Chapter 20

"Estefania"

I hadn't even realized that Hector was in the room so looked up to him through blurry eyes.

"He has had to do this Estefania, but never doubt that he loves you deeply. He sees what he does as a betrayal to you, that he isn't a good enough man for you. Give him time and your heart"

I opened my arms to Hector as the crying erupted into sobs, taking solace as he held me. Was what Hector had said true? I suppose stupidly I'd only ever seen Ranger as the mercenary. The man who was so calm in the face of danger. The man who had skills to kill another person as soon as look at him. What Ranger was having to do now had never entered my head. Of course it should have. He was charismatic in a mysterious way and attracted women to him like bees to honey. Hell, I was one of those women. I could understand how he would be good at seducing women and getting them to trust him. Shit. 007 had nothing on Ranger. No wonder he'd told me that he didn't do relationships.

"Okay, so now I'd like to hear everything that has happened to you and how you managed to evade me from finding you"

I smiled as I wiped the tears from my face and allowed Hector to help me to my feet. Sense must have reared her head because all of a sudden, I was thinking of Lula. Surely, she wouldn't have gone looking for me would she. Could she have gone to Jonas's house?

"Lula, I have to get in touch with Lula"

"Lula is on her way home. I found her and assured her that you were safe. We put her on a plane for Philly and your bike is here"

"How did you know where we were, how did Alina's men know?"

I'd tried to be so careful when I'd followed Kiera to the meeting that she had with Alina.

"The cameras outside of her building picked you up. They must have followed you because by the time I'd seen what had them flying out of there I was too late to stop them. They had no idea that you had Lula with you so I persuaded Lula that you were in safe hands now and would be better going home"

I'd been naive and an amateur in how I'd followed Alina. Of course she would have excellent security and me on a bike was bound to have been spotted. All that I can be grateful for is that no one was aware of Lula. I allowed Hector to lead me from the room we were in down a hall and into an amazing kitchen. Once upon a time I would have been curious as to where I was but not at the moment. I had too many things to think about.

Almost on autopilot I sat down at the large wooden table, my hands holding my head as I realized that the talking with Ranger had given me a pounding headache. Hector placed a glass of water in front of me along with a couple of tablets before he sat down opposite me. He pulled my rucksack up from the chair next to him and pushed it over to me. I'd totally forgotten about it and could only be thankful that Hector had found it and not Alina's men. She would have been furious had she read through my notes. I went into the rucksack, into the zipped section at the back, and pulled out my papers. It might be easier for Hector to read through them than me having to recite my story. I never said a word as I pushed the papers over to him and then waited as he read through them.

"Aye, aye, aye. Estefania you have been through so much and you have learnt so much information. Your friends, they eventually told their stories. We had no idea of how women were forced to become pregnant or made to give up their babies. You have missing links but also a deeper understanding of the mystery that is wound into this. Your questions, they are very insightful, but maybe I can answer some of them"

I was glad that the other women were opening up to strangers about the ordeals that they'd been through. I understood that they'd be safer if no one knew where they were but something that Ranger had said earlier was bugging me slightly. At Hector's first word he had my full attention, and all thought of anything else was lost.

"The man that you know as Oscar"

I briefly closed my eyes as I remembered what had happened to him at that diner.

"After I saw you at the airport, I was curious why you were there so did some research of my own. The car you were driving was registered to a Jonas Penderton so with an address I checked where you were and who you were with. Oscar, a navy seal, he was interesting and was known to Cal as an honorable man"

Okay that was good to know even if it seemed that Hector had acted on his own without saying anything to Ranger. I waited because I was sure that Hector would get to how Oscar had been at that diner. I was almost willing Hector to get there a little faster.

"From what Alina said we knew that she was getting annoyed with a woman. Ranger heard about the incident of a car going off the road and the occupants being killed. From how Alina described their passenger he was worried that it could have been you, he was devastated, but then her rantings gave credence to the fact that you might be alive. I asked Oscar to go and investigate. Ranger tries to overhear as much as he can and picked up on the name of a diner close to where the accident was. He agreed for Oscar to investigate, seeing as he was in the area"

Which was how Oscar came to be at the diner. He just wasn't prepared for the men turning up so quickly.

"He knew that he could very well encounter trouble. Alina was assured by some man that he would recapture the woman, you. I couldn't get there soon enough, so Oscar went prepared with a specialized flak vest. The jacket has pouches on it that ooze out a red liquid with impact. It gives the effect to the shooter that you are badly injured or dead, so if you're lucky they leave you alone"

"He's alive, he's okay?"

At Hector nodding his head a weight lifted from me. I'd felt so guilty that Oscar had died trying to save me. That he was alive and uninjured was such a relief.

"So how did you know about the truck full of women?"

Ranger had told me that he was aware of women being moved but it confused me that he had no idea where it was originating from.

"Chance and Ranger overhearing Alina talking to her brother on the phone. We managed to pick it up as it drove past New York so had someone following it. Once the truck had arrived at an old warehouse outside Phoenix it took time to get a team in place. Hell, they'd only just arrived when there was an explosion and had to scramble to get people out. The place was like a cinder box after the explosion. They managed to get the women out, but they were screaming that there was someone still inside. You Estefania. It was too dangerous to go inside, and we had to get those women to safety. The feds were hot on our heels so we needed to leave but they told afterwards us that they'd found several bodies of women who must have still been inside. How did you get out?"

That had the tears forming in my eyes. I had been stupid with how I'd thought I could create a diversion to enable us to get out. Instead, I'd inadvertently destroyed the building killing innocent women in the process. Taking a deep breath, I decided not to explain to Hector how I was feeling, but to give him as simpler an answer as possible.

"I came to, buried underneath a dead man, surrounded by fallen beams and ruble. I was lucky Hector. Why didn't the feds remove the bodies of the men inside?"

Remembering finding scumbag close to the elevator.

"They should have. I read how you found that note clip on one that you found. Maybe we need to check back with the feds"

I shook my head as Hector said that because for some reason, I didn't think that it was a good idea. How many times had the FBI screwed up with the information regarding Lisa's disappearance.

"No, don't. There's something weird going on with them. I don't know what, not yet"

Hector just nodded his head so I knew that he would believe me when I said that, even though I didn't have a shred of evidence to support it. I sat back when Hector stood up and watched as he opened the stove. Now why hadn't I even smelt what was cooking inside there. He presented me with a piping hot dish that he put on a plate and handed me a knife and fork. Oh wow, this was to die for. Semi-hard bread as the base with roast pork, ham and cheese. Seeing as Hector just used his hands to pick up the sandwich, I did the same, catching the dribbles of melting cheeses as they fell.

"What happens now?"

I asked around a mouthful, because I sure as hell didn't want to be confined to this house. I wanted, no needed to be a part of taking down Alina and her brother, but I also knew there were other players that we still hadn't identified.

"Ranger needs to maintain his cover so it's important that no one sees you. Maybe you could help by looking at some of the other players"

He read me so well, but he also had me thinking about Ranger. If Alina discovered that he was working to undermine her operation, then he'd be in danger. Did he have to continue doing that? Would he be with Alina right this minute pretending to be her, what? Lover, partner. Boyfriend as a word seemed too childish. I had to believe that he knew what he was doing but the faster we solved how this organization worked then the sooner he would be safe. There was only one way to do that.

"Okay. So show me what you have so far"

Hoping that I could see some clues that might tie into what I already knew. Though Kiera was high on my hit list.

"In the morning"

I was disappointed with his answer though not surprised. Okay, I needed a clear head to start working which wasn't the case at the moment. After we cleared away our dishes Hector took me upstairs and it was only now that I began to appreciate my surroundings. It wasn't a huge house, maybe four rooms downstairs and four upstairs but how the property had been furbished was simple but elegant. Earth colors with the accent of color added. So for example the stairs had paintings all of which used red to highlight a feature. A red poppy, a red kite, a red rose. The room that Hector showed me to was a large bedroom which was highlighted with blue. Blue in the drapes and on the bed cover, blue on the cushions of the chair. I suppose the way that it had been decorated then it would be easy to go for a different color without having to redecorate the whole room. The adjoining bathroom was white with blue towels and seemed enormous to what I'd been used to recently.

"Clothes in closet. I'll see you in the morning"

Now alone I decided that after such a long day that I wanted to forget everything that had happened. Shower and bed were my agenda, though I have to admit that I was curious with the selection of clothes that I found in the closet. Dismissing that as a mystery to solve another day I was soon cuddled up underneath a duvet in one of the most comfortable beds that I'd ever laid on.

Something woke me but I wasn't sure what. I was wide awake as I tried to look across the room. Sitting up I was sure that there was someone in the room. A figure appearing from the dark of the corner should have had me screaming the place down, but I didn't. It was the slightest scent that drifted over me that told me who it was. I pulled the cover down hoping that my invitation would be accepted and then watched as the figure began to undress. Once next to me, holding me, the tears began. Sheesh why was I so emotional?

"I couldn't stay away. I needed to spend some time with you"

"What about Alina, won't she know that you're not there and want to know where you went?"

Much as I enjoyed having Ranger with me, I hated the idea that he might be putting himself at risk.

"No. I made sure that she had a double dose of her sleeping tablets. She's used to me leaving her asleep"

That brought images of the two of them in bed together. Don't go there, went through my head. Hadn't I been with Morelli when Ranger and I were just friends? Friends, huh, that seemed such a tame word to use as I remembered the innuendos and how Ranger would kiss me and try to tempt me. He wasn't a monk and had needs like anyone else so could I really expect for him to be celibate? No, though the idea of him being intimate with Alina turned my stomach. No way could I have sex with the enemy, so how did he do it? No emotional attachment came to mind. Were men built differently to women, could they sleep with a woman without their feelings getting in the way?

"Deep thoughts Babe"

Had me realizing how quiet I'd been. I wasn't prepared to have that conversation with Ranger.

"Just thinking of how you happened on me and how pleased I am about it. Was Alina satisfied that I was dead?"

Now wondering how he'd managed to hood wink her.

"Yes. An unclaimed Jane Doe provided what we needed before I arranged for her cremation"

Another rolling stomach moment as I thought of that poor woman. She'd provided something necessary to keep both me and Ranger alive but even though she'd already been dead it didn't make it any easier to swallow. Okay, denial was in full swing.

"Sleep, Babe, while I hold you"

The feel of his hand as he gently rubbed my arm had me relaxing ,so of course I fell asleep.

I knew that I was alone in the bed as I woke. The crumpled sheets though were evidence that I hadn't dreamed of Ranger being here. Forgoing a shower, I was checking out the closet for something to wear and decided on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Okay so old habits die hard, but I knew that I wouldn't be going anywhere, and I had work to do. Huh, I never did ask about the clothes in the closet but seeing as they were new, if not a tad bit on the large size, then I assume someone had been out shopping. I was soon heading down to the kitchen, following the smell of coffee so assumed that Hector was up and about.

Hector was sat at the table as I walked in, doing something on a laptop which reminded me that I needed to ask him for one for me to work on.

"What would you like for breakfast Estefania?"

Instead of answering I was opening the fridge to look for some milk and spied some fruit and yoghurt so brought those to the table before pouring myself a coffee and adding sugar and milk. I saw the look that Hector gave to my choice of food and decided to enlighten him on how I had tried to improve my diet.

"I decided to improve what I ate, you know, try to be a bit more health conscious. I also swim regularly, and I've been practicing with my gun"

No point in adding that I'd also been encouraged to do some weight training or else he'd have me in a gym as soon as look at me. If there was a gym here of course. All I got was a smile from Hector, so he obviously approved. I ate in silence as I mulled over what I wanted to do. I was pretty sure that Hector would be all over anything that Ranger and the rest of his team had found, though it would be interesting to see if it crossed over with anything that I knew. I really wanted to get the low down on Kiera because she had totally ambushed me with how friendly she'd been to me.

"After seeing what you have could you provide me with a laptop that has all the search engines installed, please?"

"Already set up for you along with all of the reports that we have so far"

Okay, that was easy so there was just one more request to make.

"Where do you want me working"

Unsure of the layout of the house and if there were areas that Hector didn't want me going into. Instead of saying anything he stood up holding his laptop and beckoned for me to follow him. From the kitchen we walked through the area, that led to the front door, and into a room that looked to be set up as an office. It was a large room with a small round table against one wall and a large desk with a chair opposite it. A low unit with drawers held a printer with a large screen above it on the wall.

"I'll be next door monitoring cameras if you need any help"

Looking again I spied a laptop on the desk so assumed that was the one I was supposed to use. I went straight to the desk and sat down in the comfortable leather chair. That was when I started to be more observant of what else was here and to be honest found myself a little confused with what I was seeing. Yes, there was a holder with pens and pencils and a pad of paper that would be useful, but the room had the feel of one that was used. I assumed that this house was a safe house so would someone who was kept here need a room like this? Maybe, what did I know.

Powering up the laptop I was pleased that there was no log in to have to go through so studied the icons on the screen. Seeing one labelled reports, I assumed that was where I would find an update of what Ranger and his team had collected so far. Opening that I was surprised at the number of files. I wasn't sure that I wanted to spend the time reading through everything because I was keen to get to Kiera. I was pretty sure that she was someone who hadn't been known about, so maybe I could find that missing link.

Kiera Penderton, only child, born in Boston. Blah, blah, blah. Okay I skipped her earlier life and focused on the time that she had left home to go to university. Why Los Angeles? There were universities just as good if not better closer to home. That had me going back a few years to see if I could find a reason for her choice. There was nothing evident from her medical records or any brushes with the police, so I went into her educational record. Sheesh, Kiera hadn't exactly been an ideal student. She was a bright student scoring high in intelligence tests, but it seemed that Kiera shunned expectations for behavior. Attendance was poor, attitude toward staff was belligerent and she had been excluded several times. The four months prior to exams saw a time when she was more settled and exam grades were good, enabling her to get into university.

I remembered Jonas telling me that she didn't always see eye to eye with her parents. That she chose Los Angeles to get as far away from them as possible so maybe she'd decided that in order to do that she had to study hard to get the grades that she needed. I went to her time at university finding nothing until the start of her third year ,only there wasn't anything. Had I read this wrong? Nope. According to the records she dropped out after her third year. I hadn't really noticed where she was living, I suppose because as a student she changed locations each year, but I did now. Two and a half years in a dorm at the university before moving into an apartment.

I input the address of the apartment into another search surprised that it looked to be in an expensive area. An apartment that looked down and over the beach had to be expensive, didn't it? Hmm. How could she afford that? I suppose that I knew the answer to that, but at what stage had she started to work for Alina and who had introduced them? The name on the lease was for an Isaac Jacobs. I sat back in the chair as I deliberated that. Out of curiosity I input his name into yet another search and almost screamed when the photo of him came into focus. Oh my God. He was the spitting image of Elijah Banning but it looked as though he had a scar down the side of his cheek.

"Hector, Hector"

I was shouting as I got up from my seat and made for the door. Of course I forgot where Hector had said he'd be so as I passed a door he was there to meet me.

"Estefania? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm sure that I've found the link, I know who else is involved"

Hector's arm came around my shoulder as he turned me back toward the office.

"Show me"

Geez, he wanted every little detail, which meant me explaining about the job that I was involved with that led me to where I was now. Elijah Banning and the bodies and evidence that had been found implicating him with murder. Lisa and the women who had disappeared and were presumed dead and my incident when I was looking at those journals and why I was so positive that they were important. Seems that they were because it looked as though Elijah was a twin. Hector even brought up a photo of Elijah and had it next to the one of Isaac.

"He's the one who lures the women. I'm sure it was him at that club"

And from what was going through my mind I was thinking that Isaac was more than happy for his brother to be found guilty of murdering women, women that were actually alive. As a cover I couldn't fault it. No one would be looking for a woman who was being used to provide a baby or be sold if she had been declared dead.

"Hector, that club. Have you come across it before?"

"No. You think the club is a front"

A front, what a strange word to use. The club attracted hundreds of people every night, hundreds of very attractive women. Was that where they spotted them? Once targeted it seemed that someone made sure that they had a number to call that would solve the problem that they were facing. Remembering the stories that the women had shared I knew that was how they'd been wound in. The number had come from a taxi driver, a flyer through their door, an email or in one case a cold call. How would the people at the club know that the women were looking for some kind of help? Maybe they had search programs or someone who asked around about them. Anyway, they saw their potential and then advertised them on some site for people to bid on. For couples to decide if they would be an ideal surrogate.

"Yes. I'm sure that they use that club to target the women and use various methods to entice them to call a number supposedly putting them in touch with a professional. You read my notes, that I overheard a man talking about merchandise and a bidding site. I think he was talking about surrogate mothers that people would bid on to have their child. That man, Isaac Jacobs, was the one who was talking"

How the hell hadn't I seen the resemblance to Banning? I thought that he seemed familiar at the time but had been so worried at what I'd done that getting out had been more important.

"Can you hack into their systems? The whole place had like a zillion cameras and the doors were all controlled electronically"

Hector smiling at me was his only answer, so I assumed that he'd try to do as I'd asked. As I watched him leave the office I decided to follow up on Isaac Jacobs. Pfft, what did I expect by doing that. The information that came up was so vague it was almost laughable the only interesting fact was what wasn't there. No connection to the Cat's Whiskers.

Feeling the need to stretch I went to the window surprised with the view that I was seeing. Sheesh, I hoped this was nowhere near to where Alina lived because from where I was stood, I was seeing the calm blue of water. Was I allowed outside, I had no idea, but to be honest for the first time ever I didn't want to venture outside on my own. Instead, I walked through to the kitchen and looked into the fridge. All that I took out was a bottle of water not really feeling like anything to eat.

I ended up in the bedroom, sat on the bed with the laptop on my knee. I stared at it for an age not knowing what I wanted to do and that was how I ended up falling asleep.

I was back at the nightclub running down a corridor with so many doors to chose from but only one door was shining green, so I yanked it open only to start running again. Voices were behind me, and babies crying echoed from around me, but I continued running and going through doors, over and over again with no escape in sight. Then the door opened into a huge circular room and the man I referred to as scumbag was stood next to me, holding my arm. I could hear women crying and moaning but it was where I was that had those sounds dimming. Around me were windows with men stood watching me. Their smiles and laughter as they looked at me had waves of panic rippling through me. I couldn't move but I could hear voices as they shouted out numbers as they raised their hands. My eyes fell onto one of the windows, hope surging through me because stood there was Ranger, watching me. Then Alina appeared beside him, turning him, kissing him which he reciprocated. All that I heard before they turned and walked away was a name whispered. Babe.

I woke with a start, covered in sweat. My heart was racing, and I was shaking all over. Trying to take in deep breaths I curled up on my side wanting those images to disappear from my head. I wasn't sure if that feeling of panic was from being sold to unknown men in a bidding war or seeing Ranger embracing Alina and calling her Babe. I knew that it was just a dream, but it felt so real. I was on emotional overload but didn't know what to do about it. That was when I decided that the one place where I would feel calm was just outside.

Were doors monitored if they were opened, were there cameras surveilling the house? I had no idea and I didn't care. I was on the verge of panic as I ran down the stairs and pulled open the front door. I headed around the building, across the grass and then down some stone steps until I could hear, see and smell the ocean. I actually slowed down and looked down at my feet realizing I'd left the house with nothing on my feet. Walking forward I stopped as the waves lapped at my ankles and then sat down with my knees pulled to my chest just absorbing where I was. Deep breaths, cleansing breaths and the sound and feel of the water around me seemed to ground me. That was when the tears came, slow and steady down my cheeks, their salty taste mingling with the salty breeze that gently caressed me. Only the smallest of white tops could be seen in the darkness of the night, but I wasn't afraid, only sad.

I felt, or maybe heard someone approach from behind me but didn't turn to look. I was too wrapped up in my emotional turmoil to care. Even a figure sitting down beside me and placing an arm around my shoulders couldn't break through to me. I knew that it wasn't Ranger, don't ask me how I knew that and that added to my sadness. I felt as though I'd lost him all over again.