Ash Reckoning Read online

  Chapter 21

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  Bellucci turned into Ash’s complex. His eyes quickly searched the night shadows, looking for danger lurking in every nook and cranny. It was dark, almost nine o’clock. Deanna’s shift ended at nine.

  “No problem.”

  He noticed Desmond’s lights were on. The pawn shop owner’s car sat in the usual spot. That reminded him that his pickup was way out in Royce City. Getting it back would be a problem.

  Bellucci rolled to a stop near the stairs up to his apartment. They looked up to see yellow police crime scene tape still blocking access to his door.

  “Do you want me to drop you off somewhere else? Maybe a nice motel?”

  Ash stared at the crime scene tape. In all of the excitement, it hadn’t occurred to him that the police would deny him access to his own apartment. With the loss of his car, he couldn’t drive out to the farm. He damn sure didn’t want the cops knowing about that place, even if Bellucci would drive that far.

  He did have an Uber account under a fake name. It would be easy enough to get a lift out to the farm without alerting the authorities, or the bad guys. But he realized he didn’t really want to spend the night alone.

  “I’ll call my girlfriend to pick me up,” he said.

  “Good. Stay out of trouble,” Bellucci said. She caught and held his eyes. “I mean it. Let us do our job and find those men. You just lay low until I tell you it’s safe.”

  She looked serious. He wanted to make a joke, but thought better of it.

  “Easier said than done,” he said. “I was laying low when they found me.”

  Maybe not as low as he should’ve been. After Osorio’s death, Ash had pretty much rejoined the world around him. He didn’t pay cash all the time anymore, or use gift cards. He stopped trying to limit his digital footprint. What was there to hide from? His life’s mission had been successfully completed.

  “Are you sure you don’t know why they are gunning for you?”

  Ash really felt the hard drive in his back right pocket at that moment. Inside was the answer to this particular question. Again, he considered giving Bellucci the drive and letting her do her thing. Her skills had impressed him in the past. She and Boone had found and cleared that Gaytan guy really quickly, too.

  “All I know is what I overheard,” he said. “It all goes back to when I worked for an insurance company. You could contact my old employer and get copies of the cases I handled. But I can’t think of any case that might lead someone to come after me like this.”

  He got out, but leaned back in. “I’ll give you a bit of advice, too.”

  She stiffened. “Oh?”

  “Lose the lavender jacket. It’s too soft and feminine,” he said. Her eyes widened. “Wear dark colors. Black. A black leather blazer would tell the world you’re a badass.”

  Her jaw dropped and he grinned.

  “Okay, you’re joking.”

  “Not entirely,” he said. “That color doesn’t inspire fear.”

  Bellucci’s eyes raked his body. “I should take fashion advice from you?”

  Ash laughed. “Good night. And thanks, Bellucci.”

  He watched her drive away before producing his phone. Pulling up Deanna’s number, he tapped it to call her. She answered on the second ring.

  “Hey, baby,” she purred.

  “Is that how your momma taught you to answer the phone?”

  “No, that’s how you motivate me to answer.”

  “Wow,” he said. “Now for the bad news. I need you to pick me up after work. My car got stolen today.”

  “I’m so sorry, Ash! You are having the worst week, aren’t you? First those awful men break into your apartment and trash it, and now this…”

  “I know. I just finished speaking with a Dallas police detective,” he said. Not exactly a lie, right? “But they aren’t letting me back into my apartment yet. Mind if I stay over at your place tonight?”

  “Of course. Anything, baby,” she said. “I’m about to get off work. Where do I find you? The Beer Shack?”

  He glanced at Desmond’s apartment. His first thought was to pay his neighbor a visit and see how he was doing. But a beer sounded even better.

  “Yes.”

  She giggled. “Then we can discuss the dangers of alcoholism.”

  They laughed and said their goodbyes. Ash headed for the Beer Shack even before ending the call. It was a nice night, perfect for a stroll to clear his head. He considered his predicament and options. There weren’t many until he figured out why they were after him.

  The Beer Shack was packed. It was Dollar Draft Wednesday. Ash found a stool at the bar. Jim Bob brought over a beer and a scotch chaser without him asking.

  “You’re the best bartender ever,” Ash said.

  “I have a boss who inspires me to excel,” Jim Bob said.

  “Your wife?”

  “No. Reba Jo’s great. Mortgage company,” he said. “They’ll take my house if I don’t pay them.”

  “They’re monsters,” Ash agreed.

  “Who’s a monster?” Chloe asked as she sidled up to the bar. “Two Miller Lites, Daddy.” Jim Bob’s daughter turned back to Ash. “Are you talking about the men that attacked you in your apartment?”

  “No,” he replied, not wanting to talk to her about it. “By the way, how come you only have one name? Your hick father is Jim Bob and your wonderful mother is Reba Jo, but your just plain ole Chloe.”

  “You’re wrong, Mr. Smarty-pants,” she said. “My name is actually Chloe Jo.” His jaw dropped. “I know! Right? Who does that to their one and only daughter?”

  “It’s a beautiful name,” Jim Bob said, returning with the two beers. He looked at Ash. “All of the women in my wife’s family have the middle name Jo. It’s a family tradition, you ungrateful brat.”

  She giggled and left to deliver her beers. Jim Bob had to go help other patrons at the bar. Ash sat there contemplating his problems, enjoying his beer and scotch, eventually losing track of time. Deanna surprised him by tapping on his shoulder.

  “Shouldn’t you be spending every spare moment with your brother?” Deanna asked.

  “What? No. He’s busy with his convention and networking, and other stuff,” he said. She knew that. “We’ll see him Sunday for lunch, before taking him back to the airport.” Then he looked around. “What time is it?”

  “Late. I got here as fast as I could. You’re not drunk yet, are you?”

  He smiled at her. “No, unfortunately. Dammit.”

  They hugged and kissed. She waved at Jim Bob and then hugged Chloe who came over. Then Deanna winked at Ash.

  “Hey, big guy, wanna go home with little ol’ me?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  “Good. Let’s go. I’m hungry,” Deanna said.

  “They serve food here.”

  Deanna gave him a look to curl his toes. “Not what I’m hungry for.”

  “Help me, I’m scared,” he teased.

  “You should be. After the day I’ve had, I need lots of good loving to remind me there’s still good in this world.”

  Even though her Nissan Altima reminded him of the assassins’ Maxima, Ash kept the conversation light and playful during the drive over to her apartment. He offered to buy her dinner, but Deanna had something other than food on her mind.

  Ash scanned the parking lot when they arrived. He didn’t see anyone out and about, or his stolen Mazda. He really missed the feel of the Glock holstered under his belt in back.

  “Is there something wrong?” she asked.

  “Why do you ask that?”

  “You look like someone is about to leap out of the bushes,” she said.

  “They might,” he said. “You should be more careful. There are a lot of bad people in this world and they prey on good people like you.”

  “Well, this conversation got dark really fast.”

  She pulled into her assigned parking space. He leaned
over and kissed her cheek.

  “I’m sorry. You know my history,” he said. “I’m a suspicious character.”

  “I suspected as much,” she said before snorting back a wan chuckle. “I love you to death, but sometimes you scare me.”

  “Sometimes I scare myself,” he muttered with a shrug. “I’m just trying to protect you. I love you, baby. You’ve given me a reason to live, a reason to love life again.”

  “Aww, that’s so sweet,” she said, opening her door. “Love you.”

  She got out before he could reply, so quickly slipped out as well. Standing, he looked over the car at her grinning face.

  “I love you more,” Ash said.

  She opened her mouth to reply. Stopped. Bit her lip. “Prove it.”

  Ash took her by the hand, “My pleasure.”

  He led Deanna to her apartment, and then straight to the bedroom.

  Chapter 22

  All was well with the world.

  Ash was on his back, Deanna snuggling against him. The AC felt good on his hot, flushed skin. She felt even better, hot and sweaty, curled up against him.

  “I’ve been looking for a better paying job,” Deanna whispered. “I’ve found a few, but all out of state.”

  “Really? I thought being a Texan was a cult thing. No one ever leaves.”

  Deanna propped herself up on an elbow and gave him a haughty look.

  “I told you it’s a religion, not a cult.” She giggled. “I’ll be doing missionary work out of state, officially speaking. But I bring this up because you’re not tied to Dallas or Texas. So, what do you think about Anchorage, Alaska? Or Tucson, Arizona? Or, best of all, Savannah, Georgia?”

  “Not Atlanta?”

  Ash had vacationed in Georgia before, but up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A log cabin in the mountains really appealed to him.

  “No. Savannah’s on the coast. Beach house, baby,” she purred.

  The mountain cabin dream died. Well, put on hold.

  “On a nurse’s pay?” he teased. “Or do they pay that well in Savannah?”

  “I’ve never bought a house. Price never occurred to me,” she said. Deanna brought out her pouty lip. “Now I have the sads.”

  He pressed her back into the rumpled sheets and kissed her pout away.

  “You’re right. I’m not tied to any one place. Anchorage is too cold. Don’t even think about it. Tucson? Interesting, but very hot in the summer. I don’t care what they say about dry heat. But I’m a California boy, so I like the beach. Savannah sounds great.”

  Deanna’s face lit up. “Then you’ll follow me if I go?”

  “To Savannah? Yes. Anchorage, well I’d have to reevaluate your decision-making capabilities first, and then your sanity.”

  Ash dug his fingers into her ribs. Deanna squealed, wiggled, and giggled. She tried to escape, but Ash held her down and tickled her some more.

  “Uncle! Mercy! I surrender!” she cried. He relented. “Just to let you know, the Alaska job pays better.”

  Ash threatened her with his tickle fingers. Her eyes widened.

  “The cost of living is higher. And it’s colder.”

  Deanna held his eyes a long, sizzling moment. A big smile spread across her beautiful face, and then she bit her lip.

  “But you’d go up there with me,” she said. “Because you looove me.”

  “Hey now, let’s not get carried away.”

  “You looove me.”

  He laughed. “I do, but I’d love you a lot more in a warmer climate. Dallas is too cold for me in the winter.”

  “Okay. Alaska is too cold. Let’s eliminate Tucson for being too hot,” Deanna said. “Savannah is just right. Pool our money and it’s beach house bliss.”

  Ash shook his head woefully. She was going to be so disappointed when she looked at the prices of beach houses. He was comfortable, but not that comfortable.

  “Don’t get your hopes up too much,” he said. “We can probably live close to the beach.”

  “Yes!”

  Deanna surged up, knocked Ash onto his back, and straddled him. Then she smothered him with kisses.

  “This is awesome. I’ll apply for the job first thing,” she said. “Since we’ll be living together in Savannah, you might as well move in with me here. Your apartment is trashed anyway.”

  “Yeah,” he said, his joy bleeding away.

  Bad players were looking for him with deadly intent. Every time he was with Deanna, it put her in harm’s way. They’d already tracked him down twice. The last thing he wanted was them showing up at her place, guns blazing.

  “Okay, if we’re moving to Savannah, then I need to settle some things first,” he said before rolling out of bed.

  “Now?”

  “Yes. If not now, when?” he said, starting to dress. Ash picked up his phone, pulling up the Uber app to get a ride. “This might take a few days, but once I’m done I can pack up and go at any time.”

  She looked confused. He tried to act calm and confident, but he was pretty sure she saw through his charade.

  “What’s the matter? The prospect of a more permanent relationship with me? Fear of possible marriage?”

  “No. No, I love you,” he said. Their eyes locked and their gaze sizzled. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know I want to share it with you. I can’t see me without you.”

  “Then why are you suddenly freaking out?”

  He paused. Okay, maybe he wasn’t acting as calm and collected as he thought. He had to protect her, but without making her panic.

  “I just have to… divest myself of some assets,” he said. “And eliminate the last relics of my former life.”

  Her eyes widened. “Does this have anything to do with the people who robbed your apartment? Are you fighting drug smugglers again?”

  “No. Absolutely not,” he said. Not as far as he knew, anyway. “I’m working with the police on that problem. In fact, I spent a good part of the afternoon talking to the police detective looking into it. And other home invasions.”

  Deanna studied him with suspicious eyes. “I don’t know. As soon as I mention moving in together, you’re all, There are things I have to do. Is there a problem I don’t know about?”

  “No.”

  “Ash…”

  “There’s nothing wrong between us, I promise you that.”

  “You’re in trouble,” she said. “Talk to me, Ash. I can help. We’re together now and we’ll deal with any problems together.”

  He thought of the two men still coming after him. They had cold, competent eyes. Deanna could not deal with killers like that. He wouldn’t allow it.

  “Don’t worry, baby,” Ash said. “Just give me a few days. When I come back, we can move forward with nothing holding us back.”

  He prayed he wasn’t lying.

  Chapter 23

  The chartered jet taxied toward them. Carpenter and Kurt watched calmly beside their new rental. The dark green Land Rover was more to Steinberg’s tastes and had been leased per an e-mail from Fiona.

  “How rich is he?” Kurt asked.

  Carpenter shrugged. “He claims to be a billionaire, but some disagree.”

  Steinberg was rich enough it didn’t matter if he crossed that particular threshold or not in Carpenter’s book. It was all gravy after a hundred million.

  The Gulfstream stopped outside the hangar and charter service personal came over to help making sure the stairs came down properly. Carpenter straightened his suit jacket before heading to the base of the stairs to greet their current employer. The two ex-Marines naturally assumed the “at ease” position while they waited.

  And Steinberg made them wait, too.

  Ten minutes after the plane had come to a stop, an attractive flight attendant stepped out and looked around. Then she stepped aside when Steinberg appeared in the door. He shook her hand before descending to the tarmac.

  Steinberg dressed casually, which for Steinberg meant sans necktie. A cigarette dangl
ed from his lips as he approached.

  “You have everything?”

  He took a last drag off his cigarette and dropped the still burning butt between Carpenter’s feet.

  Carpenter internally recoiled at Steinberg’s brusqueness. He scrutinized the tall, handsome businessman. Steinberg was an inch or so taller and had an athletic body and perfectly coiffed hair with distinguished gray temples. Word was that he’d become quite the playboy since his wife’s untimely death. And he never lost his cool.

  “We followed him to a pair of storage units, where he pulled out a desktop computer,” Carpenter said. “We got the computer. You’re here to confirm it has the files.”

  “A desktop?” Steinberg asked, scowling. “Fine. Take me to it.”

  They piled into the Land Rover after Steinberg’s luggage was placed in the back. Kurt drove, with Carpenter riding shotgun. The Fort Worth Alliance Airport sat north of the city so they had a little drive to the Airbnb they’d moved to since Wexler had found their original hideout.

  They drove east to Flower Mound, and then down to Grapevine Lake. Their Airbnb was lakefront, with a southern exposure, and surrounded by trees. There was a short dock with a speedboat and a jet ski. The actual house was a three bedroom, two bath mid-century ranch, and Carpenter assumed it pre-dated the lake. Otherwise, it was an odd choice for a lake house.

  Steinberg gave the place a doubtful look before heading for the front door. Carpenter and Kurt paused, glanced at the luggage in the back, then at each other, and finally shook their heads before following him.

  Once inside, Steinberg nodded in appreciation. “This is much larger than I thought, and nicely decorated.”

  The owners had recently renovated the place, giving it an open floor plan and a gourmet kitchen. The island alone was larger than some people’s kitchens. White cabinets and marble countertops finished it out. The family room was tastefully furnished with a top of the line leather couch and two recliners facing a seventy-five-inch television mounted over the stone fireplace. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and doors gave them a beautiful view of the pool and lake beyond.

  “Very nice indeed,” Steinberg said. “Put my baggage in the master bedroom while I take a look at Wexler’s computer.”