Background
Steven works for Task Force 385 and is ordered to protect Leya Vegas. She's the granddaughter of a famous drug lord. Steven marries her to protect her from an arranged marriage. Peggy requests to be put on Steven's team to protect him from Leya.
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
After pacing for hours, Leya decided she needed to speak with Steven. The cabin is somewhere around Jackson Hole, WY. I'll need money for a flight. She rubbed her forehead. When I used Steven's computer, I saw some cash in an envelope. If I take it, they'll think I'm a thief. Maybe if I leave an IOU it won't look as bad.
She said aloud, "How do I find a Task Force cabin near Jackson Hole? If I ask the men, they'll wonder why I'm asking. I wonder if there's a map in Steven's office."
As she opened the door, she remembered a conversation she had with Jim. Someone is on duty during the night. How am I going to sneak by the guard and the security system? Maybe the system is set up only to monitor somebody entering the house. Yea, right! She laughed.
She dressed in the short, denim skirt, sheer blouse, and spike heels she had worn when she first met Steven. If my plan fails, I'll leave on my own. I don't want to take anything that doesn't belong to me. I'll repay the credit card charge for the flight to Colombia and the money I take tonight.
"First I need to disable the security system." Leya crept to the basement. As she watched the monitors and studied the computer, she noticed Derek on the front porch. She hoped he'd finish so she could exit through the front door. After studying each key, she figured out how to shut down the system without setting off alarms.
Leya removed her shoes as she walked up the basement stairs. In the hall, she saw Derek walk past the kitchen window and knew he was in the backyard. Knowing she needed to hurry, she rushed to Steven's office.
Steven had set up his desk the same as he did at the previous safe house, and the money was in the same desk drawer. She counted $450. That should be enough. She put it inside her skirt pocket. The rest of the money remained in the drawer with an IOU.
After searching the desk for an address to the cabin, she found a file labeled 'Task Force 385 Vacation Property'. She took it, hoping to find the address inside.
Inside the drawer, she noticed a cell phone and shoved it into a pocket. Before she left, she wrote a note and asked Jim to take care of Oscar.
With tears in her eyes, she walked out the front door. I know the risk, but I can't let Peggy have Steven. Once out of range of the security fence, she stopped, put on her shoes, used the cell phone to call the airport, and made a reservation for eight-thirty the following morning.
*****
Leya walked until she came to a gas station and called a taxi. While waiting, she called her mother, "Hi. I wanted to hear your voice."
"It's late. Are you all right?" asked Senora Vegas.
"Yes, I'm fine. I guess I'm a little homesick and needed to hear your voice. I miss you." She wiped a tear rolling down her cheek. "I'd better go." She hung up before she confessed she'd run from the safe house and Steven had left her.
At the airport, she felt safe. Everywhere she looked, there were security guards, so she knew she'd be safe from her father. The men at the safe house wouldn't know she was gone until morning. After she got the boarding pass, she found the gate, and waited as she searched the file for the cabin.
Eventually she fell asleep, until the airport became crowded and noisy. While flying to Jackson Hole, she continued to flip the file for the address.
Just before the jet landed in Jackson Hole, she found the address. After a lengthy taxi ride, she stood in front of the cabin and stared toward the front door. Afraid to move any closer, she whispered, "What if Steven refuses to listen? What if he rejects me?" She took slow deep breaths.
Finally, she held her head high and threw her shoulders back. There's only one way to find out. She walked to the front door. The door was ajar and she heard a scuffle coming from inside. Just inside, she saw Steven's SIG Sauer 9mm lying on the floor and picked it up.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw Steven crouched on the floor. Her father stood above him with a Berretta pointed at the base of Steven's head.
Steven noticed Leya. "Get out!"
Leya stood with her legs apart and pointed the 9mm at her father.
Hector never moved the gun, but addressed his daughter, "Leya?"
Nervously she demanded, "Father, drop the gun and let Steven go."
"Habla Espanola!" (Speak Spanish!)
Steven is fluent in Spanish, so it doesn't matter what language we speak. Father doesn't need anymore control over the situation. "No Father. I'm married to an American, so I am an American. I'll speak English." She stared in Steven's eyes and noticed his love and fear for her.
Steven addressed Hector, "Let Leya go. It's me you want."
Leya remained calm. "Father, let my husband go. He's done you no harm."
Hector glared into Leya's eyes. "You dishonored the family by marrying this gringo. Do you carry his baby?"
"No."
"Then there's no reason for him to live. I'll kill him and see if Carlos will accept you as his wife. Maybe if I offer him enough money, he'll forgive you. You're beautiful. You never shared this gringo's bed."
Leya's attempt to control her temper faded. "I'll never marry Carlos. I'll always love Steven. You can't force me to love anyone else." Her swallow caught in her throat and hurt. "I am not a virgin. I am Steven's wife."
Hector studied her eyes. "So he finally made you his wife. We'll see how much you love this gringo. I'll give you the count of five to shoot me. If you don't kill me, your gringo's dead."
Leya stared at Steven.
Steven whispered, "Leya, follow your heart. Do what you can live with."
As Leya shut her eyes, Hector laughed. "Even the gringo knows blood's stronger than love. What's love anyway? A romp between the sheets." He shouted, "Uno." (One) After a couple of seconds, he shouted, "Dos." (Two)
Leya opened her eyes understanding what she needed to do.
Her father shouted, "Tres." (Three) He laughed, taunting her.
She whispered, "Sorry Father, my love for Steven is stronger than my love for you." She pulled the trigger and then dropped the gun as she covered her eyes. The bullet hit her father. He fell to the floor. Blood gushed from his chest and mouth.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she turned and ran from the cabin.
*****
Steven reached over and checked the fallen Don for a pulse - there was none. He ran to the door. "Leya, wait, don't leave." He tried to see which way she'd gone before he picked up the gun, took out his cell phone, and called Matt. "How'd Leya get all the way out here without any security?"
Matt laughed. "She's better than Dani about getting away from security. Dani just ran away from Joe. Leya escaped from all the men; including Ralph. Ralph called me four hours ago and told me she'd left.
"She took $450 from your desk, but left an IOU. She also took the Task Force 385 Vacation Property file and a cell phone. We knew where she headed and saw no reason to follow. We knew you wouldn't let anything happen to her. We prayed you'd continue your honeymoon."
"She shot Hector."
"We're on our way, but I'm sure she had reason and it's a clean shoot."
"It was."
"Where are Hector's men? It's unusual for him to be out by himself."
"His ego got the best of him. He thought he could kill a gringo by himself." He hesitated before he asked, "Do I need to stay or can I go after Leya?"
"Go after your wife. I'll process the crime scene. Once the news of Hector's death gets out, the cartel will want revenge." Before he said goodbye, he added, "I'll catch up with you as soon as possible. Be careful with Leya, she just killed her father for you. You just might want to tell her you love her."
Steven ran his hand through his auburn hair as he looked at Hector's body lying in a pool of blood and whispered, "Leya, my love, where'd you go?"
