by Jamie Hill
“No one ever promised you that,” Olivia said. “We don’t do that in Witsec.”
Mitzi waved a hand. “I know, I know. Nick and Ben made a big deal reminding me of what I was told when I entered the program. But I was scared and there was a laundry list of rules I was supposed to absorb. I guess I just didn’t focus on that part. I always just wanted to go home.” She inhaled and blew out a shuddering breath. “Now I know I don’t have a home in Kansas City anymore. The club is gone. I guess it’s Atlanta or nothing.”
“You could request a new placement,” Olivia suggested.
“And have to get used to another new name? I’m finally answering when someone calls me Mrs. Palmer. It took six months to get used to that. No, I’m fine with going back to Atlanta. I have a few friends there, and a couple of nice neighbors. Now that I know it’s permanent, maybe it’s time to look for a job and really settle down.”
“I think that sounds like a good idea.” Addie smiled. Mitzi was going to be okay. They all were.
It was late in the afternoon when Chief Rhodes phoned Olivia and asked her to bring everyone in. “He’s got some news,” she told Addie. “He says to pack up and come to the office. I should wake Ben.”
“I’ll do it.” Addie went to the bedroom she’d slept in and knocked lightly on the door. “Time to wake up.”
“Don’t want to.” His voice was groggy.
She opened it. Ben was sprawled across the bed, shirtless and looking sexy as hell. Addie stepped in and closed the door. “I know you don’t, but we’ve got news. You want to hear it?”
He yawned and sat up. “Yeah, but first I want a kiss.”
Smiling, she sat on the edge of the bed. “Happy to oblige.” Addie ran her hands over his muscular shoulders and pulled him close, pressing a warm kiss to his lips.
Ben groaned when she pulled away. “Now I want sex. Are we far enough into this relationship that I can admit that?”
She laughed. “Oh, yeah. But it’s going to have to wait. We found Mitzi’s computer.”
His eyes widened. “You what? Where?”
“The police had it all along. It was sent to my office with the other evidence. When you mentioned it today, I started thinking, and realized I’d seen a laptop on the evidence list. I made a call, and Olivia and I arranged to get the machine to your tech guys. Now your chief is calling, telling us to pack up and come in.”
“Oh, shit! This could be something.”
Addie smiled at his infectious enthusiasm. “Still want to take time for sex?”
He grinned. “Any other day and the answer would be yes. But today, we need to get going. Raincheck?”
She kissed him once more. “Absolutely.”
A knock sounded on the bedroom door and Mitzi said, “Just checking. Do I still owe Nick the case of beer, or does he owe me now?”
Ben gazed at Addie questioningly.
Smiling, she waved a hand. “Never mind. Let’s go!”
Chapter Eight
Topeka, Kansas
Cole sat in the ratty old Dodge Dart he’d picked up from a second-hand dealer for a few hundred bucks. He owned a nicer car but it was easily identifiable. He was here on the down low. Watching. Waiting.
Parked on the street just down from Addie’s condo, he scrolled through his phone as he kept one eye out. He’d sat in the parking lot of her office building most of the previous day but she’d never shown up. She had to come home eventually. Unless he’d spooked her so much that she wouldn’t go home. He doubted that was the case. She was a spunky little gal.
She’d stood up to him in the beginning. They’d actually gotten along well in the very beginning, when they were young and in love. He’d graduated from Kansas University five years before she did, but he chose the private sector, representing the scum of the earth. Addie had always wanted to work in the public sector, prosecuting said scum. He didn’t care. A law degree was a law degree.
Then she began showing him up with better grades than he’d gotten in school, and more recognition. That infuriated the hell out of him. She’d received an offer too good to pass up from the Dallas District Attorney’s office, and he’d agreed to move there with her. But the only position he could find was with an ambulance-chasing shyster, so his irritation grew as she flourished.
She’d helped him land a better gig with a more reputable firm, and his pay increased. For a while it seemed like they might be okay.
That’s when the nagging began. She’d been concerned about school loans and hadn’t liked it when he’d arrived home with sporty Tesla Model S. He’d been working hard and thought he’d deserved an eighty-thousand dollar car. She hadn’t agreed. That night he made her rethink her position on the argument. With his fist.
He apologized the next day, but reminded her that it was her fault. He forced her to say the words.
The incident would be repeated, and he always said he was sorry afterwards. But it was still her fault. He made her admit that, out loud, each time. Eventually, she began to understand.
He kept the car.
She learned how to use concealing makeup.
* * *
Topeka, Kansas
Ben drove everyone to the office but they left their bags in his Jeep when they went inside. Rhodes was waiting for them with Nick and Jordan. “Hey,” he said as they entered the bullpen. “What’s up?”
“Grab a drink and head to the conference room.” The chief carried his coffee on in.
Ben made a questioning face at Jordan and Nick.
They simply smiled, and followed the chief.
“Come on.” Ben led Addie. Mitzi and Jordan through the kitchen. “Help yourself. Coffee, water, or soda in the fridge.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and then poured one for Olivia when she held out her cup.
Addie pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and Mitzi grabbed a pop. They all went to the conference room, where a man in a suit waited for them.
Ben pulled out chairs for the women around the table and took a seat between Addie and Olivia. He looked at his boss expectantly.
Rhodes began, “This is Special Agent Mark Warren of the FBI. Agent Warren, these are Marshals Ben Markham and Olivia Newman, ADA Addison Decker, and our witness, Mitzi Pomeroy.”
Agent Warren nodded to each of them. “Good to meet you. Ms. Pomeroy, I’ve been working with a task force that’s been tracking Antonio DeMarcus for quite a long time. The task force utilizes civilians who can assist us in collecting evidence against our targets. Dave Wilson was one of those civilians.”
Ben blinked in shock, and heard Addie suck in a little gasp of air.
Mitzi simply stared at the agent.
Warren continued, “Do you know what that means?”
She shook her head.
When he spoke again it was slower. “Dave Wilson was working with the FBI to frame Antonio DeMarcus and members of his organization.”
Ben thought the tone was condescending, and likened it to people who spoke louder when they found out they were talking to a non-native English speaker. He turned to Mitzi to clarify. “He was an informant, Mitzi. He wasn’t really a drug dealer. You said that all along.”
“I knew it!” She pumped her fist. “I trusted Dave. I guess my instincts were right after all. But when you showed me the picture of his car, I started doubting. I really didn’t know how he could afford such a thing.”
Warren smiled. “The Audi R8 Spyder convertible? That was to convince DeMarcus that Dave was profiting from his proceeds. For a long time it did the trick to give him street cred. And I gotta tell you, Dave didn’t mind that little perk a bit. Of course, we had to confiscate it once he died.”
“Was killed,” Ben corrected. “Dave was killed along with his girlfriend Tricia, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. I suspect if Dave had realized the danger he was putting himself and Tricia in he wouldn’t have thought the car was such a perk.”
“I stand corrected.” Warren nodded. “The murders
of Dave and Tricia were very unfortunate, and everyone on the task force regrets them deeply. Someone that Dave came into contact with the week before got wind of what was happening and ratted him out. Dave discovered the breech and was able to upload all his evidence into an encrypted file on Mrs. Pomeroy’s laptop computer the night he die—was murdered. We hoped he’d done that, but the police took the computer before we could find out for sure. Then there was a breakdown in communications and the laptop was never listed on the evidence sheet we received. But it was sitting there, under lock and key, all along.”
“You found the file?” Addie asked.
“The marshal service’s tech guy did, and called us when he realized it was an FBI encrypted file. He might have been able to open it but didn’t try. He sent it to us, we opened it, and got enough evidence to put away DeMarcus and at least ten of his underlings for a very long time. In fact…” Warren pulled out his phone and scanned his texts. “Antonio DeMarcus was just arrested peacefully at his home in Kansas City. We also nabbed Terrance Acres, one of his henchmen, and Eric Jacobs who we believe was involved in the hijacking of the prison van when Ryan North was killed. We’ve got several more men we’re looking for, including one Rolando Beeman, a fire junkie who we’re confident started the fire which burned down Pomeroy’s Palace.”
Mitzi exhaled with apparent relief. “You got them. So it’s over? For me, this is all over?”
“It would seem so,” Warren concluded.
Rhodes held up one hand. “Mitzi, we’re not interested in taking chances where you’re concerned. The position of Witsec is that you should return to Atlanta and continue the life you’ve established there. If you choose not to do that, you’ll be leaving the program against the advice of the US Marshal Service.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’m prepared to go back to Atlanta. I mean, where else do I have to go?”
Addie reached out and squeezed her hand. “You’re going to be fine, Mitzi. You’re going to go back and make Atlanta your town.”
The woman smiled and squeezed Addie’s hand back. “Damn straight.”
Warren rose. “That’s all the information I have at this time. If anything further comes up I’ll keep you posted.” He looked at Addie. “Of course, the arrests were made in Kansas City so they have jurisdiction.”
“Fine with me. I’ve said all along, I don’t need to prosecute them. I just want them off the streets.”
He smiled. “And as of tonight, they are. Good to meet you all.” He headed to the door.
“I’ll see you out,” Rhodes said, then looked back at the table. “Everyone else stay put. We’re not done talking yet.” He left with the agent.
“Wow.” Ben looked from one face to the next. “Pretty damned good outcome, I’d say.”
Jordan scowled. “The computer thing just pisses me off. You made the trip there last night looking for that stupid file, and we had it all along. You could have been killed. That was a stupid screw up.”
Addie wrung her hands. “I’m sorry.”
Jordan waved a hand. “Not you. It was a mix up between the KCPD and the FBI, before any of us ever got involved. I blame that bunch.”
Nick leaned over and pressed a kiss to Jordan’s cheek. “As long as you’re not blaming me, dear.”
Everyone chuckled as Rhodes returned.
He glanced at Ben. “Pierce and Jordan have agreed to take Mitzi back to Atlanta tonight. There’s a plane leaving at eight. An Atlanta marshal will meet them at the airport and take over from there.”
Mitzi made a face. “Oh, yeah. Tom Stone is dead. I guess I’ll get a new handler.”
Rhodes glanced at a piece of paper in his hand. “Her name is Cheryl Smith. Pierce has met her before, which is one of the reasons I’m sending him with you.”
Nick nodded. “She’s good, Mitzi. You’ll get along just fine with her.”
Ben frowned. “I’ll go with them. This has been my case from the beginning, I’d like to see it through.”
Jordan linked an arm through Nick’s. “Thanks, but we’re going to stay for a couple of nights and make a weekend of it. Evan’s given us the okay. After last night, I need to hold my man close for a few days.”
Nick smiled at Ben.
Ben couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ll step aside, then, and let you two take care of business. Mitzi, you’ll be in good hands.”
She was trying to be stoic but there was a tear in the corner of her eye. “Aw, the bunch of you are such saps. Too lovey-dovey for my tastes.”
Addie smiled at her, then at Ben. “Tough as nails, right to the end.”
“Yep,” he agreed.
Rhodes looked at Addie. “Now, about your situation. The cops didn’t pull one fingerprint from your condo, so we still don’t know if it was one of DeMarcus’ goons or your ex-husband who ransacked the place. Officially, it’s a police matter and the US Marshal Service doesn’t have anything to do with it. Unofficially, if you’d like to stay with someone for a while, Nick and Jordan have offered you the use of their house until they get back, if that’d make you feel more secure.”
Ben blinked. Ex-husband? All Addie had said was ‘ex’. For some dumb reason, he hadn’t realized they’d been married. He was mulling it over when he noticed she was staring at him. “What?”
She shook her head. “I guess I could use a place to stay, until we’re sure. Thanks, Jordan and Nick.”
“No problem,” Jordan replied. “We’ll get you the keys before we go. Mitzi, we should get ready, though. Use the facilities or whatever you need to do. We’ll swing through and get something to eat before we head to the airport.”
Nick said, “I’ll get your bag from Benji’s Jeep.”
Everyone stood and Ben realized that Addie had just agreed to stay at Jordan and Nick’s house. He reached for her arm and held her back when the others left the conference room. “What are you doing?” he whispered.
“What?”
“You can stay with me, you know.”
She made a face. “No, I didn’t know. I was waiting for you to say something and you never did.”
He shook his head. “I was just processing everything. This is all happening so fast.”
“Just like our relationship. It happened fast, Ben. Maybe too fast. I thought if I stayed at their place you could have a little time and space to process things.”
Ben reached for her hips and pulled her to him. “I don’t need time or space away from you, Addie. I need time with you and the less space between us the better. I guess I assumed you’d stay with me. Please reconsider. I’d really like you there.”
Her expression softened and he thought he saw relief in her eyes as she smiled. “Of course I’d rather stay with you. It’s what I was hoping for all along.”
He grinned and pressed a light, quick kiss to her lips. “Perfect. Don’t say anything in front of Evan or Olivia, they don’t need to know. I’ll tell Nick while we’re exchanging the bags. Once they’ve gone we’ll take off. Do you want to pick up dinner or order in?”
She licked her lips. “I’m not really thinking about dinner right now.”
Ben’s heart thudded and his grin widened. “My kind of girl. Two votes for ordering in—later. Much later.” He turned to leave and was surprised when Addie patted his ass. Glancing over his shoulder, he winked. “Hold that thought.”
“That one, and several others,” she called after him.
His heart light, Ben went outside with Nick and moved Mitzi’s bag to Nick’s truck. He grabbed Olivia’s and took it back inside. “Oh, hey.” He touched Nick’s arm. “Addie’s staying with me, but thanks for the offer.”
“Sure thing. I figured you didn’t want to speak up in front of Evan.”
“Right.” Ben wished that had been the reason. He was still dumbfounded about Addie having been married to a man who abused her. “And thanks for dropping off Mitzi. Hope you and Jordan have a nice weekend.”
“We will.” Nick waggled
his brows and they went back inside.
Mitzi and Addie were hugging goodbye. Ben stepped up behind them, and when they separated he said, “Take care, Mitzi.”
She hugged his neck. “You too, Marshal.” She added in a whisper, “Be nice to that little girl. She’s special, that one.”
“I think so too. I’ll do my best.”
Mitzi pulled away, wiping her eyes. “Which will be heads and shoulders above that last jerk. Show her how a real man behaves, Benji.”
He gave her a look. “You too?”
She grinned. “Aw, come on. I’m family now, right?”
He relented and smiled. “Absolutely. We’ll check in on you when we can. Be happy, Mitzi.”
“That’s the plan! Ta, y’all!” She left in a flourish, flanked by Nick and Jordan.
Ben and Addie gazed at each other once the trio had gone. “She was some dame,” he admitted.
“She was,” Addie agreed. “Different than I ever expected her to be. Mitzi was all right.”
Olivia stepped up. “I’m starved. Anyone want to go grab a bite to eat?”
Addie’s eyes searched Ben’s face before she replied, “I’m not sure I’m up to that, but thanks. Ben’s going to drop me off.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “Raincheck, partner?”
“You bet. See you tomorrow, then. Hope you get some rest, Addie.”
Once again, Addie smiled at Ben. “I’m sure I will. Goodnight, Olivia. Thanks for everything.”
Ben popped his head in the chief’s office. “See you tomorrow, boss.”
“Sure thing. Good news is, it’s Friday. Bad news is, you have a mountain of paperwork to wrap up that case.”
Ben smiled. “I’ll just focus on the Friday part. Have a good night.” He slipped out, grabbing Addie’s arm as he went. Waving to his partner he said, “Night ‘Liv. See you tomorrow.” They kept walking, picking up speed as they got closer to his Jeep.
