Chapter Twenty-Two

Jade

"I think it's what we can do for you, Mr. Anderson," I said, calling up the photos on the keyboard. "Does the name Arnaud DeLario mean anything to you?"

Anderson stiffened slightly. "Yes, it does. Do you know him?"

"I'm his son," Magnus said quietly. "Magnus DeLario. This is Jade Kinnard. On this laptop right here is the evidence, we're hoping, that you need to bring him down."

Anderson leaned back in his chair, studying us. "And just why do you want to bring your father down, Mr. DeLario?"

Magnus took in a deep breath. "Long story short, we'll add in details later. My father despises Jade's father. He wanted to extort money from him, had me kidnap Jade. I did. However, Jade escaped, I grew some guts, found her, and helped her."

"My father wouldn't have paid the ransom money," I added. "We, er, don't get along. Magnus stole keys from Arnaud, and we took pictures of his ledgers." I gestured toward the computer. "They're on here. Human trafficking. Drugs. Bribes to government officials. Arms dealing. Are you perhaps interested in talking to us now?"

Rather than answer, Anderson stood, then strode to the door. Opening it, he ordered coffee, donuts, water, and an agent to run a recording device. Flipping his tie, he sat back down and smiled.

"I certainly am."

Hours passed. We took bathroom breaks. We ate donuts until I never wanted to see another donut again as long as I lived. We talked until our throats were raw. We answered questions. We explained while showing Anderson the photos what they meant.

He made notes, asked more questions, scrolled through the photos we'd taken. Over his shoulder, we pointed out faces that figured prominently in the state's government with probably trafficked women. We explained about Swanson stopping us, and his motives for taking Arnaud's money.

"Go easy on him," Magnus said, munching a donut. "He's a kid. He did what he did out of desperation."

"I don't have much say in that," Anderson replied. "But I'll try. Please explain these lists of names and numbers."

We explained, the recorder taking in our every word. "That's a city council member," I said, pointing. "See? He accepted nearly a hundred grand just a few months ago."

"For what?"

"We don't know," I answered. "Maybe to clear titles for land. Maybe Arnaud wanted to build a playground, but the city wouldn't allow it. Maybe the council dude accepted a bribe simply to cast a vote that benefitted Arnaud."

Anderson rubbed his chin. "This is gold, right? He's after you. Wants to kill you?"

"Oh, yeah," I said with a sigh. "He's tried. Hasn't succeeded yet, obviously."

"Do you need government protection?"

Magnus met my gaze. "That won't help us, man. Once you take him down, we'll be okay."

Anderson flipped through the photos by tapping the mouse pad. "That takes time, my friends. We need court subpoenas, search warrants, witnesses. We can't march out west and slap the handcuffs on him. Not without a federal judge signing a warrant."

"Great." I leaned back in my chair. "He'll kill us after all."

"I can protect you both." Anderson glanced between us. "Put you in a safe house."

"He found our last one," I snapped, bitter. "He'll find this one."

"Look," Anderson said, leaning forward. "You'll be guarded twenty-four-seven. By agents not under Arnaud's pay. We'll keep you safe. I promise."

Magnus stared at the ceiling. "What does Washington have that we want? Nada. Zilch. Jade and I, we can look after ourselves. Her old man gave her money. Maybe we can fly to an unmapped beach someplace, catch a tan."

"DeLario has people everywhere," Anderson declared, sitting back. "TSA, airports, Border Patrol. He'll find you."

I chuckled. "Make your copies, Mr. Anderson. I want my computer back. I think Magnus and I can find a beach that his old man can't find on a map."

***

"Is that what you want to do?" Magnus asked from behind the Jeep's steering wheel. "Fly someplace until Arnaud's been arrested?"

"Why not? I'm hungry. Let's find a steak place."

"After all those donuts you ate?"

"Gawd, don't remind me. I think I've got a sugar rush going on."

"I know how you can work that off," he commented with a naughty grin.

I ignored his suggestion, gazing at the busy traffic rushing past. "We can't leave until the feds have finished picking our brains apart. Anderson wants us back tomorrow morning."

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, steering the Jeep around a slower vehicle. "When we do leave?"

"An uninhabited island in the Pacific."

"And survive on coconuts? I'd like a place with a few restaurants at least. I've heard Greece is fantastic to visit."

"Okay. Lots of islands and restaurants there."

"That was easy. With the entire world to search, Arnaud will likely be arrested before he finds us."

"What if he escapes and flies away?" I glanced at Magnus. "Will he still try to find us?"

"I doubt it," he answered slowly. "He wouldn't have his resources."

"He'll have his money."

Magnus clicked his tongue. "Let's not be too pessimistic. He'll be the one running, always looking over his shoulder."

Traffic slowed for a construction zone, forcing us to slow as well. Heavy machinery lumbered up and down the freshly laid blacktop as workers in hard hats spread new, nasty smelling asphalt along the roadway. A flagman stepped into our path with a stop sign, forcing not just us but the vehicle beside us to halt.

Absently, thinking of Arnaud and his long reach, I watched as a big dump truck drove across in front of us. "Could he be on the run already?" I mused. "He doesn't know where we are, where we went. He must have guessed we'd turn to the feds eventually."

"That's a possibility," Magnus agreed. "Remember he's also OCD and egotistical. He may believe no one can touch him with his high connections."

"That's true." I sighed. "The governor may extend certain protections."

"Right."

The flagman stepped to the side of the road, waving traffic on. Magnus slowly drove into the intersection, the other vehicle to my right. Movement to Magnus's left caught my attention, and I turned my head toward it. Instantly, panic and adrenaline raced through my blood. I thought I screamed look out, but I couldn't be sure.

The massive rolling machine that flattened asphalt plowed into Magnus's side of the Jeep.

Dimly, I heard screams, shouts. My side buckled inward as the rolling death pushed the Jeep into the car next to us. Glass fractured into millions of splinters, flying into my face, my hair, my right side crushed against the other car, its driver shrieking in terror.

Magnus yelled something, his arm reaching for me as his side of the Wrangler crumpled like paper. Still, the machine rolled inexorably on, pushing both vehicles sideways across the newly laid blacktop, the sound of screaming metal drowning out the lady next door. I knew the Jeep would fold in half, an accordion made of tires, metal, cloth seats and our dead bodies.

This is it. Arnaud won.

Magnus's body smashed against mine, his blood spattering across my face. I wanted to cry I love you one last time. I didn't know if he still lived. I yelled his name, unable to hold him as both of my arms were pinned, just as I was pinned against the other car. The sound of metal against metal, shrieking like a demon, went on and on –

It suddenly stopped.

The woman in the car continued to scream in her panic, making me want to slap her until she shut up. I heard voices, saw men in hardhats and bright green vests staring into the Jeep at us. Magnus sagged against me, his head lolling on my shoulder. Beyond him, I saw other workmen yanking a dude from the cab of the machine that just tried to kill us.

A face appeared in what was left of Magnus's window. "Are you all right?"

I couldn't speak. Nor would I be heard over the lady next door. I shook my head.

"Stay still, help is on the way. Christ, help that woman, Larry. See if her other door will open."

Workmen, spectators, surrounded the mashed vehicles, some trying to get in and help us, others pointing, their voices exclaiming, some videoing on their phones. We'll be center stage on Facebook tonight. The dude reached in, and he didn't have to reach far, to rest his fingers on Magnus's throat.

"I've got a pulse," he yelled. "Grab a crowbar. Let's see if we can get him out."

The workmen gave it their best shot. As sirens announced the arrival of cops, firemen, EMTs, the men struggled to open Magnus's crushed door. Nor could he be pulled out as the dash and half the engine block rested on his legs. Nor could they work from my side with the remains of the car next door all but welded together in a wild tangle of metal.

A firefighter sat on the Jeep's hood to reach in and help me unpin my right arm. "We'll get you out of there. What's your name?"

My mouth didn't want to work properly. "Jade," I finally whispered.

"And his?"

"Magnus."

"Okay, Jade, hang tight. Is Magnus your boyfriend? Husband?"

My smile answered him.

"Good. You're both gonna be fine. He's got a strong pulse, looks like he banged his head. How are you doing? Do you think anything's broken? Are you in pain?"

"I'm numb."

"Okay, that's okay. I'm gonna stay right here with you."

It took them nearly an hour to pry open the Jeep to retrieve Magnus. With crowbars, they lifted the Jeep's engine off his legs far enough that they could slide him through the opening and onto a backboard. My turn came. Without his weight holding me in, I managed to crawl out under their encouragement and assisting hands.

At last, I stood, leaning against the fireman, feeling my legs want to crumple. His arms around me, he helped me to sit at the rear of an ambulance while the EMTs swarmed in. I watched others care for Magnus as well as the other victim, answering their questions in a vague monotone.

"Will he be all right?"

My fireman sat beside me. "It doesn't appear that his legs are broken. He's got some cuts that'll need sutured, same as you. He's showing signs of coming around. The hospital will run tests to determine how badly his head may have been hurt."

"He's got a hard head." I smiled briefly.

"That'll certainly help."

Past the firemen, the EMTs, the workmen, I watched the police put the handcuffed driver in the back of a patrol car.

"Why did he do it?"

Fireman shook his head. "Some of the construction guys said he's been under stress lately, that he just went bonkers. Crazy. To me, he looked too damn calm when the cops got their hands on him. From what I can tell, he just stood there, hasn't said a word."

Arnaud. Arnaud knew where we went, when we'd be at that intersection. He's got a plant within the fucking FBI.

The EMTs loaded Magnus into an ambulance.

"I want to stay with him."

An EMT trotted across to his fellow. "Let her ride with him. She's okay."

My fireman escorted me to the ambulance, then briefly held my hand. "You take care, Jade."

Then he left, leaving me in the care of the paramedics who helped me inside to sit beside Magnus. He blinked at me, then lifted his hand. I took it.

Neither of us spoke as the ambulance, its siren shrieking, rolled away from the site of Arnaud's latest attempt to kill us.