Chapter 36
Santa Ana, California ~ Sunday ~ August 13
Great Circle Airfield
Cord and Sam Buchman stepped off their private plane. Both men wore full western attire including, tight black jeans, cowboy boots, and Stetson hats. They garnered more than their share of attention as they walked over to their waiting rental. Sam slid behind the wheel to drive them to their hotel, while his younger brother reclined the passenger seat to catch a few winks. The Buchman brothers were from Texas and in town to meet a business associate, plus have a little fun.
The valet opened the door and Sam threw him the keys." Here ya go son." He slipped him a ten, grabbed his bag and followed Cord inside.
When they reached the front desk, Sam did the talking. "Sweetheart, we have a reservation, Buchman's the name."
"Yes sir, room 310," she gave him two keys.
Sam leaned over the desk. "Darlin', we have a little business to take care of and then we wanna have some fun. Where can two good 'ol boys go to get some action around here?"
"I wouldn't know sir." She looked helplessly at the bellhop.
"I'd be happy to assist you sir." He picked up their bags. "Follow me please."
He led them to their room and gave them a few suggestions for their evening activities. Cord slipped him a fifty. "Thanks, we'll take it from here."
Collapsing across one of the beds Vin growled. "I don't know how in the hell I let Ezra talk me into this. "Damn, my feet hurt. Tell me again why I had to wear new boots?"
"Ezra's plan," Buck groaned when he tried to pull his own right boot off. "We're rich Texans that enjoy spending money. We want to stir up as much attention as we can so people will remember us as just that. Who is their right mind would believe that we're federal agents?"
"Right, I still say we should just go to the club, find Chris and kick his ass' till he sees reason."
"Real low keyed approach huh?" Buck sighed. "Look Vin, Ezra may be a bit paranoid about this, but he does have a point. If Chris and Raphael stay rouge and refuse to come home, we don't want our little visit to draw the wrong type of attention and have Donner asking questions. This way we're just two rowdy Texans that will be gone in twenty-four hours."
"That's fine, but this irate Texan has a big bone to pick with a rogue cowboy and 'm not leavin' 'til he hears everythin' I have to say. Even if it means that I have to beat it into that bad-tempered hardhead of his."
The Silver Slipper
Adam slipped on a long sleeved shirt after changing the dressing on his arm. It still throbbed and the he suspected that the redness around it meant that wound had become worse. Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered Nathan saying that wood was notorious for causing infections, but any medical treatment would have to wait. Taking the pain medicine that doctor in Mexico gave him was the only alternative to going to the emergency room.
*You can handle this Chris, you need to just for a while, to see this through.* He swallowed three of the capsules and went out to meet Creed.
Creed was sitting at one on the tables out front, playing solitaire. "I thought I'd have to send a search party after you."
"Was I on a damn time table?" Adam snapped irritability.
"No, the club is closed, but Donner has had a steady stream of visitors this morning. Zimmerman has been here again and gone, Victor in there with another associate now. I sent pictures home; maybe they can identify who it is." Creed discreetly showed the pictures to Adam.
Adam looked around; it appeared that they were alone in the big room. "Where is everyone?"
"Hell, by their standards it's early. The only ones moving around are Donner, Willis, and visiting associates. You want to stay and observe or go grab some lunch?"
"I'm not hungry, let's stick around and see who else shows up. Deal the damn cards."
Denver, Colorado
Larabee home ~ morning
Linda heard footsteps following her, but she didn't stop until she was in Grace's room and held her crying daughter in her arms. When she turned to go, she saw Miss Nettie standing in the doorway, looking at her worriedly.
"Linda, you look awful! Is Grace crying again?"
That heartfelt concern suddenly released her damned up flood of tears.
"Yes, yes she is, Miss Nettie. And I don't know what to do! She's been crying and crying all the time ever since… since Chris has been gone! Nothing helps; only when I feed her is she quiet! And for a little while after! But I can't feed her every two hours! They say there should be four hours between feedings by now! And… and the doctors all say there's nothing wrong with her."
"There, dear. There, there, everything will be all right, you'll see. Now, let me take a look."
Grace was taken out of her hands firmly.
"Linda, I've been watching both of you since I arrived, and I can tell you right as rain what's wrong here. This baby is hungry."
"But… but I feed her even more than according to the schedule! I feed her a lot!"
"I don't know how come, my dear, but I can assure you this baby needs feeding." She looked Linda over sternly. "Maybe something happened to your milk, but it isn't enough for her anymore. I'll take care of it, I'm pretty sure Casey still has some formula with her and I'll feed her by spoon until we have a bottle. You!" The old lady looked at her sternly. "You get some rest, right now!"
"Do you really think that's… that's..." God, she felt awful now, a failure as a mother. She had let her child go hungry all these weeks?
A wrinkled hand was put on her shoulder and Nettie gave her a soft shake. "Linda, she looks fine to me, so I gather you have been feeding her a lot more than that schedule, which means no harm is done. But it's exhausting you, child, and it has to stop. Now, let old Nettie take care of everything and it will all be fine, you'll see."
It felt so good that someone took over, took the responsibility for a while. Linda nodded, too tired suddenly to argue. She still couldn't get over that it might be hunger, simple as that, but at the moment she didn't care what it was, as long as it stopped!
"Thank you, Miss Nettie. Thank you so very much."
"Any time dear. Now, get that sleep!"
Once on the bed she sighed, deeply. If only Chris was here, then things wouldn't have become such a mess... Did he even know how much she needed him? Needed him to be safe and at home? Thinking about her husband, wondering what was going on with him and why he stayed away so long, she fell in an exhausted sleep.
Tanner Home~ afternoon
Kelli was still under doctor's orders to say quiet and rest, but she was finding it difficult to follow his instructions. She watched as the children prepared to go out. The kids were ready to run, but Caleb hung back to talk to the redhead.
"Aunt Kelli, are you sure it's okay?" Caleb was excited about his upcoming move to the Wilmington home, but he did not want to hurt Kelli's feeling
"Of course, it's okay. You should be excited; this is a big event in your life." Kelli sat down so she was eye level with the child. "You know as much as we would love for you to stay with us forever, I am really happy that you will be so close by. The Wilmington's want you to be part of their family and you get the best of both worlds. You'll have parents and sisters that love you, plus a ton of aunts, uncles and cousins who will love you too."
"I love you." Caleb exclaimed, and threw his arms around Kelli's neck.
Kelli held him tight as she held back the tears that threatened." I love you too. Now I think Jason is waiting for you, something about a fort?"
"Yeah, we're building one." He grabbed two Granny Smith apples from the fruit bowl on the table and ran out the door to meet Jason.
Barbara picked up her coffee cup. "I hope he can last out the week until the guardianship change is completed."
"That is one excited little boy." Linda laughed. "Who would have thought Inez and Buck would adopt?"
"It not really so surprising, they love children and Caleb is a lovable kid." Kelli commented. "I just wish I could figure out why Nathan is so against it."
"He didn't say anything in front of Caleb, but I think he and Buck had a few words over it." Linda shrugged her shoulder. "I'm sure it will all work out."
"Linda, I can't stand it any longer. Please let me hold my sister for a while, I don't see near enough of her." Kelli reached out as Linda passed Grace over to her. "Lord, she's grown so much and her eyes are so beautiful, Larabee green, just like her daddy."
"Yes she has, and her daddy is missing out on a lot." Linda supposed it was now or never. "Vin won't do it, so Kel, tell me how to call Chris."
"Linda, I don't know how to reach him, he's undercover, and no one can just call him up. He has certain check-in times and as long as he meets them, we have to assume he's fine. You should know that."
"Somebody has to be talking to him right? Couldn't they just get in contact with Chris and tell him to call me? Linda pleaded, not willing to admit that she was so overwhelmed with the demands of motherhood that she needed Chris to help her.
Kelli gazed across the table at the blonde in disbelief. "Let me get this straight. Not only do you want to interfere in your husband's work, you also want to jeopardize a federal operation, and endanger the lives of several agents. Not to mention puttin' your own life and your daughter's life at risk simply because you say so?
"Not because I say so." Linda said in her own defense." Surely he has some free time."
Kelli said in a low voice so as not to startle the baby. "What part of undercover is so difficult to understand? Chris Larabee, your husband, my father, became someone else the moment he got on that damn plane and left Colorado. So no, you can't talk to him."
Barbara had been following the conversation between Kelli and Linda with interest. Thinking about it, she decided to put her two cents in. "I'm the newbie in this wild bunch, but even I know there will be times I will not be able to reach Ezra. You need to try and be patient."
Trying a different tactic to get information the blond asked. "So where did Vin and Buck go on such short notice? And don't you dare tell me you don't know!" Linda huffed.
"Of course I know where they went. Vin said that they were going to a rodeo." Kelli told the blond. "He said somethin' about roundin' up a rouge stallion and possibly castratin' it if he give 'em any problems."
The Silver Slipper
Cord grumbled all the way to the club. "I smell like a damn brewery." Sam had liberally doused him with alcohol after they left the hotel. If he was going to act drunk, he needed the rights props.
"Little brother, I never knew that you were such a whiner. Quit your bellyaching' and save some of that grumbling for the cowboy. He's the one that deserves it." Sam laughed and shook his head. "Besides, I had to do the same thing."
"This had better work! And just so we're straight, I do not whine or bellyache!" Cord growled. "I hate this; it would be so much easier to just kick his ass."
"You might have your chance to do just that before this night is over. Just make certain that we find a way to get that note to the cowboy in question."
For a Sunday evening the club was relatively crowded. The blaring music assaulted their eardrums as they entered the darkened room, and it was time to put on their own show.
"Yew Haw!" Sam let out a yell." Hot damn, we made it!"
Cord, a bit unsteady on his feet meandered over to the bar and slapped a hundred dollar bill on the smooth surface. "Whiskey, straight, two shots, and leave the bottle."
Adam looked up from the corner table, where he and Creed sat. He knew that voice, and that yell was unmistakable. *Damn! What in thehell is Buck doing here?" He felt like shit, his arm burned and no matter how many he took, the damn pills that the doctor gave him had stopped knocking out the pain. The last thing he needed or wanted was to have to answer any damn questions about his actions.Elbowing Creed in the ribs, he nodded toward the front of the club, this called for some investigating.
Ryan took note of the two cowboys, and decided that at least one of them was way over the limit, but he set the bottle on the bar anyway, slipping the hundred into his pocket. He then turned to talk to one of the waitress as Adam and Creed made their way through the crowd.
"Here come our two lovebirds now." The bartender flashed a brilliant smile. "Hey sweet cheeks, are you ready to ditch that Latin lover of yours, and spend time with a younger stud?"
Sam followed the younger man's line of vision and almost choked on his whiskey, drawing attention from those close by. Cord pounded his brother on the back and grinned. The older Buchman brother's blue eyes lit up with amusement when he realized that he was not the only one that saw the twosome approaching.
"Sir, are you all right?" Ryan looked at the mustached cowboy
"Yep, just got somethin' stuck in my craw."
Sam could feel the heat from the intense glare aimed in his direction as Adam and Creed straddled the adjacent barstools. Ignoring the two men seated next them, Cord slapped another hundred on the bar and told the bartender. "Drinks fer ever' body, and even include them lovebirds over there." He tiled his head to indicate the 'couple' seated next to them."
*What the fuck are doing here.*
*You never call, you don't write, not even a postcard… sweet cheeks? What the hell do you think I'm doing here?*
*Vin!*
*Don't Vin me! You need to haul your ass out of here!*
*Not a chance in hell! Go home!*
Adam did not miss the flash of anger in the blazing blue orbs of the younger man, before he turned away.
Sam shouted as the next act took the stage. "Look at that Cord! You reckon my Becky Sue could learn to move like that?"
"My Gina knows moves that would put that girl to shame. Hell that one ain't half growed yet. Where'rethe real women in this joint?" Cord spouted off.
"Hell brother, all the real women are in Texas." Sam poured another drink.
As if on cue two scantily dressed, but obviously underage girls, made an appearance, draping themselves all over the two 'Texans'.
Sam removed the arms that were wrapped around his neck and smiled sweetly. "Sugar, I 'preciate the offer, but I think it's past yer bedtime."
Cord grabbed the hand that was reaching to lay claim to parts of his anatomy that he considered off limits. "The boys are private property, no trespassin' without a personal invite." The two rejected young ladies appeared to pout and then they moved on down the bar to the next customers.
Adam finally spoke. "What's so special about the women in Texas?"
Cord winked and drawled, "They don't come much livelier."
"Then perhaps you and your brother should just mosey on back to Texas and leave the California women to real men." Creed joined the conversation.
A Cheshire grin creased the older Texan's face as he pointedly looked from Cortez to Carmichael. "Reckon if there were any real men around here, you two wouldn't be so smug. In fact, where I come from, your kind wouldn't be caught dead in female strip joint."
"Course, I don't reckon, you'd know about what real men like." Cord added, prepared from what he knew was coming. It did not take long to get the reaction he was aiming for.
Carmichael's fist connected to the younger Texan's jaw with his first swing and the brawl began. It didn't last that long, but enough damage was done to draw Victor Donner's attention. His men put a stop to the fisticuffs' and separated all the participants involved. Wills had hold of Cord's arm, while his partner held on to Sam.
Donner stepped forward. "Gentlemen, you will leave on your own or with the help of my men. It's your choice."
Cord, pulled away from Willis and then he laid out a stack of large bills on the bar. "That ought ta cover any damages to yer club." He took a step toward Carmichael, stuffed some bills in his shirt pocket, and grinned. "That was one helluva a good brawl, almost as good as back home." He patted Carmichael's chest. "Come visit our neck of the woods sometime."
*Be there!*
Sam grabbed Cord's arm. "Come on brother, I think we done wore out our welcome here."
Donner watched the men leave, before turning on Adam and Creed. "I don't pay you to start fights with paying customers. Get out and don't come back until you have both cooled off."
Adam's temper was boiling and he started to smart off, but Creed pushed him toward the door. In a low voice only Adam could hear he snapped. "Not here and not now."
Once they were outside the club, and far enough away so as not to be heard, Adam let his anger out. "We don't need a goddamn babysitter checking up on us."
"Empty your damn pocket." Creed retorted.
Carmichael pulled out two folded over hundred-dollar bills with a small slip of paper tucked in between them. There was a crude map drawn on the note with a short message that Adam read aloud. "Your ride's over Cowboy! One hour…BE THERE!
"That ornery ass Texan believes that he can order me around? Who in the hell does Tanner think he is?"
Buck leaned against their rented SUV, and hissed as he rubbed his aching hand. "You couldn't find another way to pass Chris the damn note?"
Vin shrugged, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
"Yeah, good and painful for both of us, and you're gonna have one helluva shiner tomorrow. You think they'll show?"
"I don't know. Chris ain't actin' like our Chris, plus he's hurt."
"Hurt? You mean from the fight?"
"No, he favored his left arm, even before he hit me and he didn't pull his punches like I did." Vin knew he would be sore as hell tomorrow. "He's not even thinkin' like Lar'bee, and he's holdin' a lot of anger inside." For the brief time that Chris allowed him in his head, he felt the turmoil that plagued the older man.
"Vin, maybe I should talk to him."
"Uh uh Buck, he shut me out, not to mention disregarded a direct order. The whole purpose on me being in charge was to keep an objective view of the operation and protect MCAT while Lar'bee was under. Chris is acting like he's the only one out here. He's put the entire unit in jeopardy and he is gonna tell me why."
Looking at his watch, Buck shook his head. "It's been over an hour and they're not here. You sure the map was clear enough?" All Wilmington was certain of is that they were somewhere near Big Canyon Reservoir.
"Nothin' wrong with the map, Lar'bee knows where we are."
Headlights indicated the approach of company. Keeping the SUV between them and the unknown car, Buck and Vin's hands stayed on their weapons until they could identify their visitors. The car stopped and Raphael called out to them as he exited the driver's side of the vehicle
Chris came out of the passenger side, advancing angrily toward the truck, and setting a course straight for Tanner. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
Vin did not back down from the coming confrontation. "I'm doin' my goddamnjob! Trackin' down a rouge agent who seems to think he's the lone ranger!"
Buck intervened. "Maybe we should talk about this with cooler heads."
Larabee snapped. "Stay out of this Buck; this is between me and Tanner!" Chris needed a target for his mounting frustrations, and the young Texan provided him one.
Vin's own anger exploded. "The sonofabitch wants a fight Buck, and he's got one! Bring it on cowboy!" Tanner didn't hold back as he did in the club, he lit into Larabee with all the pent up rage that he had held in check since he had received Chris' last message. They were not sparring for a class demonstration; both men faced one another with a burning ferocity. Chris got in several good hits, before Vin grabbed his injured left arm and applied enough pressure to stop the raging black storm that Chris had unleashed.
A winded Tanner held on to Larabees' arm and drew in a deep breath, "You want to continue this bullshit or are you ready to talk?"
Out of breath and in pain, Chris jerked away from the Texan, glaring at the younger man. Once he had the burning pain in his arm under control he ignored Vin and turned his attentions to Wilmington. "Take him home Buck, and I want both of you to stay there!"
"You want? You refuse to be called in, jeopardizin' the entire unit as well as risk your own life and three other agents undercover. You know nothin' about what is goin' on and you have the balls to stand there makin' demands about what you want! You are fuckin' unbelievable! "Tanner yelled." I've come damn close to losing four agents in the last three days, includin' you daughter and do you care to know. Hell no! Hackers are breakin' into our personnel records lookin' for information on your ass! I've had to send all our families into seclusion and the whole damn unit is on high alert. I've got four dead suspects and I have to sit on my hands playin' defense because you want everythin' your way. You shut us all out, and owe me an explanation Lar'bee. I'm not leavin' 'til I get one!"
"I'm staying; you'll just have to work around it! You seem to forget who is in command of MCAT. This is my unit and you take your orders from me, Tanner!"
"What happened to the Lar'bee that said 'this is NOT a mission we will pursue at any costs'? You want to command, then get your ass back to Denver and do it! You stay here and you'll be nothin' more than out of control agent that has left the reservation and is runnin' wild."
"Your job is to mind the store in my absence, not dictate to me what I can and can't do!"
"MY job is to lead the agents that work in this unit and 'til you walk back in that officethat is what I plan to do. The only man I have to answer to is Travis. When you get back, 'm gone, until then I am in charge and you can consider this a warning. MCAT has enough to take down Costa Mesa PD thanks to Justin and Zimmerman is history anytime we want him, thanks to Vance. We are going on the offensive against Donner, and we are gonna take him any way we can, along with anyone that stands in our way. I will not sit back and wait for you to get off that damn fence you're sittin' on, while MCAT is under attack."
"I can fix that!" Chris turned to Wilmington. "Buck, as of now, you're in charge."
Buck hated being caught between two men that he loved and cared for, but he had to think with his head and not with his heart "Sorry stud, you're the one that put Vin in charge, he has Travis backing him, too, and unless you're coming back, he's the man I take orders from. Looking from where I stand, he's done a helluva job under some tough circumstances. Hell, he ought to get a medal just for handling Linda, she and Grace are home by the way, if you're interested."
Ignoring the reference about his family Chris only focused on Buck's refusal to take over." Fine, you two want to mutiny, go ahead. I will take Donner down myself, my way. I don't need your approval or your interference. Get the hell out of California and go back to Denver, take Cordova with you if you want, but I'm not leaving."
Vin briefly considered knocking Chris out coldand dragging his ass back to Colorado, but reason said even that would not stop him. Whoever this man was, he was not the Chris Larabee that he knew and Tanner had no idea what was wrong with him or how to keep him from self-destructing. The Texan was torn between loyalty to his brother and his responsibility to the other fifteen MCAT agents, as well as their families that were depending on his direction.
The deciding factor for Vin, was Chris' refusal to listen, and his apparent apathy about his family's welfare. "I'm sorry you feel that way Chris, my resignation will be waiting for you on your desk, effective the day you return to Denver. You might consider callin' your wife though; she's scared about what's been happenin' and worried about you."
Chris did not give an answer; he simply turned and went back to the car.
Vin looked over at Cordova. "Rafael, your daughters are safe. Your wisest action would be to return to Colorado with us, because it's your life at risk too. However, I'll let you make that call as long as you realize that MCAT cannot sanction or protect you if you stay."
"I know, and while I may not agree with him, he needs someone to watch his back. I'll stay, and I will also be making the check-ins with Josiah myself from now on. You need to send a message, I'll get it. I don't know if I can influence the man, but I will try. You should have some pictures that I sent, waiting on you when you get back to Denver, maybe they will help. As soon as I get more, I'll pass them along."
Tanner nodded, and a non-verbal understanding passed between them. Raphael would do what Vin could not; stay here to protect Chris to the best of his ability, in spite of Larabees' careless actions.
"Watch both of your backs Cordova. Itis no longer a question of if they find out who Adam Carmichael is, but when. I don't know how much time any of us have before the shit hits the fan. I can only pray that it's enough."
Cordova shook Vin's hand and received a slap on the shoulder from Buck. Taking the keys from his pocket, Raphael retraced his steps back to the car. He was aware that he might be walking into more trouble than he could walk out of, but his personal code of ethics would not allow him to leave Chris out here on his own. He vowed to himself that he would make every effort to get to the root of Larabees' growing anger and attempt to defuse it…before it was too late.