THE BODYGUARD
Donna McIntosh
Erotic Romance
Secret Cravings Publishing
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A Secret Cravings Publishing Book
Erotic Romance
THE BODYGUARD
Copyright © 2012 Donna McIntosh
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61885-182-6
First E-book Publication: February 2012
Cover design by Dawne Dominique
Edited by T. Hayes
Proofread by Julie Reilly
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Secret Cravings Publishing
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part,
without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or
dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Secret Cravings Publishing
Dedication
To Ed McIntosh who always encouraged my writing and taught me to never give up.
THE BODYGUARD
Donna McIntosh
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
"Son of a fucking bitch!" Matthew raged. "Do you have any idea what you're asking?" He
paced the floor of the Director's office. "He's probably in more danger with me than with anyone
else."
"I repeat." Director Loman removed her glasses for emphasis. "You will fly to Hong Kong;
you will do whatever is necessary to secure Nicholas Kehr’s release from prison. You will find
some place, I don't care where, and you will babysit Nicholas Kehr for however long it takes! Or
you can turn in your badge and gun right now."
"Shit!" he fumed. "And just how long is this…assignment supposed to last?"
"Unknown. It depends how long it takes to get a court date set."
"Why don't we save the tax payers some money and let him rot in Hong Kong?"
"Because he is going to testify for us in a very important case. Without his testimony, we
have no case at all."
"What case would that be?"
"That's on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know. You just need to keep an eye
on him until he's needed."
"There’s no trial date set yet?"
"We're hoping to hear something this week. In the mean time, you find some hole to crawl
into for a couple of months."
"A couple of months?" Matt bent over with both hands flat on Loman's desk, furious.
"Who knows how long these things can take? I'll put out a notice that you're on personal
leave for the time being."
"Now wait a minute here, I haven't accepted this assignment yet."
"Matthew, get a grip! Who else would you suggest could handle this job? That wimp Stiles?
Or maybe Shoemaker?" She leaned back in her chair. She had him now and they both knew it.
They didn't have another AD willing, or agent capable, of such an assignment.
"Shit!" Matt resumed his pacing. "What about Collins? Or Lawrence? Either of them could
handle something like this, and they don't have the history with Kehr that I do."
"Collins broke his ankle a few weeks ago and is still on crutches, and Lawrence and his wife
are expecting a baby in two weeks."
He was nailed and he knew it.
"Here's your plane tickets, credit cards, new IDs, and private cell phone. I expect you to
keep in touch at least once a week."
Matt glanced through the packet handed to him.
"Dallas, Mexico City, Sydney, Tokyo, is all this really necessary?" he asked, flipping
through the tickets.
"It is. And you'll change identities at each location. You know the routine." She slipped her
glasses back on and returned to her work, effectively dismissing him.
He stood for a moment longer, silently cursing her, then turned and headed for the door.
"The plane for Dallas leaves at eight thirty-seven tonight. Be on it." She picked up her phone
and punched in a number.
Matt exited the room, angry and disgusted with himself, vowing never to request field work
again.
He squared things away in his office and left. His secretary had been away from her desk
when he returned from Loman's office, probably all part of the plan with no questions asked. He
stopped on his way home and had dinner, no telling when he would have another decent meal.
Finally packed, he locked everything up and headed out the door.
The airport was crowded, as usual, but he made his way onto the plane, found his seat, and
settled in. Finding a John Grisham paperback in the net storage compartment in front of him, he
read until his eyes became heavy, dozing the rest of the way until awakened by a jerk of the
plane as the landing gear lowered. A short time later, they landed.
He retrieved his carry-on bag from the overhead compartment and started down the aisle. A
young man in a cowboy hat, who had been sitting across from him, called out, the John Grisham
book in hand, "Sir, you forgot your book." Matt tried explaining it wasn't his book but the crowd
carried them down the aisle, so he pocketed the book and forgot about it.
In the restroom at DFW airport, Matt entered a stall, hung his bag on the door, then off came
the business suit and shiny shoes and out came the blue jeans, flannel shirt, sneakers, and
baseball cap.
Thirty minutes later, he was on his way to Mexico City and trying to get some sleep.
Mexico City was bright, hot, and dismal, but the airport lunch was tolerable, better than
expected. He had a few hours’ lay-over, so he walked and shopped a bit then made another
change in the rest room. He now wore slacks, a Mexican shirt he just purchased, sandals, and a
different hat.
The flight to Sydney, Australia was long and tedious but allowed him to finish reading the
novel, plus the three magazines he purchased in Mexico City. He spent long hours re-living his
past experiences with Nicholas Kehr. They weren’t pretty. He wasn’t sure who Kehr actually
worked for, always involved with one nefarious group after another. He suspected Kehr often
freelanced and worked for the highest bidder. They crossed paths many times, but he was never
able to nail Kehr for anything. In fact, Matt was kind of thrilled that someone actually managed
to jail the bastard and hated that he was going to have to get Kehr out. As far as he was
concerned, Kehr was right where he belonged.
He stood in the aisle, stretched, and made his way back to the restroom. When he came out,
a young man, late twenties and extremely good looking, was waiting to get in.
He gave Matt a dazzling smile and said, “I'd hate to be that person.”
“Huh? Who?” Matt was caught off guard.
“Whoever it is you're mad at. You haven't cracked a smile or spoken to anyone since you
boarded the plane in Mexico City.”
“I've…a…got a lot on my mind.” Matt kicked himself for his awkwardness and cursed
Loman and Kehr. This was exactly the kind of guy he'd love to spend time with, but right now,
he had to keep his mind on business. He gave the gorgeous young man what he hoped was an
apologetic smile and returned to his seat.
His mind might be pre-occupied but his body was on full alert. It liked what it saw in that
guy and he was already half-hard thinking what it might have been like if he had been able to
take the young man up on his offer of…what…friendship? He was pretty sure that friendship
wasn't what this guy had in mind. He straightened himself as inconspicuously as possible and
picked up one of his magazines, flipping through it again, hoping to find something he hadn't
already read.
When the plane landed in Sydney, he was thoroughly jet-lagged and glad he had a room
reserved. He wrestled his bag from the overhead compartment and joined the crowd in the aisle,
making their way off the plane. He was going to feel much better after a good meal, a hot
shower, and a good night's sleep.
Once in his hotel room, he decided on a shower first. After emptying his pockets, tossing
everything on the desk top, he reached in his jacket pocket and found a folded piece of paper.
Opening it, he read, “My name is Jody. Room 6127, Sheraton Hotel.”
He wadded the paper tight, tossed it on the desk with the rest of his things, then took a long
hot shower, dressed, and went downstairs to the coffee shop for a light dinner. He grabbed a
newspaper on the way in and kept his nose buried in it while he ate.
He took a walk after dinner, the exercise doing him good after being cooped in an airplane
all day. The last thing he wanted to do was think about the Sheraton Hotel and room 6127. He
did not need to get side-tracked. He had a busy few months ahead of him and didn't need to get
involved—even if it was just for one night—with a beautiful, young, shaggy blond man. Just
because he hadn't been laid in some time didn't mean he had to jump at the first offer that came
along. Even if the guy was the sexiest thing he'd seen in a long time, with his tight black jeans
and blue knit shirt that showed off a well defined torso.
Matt licked his lips as he punched the elevator button, excitement building within as the
elevator stopped and the doors opened. He chewed his bottom lip as he knocked on the door
6127. Jody opened the door and in a second, Matt had him against the wall, his hands pulling at
the buttons on the black jeans while devouring the sweet mouth turned up to him. In less than a
minute, he had Jody’s jeans undone and was on his knees with his mouth full. It seemed that he
had barely gotten started when Jody went rigid and filled his mouth with a groan.
Matt helped Jody to the bed, undressed the both of them, and lay down beside him. Jody was
revived by then and reaching for Matt, their mouths feasting on one another while their hands
roamed as much flesh as they could reach; caressing, squeezing, probing.
Jody broke the kiss long enough to mumble, “Night stand…condom…lube.” It took a
minute for the words to sink into Matt's sex-addled brain, but when it did, he reached for the
supplies and readied himself. Jody turned over on his stomach and pulled his knees up under
him.
Matt was on him and all thoughts ceased to exist. There was nothing in this world but this
beautiful, sun-tanned body beneath him, making the most exquisite noises as he slid deep inside,
taking what they both seemed to desperately need.
It was over way too soon, the afterglow way too short, and awkwardness set in.
“Are you going to be in town long? Can I see you again, tomorrow?” Jody asked as Matt
came out of the bathroom and started dressing.
“I'm leaving first thing in the morning.”
“Damn. I was hoping for another visit.” He gave Matt a radiant smile.
“I'm afraid that won't be possible.” Matt slipped his shoes on, then his shirt. “I've got an
early flight.”
“I don't suppose you could change it to a later flight?” Jody coaxed.
“I'd love to, really, but this is a business trip. I have a schedule I can't change.”
“Well damn!” Jody walked him to the door.
Matt turned and pulled him into his arms with one last long kiss. “Thanks. It was great!”
“More like incredible,” Jody said with a wistful smile.
“Yeah. It was.” Matt opened the door and left, walking the mile back to his hotel, and went
straight to bed.
He awoke the next morning, rested and eager to get on with his assignment. Once it was
over, he made himself a promise to get out and get laid more. He always felt so much better the
next day. He even toyed with the idea of a quick run to the Sheraton but decided against it. He'd
just have time to grab a quick breakfast before heading back to the airport, and right now, food
seemed a priority.
Another day spent in the air and he arrived in Tokyo; suit, tie, shiny shoes, wig, and thick
glasses. He was thoroughly sick of flying now and cursing the day he'd ever heard the name
Nicholas Kehr. His night's sleep in Tokyo did little to revive him, and he was on the first flight to
Hong Kong the next morning; arriving late in the afternoon.
He waited until after dark before driving his rental car to the prison to circle the
neighborhood and scope out the area. He found a small, wooded park nearby and decided that
would be where he'd park, then returned to the hotel to wait.
At two a.m., he left the hotel by a side door, carrying his small pack with him. He parked
among a small copse of trees, a distance of approximately a quarter of a mile from the side fence
of the prison. He slipped into his fatigues and cap, checked the contents of his pack, and began
preparations. He assembled the small, plastic dart gun from other plastic items disguised and
allowed through customs. He squeezed the tooth paste out of the tube until the dozen small
capsules popped out into the palm of his hand. Pulling the tiny points from his hair brush, he
assembled his darts.
The night was pitch black, and he saw no one on his walk to the prison. His wire cutters
made short work of the fence, and in moments, he was across the open field and flat against the
side wall, waiting for the guard to turn around and head back in his direction. He eased his way
behind a dumpster, waiting.
It all went down very quietly. The guard walked by him, Matt stepped out and fired the dart
gun, catching the guy on the side of his neck. The guard grabbed his neck, and in two seconds,
was unconscious on the ground without uttering a sound. Matt pulled him into the shadows.
The clock was now ticking. The anesthetic would keep the guard out for at least thirty
minutes. Matt had to get inside, find Kehr, and get back out before the guard came to and
sounded an alarm.
Matt used his pick and was in the back door in less than a minute. A quick glance at his
diagram of the prison, and he headed down the darkened hallway toward the prison office.
Through the open door of the office, he could see two men on duty; one looking at a magazine
and the other sitting behind a desk, watching a fight on television. He'd have to be careful and
not miss. The one reading the magazine was actually closer and the easier shot, but he went for
the one watching television first. He was at the desk, closest to the alarm. He stepped into the
doorway, took his shot, and the guy at the desk keeled over. The other guard jumped up but Matt
got him in the cheek.
He shoved the guy at the desk out of the way, sat down at the computer, and typed in the
words written on his papers. The name Nicholas Kehr came up, along with symbols Matt
translated as 'third floor cell nineteen'. He headed back down the hallway to the stairs and went
up, carefully looking around at the top of each landing before going to the next.
The guard at the desk on the third floor had his head down, snoring. Matt thought about
passing him by but didn't dare take the chance. A quick hiss and the dart found its mark. Matt
eased down until he came to cell nineteen then used his pick to open the door. "Kehr?" he called
in a loud whisper. He took out his pen light, and in seconds, realized the cell was empty.
"Shit! Where the hell are you, Kehr?" Matt wiped the sweat from his upper lip with the back
of his hand, trying to think what to do next. It was too late for a prisoner to be out of his cell for
any normal reason; the only thing left was to try the sick room, which he passed back on the first
floor. If Kehr wasn't there, he didn't know what else to do.
He made his way back down the stairs to the door with the big, white cross on it. It was dark
inside. Using his pick, he passed through the outer room and entered the back area where three of
the six beds were occupied. The first guy was in traction with a broken leg. Matt cursed, easing
up to him, thinking, That's all I need, lugging a cripple around! Once close enough, he realized
the guy in traction was a black man and definitely not Kehr.
He let out the breath he'd been holding then softly walked to the next bed; a young, blond
guy, early twenties. One last chance and he would have to admit this whole thing was a bust. The
dark head was turned away from him and snoring lightly. Matt walked to the other side of the
bed and there he was.
Matt reached and shook him by the shoulder, causing Kehr to snap awake and bring his arm
up to protect himself.
"Kehr, it's me, Matt Harrington. Loman sent me. Come on, let's get out of here. Can you
walk?"
"Huh? Harrington?" Kehr said, rubbing his eyes and trying to sit up. "Yeah, sure I can
walk."
Matt helped him up, and even in the dark, he could tell Kehr had been severely beaten.
"Let's go," he said. "Where's your clothes?"
"Hell, I don't know. Let's just get out of here. We can worry about clothes later," Kehr said,
taking a few steps then stumbling.
"What the hell's the matter? You doped up on something?" Matt asked.
"Concussion. I'll be all right. I'm just a little dizzy. Let's go." He headed for the doorway.
Just then, the young blond guy sat up, and Matt stepped into the shadows. "Hey, where you
going?"
"Going to take a piss. You wanna come along and hold it for me?" Kehr snarled.
"Fuck you!" the kid said, lying back down.
They eased their way down the hall and out the side door. Kehr stood still for a moment,
catching his breath.
"Come on. The guard should be waking up before too long, and I want to be clear of his
sight when he does. We've got a distance of about two city blocks to walk with no cover."
Kehr lunged forward and they took off in a trot toward the fence. They were nearly there
when Kehr hit the ground, and Matt had to grab his arm and haul him back up.
"Sorry," Kehr mumbled with a groan. "I think I got a couple of cracked ribs."
"Jesus!" Matt said, slinging an arm around Kehr's waist and helping him through the hole in
the fence.
"Couldn't you have parked a little closer?" Kehr gasped.
"Yeah, I could have driven right up and parked in the fucking parking lot, but I would have
ended up in the cell right next to yours!" Matt growled as he pulled Kehr to his feet again after
he fell to his knees again.
"I'm not complaining, Harrington. I'm thankful to be out of there."
They had to stop halfway to let Kehr catch his breath. Matt was afraid Kehr might pass out
he was breathing so hard. He didn't want to end up having to carry him. Once into the trees, he
breathed a sigh of relief. They were almost there, out of sight for sure and no alarms yet. He
practically dragged Kehr the rest of the way to the car.
Once inside, he changed back into his jeans then helped Kehr put on the fatigues. The sound
of a siren immediately grabbed their attention, causing Matt to start the car and drive as fast as he
could to the hotel.
With an arm around Kehr's waist, they entered the side door of the hotel and took the
elevator to Matt’s room where he deposited Kehr on the bed. He dug through his paperwork and
called the number as instructed, speaking for only a few minutes then disconnecting.
"They'll be here to pick us up in thirty minutes. Do you need anything?" He detested Kehr,
but he couldn't stand to see even a dog in that much obvious pain.
"I'm all right. I just need a few minutes to catch my breath." Kehr lay on the bed, holding his
side and gasping in pain.
Matt got his first good look at him, cringing at what he saw. Kehr's one eye was swollen
nearly shut, there was a cut under his left eye, and more than one fist-sized bruise visible. The
bottoms of both feet were bloodied.
He shuddered, remembering the first time he’d ever seen Kehr and the instant attraction he’d
felt, stomping the feeling out immediately once he realized who and what Kehr was. Kehr’s six
foot one inch frame had lost at least twenty or thirty pounds; his thick, black, wavy hair had
obviously been shaved and was growing back as short stubble in all directions; and the vivid
green eyes that once captivated Matt so completely were now blood-shot and darting around the
room like a caged animal.
"We've got to get you cleaned up." He went into the bathroom, brought out a wet wash cloth
and towel, and dug through his supplies for his first-aid kit.
"Let's get these fatigues off. I brought clothes for you." Matt helped Kehr undress and
noticed Kehr’s knees were bloody too. A shiver of guilt ran through him, remembering how he
ran him through the field and woods. Matt cleaned both Kehr’s knees and feet then applied
Neosporin and bandaged all the wounds.
"Looks like you got a pretty good cut on your foot here. The bandage is never going to stay
on." Matt got out his knife, cut a long strip off the side of the towel, and wrapped it around
Kehr’s foot, holding the bandage in place. "That ought to do it."
Out of his suit bag, Matt pulled a pair of jeans, briefs, socks, and a sweat shirt. "Here. Let's
get you into these."
Just as they finished, there was a knock at the door. Matt peered through the peep hole and
saw someone holding a badge, number 6048, just as he was told to look for. He opened the door,
letting the man in who took one look at Kehr curled on the bed and asked, "Are you ready? Can
he travel?"
"We're ready, and yes, he can travel." Matt pulled out a pair of shoes and helped Kehr into
them; then grabbed his bag and they headed out the door. They took the elevator down to the
nearly empty lobby, walked out, and climbed into a car waiting at the curb.
Traffic was sparse, and they had a few moments of panic when a police car wailed, coming
toward them. Their driver turned into an alley until it passed. A block further and two more
police cars roared past them. The driver turned on the radio, then translated the newscast
informing them about an escaped prisoner. No one said a word.
Before long, they pulled up at the pier, boarded a small boat in the darkness, and motored to
a large freighter docked across the channel. They were shown below to a small cabin with two
narrow beds where they rested until the ship sailed the next morning.
"Where are we headed?" Kehr asked over breakfast of rice and fish the next morning.
"Shanghai," Matt answered.
"Shanghai? Why in the hell are we going to Shanghai?"
"What's the quickest way out of Hong Kong?" Matt asked.
"Airport—a flight to anywhere," Kehr answered.
"That's where they'll be looking."
"So we go to Shanghai?"
"Shanghai by boat, Peking by train. From Peking, we fly to Seoul, Tokyo, then LAX. We
change our identities at each stop along the way."
"The long way home." Kehr wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "From LA to DC,
then where, a safe house?"
"No. Arrangements were made for the entire trip until we reach LA. From there, we are on
our own. We find a quiet place and keep our heads down. I keep in touch with Loman, and she'll
let us know when a trial date is set."
"From the moment that date is set and the list of witnesses is revealed, I'm a marked man.
You do know that, don't you?" Kehr sipped his tea.
"So I've been told."
"And you get the job of keeping me alive to testify?"
"That's about it."
"You must be pretty high on somebody's shit list," Kehr said as he set his cup on the floor
and lay back on his cot. "We'll be lucky to make it out of China."
Matt had the same thought as Hong Kong slowly disappeared in the distance.
* * * *
Matt had never gotten sea sick before, but for some reason, this time, he was severely
nauseated. He spent the day pacing their small cabin or lying down, trying to nap. He chalked it
up to exhaustion, strange food, and tension. He listened to the sounds of the ship and every sharp
noise jolted him. Mid-afternoon, he bolted up in bed.
"What is it?" Kehr asked, sleepily.
"Engine’s stopped. There weren't supposed to be any stops along the way." Matt cocked an
ear toward the door, listening.
There was excited chattering, running feet outside their door, and a hurried knocking.
"Oh fuck!" Kehr cursed and sat up.
Matt went to the door and called out. "Yes?"
The one crewman who spoke English began jabbering, half in English and half in Chinese.
"I don't understand you. What do you want?" Matt called back.
"Money, Harrington. He says he needs money to pay the authorities." Kehr held his side as
he stood and slipped into his shoes.
"Okay. Yes, just a minute." Matt pulled out his bag and took out an envelope filled with
cash. "How much do you think I should give him?"
"You might make it with a thousand but five would be better if you have it. Don't give him
everything you have, we're going to need a lot more before we make it out of here."
"Okay." Matt pulled five thousand out of the stash and went back to the door. He opened it a
crack and handed the money over.
"That's it. That's all I have. There won't be any more," he told the man who went away,
counting it.
"I'm going to follow him and see what I can find out," Matt said, slipping into the hallway.
He passed half a dozen small cabins then proceeded up the stairs. Once at the top, he peeked
around and saw a knot of men speaking to an officer. Then, he caught sight of the patrol boat
alongside. He ducked out of sight behind a small equipment shed, trying to make out what they
were saying but having no luck. Working himself into a better position, he was able to see the
gap-toothed Captain handing a wad of cash to the man in uniform. They spoke for a few
moments then shook hands, and the officer climbed back down the ladder to his small boat. Matt
hurried back to their cabin.
"It looks legit. A small patrol boat was alongside, and an officer was on the receiving end of
the money."
"Looks like he got paid not to search the freighter; we got lucky." Kehr sat back down on his
cot.
Matt breathed a little easier as the engines started, and he sat back down as well, deciding to
try to sleep as he had no idea what to expect once they reached Shanghai.
The port city of Shanghai was pretty much as he remembered from several years prior on
Bureau business. But that time, he was met at the airport; taken to a nice, clean, air-conditioned
hotel; conducted business in nice, clean, air-conditioned offices; and driven around in nice,
clean, air-conditioned cars. This time, he was sneaking into the city on a filthy freighter, hoping
to pass through entirely unnoticed. He wondered if that was possible. His six foot three frame
and white skin made it impossible to just disappear in a crowd where the average height was five
foot five. He'd have to remember to slouch, keep his cap on, and try to keep his head down. He
was also hauling a man that obviously sustained a severe beating recently, not much chance of
going around without arousing a little suspicion. At least their arrival was at night, darkness was
in their favor.
Dinner was at six, the same food as lunch and breakfast; bowls of rice with bits of fish
mixed in. It was disgusting but both ate every scrap of it. Just a few more hours and the ship
would dock in Shanghai.
Matt and Kehr took turns pacing the floor, speaking very little to one another. Matt was
caught up in the intrigue now, his wits called into service, his mind planning for all alternatives.
He kept his dart gun at hand and wished they could have somehow managed to smuggle in his
real gun. That was impossible though, being caught with an unauthorized gun in China would
mean automatic jail time with thoughts of a trial months, if not years, in the future.
The bumping of the ship against the dock awoke them, and they gathered their few
belongings, ready for departure. The Captain and the English speaking crewman knocked at the
door then escorted Matt and Kehr off the ship.
Kehr seemed a little steadier after a full day’s rest, and Matt was glad Kehr was able to make
it on his own two feet. Once ashore, an Englishman in a white suit, smoking a long, thin cigar
immediately met them and drove them to the railroad station. They talked little on the ride,
mostly about the 'beastly' weather. The Englishman stayed with them until they were in their
small compartment, safely aboard the train, bidding them a fond, "Cheerio," and handing them a
six pack of bottled water, which they gratefully accepted. Matt and Kehr had been afraid to take
more than a sip or two of the water aboard the freighter, suspecting the water was the cause of
the severe nausea they both suffered.
Matt locked the door and both men settled in, each downing a bottle of water.
"Well, we made it this far," Kehr said, shaking his head in wonder.
"So far, so good," Matt agreed. "This train is an express with no stops between here and
Peking, so we should be safe for a while.”
"Unless there are officers aboard the train with authority to arrest escaped convicts and their
accomplices," Kehr added.
Matt rubbed the back of his neck, twisting until it popped. "I'd give a thousand dollars right
now for a hot shower." He sighed.
"Yeah, I know the feeling," Kehr agreed. "I'm pretty ripe right now myself."
They sat in silence until the train got underway on its long journey up-country.
Matt decided to check out their tiny bathroom and try to clean up as much as he could.
He took off every stitch of clothing and began running water in the little sink. With paper
towels only, he washed as best he could, then put his smelly clothes back on. He was going to
have to spend one more day in them before he could change back into his suit. He hoped they
would have enough time in Peking to take a shower before boarding their flight to Seoul, but he
wasn't going to count on it. He brushed his teeth thoroughly, which somewhat helped, and exited
the bathroom, allowing Kehr a chance to clean up as well.
They had just finished when someone knocked at the door. Matt opened the door a crack,
surprised to find the Englishman standing there. "I have news. May I come in for a moment?"
Matt stepped aside and let him in but kept his hand on the dart gun in his pocket.
"There are officers on board, and I heard them chatting in the lounge car. It seems everyone
is looking for an escaped convict. Those speaking were mostly paper-pushers, discussing a delay
once the train reaches Peking. The train will be boarded at that time and be searched before being
allowed to proceed. Have you any alternative plans?"
Matt wiped a hand over his face and shook his head 'no'.
"Very well then, I’d best see what I can cook up. I'll get back to you. Cheerio." He left quickly,
and Matt sat down, joining Kehr in staring out the window.
"I can't jump off this train, Harrington. I'd never make it. You might want to try though."
"Nobody's jumping from the train, Kehr. I didn't take this assignment to get myself or
anybody else killed. We'll wait and see what the Englishman comes up with."
"You do realize that he could be in on it, don't you?" Kehr made eye contact with Matt.
"Of course, I do. But right now, we have nothing else. We're heading in the right direction,
and all we have to do is get to that airport in Peking. That's our goal and all we have to worry
about for now."
It was nearly three hours later before the Englishman returned and Matt let him in
immediately.
"Well, we have come up with a plan. Let's just see if we can pull it off. Some friends of
mine are working on a little diversion. There's a station at a little port called Tientsin, about fifty
miles southeast of Peking. The train isn’t scheduled to stop there, but my friends will see to it
that it does, but it will be only for a minute or two
—
five at the most. At that time, you will
disembark, and someone will drive you the rest of the way into Peking."
"These friends of yours, how confident are you they can be trusted?" Matt asked, not liking
this turn of events but not seeing any other choice.
"Totally, dear boy. The one setting it all up is a rather handsome chap, if I do say so. In fact,
he's my twin brother." He smoothed his thin mustache with a fingertip. "You are three cars from
the luggage car in the back. I will come and get you when it's time, and we'll make our way to
the back. We must be speedy about it now as the delay will only be momentary. It is a busy
station we will enter with lots of activity. A group of workers will meet you and escort you out of
the rail yard in their truck. My brother will meet the truck and take you the rest of the way in his
car. Is this agreeable to you?"
"I don't see that we have any other option, do you?" Matt asked Kehr.
"Not really. We need to get off this train before Peking. Are you sure you can get them to
stop the train? I thought nothing stopped an express?"
"Oh my, yes! This is what we do, and we rather enjoy it. It will actually take very little effort
to stop the train, but as I said, it will only delay them momentarily."
"And there will be no officers on the scene?" Matt asked.
"Well, one can never be sure of that as they are always underfoot, but with a little care, we
can pull this off." The Englishman smiled confidently and made his departure, promising to be
back in plenty of time.
"I don't like it," Kehr complained. "Too many people involved."
"You've got a little over five hours to come up with another option," Matt said, looking at
his watch. "If you have a better idea, I'd like to hear it."
Kehr gave a disgusted shrug, stood, and opened his berth. Matt decided he'd do the same and
pulled down the upper berth, climbing up and stretching out. He might as well try to get rest. The
rhythm and the clackety-clack of the train soon lulled them both to sleep.
They awoke an hour before the Englishman's return and readied themselves for the next leg
of their journey, then sat and waited anxiously for the knock on the door. Finally, it came and
Matt had the door open before the second knock.
"Ready?" the Englishman asked cheerfully. "I think it's time to get the hell out of Kansas.
Isn't that what you chaps say?" he questioned as they made their way through the darkened cars
to the back.
"I think you mean 'Dodge'," Matt corrected.
"Dodge?"
"Uh huh, 'It’s time to get the hell out of Dodge,' I think is the saying you're looking for,"
Matt said.
"Oh, that's right! I remember clearly now. I looked it up and Dodge is a city in Kansas, isn't
it?"
"That's right." Matt nodded as they stepped onto the landing between the passenger cars and
the baggage car.
The hair on the back of Matt's neck stood up, and the adrenaline started pumping. The noise
of the train was almost deafening, and the night air was cool as the train hurtled onward.
"It doesn't seem to be slowing," Matt said.
"Give it time, old boy. Give it time. I would suggest that you grab hold of something
because when it does stop, it will be quite a jolt."
They each grabbed onto something and no sooner had they done so than the train jerked as
the brakes screeched. They still traveled a good distance before stopping, and in the darkness,
they could tell they were in some sort of station area with several other sets of tracks.
Once the train came to a complete stop, Matt tossed his bag off, hopped down himself, then
gave Kehr a hand. Just as they stepped away, the train began moving again. In moments, they
were surrounded by a group of workers and muscled over to a beat up, old truck. Matt and Kehr
climbed in the back, neither saying a word.
Matt's mouth was dry, and his hand tightened around the dart gun in his pocket as a guard by
the gate stopped the truck. A few words were exchanged between the guard and the truck driver
then they were on their way again. Nearly a mile down the road, the truck pulled over, they were
given a hand down by the other workers, and the truck was on its way down the road. They’d
been alone on the road for less than a minute when a car pulled over and stopped. A head popped
out of the window and asked, "Good evening, gentlemen. Could I interest you in a ride into
Peking?" He was a dead ringer for the Englishman on the train.
They eagerly hopped into the back seat and were on their way again.
"Thank you," Matt said with relief as they settled in for their ride. "I was a little nervous
when there was no one to meet us."
"Oh bother! I got delayed. I had a puncture and had to change it myself. Dreadfully nasty,
dirty job. Teddy said you'd probably be hungry, so I brought sandwiches and coffee." He handed
the bag into the back seat.
"Anything but rice and fish!" Matt said, taking the bag gratefully. He opened it to find two
ham and cheese sandwiches and two large containers of coffee. Both ate hungrily and began to
feel a bit better.
The trip into Peking took a little over an hour, and as they entered the outskirts of town,
Matt asked, "You're sure there will be no road blocks? No officers asking questions?"
"Not to worry. There won't be any of that nonsense the way we're going." He pulled off the
main road and drove for a while on a back road, then on a dirt road, before they felt asphalt
beneath them again. Back on city roads, they began to breathe a little easier.
"How far to the airport?" Kehr asked.
"Just a hop, skip, and a jump from your hotel. I understand you have a reservation at the
Regency. I called to confirm it and took the liberty of checking in for you and picking up your
key." He handed the key back to Matt. "You will have some time to rest, and I delivered your
items as instructed."
"What items?" Matt asked.
"I was told you might arrive without luggage, and traveling by air without luggage sets off
all sorts of nasty suspicions. I received instructions to have a few things waiting for you, along
with your sizes. It's all there and all should fit. I've left my number beside the phone in case you
need anything else. I'm staying in the hotel and will be able to see you safely to the airport in the
morning. Your flight to Seoul leaves at ten thirty-three, so you will have time to catch a few
hours’ sleep. The Regency has a smashing breakfast so you might want to plan on eating before
you leave."
Matt could see the large, red, Regency sign a few blocks before they got there. In minutes,
they were entering the side door of the hotel. The elevator took them to the seventh floor, where
they found their room, 714. Matt opened the door slowly with his left hand, keeping his right
hand on his dart gun, unnecessarily as the room was empty.
They entered and Matt locked the door behind them, spending the next several minutes
scanning the room for bugs or cameras. It was clean. Only then did Matt begin to relax a little.
The room was spacious and had two large beds, a suitcase lying on each.
Matt opened a suitcase and started pulling out clothes, seeing Kehr do the same. One look at
the sizes and they changed places. Matt peeled off his smelly jacket and said, "I'll flip you to see
who gets the shower first."
"No, you go ahead. You got me this far, you've earned it." Kehr was checking out the tray of
fruit, cheese, and crackers left on the table for them. "I'll munch out for a while."
"Suit yourself," Matt said, grabbing a pile of clean clothes and heading for a hot shower. He
stayed in longer than he should have but finally came out of the bathroom feeling like a new
man.
Kehr was sitting on the end of his bed with a lap full of clean clothes and went in as soon as
Matt came out.
Matt had been traveling nine days now and decided to give Loman a call.
Chapter Two
"Well it's about time you checked in! So, do you have him? You'd damn well better have
him, Harrington!"
"Yes, I have him," Matt acknowledged, wondering again how he ever ended up working for
a bitch like Loman.
"Good. We have a date set but you're not going to like it. It's not for another five months."
"Five months? Five fucking months? You expect me to babysit him another five months?"
"I expect you to do your job!" she said and hung up.
He snapped the phone closed in disgust and gave serious thought, for the thousandth time, to
retiring. He didn't need this shit and he'd had just about all he was going to take from Loman.
Before they went to sleep, they left a note on the door for a breakfast delivery at nine a.m.
The Englishman was right, breakfast was delicious. He knocked on their door at exactly nine
forty-five and they headed for the airport; Matt and Kehr both in new business suits, white shirts
and ties, and shiny new shoes. A little makeup on Kehr's face hid the worst of the bruising and
most of the swelling had gone down, so he was quite presentable now. They each carried their
new luggage over their shoulders and blended well at the airport with all the other businessmen
traveling. They boarded with no difficulty and took their seats, stashing their bags in the
overhead compartment.
Kehr loosened his tie and undid the top button on his shirt. It had been a long time since he
wore such clothes.
"You all right?" Matt asked, settling in the aisle seat.
"I'm still alive, not in jail, so I have no complaints," Kehr answered glumly.
Matt loosened his tie as well, noticing several other passengers doing the same, some even
removing their jackets and storing those overhead. He began to relax a little but wished he had
taken time to buy something to read. He'd make sure to remember to do that before their long trip
across the ocean. He needn't worry; Kehr was a quiet traveling companion and didn't grate on his
nerves with endless chatter.
Matt leaned his seat back, laced his hands together across his abdomen, and let his mind
wander to LA, wondering what would happen when they arrived, if it would be the end of their
worries or just the beginning of a new set.
Lunch was a piece of meat he thought to be beef but he wouldn't bet on it, and he couldn't
guess what was in the sauce poured over it. The accompanying vegetables were the usual frozen-
thawed-reheated rubbery mess. The coffee was good though, so he had a second cup. Kehr ate
his meal in silence then suggested, "I have a few friends in LA. I could stay there for a while,
give you a break."
"No. We don't want anyone to know we're in town. We probably won't stay there very long.
It'd be best to keep moving."
"Can we at least stay in the US so we can get some decent food?"
"Yes. I can assure you of that much. I'll probably just get us some transportation, and we'll
take off somewhere. It'll be much easier to keep a low profile if we travel by car. I have credit
cards under various names, so we can go wherever the mood strikes."
"We need guns. Have you made arrangements for that?"
"We have reservations at the Hyatt Hotel at LAX. We are supposed to pick up certain
supplies there. I don't know who all knows about that but I don't want to spend the night there.
We'll find another place once we land, and I'll go over to collect whatever is left for us."
Kehr said nothing, just leaned his seat back and dozed off.
Matt spent the remaining hours of the flight formulating plans for the next few months. He
had a few friends around the country too but that would be a last resort. He wanted to stay as far
away from anybody they knew as he possibly could.
The thought of spending the next several months with Kehr made him cringe, but Kehr
seemed an undemanding traveling companion so far. He hoped Kehr remained that way and let
him make the decisions.
Seoul was hot and humid but didn't seem nearly as oppressive as China had been. They were
met at the airport by their contact and driven to a nearby hotel. The hotel was extremely old but
the accommodations suitable and the food was good.
The flight to Tokyo the next day took eight hours and went very well. They landed early
enough to have a good dinner and get a full night's sleep. One more long flight ahead of them,
and they would be back on US soil, for better or worse, they had no idea.
They arrived at the airport early and stocked up on reading material, snacks, and bottled
water. They had a long flight ahead of them and faced it with grim determination to get it over
with.
* * * *
They were two hours out of LAX when Kehr returned from the restroom to his seat by the
window, staring into the black sky.
"Everything all right?" Matt asked, noticing a definite change in attitude.
The first thing Kehr did was put a finger to his lips, signaling he wanted their conversation
quiet and not overheard by other passengers. Matt shook his head and said quietly, "What?"
Kehr reached inside his jacket and pulled out a newspaper he'd found in the restroom trash.
The headlines read "Shooting at Seoul Airport". Matt briefly scanned the article about two Dutch
businessmen who were shot down while waiting to board flight 317 for Tokyo. That was their
flight number.
"Coincidence?" Matt suggested.
Kehr took the paper and turned it to the next page where photos of the two men killed were
prominent. One was six foot three, light brown hair; the other, six foot with black hair. Both shot
in the back of the head by a high powered rifle; the shooter or shooters still not located.
Matt took the paper and re-read the entire article. It could still be a coincidence, he told
himself, scanning the information. Same flight number, same date, but he didn't remember
hearing shots. They had been among the first to board though, so they might not have heard
anything. He finished reading the article, folded the paper, and stuck it under his seat.
They sat for several moments in silent thought before Kehr spoke. "What do you think?"
"I think we're two lucky sons of bitches to still be alive."
"Granted! So what do we do next?"
"As soon as our feet hit the ground, we get the hell out of Dodge!"
"There's still my friends. We would be safe for a couple days until we decide what to do."
"No thanks. No friends, no acquaintances, no innocent by-standers. We're on our own. I'll
call Loman as soon as we land; then we head out."
An hour before landing, Matt decided they'd better try and change their appearance as
inconspicuously as possible. He stood and pulled a different jacket and a cap out of his bag in the
overhead compartment and shoved his suit jacket and tie back inside. Kehr did the same.
"Can I trust you, Kehr?" Matt said quietly.
"I'm about the only one you can trust right now."
"I think it would be safest if we walked off this plane separately. If I remember correctly,
there are restrooms right inside the gate."
"There are."
"Can I trust you to meet me there?"
"You can."
"Go straight there. I'll call Loman from the restroom and check in."
"Okay. You want to get off first?"
"No. I want you to go first so I can keep an eye on you. Don't make any fast moves. Just go
straight through the gate and into the restroom. Got that?"
"Not a problem," Kehr agreed with a nod of the head.
It was eleven-thirty p.m. when they exited the plane. Kehr went first, and Matt let another
four people pass before getting in line and heading down the aisle. It felt good to stand after
sitting so long, and he could feel the perspiration on his upper lip but resisted the urge to wipe it
away.
He could see Kehr ahead of him, heading directly to the restrooms. Most of the other
passengers headed toward baggage claim as Matt followed Kehr into the restroom.
Kehr stood at a urinal while Matt went to a sink and washed his hands. They didn't speak
until two occupants departed. Matt pulled out his phone and quickly tapped in Loman’s number.
It rang several times, no answer. He frowned and tried the number again, still no answer. He
snapped the phone shut.
"Something's wrong," Matt muttered.
"No shit!" Kehr said sarcastically, wiping his hands on a paper towel.
"Okay. I've got a little over fourteen thousand cash left. The first thing we need to do is hit
some ATMs."
"We can make fourteen grand last quite a while," Kehr offered.
"Not if we want to buy a car. I have six American Express cards that Loman gave me. We
need to find some ATMs."
"Credit card usage is an easy trail to follow," Kehr warned.
"Yeah, I know. That's why we're going to use them all right here in the airport. There are
several locations around here where they have ATMs. If anyone is looking for us right now,
they'll be outside, scanning the taxi stands. We'll stay in the terminal for at least two hours. We'll
walk from ATM to ATM and gather as much cash as we can. We'll wait until a plane lands then
head for a taxi with the rest of the crowd."
"Okay. You've kept me alive so far. I could do with a little walk," Kehr agreed and they
started walking, keeping an eye out for an ATM. While Matt was collecting money from the
machine, Kehr kept watch. On the move again, they passed shops, and Matt stopped in front of
one.
"What?" Kehr asked, looking around quickly.
"I think we'd better change clothes." They went inside and bought jeans, sneakers, shirts,
jackets, and hats. On the way to change in the restrooms, they passed a luggage shop. Matt
nudged Kehr, and they went in and bought two large backpacks. The next stop was another
ATM, and next to it, a Walgreens Drug Store.
"What do we need in here?" Kehr asked.
"We're replacing everything." They bought shaving kits, toiletries, underwear and socks, and
T-shirts.
They changed in the nearest restroom, dumping all their other stuff, luggage included, into
the trash. Matt stood for several moments, looking at the remaining darts he had in the palm of
his hand, then flushed them down the toilet. He disassembled the dart gun and tossed the pieces
in various trash cans along the way as they hit every ATM they came to.
Finally, they hit the limit the ATMs would give and made their way back to the arrivals area,
just as another load of passengers came through. They headed out with the crowd toward the
front door and taxi stands.
"Where to?" the driver asked as they climbed into the back seat.
"That new twenty-four hour mall, what's its name? I forget. It's on the east side." Matt tried
remembering.
"I don't know about any new mall on the east side. Are you talking about Central Park East?
I know it’s open twenty-four-seven, but it’s been there couple a years now."
"Yeah, that's the one. Take us there," Matt answered.
Kehr shot him a questioning look.
"Martha just loves that place, I swear she'd move right in if I'd let her!" Matt grinned
broadly.
"I'm sure your kids would love that!" Kehr said, going along with the line of BS.
"Well, the boys would for sure, but Marley would probably prefer the library. Not that I'm
complaining. When you have a fourteen-year-old girl who prefers books to boys, you should
count yourself lucky."
They filled the next forty-five minutes with Ozzy and Harriet chatter, glad to have it over
when deposited on the front steps of Central Park East.
"May I ask, why the mall?" Kehr said as they went through the front doors.
"Sure. Malls have two things I'm interested in right now, crowds of people and ATMs."
"More cash?" Kehr asked, puzzled.
"Uh huh," Matt answered as they walked to a mall directory, and he pointed out four
different ATM locations on the map. "This will be our last chance to use them. I'm sure the cards
already have a trace on them. We'll get what we can here and take off."
They hit all four machines and took out the limit each machine allowed.
"Now what?" Kehr asked as they exited at the front of the mall.
"Right there." Matt pointed across the street to a Denny's restaurant.
"Good. I'm hungry," Kehr agreed and they headed across the street.
They lingered over coffee and apple pie after devouring their meal.
"Are you thinking that Loman is involved in this?" Kehr asked.
"I don't know. More likely, someone working for her, but I can't be sure. I just feel a lot
more secure with no one knowing our whereabouts until I can deliver you safely to that DC
courtroom, five months from now."
"We need guns, Harrington," Kehr said in a low voice.
"Yes, we do, but first, we need a place to stay for the night and some wheels."
Matt opened his phone and dialed information. "Yes, I need the number for the closest
Ramada Inn to the Central Park East mall." He waited a minute then said, “Thank you.” He
dialed a number and said, "Yes, I need a room for the night; one room, two queen-sized beds.
No, I'll be paying cash. Colfax, Bryan Colfax and my brother Stephen Colfax. No 'e' just C-o-l-f-
a-x. I don't know why everyone tries to put an 'e' in there.” He chuckled. “Yes, we'd like to check
in within the hour. That'll be fine. Thanks." He hung up and dialed information again. "Yes, I
need the number for Yellow Cab please." A moment later, he said, "Thanks." He dialed the
number and asked for a cab to pick them up, then closed the phone and pocketed it.
"Is that one of the IDs Loman gave you?"
"No. I made it up on the spot. Let's just hope the desk clerk doesn't ask for ID when we get
there."
They ordered a second cup of coffee and waited for their cab. It arrived twenty minutes
later.
They lucked out at the Ramada Inn and Matt was able to sign in without showing any ID. He
filled out the paperwork, paid cash in advance, and they headed to their room.
Kehr tossed his backpack on one of the beds and said, "Harrington, just give me a couple of
hours. I can go out and get us some guns."
"No. We're doing this together."
"You know somebody on the streets?" Kehr asked.
"No. We'll find somebody. What we need right now is a Kinko's." Matt sat down at the table
and thumbed through the phone book yellow pages.
"Kinko's? No, that's no good. They're open twenty-four hours. You need to find a smaller
print shop, one that's closed."
"You're right. I forgot they're open twenty-four hours. We'll go for one that'll be closed."
He found one three miles from their hotel, so they left quietly and started their long walk.
The block before the location, they slipped into an alley and followed it down to the back of the
print shop. Matt made short work of the lock, and in minutes, they were inside.
"What all do you think we'll need?" Kehr asked, looking through the different paper stock.
"Driver's licenses should do for now."
"Well, I doubt we'll find the same paper the DMV uses, but once it's laminated, you
probably won't be able to tell the difference."
Kehr pulled some paper out, rolled it into a nearby typewriter and started typing. It was
obvious he had done this sort of thing before. He worked over the papers, using the different
sized print until he came up with a form that suited him.
"What names? You want to use the Colfax brothers?"
"No. I think it's best if we stay brothers though, that would explain using the same hotel
rooms without questions. How about Madison, John J. and William T.?"
"Sounds good to me." Kehr typed in the names.
"How much longer?" Matt asked after a while as he stood, peeking through the window.
Kehr finished typing, they each signed their 'licenses,' and Kehr dug around until he found a
California stamp, stamping both. He attached the photos Matt removed from their passports,
checked them over carefully, and then laminated them.
Matt scanned the finished product and said, "You've apparently done this before."
"A time or two," Kehr said, wiping everything they had touched.
They walked briskly back to their motel. On the way, they discussed the guns. "Where
would be the best place to pick up a couple of guns?" Matt asked.
"The south side," Kehr answered.
"Too far to walk."
"We need a car then. Pick one of these," Kehr said as they walked along. "I can have us in
one and on our way in two minutes. We make a run over to the south side, buy our guns, and
bring the car right back; the owner will never know it was missing."
"Wait till we get back to the motel. The owners will most likely be asleep. We'll borrow one
there."
Back in the Ramada Inn parking lot, Kehr worked his magic, and in less than two minutes,
they were on the road, heading south.
When they got into the area, they switched drivers and drove slowly around until they came
to a small bar with several men standing around talking.
"Stop here," Kehr instructed, getting out as Matt pulled over to the curb. He mingled with
the men for a few minutes then went into the bar.
Matt sat in the car and cursed, hoping Kehr didn't slip out the back and ditch him. Five
minutes later, Kehr came out and hopped in.
"I got one." He pulled the .38 special out of his jacket pocket. "He said to come back in an
hour and he'd have another one, plus a couple boxes of ammo."
"You think we can trust him?" Matt asked as he drove.
"What's he going to do, call the cops and tell them he just sold someone an unlicensed gun?"
"I guess you're right." Matt kept driving until he found an all night diner. They went in and
ordered coffee.
An hour later, they returned to the bar. True to his word, the bartender had the second gun
and two boxes of cartridges waiting for him.
They drove back to the motel, parked, locked the car, and went to their room.
Matt inspected his gun carefully before loading it. "This thing is so filthy; it's liable to kill
me as anyone else."
"Yeah, mine’s the same," Kehr said.
"It'll do for tonight though. Tomorrow, we'll stop somewhere and get a cleaning kit," Matt
said as he tucked his gun under his pillow and prepared for sleep.
He awoke the next morning when he heard Kehr in the bathroom. The clock on the night
table showed ten thirty-three. A little over five hours’ sleep. Once Kehr was out of the bathroom,
Matt went in, showered, shaved, and brushed his teeth.
By the time they ate breakfast, they knew where they heading. The Ford dealership was less
than a mile down the road, they passed it the night before.
They went to the used car section and started looking around, settling on a nineteen ninety-
nine, red Taurus, with sixty-five thousand miles. By then, a salesman was following them,
chatting away about the benefits of each car and availability of financing. They took it for a test
drive and started serious negotiations. The price on the windshield said seven and a half thousand
dollars, but when Matt said he would be paying cash, the salesman lowered the price to six
thousand. They went inside, filled out the paperwork, and Matt counted out the money as the
salesman's eyes bulged. They picked up their keys and paperwork and left.
Back at the motel, they packed their things and quickly left.
Nearly out of the city limits, Matt pulled off the highway.
"Where to?" Kehr asked.
"Walmart," Matt answered. "We ought to be able to pick up a gun cleaning kit there."
Kehr nodded in agreement.
Thirty minutes later, they were on their way again, Kehr cleaning his gun as Matt drove.
"Any idea where we're headed?" he asked.
"Not yet. Right now, we're just driving south. We'll stop somewhere, when I get tired of
driving."
Kehr wiped his gun with the cloth when he finished, loaded it, and stuck it in the back of his
jeans. He reached for Matt's weapon, and Matt pulled it out of his jacket pocket, handing it over.
He watched while Kehr disassembled it and started the cleaning routine.
They stopped at a truck stop for lunch and got right back on the road again.
They found a small motel in El Centro for the night. The place was pretty seedy but clean
with two beds and a bathroom; that was all they needed. Each lay in their beds that night, staring
at the ceiling.
"If I was a smoking man, I could really use a cigarette about now," Kehr said in the
darkness.
"Bad for your health," Matt said.
"Voice of experience?" Kehr asked.
"Yep. I used to smoke two packs a day before I knew better."
"Me too. I haven't had one in years but I never quite lost the yearning for them."
"It never goes away." Matt reached over and turned on the light beside the bed. "I think I'd
better give Loman another try." He punched the numbers in and waited. The phone rang and rang
and rang. "Shit," he said, tossing the phone back on the night stand.
"She's probably asleep." Kehr didn't really believe it.
"That phone is supposed to be by her side twenty-four hours a day. She has never not
answered."
Matt lay back down and cursed his luck for ever getting mixed up with this whole mess. He
should have left it for someone else to do. No, they would both be dead by now. They talked no
more and both finally drifted to sleep.
The next morning, they headed east. About five miles out of Yuma, the traffic was at a
standstill. They pulled off the highway, into a roadside rest stop, and got out to stretch their legs.
They used the restroom and were standing by the vending machines, getting bottled water, when
they heard two truckers talking.
"What is it, an accident up ahead?"
"Nah. I just talked with a buddy of mine who got an earlier start than I did. He says there's a
road block at Yuma. Cops all over the place. He says they're looking for some escaped prisoner."
"No kidding? What'd he do, kill somebody?"
"Don't know. That's all he said. They made him get out, and he said they checked his rig
then sent him on his way."
"Shit, no wonder there's such a back up."
Matt and Kehr eyed each other, walked back to their car, and got in.
"Fuckin’ shit!" Kehr cursed.
"Yeah." Matt pulled the car back on the highway, heading west again.
"Son of a bitch!" he cursed about an hour later.
"What?" Kehr asked.
"We got rid of everything they provided for us, every single thing but this." He pulled out
his phone.
"You think Loman’s having us tracked?"
"I don't know, but I don't like it."
"What are you going to do with that?" Kehr asked, nodding toward the phone.
"We'll take it back to El Centro, dump it there then head north."
Back in El Centro, they pulled into a gas station to fuel up. Matt saw an eighteen-wheeler
idling nearby with the windows rolled down. He watched as the driver got out and went into the
diner. He pulled the Taurus around and stopped alongside the truck, blocked from sight of the
diner. He got out and stepped up on the side of the rig, reaching in and dropping the phone
between the co-pilot's seat and the door. After dumping the phone, he pulled back on the
highway, headed north, and didn't stop until they arrived in Las Vegas.
They checked into one of the smaller hotels and ordered dinner sent to their room.
"We need new IDs," Kehr said.
"Yeah," Matt agreed, wiping his mouth on his napkin. "Your turn to find us a print shop."
He tossed Kehr the phone book and stretched out on the bed, his back aching from all the driving
and preceding days sitting on planes.
Chapter Three
Matt was nudged awake several hours later, coming to with a start.
"Huh? What is it?"
"Here." Kehr tossed him three new driver's licenses, each with a different name, and each
with Matt’s photo on it.
"Where did you get these?"
"You dozed off. You needed the sleep, so I went out and did it on my own." Kehr sat down
on his bed and pulled his shoes off.
"You went out on your own? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? That was a
damn stupid thing to do, Kehr!" Matt jumped up, mostly angry with himself for falling asleep.
"Not really. I knew exactly where I was going, because I’ve used the place before. I got us
three each so we won't have to do it again for a while. We just have to remember which set of
brothers we are. Make sure you let me know who you want to be in the morning." Kehr stretched
out, ready for sleep.
"Don't do that again!" Matt warned him through gritted teeth.
"Harry, we're in Vegas. Lighten up."
"Lighten up? Lighten up?" Matt steamed. “And don’t call me Harry. You know I hate that."
In one quick movement, Kehr jumped up, shoved Matt backward onto his bed, straddled
him, and brought their mouths together. Matt stiffened, jerked his mouth away, and flipped Kehr
over, straddling him and holding both hands securely over his head.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? This is my show, Kehr. You'll do what I say,
when I say it. You got that?"
"Ooohh, kinky!" Kehr gave him a lecherous grin. "Okay, if that's the way you want to play,
I'm game." He pushed his hips up, rubbing them against a suddenly swollen Matt.
Matt jumped off the bed like he was snake bit. "Get the hell off my bed and don't try this shit
again."
"Sure thing, boss. Or would you prefer Master?" Kehr grinned.
"Cut it out now and get some sleep." Matt went into the bathroom to relieve the pressure in
his jeans. It didn't work. He needed it badly, but he'd be damned if it was going to be with Nick
Kehr! He made a promise to himself that as soon as this was all over, he was going to go out and
get laid.
He came back out some time later and got into bed.
"You don't have to do that, you know. I'd be more than willing to take care of that for you."
Kehr's voice startled him in the darkness with its silky, come-hither tone.
"Go to sleep," Matt ordered.
"I had no idea you were such a prude, Harry. It's just sex."
Matt refused to answer and tried sleeping. Before long, he did manage to doze off, but his
dreams kept him from any real rest. He kept feeling warm lips on his and the weight of a body
pressing against him, arousing him.
He awoke at dawn, bleary eyed and with a raging hard-on. He took a shower and relieved
himself, trying desperately to think of that guy, Jody in Sydney, but he couldn't even get close.
Only when he gave up the fight, closed his eyes, and remembered the voice in the darkness, "I
can take care of that for you," and the sweet, warm mouth covering his, could he get any relief.
"Shit!" he cursed. "Shit, shit, shit!"
He came out of the bathroom as Kehr was switching the television from channel to channel.
"Come on. Let's get the hell out of here."
"We're leaving?" Kehr asked, turning off the television and getting up.
"Yeah. It's too God-damned hot in Vegas. Let's go someplace cooler."
"I don't think it's the weather bothering you." Kehr grinned as he headed for the shower.
"I don't give a shit what you think. We're leaving." Matt began throwing stuff in his bag.
They were just about to walk out the door when two thugs burst in. It all happened so fast.
Fists thrown, punches landed. The table was knocked over and a picture fell off the wall. Matt
was down but managed to headbutt the man he was fighting and broke his nose. Blood was
spurting everywhere, but he was still swinging his ham-sized fists. His motion stopped when a
chair broke over his head from behind. Matt crawled out from under the body to see Kehr wiping
a trickle of blood off his chin. The other man was unconscious, his head twisted at a chilling
angle.
"Let's get the hell out of Dodge," Kehr said, and they grabbed their bags and took off.
They were on the highway and well on their way before realizing a helicopter was following
them. Matt yanked the car off the road, spraying dirt and gravel, spun it around, and headed back
into town. Shots fired at them from above, one shattering their back window. Matt floored it and
made it back into town doing eighty. He slowed once they were back in city traffic.
"Downtown, Main Street." Kehr pointed. "There's a building with underground parking. We
can change cars there."
"Not going to make it that far," Matt announced as the helicopter swooped low in front of
them at an intersection, sending cars and people screeching in all directions.
"Stop here then." Kehr already had his door open. Matt pulled to the curb, and they grabbed
their bags from the back seat, jumping out and running into the nearest casino.
"This way." Kehr led them through to a back room and down a back staircase. Two men
were sitting playing chess and stood as Matt and Kehr approached. "Five hundred," Kehr said to
Matt as they closed in.
Matt reached into his pocket, came up with the money, and handed it to Kehr.
"Brent sent me," Kehr said, handing the wad of money to the bigger of the two.
"Brent doesn't work here anymore," the big guy said.
"That's good. He was a dick anyway." Kehr grinned.
The two men laughed and the big one said, "I guess you do know Brent." He pressed a
button and a panel of the wall slid back.
"Come on," Kehr said, and he and Matt entered the narrow hallway. The wall slid closed,
locking behind them.
"Where the hell are we, Kehr?" Matt asked, walking briskly along.
"Tunnel. It goes into the casino on the next block." Their voices echoed in the stillness.
It seemed to Matt as if they walked a lot longer than to the next block, but soon they came to
another door. Kehr knocked three times and waited. The door slid open and they passed through.
"You the ones causing all the noise back there?" one of the guards asked with a grin.
"Some guys just can't take a joke," Kehr said as they hurried up the stairs and into the hustle
and bustle of a casino in full swing. They made their way toward the front door.
"We need a ride," Matt said.
"You're in Vegas. There are cars for sale on every corner."
He was right. They walked three blocks and came to a gas station with six cars for sale.
They purchased one for two and a half thousand and took off.
"How do you think they found us?" Kehr asked.
"They must have traced the car from that motel in El Centro," Matt answered.
"So where to next?"
"Airport. We need more cash. They already know we're here, so we may as well use the
cards while they're still active."
"You think Loman would close them?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out in a few minutes." Matt pulled into the airport.
The first ATM machine worked fine, and they got money from all six of their cards. They
went to the second machine and it was low, only giving them half of what they requested. The
third machine spat out a pile of bills for each of the cards, and Matt scooped it up, shoving it into
his pockets.
Back at the car, they headed southeast into Arizona. The drive was beautiful with the
mountains and pine trees, but the towns were few and far between. They stopped at a gas station
and picked up sandwiches and bottled water then continued until reaching Flagstaff.
They ate their dinner in a small café and talked quietly.
"Do you think we were followed?" Kehr asked.
"I don't know. It's hard to tell. Let's see if we can sell the car."
"Sell the car? Why? We just bought it."
"We're taking the bus." Matt pointed through the window to the Greyhound Bus station
across the street.
"You're the boss," Kehr agreed as they got up, paid for their meal, and left. They were able
to get fifteen hundred for the car and walked the few blocks back to the bus station. A bus just
pulled in and the passengers were unloading. The sign on the front of the bus read ‘Phoenix’.
Matt promptly bought two tickets, and they climbed in, found seats in the back, and waited
for the driver and other passengers to board. Soon, they were on their way, rumbling down the
highway. They leaned their seats back and tried to catch a little shut-eye. Matt was pleased that
the bus was less than half full. An hour of driving in the darkness and they were both fast asleep.
They arrived in Phoenix, climbed off the bus, and stood looking around for a moment.
Everything was calm with no sign of any police officers anywhere around. They walked past
another bus with the sign on front reading ‘San Antonio’ and headed toward the ticket window.
They had forty-five minutes before the bus left, so they got some breakfast, made a
bathroom stop, and climbed on board.
"We're going to Texas?" Kehr asked.
"Might as well. It can't be any worse than California," Matt answered as they stowed their
bags under their seats and settled in.
They talked very little on the ride to San Antonio. After eying the rest of the passengers
carefully, they leaned back, trying to relax.
Arriving in San Antonio after dark, they ate dinner at the bus depot then found a cheap hotel
within walking distance where they took a room for the night and slept like logs.
The next morning, they checked the yellow pages and found the nearest used car lot, eight
blocks down and two over. They walked the distance in no time, looked over the cars available,
and bought a Chevy Malibu for six thousand five hundred. They were mobile again and stopped
at IHOP for a big breakfast before heading south.
"That was really good. I've seen their ads for years but never ate there before," Kehr said as
they hit the road.
"I've eaten there several times and the food is always good." Matt maneuvered their car
through the streets and to the highway.
"So are we just going to keep driving around?"
"I haven't decided yet. How do you feel about the beach?"
"Are you kidding? The beach sounds great. What do you have in mind?"
"Corpus Christi. It's a really nice little town. I thought we might head toward Padre Island
and see about renting an apartment."
"Ahh. The two of us setting up housekeeping. I knew my charm would get to you sooner or
later." Kehr chuckled at the face Matt made.
"I won't even dignify that comment with a come back," Matt said.
The drive to Corpus was long but nice. The car handled beautifully, it was a bright, sunny
day, and the thought of spending time at the beach mellowed them both. For the first time, Matt
felt comfortable enough to let Kehr drive.
They arrived mid-afternoon and stopped at the first real estate place they came to. Two
hours later, the 'Anderson brothers' signed a ninety-day lease for a furnished condo on Padre
Island.
They stopped at a Walmart Superstore to stock up on food, paperbacks, magazines, and
other supplies, then headed for their apartment. The rain started as they were unloading and
didn't quit for the next three days. That was fine by them. They caught up on their sleep, washed
all their smelly clothes, and just sat around reading and resting.
Their fourth day started bright and sunny. Matt stepped onto their small balcony, breathing
in the salty sea air.
"Want to take a ride?" he asked as Kehr finished putting away their breakfast dishes.
"Where to?"
"I thought maybe we'd go take a look at the beach."
"I'd like that," Kehr agreed.
They drove with their windows down and stopped at a souvenir shop along the highway,
picking up sun glasses, caps, T-shirts, bathing suits, beach towels, and sun screen.
The next shop was a convenience store where they bought a small ice chest, a bag of ice,
four bottles of Coke, a six pack of water, and ready made sandwiches. Then they were on their
way again.
Another thirty minutes and they were driving along the beach. Cars parked along the way
and people were lying in the sun or playing in the surf. They passed a few tents pitched together,
a few motor homes, and several make-shift fire pits and camp sites. They kept driving slowly,
enjoying the ocean breeze, the sound of the waves, and the constant sing-song of the birds
running in the surf.
Continuing their drive along the island, Matt found an area with no other cars visible, angled
the car toward the water, and cut the engine. They got out of the car and stood, just breathing the
clean ocean air for several moments.
"Do you swim?" Kehr asked, pulling his bathing suit out of the bag and biting the plastic tag
off.
"I do. But I'm not ready just yet. You go ahead," Matt said and started walking back toward
the dunes parallel to the water as far as the eye could see. He climbed to the top and walked for
some time in both directions, scanning for anyone in the vicinity. By the time he got back to the
car, Kehr was swimming close to the shore.
Matt donned his swimsuit and jumped into the water. In moments, he was swimming
alongside Kehr, following the shore for quite a way, then turned back and swam in the opposite
direction. After an hour in the water, they came ashore, laid their beach towels in the sand, and
basked in the sun, less than a dozen words spoken between them.
"You're awfully quiet, Kehr." Matt broke the silence.
"This is really nice. Too bad it can't last."
"I've always liked the beach. Never did get to go much.”
"You swim like you're used to it," Kehr commented.
"I use the pool at the Hoover a lot. I like to swim, it's invigorating."
"It is that."
"I'm thirsty. Want a Coke?" Matt asked, getting up and pulling a dripping Coke out of the
ice chest.
"Yeah, thanks."
Matt tossed him one, pulled another out for himself, then uncapped his and tossed the opener
to Kehr to uncap his. They drank in silence for a bit.
"Do you think we have a chance in hell of making that court date?" Kehr asked, staring out
at the water.
"We haven't had any trouble since we've been here," Matt answered, avoiding the question.
"I want to testify. I want to see that bastard, Diego’s, face when I stand up there and spill my
guts. I want to see him squirm."
"How in the hell did you ever get mixed up with a bastard like that anyway?"
"Dumb luck. I was dumb and he was lucky."
"So why did you stay with him for so long?"
"He convinced me his way was the right way. I believed in him. I wanted him to be right."
"But how could you have done all the things you've done? How could he have made any of
that sound reasonable and necessary?"
"Like I said, I was dumb. He kept referring to his 'organization' and all this patriotic crap.
For some reason, I had it in my head that he was CIA. I know that's stupid now but that's what I
believed."
"And I'm sure he let you believe that."
"It's my own fault. I walked right into it and before I knew what he really was, I was in too
deep to get out."
"You think you can get out now?"
"I doubt it. But I'm tired
—
tired of the whole thing. That's why I contacted Loman."
"You contacted Loman?"
"I did and offered to testify. I've spent hours on the phone with her, telling her exactly what
information I had. A week later, I woke up in that Hong Kong jail."
"How long were you in there?"
"Eight months."
“Loman put you there for safe-keeping?”
“Looks that way.”
“So why’d she take you out now instead of waiting closer to the trial date?”
“I’m pretty sure one of Diego's men spotted me. I got word to Loman and next thing I knew,
you showed up.”
“He the one who gave you that beating?” Matt asked, eying the fading bruises.
“Him and a buddy of his.”
“He tried to take you out?”
“Yes. He won’t be taking anybody out any more.” Kehr clenched his jaws.
“And his buddy?”
“Don’t know about him. He took off.”
Matt didn't know what else to say, so he asked if Kehr wanted his sandwich. Kehr agreed so
they ate and watched the tiny sandpipers dashing about at the edge of the water while the larger
seagulls squawked overhead, begging for food.
With their meal finished, they greased up with sun screen, Matt telling Kehr to turn around
while he rubbed some onto his back then turned around while Kehr did the same for him. They
lay there, side by side, for a good long time before Matt asked,
"So what are your plans after the trial?"
Kehr laughed out loud. "That's kind of like asking Frosty the Snowman what his plans are
for the summer."
"You've got a good chance of making it," Matt insisted.
"To the trial, with your help, maybe, but afterward, if I make it six months, it’ll be a
miracle."
"Don't you have any family or relatives to look out for you?"
"I have no family. I came out of an orphanage. I was abandoned on a park bench, my parents
were never found. Besides, would you take this kind of trouble to your family?"
"I guess not." Matt saw for the first time exactly the fix Kehr was in. "I'd better take another
look around."
Another long walk along the dune ridge and back again while Kehr lay still, basking in the
sun.
"I think we'd better call it a day." Matt slipped his jeans over his now dry bathing suit.
Kehr roused and pulled his on as well then they drove back to the apartment.
Matt found some easy listening jazz on the radio. They had a light supper and spent the
evening reading.
Matt lay in his bed that evening, wishing he’d put the sun screen on earlier as his back was
stinging. He felt good though. His lungs were still filled with the sea air, and his body
comfortably tired from the exercise. A noise at his bedroom door startled him. He looked over to
see Kehr standing there, a towel draped around his waist, fresh from the shower.
"Just wanted to make sure you were still here," Kehr said. "I got kind of used to sleeping in
the same room with you. It was…comforting."
"I'm still here," Matt answered, glad it was dark in his room and that Kehr couldn’t see his
body’s reaction to the soft words.
"Good. I'm glad." He started to walk away then turned back. "I enjoyed the beach this
afternoon."
"So did I. We can go again tomorrow if you like."
"I'd like that." He paused a moment then asked what was really on his mind. "Can I ask you
a question?"
"Sure."
"Why did you take this assignment?"
"I didn't want to."
"I never expected you to show up."
"I'm here though, and we're going to get the job done."
"I hope so. I just…I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."
"I can take care of myself," Matt assured him.
"I know you can and you're taking good care of me as well. I want to thank you for that. I
wouldn't have made it this far with anyone else," Kehr said, walking to the foot of the bed.
The room was lit only by the hall light, and Matt felt something he never thought he'd feel
—
desire for Nick Kehr. He swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say.
"How are the ribs doing? Did the swimming bother them?"
"No, I'm a quick healer. I get a twinge every now and then, that's about all."
"That's good."
"Do you want me to leave?" Kehr asked with a little grin.
"I think you'd better."
"Okay. I'm just across the hall if you change your mind." Kehr left the room.
Matt was relieved to be alone again in his room. He listened to Kehr moving around across
the hall then the light went out and there was silence. He was going to have to be very, very
careful. He had enough on his mind just keeping the two of them alive without personal
complications distracting him.
Chapter Four
Weeks went by and they settled into a routine, taking turns cooking; one cooked, the other
did the dishes. Each did their own laundry. They shopped for groceries and reading material,
watched a little television, and went to the beach every day it didn't rain.
They swam, walked, picnicked, and basked in the sun. One night, Matt awoke to a noise in
the living room. He slipped his gun from under his pillow and padded quietly down the hall in
his bare feet, peering around the corner to find Kehr pacing the floor.
"Are you all right?" he asked, entering the room and placing his gun on an end table.
Kehr stared at him a moment then said, "I don't want to die."
Matt didn't know what to say to that. They both knew that Kehr's chances of getting out of
this mess alive were slim to none.
"I plan to do everything I can to keep you alive," Matt said.
"I was going to leave tonight." Kehr nodded to his backpack sitting by the door. "I don't
want to die, but I don't want you to die trying to keep me alive."
"I can take care of myself," Matt insisted.
"Under most circumstances, yes, but this is different. If they find you with me, they will kill
you. These people won't leave any witnesses."
"We've made it this far. We've had no trouble at all since we've been here."
Kehr stared at him for several seconds then turned away, his voice turning stone cold. "I
stand a lot better chance of making it alone. It's a lot easier for one person to get lost than for
two."
"And just forget about testifying?"
"No. I'm going to testify. I'll be in that courtroom." He walked over to the door and picked
up his bag.
"No! You can't leave!" Matt pulled him back by the arm. "You agreed you'd go along with
whatever plan I came up with. You can't just walk out."
It would be impossible to say who made the first move; it's doubtful even they knew, but
they were suddenly in each other's arms, kissing. Neither could say who led but suddenly, they
were on Kehr's bed. Matt had him stripped in minutes and his mouth full of cock—his second
favorite thing in the world.
Kehr came with a loud groan, and Matt sat up, wiping the corner of his mouth against his
shoulder. His hand wandered over Kehr's body and stopped at the nipples, tugging gently. Soon,
his mouth took over, sucking the tiny, brown buds till they stood stiff.
“Condom,” Kehr managed to get out.
“Hmm?” Matt was so besotted with lust he hardly heard him.
“Condom. Drawer,” Kehr repeated.
Matt opened the drawer to find what he needed and prepared himself quickly.
Kehr remained on his back, so Matt lifted his legs, rested them on his forearms, and entered
as slowly as he could. He prided himself that no matter how frantic he was for penetration, he
was always considerate of his partner and never went in as hard and as deeply as he really
wanted. Slow and easy, not easy for either of them.
Matt was shaking from the strain of holding back, and Kehr was pulling at him, wanting
more.
“Okay?” Matt asked as he bottomed out.
“Uh huh. Do it. Do it hard!”
That was all it took, and after a few strokes to adjust his position, Matt slammed into him at
an increasing pace, until both were gasping and moaning from pleasure. Kehr exploded first, and
his tightening ass sent Matt soaring.
After they recovered, Matt suggested a shower and Kehr readily agreed.
“Just one complaint,” Kehr said as he dried Matt's back.
“What would that be?” Matt turned around and pulled Kehr into his arms, kissing him.
“Could you please call me Nick? Kehr is what they used to call me back at the home.”
“All right. Nick it is.” Matt smiled and kissed him again.
* * * *
And so it went for the next several days. They hardly left the apartment except to hit the
grocery store a mile down the road. They never talked about it, just let it happen. And happen it
did; in the kitchen against the sink, in the living room on the couch, in the bathroom, in the
shower, and every night and morning in whichever bed they happened to be in.
One night, they were lying together on the couch, the evening news had just ended, and Matt
clicked off the television, tossing the remote on the table.
"You've been awfully quiet tonight," Matt said.
"I know." Nick nuzzled his cheek against Matt's furry chest.
"You want to tell me what's on your mind?"
"This is all too good. It's going to end soon and that's going to be the saddest day of my life."
"You think we're getting too comfortable here?"
"We are. I know we stay alert, watching and listening carefully, but I'm beginning to get that
old feeling, like they are somehow closing in on us, and any minute, they're going to pounce."
Matt sat up, pulling Nick with him. "I've been getting that same feeling. You're thinking we
should leave?"
"I hate to, but yes, I think we should leave." Nick reached for his bottled water and drained
the last of it.
"You're right. Our lease is up next week. Is that soon enough?"
"No. I think we should leave now. It's too quiet here, too easy to relax and forget what's
going on."
Matt thought for a few minutes then said, "I agree. Let's pack."
Silently, they packed their bags and stowed them in the car. One last look around the place
and they drove off into the night. They stopped at the real estate office on the way and dropped
the keys into the night box, along with a short note terminating their lease. Back on the highway
and heading north, both were quiet and glum, but Matt had an idea. He took the turn off, east,
heading toward Victoria and Houston.
Nick glanced at him and asked, "Where are we headed?"
"You remember that commercial playing on TV just before that last news story about that
wreck?"
"The commercial? No, I usually ignore commercials."
"I'm talking about the one where they ask that football player where's he's going now that his
team won the championship. Remember what he said?"
"You talking about that Disney World commercial?"
"Yeah. How would you like to go to Disney World?" Matt grinned in the darkness.
"You're kidding, right?" Nick asked, not believing his ears.
"Nope. Where is the last place in the world they would think to look for you?"
"Disney World! We're not really going there, are we?"
"Why not? Have you ever been?"
"Well no, but…"
"But what? Do you have a thing about amusement parks or something?" Matt asked.
"No, not at all. In fact, I've never been to an amusement park."
"Never?"
"Never. At the home—where I grew up—we were lucky just to have food to eat and a place
to sleep. It was a poor community and we had no frills there."
"And you never went to an amusement park, even when you got out?"
"I was too busy studying to become a cop. I always wanted to be Dirty Harry, and instead, I
got mixed up on the wrong side, couldn’t get out, and just ended up a dirty cop."
They were silent for a few minutes then Matt said, "Well, I think a trip to Disney World is
just what you need then. They'd never think to look for us there, not in a million years."
Nick gave a little chuckle and said, "You're the boss. We've got about sixty days left before I
need to be in DC. We might as well have a little fun while we're waiting."
They stopped in Beaumont for breakfast then drove straight through, taking turns driving.
They had one moment when they were nearly forced off the road. They both pulled out their
guns, relieved to see it was just some drunk, driving like a maniac. Twenty minutes later, they
saw him pulled over to the side of the road, being handcuffed and shoved into the back seat of a
police car.
Stopping for the night in Jacksonville, Florida, they got a room with two beds but used only
one. They slept late the next morning, had breakfast, and drove the remaining hundred and fifty
miles to Orlando.
As they neared the city limits, the excitement began to build in Nick. "We're really going to
Disney World? I mean, are we going into the park?" he asked as he began to see signs
advertising the park.
"Absolutely. Why go to Disney World if you're not going into the park?"
"You think it would be safe? I mean, can we go on rides and stuff?" Nick was leaning
forward in his seat as the first sight of the tall rides came into view.
Matt smiled at the excitement etched on Nick's face. All the hard edges seemed to disappear,
making him look like a twelve-year-old boy going to the park for his first time.
"Sure we can. In fact, I want to stay at one of those hotels that have the monorail that takes
you right to the park grounds. You can buy a ticket that'll be good for a week and come and go as
often as you like."
"You really think it will be safe?" Nick desperately wanted to believe it.
"If you were Diego, where would you look for you?"
"I don't know, probably in some dive in DC or one of the so-called safe houses."
"Would Disney World pop into your mind?"
"You're right, it wouldn't, not in a million years." Nick grinned, beside himself with
excitement.
Matt pulled into Walt Disney World Resort and they took a room, paying up front for the
room and two seven-day passes into the park.
"This is the craziest thing I've ever done in my life!" Nick said, tossing his bag on his bed
and making his way to the window overlooking the park.
"Sometimes, crazy is good," Matt said, coming up behind him, circling him with his arms
and resting his chin on Nick’s shoulder.
Nick leaned his head back against Matt's and sighed. "You are certifiable, you know that,
Harry?"
"I don't know about that, but I'm ready for lunch. Now we can eat at the restaurant
downstairs or we can hit the park. I'm sure there are lots of places to eat there, your choice," Matt
said, nibbling on Nick's ear.
"I want to go on some rides!" Nick said, spinning around in Matt's arms. “Could we?”
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Matt agreed with a grin then added as they went out their door,
"As long as we get to eat sometime this afternoon."
"Any time you want, I just want to go on a ride first!" Nick said excitedly as they entered the
elevator.
"Which ride has got you all excited?”
"I don't care what we go on. I just want to go on some kind of ride." They exited the elevator
and headed for the monorail station.
They had to wait while a family with four cranky, crying kids got off before they boarded
and took their seats. Matt immensely enjoyed watching the excitement grow in Nick as they
neared their destination. Once on the grounds, Nick had them practically running to the midway.
Rides were on all sides of them, and Nick stopped in his tracks, staring. Never in Nick’s life had
he seen such a sight.
"Wait until you see it at night with all the lights on," Matt said as they stood there, the crowd
milling around them as if they didn't exist.
"Which one?" Nick finally managed to speak.
"Up to you. Just be prepared, there will be a long wait in line."
"I don't care. Hey, there's a hot dog stand." He pointed to a little, red-roofed cart. "Lets get
some hot dogs and we can eat them while we're standing in line."
Matt followed Nick to the stand, grinning from ear to ear. They grabbed their order and
headed for the first ride.
"You've never been on any rides before? None at all?" Matt asked.
"No. Just some swings and slides and those little push merry-go-rounds they have on
playgrounds."
"Well, I think we should try something a little tame first. How about the Tilt-a-Whirl over
there?" Matt pointed down the midway a short distance. "The line is shortest there. Then we can
come back and hit some of these bigger rides."
"Okay, great!" Nick hurried over and got in line.
Matt followed behind with a satisfied smile. Coming to Disney World was a good decision.
He'd never seen Nick so excited and happy!
When their turn came, they climbed into their seats and strapped in. The metal bar was
closed over their laps and the ride started. Nick's eyes were big as saucers as the ride started to
spin and whirl, his mouth gaping open in stunned amazement. When it stopped, he didn't want to
get out. Matt finally convinced him that if he wanted to ride again they would have to get back in
line.
They rode the Tilt-a-Whirl four times in a row before Nick decided it was time to try another
ride, but first, another hot dog for their wait in line for the Roller Coaster. Nick threw up his chili
dog as soon as they got off then turned around and begged to go on it again, which of course,
they did—several times. Hours later, they climbed aboard the monorail and headed back to their
hotel, too exhausted to speak. Nick's only comment was a mumbled, "I had no idea!" as he
leaned his tired head against Matt's shoulder.
They lay down for a nap and didn't rouse until almost nine thirty p.m. They freshened up and
headed back to the park, Nick just as excited as the first time. This time, Matt was able to get
Nick to walk around the park and see some of the other sights besides the midway lit up like a
Christmas tree.
They wandered the streets from kingdom to kingdom, checking out the small shops. One of
their first purchases was a couple of cameras, which they hung around their necks.
"You can't be a proper tourist without a camera," Matt insisted as he started snapping
photos.
Nick glanced around, noticing that Matt was right
—
practically everyone had cameras hung
around their neck. He was startled as Matt placed a hat with Mickey Mouse ears on his head and
snapped his photo.
"No one will ever believe this," Matt said, looking into the camera at the photo he had just
taken. "Nick Kehr in Mickey Mouse ears." He laughed and showed the photo to Nick.
"You want to see something even more absurd, how about Matt Harrington in Mickey
Mouse ears?" Nick grinned, put the hat on Matt, and snapped a photo.
They laughed and decided on two baseball type caps with Disney World embroidered on the
front. Before they knew it, the park was announcing it was getting ready to close for the night, so
they made their way back to the monorail station and went back to their hotel.
And so went the next few weeks. They spent a couple of days at the Epcot Center alone.
They ate their breakfast and dinner at the hotel, but lunch and snacks were eaten at the park,
either standing in line for a ride or sitting on a shady bench, resting.
There were other magnificent sites to see in Orlando, and they saw them all. They took the
Universal Studios tour
,
visited a few museums, and made the hour long drive to the beach,
stopping for an excellent sea food dinner and a moonlit walk on the shore.
Time was growing short and they knew it, but neither brought it up. They made the most of
every day, doing every fun thing they could think to do, and every night, they fell asleep
wrapped around each other.
Three days before the trial, they loaded the car and started toward DC.
They took coast highway 95 north and stopped for the night in a small motel on the outskirts
of Raleigh, NC. Their mood was somber, and Nick couldn't stop fidgeting, peeking out the
window, and listening carefully at the door. They tried to sleep but neither could close his eyes.
"I've been thinking." Matt finally broke the silence. "We need someone we can trust to be
our go-between."
"You’ve got someone in mind?" Nick asked, coming away from the window.
"A. D. Carlson, the only one I know for sure we can trust."
"You sure we can trust him?"
"I trust him. Hell, we have to trust someone, Nick. We don't even know if the trial is still
scheduled. Since we've been out of touch for so long, they might have re-scheduled it."
"Oh shit!" Nick sat down at the table across from Matt.
Matt reached over and covered Nick's hand with his own and gave it a squeeze. "Trust me,
Nick. We'll get through this."
"Okay, okay, whatever you think. I guess it's better than just showing up at the courthouse."
"It is." Matt went to the bedside phone and dialed his friend’s number.
"A. D. Carlson," the garbled voice said.
"Chuck? Is that you?" Matt asked.
"Matt? Shit, is that you, Matt?"
"Yeah. Are you alone?"
"Unfortunately,” Carlson’s sleepy voice replied. “Where the hell you been? At first, it was
put out that you were on personal leave, but when you never came back…well, hell—I'm just
glad you're okay. Everyone's going crazy looking for you. I've been called in and questioned half
a dozen times."
"I'm fine. I need your help though. Can I count on you to keep this call confidential?"
"Absolutely. How can I help?"
"There's a trial scheduled for day after tomorrow, Ricardo Diego. Do you know about it?"
"I do. Everyone is talking about it. They all think he's going to walk. There's supposed to be
some secret witness somewhere but word is he'll be a no-show. Are you the secret witness?"
"No. But I have him. I'm out of state right now but I’m on my way back. We need a place
that's safe. No safe house, I don’t trust them."
"Okay. What do you want; a house, an apartment, a vacant building? Name it."
"I don't know. I don't really care as long as it's secure. Can you meet us somewhere on the
south side of town, someplace we can park and get into your vehicle unseen, maybe an
underground garage somewhere? Can you come up with a different vehicle? Something with
tinted windows so no one can see your passengers?"
"I can do that. Anything else?"
"Yes. I need an escort to the trial. Can you handle that?"
"I can."
"Have you seen or spoken with Loman in the last few weeks?"
"I've seen her but I haven't spoken with her. You need to get a message to her?"
"Yes, but not right now. Not until just before the trial. I need to let her know that I have the
witness, and he is eager to testify, but I don't want them to have the time to come after us again."
"Again? They know where you are?"
"Not at the moment. We found a pretty safe place to stay, but with the trial so near, they’ll
be closing in on DC, looking for us."
“I can call her whenever you want the message delivered. I'll come up with a place for you
to stay and stay with you until the trial is over."
"You can't discuss this with anyone, Chuck. I don’t know who all is involved."
“You suspect someone at the Bureau?”
“I think so but I don't know who.”
"Okay. How soon will you be ready for pick up, and do you have a number where I can call
you back to let you know the arrangements?"
"We're about four hours out. I ditched the cell I had. I'll have to call you back in a couple of
hours. Will you know something by then?"
"I will."
"Okay. I'll talk to you later then, and Chuck—thanks!"
"You got it."
Matt hung up the phone feeling a lot more confident about things.
"They could already be following him if anyone knows you’re friends,” Nick warned.
"It's possible. It's also possible that Chuck is thinking the same thing and will be able to lose
any tail. I'm confident in Chuck’s abilities." Matt took his seat back at the table again.
"I hope you're right." Nick started pacing again.
In no time, they packed again and were on the road north. In two hours, they stopped at a
truck stop to fill the tank, and Matt used the payphone to call Chuck. He was happy with the
conversation. Chuck would pick them up in two hours at the old, closed down Montgomery
Wards store just inside the loop on the south side. Matt and Nick drove in silence for the last two
hours. They were just entering the outskirts of town when Nick turned to Matt and said, "Matt, I
want to thank you for these last few months. I don't know how to express my gratitude other than
to just say thank you."
"You're welcome, Nick. I didn't want the job; I regretted taking the job; but I learned more
on this assignment than any other I ever had. I have you to thank for that. These last few months,
I've been…happy. I can't remember any other time in my life when I've been this happy." He
reached over, squeezing Nick's arm.
Nick smiled back but said nothing more until he saw the Montgomery Ward building.
"There it is." He pointed to the left.
Matt pulled into the deserted parking lot and drove around back. By the loading dock sat a
van with Samuel's Plumbing written on the side. He stopped the car and waited until the van
flashed its lights, and they drove closer.
Chuck stepped out of the van, walking toward them. Matt got out and Nick followed him a
minute later.
"Hey, Matt." Chuck greeted him with a smile that faded as soon as he got a look at Kehr.
"This is your witness? I thought Kehr was dirty?"
“We don’t have time to go into this right now, Chuck. I know who and what he is. And I
know what my job is. Do you have a place for us or not?" Matt asked, his irritation beginning to
show.
Chuck gave a doubtful look at Kehr and nodded toward the van. Matt and Nick grabbed
their bags and piled in.
"Are you sure you can trust Kehr? Why the hell did you ever agree to protect him? Everyone
knows he's dirty."
"He's testifying against Diego. It's my job to see that he makes it safely to that courtroom."
"Testifying against Diego? Shouldn't he be sitting right next to him?" Chuck asked.
"Give it a rest, Chuck. The deal is already made."
"And I suppose he's getting immunity out of it?" Chuck said with disgust.
"Immunity and the rest of his life spent looking over his shoulder, waiting for reprisals."
The van rumbled through the early morning darkness and came to stop in the warehouse
district. They climbed out.
"A warehouse?" Matt asked, looking around.
"It's low traffic, quiet, and secure. There are no occupants in this building, and you can come
and go unseen. It's the best I could come up with on short notice."
They went inside and secured the locks. Two Army type cots were set up for them in a back
storage room, and they tossed their gear on the floor underneath, sitting down with a sigh.
"I don't think this was such a good idea. He could make a phone call any minute and this
would be all over," Nick whispered so only Matt could hear him.
"He could," Matt agreed, "but he won't. He wants to get Diego as much as we do."
"I hope you're right." Nick lay down on his cot.
They spent the next day dozing or pacing and came out of the store room only long enough
to have a look around the building and return to the little storage room.
The day of the trial dawned and they nervously dressed. Chuck made his phone call to
Loman that they were coming in with the witness. Matt and Nick piled into Chuck’s van,
heading for the courthouse, and when stopped at the witnesses’ entrance, Chuck showed his
Bureau ID to allow entrance. He stopped in the underground parking area, right in front of the
elevator. Chuck got out and pressed the button. The door opened to an empty elevator, and
Chuck nodded toward the van that all was clear.
Matt and Nick slipped out and hurried into the elevator where they stood silently until the
door slid open. Loman was waiting just outside with two of her assistants.
"Thank you, Harrington. You've done your job and your part in this is now complete," she
said, motioning for her assistants to take Kehr.
"I'm going with him," Matt said.
"No, you're not. He's in my custody now and I'm in charge. You're no longer a part of this."
Loman turned her back on him, nodding for Kehr to follow her assistants.
Kehr stepped beside them, and they walked down the corridor together.
"Son of a bitch!" Matt slammed his hand against the wall.
"Come on," Chuck said. "The trial starts in an hour. Let's get some coffee and see about
getting a seat in the courtroom."
* * * *
They spent the entire day in the courtroom, except for breaks when they tried to get in to see
Kehr but were refused. The first day of testimony ended and Kehr never appeared. The second
day was more of the same. Matt was furious and tried everything he knew to get in touch with
Loman but couldn’t get a response.
Matt went home to his apartment and threw his bag across the room as soon as he entered.
He was seething and didn't know what to do about it. He lay awake for hours that first night and
made up his mind. He was going to retire, effective immediately.
The next morning, he went to his office and made copies of his request for retirement,
keeping one for him, dropping one on his secretary's desk along with a letter of recommendation
for her, and the original copy he placed in an envelope with Director Loman written on the top,
leaving it on her secretary's desk.
Back at his apartment, he paid a visit to the manager to advise he was moving out. He had
two hours before court went back in session, so he made a few more specialized arrangements.
The third day of the trial started like the others, and Matt was sitting in the front row.
By mid morning, the prosecution called Nicholas Kehr to the stand. There was a flurry of
movement outside the door and everyone waited. Matt glanced at Diego as he sat staring straight
ahead, a smug little grin on his face.
There was a delay of several minutes while court clerks scurried about the room, whispering
to one another and disappearing out the door and down the hall. Even the judge's eyes were fixed
on the door. Finally, the door opened, and Nick walked into the courtroom, straightening his tie
and wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.
Diego’s attorneys objected strenuously to no avail. The judge listened to the first few
objections then banged his gavel, stating, "The court will hear this witness."
Kehr testified the rest of the day over one objection after another from the defense. The next
two days were carbon copies. The weekend break nearly drove Matt crazy. They refused to let
him see Nick, and Loman refused to see him.
He spent Saturday and Sunday emptying his apartment. Never being much of a keeper of
unnecessary items, he didn’t have all that much to move. He took a room at the hotel closest to
the courthouse and moved his things over.
Monday morning, Matt sat in the front row again as Nick testified. He could see the jury
believed every word they heard. The days following mirrored one another, and then it was the
defense's turn. They spent days trying to tear down Nick's testimony and Nick himself but it
wasn't going well. The defense team switched from one attorney to the next, each trying a
different tactic. All the while, Diego sat with that smug little grin on his face, staring straight
ahead, showing no emotion but confidence.
The third week passed, and the trial drew to a close. Nick was called back to the stand for
further testimony and questioning by the defense, but Nick continued to testify well. As he stood
to leave the stand, the courtroom door burst open, and someone in a ski mask, dressed entirely in
black sprayed the front of the courtroom with bullets.
It all happened like a dream. Nick was stepping down from the chair, the door burst open,
shots were fired, and people were screaming and struggling to get out of the way.
Nick took three shots across the chest and went down. Matt vaulted over the railing and ran
to him while the gunman disappeared into the crowd in the hall and was gone.
Diego never changed his expression, never even looked around during the melee. The jurors
all saw this and didn't forget it later when it came time to vote on his guilt or innocence. Matt
immediately covered Kehr with his jacket, and in minutes, the EMTs came with a gurney to take
him away, covering him completely with a sheet. Matt walked with him out of the courtroom and
out of the building.
* * * *
Matt drove his new van down the highway, feeling an almost giddy sense of freedom. The
trial was over, and the jury found Diego guilty on all charges. Matt was no longer an employee
of the US Government, his retirement checks set for automatic deposit into an account in the
Cayman Islands. He had six Mastercards, six American Express cards, gas cards, and driver's
licenses in several names.
He heard a groan from the back and smiled. "Hey, it's about time you woke up! You're
missing a beautiful sunset!"
"Oh, shit! I feel like I've been stepped on by an elephant!" A muddle-headed Nick crawled
into the co-pilot's seat.
"You're still in one piece. That's all that matters." Matt smiled at him.
"I don't know how you managed to get that bullet proof vest in for me, but I appreciate it."
Kehr rubbed his bruised chest.
"I just crossed a few palms with a little green."
"You knew something was going to happen?"
"Uh huh. Diego was too smug. I knew he had some sort of a plan."
"Well, you did it. You kept me alive long enough to testify. So where are we headed now?"
"West. I thought you might like to see Disneyland—the original."
Nick laughed out loud. "No kidding?"
"No kidding. But you've got to promise me no chili dogs just before the roller coaster!"
"You haven't gotten me killed yet, so I might as well go along." Nick shook his head in
disbelief. "You did it, Harry! You fucking did it!" They both laughed.
“Please don’t call me that. You know I hate it,” Matt begged.
“That’s why I do it.” Nick laughed.
The van filled with laughter and rose-colored rays of sunset as they headed west.
*THE END*
About The Author
I was born in Elmira,New York, grew up in Phoenix, AZ, married a Texan and have spent the last
30+ years all over Texas. I'm a widow with four grown children and six grandchildren. I live
alone with my 15 year old cat Florence. I retired in November of 2009 after running a day care
in my home for twenty years.
I started writing at age 14 and have never stopped. It all began with Fan Fiction which I'm still
deeply involved in.
My interests are sci-fi, westerns, WW2 and classics. My preferences are M/M stories with
happily-ever-after endings.
Other Books by Donna
Survival
Tanner
The Christmas Gift
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