“So, what’s your story going to be, then?” he asked, leaning back in his chair. “Did you find the box or…?”
“Well, uh… I…” She licked her lips and was about to tell him when Nate bustled into the room.
He gave Rosie a curious glance as he walked to the coffee pot. “What’s up?” The question was directed at his brother, but his eyes never left Rosie.
Blaine clenched his jaw before pasting on a smile. “Nate, this is Rosie Sweet. We went to high school together. Rosie, this is my brother, Nate. He’s a detective here.”
Rosie flinched at the word “detective” and could only muster a small smile.
Nate returned the coffee pot and studied her with narrowed eyes. “Rosie Sweet?”
“Yes.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and forced a smile. “You may have gone to school with my older sister. Angelica?”
“Oh yeah, I do recognize that name. Is she really smart?”
Rosie’s smile dimmed. “Yes.”
Nate snickered and leaned against the counter, analyzing her the way he did everyone. He’d read her in a heartbeat: she was basically pulsing with a combination of guilt and fear.
He spotted the box on the table, caught Blaine’s eye, then took a slow sip of his black coffee.
Blaine glanced at the floor, guilt tugging his chin down. Nate was standing there figuring it all out, putting together the fact that a black box was stolen from Mr. Griffin’s house the day before. And that Blaine had let the perp get away.
Possibly on purpose?
That was the question running through Nate’s mind. Blaine could tell by the hard look in his eyes.
Clearing his throat, Blaine shifted in his seat, ready to blurt out whatever story he could come up with on the fly.
“Rosie was just here to deliver this.” Blaine placed his hand on the box.
“Right.” Nate’s eyebrows rose, and for a second he looked like he was fighting a smile. “So, you found this box, Rosie?”
She glanced at Blaine, her hazel eyes flashing with uncertainty before closing.
With a soft huff, she opened them again and looked straight at Nate. “No, I stole it. My ex-boyfriend is a drug dealer, and his boss is going to kill us both if we don’t come up with some serious cash…or drugs. I got rid of the drugs, so I have to somehow source a lot of money that I don’t have.”
Nate could’ve been knocked over with a feather.
Blaine had to bite back his smile. He wasn’t used to seeing his brother being taken off guard like that.
“Right.” Nate blinked. “Right, okay.” He thumped his coffee mug down, black drops spilling over the edge and running onto the counter.
“I know I should’ve come to you earlier,” Rosie continued, her voice surprisingly calm. “I shouldn’t have tried to fix this problem on my own. I mean, when I saw that article in the paper. Those blue pills. I’ve seen ones just like them. It freaked me out and I didn’t know what to do.”
“You know those pills?” Nate yanked out the chair beside her and sat down. His keen blue gaze asked for everything and Rosie delivered. She repeated her story from the night before, adding in extra details as Nate pulled them out of her.
“Do you know the supplier?” he asked.
“No, but Damien will. I was thinking that maybe when he comes to collect the money, you guys could be there…follow him or something.”
“Yeah, that could work,” he whispered, obviously trying to run through it in his head.
Blaine looked past his brother, flashing Rosie a smile.
“We need to see a transaction, though. If we want a real bust, we need to get someone on the inside, get a recording, something that will stand up in court. This Damien guy is just a courier, really. I want the source.”
Rosie swallowed while Nate muttered to himself, and then she shocked the hell out of Blaine.
“I could do it.”
“What?” They both jerked to look at her.
“It’s the perfect opportunity, right? Damien’s boss wants the pills or the money. I can’t give him the drugs, but I can give him the money and then maybe get him to say something incriminating.”
Blaine shook his head. “We can’t ask you to do that.”
Nate, on the other hand, held up his finger. “It’s not the worst idea.”
“It’s a terrible idea!” Blaine argued. “You heard what they want to do to her.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Nate said. “We’ll be right there listening. All she has to do is hand over the cash and get the guy talking. If it doesn’t work, we’ll stick a tail on him and see where that takes us.”
“As soon as he leaves Aspen Falls he’s out of jurisdiction.”
“So we’ll get that detective who searched her apartment to help us.” Nate turned back to Rosie. “Do you remember his name?”
“Um, Monroe, I think. Yeah, I think that’s right.” She rubbed her forehead, looking stressed and worried.
“Monroe?” Nate’s gaze shot to Blaine. That was the detective who had hounded him about the missing woman.
Blaine’s eyebrows pinched together and he looked back to Rosie. If she chewed her lip any harder, it was going to bleed.
“You don’t have to do this, Rosie. We can find another way.” Blaine reached out to rub her arm but was stopped by a swift kick from Nate.
They shared a glare, silently arguing about it until Rosie interrupted them.
“I-I can do it. I need to.”
Blaine sighed, frustrated that she felt forced into this position. She had volunteered, but only out of a desperate need to redeem herself.
“We’ll have to get permission from Kellan,” Blaine muttered, a thought striking him as Nate launched into organization mode. He started talking about Cam and which officers he’d get to assist with the sting. “I think we should keep this quiet.”
Nate frowned at him. “What?”
Blaine glanced at Rosie. “Can you give us a sec?” Tugging Nate’s arm, he pulled him out of the break room and led him down the corridor, quickly whispering, “Remember how Bianca said she couldn’t trust the police?”
“Yeah…” Nate was still frowning.
“It’s been eating at me. I don’t know why, but I just can’t shake the feeling that we need to keep this on the down-low. This is the best chance we’ve had so far, and I don’t want to screw it up.”
“So just you, me and Kellan?”
“Maybe.” Blaine shrugged. “Am I being paranoid?”
“Probably. I trust every cop in this department.”
“Bullshit. You don’t trust anyone.”
Nate huffed. “I mean I don’t think we’ve got a dirty cop in the AFPD.”
“I don’t either, but… why can’t Bianca trust the police?”
Nate was quiet for a minute. “And who is this Detective Monroe, really?”
Blaine raised his eyebrows. “I knew that would be annoying you.”
Nate’s chin bunched as he thought, but then he nodded. “Okay. Maybe you’re right. I’ll go talk to Kellan. He’ll probably want it quiet anyway so he can avoid all the red tape and we can push this thing through tonight. Do you think your girl can deliver?”
“She’s not my girl.” Blaine shook his head, but he knew how unconvincing he sounded. “I mean, she…” He sighed. “Yeah, I hope so.”
Nate didn’t look convinced, but he nodded anyway. “We have to take this shot.”
“I know.” Blaine grimaced, still hating the idea of using Rosie as bait. But it was too good an opportunity to pass up. If this sting went according to plan, it could bust the case wide open.
“Give that black box to someone else to deal with and get Rosie out of here quietly. I’ll call you with the plan once I’ve spoken to Kellan.”
Nate strode off while Blaine went to check on Rosie. She was sitting at the table, looking small and pale.
“You okay?” Even his soft voice made her flinch.
Pu
tting on a brave face, she nodded. “Yeah, I’m doing okay. I’ll be fine. It’s going to be fine.”
He sat down beside her and gently covered her trembling hands. “You know you can back out and no one will think less of you.”
“I can’t.” She shook her head. “I can’t keep running. I have to end this or I’ll never get to start over.”
His heart pulled with affection and pride. “I’ll be right there with you.”
“I know.” She gave him a shaky smile. “That’s why I can do it.”
He could have so easily kissed her then, but he resisted the urge and took the black box instead. “I’m just going to pass this on to another officer to deal with. I’ll tell them it was returned anonymously.”
Rosie’s nose wrinkled. “Will they really believe that?”
“I’ll make them believe it.” He winked and left the room, quickly dropping off the box to Jessica and telling her it was discovered near the college. The person who dropped it off didn’t want to be identified. Jessica bought it, so excited the box had been returned that she offered to cover the paperwork and deliver it to Mr. Griffin herself.
“He’s such a sweet old man. I can’t wait to see his face when I hand it over to him.”
Blaine smiled at her enthusiasm, relieved she hadn’t pushed for more.
Leading Rosie out the back of the station, he hopped into his car and was directed with a text from Nate to drive to Kellan’s house. On the way, he reported in to dispatch, saying he’d been sent on an errand for Nate. Steph didn’t question it, and the rest of the journey passed in silence.
Blaine arrived at the same time as Nate did. They hurried into the house, and Rosie was introduced to the man Blaine had always looked up to—Kellan Marks.
He led them into his living room. It was simply furnished, the house too big for just one man. But it hadn’t always been that way. Kellan once had a daughter and wife, until a tragic vacation to Balsam Lake where his little girl went missing. After months of searching, to no avail, Kellan’s wife fell apart. She left him with an apology, and he chose not to chase her.
Instead, he’d dedicated his life to the force—to stopping criminals before they could do any more damage, to helping innocent victims in their fight for justice.
As they sat around discussing what things would go down, Kellan proved once again why he was the best. He was logical, unemotional, and able to plan things out with a speed that astounded Blaine. Everything about the guy screamed control and order.
Going through the details, they put together a solid plan.
“Do you think you can pull the money that fast?” Nate looked at his watch. “It is a Sunday.”
“I have a contact that can help me out. Don’t worry about that. You just focus on your list.”
He sent Nate to the kitchen to make the calls and arrange the gear they’d need.
Then he turned to Rosie.
“Time to make your phone call. You remember what you have to say?”
She pulled out her phone and nodded. “What if he says no?”
“If his boss wants the money as badly as we think he does, he’ll be flexible on the meet. Plus, Damien’s desperately trying to save his ass. He’ll do whatever it takes to get this over with.”
She swallowed and nodded again. Her fingers shook, making it a struggle to bring up Damien’s number, but Kellan quietly talked her through it and she was eventually poised to call him.
“You need to be determined,” Kellan coached her. “Stick to the story we’ve come up with. Don’t let him try to change your mind. Just keep repeating yourself if you have to. This is going your way or no way. Got it?”
She nodded, obviously trusting his calm, quiet manner.
The guy had never been different—always in control of his emotions. Nothing seemed to faze him.
Licking her lips, she pressed the green circle on her screen and closed her eyes.
“Yeah, hi… I know, but…I’ve changed my mind.” She winced as Damien screamed in her ear. Blaine couldn’t hear what the guy was saying, but he instantly hated him. “Because I don’t trust you. I’m not handing the money over to you just so you can take off with it… No… I’m not—… Shut up, Damien!” She scowled. “Now, I have the money, and if your boss wants it, he can come and collect it himself. Tell him to meet me at midnight, by the outdoor rink on Banner Street.” She closed her eyes and huffed. “What game could I possibly be playing? I want to save my life and move on… No, of course I haven’t gone to the cops. I’m not stupid.” Her voice wavered.
Blaine stepped into her line of sight, encouraging her with a silent look.
She caught his gaze and swallowed. “Look, Damien, I had to steal this money, okay? You think I want the cops on my back? As soon as it’s out of my hands, I’m gone.”
She bit her lip as he said something else, and then she gave Blaine a weak smile. “Okay.”
Ending the call, she threw the phone on the couch and slumped forward.
“You did good.” Kellan patted her back and then walked off to speak with Nate.
Blaine crossed the room and crouched in front of Rosie. Hidden beneath her curtain of hair, he smiled up at her and softly whispered, “You’re stronger than you think you are.”
She smiled back, and he knew without a doubt that he’d do anything to keep her safe.
Because he wanted to spend more time with Rosie Sweet…and under very different circumstances.
32
Sunday, February 25th
11:30pm
Rosie’s fingers shook as she adjusted the wire under her shirt.
“Try not to touch it.” Blaine stilled her fingers, drawing them away from her body so he could encase them with his own. She stood in front of him while he sat on the tailgate of the van and checked her sound gear.
“Is it working?”
“Yeah, I can hear you perfectly.” He pulled the headphones off and nestled them around his neck. “I know you won’t be able to hear us, but we’ll be listening to every word, and I won’t hesitate if you need me.”
The sweet statement made her want to cry. But ever since walking into that police station, she’d run out of tears. The wells of shame and guilt within her had turned to steam. They simmered in her belly, spurring her on.
If only her determination could kill her nerves. “I keep thinking I can do this, but then I start freaking out, knowing I can’t.”
“But you can.”
Rosie loved the sound of Blaine’s voice. It was soft yet confident. There was a tenderness about him that she’d never experienced before. She’d always gone for the bad boys—the wild ones who screamed excitement, fun, escape.
Blaine was different.
He was a fortress. Solid rock that nothing bad could break through.
If she wasn’t careful, she’d fall in love with him.
But maybe that’s just what she needed.
Squeezing his fingers, she bent forward and kissed the top of his hand. “I wasted my time in high school.”
“What do you mean?”
“I should’ve stood up for you. I should’ve dumped Taylor and hung out with you. I would’ve been a lot happier.”
Blaine smiled at her, his brown eyes rich with affection. “I was so nervous, I wouldn’t have known what to do with you.” His laugh was self-deprecating, quickly disappearing behind his deep voice. “It wasn’t our time then.”
He left the sentence open, asking the question without saying a word.
Is it our time now?
Rosie swallowed, her heart pulsing out of rhythm as a flurry of butterflies burst out of it. She felt sick with nerves and excitement. Looking to the ground, she blinked and tried to rein it in.
“You know, I nearly asked you to stay last night.”
“I nearly offered.” His gentle words sent warm tendrils of pleasure curling through her system.
Her lips twitched with a smile.
“But I knew I couldn’t do tha
t. You needed to figure it out on your own, and as much as I hated leaving, it was the right thing to do.”
“Weird how the right thing is often the hardest thing.”
Blaine nodded. “But then once it’s over, life gets better.”
He always knew what to say.
She rested her hand against his cheek and smiled. “When this is over… when you’re ready, I’d really like to date you.”
His eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You asking me out?”
“Yeah,” she snickered, then swallowed. “If I survive tonight.”
Blaine stood tall, closing the space between them and cupping her cheeks. “You just made one of my high school fantasies come true. You are most definitely surviving tonight.”
Before she could respond, he leaned down and kissed her.
It was deep with meaning, holding promises that Rosie could cling to.
Pressing her warm tongue against his, she rose to her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around him and gluing their bodies together. He held her close, encasing her until his older brother broke them apart.
“Now is not the time for romance,” Nate muttered. “We’ve got a big fish to catch, and I don’t want either of you distracted.”
Blaine let her go, softening the move with a swift wink.
Rosie’s smile was no doubt dreamy, but she couldn’t help it. Being in Blaine’s arms was like nothing she’d ever experienced.
“Alright. Ten minutes until showtime.” Kellan jumped into the back of the van and reached for the laptop. Nestling it on the table, he pulled on his headphones and pointed at Rosie. “Say something.”
“I hope I don’t screw this up.”
The edges of Kellan’s mouth tipped up. “You’ll be fine. Remember, all they’re after is the money.”
“What if they try to take me too?”
Kellan’s lips flatlined, his voice taking on a hard edge. “I’m not going to let that happen. You trust me, and I’ll trust you. Got it?”
“Got it.”
She let out a trembling breath as Nate handed her the bag of cash.
“There’s a tracking device sewn into the material of the bag, plus the money is marked. If you can’t get him to say the right thing, then make sure he takes the bag. We’ll tail him from there.”
Dead of Winter_Aspen Falls Novel Page 18
