Grave Christmas Secrets, page 4
Keegan snorted. “That’s just wack.”
“We’ll see.” Skull patted the upper right pocket of his jacket, and Keegan spotted his nine millimeter nestled in the man’s waistband.
What did Skull have hidden? Keep him talking, get closer, then attack. “All that’ll show Brando is you’re losing your edge. Let’s take this inside where it’s warm.”
Skull jumped at Keegan in a childish attempt to startle him, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, crossing his arms over his chest, Keegan forced a bored tone into his question. “Finished?”
“Yep, just as soon as you prove you’re not a double-crossing chicken.”
Only one option. Accept the challenge. Keegan gave a jerk of his chin. “Name it.”
“Kill the doctor. Here. Now.”
Heart doing triple beats, Keegan searched for a retort. “Gimme back my piece or hand me yours.” Once he had the weapon, he’d reverse this little tête-à-tête.
Taya gasped behind him.
“Nah, get creative.” Skull hefted the pistol. “You’ve got three seconds.”
Keegan turned and marched toward Taya, mouthing, Don’t move. “I’m not playing your games.” He reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging her closer. “You can follow or go on home, whatever you want.”
Skull fired a round at the tree next to Keegan’s head, raining chips of bark. Taya screamed and tried yanking herself free, but Keegan held tight, then gave her a firm tug to move behind him. She complied.
Keegan drilled his stare into Skull, unwilling to avert his gaze. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Nah, I’m crystal clear. I knew it! You’re a cop.”
“Gimme a break. You’ve known me for over a year.” Keegan had to get Taya out of here.
He surveyed the space between him and Skull. Too far to tackle the man. He’d close the distance and yell for Taya to run into the woods. She’d have to hide there until he took out Skull. “If I’m a cop, then I’ve had you buffaloed all this time? Are you saying you’re that stupid?”
“Don’t call me stupid.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
Skull gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Kill her with your bare hands or get outta the way so I can finish her.”
Keegan sighed. “Fine. You win.”
That brought a wide grin to Skull’s mouth.
“You’re right. I wanted to hand her over to Brando. I’m ready to move up. I deserve it. I’ve worked hard.”
Skull’s laugh was far from humorous. “You ain’t earned nothin’. Brando wants her dead. And if you mess up, I’m killing you both.”
Keegan allowed his anger to rise to a boil. “I don’t take orders from you.” In one motion he pushed Taya and commanded, “Run.” Then bolted full speed at Skull.
The criminal hefted the gun and fired.
Keegan dodged to the side, the bullet narrowly missing him as he lunged, tackling Skull.
Skull’s pistol came down hard on his back, sending a blast of pain through his kidney. Keegan jerked up and latched onto Skull’s hand, driving it into the ground with all his strength. The impact forced open Skull’s grip and he released the gun. But the criminal was quick and rolled them, gaining the top advantage.
Keegan thrust his knee into Skull’s stomach, then wrapped his other ankle around Skull’s boot to reverse their positions. He finished the attack with a headbutt, then drove his fist into Skull’s nose.
Skull was unrelenting, forcing Keegan to hit him twice more to knock him unconscious.
He looked up, searching. Had Taya run away? “Taya?”
“I’m here.” She emerged from the tree line and rushed to his side. “Is he dead?”
“No.” Keegan yanked his nine millimeter from Skull’s waistband and tucked it into his own. “Grab his gun.”
She passed him the weapon, having already picked it up while Keegan fought Skull.
“Nice work. In the kitchen, top drawer, you’ll find a rope. Bring it to me.”
Taya nodded and rushed inside, returning seconds later with the rope. He tied Skull’s wrists and ankles with double and triple knots, then dug into his jacket pocket and retrieved the man’s cell phone. He scrolled through the calls and messages, landing on one to Brando. The message was still sending, based on the blue line across the top of the screen. The text read, Traitor Cop.
He cringed at the evidence of their ruse, and the most telling, one of him shooting the hole in Taya’s hoodie.
Keegan switched the device to airplane mode, then dropped and crushed it with his boot.
“What are you doing?”
“He had pictures of us faking your death in a message to Brando. They’re stuck in cyberspace for the moment and—”
“You think by destroying the phone, you can prevent them from sending,” she concluded.
“Exactly.”
“Will that work?”
“I turned off the internet connection, too, but I’m not sure.”
“What do we do with him?” She pointed to Skull.
“Help me carry him.”
Together they half carried, half dragged the unconscious man into the bathroom and crammed him into the standup shower. Keegan handed Taya Skull’s gun. “Watch him.”
Keegan had to move fast. He grabbed the burner phone dedicated to his communications with the traffickers and called Brando.
“Raptor. Is it finished?” Brando asked in greeting.
“Yep. Got proof for you, too.”
“Excellent. I’ll text you a date and time to meet me at the Camp.” Brando referenced the abandoned youth organization summer camp at the edge of town that the traffickers used for their winter hangout.
“Why not now?”
“I trust you’ve handled everything. I’ll be in touch.”
Keegan disconnected and glanced at the clock: 4:35 a.m. They’d have to prevent all communication between Skull and the traffickers until Brando called.
As if responding to Keegan’s thoughts, a thud echoed from inside the bathroom.
“He’s waking up,” Taya called.
Keegan hurried to the kitchen and tugged a roll of duct tape from the drawer. He snagged the towel off the counter. “Cover me. Whatever you do, keep your finger off the trigger and don’t shoot unless I tell you.” The last thing he needed was Taya getting trigger-happy and killing him.
“Got it.”
Skull wriggled on his side like a walrus, but the confined space didn’t give him much room to move. “You’re dead! I’ll kill you myself!”
“We can’t have that.” Keegan stuffed the towel in Skull’s open mouth on his next rendition of threats and secured it with the duct tape. For good measure, he delivered a hand strike to Skull’s neck, knocking him out again.
Double-checking the restraints, Keegan locked Skull in the bathroom. He tied a length of rope from the bathroom knob to the bedroom door, preventing Skull from escaping his mini prison.
In a swift tour, Keegan rushed through the home, collecting anything that would give away his true identity, including his ATF cell phone, and ushered Taya out the door. “Let’s go.”
How had Skull found them? The nagging worry weighed on Keegan’s mind as they climbed into his SUV. He hit the garage button and backed out. Everything had changed. He had to get Taya to safety. Have Skull picked up and find somewhere else to hide before meeting Brando.
Keegan hesitated, lifting his foot off the gas. Maybe they should stay for a while. Buy time. But if Skull had contacted anyone and told them about Keegan’s location, more of Brando’s men could be coming. Why was Brando waiting to meet him?
Too many questions, and the most important mission now was to protect Taya. He hated to leave before his team apprehended Skull, but if he’d led any of Brando’s men to them, they were in worse danger. They had to create distance and fast.
His safe house faded in the rearview mirror.
At the far end of the road, he spotted a pickup. “Must be how Skull got here.”
Keegan pulled over and jumped out. Within minutes he’d cut the fuel lines, slashed all four tires and returned to the SUV. “That should delay him if he gets out of the restraints.”
True to form, Taya interjected with a question. “What do we do now?”
“Have my boss pick up Skull when he comes for you.”
Her next words surprised him. “I’d prefer to stay with you.”
Why the sudden change? Taya’s professed faith boosted his confidence, but concern countered the accolade. “I appreciate your trust in me, but I can’t maintain my cover and continue working this case with you in tow.”
She smirked. “You’ve got a rather high opinion of yourself.”
“Excuse me?” Keegan’s neck warmed with embarrassment for misunderstanding her comment.
“My desire to remain in your custody has nothing to do with my personal confidence in your abilities. Although you’ve proven effective in your protection efforts.”
Keegan snorted. “Thanks. I think. Still, it’s best if you go with my boss.” He lifted his work phone. “They’ll get you away from this mess until I can arrest Brando.”
“No!” Her emphatic tone jolted him. Just as quickly, she returned to her calm demeanor. “What I mean is, I cannot go with your boss.”
“Lady, unless you’ve got something substantial requiring you to stay with me, I will transfer you into the ATF’s custody,” Keegan said, finishing their invigorating and thought-provoking debate.
She sighed. “It’s clear I’m not safe and as you said, this Brando maniac will continue pursuing me.”
“We’ve already established that.” Maybe he could push her into telling him whatever she was hiding. “If I knew why Brando wants you eliminated, it would help. Is there something more you haven’t shared with me?”
Several mile markers passed before she replied, “In my experience, fear is a powerful motivator.”
That came out of left field, but he’d keep the dialogue going. “I agree.”
“Why does Brando fear me?”
He hadn’t anticipated that turnaround. She thought Brando was afraid of her rather than vice versa? Interesting. “You have something he wants.”
A pause. “What else?”
Not a denial. Avoidance. “You tell me.”
“I don’t know him or have any association with these trafficking criminals.”
Keegan scoured his brain. If she wasn’t hiding anything—except his intuition said she was—what did Brando want from Taya? Skull’s directions to eliminate her were clear. Whatever she possessed wasn’t tangible. “Your knowledge,” he blurted.
Taya nodded. “Right, but I’ve shared none of my suppositions.”
Did the body contain evidence against Brando? “How long has the excavation been in process?”
“I’d only just begun.”
“Have others hung around the site?”
“Yes, a few. However, Officer Folze has provided constant supervision, so the place is never unsecured. Only those preapproved may access the site. And I remain on the grounds at all times in my Winnebago.”
He’d need a list of the people with possible connections to Brando. “Yet Folze wasn’t there when Skull and I arrived.”
She shrugged and her expression was almost sheepish. “That was my fault. I’d sent him away. The man’s constant hovering is beyond annoying.”
Skull had received a text before they’d walked up the valley. A message notifying them the officer had left?
“Did you see Officer Folze drive away?” Taya asked.
Keegan glanced at her. They were on the same wavelength too often. “Skull got the phone call and told me we had a new job. I assumed he meant meeting traffickers. When we trudged to the top of the hill, he motioned for us to stay by the Rhino Barn.”
She nodded.
“I didn’t realize you were there until we were standing by the building and I saw your LED work lights at the bottom. Once Skull said we were there to kill you, I had to go into action fast.”
“So, you’d not been apprised of the body?”
“Nope.”
“Is it a personal affront against me?”
“Could be. Or he wants to ensure you won’t testify to the body’s identification.”
“Who is she?” Taya’s question was soft, as if more to herself than him.
Keegan thought about the ring on Taya’s dinette. The same one Patrice never took off. He worked the steering wheel, contemplating how much to share. “There’s a possibility the deceased is undercover DEA agent Patrice Nunes.”
My stepsister.
* * *
Taya worked to maintain her nonchalance, disguising her amazement. Keegan’s confession confirmed Patrice’s video claim as a DEA agent. However, skepticism was Taya’s middle name and she wouldn’t abandon it without proper evidence.
Keegan’s admission in no way proved his own ATF agent story. Was he a liar? A good guy gone bad? Had he been an agent at one time, but was no longer?
On the flip side, if he told the truth, he’d endangered and nearly sacrificed himself to protect her. No one had ever fought for Taya, and the concept nearly undid her.
So many questions, and she wanted answers. Start with what you know. “What evidence leads you to believe the victim is Patrice?”
“The butterfly ring you found. It’s a custom piece Patrice’s mother designed after her father passed away.”
“And you’re aware of this because—”
Keegan averted his gaze.
“You had a personal relationship with her.” A statement, not a question, confirmed by his reaction. She’d hit pay dirt. A twinge of jealousy stole the sweet victory. What kind of relationship had Keegan had with Patrice?
Taya glanced down. She’d surmised the two butterflies symbolized a parent and child. Her heart squeezed. She shoved aside the uncomfortable emotions and returned to her inquisition.
A tiny niggling to relay the video details invaded her doubts regarding his true identity. If Keegan wasn’t who he claimed to be, the videos provided her an upper hand with the authorities. Except, she’d lost the SIM card somewhere at Ashfall. Not lost, just misplaced and she’d find it again. Why hadn’t she been braver and watched the rest? Did the footage reveal the killer? If the evidence implicated Keegan in the woman’s death...
A flutter of fear set her nerves on edge and she glanced warily at him.
Her reasoning abilities returned. Stop being paranoid. Consider all of the evidence. He’d protected her from Skull. Twice. However, his deception might be woven in a plan to befriend her through heroic acts. Once he had the evidence, and she least expected it, would he kill her, too?
Knowledge was power and, at the moment, the only advantage Taya had over Keegan. The same knowledge placing her on Brando’s kill list.
No, she wouldn’t tell him about the video. Not yet.
Taya chewed on other possibilities. Was Patrice an old girlfriend? The contemplation brought no peace of mind. She glanced over at Keegan, gripping the steering wheel as though he hung on for dear life. Not the appearance of a prepared assassin.
“Why would someone want Patrice Nunes dead?”
He sighed. “I’m afraid there are too many possible answers. If she’d blown her cover or got too close to revealing Brando’s identity, those reasons alone are sufficient.”
Taya’s mind jumped back to the video. Patrice claimed to be waiting for Brando. Had she identified him?
“I have to find out what happened to her. If she was compromised, maybe evidence pointed to a leak within the DEA or ATF.”
Corruption wasn’t unconscionable. “You think another agent turned on her?” Taya gave herself another mental berating for losing the SIM card before she redirected her irritation on blaming Keegan. She’d had it in her pocket until he grabbed her. Not something she’d be able to scold him about without confessing about the card.
“It’s possible.”
Appreciation for his candidness gave her pause. At least he didn’t ruffle at the reality of law enforcement committing such atrocities. “You were aware of her undercover status?”
He nodded. “Not until later, but yes, the operation is a combined agency effort.”
“When did you last speak to her?”
“A year ago. Shortly after the investigation began.”
“Surely you communicate with your superiors? She with hers? Wear wires, all that type of thing?”
Keegan snorted. “Not even close. We absorb our cover roles. Sometimes we don’t see family or friends for years.”
Did he like living that lifestyle? Did he have someone waiting at home for his return?
Keegan continued, “We can’t risk compromising our covers by talking to one another. Except...”
“Except what?”
“Skull dragged me to an impromptu meeting with a new buyer, who turned out to be Patrice. Her orders were to record the meeting and submit it to her superiors, but they never received the footage.”
Taya gulped and faced the windshield, worried her reaction betrayed her secret. The meeting Keegan described occurred on the video she’d recovered from Patrice’s pocket.
Tell him. No. Not yet.
However, the video was dated thirteen months prior and the state of decomposition correlated to the timeline. Without testing, Taya couldn’t profess to be one hundred percent positive.
Something didn’t cohere to the story. Did the government not care about their agents? Would they write off Patrice? “I don’t mean to be callous, but if my friend had gone missing over a year ago, I’d be searching under every rock to find her. Perhaps if you’d started looking sooner? Why didn’t your agencies do something, anything to find her?”
Keegan faced her, tension visible in his neck muscles. “What makes you think I haven’t?”
