by Nadirah Foxx
Cheapskate! “If you want me to pay for my meal, I can do that.”
“I don’t want your damn money.” He growled and then dragged me around the corner.
We were alone in an alley. Stacks of water-stained crates and trash filled the space. The rank smell of vomit wrinkled my nose. In the distance, a stray cat meowed.
Adam backed me against the brick wall. “I hate bitches like you! You just want to eat for free! It’s time to pay up!”
What the fuck? I did nothing to provoke his rage.
His mouth descended on mine. I tried to deliver a knee to the groin, but Adam was clever. He stood with one leg against my crotch, preventing me from moving.
I was preparing for the worst when the weight against me disappeared. Opening my eyes, I didn’t see Adam, but I heard him.
“What the hell! Get off of me!”
Racing around the corner, I saw Josh beating the shit out of Adam.
“Stop, Josh! He’s not worth it!”
My best friend stopped his assault and let Adam go. The asshole stumbled backward and wiped at his bloody nose.
“I won’t forget this, Reynolds!”
Before Josh could incriminate himself further, I said, “Do anything to him, and I’ll make sure that the public knows what you did tonight. Tristan Edwards would love the story. Covert Technologies CEO has to force a woman into his bed.”
“This ain’t over, bitch!” Adam pulled his keys out of his pocket and walked to the parking lot.
After my ordeal, Josh called out my behavior. He let me know that Adam always had ulterior motives and I shouldn’t be alone with him again. Then, my friend draped his jacket over my bare shoulders, and he drove me home.
“I’ll always be here for you, Kerrie. No matter what happens.” His dark-eyed gaze tugged at my heart.
It made me suspicious that perhaps my friend had developed feelings beyond friendship. But pursuing my hunch didn’t happen. When Josh dropped me off, Ryan was in my mother’s living room. He apologized.
That night marked the beginning of the rest of our lives together. Weeks later, Ryan proposed, but I never forgot the look I saw on Josh’s face the night of my attack.
“Kerrie?”
I shook off the memory. “I’m sorry. I’d rather not get into that discussion.”
“The fact that I care for you has always bothered you,” Josh said.
“Not true,” I lied. Truth be told, if Ryan hadn’t shown up that night, Josh might have had a chance.
Rather than continue with the taboo subject, he switched to a different—more relevant—topic. “Jared is a moot issue. I told you we met in college. The summer you traveled he came to Liberty City. I called myself being a friend, letting him crash at my apartment. Jared was honest about how he felt. I was flattered. Intrigued. Up until then, I’d never thought of a relationship with a man. Hell, I hadn’t kissed one until him.”
Honestly, I never thought Josh could be gay or even vaguely interested in other men, but I kept the thought to myself.
“It was over before it started, Kerrie. Jared was clingy. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be with him—or any man for that matter. But we never lost touch.”
“Then why did it happen?”
He glared at me briefly before averting his gaze. Only a fool didn’t know the answer, so I asked a more apropos one. “When did you fall in love with me?”
That put a smile on Josh’s face. “Freshman year in college. But it was so obvious you were in love with Ryan. We were friends, and I didn’t want to fuck anything up. So I squashed my feelings. Jared came along at a vulnerable time.”
“I’m sorry,” I said weakly. His admission coincided with my speculation.
“For what? You didn’t tell me to fall for you.” He patted my hand and then cleared his voice. “So what were you going to tell me?”
Thank God for the respite. I exhaled loudly and said, “I asked Tristan for his research on the article he did on corruption in Arcadia City.”
“I remember it. The editor of the Daily Tribune printed a rebuttal saying there wasn’t enough proof to consider Tristan’s findings as anything but conjecture.”
Pushing to my feet, I began pacing the floor. “I believe the home invasions tie directly to the corruption Tristan discovered.”
“Kerrie, if that’s the case, maybe this is something that should go to a higher power? Like the FBI?”
“Perhaps. But what are we going to say? We’re curious, but why don’t you look into it? They’ll laugh in our faces and run back to the mayor or the chief of police.” I stopped in front of Josh. “It’s not a chance I’m willing to take.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Before I officially leave the precinct, I’m going to use my resources. I can hack into the LCPD network from here.” Suddenly, I had a brilliant idea. “Come work with me, Josh. If the department is corrupt, you could go down as an accomplice. Here you won’t be held responsible.”
He stretched and rested his arms on the back of the sofa. “That’s a tempting offer, Kerrie.”
“It’s not just an offer. You’re an expert. I could use your brilliance here. You saw the lab. I can’t possibly work all that equipment alone. And, I don’t dare involve any of the employees here.”
Before Josh could utter a word, my phone rang. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Debbie. Are you near a TV? There’s a breaking news story.”
My eyes darted around the room. I noticed a flat screen on the far side. “Hang on.” To Josh I said, “Can you turn on that monitor? Put on the news.”
In seconds, the red, white, and blue graphics for KLBC-TV came up. The image switched to a reporter standing in front of City Center with Captain Stratham.
Our boss appeared upset as he spoke.
“Josh, turn it up.”
“I am sorry to report we still do not have closure on the King case. We had arrested two suspects, but because of tainted evidence, we were forced to release them.” The captain looked to his right and then his left. “I assure you the LCPD is doing everything possible to apprehend the killers and keep our citizens safe.”
“Bullshit!” I turned my attention away from the screen. “Debbie, are you still there?”
“Yes, boss.”
“Do me a favor and order in dinner. Josh and I will be up shortly.” I disconnected and looked up at my friend. “Are you in or out?”
He clicked off the TV and tossed the remote beside him. “Where do we start?”
11
Making Plans
Josh picked at his Colossal Burger combo—double-meat cheeseburger with all the fixings and a side of curly fries and onion rings. Honestly, I had done an equally piss-poor job of my own meal. Debbie stopped eating, and her eyes bounced from me to him.
“Did I make a bad choice for dinner?” The words tumbled from her mouth. “I should have asked, but I was having a red-meat craving.”
“There’s nothing wrong with it. I often get cravings for a burger,” I said, hoping I sounded grateful.
“Food’s fine,” Josh grumbled.
I clenched my jaw and shook my head slightly. He was starting to piss me off. Yes, he was right in pointing out the danger of our endeavor, but it had to be done. Getting outside help, even Debbie’s, was risky. We needed her expertise, not the FBI’s. They didn’t know what projects Ryan was working on before his death. If the criminals were after proprietary products, Debbie could lead us to the right ones. Plus, her knowledge was immeasurable. With her skills, she could make our task a lot easier. I failed to see how the FBI’s agents could benefit us.
Then again, maybe I was overthinking the matter. There was a chance Josh’s issue was with me and our earlier conversation. As much as I loved him, it wasn’t a topic open for discussion. It was up to me to find my family’s killers. Assuaging Josh’s hurt feelings couldn’t take precedent over what had to be done.
I took another sip of my triple-berry shake, sudde
nly wishing for something stronger, and then cleared my voice. “The problem has nothing to do with dinner,” I started. “We have a major undertaking in front of us, and it requires the three of us to work together.”
Debbie’s eyes widened as she continued eating her food.
Thankfully, Josh stayed quiet. “We’ve found proof that the home invasions committed in the Tri-City area are related to corruption in those cities.”
Josh shot me a warning gaze. It had been years since he’d given me that look.
Ignoring it, I added, “Personally, I think the LCPD intentionally released the suspects they apprehended.”
“Why arrest them just to let them go?” Debbie tilted her head to one side.
My friend eventually opened up. “Initially, it made the department look good. When citizens complain to the mayor’s office, he’ll be able to tell them the police are working hard. After all, they had made an arrest. Most likely, Stratham will make a rookie the scapegoat. Claim the officer made a mistake leading to the unfortunate release of the suspects.”
I hadn’t even considered the possibility.
Josh continued, “The DA could even argue that his office needed to secure more evidence before pursuing other suspects.”
I said, “But that doesn’t trouble me. The so-called suspects were small fish. We need to find the person behind the robberies and the corruption.”
My best friend worked his jaw but didn’t say anything else.
Debbie bit into her bacon burger. Her eyes narrowed as she chewed. After a minute or two, she asked the pertinent question. “You’re assuming it’s one person. What if it’s an organization?”
“Like a crime syndicate?” I had considered that possibility.
She nodded and added, “How do you plan on finding whomever is behind it? It’s not like the suspects are giving out an address.”
If only we could be so lucky…
“We follow the evidence and see where it takes us,” I suggested. “You’re good at hacking—”
Josh’s gaze whipped to me. “Don’t ask her—”
“She’s not asking me.” Debbie interrupted with a sparkle in her eye. “I’m volunteering. Besides, hacking is one of my specialties.”
His brow furrowed.
Shit!
I realized my oversight. I hadn’t properly introduced the two. “My apologies. Josh, I’d like you to meet Debbie Scott a.k.a. the Digital Pirate.”
“Did you say Digital Pirate?” A slow smile spread across his face. “You’re… Oh, hell.” His posture relaxed, and his eyes brightened. “You’re her?”
It wasn’t like him to be tongue-tied, but suddenly my best friend was having a fangirl—or should I say fanboy—moment. Josh’s face flushed, and his tone softened.
“Oh man, ever since I first heard of the Digital Pirate, I’ve wanted to meet him…her…you.” He raised his hand to his mouth briefly, trying to contain his joy. “This is indeed an honor.”
Debbie’s grin widened, and her gaze bounced around the room. “You know about me?” My assistant put her hand to her throat. “But didn’t you graduate from college before I did?”
The exchange between them was interesting—Josh acting like a star-struck fan while Debbie feigned modesty. They should quit. Their behavior bordered on embarrassing.
“Trust me. Any hacker worth a line of code knows about you.” Josh leaned forward. I watched as the man who had just professed having feelings for me shot her a playful smirk. Was he flirting with her? “We should definitely work together on this project.”
Debbie’s face lit up as she gathered her empty wrappers. “We can start right away. Let me just call my girlfriend and let her know I’ll be late.”
I stifled a laugh as Josh’s mouth slackened. When my assistant stepped out of the conference room, I exploded with laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Josh asked.
Gripping my sides, I said, “You should have seen your face when Debbie mentioned she had a girlfriend.”
He blushed. “Seems I’m always ready to fall for the wrong woman.”
Ouch.
That let the air out of my happy balloon. Rehashing our earlier conversation was not my plan. Instead of waiting for Josh to say more, I grabbed my trash and headed to the wastebasket in the corner.
“I’m sorry.” He clasped his hands on top of the table. “I didn’t mean anything by—”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said over my shoulder. “You know what we’re up against. Maybe you can fill Debbie in while I go out.”
“Where?” Josh asked, his voice rising a notch.
The protective friend had returned. It was the role he’d always had in my life, and it wasn’t going away any time soon. But how did I tell him I didn’t need defending anymore? Facing Josh, I said, “I need to swing by your apartment. Pick up some of my things.”
“I can—”
I lifted my palm. “No, I really should do it myself. Stay and work with Debbie. I’ll be back within the hour.”
“If not, I’ll come find you.”
I had no doubt he would.
◆◆◆
As soon as I entered Josh’s apartment, I realized I wouldn’t be returning to Sentinel soon. I had pent-up energy needing to be released, so I sent him a text saying I wanted to go for a run. He wasted no time replying.
JOSH REYNOLDS: NOT A GOOD IDEA. IT’S DANGEROUS.
KERRIE KING: I PROMISE TO STAY INDOORS.
JOSH REYNOLDS: KEEP YOUR PHONE WITH YOU.
KERRIE KING: I WILL.
Once again, I lied to him, but the truth would have had him breaking the speed of sound to get home. Lying was uncharacteristic of me. When would it stop? Better question: where would it lead?
Before Ryan was murdered, I’d always been honest to a fault. He used to say I couldn’t tell a lie if my life depended upon it. In some ways, my existence was tied to my ability to spin falsehoods. It was the only way I’d find out what was truly going on within the police department.
Ultimately, do-gooders didn’t pursue the bad guys. If bleeding hearts followed the rules, they figured out how to live without their loved ones and painted on a pleasant expression for the world to see. Then those altruistic souls wore black out of a sense of duty and did their grieving in private.
Not me.
Ryan loved me for my strength. He appreciated how I never took no for an answer. How would I become the proverbial grieving widow and not seek justice for my family?
Quickly, I slipped out of my work clothes and put on a pair of leggings, a sports bra, and a fleece hoodie. Before lacing up my shoes, I decided to gather my belongings. Thankfully, it was a quick chore since I hadn’t unpacked my bags. Twenty minutes later, I headed out the door.
The plan was to throw everything into the trunk and then go for a short run. My mind changed as soon as I left the parking garage. Common sense would have led me to run toward Liberty Heights. The route was relatively safe, minimizing my chance of encountering trouble. I didn’t want to play it safe. My anger returned, and I bolted toward the stadium.
My fury was like a damn heat-seeking missile searching for a reason to exist. After a few blocks, long before I reached my destination, I found what my wrath sought. Two male teenagers harassing a frightened young woman. The males had her pinned against a wire-mesh fence. She tried to slip beneath an arm but was blocked. From their mannerisms, it didn’t appear that they were going to leave her alone any time soon.
As I walked toward the trio, I yelled, “I don’t think she wants to party with you, fellas!”
One of them, covered in tattoos and with his jeans sagging, glanced in my direction. “The night just got interesting. I found my own playmate.”
His partner laughed while the girl cowered against the fence. “Naw. I’d rather have her. You can take the slut. Blondie needs a real man.”
“No need to fight.” I spread my hands wide and grinned. “Let her go, and you both can tangle with me.”
If someone had asked me where the bravado came from, I couldn’t have pinpointed it. In that moment, I knew I had to do whatever was necessary to get them away from the scared female. Honestly, I felt no fear. My anger welcomed any attempt her assailants might make.
When they turned away from the girl, I shouted, “Run!”
Thankfully, the brunette wasn’t stupid. She ran as fast as her high heels would permit.
While she made her getaway, my eyes darted around the area, looking for anything that would act as a weapon. Finding none, I mentally prepared myself—next time, I wouldn’t go running without my Glock.
The two guys came at me fast. One backhanded me while the other fumbled with his zipper, as if he was about to get lucky.
I licked my bottom lip and tasted blood. Images of Ryan and RJ lying in their own blood crashed through my mind. Without a second thought, I kneed the shorter one. His guard was down since he was fumbling to free his dick. Instantly, he grabbed his member and dropped to his knees. While he moaned in agony, I lit into the other one. He ducked my right cross, but my left hook connected with his jaw. I surprised him with a right uppercut. He stumbled backward.
Before I could land another punch, a siren sounded. The two guys staggered and then ran from the scene. The squad car stopped beside me. When the window lowered, I saw it was the same officer from the previous night.
“Kerrie King, right?”
“Yeah.” Glancing down at my bloodied knuckles, I said, “This must be your beat.”
“It is.” He chuckled. “It used to be uneventful until you came along.”
“Not my fault. Two guys threatened—”
“I’m not calling this one in, Ms. King. Word of advice?”
I remained quiet.
“Leave the crime fighting to the police.” His partner laughed. “You just keep up with those cyber criminals for us.” He rolled up his window and slowly drove off.
Right.
If I left it up to the LCPD, those thugs would have been tormenting innocents. Thanks to me, they might think first before attacking a woman.
The next time I crossed paths with that officer he would find out I could do his job and then some.
