Read Online Twisted Linen by C.W. Cook - Free Book Online

unobtrusively from a
distance. Baculo remains seated, dead calm, not threatened by his
surroundings, and not extending his hand. Simon aborts the awkward
handshake and turns to leave. Yet, after only a few steps, Baculo
summons him back.
    “Simon!”
    Baculo’s call demands attention and Simon
freezes.
    Why is this bastard using my first
name , Simon ponders internally.
    Baculo chides, “You forgot to ask how to
contact me. You know…to make the exchange in two days.”
    Simon is done looking foolish and cannot
restrain his fury any longer. He knows Grace has the money now, and
the thought of Baculo going free infuriates him.
    Simon turns back to confront Baculo.
    “It took 271 attempts to make Dolly,” he says
while leaning down into Baculo’s face. “Two hundred seventy sheep
died before one survived. You accounting for that?”
    Baculo smiles, even more wickedly this time,
then slowly stands and buttons his suit jacket. Baculo’s face
hardens and his eyes glow with a sinister glare; he enjoys the
intensity of the circumstances and he is ready to raise the
stakes.
    “Now I am done playing games,” Baculo
declares.
    “So am I!” Simon zings with a tensed body,
contemplating whether to do something – maybe throw a punch or
perhaps chop Baculo’s throat.
    “I can’t let you disappear with our gold, now
can I?”
    Simon is perplexed by that comment. That
wasn’t what he expected. Maybe a head-butt, but not more talk.
    Baculo exhibits an eerie look that forms
suddenly and then vanishes. “It's time for my collateral,” he says
with a dark look.
    Simon cocks his head, evaluating Baculo’s
words. At that very moment Grace’s distressed voice is audible over
the comms.
    “ Simon! ” Grace murmurs as if a hand is
covering her mouth, stifling her shout.
    The audio comms begin to screech and then
change to a loud static noise. Simon yanks out his ear piece and
uncontrollably yells, “Grace!”
    Simon immediately flips back his jacket, and
in one motion unclips his holstered 9mm pistol and flicks the
safety off. His hand firmly grips the pistol, ready to draw.
    “Stay calm, Simon. We don't want to call
attention.”
    Baculo smirks as if this was all planned,
posturing like he is in complete control. Baculo then turns around
and does something unsuspecting: He shouts, “Help! He has a
gun!”
    The two men Simon noticed earlier, the
“dark-suits”, rush toward them as Simon grabs the back of Baculo’s
collar. He draws the 9mm and pushes its muzzle into the back of
Baculo’s head.
    “You bloody bastard! If you touch her...” he
warns.
    Baculo faces away from Simon with his hands
up, trying to garner attention. “Touch who? I don't know what you
are talking about,” Baculo shouts so it’s audible to the crowd
around them.
    “I'll blow your head off!” Simon shrieks in
panic.
    The two dark-suits close-in on Simon. The
first man grabs Simon before he has time to react, expertly
disarming Simon with a wrist lock, then forcing his arm behind his
back. The other dark-suit addresses Baculo's claims.
    “Officer, help! This man thinks I've taken
his wife. I think he’s deranged.”
    Simon struggles with the dark-suit
restraining his arm.
    “Get off of me! He’s kidnapping my wife!”
Simon yells.
    Baculo pleads, “I assure you I'm not involved
with this man's wife. I’m a banker at the Banco Nacional, visiting
here on business.”
    The first dark-suit directs his partner to
further restrain Simon. “Take him into custody.”
    Simon violently resists, instinctually using
hand-to-hand combat techniques: He spots the foot of the man
restraining him and delivers a vicious heal stomp to the top of it.
This move opens a small window of opportunity for Simon to turn and
strike; he executes a well-targeted throat chop with the edge of
his hand. The dark-suit clutches his throat with both hands,
gasping for air, grimacing in pain.
    Simon turns back for Baculo, but the other
dark-suit taser-shocks Simon before he