The next three days all follow much the same. After a long, lazy bout of lovemaking in the morning, Jack regularly contacted Marshall or Seth for a status update. Then they would spend the rest of the day lounging by the pool or seeing the sights, followed by another round of lovemaking in the evening before they fell asleep.
Each morning as they woke in one another’s arms, their smiles were a little brighter and the lovemaking a bit more meaningful. They had started out only saying “love” during their lovemaking, when their feelings for each other were most intense. But by the third day they realized the word up was popping up in normal conversation, most often when they were parting from each other… even if was only to walk down the hall to the ice machine.
Expenses were mounting, but Jack didn’t care. Now it was “make or break” day. The Russian buyer had asked for an extension to see if he could raise the required cash. Today he was going to have to commit, or the GTO was being sold to the South American buyer. Either way, soon there would be money to cover their expenses… and a lot more besides.
“Jack,” he said as picked up the ringing phone and answered it. He was sitting under an umbrella at the pool while Tina soaked up some rays beside him.
“We’ve got a deal! The Russian is in for the whole twenty-five million,” Seth crowed.
Jack sighed in relief. Their ordeal was nearly over. “That’s good news. I think we need to put a little something extra in Brett and Cheryl’s cut, don’t you? They really pulled our collective asses out of the fire. What do you think? I’ll take two hundred grand out of my cut to be shared between the two of them.”
“If that is what you want to do. They really worked their asses off, that’s for sure.”
“I do. Can you let Greg know?”
“I’ll do it. But Jack, there is one other thing. Before he sends the money, he wants to inspect the cars.”
“He what?”
“He wants to have his agent inspect the cars. He wants to make sure he is getting the real deal. Since there hasn’t been a peep about the cars being stolen again, I guess I can understand that. This is non-negotiable.”
Jack mulled it over. It isn’t an unreasonable request… but I still don’t like it. That’s just one more source of leaks. But, on the other hand, what choice do we have? “Fuck… okay. Give him the address and tell me when he wants to meet.”
“Okay. I’ll get Cheryl on it. I’ll let you know something later today or tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Seth. Thanks for taking this on. I feel like I am out of touch out here and—”
“Hey, no problem, man. We’re all in this together, right?” Seth interrupted.
“Let me know something as soon as possible.”
“You got it.”
“Good news?” Tina asked when Jack placed the phone on the table.
“Twenty-five million,” he said quietly.
“They’re sold?”
“You bet your ass!” He grinned. “Stick with me, kid and we’ll go places,” he added with a passable Bogart impression.
“I never had any doubt.”
“Uh-huh.”
***
“Mr. Carter? I’m here on behalf of Fyodor Goremykin.”
“Jack Carter,” Jack said as he extended his hand. “I didn’t catch your name.”
“My name isn’t important,” the man said as he shook Jack’s hand.
“I understand,” Jack replied, though a sense of unease washed over him. Maybe it was because the man spoke perfect, unaccented English… or the fact he wouldn’t give his name. Jack pushed the thoughts aside. Not all Russians have to sound like those in the movies. Or maybe he was an American working for Goremykin. He didn’t care, so long as the deal went through.
“Are you ready to see the cars?” Jack asked.
“I thought there would be two of you here. You and a woman… Tina Harris.”
“She is watching to make sure we aren’t disturbed.”
“Ah! Great! Then, I’m ready.”
Jack unlocked the door and stepped inside. Because the sodium vapor lights usually took so long to come to full brightness, Jack had turned them on earlier. “Here they are.”
The man gave the cars a cursory glance, which seemed all the more odd to Jack. If that is all Goremykin wanted to see, he could have sent him pictures.
“I’m good. Thank you for your time. I will contact Comrade Goremykin and tell him everything appears to okay.”
“You understand that once the money is transferred, they cars will be yours and you are responsible for transportation?”
“Yeah, Comrade Goremykin understands that.”
“When can we expect the funds transfer?”
“I will call Comrade Goremykin immediately and tell him that I have looked at the cars. After that, it will be up to him.”
Jack grinned. “Understood. I look forward to wrapping this up as soon as possible, though.”
“Comrade Goremykin does too, I’m sure.”
The men shook hands and the agent sat in his car for a moment, speaking on his cell phone, before he drove off without a backwards glance. Tina stepped out of the unused office where she had been hiding in case something went sour.
“It’s done!” she exclaimed as the jumped into Jack’s arms.
“Not yet,” Jack said as he slowly sat her down, still staring down the parking lot after the man. “Something isn’t right. We’ve got to move the cars. Now.”
“What? Why?”
“Something isn’t right, and that little voice is talking to me. I have learned to listen. Take the Audi and go back to the motel. Use the motel phone to call for a taxi and come back here and get your hog. While you do that, I need to find someplace to hide these fucking cars again. Goddammit!”
Jack pulled his cell and set to work.
***
It took some calling around, but he finally located six storage buildings to hide the cars in. The next task was more difficult, but he eventually found a place that would rent an enclosed trailer to haul the cars. Finding a truck to pull the trailer was the easy part.
“Are you sure this is necessary?” Tina asked as she helped Jack roll the car into the trailer. It was going to take six trips since the trailer would only haul one car at a time, but at least it and the truck would fit into the warehouse so they could load without the worry of being seen.
“I hope not. But that whole Comrade stuff, and the fact he didn’t even look at the cars, makes me nervous. Hell, they could be kit cars for all the care he took in looking them over. He is either the worst buyer’s agent I have ever seen, or there is more going on here than I know about.”
While Tina secured the car, Jack wheeled the next one in place to make loading quicker.
***
Six hours later Jack returned the trailer to the rental yard and turned in the truck. The cars were scattered over a large part of San Bernardino, but at least they were safe. And if he was wrong? The buyer could either pick them up where they were or, if required, he can bring them back to the warehouse the same way they were moved.
“I’m pooped,” Tina said as Jack settled into the Audi.
“I’ll drop you off at the motel.”
“Drop me off? Aren’t we going back?”
“You are. I have something else I want to do.”
“Like what?”
“I’m going to sleep at the warehouse tonight. I have a feeling that if something goes down, it will be tonight. I’m going to be there.”
“I don’t like the sound of that at all,” Tina said with a large frown. “Are you sure? What if… what if it’s dangerous?”
“It’s going to be a hell of a lot more dangerous for the person that tries to break in, you can bet on that.”
Tina chewed at her bottom lip. “I’ll stay with you.”
“No! Absolutely not!”
“Think about it, Jack. With two of us, one can sleep while the other listens. If someone starts breaking in while you’re sleeping, I’ll wake you up.”
“No. No way in hell. Forget it.”
“Jack... I’m not Colette. You don’t have to protect me.”
“That’s not the point. I—”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. That’s exactly the reason. But you need my help, Jack. You can’t go all night without sleep. Not for more than one night, anyway. Let me help you. Please.”
Jack chewed his lip aggressively, feeling torn. Tina was right—it would be better to have two so one could watch while the other slept… but he didn’t want to put her in harm’s way. On the other hand, they would be waiting in ambush and the thieves won’t know they are there. On the third hand, so to speak, this may all be an exercise in futility and nothing would happen.
“Okay. But you take first watch… and if you hear anything… anything… you wake me up, okay?”
“Deal. Where are we going to sleep?”
“In the car.”
“Not very comfortable.”
“I never said it would be. You sure you don’t want me to drop you off at the motel?”
“No. We’ll just have to figure out some way to work out the kinks later.”
Jack snickered. “None of that. We have to be alert.”
***
“Jack!” Tina whispered through the open window of the car. “A truck just pulled up outside.”
Jack was instantly awake. It was a few minutes after one in the morning. “You were supposed to wake me at one,” he whispered as he quietly got out of the car.
“I was just going to when I heard the truck pull up. I listened a moment to see where they went. I think they stopped right outside, but I didn’t look. I was afraid they would see me.”
“That’s my girl. Okay, get in the car and keep your head down. No matter what happens, you stay in the car. When they get inside, hit the headlights, but if the shit really hits the fan, you start the car and haul ass out of here. Got it?”
“I can’t leave—”
“If the shit gets that deep, you won’t be leaving me. I will already be dead. You promised me, Tina.”
She fumed for a moment. “Okay,” she agreed. Now, whether or not I actually do it or not is another matter.
When the big roll-up door rattled, she squeaked, got into the car, and quietly shut the door before scooting down low in seat. It was dark in the warehouse and with Jack crouched by the passenger door, when the headlamps came on, the bad guys were going to be blinded and an easy target.
The door rattled again and then there was the shriek and groan of straining metal. The intruders worked at the door for several minutes as it resisted their attempts to break in. Finally, there was another shriek, followed by a loud bang that made her jump.
Everything was quiet for a moment and Tina began to think they had given up and gone away when the door at last rumbled up. She could see four shadowy figures enter inside, silhouetted against the brightness of the greater Los Angeles metropolis.
“Now,” Jack whispered, and Tina flipped on the headlamps. “First one to move, dies!” Jack declared as he stood, his Beretta M9 pistol pointed at the figures as they blinked into the glare.
“Don’t shoot, Jack!” called the man—the buyer’s agent that had been by earlier in the day—as all their hands went up.
“Who sent you?”
“I don’t know, man! Some guy! He said there were some cars in here. He sent us a picture of the two he wanted. When we got them, we were supposed to call him. That’s all we know!”
“Was it Goremykin?”
“I don’t know no Goremykin. That’s just the name he gave me. Maybe.”
“Did he sound Russian?”
“Kind of. Maybe. I don’t know what a Russian sounds like except in the movies! He sounded kind of like that.”
“What’s the number are you supposed to call him?”
“It’s on my phone.”
“Take it out… slowly. If you come out with anything other than your cell, all of you die—starting with you.”
The man reached very slowly into his pocket and carefully retrieved his phone before he held it up for Jack to see.
“Give me the number. Tina, write it down.” Albuquerque area code? What the fuck? he thought as the man read off the number.
“All of you. Take out your cells, put them on the floor, then step away and lay face down on the floor. Do it!” Jack barked when no one seemed inclined to move.
The four men lay down. “Don’t shoot us!” a second man begged.
“I’m only going to ask you this once. Are any of you armed? Don’t lie, because if you lie and I find a weapon I’m going to shoot all four of you.”
“I have a knife! I have a knife!”
“Anyone else? No? Okay. Where’s the knife?”
“My front pocket!”
“Nobody move,” Jack said as he stood over them. “If any of you so much as twitch, you’re all dead, so your lives are in each other’s hands. Tina! Call the number then bring me the phone. I want to speak with Goremykin.”
Tina dialed the number. “No answer.”
“When were you supposed to call?”
“As soon as we got the cars.”
Jack fumed for a moment, then kicked three of the four phones into a loose pile that he ground under foot. “If I so much as see your face again… I will kill you. Do I make myself clear?” he growled.
All four men nodded.
“On your hands and knees… you crawl out of here. Do not stand up until you reach the truck. When you reach the truck, stand up, get in, and drive away. If you do anything other than what I just said… well… let’s just say that with sixteen shots, I’m bound to hit at least a couple of you. Am I clear?”
Once again all four men nodded.
“Get moving. And remember… the only reason you are not dead already is I don’t want to have to clean up the mess.”
Tina smiled as Jack threatened the men. “Not wanting to clean up the mess” was the same phrase he used when he caught her breaking into clubhouse. She knew that Jack was an easy going, laid-back guy, but he could be scary as hell when he wanted to be… like now. The four men hurriedly began crawling away, not wanting to risk their asses by taking a stand.
“Hey, you… asshole,” Jack called, and all four men stopped. “What’s the code to unlock your phone?”
“I will have to show you.”
“Nobody move,” Jack said as he picked up the phone and carried with him to the man. He put his gun directly to the man’s head. “Stand up.”
The man stood and Jack handed him the phone. He drew the pattern to unlock the phone—a simple one, easily remembered. Jack took the phone from him. “Back on your knees.”
He followed the man down with his gun and then stepped back. “Okay. Get out of here.”
“Why did you let them go and why did you keep his phone?” Tina asked after the men drove away.
“They’re just punks. They aren’t worth the trouble to kill, and I didn’t want the police involved. I kept the phone because I am going to try Goremykin on it and see if he answers.”
“Did you notice the number has an Albuquerque area code?”
“Yeah. That worries me too. Why would a Russian have a New Mexico area code? Or an American phone number at all?”
“I don’t know. You don’t suppose…?”
“I know what you are thinking. And… I have to admit, it doesn’t look good. But who is it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know who to trust,” Tina lamented.