Her Adoring SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 3) Read online

  “Senora Lomas, do you know how to make a collect call to America?”

  “No, but I’m sure little Jorge next door will know. He watches all of the American programs on the TV. The little boy knows everything. We will go and ask to use his mother’s phone.”

  They plodded through the muddy walkway between the two little homes and a very large woman opened the door.

  “Flora, what orphan have you dragged home this week?”

  “This is Beth. It’s a long story. Are you going to invite us in Lupita?” The big woman laughed, and stepped back to allow them entry into her house. Behind her was a small boy holding a hand held video game.

  “Ah, just the young man we’re looking for. Jorge, this is my friend Beth. She needs your help.”

  “Are you on the run?”

  “Jorge, what made you ask that question?” his mother admonished.

  “I saw her come in with her three white friends. They look like criminals, and they were sneaking in with Senora Lomas. Are the police after you?”

  “I’m going to take away your TV privileges for a week if you’re not more respectful Jorge Lodge. Are we clear?” His mother’s voice boomed through the house, and the boy shrugged his shoulders.

  “You’ll just let me watch it tomorrow anyway. But I’ll be nice, I don’t want to hurt her feelings. But are you a criminal?”

  Beth sighed. “No, I’m not a criminal. Criminals are after me. I need your help to get away from them. I have people who will come and save me if I can get ahold of them. Otherwise I need to find a way to leave before the criminals come and find us.”

  “Our police here are very bad. They are criminals too,” Jorge said.

  The women looked at one another.

  “It’s sad when even one so young knows how corrupt our system is. How can we help you?”

  “I need a telephone, and to make a collect call to California.”

  All three women looked at the little boy.

  “That is simple.”

  “Thank, God,” Senora Lomas said. Lupita fished a phone out of the pocket of the hoodie she wore and handed it to her son. Jorge pushed in many numbers, and then shoved the phone to Beth.

  “Talk to the operator.” He grinned proudly.

  “Hello? I need to make a collect call to Jack Preston, let me give you his number.”

  ****

  “Do you need to get that?” Berto asked.

  Jack ignored the phone in his pocket. It was on a very low vibrate, but Berto was watching him like a hawk.

  “It’s nobody.”

  “I insist. You’re my guest. You’re also my employee, I’m interested in what goes on in my employee’s lives.”

  Jack pulled out the phone.

  “I don’t recognize the number. If it isn’t somebody I know, I have a policy of not answering.” He put the phone back in his pocket.

  “You should be more careful who you give your number to,” Berto said.

  “Yes I should, that’s good advice.” Jack forked another slice of mango and chewed. Berto focused his attention on Aiden.

  “Ruiz and Helen were telling me about your Uncle Leonard. He sounds like an interesting man. It’s too bad he is not someone we can talk into working with us.”

  “He’s been reformed by love.”

  “A woman should never lead a man around by his cock. The man is in charge. You will meet my woman tonight. She will know who is in charge from the very second she lays eyes on me. It will be a very satisfying reunion.”

  Jack put his fork down.

  “You stopped eating. Don’t you agree, JJ?”

  “It depends on the woman, El Cuchilla. Some women need to be put in their place,” he said thinking of Helen. “Some women need to be loved and cared for.”

  “Ruiz said you have a woman.”

  “I do.”

  “You believe in loving and caring, I suppose.”

  “I do.”

  “Let me give you some advice. First you make sure she knows who’s in charge. What about you Aiden, do you have a woman?”

  “I have one in mind, yes.”

  “How do you plan to treat her?”

  “Whatever way will win her.”

  Berto laughed. “You’re a man after my own heart. Don’t forget, some women like the back of your hand. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

  Aiden didn’t show any outward sign of disgust, but Jack knew his friend. He was going to need another shower.

  “So you are both Army Rangers? But only you were dishonorably discharged. It was for what? The details were sparse.”

  “My captain and I had a disagreement over a woman. He thought I was being too harsh with her.”

  “I’m confused, you must explain this to me.”

  “This was before I met my love. I didn’t always believe in love and caring. So Berto, I can understand your ways of treating women. As I said, it depends on the woman.”

  Berto slammed the butt of his fork down on the table, causing the plates to clatter.

  “I like you, JJ! You will be good for our organization. I will have you meet the train with mi amor tonight.” He grinned broadly. Jack grinned in return. Everything was going perfectly, until he and Aiden got back to the room and he heard his message.

  “Jack, this is Beth. I’m with three other girls. We’re in a town called Rallos. I don’t know how safe it is, or how long we can stay here with Senora Lomas without causing problems for her. Here is the phone number of her neighbor. Please call us. I’m going to try Lydia next. I love you.”

  He called the number and got voicemail.

  “Goddamit!” he roared.

  ****

  “Lydia!”

  “Beth, is this really you?”

  “Oh Lydia, you’re safe. I was so worried.”

  “Are you shitting me? Jesus Beth, you had a gun to your head. They hit you and drove you away. I thought you were on a train to Veracruz.”

  “How did you know?” Beth looked up and saw the two women were staring at her. “Never mind. I need help. I can’t go to the authorities. The ladies I’m with are telling me they can’t be trusted. I’m in a little town called Rallos.”

  “Hold on, the guys just landed in Mexico City about an hour ago. They planned to rescue you from the train. You just made their job a whole hell of a lot easier, little sister.” Beth was warmed by the pride she heard in Lydia’s voice.

  There was silence on the phone.

  “Beth?”

  “Is that you, Mason?”

  “Can you tell us exactly where you are? Clint is getting GPS coordinates. You’re on speaker phone.” There was a lot of background noise, and she was having trouble hearing him.

  “If you asked where I am, I’m in a city called Rallos.” She looked at Lupita.

  “What’s your address?”

  “Give them mine,” Senora Lamos said. “5 Via Fleur.”

  “I’m at 5 Via Fleur. I have three other girls with me.”

  “Clint said we should be there in an hour and a half. Stay put Beth. Just hunker down, we’ll be there.”

  “Who were you talking to?” Beth spun around. There were three men in uniforms in the doorway. Behind her was Senora Lomas’ daughter.

  “What do you want? This is my house, get out!” Lupita’s voice was loud in the small kitchen.

  “You are harboring a fugitive. Hand over the phone.” The man in the uniform held out his hand. Senora Lomas was furious. Jorge peered up at the adults, his eyes huge.

  “You did this, you called them didn’t you?” Senora Lomas raged at her daughter.

  “I told you they were criminals. We shouldn’t be involved.” Beth winced as they grabbed her upper arm and she was pulled out of the house. There was a jeep and a flat-bed truck waiting out front. Joanne, Missy, and Irene were sitting dejectedly in the back of the truck with two men and automatic rifles. Missy and Irene were crying.

  “Get in.” The man pushed her towards the tailgate. Beth str
uggled, and he shoved her, once again her face met steel and she saw stars. The next thing she knew she had her head in Joanne’s lap.

  “Your head isn’t that hard, would you quit trying to crack it open, Beth?” she whispered.

  “Okay.” How were Mason and the team going to find them now?

  Chapter Twenty

  “Jack, you have to get it together,” Aiden said.

  “I don’t think I can.” They were positioned at the far end of the pier. It was five hours since watching Berto go batshit crazy when the train arrived and the shipping container was empty.

  They both watched as the huge crane lowered another container off the ship. The Hacha’s weren’t let on the boat this time, which was another deviation from the norm. Today was not Berto’s day. Ruiz was shitting bricks. So they were all waiting for three red containers, each with a black ‘X’, to come ashore.

  “Is that one of them?” Aiden said pointing?

  “Yep.”

  “Where the fuck is DHS and DEA? Hell, I’d be happy with the Mexican authorities.”

  “I spoke to Lydia an hour ago. She told me they were coordinating a take down.”

  “Ah fuck,” Aiden said. “When all those agencies get together and coordinate, sounds like a cluster fuck waiting to happen.”

  Jack didn’t care. Well he did. There were humans in the container being lowered. Of course he cared. But at this very moment the team should be arriving in Rallos. He wanted to know Beth was safe. He prayed he’d get the call soon, before he was called to where the rest of the Hacha’s were gathered.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Aiden assured him. “You know Mason and his team are the best out there.”

  Jack smiled faintly. “Apparently Beth is pretty damn good too.” Lydia explained how Beth escaped with three other girls through a hole in the bottom of the train car. God, she was fucking amazing.

  “JJ, Aiden, come here,” Ruiz yelled out.

  “Aiden, we need you to speak Chinese. It makes it easier if we have someone who can speak the language. We usually have to wait ‘til we get to Mexico City, but since you’re here we can start now. Get into the container and calm their asses down. Tell them to do what we tell them. Tell them if they do, they get to come out, use a toilet, and get a warm meal, and if they fuck up we’ll kill them.”

  One of the Hacha’s used bolt cutters to cut the chain and open the door. “Just hop on in there. We’re driving into the city. We’ll let you all out when we get there.”

  The door opened with a loud groan, and a huge waft of hot air and stink hit everyone. There was silence.

  “Hey you in there. Say something,” Ruiz shouted into the darkness. There was no reply.

  “Hello,” he shouted again. Still no response.

  “Say something in Chinese,” he demanded of Aiden.

  Aiden yelled some Chinese into the mouth of the container. Still no reply.

  “Oh fuck,” Ruiz muttered. “Manuelo, get in there and check on them.”

  “I don’t want to,” the man whined.

  “Shut up and do it.” The man hoisted himself up and went in. He was in for about five minutes and came back out.

  “Three of them are dead. There’s two others who are really sick.”

  “Goddamit. That’s the second time it’s happened. El Cuchilla is not going to be happy. Aiden, get in there and talk to them. We’ll see if it’s worth trying to repair them.”

  Repair?! Where the fuck was the DEA? The DHS? If they didn’t get here in the next three minutes, Jack was going to start shooting and asking questions later. He could see by the look in Aiden’s eye he’d be on board with that plan.

  Sirens screamed.

  Lights blinded.

  “You’re under arrest,” someone yelled over a bullhorn.

  “Hands where we can see them.”

  Jack dropped his gun and raised his hands. Aiden did the same thing.

  ****

  “Dammit.” The truck came to an abrupt halt.

  Beth moaned. Everything hurt.

  “It’s going to be okay, there’s just a fallen tree. The men are moving it so they can keep driving.”

  “That doesn’t sound like everything is okay.” They’d been driving for over an hour. The main man who’d arrested her told her there was a reward if she was taken to Veracruz. Somebody named El Cuchilla wanted her. Beth would bet anything Berto had taken a new name.

  “We’re going to be sold,” Missy sobbed.

  “At least we’re not going to be killed,” Joanne snapped.

  “Death would be better.”

  Beth struggled to sit up.

  “Stay where you are.” Joanne gently pushed her back into her lap.

  “No, I need to get up. Lying down is making me carsick.” Joanne let her up. She felt the first plop of rain hit her head.

  “Oh my God, is it raining?” Missy wailed.

  “Would you shut the fuck up?” Joanne yelled.

  “Silence,” one of the two guards said.

  The other guard must have heard something because he looked over the side of the truck, and then went over head first. The guard who told them to be quiet went to check what happened, and he too went over the side of the truck.

  Missy cried out when she saw a dirt covered face peer over the side.

  “Shut up, Missy!” Beth said in a loud whisper. “All of you be quiet. He’s a friend.”

  Drake pulled himself over the side.

  “Are you all okay?” Drake asked.

  “We’re fine.” Beth assured him. He looked her over.

  “You look like shit, Beth. But we have to move fast.” A gunshot rang out. “Get down, now!” All four women hit the floor of the truck bed. Drake rested on top of Beth, his gun in his hand.

  “Drake, we’re clear. How are the women?” It sounded like Mason talking.

  “Beth’s injured, the others look okay.”

  “How bad?” Definitely Clint’s voice.

  Drake was pulled off her, and Clint pulled her into his arms. “Oh baby, look at you.” Tears glistened in his eyes. “Dare, get over here. She’s got to be in pain. You need to look at her. Her cheek could be broken.”

  “I’m fine, Clint. Don’t worry.”

  “I’ll worry all I want.” Clint’s fingers gently brushed her cheek.

  “Where’s Jack?”

  “He’s in Veracruz. He’s been driving himself crazy looking for you. There are a bunch of women coming in from overseas he’s helping. If I have to guess, Berto doesn’t have much longer on this Earth.”

  “How did you find us?” Joanne wanted to know.

  “A little kid named Jorge told us which way you went.”

  “Who are you?” Missy asked.

  “I’m going to be her brother-in-law,” Clint answered. “Darius, what’s keeping you?” They heard two more gunshots.

  “I’ll be right there. I was busy.” Beth laughed as she saw Joanne’s eyes widen.

  ****

  “We haven’t found him.” Jack looked at the man in the windbreaker with DHS emblazoned on the back. “But we’ve got the Hacha’s gathered up.”

  “Do you have any idea where Guzman might be? Or Helen Martinez?”

  “Nope.”

  Jack noted two of the mercs were gone too.

  “If you think of anything, let us know.”

  “I will.” He walked with Aiden towards the truck they’d been using since arriving in Veracruz.

  “You know where he is, don’t you?” Aiden asked.

  “I have a damn good idea. Helen let it slip today when he lost his shit at the train station.”

  “Well, are you going to tell me or keep me in suspense?” Aiden asked as he got into the passenger seat.

  “There’s a small airport about ten miles north of the city. If the operation turned from sugar to shit it was his escape hatch. Helen said he had a plane.”

  “Let’s get on it.”

  “We can take it slow, you know he
’s going to make one more pass at Beth,” Jack said grimly. He threw his cell phone at Aiden. “Get Lydia on the phone, I want a report.”

  Aiden dialed and put Lydia on speaker.

  “Did they get her?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Did. They. Get. Her?” Jack demanded.

  “I need fifteen more minutes.”

  “What the fuck, Lydia. They should have had her an hour ago,” Jack ground out.

  “It got complicated. The police arrested her. The guys went out after her. Last I heard they had her in their sights and she was alive and well. They were just going to recapture her, and needed a half hour. That was fifteen minutes ago.”

  “I’m staying on the line.”

  “Gotchya.”

  Aiden had his phone out, and they followed the GPS coordinates to the airfield.

  After twenty minutes, there was clicking on Jack’s phone.

  “Jack?” It was Beth.

  “Beth! Oh my God, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” She giggled.

  “Baby. I love you so much.” It was the thing he most needed to say.

  She laughed, such a carefree sound. “I love you this much.”

  “Dude, she has her arms spread really wide, and Darius had to hold her to stop her from falling over. She’s pumped up with some really good drugs.”

  “Drake, why is she pumped up with drugs?”

  “She’s really hurting. It could be her cheekbone is cracked. Her hand is cut and needs stitches. She’s got a massive bruise on her hip.”

  “I love you, Jack!” He heard her yell.

  His breath hitched.

  “I think she loves you,” Aiden chuckled.

  “We’re driving to Mexico City. It’s the safest place for her, and then we’re taking a plane to San Diego,” Mason said.

  “Wanna see Jack.”

  “We have to get the girls stateside, Beth.” There was a pause.

  “Okay.”

  “Come home, Jack. I love you bunches.”

  “I have an errand, and then I’ll be home.”

  ****

  They pulled up to the hangar that housed small planes, outside was a Lear jet. Jack spotted the Range Rover Helen used. He also recognized the missing mercenaries who were holding AK47’s.