Sealed with courage, p.7
Sealed With Courage, page 7
“Hang on.” There were muffled sounds in the background for a few minutes before Russo came back on the line. “We found one guy who was arrested recently with a blue devil tattoo. Perp’s name is Francisco Hernandez.”
“Send me a picture of the tattoo and of Hernandez’s mug shot.” He thought back to when he had Jose up against the brick wall of the tavern. He’d glimpsed the tattoo on the back of his neck, the one Aubrey had mentioned, but it hadn’t been blue. There were two words written, but they were mostly covered by his hoodie. “It may be similar to what Jose has.”
“Ms. Clark couldn’t identify his tattoo, other than to say he had one,” Russo protested.
“I know, and I didn’t get a good look at it earlier today either. But I want to see what the blue devil looks like.”
“It’s not blue like a blue Smurf if that’s what you’re thinking,” Russo drawled. A moment later, his phone vibrated with an incoming text. “I sent both photos to you. Anything else?”
“Yeah. A location as to where Hernandez was picked up.”
Russo tapped computer keys. “He was arrested two weeks ago in East Village outside a bar called Twisted. He’s currently out on bail, though.”
“That works, thanks.” He ended the call and pulled up the text message pictures. The blue devil wasn’t completely blue, but it did have a blue crown and a pitchfork with blue flames. Weird, but then again, most gangs used codes in their tattoos to help cover up the real meaning. The image of Hernandez was next. He didn’t look Hispanic, except for his brown eyes, but the scar along his cheekbone was memorable. Mason wondered if the scar had contributed to the guy being caught.
Most gang members hid their tattoos so that they weren’t visible and therefore easily identified. Victims tended to remember scars too, especially bad ones.
He wondered if Jose and Francisco knew each other. If Jose was a member of the Blue Devils, he assumed they did.
And if Jose wasn’t a member of the gang? Was it possible handing Lucas over to the group was some sort of gang initiation?
He decided against mentioning that possibility to Aubrey.
“Can I see?” She crossed over and gestured to the phone.
He handed her the device. She peered at the images for several long moments, focusing more of her attention on Hernandez than on the tattoo. “Have you seen him?”
“I don’t think so,” she said, reluctantly handing the phone back. “I wish I had.”
“Well, he’s out on parole, so he’s no use to us,” Mason said gently. “But I did learn he was arrested outside a bar called Twisted. I’d like you to stay here with Bravo while I check it out.”
“I’m going with you,” she said, the way he knew she would.
“Aubrey, it’s a bar, you’ll stick out like a wart on a beauty queen.”
“Please don’t leave me here, alone, Mason. I’ll stay in the car with Bravo if that helps. But I want to be close by.”
“Aubrey.” He blew out a breath. The woman was driving him nuts, and he really, really wished Kaleb was coming to help. “You’ll be here during the daylight with Bravo who will scare off any intruder. The bar could mean nothing, Hernandez was arrested outside the place, not inside.”
“I was helpful earlier, driving away from Jose, wasn’t I? I followed orders like a good soldier. I promise I won’t cause you any trouble,” she insisted.
Little did she know she was already causing him a boatload of trouble. Or maybe angst was a better word. He was used to having his fellow SEALs covering his six, not a sign language teacher.
“There aren’t soldiers in the navy,” he said dryly. “We’re sailors. And the SEALs are frogmen.”
“I stand corrected.” Her hazel gaze was impossible to ignore.
“Fine.” There was no point in wasting time arguing. Seemed the woman had a core of sheer stubbornness that he had little hope of bending to his will.
No matter how hard he tried.
“Thank you.” She caught him off guard by going up on her tiptoes to kiss him. He was sure the gesture was meant to be sweet and friendly, but the moment their mouths met, a sizzling desire hit with the force of tsunami.
As their mouths fused, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She melted against him, participating wholeheartedly in the embrace.
He didn’t care if he was drowning. In that moment, he didn’t want this impromptu kiss to end.
Chapter Six
Aubrey clung to Mason’s broad shoulders, reveling in the heat of his kiss. She’d forgotten what it was like to be held in a man’s arms, to be cherished, and to be kissed as if there was no tomorrow.
And she liked it, very much.
Mason finally lifted his head, breaking off the kiss. It took a moment for the haze in her mind to clear. “I—that was amazing.”
“I guess that means I don’t need to apologize for crossing the line,” Mason drawled.
Apologize? She frowned. “I’m pretty sure I kissed you.”
“And I’m pretty sure I changed your friendly kiss into something far different,” he shot back. He let her go and took a step back, running his hand over his short hair. “Listen, I don’t want you to think that I expect anything from you. I only want to keep you safe while finding Lucas. That wasn’t an invite or an expectation to something more intimate.”
She felt herself blush. “I don’t think that at all, and I would never agree to that type of arrangement.” Did he honestly think that was the reason she’d kissed him? How mortifying.
Why on earth had she given in to that impulse anyway? For ten years, she’d been immune to handsome men, until now. This was the wrong time and, really, the wrong man. She didn’t believe a tough Navy SEAL would be the least bit interested in a schoolteacher.
The only reason she was here with Mason was because of Lucas. And it was wrong of her to spend one iota of time thinking about how much she wanted to kiss Mason again while Lucas was in danger.
“That’s settled then.” Mason’s abrupt tone made her feel even worse. Did she owe him an apology? After all, she was the one who’d initiated the kiss in the first place. “Are you ready? We need to hit the road.”
“Of course.” She quickly headed over to grab her small purse and her jacket. “I’m ready. The sooner we find Lucas, the better. Are you familiar with where Twisted is located?”
“No, but I’m sure we’ll find it.” Mason shrugged into his jacket and clasped a leash to Bravo’s collar. “Modern technology is great. My phone will get us there.”
They headed back outside. Mason paused, giving Bravo time to water a few scrubby bushes before he put the dog in the kenneled area of this SUV. She slid into the passenger seat, trying not to think about how much she admired Mason. He was so different from anyone she’d ever met, especially the way he’d instantly come to her rescue and jumped in to assist in finding Lucas.
As Mason drove back to East Village, she thought about his going inside the bar alone. “I think you should take Bravo in with you. I’ll wait in the car and be ready to call 911 if needed.”
“Bravo will stay with you.” Mason spoke without looking at her. “I don’t want to be worried about you when I’m inside the place, checking it out.”
She hated being a liability to him. “Please, Mason, take Bravo with you. I keep remembering how those six men with guns came directly toward you and Jose.”
He flicked her an amused glance. “I could have taken them all down, Aubrey. However, I didn’t really want to go to jail, which is why I shot at the sign over their heads. The worst that could have happened is that the owners of that fine establishment would make me pay to replace the damaged sign. Trust me, I know how to handle myself.”
She didn’t doubt he was a highly trained SEAL, but she feared he was underestimating how his hearing loss may work against him. Especially in a crowded bar with a lot of background noise.
Yet she also knew he wasn’t going to budge on this issue. Maybe she should have stayed at his place. If anything bad happened to Mason, she’d never forgive herself.
It didn’t take long for Mason to find Twisted. He drove slowly past it, and she couldn’t help but grimace. The building looked even more decrepit than the place where they’d stumbled across Jose.
There was no parking nearby, forcing Mason to park several blocks away. As he moved to get out of the vehicle, she grasped his arm. “Wait.”
He turned to look at her, his expression calm as if he had absolutely no concerns about the danger he was facing.
“Please consider taking Bravo with you, what if Lucas is being held somewhere inside?” She held up her phone. “I’ve dialed 911 and can press the call button the moment I see anything suspicious. But it’s just as important to have Bravo with you, to find Lucas and to provide backup if needed.”
“Your lack of faith in my abilities is troubling,” he said wryly. “But I know how to compromise. I’ll take Bravo out to see if he alerts near the building. If not, he’ll come back to guard you. If he does, I’ll take him with me.”
“Great.” She didn’t bother to hide her relief. “It’s not that I don’t trust your training, it’s just that I’m concerned about you.”
“Thanks, I think.” He slid out of the car, shut the door, and then went around back to let Bravo out. He offered the dog the scent bag containing Lucas’s sweatshirt.
“Seek!” he commanded.
As Mason and Bravo moved down to the tavern, she kept her phone in her hand and prayed for God to watch over them.
And to keep Lucas safe from harm too.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Mason and Bravo to return. Instead of putting the dog in the back, Mason opened her passenger-side door. “Scoot over, the key fob is in the center console. I want Bravo to be up front with you.”
“He didn’t pick up Lucas’s scent?”
Mason shook his head. She maneuvered over the center console and dropped into the driver’s seat. Bravo jumped in and sniffed at her. “Guard, Bravo. Guard.”
The dog settled onto his haunches, his head up, his ears perked forward. She wanted to smile at how Bravo seemed to understand everything Mason said, but she couldn’t.
“Be careful.”
“Always.” Mason shut the door and moved back toward the tavern.
This time, the waiting seemed interminable. She kept up a one-sided conversation with Bravo, who cocked his head at times as if listening to what she was saying.
Which was nothing more than nonsense about how he was to be a good boy and to keep protecting Mason even after they found Lucas and the danger was over. She had to open her window an inch as Bravo’s breathing caused them to steam up.
“I’m sure Mason will be back soon,” she told Bravo. “He’s a smart and strong Navy SEAL. Even with his hearing loss, he’ll be able to hold his own. Right?”
Bravo looked from her toward the window and back again. The way he sat there so quiet and intense was a bit unnerving.
“Right.” She sighed and glanced around to make sure no one was paying any attention to them. The sun was still high in the sky, although several dark clouds were coming in from the ocean. She loved living in San Diego, mostly because the weather was amazing. Sure, it got cold at night in the winter, but during the day, the temperatures warmed up nicely.
She shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it into the back seat. Bravo leaned over and sniffed her shirt, making her laugh. Then her smile faded as she checked her watch for what seemed like the tenth time in as many minutes.
Mason had only been gone fifteen minutes. She told herself not to worry. That getting information on the Blue Devils would take time. It wasn’t as if gang members would discuss their illegal activities with anyone who happened to show an interest.
Just the opposite.
Not that she was an expert on street gangs.
All the more reason the police should be here, digging for information. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Bravo’s cold nose touched her cheek.
She turned to the dog and carefully reached over to scratch his ears, mindful of Mason’s warning about how the animal was trained to attack on command. Bravo seemed to like being petted, so she continued stroking his soft fur.
“He’s going to be okay, right, boy? Yes, he is.” She was trying to reassure herself more than the dog.
She still held the phone in her lap, but looking around, she didn’t believe anyone would approach the vehicle with Bravo sitting beside her. In fact, a few people gave them a wide berth as they went past, as if unwilling to get too close.
Without warning, Bravo spun to face the passenger window, growling low in his throat. She had the passenger window open about an inch, and his nose was pressed in the opening. She fumbled for her phone while peering past the animal’s head to see what had caught his attention.
His growling morphed into staccato barks. Her fingers tightened around the phone as she tried to understand what was going on. Should she call 911? And report what? A growling K9 warning of danger?
Then she saw Jose running away from the SUV as if the Blue Devils were hot on his heels. Bravo barked two more times, then sat and stared through the glass as if waiting for the bad guy to return.
Aubrey swallowed hard and lowered the phone to her lap. No sense in calling 911 about seeing Jose running off. He’d be long gone before an officer could respond.
“Good boy,” she praised, stroking his fur. Bravo clearly took his protector role seriously. And she was impressed that he’d recognized Jose’s scent from earlier that day.
Then it hit her that Jose may have been in the tavern and had seen Mason. Or maybe the guy had recognized the SUV.
A flicker of unease washed over her. Seeing Jose twice in a matter of hours seemed like too much of a coincidence. Yet she knew Bravo hadn’t alerted to Lucas’s scent near Twisted, so what was Jose doing here?
She felt certain Nanette’s boyfriend knew more than he’d admitted to. Especially since the six guys had shown up just as Mason had Jose pinned up against the wall. It made her wonder if Jose had sent up some sort of distress signal. Or maybe he was being followed by the Blue Devils too.
Was this only about Lucas being taken by a street gang? Or was there something more going on here? She was starting to think they’d stumbled across something far more complicated than one missing child. As if a missing deaf boy wasn’t terrible enough.
The thought made her shiver despite the warmth of the sun beating into the SUV.
Come on, Mason, she silently urged. Please come back safely!
Mason took the time to check out the Twisted tavern from the outside, taking note of the rear exit, the one cracked window, and the other two boarded-up ones on the second story. From there, he examined the buildings on either side of the bar. Then went one step farther, checking out the rest of the street. One of the buildings around the corner had a fire escape that led all the way up to the roof. Farther down, there was another building with a fire escape too. Satisfied, he turned back to his main target, the bar called Twisted.
You didn’t go into the lion’s den without having an escape plan.
He’d shared Aubrey’s disappointment that Bravo hadn’t alerted on Lucas’s scent around Twisted, yet he hadn’t really expected to find the boy that easily. No matter what Aubrey had said, he didn’t think the Blue Devils were holding the kid above a well-known hangout.
Granted, criminals often made stupid mistakes.
Mason squared his shoulders and approached the main door with the bold confidence of someone who belonged. SEALs were taught to blend into their environment, be it land or sea. He’d decided to treat this like any other op, despite the lack of intel.
And the lack of backup from his team.
The interior of the bar was crowded, even at two in the afternoon on a Thursday. No working class people here, he noted with one swift glance. It seemed like the kind of place where those who had money to spend and no regular work hours chose to hang out. For all he knew, the upper level was where drug business took place.
Mason edged through the crowd until he found a spot at the bar. He didn’t drink very often but ordered a beer anyway.
For a moment, the bald bartender with bulging muscles eyed him suspiciously before he reached into the fridge, removed a cold brew, twisted off the cap, and slid the bottle across to him. Mason set cash on the bar, including a tip, gave him a nod, then lifted the bottle to his lips.
Interesting that he’d already been made as an outsider. It wasn’t because he was dressed any differently, but more likely because the bartender knew each of the patrons by name or by face. As he raked a gaze over the group, he noted several of the men avoided his gaze. That alone made Mason believe they’d already pigeonholed him as military and/or a cop.
His SEAL tattoo, a three-pronged trident speared through an anchor with an eagle in the background, was on his right bicep and hidden beneath his light jacket. Their entire team had gotten the ink when they were young and eager to proclaim their status as belonging to the military elite. Now he rather wished he’d been smart enough to have resisted temptation.
Moving through the crowd, he found a spot where he could stand with his back against the wall, pretending to drink his beer. There were only two women in the crowd that he could see, both dressed in slinky outfits and high-heeled shoes, showing so much skin that he assumed they were working girls. Good thing he’d convinced Aubrey to stay in the SUV. He’d drawn enough attention as it was; her wholesome looks would have been like carrying a flashing neon light into the place.
The wall behind him vibrated. Instantly, he realized someone had left through the back door, slamming it shut behind them. No one inside the crowded bar paid any attention, but he eased along the way to the rear doorway he’d eyeballed earlier.
Someone had decided to get out of Dodge fearing he was indeed a cop. He wished he knew who’d taken off but soon decided that wasn’t important.
Two big burly guys stepped in front of him. “You need to leave,” the taller of the two said. “Now.”
