Rory’s Rose Page 3

  She logged off and hung up her lab coat in the closet. She wondered if she should invest in converting the upstairs into an apartment to live here. But the longer she avoided doing it, the more she realized she needed to sometimes step away from the business; otherwise it took up too much of her life—it became her life and soul. She needed to have some outside outlet.

  All the office staff had gone home already. The place was mostly dark.

  She shook her head. “I didn’t even see them leave,” she murmured.

  She checked on all the animals in back. She had none recovering from recent surgeries, so nobody needed to come in during the night. Normally she had somebody check at midnight and again at four in the morning.

  She checked that the rear door was locked and that security was on before she stepped outside into the parking lot. The air was still heavy—muggy and humid. It was a shock after the air-conditioned interior of the clinic. She walked to her vehicle and stopped. A second vehicle was parked beside hers, one she recognized. Rory leaned against her small truck. He tipped his hat at her and nodded at her vehicle. “I can’t believe you’re the last one leaving.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Why not? The business owners usually end up working way longer than the staff.”

  “Sure enough. It’s the same for Levi and Ice. But I was hoping somebody would be with you.”

  “Do you think it’s that dangerous here?” She looked around, realizing just how deserted the area was. She was surrounded by fields. Even if she screamed for help, no other building was nearby. No other people were about. It was a daunting thought. Yet, in a way, it was perfect for the animals. She had plenty of room for the dogs to be exercised, but she also had a section she kept for the large farm animals she worked on. The pasture opened to large stalls connecting to the rear of the clinic.

  It was a unique combination and was one of the reasons she had bought the clinic. She’d always planned to bring a large animal veterinarian on board. Right now she was the only one doing both, but she couldn’t handle all the work available.

  She’d like to grow her business, and her services were needed locally, but, to do more, she needed to hire another vet. Currently she did the surgeries and call-outs while Jimmy, the other vet in her practice, took care of most of the patients in the clinic. Often it was more than they both could handle.

  She could easily double the number of surgeries she performed. She had the room to expand as part of the clinic was closed off just because she didn’t need the space at the moment. No point in having to clean two surgical rooms if she only needed the one. More clinical patient rooms were available as well. Her clinic was a huge building, and one she didn’t utilize fully. She’d bought it with an eye to expanding down the road, but that depended on her ability to hire new staff. So far, she hadn’t had much luck.

  Like it would be nice to have someone else handle this current mess. She rubbed her temple. “You’re making me nervous.”

  “Good,” he said. “Can you open up again, so I can get that case?”

  She sighed. “You could have come in five minutes ago, and then I wouldn’t have had to set up the security.”

  He chuckled. “But this way I get to see if it works.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I want you to open the door but not shut off the alarm. You have a certain amount of time before the alarm goes off. How long before somebody responds to the alarm?”

  She racked her brain for the answer. “I’m not sure. I think a phone call comes through within a couple minutes. If that isn’t responded to, then a vehicle comes out.”

  “Well, let’s see if the alarm goes off first,” Rory said.

  “But why wouldn’t it?” she argued. She stepped in and pointed to the flashing lights on the alarm’s keypad. “I have one minute to key in the code before the alarm goes off.” She automatically went to do that, but he grabbed her hand and said, “Let’s wait.”

  “Fine.” She clapped her hands over her ears and waited.

  And waited.

  Finally she dropped her hands, asking, “How did you know?”

  But he wasn’t at her side anymore. He went from window to window. Then she understood; he was checking to see which windows were wired as part of the security system. And her stomach sank. When she’d set up the system, she hadn’t had tons of money and had done what she could but realized it wasn’t enough. At least not now.

  “Punch in the code to shut it off.”

  Instinctively she reached out to do it. Then, realizing how stupid her automatic reaction was, she asked, “Why did I shut it off if it’s not working?”

  “Just in case somebody puts the security system back online, we don’t want it going off.” He motioned her outside and said, “Lock up the door.”

  She quickly did, and he said, “Get in your vehicle, and go straight home. I’ll follow you there.”

  She hopped inside and rolled down the window. “You are really scaring me.”

  “Good. Go now.” He pounded on the hood of her vehicle and hopped into his truck. He was behind her before she even made it onto the main road. Her mind tried to figure out what exactly was going on as she made her way to the apartment she rented. She took her usual spot in the parking lot. Rory pulled into the guest space. He hopped out and said, “Let’s go. Get inside your apartment so I can check it out before I leave.”

  “Check it out? Leave?”

  He gave her a look and said, “I would love to stay, thanks. But I need to return to the clinic.”

  A sideways grin slid out, making her heart jump. Damn he was cute. She gave herself a headshake and asked, “But we just left it. I don’t understand.”

  “Somebody has played with your clinic’s security system. Considering that, no way you’re hanging around that place alone. Because, if they got into the security system, they’re watching the clinic too.”

  Bewildered at the quick change in her life, she led the way to the elevators and then up to the eighth floor. She got off with Rory at her side and walked to her corner apartment. She unlocked the door, opened it and stepped in. She waved a hand and said, “See? Everything is fine.”

  He ignored her and did a complete sweep of the apartment. The fact he was so thorough sent chills down her spine. He wasn’t joking. He really thought she was in serious danger. She closed and locked the door behind her, just in case somebody came up behind them. She even hated to think that way. What the hell had happened to her life?

  Finally he came back. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a bit.”

  She raised both hands, her palms up. “Why are you coming back?”

  “I have to deliver the pizza I ordered for our dinner of course. Lock up behind me, and don’t let anyone in.” He left without another word.

  She almost wanted to phone Ice and ask what the hell Rory’s problem was. However, she figured it would be harder to explain what she considered her reason for calling. She was tired, frustrated and, now, incredibly uneasy. She dropped her purse and keys where she always did and headed to her bedroom for a quick shower. When she came out, she was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. She wasn’t sure what the rest of night would bring, but, so far, the day had been absolutely crazy.

  *

  Rory drove past the vet clinic. He tried to look disinterested as he went by. He saw no sign of anybody, and, as far as he could tell, nobody hid in the hills. Yet every hair on the back of his neck stood up. He’d planned to return and do a drive-by regardless—to see if their leaving the clinic had brought anyone out of the woodwork. Not to mention he didn’t like to leave the drugs behind. He really wanted to catch someone with them at the clinic.

  “Ice, no sign of anyone here, but my instincts say they’re here, watching.”

  “Flynn is in Houston and will take a look when he gets back. I might keep him for surveillance later. A fresh face no one will know.”

  “Somebody needs to go in without vehicles and keep watch on this place overn
ight.”

  “Since her security has been compromised, I’ll get somebody there on the ground fast.”

  “There’s a place up above where I can park and walk back. It’s about a mile, maybe three-quarters of a mile.”

  “Good idea. Did you get the case?”

  “I left it in the clinic. I figured if we caught them with it, that might be better.”

  “We don’t want to lose it,” she said, her tone sharp. “Do you know where it is?”

  “I do.”

  “Good. Stay close to it until I can get someone else there. I don’t want the other guys to get it.”

  He hung up, swerved into a small pullout off the road and parked his vehicle. He hopped out, jumped over the fence and ran for the tree line on the far side. He then inched his way along the ground. He looked at his clothes and realized he was hardly dressed to be unnoticeable. He yanked off his crisp white T-shirt, folded it into a small ball in his hand. His skin tone would blend in with the browns and golds of his surroundings better than the white T-shirt. Keeping low to the ground, he worked his way to the clinic.

  He could see only two sides of the building, but the highway was in view, so he could also see it if anyone approached in a vehicle. He sat there for a good hour, figuring out any other angles to this mess. If somebody was selling drugs, how were they getting the packaging and the bottles? Was the company complicit, or was it completely unaware somebody was using its packaging to smuggle recreational drugs across state lines? Or across the border even. They needed to find out where the drugs were manufactured and packaged.

  As he considered the angles, he jotted down notes on his phone. This stunk. The fact that anybody would even put animals in danger made him really angry. Of course the drugs were never intended for veterinarian use, but that didn’t stop something from going wrong. If any of the animals were given any of those drugs, it would likely kill them within a few seconds. Thankfully they’d taken photos of the case showing the company label. Had Ice tracked anything down on the company? On the product? It had to be good enough to fool most people, but it hadn’t been enough to fool Louise. Ice was already running the photo of the driver through the databases. Somebody had probably stolen the license plate for the delivery truck.

  With perfect timing, Ice texted him. Nothing off on company so far. The license plate came off a panel van stolen over six months ago.

  He whistled silently. That wasn’t good. Now what they needed was this asshole to show up and go for the missing case of goods.

  Rory waited. Just when he thought maybe his instincts had fooled him, he saw an old beat-up pickup truck roll down the road and go past the vet clinic. He could hear the engine slow as it pulled to the side of the road. Hopefully not in the same place he had parked. As he watched, two men walked back up the road and down the driveway to the clinic. They sauntered slowly as if they had every right to be here. Of course that was always the best way to approach the job. The minute you thought you looked suspicious, you were.

  He crept closer as the men went into the front of the clinic. Damn, they’d gotten in fast. Did they have keys? Or just picked the lock? Worried they’d find the case, he reached the rear of the building and peered through one of the back windows. They were in the storeroom, speaking Spanish. His handle of the language wasn’t bad, but their tones were muffled through the wall. He sent Ice a quick text. Action.

  The men lifted and moved cases. So far they were on the wrong side of the room. Just then one of them turned and caught sight of him.

  He dropped down, but it was too late. Shouts erupted from inside as footsteps raced toward the front entrance. This meant they hadn’t cased the building as well as they should have because there was a back door closer to the storeroom. Of course maybe Rory was the one assuming too much. Maybe they knew something he didn’t.

  When nobody burst out of the back door, he quickly slid up against the door and peered in through the glass. No one was inside. He heard footsteps racing toward him along the path outside the building. He crept to the opposite corner and peered around. Saw the back of a man in jeans and a T-shirt, his hands on his hips. Rory crept up behind him and, with one blow, knocked him out.

  He searched the man’s pocket, checking for ID. The man didn’t have a wallet, and, outside of keys and a few crumpled bills, his pockets were empty. Without anything on hand, Rory used his T-shirt to tie him up. With that done he took a precious moment and sent a text to Ice. He crept back toward the rear door. As he was about to open the door, he felt the hard metal of a gun pressed into the center of his back. “Don’t move.”

  He slumped in place. Damn it. He hadn’t been taken like that in a long time. And that pissed him right off. Sure, he’d taken out one, but this wouldn’t make his day end on the right note. “What the hell do you want?”

  “It’s none of your business. What are you after?” the man replied.

  “Something I know is hidden here,” Rory said in a conspiratorial voice. “I came back to collect it.”

  The gun nudged him harder. “Collect what?”

  “It’s a vet clinic, dude.” Rory snorted. “Drugs, man, drugs.”

  The man behind him prodded Rory again. “So you came to steal drugs from the animals?”

  Rory had been in the business way too long to be fooled by that. “All drugs are good drugs, if you can sell them.”

  “Well, this is your lucky day in that I caught you and not one of the others in my crew. I’ll give you one chance to get the hell out of here.”

  “Not without something for my troubles,” Rory said. But now the gun was at the back of his neck.

  “Oh, I think you’ll change your mind. It’s either get lost or take a bullet. So get lost and stay lost.”

  Rory raised his hands and let the guy push him to the front of the building. Just as they reached the corner, Rory turned and lashed out with his foot, nailing the gunman in the groin. As the man bent over, groaning, Rory grabbed his arm, twisting it up behind him and slamming him to the ground. With a knee to the center of his back, Rory held the gun to his head and said, “Shut the hell up.”

  The gunman swore fluently in Spanish until Rory shoved the gun harder against his ear. Finally the gunman went still.

  “Now stay here,” Rory snapped. “But thanks for the one chance to stay alive. You’re lucky. I’ll give you the same respect.”

  The gunman roared, “Who the fuck are you?”

  “The guy who’s getting the drugs I came for,” Rory said calmly. He searched the man’s pockets and found nothing—no wallet, no ID, no credit cards. Then Rory stripped the man’s belt off. He quickly tied up his hands behind his back. Rory still needed to find a way to truss up the guy’s feet. He pulled off the man’s shoes, loosened the laces and used them to tie up the guy’s ankles. If nothing else, it would slow him down. Then Rory stood, sent a text to Ice, walked inside to the back room and collected the drugs.

  Hearing sirens in the far distance, he bolted out the back door. As soon as he reached the cover of the tree line, he called Ice and said, “I’m back in the trees. I have the case, and I left two turkeys trussed outside.”

  She laughed. “Okay, the sheriff’s deputies are on their way. I’ve also contacted our favorite detective out of Houston, Detective Mannford.”

  “Good. Hope he gets here fast.” Just then Rory heard a shot fired. He spun on his heels and said, “Shit.”

  “Was that gunfire?” Ice yelled.

  “Yeah, it was.”

  A second hard pop filled the air.

  “Oh, shit, Ice. I’m afraid the deputies will find dead men.”

  “That would not be good. Can you see the shooter?” she demanded. “Make sure you don’t become the next victim.”

  “I can’t see the shooter.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. He spun to see a small figure race away. “Got him. Shooter heading north.”

  “I’ve got the deputies heading in that direction too. Return to the clin
ic and protect it. We don’t want anybody else messing up the crime scene.”

  He was closer to his truck, so he dropped the case in the lockbox in the back and drove his truck to the front of the clinic. “I’m here now. Parked out front with the case.” He walked outside while talking to her and swore. “One bullet to the back of the head of the first man.” He ran around to the back and said, “I was right. A single bullet to the back of the head. Both men are dead.”

  “Okay, they were on an errand, likely under watch. When they failed, they outlived their usefulness,” Ice said. “I don’t like this at all.”

  Rory walked back to his truck. “How long until the authorities get here?”

  “I’m not sure. Mannford said they were in the area on a call-out already.”

  Just then sirens whipped past. “A cruiser just passed, but it didn’t come in to the clinic.”

  “Sit tight. I’m putting a call into Louise to make sure she stays inside her place and locked down.”

  “You do that. I’m holding tight here.” He’d been right about the men making an attempt to recover the drugs. Unfortunately he hadn’t expected the deadly punishment for failure. That took this to a whole new level.

  And he’d left Louise alone—with pizza a forgotten meal. With this escalation, he didn’t want to leave her for long, but he had to remain here until Mannford showed. Rory pocketed his phone and did a quick walk through the clinic. As far as he could see, nobody else had come in. That guy must have killed his men and left. Had he spoken to them first? Looked for the drugs? Or had he stepped up and shot them with the same clinical disinterest Rory had seen in so many other killers?

  Two dead men was a game changer. Anyone who screwed up was taken out—clean and simple. But who the hell was behind this mess?