Dog Pound, Book 33 of the Janitors Series - Billie Jo kidnapped...but...

Today’s excerpt is from Dog Pound, Book #3 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  Billie Jo kidnapped…about the last thing that goes well for the kidnappers.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day. 

m.j.

 

The next few days saw a flurry of activity that culminated in the kidnapping plan being set, Steve Bettencourt being at sea, and Billie Jo Lane arriving in Hawaii.

On Billie Jo’s second day there, she called her friend at the Suicide Prevention Center and asked if that night would be a good time for her to stop by.  After being assured it would be just fine, she notified Lloyd Wallace of her plans and told him she would see him in the morning to go over the matters he had been bugging her about.  She also notified her bodyguards that they would be having a night out on the town, and told them where she planned to go.  Having been there with her previously, neither was unduly concerned. 

Lloyd, of course, immediately after hanging up with Billie Jo, called Dale Martin, who in turn alerted his team.  Not being sure of Billie Jo’s departure time, he went down to the lobby at seven o’clock and hung around for over an hour, until he saw Billie Jo and her two escorts exit the elevator.  He immediately got up, left the hotel, and got into his rental car.  As he drove away, he called Oscar and Henry on his cell phone.  “Show time.  I’m on my way.”

When Dale arrived in the neighborhood of the nightclub, he drove three blocks past it, turned right for a half-block (as prearranged), and walked back toward the bar.  Oscar and Henry had been in the area for over two hours at that point.  Their truck was parked on a very dark street a half-mile from where Dale parked his car.  They also had walked back toward the Suicide Prevention Center.  One of their tasks was to spot a likely car to steal—one parked near the nightclub entrance, if possible.

By the time Dale arrived, they had spotted the car they wanted.  Oscar, the more experienced auto thief, had walked by the car, saw it was unlocked, and knew it was a model he could hot-wire in less than thirty seconds, probably less than ten. 

As Dale walked up, the other two went to greet him.  Henry smiled.  “We’ve got the car spotted.  Oscar cased it and should have no problem.  It’s that four-door, dark blue sedan two doors from the entrance.”

Dale nodded, and put a hand to his wig to make sure it was still in place.  “Okay, I’m heading for the far corner; you two cut across here as planned.  My contact told me Lane wouldn’t be coming in a limo.  Doesn’t want to attract attention.  So keep a sharp eye out.  With no more foot traffic out than there is now, let’s go ahead and try for her on the way in.  No sense in waiting around and getting a case of nerves.”

“Agreed,” replied Oscar, as he and Henry headed across the street.

As the car carrying Billie Jo Lane pulled to a stop in front of the nightclub in a taxi zone, Dale thought, “How lucky can we be…not a soul in sight.”

When one of the bodyguards got out of the car to open the rear door for Billie Jo, the other headed around the car.  Their plan was to get her safely inside, then one would come back and properly park the car.

 As Oscar and Henry walked toward the entrance of the nightclub on one side of Billie Jo and her bodyguards, Dale approached from the other direction.  All six people converged at the entrance at the same time.  With swift but seemingly unhurried motions, Dale produced his syringe, jabbed the bodyguard nearest him, pushed the plunger, and stood back, amazed at how fast the drug worked.  The man crumbled to the sidewalk in seconds.  Oscar did the same thing to the other bodyguard, with the same results.  After Henry gave a shot to the startled Billie Jo, he and Oscar caught her as she started to fall.

All three men saw the car Billie Jo had arrived in sitting there running and forgot all about the car they had planned to steal.  With Oscar’s help, Henry wrestled Billie Jo into the back of the car as Dale went around the front and got in the driver’s seat.  With Billie Jo in the rear with Henry, Oscar slid into the front next to Dale as he pulled out and drove away.

The entire process had taken less than a minute.  Buoyed by their easy success, Dale suggested, “I think we’ll just drive to your truck, then I’ll double back, park this thing, and leave in my car.”

Also pleased at the way things went, Oscar replied, “Sounds good.  Shit, how lucky can we get?  Not a person in sight.  That bought us who knows how much time.”

 

Sponsored by:  www.mikejacksonbooks.com