Lethal Deception by Lynette Eason Read Free Book Online Page B

guys on the water had the eastern part of the estate covered. The man had kidnapped his own son to spite the boy’s mother who’d left to raise the child in a different environment, one free of crime and hate. She’d gone to the authorities with enough evidence to lock up Cruz for a long time. Only Cruz had slipped away and grabbed the boy.
    Gabe lifted his hand to signal his men to stop and follow procedure. The South American beach-front home exuded a peace and serenity that Gabe knew covered criminal activity including drugs, human trafficking, arms smuggling and who knew what else.
    He motioned one more time and four of his men broke off to scale the fence surrounding the property line. Two headed to go over the wall perpendicular to the one their comrades were already over. Two others would wait on the Advanced SEAL Delivery Vehicle for the rest to come back. The other four would approach from the water, rising from its depths like a silent sea monster.
    Hopefully they would be Cruz’s worst nightmare.
    Gabe shoved his earpiece farther in his ear and forced himself to breathe normally. Adrenaline raced, and as always, a healthy respect for the unknown edged his consciousness.
    He double-checked the security system. Unarmed. Micah McKnight had done his job. He’d been right to request that Micah join his team this time. No dogs barked. Gavin had accomplished his part of the mission. All that remained was to slip in to the bedroom of the drug lord and—drug him.
    Gabe allowed himself a quick smile at the irony. Only chloroform, not cocaine, was the SEAL choice of drug in this operation. Once drugged, Cruz would be cuffed and brought to the States to stand trial. Of course, the official story would be he was captured on U.S. soil.
    Normally, SEAL teams operated in a more amphibious environment, but their training allowed them to succeed on land, too. In the ASDV, two more SEALs waited in the rocking waters to transport their “guest” back to the States.
    Gabe checked his watch. A voice whispered in his earpiece, “Something not right here, Gabe.”
    Nerves tight, Gabe gripped his Ruger and scanned the perimeter. Nothing moved. Infrared goggles hung around his neck. He picked them up and did another scan. It was quiet. Too quiet. Where were the guards?
    Gabe spoke into the microphone that would transmit his voice to all twelve men, “Get out. If it doesn’t feel right, it’s not. Get out now. Micah, you got the kid?”
    “Affirmative.” Micah’s husky voice reached his ear two seconds before the explosions that rocked the ASDV, then seconds later the house, rocked Gabe’s world. One minute, he had twelve experienced men on his team, the next minute, he had twelve dead friends—and a dead child. Gabe had been SEAL number thirteen….
    “So, have you come up with anything yet?”
    Gabe crashed back to his current surroundings. He shuddered, focused on the quiet voice and opened his eyes.
    Cassidy.
    He looked at his watch. “We’ve been here for about ten minutes. Long enough.”
    Thankfully, she didn’t ask him what he’d been thinking about and they were able to move out with Gabe acting like a rogue scout, backtracking, then catching up, moving ahead, then making his way back. Finally, they broke through the jungle, and the Amazon Orphanage sat in front of them. High, thick adobe walls surrounded the perimeter. Closed and locked, the iron gates looked like the prison bars of a jail.
    Cassidy’s hushed voice broke the silence. “I don’t see anyone, but I don’t think we should go in the front. I bet the reason you didn’t see them behind us is because they know I’ll come back here for Alexis. It might be a bit of a stretch, but I think I know another way in.”
    Gabe agreed and Cassidy took the lead. She made her way around to the side wall of the orphanage then stepped up to one of the trees that grew alongside the west wall. She gestured. “Climb up and over into the playground, then we can go