Beverly Barton - Grace Under Fire

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.

When the paramedics carried Jim to the waiting ambulance, Charmaine followed them, then paused and looked at Jed. "Wait just a minute," she called out, "I'm riding in the ambulance with Ron-with Special Agent Kelly." She grabbed Jed's arm, leaned over and whispered, "Booth's at the old mill. There's no one there except him and Aric. I heard him tell Aric that he wanted to take care of Grace Beaumont personally."

"Thanks, Charmaine. You just might have saved Grace's life."

"I hope so." She kissed Jed's cheek. "Good luck."

Before the ambulance was out of sight, Jed pulled Rafe aside. "I know where Booth is holding Grace. Give me a fifteen-minute head start, then tell Moran."

"Don't go in there alone," Rafe said.

"I think I can handle Booth and Aric. Charmaine told me it's just the two of them." Jed gripped Rafe's arm fiercely. "I need to do this alone. If the Feds swarm the place, he'll kill Grace for sure."

"Ten minutes, but that's it," Rafe said. "Now, tell me where you're going?"

Booth Fortier was a sadistic monster. Grace clenched her teeth tightly as he struck her again, pain shooting through her stomach as his hand connected with her face. She couldn't believe that such an evil man was Jed's uncle.

"You're trying to be a brave lady, aren't you," Booth said snidely. "But I'll have you begging for mercy soon enough." He slapped her again. For the fifth time or the sixth? Grace didn't know. She'd lost count. She did know that the right side of her face was numb. If only the rest of her was, too, then she wouldn't be able to feel the pain. She hadn't cried, but she was screaming inside. How much longer could she resist the urge to scream aloud?

"Maybe you'd like to see me kill the kid first," Booth said. "Would that scare you enough to make you yell?"

Booth walked over to where Troy Leone lay on the floor, his hands and feet securely tied, his mouth gagged. Grinning with apparent delight, Booth kicked the boy in the ribs. Grace winced.

Booth rushed back to her and put his face down in front of hers where she sat strapped to a rickety wooden chair. "I can make you scream." He removed a small pocketknife from his pants, flipped it open and ran the tip across Grace's slip, from one breast to the other. "Talk to me, Grace. Tell me what you fear the most."