Catch Me If You Can Read online

  Chapter Six

  Shane waited in the car and kept an eye on Rachel as she used a payphone to call her friends. By the agitated way she kept wrapping the phone cord around her wrist, it didn’t look like she was having a lot of luck reaching them. If Angelo Valentine had put a hit out on Rachel’s friends, Shane felt sure they didn’t have much of a chance for survival. But he wasn’t going to be the one to say so.

  They were stopped at a gas station on the Texas/Oklahoma border. It was the last place to get gas for more than two hours, but Shane had another reason for stopping. He wanted to see if the beige sedan he’d spotted in his rearview mirror was really following them. Shane tried to get a good look at the driver, but the sedan motored past them without giving them a glance.

  Rachel got back into the Explorer and Shane thought she looked close to tears. She’d had a rough twenty-four hours, and it wasn’t over yet. Neither of them had slept and their clothes were torn and dirty.

  “You can try to call them again once we find a place to stay for the night,” Shane said.

  “I know. It’s just that they’re clueless as to what I’ve gotten them involved in, and they have no way of protecting themselves. It was stupid of me not to cut all ties completely, but I couldn’t face leaving everything and everyone I’ve ever known behind all at once.”

  Her words struck a chord with Shane. Isn’t that exactly what he’d done after his wife had died and he’d left the FBI? He hadn’t spoken to any of his friends since the funeral. Wildcat, Dixon, Cutter, Jax, Doc and Merlin—men who had guarded his back and been there for him in the toughest of times. He’d turned his back on them all. He’d packed up his meager belongings and left Washington without looking back. He’d picked New Orleans simply by closing his eyes and pointing to a place on the map. Guilt and shame crept its way over him and he promised himself then and there that he’d make amends as soon as Rachel Valentine was safe.

  It was full dark as they crossed the border and headed north through Oklahoma. The silence was heavy, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Shane figured it would be close to midnight by the time they reached Tulsa. It was the closest city he knew of that would have a place to eat and an available motel. It was risky stopping for the night, but Rachel couldn’t go on much longer. And even though he could go on as long as the mission required, sleep and food would fuel his body and keep him alert.

  “Did you get in touch with your FBI friend?” Rachel asked, breaking the silence.

  That was another reason Shane had wanted to stop before they entered a new state. He knew his calls to Jones Daugherty at FBI Headquarters in Chicago would be traced. And he’d been right. He’d heard the clicks on the other end of the line that told him the call was being traced, and as soon as Wildcat had come on the line the conversation had been short and sweet.

  “Yeah, I used the payphone while you were in the bathroom. Jones gave me a private number to call as soon as we get to a place I can talk for awhile. He could tell I was in a hurry and needed to get off the line before they could pinpoint a location.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you sure you can trust this guy? How do you know he isn’t the informant working on the inside for Uncle Angelo?”

  “Some things you just know. Wildcat has saved my life on more than one occasion and I’ve saved his. I’d trust him with my life and yours, too. He’s good people.”

  “I guess that’s good enough for me,” she said.

  “Why don’t you try to get some sleep,” Shane said. “We’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”

  “Are you kidding me? As soon as we crossed the border into Oklahoma I’ve felt like we were in that movie.”

  “Lost Highway?”

  “No, Deliverance. I haven’t seen a town, a streetlight, a restaurant or another car for hours. It’s like we’ve entered into the Twilight Zone. And I don’t mean to be a pest, but I haven’t eaten anything since lunch and I’m starving. I know you’re a macho tough guy and could probably sustain yourself by picking grass from the side of the road, but us weaklings have to have real sustenance.”

  “Like a cheeseburger?” Shane asked, laughing as her stomach picked that moment to rumble loudly.

  “Yeah, a cheeseburger would be good.”

  “We’ll be in Tulsa before too long. We can stop there and grab a bite to eat before bunking down for the night.”

  Shane settled back into comfortable silence and looked out into the night. He’d been all over the world, and it always amazed him to see how different the sky looked. He’d been in third world countries and drug-run jungles, but he’d never seen a sky as black as the one over him right now. No stars shone in the sky and the moon was just a sliver of pale dust. The land wasn’t cluttered with modern technology—no oil wells, power lines, self-service gas stations or cell phone service. It was just open, empty land.

  Almost an hour had passed in silence when Rachel sat up in her seat and squealed. It wasn’t a sound he’d heard before, and he was already checking the rearview mirror and increasing their speed, his gun clutched comfortably in his right hand while he searched for danger.

  “Oh, my God,” she said, pulling on his shirt sleeve like a child. “Do you see it?”

  “See what?” he asked, wondering if she was hallucinating because of lack of sleep.

  “The lights. All the glorious lights,” she said. “Stay with me, Quincy. The lights mean there’s civilization—food, a shower, a soft bed. Don’t tell me you’re not excited about the prospects that lie ahead of us. Tulsa is my new favorite city.”

  Shane didn’t want to think about Rachel Valentine and a soft bed in the same sentence together. Which posed another problem. How the hell he was going to share a room with her? Even after everything she’d been through in the last twenty-four hours, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He had it bad.

  “Step on it man. Your client is hungry and in need of a shower. And you did say you always try to please the client.”

  “Yes, maam,” Shane said. He was lighter of heart than he’d been in a long time, and it was all because he was on the run from a madman with a woman he was afraid he could fall in love with. It was fortunate he had no plans to go down that path, or he’d be in real trouble.

  ***

  Rachel’s stomach rumbled again as Shane pulled into the lot of a twenty-four hour diner attached to what could at best be called a “seedy” motel—minus the “M.” Jake’s otel was as basic as you could get. It was a rectangle of sandy-colored, crumbling brick trimmed with turquoise paint. There were two floors and twenty-four rooms with stairs at each end, and each room had one window. A soft drink machine sat in the middle of the sidewalk with an “out of order” sign taped to it.

  “You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Quincy.”

  “That’s what they tell me. But this will have to do until Jones can supply me with some more cash.”

  “My eyes are going to be closed anyway, so it’s not like I’ll actually see the roaches crawling around on the floor.”

  “That’s the spirit,” he said.

  They got out of the Explorer and headed toward the diner. “It’s getting colder,” Rachel said, rubbing her bare arms.

  The wind had picked up and the air smelled of ozone. Static lay heavy in the air. “Looks like we’ll get a thunderstorm before the night’s over. I hope Jake’s otel can handle a little rain.”

  The diner was empty when they went inside. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead and cracked vinyl booths with scarred Formica tabletops lined the walls. The floor was black and white checked squares, dingy with what looked liked years of scuff marks and soda spills.

  A lone waitress with bottle thick glasses and permed brown hair that frizzed away from her face sat perched on a stool behind the register. Her age was somewhere between thirty-five and sixty-five. The lights weren’t flattering. She was doing a crossword puzzle and gave them no more than a cursory glance when they entered
. Her sigh of annoyance could be heard all over the restaurant.

  “How you folks doin’ tonight,” she said as she grabbed a couple of greasy menus and led them to a corner booth.

  “Fine, thank you,” Rachel said politely.

  “The name’s Nadine. Coffee’s fresh and bottomless if you want it. Or we got other stuff.”

  “Coffee’s fine with me,” Shane answered.

  “Just water for me,” Rachel said. “And I already know I want the biggest cheeseburger you have with a side of fries.”

  “Make that two,” Shane said, before the waitress had a chance to lay the greasy menu in front of him.

  “Comin’ right out, folks,” Nadine said and shuffled away.

  “I’m going to wash up in the bathroom and see if I can find a phone to use,” Rachel said. “I won’t rest easy until I get in touch Cleo and Randy and know they’re safe.”

  Shane waited until she disappeared and moved to a position where he could see both the bathroom and the front doors. The parking lot was still empty other than the green Explorer, but he didn’t want t take any chances. He pulled out a slip of paper from his wallet that held the number Jones had given him earlier that evening and he used one of the disposable cell phones.

  “What the hell have you gotten involved in, Ace?” Jones Daugherty asked as he came on the line. Ace had been Shane’s nickname in the Marines because of his ability to hit his target with complete accuracy.

  “You’re name’s come up with a red flag all over the FBI. Word has it your apartment building was torched, your business was destroyed and you’re wanted for questioning as a person of interest in the murder of a high profile attorney in Dallas. And all because of a woman. Sounds like you should have stayed in the FBI. Going independent has obviously made you forget how to follow the rules.”

  “Yeah, well, you shouldn’t listen to gossip. And I was never that good at following rules, anyway.”

  “I know that better than anyone,” Jones said with a laugh.

  “As far as what you’ve heard, my apartment wasn’t damaged in the fire, it was my neighbor’s. Insurance will cover the damage to my business and somebody else had already killed the lawyer before we got there. But I can confirm a hundred percent that it all happened because of a woman.”

  “Tell me,” Wildcat ordered.

  “Rachel Valentine is in my protection, and let’s just say that her uncle doesn’t think that’s such a good idea. And after our trip to Dallas, I’m beginning to think someone in the FBI doesn’t think it’s such a good idea either.”

  Nothing but silence greeted Shane from the other end. “You still there, Wildcat?”

  “I’ve done an internal investigation on every agent in the Bureau who was ever involved with the Valentines. You know how big that list is. You were on the original task force.”

  Shane winced. “Don’t remind me.”

  “I’ve found no evidence that there’s someone working for Angelo Valentine on the inside. And believe me, I’ve looked. I’ve looked hard.”

  “Just keep your eyes open.”

  “Roger, that. Where are you now?”

  “We’re in Tulsa for the night, but we’ll head out early in the morning. I’ve got to figure out some way to get Rachel to the bank in Chicago and get the papers out of her lock box before anyone knows we’re there.”

  “Fat chance of that happening. I’ve heard it through the grapevine that people are expecting you to show up here eventually. You’ll have to be a ghost to get past Angelo’s men, not to mention the FBI alert that’s out on you.”

  “I don’t suppose you’d be inclined to help an old friend?” Shane asked.

  “What, and risk losing this glamorous job? I could probably be persuaded to help you out. But it’ll cost you. And you might not like the favor when it comes down to it.”

  “You always were a perverse bastard,” Shane said. “But you leave me with no choice but to agree. And look on the bright side. If you get fired I’ll even find a place for you on my staff. My secretary is getting close to retirement. How are your typing skills?”

  Shane smiled as Jones laughed and uttered a crude suggestion. “In all seriousness, Wildcat, I really appreciate your help. You don’t owe me anything. I haven’t exactly been the greatest friend over the last couple of years, but I’m grateful all the same.”

  “What the hell kind of Dr. Phil psychobabble is that? I expect a man is inclined to go off on his own every now and then. There are some things in the world that change and some things that don’t. Try to remember that. Now tell me what you need me to do.”

  Shane felt the grip of guilt release around his heart. He’d been afraid his lack of interest in his friends, hell, his lack of interest in life after his wife’s death had screwed things up with Wildcat past the point of no return. But Wildcat was acting like the years hadn’t passed at all, and Shane was grateful.

  “Well, for starters, I need guns and plenty of ammunition. I’ll also need a couple of Flak jackets and infrared goggles. You know what I prefer. And I need enough cash to buy basic supplies and get us where we need to go.”

  “Anything else?” Jones asked.

  “I need to take a look at the files you’ve collected on each agent working the Valentine case. The insider is there somewhere, and Rachel will never be safe as long as that person is running around. I also need a safe house if you’ve got one available close enough to Chicago so the trip can be made in less than an hour. It’ll give us a place to stay until I figure out what the hell we’re going to do.”

  “If anyone finds out about this you know my ass is grass,” Jones said, “but I’ll see what I can do. Give me till noon tomorrow. You should be able to make it to St. Louis, Missouri by then if you leave at dawn. I’ll meet you in the parking lot of the Galleria just outside of Nordstrom. They’re doing a lot of construction and the lot will be crowded. I’ll be in a black Tahoe.”

  The line went dead and Shane slipped the phone into his pocket. Rachel took her seat across from him and he could tell by the look on her face that she still hadn’t been able to get in touch with her friends.

  “No luck?” he asked. Nadine took that moment to deliver their cheeseburgers and refill his coffee.

  “No, just an answering machine at both places. I didn’t leave a message.”

  Shane took a bite of his food. Grease dripped onto his plate, and he watched Rachel try to avoid the same problem by cutting hers in half. Grease dripped down her chin and onto her arm at the first bite.

  “I don’t want to hear a word,” she said, laughing. “I’m hungry enough to not care about what’s in this burger.”

  When they were finished Shane pulled out his wallet and left enough to cover the check and a tip. “Let’s see what our neighborhood motel has to offer.”

  They walked outside to the Explorer and drove around the diner and the motel to the front office. The city was silent and the streets empty. Cars were scattered sporadically in the parking lot, enough to tell Shane that Jake’s otel probably did a lot of business by the hour. A lone streetlight glowed yellow in the parking lot, and a flashing neon sign declared vacancies.

  Lightning streaked across the sky and the first rumbles of thunder grumbled in the distance.

  Shane opened the cracked glass door of the office and ushered Rachel in front of him. The smell of stale cigarettes and burnt coffee was overwhelming. A small black and white T.V. sat in the corner with foil wrapped around the antennae and the volume turned all the way down. A man sat in a threadbare recliner and didn’t take his eyes away from the screen as the bell rang above the door.

  “Excuse me,” Shane said as the man continued to sit in his chair and stare at the T.V. “We’d like a room for the night.”

  “It’s thirty-seven fifty for the night. Twenty for an hour. Sign your name in the book, and take a key off the hook. Checkout’s at eleven.”

  Sometimes things worked out the way they were supposed to, Shane thought. He
wouldn’t even have to bribe the man to keep their names out of the register. Shane left two twenty’s on the counter and didn’t bother signing the book. He took the key off the hook for the room at the very end on the bottom floor. Room number twenty-three. It was hidden behind two large dumpsters and would give them a little coverage if they had to make a sudden exit.

  Shane didn’t bother to thank the guy as they left the musty office. He left the Explorer parked where it was so as not to give their room location away and grabbed a small sack of toiletries and two clean shirts (one in each of their sizes) he’d bought when he’d stopped at the Wal-Mart in Texas to buy clothes for Rachel.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve got clean sheets in that little sack, do you?” Rachel asked.

  “Nope. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, a hair brush, deodorant and clean shirts. No sheets.”

  “Darn. I hate to tell you this, but I don’t think I’m brave enough to stay in Jake’s otel. Maybe we could find a nice cardboard box in an alley somewhere.”

  “Think of it as an adventure. If you can survive the night here, then you can survive the mob.” Shane stuck the key in the lock and pushed open the door. The air inside the room was stuffy and stale. He flicked on the light switch and immediately wished he could take back the action.

  “I’ve always thought hot pink and turquoise compliment each other,” Rachel said.

  Shane shut the door behind him and immediately locked the deadbolt and put on the chain. He pulled the curtains closed so no outside glare from the street lights was let in. “What about the brown and orange bedspread. What does that compliment?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure that bedspread would compliment the flames I’d like to burn it with.”

  The room was barely large enough to hold the furniture inside. A large king-size bed dominated the room and a small table and chairs sat in the corner. A small door led into a closet-sized bathroom and there were hooks on the wall to hang clothes instead of a closet.