Dourado

CHAPTER 5

The Charleston Slave Market was a long, narrow building that spanned the length of two city blocks. Contrary to common wisdom, the market was not a place where slaves had once been sold, but a place where slaves from the surrounding area had gathered to sell their wares. Now it had been converted to a sort of giant flea market, which drew thousands of visitors each day. Dane hoped that the milling throngs would provide him and Kaylin with a way to disappear.

His cell phone vibrated. He opened it up and checked the display. It was Bones.

“Maddock, where are you?”

“We’re in the slave market. You know how to get here?” Dane squeezed through the throng of shoppers milling about the displays. He turned to see the Taurus pulling in to the parking lot.

“I’ll find it. What’s the deal?”

Dane explained their situation and gave his friend a general description of their pursuers. Bones assured him that he would be there soon. He flipped the phone shut and turned to Kaylin, who was turning off her own phone.

“I called the police, but I don’t think the dispatcher believed me. She kept going on about the penalty for phony 911 calls.”

“Two cars flying down the street, guns blazing have to have gotten someone’s attention,” he said. “Let’s stay alive until they get here.”

“Should we try and slip out of the market farther on down?” She stood on her tiptoes trying to see over the milling throng. The market offered exits at the end of each segment, but was woefully lacking in side doors.

“I think we’re safer in the crowd,” he replied, as they moved deeper into the throng. He was walking sideways, pretending to look at the merchandise, all the while keeping an eye on the front entrance. So far, there was no sign of their pursuers.

A bit farther down, he saw what he had been hoping to find. He nodded toward the display of Hawaiian print shirts. Kaylin smiled, understanding his thoughts immediately. At the display, Dane purchased two shirts, a straw hat for himself and sunglasses for Kaylin. They donned their new clothing quickly, throwing the shirts over what they were already wearing.

“You look totally lame,” Kaylin said as she twisted her long, blonde hair up into a bun.

“That’s the idea,” he replied with a grin. “Tourist camo.” He was fairly certain she was rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses. He offered her his elbow, which she took in a tight grip that conveyed her tension. Arm-in-arm the two continued to browse, looking, he hoped, like nothing more than a happy couple on vacation. All the while, they kept a lookout for the men who were after them.

Moments later, Dane spotted one of their pursuers, the driver, he thought, enter the market. Trying to look inconspicuous, the man made a show of checking out the displays on either side of the aisle as he worked his way into the marketplace.

“Only one of them,” Dane whispered. “The other guy must be coming in from the back. That’s what I would have done.”

Kaylin examined a fat, silver bracelet inlaid with turquoise. “Buy this for me, honey?” she said in a syrupy voice.

“Not this close to our anniversary, sweetheart,” he kidded. She screwed up her face in an exaggerated pout.

“Keep sticking that lip out there and a bird’s going to poop on it,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

She frowned and smacked him on the shoulder. In response, he pulled her close and gave her a squeeze, giving him a chance to look over her shoulder at the man who was coming toward them.

“He hasn’t seen us yet, but he’s getting closer,” he whispered in her ear. Who were these guys?

“I still don’t see anyone coming from the other direction,” she whispered back.

They broke from the embrace and continued moving. Dane guessed that they were about halfway through the first section of the market. He wanted to look back, but he could not afford to draw attention to them. A bit farther, then they paused at a book vendor’s display. Dane picked up a large picture book and held it up close to his face. He stole a glance back in the direction from which they had come. The man was no more than thirty yards away, moving slowly, but coming steadily closer. At least they had not yet been spotted.

“Dane, here he comes,” Kaylin whispered, her voice strident with urgency.

Dane turned his head and caught a glimpse of the second man, much farther away, but also headed toward them.

”What do we do?” Kaylin bit her lower lip. Worry was evident in her green eyes.

“They’re probably expecting us to bolt out the back door. Our best chance is to try and slip past the first guy.”

“What if that doesn’t work?” she asked.

“Got your gun ready?”

She nodded and patted the large handbag she carried slung over her shoulder.

“Good. Now we just need a way to get past him without him seeing us.” He racked his brain. There was only the wide center aisle running the length of the market. Were their disguises good enough that they could just walk past the man? Not likely. He did not know what kind of look the men had gotten at him and Kaylin, but they would be searching for a man and woman fitting their general descriptions.

“What about this?” Kaylin took his face in her hands, and forcefully pulled him toward her. Their lips met in a long, deep kiss. After an instant of surprise, he cupped her face in his hands as well.

He cracked his eyelid just enough to see the first man move past them on the far side of the aisle. He waited two seconds, then drew away from her. She looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. Whether it was disappointment over the quality or the duration of the kiss, he did not know.

“He’s past us,” Dane whispered. They set off at a fast walk in the direction of the front entrance, with Kaylin walking just ahead of him. They wove in and out of the shoppers. After a few moments, Dane stole a glance over his shoulder. He could not see their pursuers. Had they lost the two men?

Dane and Kaylin continued at their hurried pace. The front entrance loomed ahead of them. Dane cursed inwardly. No matter how fast they moved, the entrance seemed to get no closer. They dodged and sidestepped as they tried to make their way out of the market. Dane looked back again, painfully aware that too much weaving through the crowd would draw attention.

As he turned around, someone grabbed him from behind by the shoulder. An arm clamped around his neck. He managed to shove Kaylin forward as he was dragged backward.

“Run,” he grunted. One of the men shoved past him, going after Kaylin, who was pushing people out of her way as she ran toward the door. Dane kicked out with his right foot, tripping him up. He could do no more for Kaylin until he got rid of the guy who held him in a chokehold.

Palms facing out, he grabbed his assailant by the wrist and inner forearm. He tilted his head forward, and yanked it back up, catching his attacker across the bridge of the nose. As he bashed the man in the nose with the back of his head, he simultaneously pushed up and out with his hands, forcing that attacker’s arm up off his throat. Dane drove a solid left elbow into his opponent’s stomach, stomped down hard on his right instep, then spun to his left with all of his strength, breaking the man’s python grip.

Now facing his opponent, Dane ducked under a right cross and punched the man in the throat, scarcely noticing the cartilage give beneath his knuckles. His attacker, already bleeding from a broken nose, stumbled backward, fighting to suck in breath.

Dane leapt forward, pistoning a right cross to the temple and following with a sweeping kick that took the man’s feet out from under him. He fell hard to the ground, arms splayed. Dane turned and sprinted after Kaylin.

The crowd had drawn away from the fight, giving him a clear path to the front door. Up ahead, the second attacker dove at Kaylin’s feet, tripping her up. He scrambled up onto all fours and grabbed at her handbag. She shouted and kicked him hard in the face. She continued to impress Dane with her toughness.

Closing the gap, he leaped into the air and delivered a flying kick to the man’s chest, knocking him onto his back across a nearby table, sending the display crashing to the ground. From outside, sirens wailed over the din inside the marketplace.

Kaylin’s assailant climbed to his feet and drew his gun. Screams erupted from the crowd. For a moment, Dane thought the man was going to open fire inside the crowded marketplace. Instead, he held the gun threateningly in front of him and dashed out the door. The man with whom Dane had fought rushed by an instant later. Dane drew his own weapon and gave chase, Kaylin following close behind.

Just as he ran outside, a sheriff’s department patrol car screeched to a halt directly in front of him. Dane raised his hands above his head, not wanting any misunderstandings. A deputy hopped out of the driver’s side door, weapon drawn. Ignoring Dane and Kaylin, he sprinted around the corner of the slave market in the direction the attackers had run. A moment later, Bones clambered out of the passenger side door and followed the deputy.

“Had trouble with the locks,” he shouted as he ran by. “Glad you’re all right.”

Dane could now hear sirens coming from both directions, and soon, three City of Charleston police cars pulled up to the front of the market. Bones and the deputy reappeared together a short while later.

“Lost ’em,” Bones said. He holstered his pistol, cursing their still-unidentified assailants.

“Where’s Bernie?” Kaylin asked, a note of concern in her voice. The encounter in the slave market did not seem to have fazed her a great deal.

“She’s fine,” Bones said. “We flagged down the deputy here.” He nodded to the man in the tan uniform. “She’s in the back of the car.” He turned and waved. Through the tinted glass, they saw Bernie waving back.

“The call came over the radio about a running gun battle in the street just as your friend was telling his story,” the deputy explained.

“Thanks for bailing us out,” Dane replied. He was confused and frustrated. Who were these guys, and what did Maxie have that they wanted so badly?