Hostile Witness (Sanctuary, Inc. #1)

Chapter 23

23

E than slid into the limo, rapping twice on the glass separating their Sanctuary driver from the back. The vehicle eased onto the country road and slowly pulled away. He glanced at Gus and nodded. The second he settled back into his seat, he sensed a stalemate in the negotiations.

Gus waved a finger in admonishment. “That was a terrible waste of a young woman’s life.” He tossed Romanov’s phone to Ethan. “Find me the wife’s number. This idiot here is being most uncooperative.”

Ethan scrolled Romanov’s contacts, most of whom were women. Nadia’s name had a little house icon next to it. He opened the contact and handed the phone to Gus. “Her name is Nadia. She’s at home with Aleksandr, his son, and Mariya, his daughter. The eldest daughter, Polina, is a junior in college nearby. Shall we pick her up first?”

The panicked flicker in Romanov’s eyes told him his information was spot-on.

Gus gave an evil chuckle. “No, we’ll save Polina for last and bring her to the boss as a special present. Let’s see what Romanov’s wife has to say about him.” With an exaggerated flair of his fingers, he tapped Nadia’s phone number. Romanov remained stoic, but the sweat pouring down his face spoke volumes.

A woman answered the phone in a burst of screaming Russian fury. “Pavel, there are men outside and two waiting in the foyer. What are they doing here? None of our guards are answering their phones.”

Ethan shook his head. The last time he’d heard a woman that upset was when he’d had a last-minute Sanctuary rescue on his wedding anniversary. He’d returned home to find a blanket and pillows on the couch. He found out later that that night was only one of the many times he’d disappointed his spouse. She had a list—a really long list—of infractions pertaining to him. Lesson learned. Marriage wasn’t for everybody... especially his ex.

Pavel leaned as far forward as his tethers would allow and addressed Gus. “You hurt my family, and I will kill you.”

Gus shrugged. “Where are the women we purchased?”

“You want a gang war? I’ll give you one. I have friends in high places who’ll squash you like a dirty cockroach.”

Gus raised his eyebrows. “Where are the women?” With the iciness of a chilled summer Chablis, he examined his nails and cracked a tight smile. “Those men won’t leave your house until I tell them to. Where are the women?”

“Give me your word you won’t touch my daughter Polina.”

“You’re not in a position to negotiate, Mr. Romanov. Where are my women?”

The phone line had grown quiet, and Nadia started to weep. “Tell them whatever they want to know, Pavel. I don’t know what you’ve done, but tell them what they want so you can come home to me and Polina stays safe. Please.”

Gus disconnected the call. “Where are my women?”

Romanov exhaled a deep breath. “At a campground on the west side.”

“Address.”

“I don’t know. It’s off I Ninety-Five. Boris does the driving.”

Ethan leaned forward in his seat. “You do realize we’ll question your family if you lie to us?” Maybe this guy didn’t give a crap about anyone. He’d just allowed one of his employees to supposedly die in the woods.

Mac chimed in via their earpiece. “Tell him we have Polina. She’s at a friend’s house in Fort Lauderdale.”

Ethan pretended to scroll on his phone. He held it up for Gus to see. “They found Polina. She’s with a friend in Florida.”

“No, stop.” Romanov sat up straight.

Good call on Mac’s part. Polina was obviously Romanov’s Achilles’ heel. “Address?”

“I only know the place by sight, no address. They’re not at the campground but in a blue warehouse at the south end of the airport. It’s easy to find. I’ll recognize it.”

Ethan rapped once on the bulletproof glass, and it slid open. “South end of the airport.” The driver picked up speed and swung onto a ramp for 95 South a few minutes later.

With Romanov stammering directions, the limo wound through the myriad of buildings, cruising to a stop at a dark-blue warehouse. Mac’s crew and the Feds had followed their vehicle from a safe distance.

His heavy eyebrows raised, Gus inquired, “This is it?”

“Yes. Your five women are in a produce truck inside. They have red numbers on their backs. Leave the rest of my pretty merchandise alone. Someone comes to take care of them twice a day.”

Ethan’s stomach clenched at Romanov’s words. Women and children weren’t merchandise to be stored in a dank truck in a warehouse. What kind of human being did such things to people, women no less? He glanced at Romanov’s face and it was a mask of stone.

Gus tapped Ethan’s arm. “Go get our women. I’ll watch him.”

He stepped into the cool night air laced with fumes and breathed deeply. Mac’s van hurried from the access road to the warehouse door. It only took a minute and a pair of bolt cutters to gain access to the building and the fruit truck. Mac notified the barrage of Feds, local law enforcement, and medical personnel waiting nearby to take control of the scene.

A few minutes later, Gus stepped out of the limo, turning Romanov over to the FBI.

Romanov’s mouth started hurling accusations. “You killed my employee, you bastard. I’ll tell them everything.”

Ethan snickered. “Go right ahead.” Of course, the Feds already knew that he had staged Lana’s supposed execution to extract her from Romanov’s organization.

Several ambulances pulled in. Two doctors jogged by with medical bags. One of them yelled for stretchers and pointed at the building. “The FBI says there are twenty-one women in there, ages twelve to late twenties. We need more ambulances and a chopper. One of them has lower abdominal pain. She needs immediate evacuation.”

Ethan bent over, bracing his hands on his knees. Twenty-one women. Maybe he should go inside and help?

No. He wasn’t what they needed now. They needed medical attention. And experience had taught him not to look at their faces. Their terrorized expressions stayed with him. It was enough knowing each of them would have the opportunity to go back to their life or build a new one. He’d done his job.

Mac’s voice crackled in his earpiece. “This scene belongs to the Feds now. Let’s go, gentlemen. A black limo waits across the parking lot to take us to the airport. I, for one, could really use a strong coffee. Move it.”

Ethan peered beyond the chaotic bustle of the medics and caught Mac’s wave. A gurney rumbled past, transporting a crying woman with red hair. His mind instantly switched to Tia. Naw, she’s fine. The guys watching her house would make sure of that. He glanced at his watch. 3:37 a.m. One of the things he missed about being in a relationship was talk time after a night like this. Someone to unwind with.

This was one hell of a second job. Twenty-one women. One would’ve made it worth it.