Mission Undercover

by Virginia Vaughan

  Now he locked eyes with her, his gaze steady and reassuring. He broke eye contact and moved toward her, coming up behind Officer McDaniels.

  “She doesn’t want to go with you,” Blake told him.

  Officer McDaniels looked irritated and turned, probably expecting to pacify some stranger with his badge and gun. Instead his eyes widened in surprise. He released her and reached for his gun, but Blake was faster and stopped his hand.

  “I didn’t do what you think,” he said. “Mason tried to kill me, tried to kill both of us. I stopped him. He’s out of control, McDaniels. You have to realize that.” Officer McDaniels didn’t budge and his face didn’t change. “He killed Jimmy,” Blake said. “He told me as much.”

  McDaniels’s eyes flitted back and forth, weighing Blake’s words, but then he snapped at Blake. “You’re a liar and corrupt.”

  “You’re wrong. Mason is the dirty cop. Mason and Chief Waggoner and who knows who else on the force. Maybe you’re part of it, too, for all I know.”

  McDaniels reached for his gun and Blake grabbed him. They struggled while Holly grabbed the mayor and crouched by a table for safety.

  “Come to my office,” the mayor whispered to her. “I can help you.”

  “It’s not safe.”

  “No, it will be fine.” She handed Holly her card. “Go to the parking garage under the courthouse and call this number. Tell my secretary that your name is Meredith Morgan. I’ll tell her I’m expecting your call and to put you right through. I’ll come down the back elevator and get you. No one will see.” She glanced at Blake and Officer McDaniels struggling. “Of course, first you have to get away from here.”

  Blake got behind McDaniels and shoved him forward into a table, where he went sliding to the floor. Blake reached for Holly’s hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Holly grabbed his outstretched hand and followed him through the door. He pulled her down the sidewalk and around the building to where he had parked the pickup. She hopped into the passenger seat while he slid in behind the wheel. He quickly started the engine and they roared away.

  Holly glanced through the back window and saw Officer McDaniels scanning the area, but knew even if he spotted them he wouldn’t pursue. There was no way he would catch them now.

  She sighed with relief that they’d escaped and felt a wave of admiration that Blake had managed to keep her safe once again. “Where did you come from? I didn’t even see you enter the coffee shop.”

  “I’m glad I did. What did the mayor say when you approached her?”

  She pulled out the card. “She wants to help us. She’s on our side.”

  She saw his shoulders relax and he nodded. “Good. It’s about time someone was.”

  “She said to call this number and she’ll meet us in the parking garage.”

  “We’ll head back to Dave’s and lay low for a few hours. I’m sure they’ll be watching her closely after this morning’s incident.”

  She agreed and settled back into the seat. Things were finally starting to look up for them. If Mayor Banks could use her influence to get them out of town then everything would be okay. Holly almost believed it.

  Almost.

  He rounded the corner and Blake tensed. Holly gulped as she counted four police cars sitting in Dave’s yard, their lights flashing. Blake slowed the truck then pulled over to the curb. Dave was being led out of the house in handcuffs while Chief Waggoner stood back and watched. She didn’t see Mason and assumed he’d responded to the coffee shop when McDaniels had placed the call.

  Blake’s brow furrowed and a scowl formed on his face.

  Holly felt his pain. “What can we do? How can we help him?”

  “We can’t, not now. The only way we help him is to get out of this town and get to the real law.”

  Blake jammed the pickup into Reverse and backed up to turn around. “I’m getting real tired of playing this game. Looks like our meeting with the mayor is about to get moved up a few hours.”

  * * *

  Blake didn’t like how deserted the garage was, but he supposed that was the point. However, he couldn’t help but be cautious. Mayor Banks hadn’t appointed Chief Waggoner—her predecessor had—yet she’d kept him on when she’d taken office. Did she not suspect the corruption of the department began at the top?

  He glanced at Holly sitting nervously beside him in the truck. She’d held up amazingly through this ordeal, but her weariness was evident on her face. She pushed dark hair from her eyes, pinning it behind her ear and gave him a smile that kicked his pulse up a notch. Get a grip, he told himself. He was acting like a teenager with a crush. It would be so simple to fall for her, but he couldn’t take a risk on love again.

  He thought most women would be crying by now, ready to throw in the towel, but she’d stepped forward, insisting on going into the convenience store and then the coffee shop to approach the mayor. It had been incredibly bold of her—downright brave—especially after all she’d been through. He admired her gumption. And even when McDaniels had busted her, she hadn’t cowered. She’d taken her last chance to speak to the mayor.

  Too easy to fall, Lord. I need Your help to stop it.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked her.

  She shrugged and then sighed. “I’m hanging in there. What choice do I have?” She gave him a curious look. “Do you think this is a trap?”

  He was surprised she had thought of that. Yes, he did wonder if it was a trap. He was always looking for deviousness behind every façade. But he’d never expected her to make that connection.

  “She seemed too eager to help,” Holly offered. She glanced at the elevator. “I just wonder who is going to come through those doors and what they’ll want of us.”

  He pulled out his gun and checked it. “I’m ready for whatever it is.”

  He wished he felt as confident as he’d implied. He was ready for a gunfight, no problem, but it was the wondering, the trying to figure out who he could trust, that was getting really old. Ever since Miranda, the not knowing was what ate him up inside. But this was the job he had signed up for. His job was to ferret out corruption—and corrupt people didn’t often advertise their dirty deeds.

  They heard the hum of the elevator and Blake tensed. He felt Holly tense, as well, beside him. They got out of the pickup and moved toward the elevator. It dinged when it hit the bottom floor then the doors slid open. Blake raised his gun, ready for an ambush, but it was only Mayor Banks inside. She gasped when she saw the gun aimed at her head and Blake quickly slid it back into its holster.

  “What is this?” she asked, her hand on her chest as if to steady her racing heart.

  “Sorry, Mayor,” he said apologetically. “We can’t be too careful.”

  “You didn’t trust me?”

  “With all due respect, Mayor, we can’t trust anyone right now.”

  Understanding dawned on her face and she nodded. “Of course. I apologize for my tone.” She motioned toward the elevator. “My predecessor, Mayor Johnson, was a little too full of himself. He didn’t think he should have to interact with the staff. He had this private elevator built on taxpayer funds. I would tear it out but I refuse to spend another dime of public funds to do it.”

  They stepped inside the elevator and she pressed the only button there. “It connects directly to my office with no other stops along the way.”

  The elevator whirred as it moved upward. It stopped and the doors opened. Mayor Banks stepped out into her office and Blake and Holly followed. He had his hand on his gun, still cautiously scanning the area, on alert for any signs of deception. The large room had windows lining one side, but she’d thought to close the blinds. Good. A large desk sat in the center of the room but there were also chairs and a couch making up another seating area.

  “I still can�
�t believe Gabriel is dead. After our encounter this morning, I turned on the radio. The news was reporting his death. He was a good man and an asset in ending this fight against corruption in my town.” She eyed Blake. “They named you as his killer.”

  He wasn’t surprised by that, but they didn’t have time for him to rail against the injustice of it all. “I’m sorry for your loss,” Blake told her, “but we need your help. Mason and Chief Waggoner are still after us.”

  “Yes, Mason showed up at the coffeehouse just after you two left. He was quite livid that Officer McDaniels let you get away.” She sat behind her desk. “He questioned me for nearly forty-five minutes about what you wanted.”

  “What did you tell him?” Blake asked.

  “The truth...with a twist. I told him you asked me for help, but I’d heard on the news that you had murdered Gabriel and I was too frightened. He believed me, I think. He seemed very smug that I was frightened. He and Chief Waggoner have enjoyed intimidating me these past few months.”

  “They’re probably still watching you, though. You should be extra careful. Don’t go anywhere alone and make sure you’re not seen meeting with us. Do they know about the private elevator?”

  “I feel certain they do.”

  “So they might have seen us already,” Holly said.

  Blake shook his head. “No, I made sure no one was around. That garage doesn’t have good sight lines. Anyone who wanted to spy on us would have had to be on the bottom level. We’re okay.” He slid into a chair. “You said you could help us. Do you have a way out of town? A private tunnel under the lake maybe?” He laughed as he asked the last question, but considering the private elevator to her office, it wouldn’t surprise him to find out that one existed.

  She took his comment for what it was, a jest. “I wish there were. It won’t be that easy I’m afraid. They’ve got patrols blocking all the roads out of town and the harbor patrol on alert. I don’t have my own ship but I have some friends I can ask to borrow one. The lake is still your best chance to slip out of town unnoticed.”

  “What about flying out?” Holly asked.

  “Our television station is too small to afford a helicopter and the hospital has to call in the one from Little Rock when they need to medevac someone out. We do have an airport, but it’s small and mostly used for tourists flying in during the peak season.

  “There are only a few people in town with a plane. Bill Baxter is the first to come to mind, but he can’t be trusted. He’s big buddies with Chief Waggoner. I can try feeling out Alex Milton to see if he might be amiable to help. He owns a string of shops on the strip and he had some problems with looters this past season. The police were not helpful in protecting his businesses. He might be someone we can count as a friend.”

  Blake nodded. “That’s a good idea, but be careful.”

  “Don’t worry. You’re not the only one with something to lose here, Officer Michaels. But I also have quite a lot to gain. These men are ruining my town. They’re opportunists—exploiting my town for everything they can get. I won’t allow them to win.”

  He nodded. “Thank you, Mayor. We appreciate your help.”

  “You’re welcome. Be sure to write down your phone number so I can contact you easily when I hear back from my contacts. Now, what else can I do?”

  “We need to figure out who else on the force is corrupt. I’ve been gathering evidence since I arrived in town and emailing it to myself. I need to access those files. I’ll need a computer, a printer and a place to work.”

  “Of course. I’ll have the conference room cleared for you and post a notice that it’s occupied. No one will bother you. My staff is all loyal to me, but I would still be careful who sees you.”

  “Of course. We’ll be discreet.”

  She pressed a buzzer on her phone. “Stephen, will you come in here, please?” She got up and walked to the door.

  A tall, thin man with glasses entered. “Please have the conference room cleared. These two are going to be working in there and they don’t want to be disturbed.” She turned to Blake and Holly. “Stephen will see to your needs while I go about my business as mayor. I don’t want to give any appearance that I’ve had any contact with you, just in case they are watching me.” She must have seen the question on Blake’s mind. “Don’t worry. All my staff is loyal, but Stephen is my closest associate. He can be trusted.”

  Stephen nodded at them. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you both to the conference room.”

  Holly looked to him for assurance and Blake nodded. They’d made the decision to trust the mayor, so they had to do so. “You’ll be sure to let me know if any of your contacts work out.”

  “Of course. And you’ll let me know if you make any inroads into your investigation.”

  Blake and Holly followed Stephen to the conference room. A large table, chairs, a whiteboard and two computers were at their disposal.

  Blake nodded. “This should do.” He thanked Stephen, but felt he should do more than take the mayor’s word that Stephen could be trusted. “Has Mayor Banks filled you in on all that is going on here?” Blake asked him.

  He straightened his glasses and nodded. “She has.”

  Holly stepped up. “How do you feel about what she’s doing helping us?”

  He took a deep breath then straightened his glasses again. “Well, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t like it. She takes too many risks and your being here is a huge risk. She’s already received death threats for her attempts to bring in outside help to clean up the town. She ignores them all and pretends they don’t bother her, but I know they do. She’s frightened of those men.”

  Holly smiled. “Yet she continues fighting for what she believes in. I believe that’s the definition of bravery.”

  He frowned and looked at her. “Or recklessness.”

  “It’s clear you care deeply for her and don’t like the risks she’s taking. So why do you continue working with her?”

  “Because someone has to watch out for her and she certainly won’t do it herself. I’ll have some food brought in to you soon. I’ve told the rest of the staff that you’re consultants. No one will bother you and my office is just down the hall if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Stephen,” Holly said.

  He walked out and left them alone. Holly turned to Blake, her gaze questioning. “So what now?”

  He pulled up a chair to the computer. “Now we start going over the files I’ve collected.” Blake opened the laptop and pulled up a free email website but paused as the log-in screen popped up. His fingers hovered over the keys the way they always did. He glanced at Holly, who was watching him, waiting for him to perform the simple task of typing in a screen name. Only it wasn’t so simple—especially not in front of Holly.

  She glanced at him curiously with that “did you forget your login information” look and he felt his face redden.

  “This is an old account,” he explained. “I don’t ever use it so when I needed a safe place to upload files from the police database, I thought of it.”

  “Okay.” He could see the questioning in her face.

  It was embarrassing now that she was here looking over his shoulder and watching. He typed in the words “Blake N Miranda Wedding Details” and her eyes widened before she turned her gaze away. He quickly typed in the password and pulled up the account, wishing he’d cleaned out all of the wedding nonsense, but he hadn’t, just as he’d been unable to delete the account altogether.

  His emails popped up. He’d been scanning and copying questionable files for months and uploading them to this email for safekeeping. He started opening them and clicking on the files, sending them to the printer for her to examine.

  “I’ve spent my spare time since I arrived in Northshore going through police reports and looking for anomalies. These
are the ones I’ve found. We need to go through them and look for patterns—officers who were involved, victims’ names that appear over and over, possibly even locations that might stand out. If we can’t get out of town, then our focus needs to be on finding out who is behind this. It might be the only thing that keeps us alive.”

  SIX

  A few hours later Holly closed her eyes. She needed a break from the computer screen. She glanced over at Blake, who was reading through reports and making a list of names on a legal pad. He’d been embarrassed about his email username. She thought of the story he’d told her about his fiancée’s betrayal and subsequent murder. She shuddered to think of the pain he’d been through.

  Losing someone you loved was hard enough, but discovering she had betrayed him must have made the loss close to unbearable. It broke her heart to think Blake had suffered through that. Yet she knew from accidentally overhearing his conversation with the pastor that he’d turned to God to help him through it. It obviously hadn’t done him any good. He was still suffering.

  No, that’s you, Holly.

  She was the one still dealing with Jimmy’s death. Just when she’d tried to make a restart on her life, it had knocked her down again. Sometimes, it felt like God was not only missing from her side, but that He was actively working against her.

  She couldn’t continue to hold on to this anger she’d been carrying around.

  “Have you found something?” Blake asked, and only then did she realize she’d been staring into space.

  “Just giving my eyes a break. Have you found anything?”

  He stood and walked to her, taking the chair beside her so she could see the writing on the legal pad in his hand. But he was so close she could smell the clean scent of the soap he’d showered with this morning and feel the hardness of his muscles. Focus on the data, Holly, she chided herself. She was acting like a teenager instead of a grown woman. This man was off-limits to her. She’d already made the decision that she couldn’t—she wouldn’t—fall in love with another man who risked his life every day in the name of justice. She had to guard her heart.