The Professor

by Rachel Renee

  Those are his words that are almost inaudible as he races up the stairs. He’s got another thing coming if he thinks I’m not going to sit right next to him and watch for the transfer of data.

  “You also installed a camera?”

  “You better believe it. We can see with our own eyes, the comings and goings of that office. We’ll have all of Santi’s actions on video and we can watch it through a live feed anytime we feel inclined.” Charlie points to the icon on his laptop.

  “I want full access. None of this, ‘I’ll tell Nic when I feel like it,’ shit.”

  Charlie glowers at me, his face completely rigid.

  “This is not like last time. Everything you find out, you will share. I will do the same.”

  Finally, the man’s demeanor slackens. “I forget sometimes that you are no longer fresh meat, but a seasoned veteran. This computer will be available to you whenever you want to use it. I can install the program onto your laptop as well. I called you here. We will work together.”

  “That’s all I wanted to hear.” I slap the man on the back and meander out of his room. “I’ll bring you my laptop.”

  As quickly as I can, I retrieve my laptop and hand it over to the man with the information. If anyone is going to watch Santi’s every action, it’s going to be me. Or at least what we can track with the bugs Charlie placed. Once the information is transferred to Charlie’s computer, he begins work on mine.

  “This will take just a bit if you want to do something else while you wait.”

  “I want to see what you’re doing, maybe learn a trick or two from my old man.” I smirk. Truthfully, I just want to make sure he’s a man of his word and I get everything he’s collected thus far.

  “Take a seat and study from the best.”

  Charlie and I sit side by side as he transfers data from his phone onto my MacBook. He shows me a few programs he uses to get the data to transfer quickly. After everything is transferred and filed, he downloads the application I will need to pull up the video feed. I let him think he’s teaching me something I didn’t already know. I haven’t been an agent this long without learning how to transfer data or upload a secure video program. What Charlie’s doing isn’t new to me, but his process is seasoned and well-practiced.

  “All you need to do is double-click and the feed will be live. Change the settings to your liking, as I have everything set up to what I’m accustomed to.” Charlie opens up the menu, pushing the laptop in my direction.

  “I’ll play around with it. Thanks!”

  “You got it.” Charlie places his arm around my shoulder. “I’m glad you came.”

  “I haven’t decided if I have that same sentiment.”

  He squeezes my upper arm. “It is a job. Keep that in mind.”

  “At the forefront of it.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.”

  “I’m going to explore this app and the intel you uploaded. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Charlie releases his hold on me. “Good night, Nic.”

  “Yeah. You too.”

  In no time at all, I’m sprawled against my mattress, laptop open, and information is flowing in. It’s amazing what a few hours of alone time can accomplish. I still can’t figure out how Charlie was always in place on the couch when one of us went in to check. Did he set up another camera? He had to have. Right? If that’s the case, I should be able to pull that information up on the same application as the office camera.

  Clicking the icon takes me straight to the live feed. Nothing is happening in the office of Santi Rubio, so I take the time to search through settings and other features. Just when I think I’ve wasted too much time, I find a setting that offers me to turn on features from other cameras linked to this account. I lose no time in turning that on. My screen breaks up into four smaller screens, each one connected to a different camera within Charlie’s network.

  I wonder if he knew I’d be able to access these. Will he care? He better not. He said he’d work with me. Or, it’s possible he didn’t believe I’d go in search of the other hidden gems.

  The first screen is the office that I’m well acquainted with. The display to the right is that of the terrace entranceway of the Rubio estate. That must have been how he knew we were coming. The view spans all the way out to the pool area. I don’t know how he set this up without being spotted. The bigger feat may be the fact that the bottom screen is filled with the upstairs hallway, which also pans out to see the staircase and the entry of Santi’s home. There were multiple staff working diligently the entire time we were visiting and for Charlie to be able to get these cameras in place, he had to have made sure they were occupied elsewhere.

  What I’m not happy about seeing is where the fourth camera is set up. Why would he put one there? Glancing at the time upon my screen, I decide now is not the moment to question him about it. Tomorrow during coffee will have to suffice.

  All seems quiet, so I close the top of my case and call it a night. It’s mid-morning back in Savannah so I give Eliza a call. I’m sure she will be surprised to hear from me again.

  “Liam, is that you?” That’s the first question that comes out of her mouth when she picks up the other line.

  “It’s me. Just wanted to hear your voice.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Of course. Just missing you.”

  “When I saw that strange number pop up, I was worried. You never call.”

  “Didn’t mean to startle you, just trying to be a little more in touch. You know, whenever I can.”

  “I will never complain about the communication lines being open.” I can hear the happiness in her voice.

  We chat about her morning and the new case she’s working. She tells me the cats are missing me, Orion so much so that he’s even cuddling with her in bed. Lying here like this, the room dark and her voice in my ear makes me feel the comfort of home. It’s like she’s here with me and I can relax.

  “Can you give me any updates on your case?”

  “I can say that things are coming together quickly.”

  “You’ll be back soon?” Of course that’s what she hears.

  “As soon as I can. You know that.”

  “I know. A girl can dream it’ll be sooner than expected.”

  “I believe it will be. My counterpart collected lots of useful information today.”

  “What did you do?”

  A small laugh escapes my lips. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

  “Try me,” she says before I can finish my thought.

  “I was a judge in a diving contest, swam laps, and played Marco Polo with a couple of ten-year-olds.”

  “What?”

  “See, I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “Seems like a vacation and not work.”

  “This is far from a vacation for me, babe. When I get home, I’ll tell you everything, but for now, you’ll just have to trust that what I’m doing is bringing me one step closer to returning to Savannah.”

  It’s her turn to chuckle. “If swimming with children is bringing you closer to me, I can’t wait to hear what else keeps you busy in Italy.”

  “It’s way more complicated than that, but you’ll hear it all. I love you, Eliza. I’ll call again when I can.”

  “I love you, too.”

  As the line goes silent, I’m able to close off my mind from everything else and think of my life back in Savannah. This is a job and I must treat it as such. Eliza needs me to come back to her a whole man, not one who gets wrapped up in emotions and allows them to blur the lines of the job and what has to be done to conclude it.

  38

  Walking into the kitchen this morning, my mind is spinning from the dream I had just woken up from. Sophia told me that one of the boys was mine, and the other belongs to Santi. Santi and I were fighting because we didn’t know which boy was which and then I shot Santi because I was determined he was trying to take the boy that was mine. The fee
ling I woke up with was dread. Shooting Santi has been in the back of my mind this whole time. I will not let it go that far. Charlie and I have to come up with a plan that doesn’t include going in with guns blazing. I can’t hurt my old friend, even if he is fighting against me.

  I’m determined to get Charlie to understand my reasoning as I hear him humming from behind the open refrigerator. “Morning,” I call out to alert him that I’m in the room.

  His eyes are open wide and he goes right on humming a tune as he pulls the carton of eggs and stack of bacon into the open. He doesn’t respond to me until he lays the items on the counter and turns on the stove to heat up.

  “Coffee?”

  “Is there any other way to start the day?”

  “I can think of some others.” One of his brows raise.

  “Why are you in such a good mood this morning?”

  “Just feel like things are coming together. We’ll be out of here before you know it, my boy.”

  “About that—” I was planning to bring up the thoughts I was having about not hurting Santi, but he stops me.

  “You found the other cameras, am I right?”

  My mouth turns up. “I did. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  His shoulders pop up then fall back. “Wanted to see what you were made of. How long did it take?”

  A sigh escapes before the words form. “It was close to me packing up for the night. I kept thinking about how you always knew to be back on the couch when someone came in to check on you. I knew there had to be another camera. I just had to figure out your program from that point.”

  “So, you missed the show?”

  “What show?”

  “I’m pretty sure you should talk to Sophia about that.”

  “Just tell me. I don’t want her involved.”

  “Too late.”

  “I know about the camera in her apartment.”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about. There was a very intimate moment shared between her and Santi at the front door last night. I’m not going to say I didn’t see it coming, but I am a little surprised.”

  His brows are raised, eyes wide, and I’m sure I look exactly the same. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Wish I was.”

  My head drops to my hands. Why is this woman making things much more complicated? “I don’t know if she will stay quiet a second time.” My fear voiced in front of Charlie.

  “That’s why we’ve got to get our man quick. We also have to keep the two of them apart as much as we can.”

  As my butt hits the stool across from Charlie, who is cooking up some breakfast, we devise a plan. I’ve got to play my part and spend as much time with Santi as I can. Charlie says he’s going to get close to Sophia and the boys while I’m busy. He at least needs to get to Sophia’s phone to plant a chip that will allow us to infiltrate her phone calls and text messages. After that, he can back off if it seems suspicious.

  My mind is reeling at the fact that Sophia shared an intimate moment with Santi. Was that the first? Is there something ongoing that we don’t know about? I’m sick to my stomach at the thought of Sophia getting involved with another Rubio. What in the world is she thinking? Especially the boys’ brother. The fact that Santi doesn’t know that Liam and Paul are related to him irks me. If Sophia had told him the truth years ago, so many things could have gone differently. I’m betting we wouldn’t be here now, trying to bust Santi for the same crimes his father was guilty of.

  Charlie talks throughout breakfast, which is fine by me. I hear only parts of what he is saying as I’m mentally going through everything I already know and coming up with how I’ll use that to get close with Santi once more. It is the last thing I wanted to do, but Charlie is right, we have to keep him away from Sophia until we have everything we need to make our arrest. If some kind of romantic relationship is just starting to bloom, we need to cut it off at its head so it doesn’t continue to grow and Sophia ends up in the same predicament she was before. Plus, Sophia sees right through our ruse. If she doesn’t want to consider Santi getting hurt, she may blow the case for us this time.

  After cleaning up the breakfast mess, I put myself together and head out for the day. Charlie plans to keep me apprised of any new leads and I’m plotting a way to get together with Santi.

  The phone in my pocket buzzes as I step out onto the stone pathway. My hand gets jammed in the pocket and by the time I retrieve the device, it has stopped ringing. The phone number does not look familiar so I press the button to call back and find out who was trying to reach me.

  “Ciao, Nic,” is how the phone is answered.

  “Santi. Ciao. How are you?”

  “I wanted to see how Charlie was feeling? Any better?”

  “A little better. He’s staying in the apartment today.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Not sure yet. Was just heading out.”

  “How about I come by and pick you up?”

  “I don’t want to mess up your day.”

  “It will be an improvement.”

  A chuckle escapes me. “Yeah. Okay. What time you heading this way?”

  “I’m almost there.” He laughs and the line goes silent.

  Well, that was easy. It’s almost as if he was reading my mind. I backtrack and sit on the stoop of the apartment, waiting for Santi to arrive. He wasn’t wrong when he said he was almost here. I’m not sitting more than a minute when his car sidles up to the sidewalk. The window rolls down and the familiar voice yells out, “Let us go.”

  My feet start moving before my brain completely processes the command. The handle clicks as my hand reaches for it, so I grab ahold and pull the door the rest of the way open, allowing myself to fall into the passenger seat. Before I can shut the door back, Santi is pulling out into the road once more.

  “You in a hurry?”

  “No. Just saw my opportunity to merge and took it.”

  Santi and I proceed with idle chitchat as we traverse through the cramped Rome streets. It’s so busy this time of the year with all the tourists on top of the people who already reside here normally. So many smiling faces walk amongst the sidewalks and old buildings, some exploring the sites for the very first time, others just trying to get to their destination without being shoved by someone trying to take a selfie in front of a historic landmark.

  “Where are we going?” I finally ask when there is a lull in the conversation.

  He doesn’t answer but says, “You’ve got a weird accent. Those years in the States are turning you into an American.”

  I laugh at my friend’s comment. “What do you mean? I sound the same as I always did.”

  Santi huffs. “You are wrong, Nic. I remember your voice always and this one is different.”

  I feel the bulge slide down my throat and back up again. Instead of voicing my response, I shrug.

  “I will not hold it against you.” I see a smile play on Santi’s lips.

  “Grazie,” I answer. I’m going to need to speak more Italian or work on my American accent not being so prevalent.

  The two of us continue to talk as we leave the city center and enter more of a rural area. Santi tells me of dropping out of school and beginning to rebuild his father’s legacy. “After what Padre did, I had to start from scratch. I was not interested in following in his footsteps in that capacity. Plus, the only thing I had was the estate. Any money that had been made was taken and I had to fight to even keep the house.”

  I’m surprised that he was able to attain his father’s property. Even more astounded that he was able to turn the empire his father was growing into something legit. At least for some time. “I’m still shocked at what happened to your Padre.”

  “Not a day goes by that I don’t dream of revenge against the Americans who brought that upon him.”

  “I can only imagine.” I say it in Italian as I don’t want my accent to remind him.

  The old buildings have made way to lush, grass-filled
hillsides. Who knows where we are headed, but if I can keep Santi talking, it doesn’t matter. That is until he brings up the time that I saved his life. “Padre was so thankful to you. I was grateful too. But that was the beginning of the end. Padre locked me out of business dealings, and all but decided to keep me completely in the dark about everything else. Not you, though, he pulled you closer.” Santi grows silent, and my fingers strum silently against my leg waiting for whatever comes next.

  “Why?” he finally asks.

  That’s an easy answer. “He loved you. I was expendable and you were not. He realized that.”

  “But why close me off?”

  “If you knew what was going on, you could have been caught in the crosshairs. What happened to your padre could have happened to you.”

  “I would have done it. It would have been easier than living with the guilt. We both knew he was dealing in illegal activities. I mean, you continued to help.”

  “For you,” I answer. “If I did it, then you didn’t have to.”

  “I always ask myself why.”

  “What answer did you come up with?”

  Santi takes his eyes off the road and looks me straight in mine. “I still haven’t figured that out yet.”

  I have an answer, and in some ways, it is a truthful one. “You had become like a brother to me. If I could keep you out of harm’s way, I was going to do it.”

  As a car horn blares, Santi whips his head back around to look to the road and correct our direction. Neither of us had noticed that we drifted to the other lane. Thankfully it was a car horn bringing us in and not a head-on collision with the semi-truck that was heading our way.

  “What did you know about my father’s demise?”

  The question completely throws me for a loop. I respond quickly and the only way I can. “Nothing. I was unaware.”

  Santi slams on the brakes, pulling the car to the side of the road. “So, it was just a coincidence that you took off on the same night that he was killed?”