by M. A. Lee
I left and went back to my apartment. Everything was finally starting to look up for me.
Chapter 3
Todd
Pouring myself a glass of Woodford Reserve, I sat down on my black leather couch.
Looking over the city lights, I sipped the strong bourbon and admired the golden liquid. While I didn’t live up to my father's expectations of taking on his company, I still benefited from having a trust fund that provided me more than enough money for the luxurious penthouse apartment I lived in.
It was the ultimate bachelor's pad complete with floor-to-ceiling windows, an industrial kitchen, and modern furniture and appliances. Only thing was, I never brought any women up here. Only my friends and I hung out at my apartment. This was my personal space, bringing some woman that I only planned to have a night of fun with, seemed too personal.
As I sat resting from a long day of work, I heard my phone chime. Pulling it out of my pants pocket, I sighed when I saw the name.
Lisa: Hey, up for some fun tonight?
I read over the text and rubbed my hand across my stubbled chin. Lisa was a woman I had met a few weeks ago. While we had a fun night in bed, I had left the next day telling her I wasn’t interested in dating. She had seemed fine at the time, but ever since then, she had been blowing up my phone trying to entice me to come back over again.
I quickly typed out a response and then powered off my phone.
Me: Not tonight.
I knew it was wrong of me to be so vague, but the poor girl just didn’t seem to understand. One night was all you got with me. I never lied. I was always upfront with them before ever getting into their beds. I was too tired to worry about Lisa or any other woman tonight. I had a long day ahead of me and I needed to be on my A game. Retiring to my bed, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
****
The next morning, I found myself awake before the sun was up. After hitting the gym with my team, I was enjoying a nice cup of coffee as I was the first person in the conference room. We had to create a strategic plan to begin our undercover work. If we made any errors, it could mean risking lives, and I wasn’t about to lose any of my men. As the guys piled into the room one-by-one, we all had our files from Detective Marshall.
Together, we began reviewing the information the informant had sent. Sometimes, when someone was arrested, we struck a deal with them to be a sort of nark for us. Giving us helpful tips and whereabouts of criminals in exchange for immunity or a lesser sentence-- all depending on the nature of their crimes. Since we worked primarily with drug offenders, we could strike a deal with some of the guys who ran the streets. Meaning, we could turn our heads if needed if they gave us information that could save people in our community. It might not always be legal or moral, but sometimes you had to bend the rules to save lives.
“Alright, let’s get started,” Carter said.
“10-4,” I replied, patting him on the back as I found my way to my seat.
While none of us really had a rank in our team, we allowed Carter to lead us. With the most experience, we all respected him. It was just an unspoken rule we had. We all silenced and he continued.
“So, from the information in our files, it appears that Marcus King has no problem being seen in public. He likes flashy cars, expensive women, and enjoys the nightlife. That will be his downfall. He will be easy to follow because any one of us can just blend in with the crowd. On the other hand, Tommy may present some more challenges. He lives in a gated community in the Beverly Hills area. He has security guards stationed outside his home and cameras in every corner available. He has a driver and will always be accompanied by someone in his gang. He will be the one we have to be careful around. He is always on the lookout for suspicious activity and cops.”
As we listened to Carter give us the rundown, I took notes on my handout. I memorized the photos of both men, noting how Marcus was tall and very muscular. He appeared to like to hit the gym and shop. He had several tattoos covering his arms and neck. Tommy was older and dressed like a businessman, always dapper in suits. He was clean shaven and reminded me of one of the guys from the Sopranos.
“We need to get three guys on day shift and two on night,” Jamie added. He was great with organizing our schedules and always knowing which guy was on which shift.
“Let’s have Parker, myself, and Ace on day shift. We can split up and follow the guys separately. I want Jamie and Todd on night shift. I want you to focus on Marcus,” Carter concluded.
With our assignments in place, Parker, Carter, and Ace made their way to the parking lot where they would get their vehicles and begin their shift.
For me and Jamie, we would spend the next few hours gaining more background information on Marcus and Tommy through social media channels and hitting the streets. We would then go rest before heading out later tonight.
Clapping my hands together, I jumped out of my seat and moved toward my small office. Jamie just smirked and shook his head as he followed me.
“You are one sick bastard, you know that?” He laughed.
“What? I can’t help it if I get off on taking down these bad guys.” I chuckled back.
It was true, nothing brought me more joy than watching a hard core criminal go down.
Chapter 4
Ally
The annoying ring of my alarm clock woke me from a deep sleep.
Reaching my hand out, I smacked the incessant device, shutting it up. Groaning, I rolled over and was temporarily blinded by the sunlight filtering in through the small window in the kitchen. Once I earned some tips, I needed to invest in blinds or curtains to block out that sunlight.
Sitting up, I realized I needed to get my butt in motion if I ever wanted to accomplish anything today.
I laced up my Nike running shoes and pulled my hair into a ponytail. Ever since I was a kid, I loved to run. In school, I had been on the cross country team. There was something relaxing about being alone outside and running.
Since it was still early in the morning, this would be the perfect time to go for a nice run. The Sunnyville heat could go from warm to the pits of hell in the blink of an eye. I grew up in a small town just an hour outside of Sunnyville, so I was very aware of the humidity.
Stepping outside of my apartment, I could already feel the thick morning air. Better get going now.
Ms. Lynn was outside, watering red roses she had in planter boxes on the windowsill. I admired her attempt to beautify the area.
Waving, I ran past her as I made my way toward the downtown area. It was morning rush hour so the streets were busy with people heading to their respective jobs.
A slight breeze blew through the air and I was thankful for the reprieve from the heat. I was already drenched in sweat and I had only been running around fifteen minutes.
I passed by a beautiful little park nestled in the city and smiled at a few people sitting on benches, enjoying coffee and breakfast treats.
I ran around the main loop of the downtown area and then headed back toward my apartment.
Once home, I showered and dressed in khaki pants and a plain white t-shirt. I had noticed the hostess the other day had on khaki shorts. I wasn’t sure what I should wear, so I decided to play it safe and copy her look for now.
I still had about an hour before I had to be at Hooligan’s Bar. Picking up my phone, I dialed Brianna’s number. She answered after only two rings.
“Hey, girl!” she yelled, her drawl making me giggle.
“Hi, I miss you,” I said, flopping back down onto my bed.
Since I didn’t have any furniture other than the bed and a single chair that came with the apartment, I didn’t have many choices for seating.
“What are your plans for today?” she asked.
I could hear birds chirping and I could just picture her sitting outside in her backyard, laying out by her pool. Brianna’s dad owned a pool store and they had a fantastic in-ground pool. I had spent pretty much every summer swimmi
ng and laying out there from middle school on.
“I start my first day at a cute bar called Hooligan's Bar,” I said.
“That’s awesome. I wish you could have stayed home a few more days before moving to Sunnyville,” she whined.
Brianna and her family had begged me not to leave so early, but I couldn’t live with them forever. I had to move on with my life and find a way to financially support myself. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t bummed that I was working while most people my age were soaking up their last few days of summer. But, this was my life now and I was making the best of it.
“I know, but you know I needed to get a job,” I reminded her.
“Well, I will be thinking of you as I spend an exhausting day by the pool,” she teased.
Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but laugh.
We chatted a little while longer as Brianna filled me in on our town gossip about which couples broke up and which ones were still making it last. I had been keeping up with social media for the most part, but the stories always sounded much more exciting coming from Brianna. When we ended the call, I reached into my purse and took out my lucky charm.
After my parents were killed, Brianna’s mom gave me a locket necklace with a picture of my parents inside. I had worn it the day I was accepted into the University of Sunnyville and the day I learned my parents had left me enough in their life insurance to cover my tuition costs. Now, I would wear it to my first day of work.
Clasping the silver chain around my neck, I kissed the locket and then headed out the door.
I walked the short distance from my apartment to the bar. I had sold my Honda Accord to pay for the first few months' rent. I would be walking for a while, but again, that was fine by me.
As I approached the bar, I heard my phone ringing in my purse. Fumbling for it, I wasn’t paying attention and felt myself crashing into something hard.
Almost falling, I was quickly caught by a pair of strong hands. Looking up, I saw a set of blue eyes looking back at me.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, trying to regain my composure and dignity.
Of course, I would bump into one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen in my life.
“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have been standing in the middle of the sidewalk,” the guy offered. His voice was deep and rough, but his smile was enchanting. His golden skin looked delicious against the navy of his dress pants. His white button down shirt was rolled up at the elbows and he seemed to be out of breath.
“Well, I’m sorry. Have a nice day,” I said, rushing past him and continuing to the bar. I managed to get to my phone, just in time to see a missed call from Brianna’s mom. She left me a text though, wishing me good luck on my first day.
Smiling, I was so happy to have Brianna and her family in my life.
As I reached the bar, I was greeted by the same hostess from the other day.
“Hi, Ally,” she said, remembering my name.
“Hi.” I waved. “I am so rude, I forgot to ask you your name,” I chastised myself.
Smiling, she said, “No problem. I’m Jessica. Everyone here calls me Jess.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Jess.”
Gus walked over, his round belly bouncing as he waved to me. “Come on back, Ally. We will get you set up.” He grinned.
“Gus is really nice. He owns this place and treats us all like family. His wife brings fresh pies and desserts every day. They don’t have kids of their own, so be prepared to be spoiled like family,” Jess said.
It made me feel good knowing I would be working in such a positive environment. Truth be told, I would have taken any job that paid. So, this just made it all that much better.
I followed Gus back to a small break room with a six-foot table, counter space, and lockers.
“Most of the staff put their personal items in the lockers. You can pick an empty one. Uniform shirts are in that closet,” he said, pointing behind me. “Grab a couple shirts that fit. Add khakis or black skirts and you are set. I left the paperwork on the table for you to complete. Once you are finished, I will have Jess show you around the kitchen and you can shadow her today while you train,” he rushed out.
He looked busy, so I just nodded and smiled. If I had questions, I would wait and ask Jess.
Gus left and I did as I was told. I slipped on one of the black shirts. It was cute with Hooligan's Bar written in neon green across the chest. I placed my purse and other shirt in an empty locker.
As I was finishing my paperwork, Jess came to check on me.
“How’s it going?” she asked.
“Great. I just finished everything,” I said.
“Alright, I will show you the ropes around here. I move and talk fast so keep up.” She winked.
Not missing a beat, I spent the next hour learning the ins and outs of the kitchen, meeting the staff, and watching her greet customers.
The job seemed pretty easy. I would just have to focus on not dropping any drinks.
By the end of my first shift, my feet were screaming at me and my legs felt like I had just run a marathon.
Jess handed me a stack of bills as I was preparing to leave for the evening. “This is a little bit of the tips you earned helping me with my tables today,” she said, handing me the money.
I was shocked. I hadn’t thought I would walk away with tips today. I was only training.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” she mused.
I thanked her again before leaving. I was so happy to have a pocket filled with money. I guess my lucky necklace really was a good luck charm.
Chapter 5
Todd
What the fuck was I doing?
Jamie had called me while I was following a tip from one of our street informants. Apparently, Marcus had been spotted hanging out on University Drive near the downtown area. I was intently listening to Jamie’s lead when I felt someone bump into me from behind.
I was prepared to yell at someone for being so distracted, but when I turned, I could barely speak.
Standing before me, was the most beautiful goddess I had ever laid my eyes on.
Her long, blonde hair was pulled back, elongating her slender neck. Her bright green eyes were striking and I found myself unable to look away. As my eyes traveled down her thin and toned body, I knew instantly she was athletic.
She had mumbled something about an apology and then was gone before I could react.
It took Jamie yelling my name three times into the phone to get me out of my daze.
“What?” I barked back.
“Todd, Marcus is heading your way. He is driving a black Tahoe with gold rims. I need to know if you have eyes on him,” Jamie said again. There was annoyance ringing in his voice and I didn’t blame him. I had messed up. Broken my own rule-- never let a woman distract you.
Running a hand through my hair, I glanced around looking for any sign of the SUV Jamie had described. I saw it turn a few miles ahead of me and knew that I had missed getting the plates of the vehicle.
“Damn!” I yelled, ending the call with Jamie.
I didn't need to say anymore. I was sure he knew by my anger that I had missed Marcus. I had been out here for hours, staking out the area, and my one chance to get a good glimpse and I messed it up.
Running over to my silver Dodge Ram truck, I jumped behind the wheel and took off like a bat out of hell. Maybe if I drove fast enough, I could catch up to him. My phone began ringing again. I punched the hands-free mode on the dash and heard Jamie’s voice fill my car.
“What the hell, Todd? Do you see him or not?” Jamie asked.
The roar of my engine almost drowned out his voice, but I heard enough.
“I have eyes on him. I’m trailing him. I will call back once I have more information,” I said, and then ended the call.
It was five in the evening, rush hour now and as people began their journey home, I found myself locked in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Cursing myself, I slammed
my fists against the steering wheel. How could I have been so reckless?
Realizing there was no way I would catch up with Marcus now, I called Jamie back.
“Jamie, I lost him in traffic,” I growled out.
“What happened, man? You were right there with a straight view of the car heading your way.”
Sighing, I looked around, trying to calm myself down. “Some girl bumped into me when I was talking to you. I helped her from falling and by the time I turned around, the SUV was gone,” I admitted.
A slight chuckle escaped from Jamie. “Wow, never thought you would allow a woman to come between you and your work,” he joked.
“Shut up, man,” I said. “It was bad timing. Let’s head back to headquarters and we will see what our next step is,” I offered.
Jamie hung up and I drove back to the station. Carter’s large truck was still gone, so I knew that he and the other guys were still out. I would debrief with them once they returned. For me, though, I needed to regroup and get my head back on straight.
Sitting at my desk, I was busy scrolling through different social media channels as I searched for Marcus on the dark web. It seemed like everyone now had social media. Sometimes I didn’t understand why people wanted to flaunt their lives to the world. However, it helped me with my job sometimes, so I liked it. But you will never find me with a Facebook or Twitter or whatever the hell other names they offer.
Jamie came into my office and sat in one of the chairs facing my desk. He had a smirk on his thin face and he was eyeing me carefully.
“What?” I asked, already knowing he was about to give me shit for earlier.
Leaning over the desk, he saw that I was scrolling through several windows of social media sites. “Looks like you are now on social media. Man, first you get distracted by a girl and then I find you looking at this. What has the world come to?” He chuckled to himself.
“I’m looking for Marcus,” I ground out.
