Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
B ozeman field office, DEA
Caleb entered the building that housed the DEA in an office park outside of Bozeman. It was in one of the smaller buildings and only had a receptionist, a single office and a conference room. The entire place was soundproofed and swept for bugs twice a day, morning and night.
“They are expecting you in the conference room,” said Lori, the brunette receptionist.
Caleb nodded and walked down the hall to the conference room. Three men and one woman awaited him. He grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot on the sidebar.
“Okay, what can you tell us about last night? Was it a good tip?” asked Bart Sinclaire, the stocky man to his right.
Caleb sat in the only open chair in the room, at the end of the rectangular table, opposite his boss. He felt like he was on trial. In a way, maybe he was. To his left sat a blond man, Leo Toliver. The redhead at the head of the table was Renee Dennison, director of the Billings DEA office and his boss.
“The tip panned out. I saw the top men of three of the cartels. One each from Dallas, Denver and Bozeman. It appeared to be a meeting of the supply chain that’s feeding Bozeman’s drug sales…and deaths.”
“We know the men from Dallas and Denver. Who was the man from Bozeman? Did you recognize him?” asked Leo.
Caleb rolled his neck until it cracked. “Yes. I recognized him.”
Silence reigned.
“Well,” said Renee. “Who was it?”
Even with the feeling like a rock was sitting in his stomach, Caleb knew he had to answer. “Jamison Malone…my brother.”
Renee sniffed the air and wrote in a leather-bound folio. “Of all the things you could have said, I never expected that. Didn’t he disappear eight or nine months ago?”
Sighing, Caleb placed his forearms on the table and leaned forward. “It was the last thing I expected, too. Luckily, he doesn’t know about me. My mission has not changed. I intend to bring down the cartel and my brother with it.”
Renee lifted a brow. “Do you think it’s possible to remain impartial where the KT Cartel is concerned, given this recent development?”
He straightened and put his shoulders back. “I do.”
“I don’t believe for a minute that you’ll remain unaffected by this news.” Bart spoke up. “I don’t see how you can complete your mission.”
Caleb stared at the odious man while he clasped his hands on the table in front of him. Bart was a desk jockey. An analyst who was supposed to be gathering intel on the cartel. He wasn’t a field agent, never had been, and he wasn’t good at getting the intel Caleb needed, either. “I have help. Marti Parker is as invested in bringing down the cartel as I am. And her intel, from a confidential source is spot-on as I discovered last night.” He turned and faced Bart. “Unlike our intel which is hit or miss.” Caleb turned his attention back to Renee. “I don’t know who this person is or how he knows the stuff he knows, but he does. Marti said all of the tips he’s given her over the last six months have been accurate.”
“We do the best we can getting intel. Our snitches do the best?—”
“Shut up, Bart. We’ll discuss your departments lack of good information later,” snapped Renee. “Continue, Caleb.”
“Did you ever think maybe the cartel is the one feeding her information?” asked Leo.
“I’ve thought of that, but why would they? I know or thought I knew my brother and he would never be that careless,” insisted Caleb.
“Nevertheless, we need to approach this as a possibility,” said Renee.
“Agreed. Regardless of what I thought I knew about my brother, I need to treat him as though he is a stranger, which he is.”
Renee nodded and wrote something in her notepad. “Do you have any emotional attachment to this Parker woman and how do you know her?”
“I have no attachment. I know her through the PTA. Our children are friends. I’ve talked with her on field trips and that sort of thing. I don’t know exactly why she came to me for help. I know my cover isn’t blown. She is going after the story with or without my help. Since her intel is better than ours…” He gave a pointed look at Bart. “We should use her for what she can do for us.”
Renee also looked over at Bart and raised an eyebrow. “I can see we need to step up our gathering methods.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll see what I can find out.” Bart made some notes in the same kind of folio Renee had.
Caleb bet Bart had bought his own, whereas Renee’s was paid for out of the office budget.He knew Bart thought of himself as a big player in the office because Renee brought him with her. The folio was his way of showing it to everyone else.
“Do you think this woman can be trusted?” Renee had her pen poised over the paper.
“Yes, ma’am. She wants this supply chain broken more than I do, I think.”
“Good. Use her as you see fit to complete the op.”
“Yes, ma’am,” answered Caleb.
Renee closed her notebook and leaned forward; her hands clasped in front of her on top of the folio. “How is Danny?”
Whenever he thought of his son, he smiled. He couldn’t help it. “He’s good. Really good. Thank you for asking.”
“Of course. I do try to keep up with my agents’ lives. I think we’re done here. I don’t see anything else on my agenda. Anyone else have something?” Renee looked at each man.
They shook their heads.
“All right. Let’s get going on shutting down this drug ring. I want it done.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Leo.
“Ma’am. Yes, ma’am,” said Bart as he stood. He gave Caleb a menacing, sidelong glance.
“Yes, ma’am.” Caleb ignored Bart and followed the others out. He was stopped on the way out by Lori.
“You know, Caleb,” said Lori. “I’m here for backup, if you need me. I’m a fully trained, and armed, field agent, unlike someone else we know.”
Caleb liked Lori, if for no other reason than the woman disliked Bart almost as much as he did. “Thanks. I’ll definitely keep you in mind.” He left the office and headed back to the ranch. The injured men on the DEA’s last stakeout of the drug operations wouldn’t have been hurt if the information was good. It made Caleb wonder if Bart wasn’t working for the cartel.
While Sophie was learning to ride with Danny under Bethany’s supervision, Marti drove home for more changes of clothes for her and Sophie. She would pick up another swimsuit for both of them, clothes for tomorrow, her little black dress for tonight, and her laptop. She didn’t want to have to remember too much about the operation last night. Marti needed to remember those names and what their territory was…even Jamison. She didn’t really believe Caleb could get reservations at this late date, but he was a wealthy, powerful man, so she decided better safe than sorry. Since Caleb was so tall, Marti could even wear her four-inch stiletto heels. She loved them. They were red patent leather with a black patent leather lightning bolt on the outside of the toe. They were drop-dead gorgeous, and she’d never had an occasion to wear them. She knew her feet would kill her tomorrow, but the pain would be worth it.
She let herself into the garage and closed the overhead door before opening the door to the house. The exit led directly into the kitchen. There, in the middle of the table, was a large note.
You’re not safe if we want you. Remember this and stop digging or the consequences will be dire.
Marti slid to the floor, her hands over her mouth, holding back the scream in her throat. She’d been so careful, and they still found where she lived. After sitting for a few minutes, with her heart pounding and her pulse racing, she pulled herself together and packed enough clothes for her and Sophie for a week. Whether or not Caleb liked it, he was having guests for a while. She wouldn’t take chances with Sophie’s safety and they would be safer at Caleb’s ranch, with his security than they would at home. At least she hoped so.
Marti and Caleb reached the ranch at about the same time.
She got out of her car and faced him over the top of her door without touching the hot metal. “Oh, good, you’re here.” What if he doesn’t accept my proposition? Why can’t I stop shaking?
“I just arrived…as you can see.” He lifted a brow and leaned against the Yukon’s driver’s side door.
“I need some help with this luggage.”
“Luggage?” He walked over to her Mustang as she popped the trunk.
She came around the back of the vehicle and grabbed his arm. “They found me, Caleb. I can’t stay at my house. They found me and it’s not safe for Sophie to be there.” She handed him the note that had been on her table.
He skimmed it, clenched his jaw, and handed it back. “Of course, you’ll stay here. Danny will love having a friend for a week or two. Are you prepared to stay for however long it takes to stop them?”
She studied his face for a reaction to the note. The anger she saw surprised her. Marti wondered if he was angry on her behalf or because, more than likely, it was his brother that left the note? “Yes, I brought us enough clothes for a week, my laptop and phone charger. If I need to, I’ll do laundry here. I don’t want to go back to the house until this is done. I really hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” He picked up her two suitcases and left behind her laptop and purse for her to bring. “Let’s get this stuff inside. It’s hotter than blazes out here.”He walked inside. Caleb dropped the luggage at the bottom of the stairs.
Marti followed him into the house and placed her laptop and purse next to the suitcases.
The kids and Bethany were in the kitchen, having lunch.
“Mmm, that looks good,” said Marti.
“It does,” agreed Caleb. “What is it?”
“We’re having turkey sandwiches with a creamy pasta salad that Hetti prepared.” Bethany took a bite of the pasta.
“Then we get to have ice cream.”Danny pushed his arm in the air and pumped it.
“Nuh-uh,” said Sophie. “Bethany said not until after swimming.”
Danny frowned. “Oh, yeah.” But he perked right up. “But we get to go swimming. Yay!”
“Yay!” shouted Sophie. She looked up at Marti. “Are you going swimming, too, Mommy?”
Marti smiled. “I don’t see why not. I think we should all go, don’t you, Caleb?” She swung her gaze toward him.
Caleb looked at the kids at the kitchen table. “Sounds like a plan but not until I get something to eat. I’m starving.”
“Mommy, can I be excused so I can get on my swimming suit?”asked Sophie.
Marti glanced at Sophie’s plate, surprised to see that Sophie had finished everything on it. She didn’t know if that was because of Hetti’s superior cooking skills or Marti’s lack of the same. “Yes, go ahead.”
Danny jumped downfrom his chair, too. “Me, too. Me, too.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “Yes, go.” He made shoving motions with his hands.
The kids ran out of the room.
“I can’t believe how hungry I am.” Marti grabbed a plate and a fork from the breakfast bar. Then she took a half sandwich from the platter next to the plates before piling a huge spoon of pasta salad on her plate.
Caleb looked at her, grinning.
“What? I love pasta salad.”
“I bet you do.” He chuckled. Then he took two sandwiches and as much pasta as Marti had.
She laughed as she looked at his plate after they had both seated themselves at the table. “Looks like you were hungry, too.”
“What? This?” He pointed at his plate. “This is nothing. You should see me when I’m really hungry.”
Marti widened her eyes, and her mouth nearly dropped open.
Bethany laughed. “All the guys are big eaters. Ranching is hard work.”
Marti let out a deep breath. “Yeah, I hadn’t thought of it that way. If I worked that hard, I’d have a bigger appetite, too.”
They lapsed into silence while satisfying their hunger.
Marti placed her hand on Bethany’s arm. “I want to thank you for watching Sophie and for giving her a riding lesson this morning.”
The woman waved away Marti’s thanks. “It’s nothing. She’s a great kid and natural with the horses. She’ll be an excellent horsewoman when she gets older, if she keeps with it.”
“I’d love for her to, but lessons aren’t in the budget right now.”Marti took a bite of her sandwich. She wasn’t embarrassed about not being able to afford riding lessons in front of two people who didn’t have to think about what they wanted to buy; they just bought it. Marti worked for everything she and Sophie had. She didn’t take a penny from Vance Parker. In exchange, he didn’t ask for visitation rights with Sophie.
Bethany shrugged. “Bring her out here on Saturdays, and I’d be glad to teach her…no charge.”
Marti swallowed and then shook her head. “Oh, I couldn’t let you do that.”
Bethany waved a hand. “It’s worth it to see Danny’s face knowing he has a friend coming to play. It gets lonely when you’re the only kid around.”
With her fork poised for another bite of pasta, Marti nodded. Then she lowered her fork, placed her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together. “It’s the same for Sophie. She’s got me or Mrs. Bainbridge, who’s about ninety. Just kidding. She’s in her mid-seventies, but she doesn’t play much.”
“That’s another reason Marti and Sophie are staying here for a while,” said Caleb. “Marti and I have some work to do and it’s more convenient if she and Sophie just stay here.”He took another bite of his pasta.
Bethany lifted one eyebrow and then graced them with a small smile. “Great. Sophie can work on her riding every day while you’re here. It won’t take her long, based on what I saw today, for her to be riding as well as Danny. Though, I won’t tell him that. It might put his nose out of joint.”
Caleb guffawed. “There’s no might about it. His nose would definitely be out of joint.”
Marti chewed and swallowed her food. “I don’t want to do anything to interfere in their friendship. Sophie needs a friend. She needs Danny, and I think he needs her, too. Perhaps we’ll just keep this between us.”
“Agreed,” said Caleb around bites of the sandwich.
“Of course, but I wanted you to know, so if you can, you’ll continue her lessons in the future,” said Bethany. “Now, I’m getting my suit on and going out to the pool, so someone is there when the kids hit it in a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Bethany.” Marti reached over and clasped her hand. “You’ll never know just how much I appreciate your help.”
Bethany patted Marti’s hand where it lay on her arm. “I love the kids. They’re a lot of fun to be around, and they obviously really like each other. Got to run. They are fast little dickens.” She hurried out of the room.
Caleb and Marti were alone.
She looked about the room and then whispered to Caleb. “What will we do now? I can’t give up on the story, but I can’t put Sophie at risk, either. She starts Vacation Bible school in a couple of weeks. I need to have this done by then.”
Caleb slowly chewed the bite of pasta he’d taken. “I know you want to get your life back to normal, but I don’t know that this will be settled in a couple of weeks. More is at stake here than simple money laundering and you know that…now.”
She was torn. Did she continue with the story or not? Marti closed her eyes and sagged in her chair. “I know. This story is explosive and dangerous. I just didn’t know how dangerous.”
“I understand.” Caleb put his sandwich on his plate, leaned forward, and rested on his forearms. “I’m in the same situation. I don’t want to put my family in danger. But I must stop this cartel, and I need you and your intel to do it.”
She searched his face for answers.“Why me?”
“Because you have the intel, and you need me as much as I need you on this.”
“I guess that makes sense.” I need him, too. I can’t take on the cartel by myself. I’m not stupid. “Thank you for taking us in. I’ll worry a lot less about Sophie with her being here on the ranch.”
Caleb leaned back against his chair. “I’m putting twenty-four-hour security on your house. I want to know who is going in there and leaving you notes. I still want you two to stay here. When do you expect to hear from Rocket again?”
“Hopefully any time now.”
“The sooner the better for me.”
A minute later, Marti’s phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number. “Maybe this is him…or it’s a sales call.” She swiped the phone. “Hello.”
“Ms. Parker. Did you get my message? There is no place you can hide that I can’t get to you. You think you’re safe on the ranch? You’re mistaken. If you have a care for your daughter, you’ll forget about this story.” The line went dead.
Marti put her phone on the counter and then pushed out of her chair, even though she was shaky. She paced between the dining room and the kitchen.
“Who was that and what did they say? You’re white as a sheet and shaking like a quakie in the wind.”
She fisted and unfisted her hands. “He found me. Whoever broke into my house and left that note found me. He said we weren’t safe, even here, and if I cared for Sophie, I’d drop the story. I have a feeling the man was your brother.”
Caleb straightened and hurried to her, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Based on what? You never knew him, did you?”
She shook her head. “No, I never had the pleasure of meeting him. But he didn’t say I wasn’t safe at that ranch like a stranger would. He said at the ranch, like someone who is familiar with this place.”
“Well, crap.”He stood and ran a hand through his hair and placed the other on his hip. Then he paced.
“Exactly.”Her lunch was not sitting well in her stomach now. It roiled and turned, making her feel sick.
He let out a deep breath. “I have work to do and calls to make to arrange for the security. I’m also doubling security on the ranch. No one gets in the gate without my okay. The men there will be armed with instructions to shoot should someone try to breech.”
“Are you sure that is necessary?”
He nodded, his face grim. “With Jamison calling the shots it’s definitely necessary. He knows this ranch like the back of his hand. He spent the last ten years here, before he decided to leave and disappear.”
“I trust you. I believe you’ll keep us safe and by us, I include Bethany and Danny. I’m surprised Jamison hasn’t tried to grab Danny and force your hand.”
“He doesn’t know the cards I have in my hand. He might think he does and that will be his downfall.”
“After our excursion on Sunday, I’ll be taking the helicopter to Billings Monday morning. I have a cattle association meeting and I’m stopping in at the DEA headquarters while I’m there. I want to let them know in person the status of this mission.”
“Okay. I have work to do, and I want to keep the kids occupied so Bethany doesn’t have to.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Hopefully by dinner, but definitely by bedtime. I’d like to sit outside and have a glass of wine with you. Maybe romance you a little bit, if you’re up to it.” He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. I’d take you with me, but it wouldn’t be fun for you. You’d have to stay with the helicopter while I’m gone. I want you safe. The cartel has long fingers.”