“It could have been Moore who had him killed or it could have been a message to Moore from the cartel,” Kane said. “Don’t use cops as muscle or lookouts.” He glanced over at Kelly. She was frowning.
“The FBI thinks that’s a possibility also. That means you two might be in terrible danger, Delancey,” Lincoln said. “If you want to quit this thing right now, we’d completely understand.”
“You said there was another thing,” Kane said, ignoring his last statement because he was not going to quit until Moore’s organization was gone forever.
“Okay, yes. The coroner took x-rays and found a plate affixed to a leg bone on the new body. Rather than wait on DNA which takes forever, she extracted that and got a serial number which allowed her to ID the corpse,” Lincoln said.
“So, who is it?” Kelly asked. Kane noticed she looked like she was holding her breath.
“Another dirty cop. William Malone was forced to retire almost fifteen years ago from the Cincinnati PD under a cloud of suspicion. He went to work for the Boston mob in Chicago and just recently relocated to southern California. We suspect that because he got shot by the jewelry store security, one of the other thieves from this morning killed him so he wouldn’t be forced to talk. They took his head and hands hoping we couldn’t identify him, probably having no idea he had a plate in his leg used to stabilize a broken bone from years ago,” Lincoln said.
“They put him down like an animal,” Kane said, staring grimly at Kelly.
“That’s right. These guys are ruthless,” Lincoln said. “The FBI now has no doubt Moore is working with the Ukrainians as muscle on these robberies. Taking the head and hands is a signature of the criminal gangs in Russian prisons.”
“That’s all good news. We’re a step closer,” Kane said.
“We have good news too,” Kelly said.
“Tell me,” Lincoln said.
Kane and Kelly explained everything that had transpired during the meeting with Enoch Moore and his son and the plans to rob another store in the morning.
“We won’t know which store until we get to the pub tomorrow morning, Lincoln,” Kelly said. “Just listen hard to the wire tonight. Hopefully we’ll get a heads up as to what store they’re planning to hit if they talk about it in the apartment.”
“We’re doing that, trust me. We have guys sitting on the apartment right now, listening to every word that is spoken. Keep in touch with us. As soon as you know what store it is, let us know and hopefully, we can catch them red-handed.”
“Will do, Lincoln. This is all really good news,” Kane said, swiping the phone, disconnecting the call. He turned to Kelly and smiled. “We’re almost done. After we catch that bastard tomorrow, we’ll run ballistics on that gun in his pub and put both father and son away for other crimes as well. Maybe we can send Enoch back to prison to die alone.”
She smiled at him. “That sounds great, Delancey.”
“You hungry?” Kane asked.
She nodded. “Yes! Thai food?”
“Definitely, partner.” Kane started his car with a roar, feeling hopeful for the first time in days.
｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
It took every bit of self-control Kane possessed not to call Luca and warn him that there was going to be another jewelry store robbery in the morning and that his store may be hit. He knew chances were that Moore would choose another store, but just imagining Luca being held up at gunpoint scared him. He had to approach this as a professional and not give anything away if he and Kelly were going to be able to arrest Moore at the end of all of this. He knew that Moore didn’t pull jobs himself. He was too much of a coward to do that. Instead, he hired people who did his dirty work for him. Because he and Kelly were undercovers, they’d testify that they’d been hired to help carry out the robbery on his behalf. Kane hoped they’d be able to put Moore out of business without needing Luca or Tracy’s testimony. The last thing he wanted was for Luca to have to enter WITSEC to hide from the mob the way he had for the rest of his life.
He went home after lunch with Kelly and turned on the game. Watching baseball was one of his favorite activities but sitting in his house all alone after he’d been there with Luca, curled up on the same sofa where he sat now, felt wrong on every level. It was weird since he’d always loved his solitude before. He picked up his phone and called his mom, apologizing for not going over for dinner to see Father Patrick Sunday night and promised to go over this coming weekend. He hated disappointing her. What was she going to think when she found out he’d slept with a guy?
He hung up his call, shaking his head. There was no way that was ever going to happen. He’d been enough of a disappointment to her and Glenna over the years. Glenna had only been a little girl when they’d lost their dad, but Kane remembered fondly how his father had played hide and seek in their family pub back in Boston before Enoch Moore walked into their lives. Glenna always hid in the same place, under the table in a corner booth, but Kane fondly remembered their father calling her name and saying that if his wee daughter would only show herself, there’d be candy to be had by one and all. Kane had to smile at the memory. Of course since she always hid in the same place, their father had always known where she was, but he’d always pretended to be bamboozled by an eight-year-old.
Kane pulled out his laptop and answered some emails from the ferrets’ adoptive parents, sending along pictures he’d taken of them as they grew larger. After he clicked out of email, he opened up Facebook and checked what few notifications there were. He went to the home pages of the Boston Red Sox and the LA Dodgers and then checked the ATF home page. He opened up Messenger and saw a message from Jarrett Evans.
When Kane opened the message, he started laughing. Inside were several pictures of what looked like a bathroom sink where the two ferrets he’d sold Jarrett from his last litter, Wilbur and Orville, played in what looked like a bubble bath. An open tube of lube was lying on its side on the counter next to a pet shampoo bottle. Clear lube was smeared all over the countertop. There were even smudgy clear pawprints on a mirror behind the sink. In several of the photos, a set of masculine hands washed lube out of Wilbur and Orville’s fur. The caption read, “We’ve renamed them Wilbalube and Orvilube”. He quickly printed off several copies of the photos and then closed out the ap, still chuckling.
Next, he checked his friend requests and was surprised to find one from Luca. He clicked on the icon to be sure it was the same Luca Price and it was. He smiled to himself. Apparently, after their recent encounter, he’d decided to unblock him. He quickly accepted the friend request and sent him a New Friend Wave since Messenger showed he was online. A few seconds later, he smiled when a wave came back. His fingers hovered over the keyboard. He knew he should probably say hi or something but he felt stupid doing that. Instead, he shut down Facebook and closed his laptop. He stared at a spot on the wall for a minute or so and almost jumped out of his skin when his phone rang. He was surprised to see Luca’s phone number flash on the screen and for some damned reason, his heart raced like a lovesick schoolboy. Kane swiped the phone and answered the call feeling suddenly nervous.
“Hey, Luca. What’s up?” he said, sounding way too happy.
“Nothing. I’m just sitting at home when I got your wave. Whatcha doin’?”
Luca’s voice sent a tingle down his spine. He sounded really good. Kane realized how badly he wanted him as he began to grow hard. He stood up and moved to the couch as he talked, stretching out on the sofa as he pressed his free hand to the front of his sweat shorts to make his cock calm down.
“Me? I… ah, just finished watching the ball game. Gonna read a little and head to bed.” Kane knew he could take the time to warn Luca about tomorrow but he’d promised Kelly not to divulge anything about his undercover assignment. She had good instincts and she was right about one thing. If Luca were taken to a back room to unlock the safe and made to talk under duress or threat, he would most likely be killed if he revealed that K
ane and Kelly were trying to shut down Moore’s operation. They’d all be in terrible danger but it took every bit of strength Kane possessed not to spill the whole truth to Luca. He wanted to talk to someone about things but that’s what Kelly was for.
“What are you reading?” Luca asked.
Kane smiled. His reading tastes were eclectic. “Right now, I’m actually listening to an old audio book I’ve heard before. Do you like Michael Crichton?”
“Seriously? Jurassic Park? Duh,” Luca replied.
Kane chuckled. “That one was good too. I’m listening to Prey.”
“Are you kidding? I loved that book! Are you into sci-fi?” Luca sounded really enthusiastic.
“Not really. I just love Crichton and a few others. I was so bummed when he passed away. He’s one of those authors who keeps me engaged. I own everything he ever wrote,” Kane said.
“I own a lot of his books. My mom sends me one in paperback each birthday, ever since I took her and my sister to see Jurassic Park at the ninety-nine cent movie theater near their home in Miami,” Luca said. “They play all the old movies.”
“Yeah, you told me about old movies when we watched Don Juan,” Kane said, marveling at how easy it was to talk to Luca.
“That’s right.”
Kane could hear the smile in his voice. “We… we, ah… we should do that again, Luca.”
“Really? When?”
Kane’s heart beat wildly and he languidly stroked the length of his now rock-hard cock. “Whenever you want.”
“How about tomorrow night? You come here. I’ll cook for you this time,” Luca said.
Kane closed his fist around his cock, willing himself not to pant out his answer when that’s all he wanted to do.
“Yeah, that’s good. I’ll call you tomorrow, Luca.” He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he concentrated on his breathing.
“Okay, it’s a date then. Take care until I see you again, Kane,” Luca said, sweetly.
His voice washed over Kane like cool clear water. “Talk to you soon, baby.” He listened to the phone disconnect and blew out a long breath, fisting his cock slowly at first, enjoying the way his orgasm built as he remembered the way Luca’s sexy voice sounded in his ear. When his climax finally hit, he was sure the neighbors could hear him shout Luca’s name.
Chapter Twenty-Two
At ten o’clock the next morning, Kane and Kelly knocked on the front door of Lance and Shield. They were both ready for whatever the day would bring. Hopefully by the end of it, the Moores would be out of business and Luca would be safe. His safety and the burning desire to see the Moores behind bars were the only concerns Kane had at the moment. After spending time with Kelly at the gun range, he had complete confidence that she not only had his back but that she could take care of herself. He was glad that she wouldn’t have to spend another moment alone with Brandon Moore. Even though she pretended it hadn’t bothered her, he knew it had. Kane had so many reasons to hate these people but that would end today.
Brandon opened the door to the pub and ushered them inside. It was cold and dark with the curtains closed and the wooden chairs up on tables. It almost looked like Brandon wasn’t planning on opening today but Kane knew he would—to give him an alibi, if nothing else. The big bodyguard walked over as soon as Brandon locked the door and he was introduced as Martin Carlow, Brandon’s right-hand man. Kane was surprised. He’d assumed the man was only muscle but it turned out he was much more than that. The giant shook hands with Kane, standing toe to toe with him, not backing down. Kane hoped they’d be able to put him away as well. Anyone involved with the Boston mob should be put down like the dogs they were.
“So, what store will we be robbing?” Kelly asked.
Brandon turned her direction and gave her an up and down leer. Kane balled his hands into fists, mustering every ounce of strength he possessed not to punch Moore in the teeth.
“You’ll find out when you get there, girly,” Brandon said.
“You’re not coming with us?” Kane asked, drawing his attention away from Kelly.
“I never do. My men will rob the store and you two will go along as lookouts.”
“What men?” Kelly asked.
“Mickey and Andriy,” Brandon replied, indicating two men who sat at a booth in a dark corner. Kane hadn’t even seen them sitting there. The two men stood up and walked over. Kane was pretty sure the shorter of the two closely matched the police sketch Luca had given of one of the robbers. He was certain these were the same men who’d robbed Auerbach’s Jewelers. He glanced at Martin.
“You’re not coming?”
The large man frowned. “No. My place is here with Enoch.”
Kane wondered why he’d mentioned Enoch and not Brandon but that wasn’t important at the moment. He looked back at Brandon.
“What’s the plan?”
“Leave that to my men.” He held out his hands. “Give me your cell phones.”
Kane felt a jolt of concern go through him and he exchanged a look with Kelly. Her eyes betrayed her unease. Without their phones, they wouldn’t be able to warn Luca if it turned out that his store was the one Brandon had chosen. They both wore earwigs so that Lincoln, Mac, and the rest of their backup would know their destination as soon as they did. He and Kelly reluctantly pulled out their cellphones and handed them to Brandon who unceremoniously dropped them onto a table.
“Keep a lookout while my men do their jobs and you’ll earn the money I’ve already given you,” Brandon said. “It will establish trust between us.”
The envelope Moore had given Kelly the day she’d planted the bug had contained two thousand dollars and was already logged into evidence with the FBI.
Kane and Kelly both nodded as the two thieves listened intently. The one called Andriy looked Eastern European with a prominent brow shelf and a nose that had been broken many times. His knuckles were scraped and swollen and it was clear that his rough facial features had only been made uglier in a Siberian work camp. The first knuckle of his left ring finger was missing. Kane had no doubt he’d been tortured at some point in his past and Kane briefly wondered where the Ukrainian kept the weapon he’d used to lop off hands and heads.
“Are you using sledgehammers?” Kelly asked.
The two thieves turned to look at her with a contemptuous glare as they both shook their heads, pulling aside their leather jackets to reveal guns strapped to their hips.
“Not this time,” Mickey said, smiling widely. It was not a kind smile. “The place we’re going has brand-new smash resistant glass. This is faster.”
A chill went through Kane and he shot a glance at Brandon who shot Mickey a poisonous glare.
“Time to go. The store just opened and you want to get in there before it gets busy,” Brandon barked. He glowered at Kane for a moment and then put out his hand. Kane shook it, glaring back as he felt nausea roiling in his stomach. “Do your jobs and everything will be fine, Delancey. I know you want to keep your family safe,” Brandon said. It was a weird thing to say. He stared Kane in the eye and Kane just knew. Somehow, the marshal had been right. Someone had hacked into WITSEC and Brandon Moore knew his real name.
Just the thought that Brandon may possess his true identity made him sick. His mother and sister could be lying dead somewhere right now. Kane swallowed hard. He should have seen that one coming. He let go of Moore’s hand as anger coursed through him. It was imperative that he follow orders to protect his family. The consequences were worse than he could have ever imagined. He was still frowning as he followed the two armed thieves out of the pub. He glanced up at the window across the street where he knew the FBI was watching and recording.
“We heard everything, Delancey,” Lincoln said into the earwig. “We’ve already contacted the US Marshals to alert your mother and sister’s guards to be extra vigilant. I know it’s hard but you have to stay on task, my friend. We’ll protect you. They’ll protect your family.”
“Thanks, Snow,” Kane s
aid quiet enough that the robbers wouldn’t hear. He shot a glance at Kelly as they stepped out into the sunlight. She gave him a tiny nod, having heard Lincoln’s promise in her ear just like he had. Knowing that their colleagues were watching was comforting but Kane’s anxiety level had spiked. This assignment was never going to be a walk in the park but now he had the bone-deep knowledge that it had turned into a job with life or death consequences. He pushed down his fear and concentrated on what he knew he had to do.
“We can’t follow too close so make sure you tell us your location so we can close in,” Lincoln said into the earbud. Snow’s steady calm kept Kane focused on the task at hand. “We’re not letting these bastards get away this time, Delancey. Let us worry about you and your family. We need to nail these guys.”
Kane coughed as they walked toward a black panel van with no windows. Andriy stopped at the back and opened it, motioning for Kane and Kelly to climb in. After they were inside, the two thieves closed the door and climbed into the front, starting the engine. The van drove for several miles but because they couldn’t see outside, Kane had no idea where they were headed. He could only hope and pray that Lincoln and Mac wouldn’t lose them. As if reading his thoughts, Snow spoke quietly into the earbud.
“We’re a quarter mile behind you, heading toward West Hollywood.”
Kane shot a glance at Kelly and she shook her head. They both had a bad feeling about where they were going. Kane somehow knew Luca was in danger too. If Kane hadn’t been well-trained to face multiple adversaries by the Marine Corps, he might have lost his mind.
Stay with Me (The WITSEC series Book 1) Page 30
