Full Tilt

  "Did you hear that, Muffin? Jamie's got a record.

  Sounds like we got a troublemaker on our hands."

  "Maybe we shouldn't have given her all our secret information."

  "I hope she doesn't try to sell them to some of her friends in the big house," Max said.

  "Very funny," Jamie said. "So I got a parking ticket. What you're doing is a federal offense."

  "Tell me what you found out, Muffin," Max said calmly.

  "Well, if you think Jamie's trouble, wait till you hear about Swamp Dog. He's dangerous, Max. You don't want to piss off this guy. You don't even want to exchange Christmas cards with him."

  "Yeah? What'd he do?"

  "He was in Special Forces in Vietnam, but his records have been sealed. It was hell getting in; I used every trick in the book, so to speak. Swamp Dog, aka Jim Hodges, lost it, went right over the edge after losing all his men on a secret mission."

  "What'd he do?" Jamie asked.

  Muffin paused. "He committed a number of atrocities against civilians. Trust me, you don't want the details. But as far as the government is concerned, it never happened."

  "Isn't the government afraid Swamp Dog will talk?" Jamie asked. "Or, in his case, brag? He could make a lot of money selling his story."

  "The government is paying a shitload of money to keep him quiet," Muffin replied.

  Jamie grunted. "You wouldn't know it by the way he lives. Besides, if he's got all that money why is he poaching?"

  "It's not about money," Max said. "It's about breaking all the rules and laughing in people's faces while he's doing it."

  "He wants the money as well," Muffin said. "He supports a number of causes, specifically paramilitary organizations, and the damn Ku Klux Klan, for God's sake."

  "Sounds like it would be easier if the government put him behind bars for the rest of his life," Jamie said. "Or took him out."

  "They can't," Muffin said. "Swamp Dog has too much information on their black ops and mistakes, and it's all well documented. He's got it hidden—the government can't find where, and he's got a fail-safe on it. Something happens to him, the lid is blown off the whole thing."

  "He lives like an animal because he is an animal," Jamie said.

  "You've got a call coming in, Max," Muffin said. "It's Lamar Tevis from the police department."

  "I'll take it on the speaker phone."

  "Max, is that you?" Lamar asked once Muffin put him through.

  "Yeah. What's up, Chief?"

  "We got problems. Alexa Sanders's boy is missing. Somebody broke into the house tonight while they were sleeping and snatched him right out of his bed. Ms. Sanders asked me to contact you. Said you'd know what to do."

  Chapter Fourteen

  Max and Jamie arrived at Alexa's place fifteen minutes later. Patrol cars surrounded the small frame house that was painted a robin's egg blue and surrounded by a flower bed where orange tiger lilies grew in abundance. They found Alexa and Lamar were talking quietly in the living room. Her eyes were swollen from crying. She stood the minute she spied Max.

  "You know why this happened," she said.

  Max took her hand. "We'll find your son. First, I need the facts."

  "I've already gotten the facts," Lamar said.

  "I want to hear them from Alexa."

  Alexa sniffed and mopped her eyes with a tissue. "Like I told Lamar, I went into Danny's room to check on him before I went to bed."

  "What time?"

  "Shortly after ten. When I went in, I found him gone. Danny's diabetic. If he doesn't eat the right food on schedule or he misses his insulin injection—" She paused and choked back fresh tears. "He could go into a diabetic coma."

  "That's not going to happen, Alexa," Max said. "Now, did you hear anything in the house before you noticed he was missing?"

  She shook her head. "I was watching TV in my bedroom."

  "Your doors were locked?"

  "Yes, but I had the windows open so we could get a breeze. I can't afford to keep the air-conditioning on."

  "The screen has been cut in Danny's room," Lamar said. "I smelled chloroform on the boy's pillow, so he probably slept through most of it."

  Jamie took Alexa's hand in hers. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked.

  Alexa looked from her to Max. "He's all I have. Find him."

  * * * * *

  "Holy hell, Frankie!" Beenie said. "Would you look at the knockers on this babe?" He passed the magazine to Frankie, but Deedee snatched it from her husband's hand.

  "Don't you dare, Frankie Fontana. The only knockers you're going to look at are mine."

  "Oh, yeah. I wasn't thinking."

  Beenie stretched. "Man, I'm bored. I should go out."

  Deedee regarded him in his jeans, a wrinkled T-shirt, and old sneakers. "You're not supposed to drive."

  "You feel like doing a little night fishing, Frankie?"

  Frankie started to answer when the front door opened. Big John led Swamp Dog into the room. His black eye patch appeared more ominous.

  "Duncan just called my cell phone," he said. "They found Choo-Choo."

  Deedee leapt from the sofa. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

  "Who's Choo-Choo?" Beenie said.

  Deedee waved her hand at him impatiently. "My dog. Is my little boy all right?" Deedee repeated.

  Swamp Dog nodded. "He's fine. Duncan is trying to grab a nap since he hasn't slept in about eighteen hours so I offered to drive over and pick up the pooch."

  "I'm going with you," Deedee said. "Choo-Choo gets nervous around strangers."

  Frankie put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll go, sweetheart." He looked at Swamp Dog. "How long will it take? I don't like leaving Deedee."

  "He was found in an abandoned building in town. I don't know the details, only that Duncan wants me to pick him up right away. We can drive over and back in twenty minutes."

  Frankie got up. "Let's hit the road."

  "But Frankie—" Deedee tried to argue.

  "You need to stay with Beenie," he said.

  "You want me to tag along?" Big John asked.

  "No. I don't want anyone coming through that door while I'm gone."

  Big John nodded.

  "We can go in my old truck," Swamp Dog said "It'll be quicker that way." They hurried out.

  "You know where I'll be if you need me," Big John told Deedee, returning to his post at the front door.

  "I don't like it," Deedee whispered to Beenie once they were alone. "Something doesn't feel right."

  "What are you worried about?" he asked.

  "I'm sure you don't remember all that's gone on around here, but believe me, we've all been in a lot of danger."

  "I assumed as much when I regained consciousness in the ambulance."

  "I don't like the idea of Frankie going off like that with—"

  "Swamp Dog?"

  She nodded. "He looks evil."

  "Yeah, he even sounds evil, and if you ask me he's got a sucky attitude. I could probably take him down."

  Deedee ignored him and began to pace. She turned for the door. "Come with me."

  "What?"

  "I need your help."

  Beenie sighed and followed her into the kitchen where Choker was making a sandwich. He smiled at Deedee.

  "You want me to relieve you for a while?" Beenie asked.

  Choker looked straight at him, but it was obvious he was trying to keep a straight face. "I think I can handle it, cowboy."

  Deedee headed for the door to the wine cellar.

  "What are you doing?" Choker asked.

  "They've found Choo-Choo," she said excitedly. "I want plenty of champagne on hand to celebrate."

  "I'll get it," Choker said.

  Deedee shook her head. "Oh, you'll never find it. I keep the good stuff at the very back of the cellar. Even I have trouble finding it."

  "So I'll look," Choker said with a shrug. "John Wayne here can look after you while I'm gone." He started down the stairs.

&n
bsp; "Would you please tell me what you're doing?" Beenie demanded.

  "We're going after Frankie."

  He crossed his arms over his chest. "Has your curling iron fried your brain, lady? Why would I want to do something stupid like that when your husband specifically told you to stay put?"

  "Because you and I used to be very close, and when your memory returns you're going to feel crummy for not helping me."

  "Okay, one more time in case you misunderstood. Frankie said—"

  "I don't care what Frankie said, and I'm tired of being treated like a porcelain doll that will break at any moment. I still have a mind of my own."

  "Good speech. What are you trying to say?"

  "I'll go alone."

  Beenie blocked the door. He sized Deedee up. "Just how close were we?"

  She hesitated. Finally, she put her hands on either side of Beenie's face and kissed him passionately. She released him, and he whistled under his breath.

  "Does your husband know?"

  "He doesn't care what I do." Deedee smiled beguilingly and opened the back door. The security guard looked up. "I need a teensy-weensy favor," she told the man. "Choker, the wrestler, is in the cellar looking for champagne. I don't want him down there alone."

  "We have a man posted down there, ma'am," the guard said.

  "Yes, but I'd feel so much better if you'd check on him," she said, pinching his cheek lightly. "He's been down there a long time, and well—" She whispered the rest. "He's terrified of spiders. Are you afraid of spiders?"

  The man straightened his shoulders. "Absolutely not. I'll be happy to help." He opened the door to the cellar and started down the stairs.

  Deedee waited for a moment before closing the door softly and turning the lock. Beenie grinned, and they hurried out the back door. "This way," she said, heading toward Jamie's car.

  Beenie reached it first. "There aren't any keys in the ignition."

  "I know where she keeps her spare." Deedee reached inside the rear bumper. She pulled out a black case with a magnet on one side, opened it, and produced a key. "You'll have to drive," she said. "My license has been suspended because I keep running into people with my car."

  "I thought I wasn't supposed to drive because of my concussion."

  "You're going to let something silly like that stop you?"

  "Hell, no."

  "Then hurry up and let's get out of here. Once Choker realizes he's been locked in the cellar he'll kick down the door." They climbed inside Jamie's car. Beenie started the engine, put the car into gear and they shot off. They passed the guard at the gate who looked up in surprise when they didn't stop to sign out.

  "Faster," Deedee said. "Maybe if we're lucky we can catch up. But don't get too close. I don't want Swamp Dog to know we're following him."

  Beenie shot her a look of pure annoyance. "Look, I know what I'm doing, okay? Just keep quiet and let me do the driving. By the way, you're going to owe me big time for this."

  "I'll take you to Charleston on a shopping spree," she said. "We'll have lunch at your favorite restaurant."

  He frowned at her. "Why the hell would I want to go shopping?"

  She sighed. "Oh, never mind. How about I just buy you a pack of Redman chewing tobacco and a case of beer?"

  "That'll work." He looked her over. "But I have something better in mind."

  "Sheesh!" Deedee said.

  * * * * *

  Max dialed Duncan's cell phone, and the man picked up on the first ring. "Find Swamp Dog," Max said without preamble.

  "I was just about to call you," Duncan replied. "We have a problem."

  "I'm listening."

  "Swamp Dog left with Frankie not more than fifteen minutes ago. Claimed they found the Deedee's dog."

  "What the hell are you talking about?" Max demanded, startling Jamie and Alexa, who were sitting on the sofa across from him.

  "It gets worse," Duncan said. "Deedee and her houseboy took off right behind them. Just flew right through the security checkpoint. I was trying to grab some well-needed shut-eye in my truck when one of the guys alerted me. I've already sent a crew out looking for them, but they've got a ten-minute head start on us."

  "How could this have happened?" Max said.

  "Deedee locked Choker and another guard in the cellar. By the time Choker broke the door down they were gone."

  "That sister of mine just doesn't give up. Anything else?"

  "Yeah. Is Swamp Dog on our side or not?"

  "I don't think Swamp Dog takes sides," Max said. "Consider him dangerous and call me when you know something."

  "What's going on?" Jamie asked as soon as Max hung up.

  He quickly repeated the story.

  "I've heard of Swamp Dog," Alexa said, the color leaving her face. "If he's involved in this, my son could already be dead."

  Max glanced around the room. "I need your help, Alexa. You wrote the word 'EPSCO' on the last page of the budget printout. We can't find anything on it. I think it's a password to something."

  "I don't know what it means," she said. "Old man Grimby doodles a lot when he's on the phone. I saw the word and wrote it down. What does this have to do with my son?"

  "This town is filled with corruption, Alexa, but you already know it, or you wouldn't have given me the name EPSCO."

  Alexa remained silent.

  "This may be important," Max said.

  Jamie noted the look of fear in the woman's eyes. "Have you been threatened? Is that why you're scared to talk?"

  "If I implicate anyone I could be implicated, as well," she said.

  "How?" Max asked.

  "Someone set up an account for Danny in the amount of fifty thousand dollars. I was so scared I burned the letter, but I know the account is being held in a Delaware bank."

  "Do you remember who sent the letter?" Max asked.

  "There was no return address. I'm scared, Max. These people mean business. As long as I played along I was okay."

  "You wouldn't get into trouble for printing out the city budget," Max reminded her. "Besides, it's a fake."

  "Yes. So why are they doing this? And why not take me? Danny has nothing to do with this."

  "They're playing with your head, that's all. They knew you'd be more afraid if they took the boy than you would be for yourself. They're counting on the fear factor here, Alexa, believe me. They have no intention of hurting Danny; this is simply payback for cooperating with me in the first place." Max sounded more confident than he felt. He suspected Danny was in grave danger.

  "Do you know if Phillip is involved in this?" Jamie asked.

  Alexa gave her a blank look. "He's the one who sent you to my office. If he were trying to keep you from finding out anything, why would he do that?"

  Jamie nibbled her bottom lip as she considered it.

  "Excuse me," Max said. "I need to get on my computer." He hurried away.

  "His computer is in his car," Jamie told Alexa.

  "Don't you think Lamar should call the FBI?" Alexa asked, wringing her hands. "After all, this is a kidnapping case."

  "Just hold tight," Jamie said. "Max's computer is probably more sophisticated than what the FBI has."

  * * * * *

  Max slipped into his car. "I've got information for you, Muffin."

  "It's about the missing boy, right? Danny Sanders?"

  "Yeah. Someone set up an account for him in a bank in Delaware in hopes of keeping his mother quiet. I think that's where the missing dollars are going. Banking laws are fairly lenient in that state so money could easily be laundered and forwarded to another location. I think EPSCO might be the password we need to get in."

  "Okay, searching now."

  "How long will it take?"

  "There are a shitload of financial institutions, Max, and we don't know if it's the password into the bank, or a private account. I'll let you know if I get a hit. Anything else?"

  "I just thought of something. I'll get back to you."

  * * * * *


  "Is this the place?" Frankie asked once Swamp Dog slowed and turned into the parking lot of the city municipal building.

  "Yeah." Swamp Dog reached beneath his seat and pulled out a remote-control device. He pushed a button, and a door rose. He drove inside, and the door closed. "This is it, pal. The end of the road."

  Frankie nodded as though he understood. "I only have one request. I don't care what you do with me, but don't hurt my wife."

  "If I was interested in her I would have led them here. She and her houseboy have been following us since we left the house. Right now they're so lost they don't know which way is up." Swamp Dog grinned. "It's you they want, Fontana. You and your genius cousin, Max Holt."

  "You won't be able to get your hands on him."

  "Watch me."

  * * * * *

  "Shit!" Beenie said. "Where'd they go? I saw them turn down this street."

  "You idiot!" Deedee cried. "I told you to speed up."

  Beenie glared at her. "You talk to me like that again, and I'm going to put you out of the car, you got that?" They bounced along the road for a moment. "Oh, damn," he said.

  "What is it?" Deedee cried.

  "I just remembered who hit me. That bastard Swamp Dog. I never saw him, but I'd know that voice anywhere."

  Deedee gasped in horror. She grabbed Beenie's arm. "We have to find them!" she all but shrieked.

  The car swerved to one side, almost running into a ditch. "Get your hands off of me, you crazy woman!" Beenie turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction but overcorrected and lost control. Deedee screamed as they slammed into a tree.

  "Are you okay?" she asked Beenie.

  "Hell, no, I'm not okay," he yelled. "I hit my damn head on the steering wheel. You could have gotten us both killed."

  Deedee grimaced. "You've gone and wrecked Jamie's car. She'll never forgive me. What do we do now?"

  "It's a no-brainer, lady. We hoof it."

  * * * * *

  "Think, Alexa," Max prodded. "If somebody in the city were trying to hide something or someone, where would they go?"