Chapter 33

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

Boris was waiting in the reception area when Jake arrived. They went to Jerry’s office where Jerry and another man were seated. They were introduced to Isaac Morris. Boris was introduced as Jake’s security chief.

Jake was suspicious of Morris before he even read him. Morris ignored Jake but was very wary of Boris.

“Jerry, how did you come to hire Mr. Morris to handle the security for the deposition?” Jake asked.

“He was recommended by the firm that handles my security at home.”

“Mr. Morris, do you work for that firm?”

“No. I’m a consultant. I have my own business.”

“So you’re an independent contractor employed by Jerry?”

“That’s right,” he said.

Jake stiffened at a thought that surfaced in Morris’s mind. He was employed by Jerry, all right, but he was also employed by Tommy Cox. The bastard had managed to get to Morris.

Boris, Cox owns this guy. You know what you did with the head goon yesterday, that Reese guy? Would you mind doing that with this one?

It’s pretty noisy.

I’ll take care of that. You can be as loud as you want.

“Do you trust him, Jerry?”

“Sure. He had a good recommendation, and he’s been very professional.”

“Mr. Morris, have you ever received money from Tommy Cox?”

“Of course not.”

“Picture this scene. I hire a guy to protect an innocent, young woman from an evil, vindictive fiend. Only it turns out that the guy is working for the fiend. Would you agree, sir, that that would be a problem?

“Uh, yes.”

“And if a person were to accept employment to protect someone but his loyalties were really to the other side, then that person would have done a bad thing?”

“Yes.”

“Should a person who does bad things be held accountable for them?”

“Yes.”

“Would you please tell us where your loyalties lie in this case? You’ll save yourself a lot of unpleasantness, and Jerry’s nerves, if you are upfront now.”

Morris leaned toward Jake aggressively. “Listen, you little puke, I do a good job for my clients, and I don’t appreciate having my character defamed by stupid kids.”

“Oh, God, no,” Jerry said, cringing. “You mean that Cox got to him, too?”

Jake cast through the office suite. Two of Jerry’s associate attorneys were working in their offices. Jake made them uninterested in the sounds that would soon be coming. Then Jake paralyzed Morris from the shoulders down. He pushed him back in his seat. Morris tried to stand, but the only thing that happened was that his head flailed back and forth.

“What have you done to me?” he cried.

Jake ignored him and waited until Morris quieted down.

“I don’t know about your security guy, Jerry, but mine is former special forces and has considerable skills in interrogation. I’ve actually seen him in action. It was scary. The thing is that Boris doesn’t come from one of those countries that promise not to torture the enemy.”

Morris looked over at Boris with fear.

“Actually, I don’t normally torture people,” Boris said, “not even for Jake. Not unless someone has shown himself to be exceptionally evil. Just betraying your employer wouldn’t be enough, but that, along with delivering an innocent girl to an evil man more than meets my requirements.” Boris turned to Morris. “Do you want to confess, or are you going to make me make you tell us what you’ve done?”

Morris chose not to confess. Jake had to adjust a worker on the floor below who was alarmed when he heard barely-audible screams coming through the ceiling. Morris held out until the second time Boris pressed his thumb into his neck. Then he confessed all.

Morris had already been hired by Cox in the search for Nina when Jerry approached him. Morris accepted the job, pocketed Jerry’s advance payment, and raced to Cox to tell him what had fallen into his lap. Cox told Morris to find out about Nina’s current whereabouts and about the plans for holding the deposition.

“Then let’s make our plans,” Jake said. “What do you have in mind for the deposition, Jerry?”

“I know a guy in New Orleans, an old law school classmate. He says I can use his office. I was going to fly the court reporter and the Cox legal team there in a charter, not announcing the destination until we landed. The judge has ordered that Cox’s attorneys cannot communicate with anyone until after the deposition is complete.”

“Then that’s our plan,” Jake said. “The only change we’ll make is that shortly after takeoff, the plane will be diverted to the city where Nina is really going to be. The deposition can go forward in her hotel suite. We’ll take care of the charter from our end. Just be at the airport at eight a.m.” Jake looked around. “Any objections?”

“That’ll keep Nina secure through the deposition,” Boris said. “We’ll still have to take precautions for afterward. In Cox’s mind, this is bigger than just keeping Nina from testifying. He’s not going to stop until he gets her.”

“And I wouldn’t be surprised,” Jerry said, “if someone on their legal team called back their location as soon as they land, no matter what the Judge’s orders say.”

“Good point, Jerry. I have a plan to deal with that on my end.”

Jake took control of Morris.

“Mr. Morris, you will report the plan to hold the deposition in New Orleans to Cox. Get the specific details you need from Jerry. You will not, of course, mention the diversion to another city or anything we’ve discussed here.”

“Yes, sir.”

“God help you because I own you now. I think the first day of the rest of your life will consist of mowing my rather large lawn with a push mower.”

Jake pressed the intercom button at the front gate of the Cox family ranch. There was nothing for fifteen seconds.

“What do you want?”

It was a man’s voice. There was not a trace of friendliness.

“Jake Fielding for Tommy Cox, please.”

After 30 seconds of silence, the intercom spoke again.

“Tommy Cox is not here.”

“No, I’m sure he’s not. But I have some information that he wants very badly about Nina Tamborg. He’d want to meet me if he were here.”

“Hold on.”

This time the silence lasted two minutes. It was about one o’clock and the temperature was in the low nineties. The hot sun and the humidity had Boris and Jake both sweating heavily.

“Boris, would you phone Ellen, tell her that there’s no guard, and ask her to take her position here behind the wall?”

Boris stepped away and pulled out a cell phone. It was a prepaid phone that would be ditched after the mission was complete.

The intercom came back to life. “Are you alone?”

“No. I’m here with a bodyguard.”

“You can come up to the house. Alone.”

“Won’t work. My bodyguard will tie me up before he lets me do this without him.”

The intercom went silent again.

“You were correct about that,” Boris said when he came back a minute later.

“If you can stop me then you’re a better mind reader than I realized.”

“If not me, then Ellen. She’ll be here in a minute.”

“Okay. I admit defeat. You’re both a couple of old ladies.”

“Drive up,” the voice from the intercom barked and the front gate started to open.

They hopped into the car and drove up a gravel driveway lined on one side by huge oak trees. The ranch house came into view. It was every bit as big as Patterson had said.

Two men were waiting in front of the ranch house. One carried a shotgun, the other a handgun.

“Are you armed?” the one with the shotgun called to them as they got out of the car.

“I’ve got a handgun under my jacket,” Boris said.

“Give it here.”

Jake took control of the men.

“No, he keeps his weapon,” Jake said. “What are your orders?”

“Disarm you and take you to one of the guesthouses. You will be contacted there by one of the family.”

“Is Cox here?”

“Which one?”

“Tommy.”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Probably in one of the guesthouses. That’s where he’s been the whole week.”

“We’ll go to your guest house. Tell them that we weren’t armed if they ask. Make it look like you are checking us for weapons.”

The man with the handgun came and looked under Boris’s jacket and then frisked him. Then he frisked Jake. One of the men walked around the side of the house. He drove back after a minute in a crew cab truck. Jake and Boris got in the back.

“Wait a second,” Jake said.

He scanned the ranch house. There were a cook and a housekeeper in the central part of the house. There were two relatives in the near wing, an older woman and a younger man. Jake realized that the man was Jimmie, Cox’s half-brother. Jake took control of all four. He thought there might have been someone else in the far wing, but if so, he or she was just on the edge of his range.

“Who’s in the house?”

“Jimmie, Kathryn, Annie, and Ms. Cox.”

“Tell me about them.”

“Jimmie is Tommy’s brother. Kathryn is his aunt. Annie is a cousin. Ms. Cox is his mother.”

“Who else?”

“Ms. Hansen, the cook, is probably there. Maybe some others.”

Jake decided it was Aunt Kathryn he had just turned.

“How many other people are on the ranch?”

“There are six more hands beside us two.”

They drove slowly west about a half-mile over a bouncy dirt road to a house near a wood. They were probably a quarter-mile from the southern boundary of the ranch.

“You are supposed to go in there and wait.”

“Okay. Unless Boris or I say otherwise, you’ll continue to follow orders from the Cox family, but you won’t hurt Boris or me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jake and Boris went in the front door. The furniture was rustic. Jake walked through to the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator.

“They’ve got soft drinks, beer, and what looks like a pitcher of ice tea. Do you want anything?”

“Water, please,” Boris said, going to a front window and looking out through the curtains.

Jake brought a glass of water for Boris and a Coke for himself.

“What do you think?” Jake asked.

“Okay so far, but it could still go to hell. We lose our biggest advantage out here where you’re out of range of the combatants.”

“Then we work to bring them into range.”

The phone rang. Jake answered it.

“This is Tommy Cox. Who are you?”

It was him. Jake recognized the voice.

“How do I know this is Tommy?”

“Don’t tell me you’re the only person in this state who doesn’t recognize my voice.”

“I could do Tommy Cox impressions, too, if I had a little time to practice. I don’t know who you are. I’m only going to talk to Tommy Cox. It has to be in person. I can give him Nina Tamborg, tonight if he wants. If he wants to talk business he’ll come here. If he doesn’t, I’ll see myself out.”

“Do you know who I am?” Cox thundered.

“Isn’t that exactly the problem? I don’t know who you are, but if you were Tommy Cox, I’d expect you to be a little brighter than you apparently are. I’ll wait here a little while, and then I’m gone and so is access to Nina.”

Jake hung up.

“His temper may be up when he finally makes his appearance,” Jake said to Boris.

“Just so long as he comes. Don’t piss him off so much that he sends riflemen here to pick us off from a distance.”

The phone rang again.

“I could have you tortured for your information.”

“The price for Nina’s whereabouts just doubled. I’ve just cut in half the time I’m willing to hang around before I decide you all are a bunch of idiots. Either play ball now or hope that your luck gets better than it has been. I’ve learned how you operate. I can keep her out of your hands indefinitely.”

Jake hung up. He drank his Coke and got himself another. Boris was going from window to window examining the terrain in each direction.

Jake called Ellen, told her of their status, and promised to check in within the next hour.

Boris came back out and sat in an easy chair.

“The house is situated only twenty yards from the woods. If we can get to the tree line, we can work due south and make our way to the road in ten or fifteen minutes, tops. But if they set up out there with rifles, they could pick us off at their convenience.”

“My money is on Cox bringing his fat ass here. Or on their trying to force the information out of us. Cox has got to want her really badly.”

“It would be great if Cox came down here, but let’s make our plans otherwise.”

They passed the next five minutes gaming out possible things that might happen and how to respond.

“Can I ask you a personal favor?” Jake said into the ensuing silence.

“Of course.”

“I’d like you to ask Ellen out on a date when all the clamor dies down.”

He felt Boris panic and freeze. Jake struggled to keep his face impassive. How could a brave man like Boris become so unmanned at asking a woman out?

It took Boris fifteen seconds to respond.

“Now’s not the time to talk about this.”

“What, you’ve got more tactics you want to run through?”

“No. But it would be better to keep our focus on our mission.”

“We’ll bring our focus back to the mission when something needs our attention. Or are you trying to tell me that you don’t like my mother?”

“I think Ellen is a fine woman. I’m just not comfortable talking about it.”

“The consensus among the women is that you are smitten with Ellen. And that’s not even the mind readers I’m talking about.”

Boris blushed. Jake didn’t have to say out loud that the mind readers, including Jake, all knew exactly how Boris felt.

“She’s my employer’s mother. She’s a principal. I’m not sure it’s appropriate for me to be dating her.”

“I’m not playing games with you about whether you like her or it’s appropriate, Boris. I’m just asking you to do it. You like her and she likes you.”

“Jake, with all due respect, I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about. Does she need an escort to the opera? Would I be her platonic friend? Are you talking about a physical relationship? Hell, what am I talking about? Listen, Jake, I like you and I admire you, but you and your women are the most unfathomable bunch of ... of ... Hell, I’m not sure what you are. I don’t know what Ellen would want or need or accept from me.”

“Ellen wants to date you. You know, dating — friendship, romance, sex when it makes sense.”

“Why didn’t she ask me herself?”

“She probably would have soon. But there is a good reason for me to bring up the subject first.”

“What would that be?”

“I can make something clear to you that would be uncomfortable for both of you if you heard it from her.”

“Good thinking. This way it’s only excruciatingly awkward.”

“I’m sorry, Boris. I didn’t realize that you would find Ellen more threatening than automatic rifle fire.”

“So what’s this uncomfortable point you want to make?”

“Boris, as fond as Ellen is of you, she will never agree to a monogamous relationship with you. I won’t say that it can’t be serious or permanent because it can be as intense and as long-lasting as you two want. What I’m saying is that you won’t ever be Ellen’s number one guy.”

“She’s seeing someone else?”

“No, not like you’re thinking. It’s more that her loyalty belongs to another person.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. She wants to date me, but she belongs to someone else?”

“It sounds like you understand just fine.”

“But what kind of relationship could she have where she is claimed by one guy but she’s still seeing other guys?”

“One where she is committed to one person, but she is not duty-bound to be faithful.”

“I don’t know what kind of a relationship that could be.”

“How about an open marriage? That’s not what Ellen is in, but it is one example.”