Chapter 20

#

Alex eyed Agent Stecker's federal identification briefly before handing it back. "I'll have to talk to my front desk people about properly vetting LEOs before they come on the premises," she said. "I didn't ask for a badge but I guess it's what I get for assuming. Twelve years in the game and I got caught for a rookie mistake."

Stecker slid her billfold back into her jacket. "It happens to the best of us, Miss Sanders. No harm, no foul. Since I'm here, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind discussing the conversation you had with this Malcolm Rehnquist."

"He said he had evidence pertaining to the murder of a Latino gang lord who had put a hit out on Josh Lindsey." She gestured to the seat behind Stecker as she took her own at her desk. "Everything was on a flash drive he pulled out of his pocket."

Stecker took the seat as she asked, "Did he show you the evidence?"

Alex flipped through a manila folder in front of her. "No, but we're suppose to meet later to discuss some other things in detail so I'm sure it will come up."

Stecker smiled as she leaned forward. "I hope you'd forgive me for asking this, but I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask. How long were you and Ben Talbot sleeping together?"

Alex froze at the question as Stecker continued. "I did my homework on you, Miss Sanders. I know about your business relationship, but it struck me as odd that the head of one of the most successful private investigation firms in California would be looking into his murder unless there was some sort of … personal involvement."

Alex slowly nodded as she slid the folder back on the desk. "We had a brief but meaningful relationship," she said. "Our business relationship lasted longer. The night he … died, however, we talked about rekindling the flames. So to speak."

Stecker stared at Alex for several heartbeats before shrugging indifferently. "Okay. It's none of my business. I just wanted to see if you would try to deny it or make up some story. My main focus is why I have this fake FBI agent trolling in my yard."

Alex relaxed slightly as she rose and walked over to the bar. "Well, you might want to talk to St. John about that. For a second I thought they were going to go at it in my conference room."

"Wait a minute." Stecker held up a hand. "Mick St. John? The detective?"

Alex glanced over her shoulder. "Yes. He was here because I asked him to come. I had gotten the call about Rehnquist and he was very interested in Gemma Tejada's murder as well as Ben Talbot's. Said he had evidence that placed St. John at the scene where Tejada's body was found."

Stecker sat back in her chair, deep in thought as she processed the new information. "And you were planning on speaking with Rehnquist again?"

"Maybe, though after what you told me, I don't want that fool anywhere near my building again." Alex made her way back to seat with a drink in hand. "I'm liable to shoot him."

"Oh no, definitely not here." Stecker leaned forward in her chair once more.

"Maybe a bar?"

#

The Cleaner stepped out of her black BMW in front of the large warehouse she and her associates use as a staging ground for the numerous jobs they perform on a nightly basis. So the sight of two of them loading a van with heavy equipment at a late afternoon hour gave her pause.

Sliding her sunglasses down from her red-gold tresses to protect her eyes, she stepped over to one of the women toting a black duffel bag. "Alicia, why are you breaking out the titanium bonds?"

Alicia easily slid the long bag into the back of the van, lowering the vehicle several centimeters. "Apprehension order. Seems the bromance between Josef Kostan and Mick St. John has come to an end. We have orders to pick St. John up and get him ready for a nice, long trip."

The Cleaner grabbed Alicia by the elbow. "Wait. Kostan may be the most powerful of our kind here in the city, but he doesn't have the power to call for anything, especially an apprehension and detention order."

A feminine voice with a faint British accent responded. "That much I made clear to Kostan." From the open bay door, the Cleaner appeared, followed by two of her female associates garbed in their usual black latex outfits. "But he believes St. John may have given out some type of information to someone outside of our people."

"That is outrageous! Mick St. John and Josef Kostan have been the best of friends for … decades! The likelihood of them betraying each other is outrageous!"

The raven-haired female snapped her fingers. Alicia and the others circled around to board the van as she stepped close to her cohort. "That may be, but it's our duty to intercept and contain any type of aggressive transgression towards the vampire nation in this city, whether human … or vampire. You have that duty as well. Are you coming with us, or not?"

Red smiled bashfully and gestured down at herself. "I believe I may be a little overdressed for the occasion."

Raven took in the black, long-sleeved dress and red stilettos Red was wearing. She shook her head and moved to the passenger door of the van. Red watched it accelerate down the driveway and turned onto the busy highway before she started pacing in front of the bay, pulling her cellphone out from a deep skirt pocket. She scrolled through her contact list until the number she thought she would never use was highlighted on the screen.

"She wanted to know where I got my boots," she said as she pressed the dial button. Two seconds later, a voice answered.

"This is Beth Turner."

#

Mick stepped out of his shower and reached for a fresh towel to wrap around his waist. He cinched it tight and began to reach for another one to dry off.

"MICK!"

Beth's shout thrusted him into automatic without thought. He hurried downstairs with a wooden stake in each hand, eyes darting around for Beth. His fears subsided as he spotted her standing by the passageway to his office. She hurriedly gestured for him to come over while crossing over to meet him at the same time, holding her cellphone out in front of her. "How many are there?"

Mick stared at the device stunned as he recognized the Cleaner's voice on speaker. "Five. And they have titanium chains. Same cuffs we used on Lance. Listen, Beth, I can't stop them and I can't do anything to help Mick. And whatever is going on with them, I can't call Josef. You have to warn Mick. I estimate you have maybe ten minutes before they arrive."

"He knows. Thanks, … Cleaner." She disconnected the call and looked up at Mick. "Did you get that?"

"Yeah, it sounds like I have a Cleaner crew coming for me. The question is why."

Beth pushed him towards the stairs. "That's a question you have to save for your best friend."

#

Josef stood at the edge of his pool, a glass of plasma in one hand and his cellphone in another. He sipped on the blood and sighed as he looked across the water at the late afternoon sun, his mind whirling with thoughts of the betrayal he orchestrated.

He smelled the scent of decay without turning around. "I had a feeling you would stop by," he said slightly over his right shoulder, holding the cellphone up. "Beth sent me a not-too-nice one word text about five minutes ago."

"Why, Josef? Why did you call the Cleaner and her crew on me?"

Josef slowly turned around to face Mick. He stood at the doorway in his usual attire, hands spread to his sides as a gesture of defeat. "Whatever the reason is, I think I deserve to know. As your friend, I deserve that."

Josef drained the glass and gave him a solemn look. "He has Sarah," he said quietly.

"Who? Rehnquist? How do you know? Have you -"

Josef hurled his glass against the wall behind Mick, missing him by nearly a foot. It shattered in a thousand pieces, spraying the concrete with shards and remnants of red liquid as he yelled, "Yes, I called the house! I called associates of mine in New York and they found it empty! My nurse, Paula? She doesn't know what happened! Sarah - gone! My Sarah, she's just - gone!"

Josef crossed the ten feet between them in less than a second, grabbing Mick by the lapel of his jacket. "She doesn't have you to defend her like you defend Beth at every turn! She has no idea what our world is all about! But it doesn't matter because he has her, Mick!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out one of Mick's decorative stakes. "For me to save her, he wants you," he said softly. "I … I wish there was another way."

The door opened behind Mick. An enraged Beth hurriedly exited the house, followed closely by Simone. "Beth, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this," pleaded the lawyer.

Beth ignored her as she stepped between the two men and jabbed a finger into Josef's chest. "I don't know what the hell is going on, Josef, but in the short amount of time that I've known you, Mick has done so much for you! And you turn around and betray him?! Why?!"

Josef looked down at her and then back up at Mick. He took a step back and held the stake out to Beth, giving her a sad smile.

"He will explain it to you, Beth. And when he finishes, you're gonna need this."

She hesitantly took the weapon but Josef held onto it long enough to say as he looked into her eyes, "Please forgive me."

Josef released the weapon and guided Simone back to the entrance. Beth's eyes followed them until the doors closed before locking onto Mick's. "What's going on, Mick? And why would Josef think I would need a stake?"

Mick sighed and reached for her hands to pull them close. "Josef … he only did what he felt he had to do, Beth."

"What he felt he had to do?!" She gave him an incredulous look. "By calling a female vampire hit squad out against you? He may be your best friend, but -"

Mick cut her off. "It's Sarah, Beth. Someone has Sarah."

Beth stared back at Mick in shocked silence as he continued. "I'm sure it's Malcolm who has her. She wasn't at the house when Josef's people went there, but she'll be returned safe and sound … in exchange for me."

The young woman's mind was racing. Josef and Mick never made choices that would affect the other. For Josef to call for Mick's arrest, it was impossible. Incomprehensible.

And as she looked into his eyes, she detected a sense of sadness. Regret. Resignation.

But also determination.

"You're going to let this happen. You're going to sacrifice yourself … for Sarah."

He slowly nodded. "I would do it for the love of Josef's life. Just as much as I would for the love of mine."

Beth's eyes began to well up with tears. She ran her hand across her face before reaching up with it to cup Mick's chin. "Why are you so damned righteous sometimes?" she laughed.

Mick smiled. "I don't know. I think it all started with me saving a four-year-old girl from my ex-wife. But I wouldn't change a thing."

He pulled her close again and leaned in for a passionate embrace and kiss. Beth's eyes closed as she savored the taste of his lips in silence until it ended. Her hands were once again to Mick's chest.

She opened her eyes to look up at Mick's. He locked on with hers for a second before they both lowered to the stake held in her hands pointed at his chest. His hands held hers and the weapon in place.

"I love you," he said.

Beth blinked fresh tears away at the simple words. She smiled up at him as she adjusted her grip on the stake. "I love you, too. And wherever they're taking you, I will find you."

With that, she exerted pressure on the weapon, combining with Mick's strength, to thrust it into his chest cavity. His face twisted in anguish as he fell to his knees and then flat to his back, almost completely immobile.

#

He will go for your freedom.

He will go for your friends until they betray you.

He will go for the one you love until she betrays you.

And you will let him.

#

Josef watched from the front driveway of the mansion as the Cleaner and her workers carefully placed Mick in a bag normally reserved for cadavers. They sealed the bag closed and then carefully slid it into the back of the van.

The Cleaner instructed the females to prepare for departure before turning to Josef. "I have to say, Kostan. This is low. Even for you."

Josef glanced over his shoulder at Beth standing in the doorway, being consoled by Simone. "You honestly don't need to tell me. She had already sent me a text. You have your instructions?"

"Head to the private hangar section of the airport. Hangar 328. I just hope all of this was worth it." She glanced at Beth briefly before turning towards the van. Seconds later, it proceeded down the driveway to the front gate.

Josef watched until it disappeared past the foliage parallel to the driveway. He braced himself and turned around where he was greeted with a vicious slap from Beth. Simone stood behind her, pure shock evident on her face.

The blow barely stung, much less turned him, but the shock still brought Josef's hand to his face as Beth glared at him with red-rimmed eyes. "Josef, I hope you rot in hell for eternity."

"Beth, for what's it's worth, I'll never forgive myself."

Beth stepped close to Josef until they were mere inches apart. She exhaled audibly and whispered into his ear.

"Good. Because I will never forgive you." She took two steps back and stared hard at him for a second before heading to Mick's car as Simone stepped to Josef's side.

"Give her time, Josef," she said. "She'll come around eventually."

Josef looked down at his watch and then pulled his cellphone from his pocket.

"Oh she will," he growled. "In about thirty minutes."

#

A Gulfstream jet was the only thing in the center of the open hangar the van pulled up to. Through the windshield, the Cleaner could see at least one pilot in the cockpit sitting at the controls.

Alicia stopped the van and put it in park. She turned to the Cleaner and handed her a '22. "I'm not liking this at all."

The Cleaner glanced down at the weapon and then back up that the plane. She took the gun and slid it into an inside jacket pocket before opening the door to exit the van. Alicia and the other ladies remained inside.

She detected the decay even before she began walking over to the jet. "Rehnquist!" she shouted.

Footsteps echoed in the hangar as Malcolm descended from the plane. He closed his eyes and inhaled audibly when his feet touched ground. ""It is an honor to be in the presence of a noble house," he said, opening his eyes as he drew close to the Cleaner. "Also a shame how your house has lowered itself to mere lackeys and miscreants."

The Cleaner growled in rage at the disrespectful comment. Malcolm merely smiled as he looked past her at the van. "I take it you are the one who is delivering my package?"

She forced herself calm before nodding. "He's staked and in the back."

Malcolm nodded and turned back towards the plane. When he noted the Cleaner remained where she stood, he turned back around. "Well? Have the women get him onboard. I would like to be in the air soon."

"I don't think so." She crossed her arms. "Josef Kostan and Mick St. John are like brothers. For you to be able to do what you did, you have something. If you want St. John on that plane, it's time to give it back."

Malcolm regarded her in silence for several seconds. Finally he smiled. "Anthony," he said softly.

A small man wearing a wrinkled shirt and loosened tie immediately descended the plane carrying a cellphone. He pressed a button and held it out to the Cleaner. "A text was sent to Mr. Kostan informing him of where he can pick up his prize."

The Cleaner peered at the screen to scan the display. When she finished, she shook her head in disbelief. "Are you trying to send a message to Kostan? Sending him there?"

Malcolm gestured for Anthony to board the plane. "The only thing that should concern you is that I kept my word to him and that is where he will find her."

The Cleaner frowned. "Her?"

"I said too much." Malcolm started for the plane but caught himself, his demeanor devoid of any patience he previously displayed. "Actually, there's one more thing."

"Get him on the plane. Now."

- Chapter 20 -