The pool is closed, p.28
Deadly Revenge, page 28
Jenna’s muscles tensed. Sharpton was only thirty miles from Pearl Springs.
“He’s working with my ex-fiancé, Phillip Ross,” she said quietly. How long were they going to make her wait before demanding she give them the photos in exchange for her father’s life? Not that she believed they would do what they said, but at least a demand would get everything moving.
“Have you checked out Tom Weaver’s list of rentals?” Alex asked.
Max nodded. “We’re almost finished. There’s one in particular that doesn’t fit the rental agreement. It would be the perfect place to hide Jenna’s dad . . . I wish we could use thermal imaging.”
“Do you have enough for a warrant?”
“Afraid not. Just a hunch—the rental agreement states one person is using the cabin, but it looked as though several cars had been parked there, and they left in a hurry. Probably because the GPS tracker on Jenna’s SUV alerted we were headed in their direction.”
“Yeah, that’s not enough for a warrant. Drive back out there and surveil the cabin. If there’s only one vehicle, you can approach and interview the occupants, but if there’s more than one vehicle, back off.”
She turned to Jenna. “If you do approach, and your dad makes any kind of noise, you can enter the cabin under exigent circumstances since this is a kidnapping case. But I’m not counting on that happening.”
Alex walked to a map of the county. “Let’s assume this is the place. Give me the cabin’s location so I can get around-the-clock surveillance set up.”
Max gave her the address, and Alex found it on the map. “It’s not far from Eric Darby’s place. I’ll contact him and see if he’ll let us use his property as our base of operation. For now let’s assume he will.”
Alex quickly laid out a plan of action, pointing out where she would place deputies. “I’ll make sure everyone knows their role.”
Max nodded. “If we don’t gain access to the cabin, once the other deputies are in place, Jenna and I will check out Weaver’s remaining rentals this afternoon.”
“And we need to trade vehicles with someone,” Jenna said.
“Mark Lassiter and my grandparents won’t be getting into town until later this evening. His SUV is in the parking area. Use it. Marge has a set of keys for it.”
Twenty minutes later Jenna drove past Mr. Darby’s drive. “Do you think we should park here and go in on foot or do a drive-by of the cabin?”
“Let’s drive by first,” Max said. “There may be a side road closer in.”
Jenna slowed as they drove past the cabin, and counted four vehicles parked in the drive and on the grass. “Can you see any license plates?”
“A couple,” he answered. “I’m writing them down.”
Maybe they’d get lucky and one of the vehicles had been reported as stolen. That would give them a perfect reason to storm the cabin.
“I’m texting them to a fellow TBI agent. He agreed to be on standby in case we need him.”
They pulled off the road to wait. A few minutes later, a text came back that none of the vehicles had been reported as stolen. “They’re checking registrations to see if they belong to any of Sebastian’s known associates.”
Jenna gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. “I just don’t understand why we can’t use thermal imaging.”
“We can’t use it without a warrant, and we have no proof your dad is in there or that Sebastian even rented the cabin. Unfortunately, our gut feeling isn’t enough for a warrant.”
“But—”
“I want to get Sebastian as much as you do—”
“No, you don’t.” Her heart jackhammered in her chest. She glared at him. “It’s my dad he has, and right now I don’t care about the law.”
“I understand. You think I don’t want to bust in there and rescue your dad? The thing is, we have no proof he’s even in there. Or that Sebastian is, either.”
Jenna closed her eyes against his words. “God has this, sweetie.” How many times had her daddy said those words? And Granna . . .
She sagged against the seat and pressed her fingertips to her closed eyes. “I just want to get my daddy back.”
“I know, and we will—but within the law. We don’t want Sebastian to walk free because we violated his right to privacy.”
“Why do we have to play by the rules when the bad guys don’t?”
“You know why—we’re better than them.”
Jenna released a pent-up breath. “I know.” She sat up straighter. “Sorry for the meltdown.”
He squeezed her hand. “If it was my dad, I’d feel the same way. Don’t ever forget God’s on the side of justice. He has this.”
She managed a small chuckle. “Yeah, that’s what my daddy always says. So what do we do now?”
“We wait for the surveillance team then we check out the remaining cabins on Weaver’s list.”
65
Sebastian paced the small kitchen in the cabin. Four of his men were filling the order for Sunday in the living room. Once he had his money from this operation, he’d have enough to set up in Chattanooga again. And this time without Phillip Ross calling the shots.
Phillip had been right. Jenna Hart had evidence against both of them, but why hadn’t he been able to find it? He’d searched that house from top to bottom. Didn’t matter—after tonight, he would be rid of both problems.
He dialed Ross’s number. He answered on the first ring.
“You don’t call me—I call you.”
“Just thought you might like to be here when I take Jenna Hart down.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She’s bringing the photos to me.”
“How did you—”
“I told you I was smarter than she was. She’s waiting for a ransom note, and as soon as it gets dark, she’ll get it. Your problem will be over.”
“I want to be there. But—”
“My men will have the order completed by tonight. You can take it back with you.”
“What if she brings all the Russell County deputies with her?”
“She won’t, but if she does, I’ll know it.”
“You’re sure?”
“Guarantee it.”
“Okay . . . I’ll be there. What time?”
Perfect. And as usual Ross had been predictable. “Why don’t you come about nine or even eight and you can help finish the order?”
“You’re sure you’ll know if she’s coming alone?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll know—the cops are too stupid to figure out I put a tracker on her vehicle and microphones in the house.”
He pocketed his phone and walked to the bedroom to check on Hart’s father. Sleeping like a baby—the medication he put in his drink worked like a charm.
The old man was gritty. Twice he’d tried to escape, which was the reason Sebastian had to sedate him. But now he needed him awake—Jenna Hart would insist on talking to him before she gave in to the ransom demand.
66
“I don’t like it,” Max said. After checking the last cabin on the real estate agent’s list, they had returned to the sheriff’s office and were in the briefing room. “It’s too dangerous. And we don’t know who’s in the cabin.”
The registrations returned on the license plates hadn’t belonged to any of Sebastian’s known associates, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t recruited new ones.
“It’s our only option,” Jenna replied. “I’m doing it with or without backup.”
“I don’t like it either, but I don’t see any other options.” Alex leaned forward and pointed at the map spread out on the table. “As soon as it’s dark, deputies will take their positions.” She pointed to a ring of X’s on the map.
“Once Sebastian contacts me and sets up the ransom drop, I’ll drive to the spot, leave the photos, and you and Alex can arrest him,” Jenna said.
Max crossed his arms. “What if he wants you to bring the photos to the cabin?”
“I don’t think he will.”
“If he does,” Alex said, “Jenna will have a microphone she can attach to the outside wall. That way she won’t be caught with a wire on her and we’ll hear everything that’s said. As soon as Jenna says her dad is there, we’ll storm the cabin.”
Even though he wanted to protest, Max held his peace. If he were in Jenna’s place, he’d do the same thing. Didn’t mean he had to like it, though.
“Okay, then, we’re all set.” Alex turned to Jenna. “Sebastian probably won’t contact you as long as he thinks you’re here, so go home and wait. Try to get some rest.”
Max escorted Jenna out of the building and to her SUV. The drive to her house was quiet. “He won’t make a move until after dark,” Max said before they entered the house.
“I know. I just wish he would call so this would be over.”
At 8:30, there was still no call. Max turned to Jenna. “It’s nice out. Why don’t we eat supper on the patio,” he said as she paced the kitchen. Jenna checked her watch, probably for the tenth time in the last thirty minutes.
“Is it that time already?”
“It’s past time to eat.”
“I’m still not hungry.”
“You need to eat.” If they ate out on the patio, they could talk freely. “How about a sandwich? I’ll make it and bring it out.”
“Sure.”
He handed her a radio he’d bought earlier in the day to drown out any conversation they had outside. Max had scanned the area around the patio, and found nothing, but the microphones he’d found in the house were the type that could pick up voices a hundred yards away, and playing the radio would mask their voices.
They both believed Sebastian would make a move tonight. Too bad hunches weren’t enough for a warrant. Alex had deputies watching the cabin, and so far, Sebastian hadn’t shown himself. Either he was inside and staying there or . . . Max didn’t want to think of the alternative. In fact, no one had come or gone until an hour ago when the surveillance team had observed a man with a semiautomatic strapped to his waist walking the perimeter of the property. Unfortunately, he didn’t match any of the photos they had of Sebastian’s men.
Max made ham and cheese on flat wraps and grabbed each of them a Coke. Jenna was staring toward the woods when he set the food on the table.
“What if he’s out there, watching?”
“If he is, we’ve got the wrong hiding place.” He didn’t believe they had the wrong cabin, and he’d gotten a key from Weaver and a layout of the cabin, including a virtual tour. He’d been studying it just in case something went wrong and he needed to get inside.
She nodded. “I expected him to ask for the photos by now. What will we do if he doesn’t call before Carter’s event tomorrow at the park?”
“We’ll deal with it.”
They would only have a skeleton crew for tomorrow’s event at the park if Sebastian didn’t make his move tonight. If that were the case, Max hoped it was enough.
He prayed before they ate, asking for Jenna’s protection.
“Thanks,” she said. “I know you’re not on board with Alex’s plan, but there’s no other answer. He’ll demand the photos, I know he will.”
To say Max wasn’t on board was an understatement. He wasn’t at all happy with the plan Alex had outlined if the ransom demand came in tonight. He was certain that if Sebastian had her dad, it was because he wanted any evidence Jenna had. He was equally certain that once Sebastian had it, he planned to kill her.
“I’m good with the fact that all the deputies are familiar with the area, and they’ll be stationed in the woods surrounding the cabin. What I’m not on board with is you taking the photos to Sebastian at the cabin.”
“There’s no one else. No matter what happens, we’ll deal with it.”
Jenna was using his own words against him.
He’d never change her mind, either. She was insistent that if Sebastian demanded that she bring the photos, she was doing it if it meant saving her dad.
“Do you have the—”
“For the third time, I have my Sig P938 under my body armor, and the microphone that I’ll stick on the post outside the door is in my pocket.”
“What if it fails?”
“It won’t. But if it does, the one you put under my dashboard will pick up our conversation.” She turned and looked at him. “What part of ‘God has this’ don’t you believe?”
He flipped his hands up. “I believe all of it. Just making sure we do our part.”
Alex and Max had figured anyone who had sophisticated GPS trackers and listening devices would scan Jenna when she walked in the door. The plan was for her to attach a listening device the size of a quarter to the outside of the house as she entered. It wasn’t as good as a wire or a microphone disguised as a pen or button, but Sebastian couldn’t discover it by scanning Jenna.
“If things start going south, what’s the code phrase?”
“‘What makes you think you can get away with this.’”
Even though they had the advantage of discovering the trackers and microphones, sending Jenna into the cabin was too iffy. There had to be another way to get Sebastian.
Her phone buzzed with a text, and they both froze.
“It’s from my dad’s phone.” Jenna read the text aloud.
Bring what you have. Now. Just you. No cops unless you want a funeral.
Will call once you are on the road with the destination.
Jenna texted back.
No. Not until I talk to my dad.
A minute later, a call from his number showed up on her phone. “Dad, are you all right?”
“Don’t do it,” he yelled.
The call ended and Jenna punched the redial button. It went straight to voicemail.
Max immediately called Alex and put the call on speaker. “It has to be Sebastian,” he said. “He didn’t even name what he wanted. Just that he would give directions once she was on the road.”
“It may not be him,” Alex replied. “My deputy called a minute ago. Phillip Ross just arrived at the cabin.”
67
“I told you that Phillip was in on it too.” Jenna felt in her pocket for the USB drive that had photos of Phillip and Sebastian together.
Max pulled her to him. “After tonight you won’t have to worry about either one of them.”
She leaned into his embrace, soaking up his strength. Jenna felt his lips moving on her head. He was praying for her. That was where her strength came from. When he finished, she stepped away from him with a sigh. “Time to go.”
“I know.” Max smoothed her hair back. “Alex deployed the rest of the deputies as soon as we disconnected. The others were already in place.”
She nodded and checked her ankle holster again. Not that she would get to keep it—pretty sure Sebastian or Phillip would check her for weapons once they were certain she wasn’t wearing a wire.
Maybe they wouldn’t find the Sig tucked behind her vest. It wouldn’t be easy to get to with the body armor on, but it made her feel better nonetheless.
She raised her gaze to Max again, drinking in his image. “See you on the other side of this.”
“Yep.” He cupped her face in his hands. “We won’t have time for this later.”
Max pressed his lips to hers, and she slipped her arms around his neck. When they broke apart, she gave him a shaky smile. “Thank you for having my back.”
“Always.” He bent and kissed her once more.
She climbed in the front seat of her SUV as he climbed in the back and lay on the floorboard. “I’ll repeat the directions he texts me, or if he calls, I’ll put it on speaker and you can send the directions to Alex.”
Darkness had fallen, and Jenna flipped on her lights before she backed out of her drive. A mile down the road, a text sounded on her phone, and she checked the message. “It’s directions but only to get me through town.” Evidently instructions would be piecemeal.
“Alex texted that if the route is toward the cabin, she and Nathan will be waiting at the intersection to the road it’s on. I’ll get out when you stop to turn.”
“Good thinking.” The GPS would show if her SUV stopped to let him out when she neared the cabin.
The directions in the next text definitely indicated they were taking her to the cabin. At the turn, she stopped just long enough for Max to roll out the back door.
She drove past Eric Darby’s and slowed when someone waved her down with a flashlight and then pointed toward the cabin. Thank goodness Max had already gotten out.
Jenna pulled as close to the cabin as she could and got out. The man with the flashlight checked her SUV, then patted her down and found the gun in the ankle holster. “Where’s your service pistol?”
“I didn’t bring it.” She tried to get a look at him, but he wore a hoodie and there wasn’t even a moon out.
“Get inside.” He pointed the way with his light.
Jenna slowly climbed the steps and stopped at the top by a post.
“Why are you stopping?”
“I’m dizzy.” She pressed the microphone against the post.
The door opened and Sebastian appeared. “Well. We meet again.”
“So we do. Where’s Phillip?”
“Oh, he’s inside, waiting for you.”
She didn’t doubt that. Jenna stepped inside the cabin, and another of Sebastian’s men ran a scanner over her. Max had been right.
She blinked at the brightness in the room. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around, her heart almost stopping at the sight of her dad bound in a chair. A gag covered his mouth, but he shook his head.
Jenna turned and gasped when she saw Phillip. Ropes bound him to a chair as well. She shifted a puzzled gaze to Sebastian.
He grinned at her, and now Jenna knew what Kirk meant by the creepy smile.
