"The shoes, too," he told her.
She took off her leather pumps.
"All your jewelry."
"Why can't I keep on my-"
He ripped the necklace off her and threw it on the ground. "Want me to take off your earrings, too?"
Grace quickly divested herself of her earrings, watch and heavy gold bangle bracelet. The stocky guy opened the back door. Hawk-nose lifted Grace off her feet, tossed her over his shoulder, carried her outside and down to the loading dock. Within minutes Grace realized their intent. They placed her in a speedboat, tied her hands behind her back, gagged her with a foul-smelling rag and while Hawk-nose sat beside her, the other one started the boat's motor.
How would Jed ever find her now? The homing device was back at the warehouse, and she was being taken away to only God knew where.
Chapter 22
Jed and Rafe slipped into the warehouse, a silent, deadly operation to rescue Grace-and Troy Leone, if the boy was still alive. With the precision of trained soldiers, they moved about inside the dark cavern, searching for any sign of life. After a thorough survey of the entire place, they ended up with two flunkies who'd been left behind as guards to protect the illegal contents of the building. With both men tied up and left for the Feds, Jed and Rafe made their way to the doors that opened onto the loading dock at the back of the warehouse.
Jed spotted the pile of clothing lying just inside the door. He reached down and grasped Grace's blouse in his hand. "God damn it! They made her strip out of her clothes."
Rafe pointed to several shiny gold objects on the sidewalk, a few feet outside the door. "That looks like Grace's jewelry, including the cameo Special Agent Taylor gave her."
"That means she's not wearing the homing device." Anger and frustration surged through Jed. And fear. Fear like nothing he'd ever known in his life. Not even in battle. "They're taking her to Booth."
"You can't be sure-"
"I'm sure. Booth enjoys playing games. He'll want to toy with Grace first." Jed balled his hands into tight fists, the thought of Grace in Booth's hands unbearable to him.
"Don't go off half-cocked," Rafe said. "We'll find her. I'll call in Moran now and-"
"If we don't find her soon, it'll be too late." Jed stormed off toward the river, mumbling to himself. "I knew this wouldn't work. I tried to tell them. I begged her not to go through with it. But would they listen? No! Would she listen? Damn it, Grace, don't you dare die. Do you hear me? Don't you dare die!"
Within five minutes the entire block was swarming with FBI agents, covering every inch of the warehouse and the surrounding area, including the pier. Dante Moran sent a team down river in case Grace's captors had spirited her away by boat, as Jed suspected.
When Jed tried to get away, slip off so he could head for Booth's place in Beaulac, Elsa Leone ran up to him. "Where are they? Is Grace all right? Is Troy alive?"
"Neither of them are here," Jed told her. " Troy was probably never here, at least not in the past few hours. And I have no idea if he's alive. Maybe. And Grace-Grace is gone. Taken away. And we have no idea where."
"Oh, God, no!"
"If y'all had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened. At least Grace would be safe, but no, you and Grace were so eager to do what the FBI wanted that you didn't consider their scheme might get Grace killed." Jed glowered at Elsa.
Elsa gasped; her face paled. "I'm sorry… I… er… I-"
"Take it easy on her, will you. This isn't Ms. Leone's fault." Rafe came up behind Jed and gripped his shoulder. "She didn't want anything to happen to Ms. Beaumont anymore than you did."
Jed heaved a deep sigh. "Cover for me, will you? I'm going to the source. If Booth isn't holding Grace at his house, then somebody there will know where they are."
"You can't go in there alone," Rafe said. "From what you've told me that place is overrun with guards. They'll shoot you before you get ten feet beyond the gate."
"I know the place like the back of my hand. I can probably get inside and make it to the house without being detected. Once I'm there, I'll kill anyone who gets in my way."
"I'll go with you," Rafe said. "And we'll call Dom and J.J. and have them meet up with us-"
A familiar voice called out to them, "Where do you two think you're going?" Dante Moran joined their threesome. Completely ignoring Elsa, he glanced from Rafe to Jed. "Look, Tyree, I know you're pissed about the screwup, but we'll find Ms. Beaumont. We have teams closing in on Booth Fortier right now. It's only a matter of time before we arrest him."
"Time isn't on Grace's side," Jed said. "If we don't find her soon, it'll be too late."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Finding Grace."
"You and Devlin were thinking about going to Fortier's home, weren't you?" When neither Jed nor Rafe replied, Moran continued, "Drive out there with me. By the time we get there, one of our teams will already be there and have cleaned out the place. If Fortier is there, we'll take him into custody. And either he or one of his employees will tell us where Grace Beaumont is being held."
Jed laughed sarcastically. "You don't know Booth Fortier if you think he won't kill Grace before you people take over his private domain. If she's in Booth's home, then you've signed her death warrant."
By the time the FBI team entered the Fortier home, Ronnie Martine had hurriedly told Charmaine about his true identity and enlisted her help in securing the house. The domestic servants surrendered without a fight and lined up in the hallway to wait for the Feds.
No one else was inside the house, except Charlie Dupree who had shown up early this morning and gone straight to bed. Aric had driven Booth away over an hour ago, without informing anyone of where he was going. But Charmaine knew. When Booth had informed Aric of his plans, she'd listened at the door connecting her bedroom to her husband's.
As Ronnie and Charmaine waited for the federal agents, Charlie Dupree came bounding downstairs, barefoot and wearing only his jeans and gun holster. Apparently he'd been asleep when he'd heard the ruckus outside.
"What the hell is going on?" Charlie asked as he noticed the servants lined up in the hallway. "Sounds like all hell has broken loose outside. Are we being raided or what?"
"The FBI has stormed the compound," Ronnie said. "They're arresting anyone who doesn't resist and killing those who do."
"Sons of bitches! What the hell are you doing holed up in here?" Charlie ran toward the front door. "Are you coming with me or not?"
"Don't open that door," Ronnie ordered.
Charlie glanced over his shoulder and noted that Ronnie's 9 mm was aimed directly at his back. "What's this? You turning traitor?"
"I'm giving you a chance to surrender," Ronnie told him. "Toss your gun aside, put your hands over your head and-"
Charlie whirled around and opened fire. Ronnie shoved Charmaine behind him, and as Charlie's bullets splintered the door facing to their right, Ronnie took aim and fired. His shot struck Charlie's hand, sending his gun flying. But that didn't stop Charlie, who hit the floor and rolled through the living room doorway, then snatched a knife from his jeans pocket, flipped it open and slung it toward Ronnie. When the blade pierced Ronnie's shoulder, he winced in pain and dropped his weapon, Charlie jumped up and came barreling toward him. Just as he pounced, Charmaine grabbed Ronnie's gun off the floor. She didn't give Charlie any warning. She just shot him. He staggered around and looked at her, his gaze plainly saying he couldn't believe she'd done it. Charlie slumped to the floor.
Just as Charmaine ripped open Ronnie's shirt to inspect the knife wound, the front door burst open and half a dozen FBI agents burst into the foyer.
Half an hour later, Jim Kelly, aka Ronnie Martine, was being treated by the paramedics. Jed paced the floor outside on the front porch shortly after he and Rafe arrived with Dante Moran. With each passing minute, the chances of finding Grace alive grew slimmer and slimmer. Although the Feds had rounded up a couple of dozen underlings, five household staff and a badly wounded Charlie Dupree, Booth was nowhere to be found.