Trouble with Friends
Chapter 18
Two of Miller's men jerked Horatio up off the ground and threw him into the back of the van next to Calleigh. Her frightened eyes looked over him as he lay unmoving; the only sound she heard for a few minutes was his ragged breathing. She ached to take Horatio in her arms and comfort him after witnessing what Miller and his men had done, but like Horatio, her hands had been tied behind her back.
Calleigh raised her head slightly to look out the open doors in the rear of the van, where she observed Miller and Wilkes talking a few yards off, presumably about Horatio's news of where the thumb-drive was located she thought. Turning back to Horatio his eyes were still closed, but his breathing was gradually becoming slower as she whispered,
"Handsome, can you hear me?"
He lifted his head slightly, slowly opening his eyes enough to see her face just inches from his own, his lips turned up in a slightly crooked smile before he asked softly,
"Are you…ok?"
"I'm ok. I'm just worried about you. What are you going to do when we get to the house?"
Horatio rested his head back on the floor and grimaced, "Joe will be on duty…I'll give him a distress signal, and then stall for time. Hopefully, the team…" Horatio stopped abruptly when he heard someone approaching.
"Caine… Miller growled.
Horatio lifted his head slightly and looked toward the rear of the van, his eyes focused on Miller.
"Good. You're gonna drive us to your house, but I warn you, the blonde will be in the back of the van with me. You make one wrong move and I'll kill her on the spot…you understand?"
Horatio locked eyes with Calleigh and weakly said, "Yes," never taking his eyes off of her, willing her to understand this would be their only chance.
Frank poured himself a much-needed cup of coffee from the pot in the lab's break room, and actually wished he had something stronger to take away the nervous edge. Officially, he wasn't back on duty; but his heart was and he wouldn't rest until they found Horatio and Calleigh.
The lab was busy for a Sunday; word had spread about Horatio and Calleigh, causing everyone to do what they could to help find the pair. Frank and Eric had called Westcock from Key Largo when they had proof from the ATM footage, proving the couple had been kidnapped.
The silence in the room shattered along with Frank's thoughts when Eric stopped in the doorway and announced,
"Special Agent Westcock is on his way up. Thought you'd like to be included in the meeting. Interrogation room one."
Frank crunched the empty Styrofoam cup in his large fist and tossed it in the garbage before answering, "You bet I do."
As the evidence played on the large screen before the three silent men, Westcock shifted and hung his head when it was obvious from the video that Horatio was rendered defenseless. After the recorded footage ended, the agent cleared his throat and spoke up,
"When you told me about Horatio and his friend, I had to come and personally give you some information I came across just after you called this morning. It was too dangerous to discuss over the phone." The agent paused for a moment and looked away from the two men before continuing,
"I have conducted an investigation within the local office, unknown to my superiors, and found a communication between a local senior agent and Senator Wilkes. The memo was about shipments of some type of merchandise from Miami to Port-au-Prince. I also found another communication that mentioned Miller by name, but what was more disturbing was that the conversation included Lieutenant Caine and an event that was to take place today."
"Did the document give any details?" Frank quickly asked.
"Not clearly. The communiqué was vague…nothing direct. It mentioned a specific 'package' that needed picking up in Key Largo." Eric gave Frank a troubled look, and then hung his head.
Frank could feel his anger rising. Needing to move before he slammed his fist into something, he stood and walked to the large window that gave him a view of downtown Miami. The streets were filled with people taking advantage of a sunny, warm afternoon and enjoying what the area had to offer, while Frank's mind stayed focused on Horatio and Calleigh. I had a bad feeling about this trip. I don't care if it was supposed to be special, Horatio should have known better than to go off down there without protection.
Agent Westcock excused himself with a promise to call if he found out any more information. Eric walked over to the tall Texan and quietly stopped at the man's side. Both men silently looked out the window for a few moments until Eric spoke.
"Horatio and Calleigh are in serious trouble, even more than I thought now that we've discovered that a dirty high-level FBI agent is involved, along with a U.S. Senator."
Frank blew out a loud breath before responding, "We need to find them – and quick."
An officer came to the open door and knocked on the doorframe before entering and walked over to the two men. With an excited voice he quickly said,
"I came as soon as I heard over the radio that patrol found the red panel van, with the correct license plate, parked in a shopping area in Coral Gables. The officers are questioning people around the area for any information." For the first time, Eric felt as if they might have a lead – albeit very small.
Eric, his voice reflecting a bit of hope commented as he and Frank walked toward the door, "At least we know they came back to Miami. All we can do now is hope that someone saw something plus, they could still be in the area, but somehow I doubt it."
"What are we waiting for?" Frank growled as he turned once through the door and began walking briskly down the hall toward the elevator along with Eric.
Horatio struggled to sit upright and keep his attention on the traffic. His midsection radiated pain from the punches he'd taken, but he knew if Calleigh was to stay safe, at least for the time being, he had to play along. Still, he couldn't shake a feeling of uneasiness. What will happen when they find out I've lied about the thumb-drive? Hopefully we can survive until the team can arrive.
The white passenger van, with its dark tinted windows, weaved its way down the back streets, staying off the main roads, as they made their way north, across town to Horatio's house. Miller was more cagey since they'd transferred from the red van to the different vehicle, undoubtedly placed there by some of his henchmen. Horatio then realized their abduction had been neatly planned.
"Remember Caine," Miller snarled from the seat behind him, "One wrong move and your lady friend will pay the price." Horatio glanced in the rear-view mirror and exchanged a concerned look with Calleigh.
A time or two, Horatio glanced at Wilkes sitting in the very back, noting his nervousness. Horatio thought, Politicians…never have liked them, clean or dirty. Most of them are pious and all of them are greedy as far as I'm concerned. Has greed made you partner with this low-life Mr. Wilkes?
As Horatio drove, he noted that they passed at least three patrol cars along their way. The urge to drive the van into a parked car to create a diversion was strong, but quickly pushed the thought into the back of his mind when he considered the threat against Calleigh. I just can't risk it.
Now they were less than a mile from his house. Their lives will soon depend on Joe's perceptiveness. Horatio hoped the man would notice his attempt to relay a message. The van was silent, each consumed with their own thoughts. The silence abruptly ended when Miller leaned over close behind Horatio and snarled,
"Just remember what I told you Caine," no sooner had he ended his words than he heard Calleigh gasp as Miller grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her head back and then put the end of a silencer attached to a 9mm pistol to her right temple.
Horatio could feel his blood boil as he watched in the rear-view mirror and all he could think of was how he'd like to get his hands on the scum behind him. Squeezing his eyes closed for a brief second, he swallowed hard and strained to keep his emotions in check and appear normal as they approached the gate to his community and the security building beside it. A wave of relief washed over him when he saw Joe's familiar face lean out of the window as he waited for the vehicle to stop. Joe's expression was questioning before the window slid down and revealed the driver.
With a large smile he greeted, "Lieutenant, I didn't recognize the vehicle. You just buy this?" Joe asked as he leaned out of the window while his eyes trailed down the side of the van.
Horatio tried to smile and appear light, but wondered if he really succeeded. For Calleigh's sake, he sure hoped so. Carefully positioning his head to where Miller couldn't see his eyes, Horatio answered,
"We had trouble on the road. This is just a loaner," as Joe's eyes met his, Horatio blinked three times in rapid succession, an old police signal meaning distress in hostage situations. In case Joe missed it, he repeated the blinking. Horatio thought he detected a brief flicker of recognition in Joe's eyes before the man said,
"Well, I hope you're able to get your car back soon." All the while thinking, that was a signal for help. Something is definitely wrong because the Lieutenant isn't even supposed to be driving. I'm calling the lab as soon as they leave.
Joe raised the cross-arm and called out, "Have a good day Lieutenant." Horatio nodded his head in response and drove through.
Once past the gate, Miller scoffed, "Now that wasn't so hard - was it?"
Horatio glared at Miller in the mirror until the man released Calleigh's hair and her head came forward. Pulling up into his drive-way, Horatio stopped just before the large, closed-door of the garage and slightly shifted in the seat asking,
"What now?"
Miller barked some orders to one of the men in the back that was already in the process of climbing out of the large sliding side door of the van.
"One of my men will go with you into the house. I will stay with the woman while you open the garage door, allowing us to park the van inside."
Horatio flinched when the driver's door was forcibly jerked open by the huge man who had walked around the van to escort him inside. Slowly, Horatio turned and eased out of the van and as he did so, pain gripped his midsection with the movement and the world began spinning causing him to quickly grab the side of the door to stay upright. Taking a deep breath before letting go, he glanced back over his shoulder at Calleigh who was watching helplessly from the backseat. Willing her to hear his silent words, I'm alright Sweetheart, and I will do what's necessary to make sure you will be too.
Back at the gate, Joe waited patiently as he listened for a connection.
Suddenly, he heard the dispatcher's voice answer, "Miami-Dade Police, what is your emergency?"
TBC…