CHAPTER FORTY TWO
In his room, he grabbed his overnight canvas gym bag and stuffed it with the watches, jewelry, and cash he had in the drawers, leaving the clothing. He also put his laptop into the bag. Then he left the room and made his way to the master bedroom.
As he came around the bend in the hallway, he came face to face with Agent Hale, DEA, who had in his hands two large, nylon duffel bags, which appeared to be full. He was about fifteen feet away. Hale dropped the bags and went for his gun. Leo had no option. He lifted his arm and shot Hale three times in the chest.
Walking over to the dying agent, he said, “You’re an idiot. I would have let you pass if you hadn’t drawn on me.”
The agent only had a moment to look confused before he died.
Leo hurried on to the master bedroom and found a dead guard at the door. Guessing that this was Hale’s doing, he knocked on the door and then opened it slowly. “Kari?”
The girl came out of the bathroom area cautiously. “Si, I am Kari.”
In Spanish, Leo told her, “Your grandfather sent me. We will be leaving shortly. Grab what you wish to bring.” Then he went to Nomar’s dressing desk and pulled out the jewelry, watches, and anything else of value, along with his late wife’s jewelry. It might be awhile before money would be available from the sales, if they were able to get the cargo at all.
“I am ready,” the girl said after Leo was finished raiding the bedroom.
“Good. Carry this, and let’s go,” he told her, handing her the canvas bag.
Leo’s next stop was in the safe room next door. He found only two banded stacks of one hundred-dollar bills lying on the floor. The safe had been emptied. He pocketed the stacks. They moved quickly back down the hallway, and he stopped in the office area. He looked at the desk. On the desk was a completely filled out marriage license stating that Kari was married to Nomar.
“Did you sign this?” Nomar asked.
“No, I do not wish to be married to him,” she told Leo.
“Hmmm, maybe you do, now,” he said with a smile.
“Why?”
“Well, because he has unfortunately passed away, and so, this house will become yours,” he told her.
“Si?”
“That is, if you wish to have this home. Perhaps you could give it to your grandfather if you have bad memories of this place,” Leo suggested.
She looked at him, and then said, “Perhaps I wish to be married to him after all.”
Leo took the license and searched the desk for anything else of interest. Finding only another laptop, he left that and hurried with her back into the hall, gun at his side, but ready.
When they reached Hale, Leo picked up the bags and checked them. Seeing they were filled with the money from the safe, he carried them both in his left hand.
At the main door, he told Kari to wait until he had loaded the bags in the car. “There will probably be shooting, but don’t be scared. Just run and jump into the back when I come back for you.”
“Si,” she said.
“Good,” he said, and gave her a smile.
He loaded the bags, tossing them across the back seat to the other side of the Hummer without incident. It was only when he came back out with the girl, running to jump into the back seat and close the door, that he heard, “Alto! Stop!” from the rooftops.
Leo ignored them and jumped into the driver’s seat. He fired up the engine, slammed the big personnel carrier into reverse, and powered it back out of the drive, heading for the street. Shots hit the hood, and he cursed as he saw the gate was closing. Slamming his foot to the floor, he crashed through the partially open gate with a screech of twisting metal. He pulled out into the street, where he put the Hummer into drive and left the area as fast as he could.
“Are you alright?” he asked after he had made two turns and was out of the area.
“Si, I am not hurt,” she told him.
“Want to sit up here in front?”
“Okay,” she said with a smile. She climbed up into the passenger seat and buckled in. “I never get to sit up here. The guards always sit up here. I like this much better.”
They were out of El Cajon and nearly to Lakeside when she said, “Now that I am a rich widow, perhaps you could marry me. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“That would be very nice, Kari, but unfortunately I have given my heart to someone else and I am unavailable.”
“That is too bad,” she pouted.
“Yes, but you are a rich widow, so handsome men are going to be at your door in no time.”
“Handsome men are already at my door because I am grandfather’s favorite. None of them impress me, though,” she sighed. “Besides, do not tell my grandfather, but I think I am a gay.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I did not like the sex with Nomar at all.”
“Did he touch you yesterday?”
“No, no, he said not until after the wedding, but I wasn’t looking forward to that either.”
“I don’t think you should measure his taking of you last time as real sex. You may find it much more pleasant with someone you wish to sleep with.”
“Si?”
“I would at least wait for better information,” he suggested.
“Hmm, okay. Grandfather would not be happy if I was a gay. So, I will take your advice,” she decided.
Leo smiled and put his phone into the handsfree setup the Hummer had on the dash. He dialed Gonzalez.
“Bueno?”
“I have your granddaughter with me. If you give me an address in Tijuana to take her to, I would be happy to deliver her. And by the way, it appears that she is a rich widow now with a hacienda in El Cajon and two houses on the coast.”
“No,” Gonzalez said, and then what could only be the sound of a gunshot came through the speakers. “Now she is a rich widow. I can’t thank you enough, Leo. You have truly been a blessing to me. I will give you an address. And by the way, you are free and clear of any reprisals. All of the lieutenants are accounted for.”
Leo put the address into the GPS system. He continued to Lakeside to drop off his spoils before he headed south to Mexico. Explaining all of the cash and other items to the Border Patrol on the way back would be difficult.