re in a bit of a pickle here. Your grandfather set a plot to get rid of Harrison.”

  “Get rid of Harrison how?”

  The Senator ran his hand through his now graying hair. “The only way to guarantee you the White House.”

  Jerry turned his back, shaking his head in disbelief. “Don’t say it, Father. Don’t say it.” He turned sharply around, “Did you have any part in this asinine plot against Governor Harrison? This is not the time to lie to me. Did you have any part in this?”

  “No son,” The Senator replied quite sincerely, “I happened across the information and confronted Father. You know him, son. He has that righteous indignation about him. He truly believes he is correcting a wrong by moving Harrison out of the race for you to become President.”

  “I don’t want the Presidency that way.” Jerry yelled. “I win or I don’t. We don’t kill people over elections. This isn’t a foreign dictatorship.”

  “You know how your grandfather overreacts to things, Jerry. He threatened to kill me if I stood in his way.”

  “Father, listen to me,” Jerry tried to reason. “We have to return Monique to her family. It’s the only way we get out of this.”

  The Senator shook his head, “Son, I’m afraid it’s too late. Your grandfather already gave the go ahead to silence the girl permanently.”

  Jerry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You cannot be serious.” He grabbed his father by the lapels, “We have to stop this from happening. Where is she, damn it?”

  “You will have to ask your grandfather son. I honestly don’t know where she is.”

  Jerry released his father and watched as he fell backwards into the chair. He began walking out backwards towards the door. “Know this,” he said solemnly. “If anything happens to Monique, you and grandfather can forget about the Presidency. I’ll drop out of the race. How do you think that will play in the political arena?” He walked out swinging the double doors to the office.

  “Jerry—Jerry!” The Senator called to no avail. Jerry kept walking. “Hell.” He picked up the phone to call Lucifer. He had to retract the order. “Let her go.” He ordered when Lucifer picked up on the second ring.

  “You’re sure about that. This girl can connect you to the cell phone.”

  “Let her go, damn it. That’s an order.” The Senator hung up the phone.

  Lucifer was a person that took matters into his own hands when the people he worked for made stupid decisions. This was dumb. You don’t leave witnesses—period. He dialed a number. “Your son pulled back. He wants the girl sent home. What do you want?”

  “Bring her to me,” Mac ordered.

  Lucifer hung up the phone, with a sinister look on his face.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Monique tested the windows in the room. They were bolted shut. The only way out was through the front door. Willie Ray was a sweetheart, but there was no way she could take him. Time was running out. There was no way the Senator was going to let her live and she knew it. The minute he walked in the door that sealed her fate. There was no way he could let her live. As soon as he had the information he wanted, she could count the minutes she would remain alive. For whatever reason, she was nervous about the situation, but not afraid. There were many times she had been in a rough spot, but her father or Uncle Tucker always—always got her out. This time would be no different. She just had to find a way to give them time to get to her. Ned or someone had to know she was missing by now.

  There was a sound at the window. Monique turned with a smile, thinking that didn’t take them long. But when she looked out, it was one of the Senator’s goons taking the bars off the window. What the hell? She thought. Then it dawned on her, they couldn’t go through Willie Ray to get to her. “Willie Ray!” she screamed. “Willie Ray, help!” Willie Ray came bursting through the bedroom door. Monique pointed, “Someone’s trying to come through the window.”

  The sound from the electric screwdriver stopped, but not before Willie Ray figured out what they were trying to do. He grabbed her by the hand, “Come with me.” He walked into the other room, closing the bedroom door behind them. The evil looking devil was there with a syringe in his hand. He shoved it into Willie Ray’s arm, but whatever was in it wasn’t fast acting enough to keep Willie Ray from knocking the crap out of him, momentarily. Monique took the moment to haul ass out the door. The man from the window was there. Where she got the strength from, she would never know. But she kicked him dead in the balls, bringing him down to her size. Then she karate kicked him in the face while he held his balls screaming. Turning quickly she ran towards the back of the house. “Damn!” all she could see was open fields all around. No matter what direction she ran, she would be seen.

  One thing she knew for certain, if she stayed in that spot, she was going to die. Instinct took over and Monique began running. The will to live took control as she ran towards the nearest wooded area. Yeah, she heard the car behind her, but damn if she was going to stop to see who was coming. The devil called out to her and she ran faster. The trees no longer looked like a blur in the distance. She could see the outline of the bark and the branches hanging heavy with leaves. Then the car curved, blocking her view and her way, but that didn’t stop her. She increased her speed, took one leap, hit the roof of the car, jumped down and kept running. The devil’s cursing echoed in her ears, but as long as it was behind her, she didn’t care. The woods were less than a mile away. The car came to a screeching halt behind her, then she heard the footsteps running. A hand reached out and grabbed her hair and swung her to the ground.

  Angry, the devil kicked her in the ribs. The pain didn’t have time to register as he grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up.

  “I should kill you here and now,” he cursed as he pulled her back towards the car. “The reason you are still alive is because we need information.” He slammed her onto the roof of the car.

  She wiped at the blood dripping from her nose. “Ooh, my daddy is going to whip your ass if you broke my nose.” She shook her head. “And my Uncle Tucker, he is going to kill you.”

  “Shut up and get in the damn car.” He had the trunk open.

  With hands on her hips, Monique rolled her eyes, “I don’t think so.”

  When he reached out to grab her, she took the palm of her hand and with all the will she had left, shoved it right into his nose. He fell to a knee, reeling from the pain as she climbed into the trunk. “Now you know how it feels.” The devil slammed the trunk down as Monique smiled. “That’s right Billie Bob or whoever the hell you are. Taking me down is not going to be easy.” She turned on her side and was shocked to roll onto her purse. Jumping almost in glee, she hit her head on the trunk top. “Ouch.” She rubbed the area then reached inside her purse. She cursed, her phone was not there. But her pin, that was actually a locator, was and she immediately pulled it out, pushed the activation button and slid it into her bra. Reaching in again, she pulled out the toolbox that resembled a makeup case. She pushed that under her panties. Smiling, she settled down for the ride to allow her muscles to rest for the next battle.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  The plane carrying the small rescue group had landed. The tension in the chopper with Joshua at the controls was at a low simmer. Al was always a quiet man, but his mood was almost eerie. Ryan glanced in Tucker’s direction. She could read him more so than Al. The last time she saw that look was when they took his lady friend Julianna home and ran into her abductor, Jonas Gary in the neighborhood. If she had not stopped him, Jonas Gary would be dead.


  The silence was so strong everyone visibly jumped when Joshua’s cell sounded, with the exception of Al. He never looked up—never even flinched.

  The conversation was one sided, but it was clear there was a break in the case. “What’s going on Joshua?” Ryan asked.

  “We have a positive location.”

  “Let’s go get her.” Ryan replied with a sigh of relief. “We’re going to have her soon, Al.” Al didn’t reply, he simply nodded, acknowledging that he’d heard her. For a moment, she was a little hurt by his reaction, but she didn’t let it show. She’d become used to being shunned by the men she loved.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  The back door of the mansion had more bling than the brothers in the hood’s cars. Who in their right mind would put gold on a back door? Monique frowned at the stuffed animals that lined the walls of the room she was taken to. The only thing scarier than the hoofs with eyes hanging on the wall was the old man sitting in the chair behind the desk. Monique tilted her head to the side. “You know, it might be me, but was that you in that movie, It’s A Wonderful Life? Damn if you don’t look like old man Potter.”

  The devil gave her a hard push forward. She fell forward, catching the edge of the desk to break her fall. “You still haven’t learned that pay back is a bitch, have you?”