by Sheila Kell
Without Keyshawn, her lead to anyone of importance moved to her pending file. However, she did have two new stories to investigate, the possible policemen taking a bribe and the enforcers sending a message.
She’d pick the organization apart bit by bit, if that was what it took for her to find her brother and for the Magician to reveal himself.
She nervously looked over her shoulder as she unlocked her SUV.
It was time to leave the area and her sexy enforcer behind.
CHAPTER TWO
“Are you sure he’s not going to hurt me?”
Elliott Brown’s whiny voice had AJ clenching his jaw so tight he expected teeth to crack.
“I’ve already told you a hundred times, no. Quit worrying and do your job.” Behind the steering wheel, AJ Sands pinched the bridge of his nose, took a deep breath and released it slowly in an effort to calm his nerves before he strangled the man in the passenger seat. “Do I need to go through it again?”
Elliott nervously cleared his throat and then slowly shook his head. “No. I’ve got it. It sounds simple enough.” His shaky voice betrayed his nervousness.
Any moron could follow their plan, but AJ worried this idiot might prove to be the exception and screw it up, bringing down the type of trouble they didn’t need.
“I’ll do it.” Elliott nodded.
In the backseat, AJ’s partner Hank snorted. “You don’t have a choice, fuck-head.”
“No, no, I can do it.”
AJ’s gaze slid over the nervous man one last time. The expensive, navy blue suit covered with a gray trench coat had been tailor made, but hung a little baggy on his lean five-eleven frame on purpose. Flecks of gray had found their way through his short, dark hair. With a freshly shaven face, he looked the part he played today; a high-profile attorney.
The only detraction that could be a problem was if the wrong person noticed the redness around the new snake tattoo that peeked from under his collar.
AJ leaned close to the pseudo attorney. “You’d best get this right. There’s no room for error. Remember what’s at stake should you fail.”
Blackmail motivated people to do things they normally wouldn’t do. They needed Elliott, and he’d made it easy for them. His greed had landed him in this situation. He’d embezzled millions from his employer, and instead of taking the money and running, he’d remained to steal more. Some people just weren’t made to be criminals.
The agreement was that the incriminating evidence would disappear if he succeeded, plus they’d help him flee the country, help him disappear. It would go to his employer and the police if he failed.
He hadn’t hesitated. He wasn’t aware that his disappearing involved AJ doing away with him, not sitting on the beach in Bermuda. There were never any witnesses left who could identify anyone in the inner circle.
“I’ll do it. I’ll do it.” He reached up to scratch his neck, his new tattoo.
AJ slapped at this hand. “Quit it or you’ll make it more noticeable.”
“I understand the surgery. But couldn’t I have had a fake tattoo?”
The surgery had been a success. No sight of scars. This could work. It had best work. “Suck it up.”
AJ checked his watch. Timing was everything. “Ready?”
After donning a pair of leather gloves, Elliott said, “I’m ready.”
Observing the man, who could easily land them in prison step out in the bitter cold empty-handed, almost had AJ pulling the idiot back inside and saying, “Fuck it.” But, the consequences of getting caught were preferable to the ones if they didn’t complete this mission.
Easy money had lured him into this. It was supposed to be a quick in and out job. So far there’d been nothing easy about it, mostly because of this jackass. And now AJ and Hank had to depend on him. They were screwed.
“Goddammit, Elliott! Your briefcase.”
A gloved hand reached inside the car and extracted it. “Got it.”
AJ leaned back in his seat and watched him walk away. No matter what they had on the whiny man, he didn’t trust the idiot to pull this off. Elliot had been visibly shaking when he’d left the SUV, and AJ doubted it was only from the cold weather.
He stretched his legs as best as he could. At six-one, there never seemed to be enough leg room in the driver’s seat of a vehicle to fully extend them. The forest green SUV blended with the many SUVs and trucks in the small parking lot. They couldn’t afford to draw attention to themselves which meant cutting the engine and freezing their asses off.
The rectangular twenty-eight story high-rise loomed behind them. Although he’d abandoned God years ago, he sent up a silent prayer for them to succeed.
Dark snow clouds hid the sun, leaving a gray shadow hanging over the city. The temperature had plunged into single digits with a wind chill factor well below zero. His black turtleneck and black leather jacket did little to protect him from the bitter cold.
Had he known he’d end up in fucking Chicago today, he’d have dressed differently. Something about this city made the hair on the back of his neck stand up, and he knew better than to ignore that feeling. The uneasiness revolved around the unexpected risks he took today.
Elliott disappeared around the building. Looking at his watch, AJ breathed a little easier. They were right on schedule. “What do you think? Think he can pull it off?”
“Humph. He’ll make it. He’s too scared to fail,” answered Hank Masters.
“It’s a good thing they don’t have to change underwear too, because I think he might shit his pants before this is over.”
Hank chuckled. “You’re probably right.” He turned and hoisted his short legs across the back seat, leaning his back against the door frame. His large fist covered a yawn. “How long will this take?”
AJ needed his partner to remain alert. So many things could go wrong, and they needed to be on their toes.
“Not long. If we keep to the timeline, it’ll be about half an hour.”
It would be half an hour, if everyone in that building who were being blackmailed or on the take didn’t get cold feet and back out. They were necessary to move this along safely, quietly and hastily. Trusting people he didn’t know left a sour taste in his mouth.
He hoped the man in their organization, whose sole role was to ensure the proper people assisted them, had done his job well today. They’d know soon enough.
“Wake me when our boy returns,” Hank muttered.
AJ swore softly. He knew better than to count on Hank.
He couldn’t relax. Since he’d been a last minute add to this job, he hadn’t been in on the planning session. They’d briefed him on the escape plan. Should things go to hell in a hand-basket, his gut told him they would leave him and Hank in Chicago to deal with the fallout.
The fuck if he’d let that happen.
He had the map memorized. He always had his own backup plan. Always had, always would. You couldn’t count on anyone but yourself when things went south.
AJ Hamilton was his real name, but there was no way he’d allow his new employer to link him with his past or his brothers. He preferred for himself and them to stay alive.
His brothers would have his head if they knew what he’d been doing, especially today. They’d always tried to protect him, but they’d only made him feel like a child. That’s why he’d never joined them at their firm, Hamilton Investigation and Security, Inc, or H.I.S. as they called it.
He let out a heavy sigh. He hated lying to his older brother Jesse and his wife about what he’d been doing. They’d never understand that this was his life now. That he didn’t deserve anything better than this.
He shook his head. His brothers wouldn’t leave things alone. They kept trying to drag him from the darkness that had engulfed his life, but only plunged him deeper. They’d even stooped to using his adorable nieces.
He smiled. He did love those two girls, and they did bring some brightness to his world during the short times he saw them.
He’d been in a rage. After he’d kicked his foster brother out of the house, he’d immediately realized his mistake, but Jake had left. Once they’d found out about Emily’s pregnancy, his life’s mission had been to find Jake and bring him home. Because of AJ, the man didn’t even know he had a daughter.
AJ and his brothers had used every resource available to them and had been unable to locate him. They’d even checked John Does around the world. Jake had simply vanished.
His continued failure of not being able to right his wrong had ruined his life. He’d hit rock bottom not long ago, never thinking he’d end up this way. Hell, he’d become a hitman for a crime lord.
The Magician, Baltimore’s largest organized crime boss was AJ’s new employer. He took care of problems that affected the success of Magic Shop, the group’s street name. A death order from his boss meant the person disappeared forever at the hands of his enforcers.
The organization’s leader didn’t care if his enforcers chopped the victim into tiny pieces and fed them to the fish or used acid in a steel drum to eliminate all evidence. So long as no one could identify or link him to anything related to the organization.
Those on the street knew that disappearances were the message from the crime boss.
AJ had yet to meet the man, but, like many others, wanted to. He didn’t like working for someone he didn’t know. But sometimes you had to take what you could get.
AJ reported to Damian Powell, the chief enforcer. AJ couldn’t say he liked the man much. Thankfully, he didn’t have to deal with him often. People had learned not to cross the big boss so he had a light workload.
For some reason he’d been paired with Hank more and more often. Hank’s message was to be noticeable, bruises or broken bones. AJ’s presence signified the severity of the transgression and issued a nonverbal warning of what would happen if his partner’s message wasn’t heeded.
He rubbed his hand over his face, the stubble of his unshaven jaw scratching it. He had to clear his mind of his little pity party over his fucked up life, or get caught off-guard.
He’d been caught off-guard when he’d bumped into the little number on the street. Something had passed between them that scared the hell out of him. Her look of innocence along with the fear in her eyes, pulled at him to protect her and keep her safe. Her cute Southern accented voice had waivered when she’d spoken. Damn. What could he have said to calm her? Don’t fear me and oh, let’s get a room? Since his other head would’ve led the conversation, he’d smartly kept his mouth closed.
A smile broke out on his face. Dressed for Alaska, only her full, ivory face with a bright red nose and rosy cheeks had peeked out between the hat covering her forehead and the scarf pulled up over her chin. He couldn’t decide whether her large, dark blue eyes or the lips she kept wetting drew him more. Staring at her, a jolt had screamed through his body bringing his manhood to attention. He’d not even seen her body and he’d wanted her.
He knew who she was, had seen her photo in the newspaper, and that troubled him. Concern for her walking around the neighborhood, alone, late in the evening made him lose focus. He’d barely remembered leaving her and completing his job, which was dangerous for him.
He’d been unable to control his restlessness until he’d found her address and driven past her home later that evening to ensure she’d arrived home safely.
Then he’d dreamt about her.
He shifted in the seat and adjusted himself.
How long had it been since he’d been with a woman? It was before he left everything behind for this life. Way too long.
The howling wind blew the swirling snow sideways bringing him back to the present. He hoped it wouldn’t affect their return flight. Use of the private plane allowed them to leave the city before the authorities realized a crime had been committed and setup roadblocks and monitored flights. He liked that idea.
His chest tightened at not being privy to the plan once he, Hank and their passenger arrived at the airplane. He shouldn’t worry about failure since the team worked as a well-oiled machine. They’d achieved nothing but success in their past missions. He had to trust them. He almost laughed out loud. Trust them? Not possible.
The confidence in the walk of the man crossing the street assured AJ things had occurred as planned. Elliott had come through after all.
AJ’s heart rate accelerated. The usual adrenaline rush of pulling off a job filled his every cell.
He straightened in his seat and started the vehicle. “Hank, wake up, it’s time to play.” AJ heard a grunt and shuffling from the back seat.
Fighting a shiver when the pseudo attorney opened the passenger door proved difficult. Damn this fucking cold weather.
“Let’s go,” the man sitting next to him ordered.
AJ didn’t respond. They had no idea how much of a head-start they’d have. He slowly exited the parking lot, turned right on S. Clark Street and then right on W. Congress Parkway.
“Buckle up. We could be in for a dangerous ride in this weather.”
The passenger begrudgingly complied. “I want to arrive at the plane safely and get the fuck out of this city.”
So far, so good. Driving as fast as safely possible in the worsening weather, he picked up his cell phone and dialed. “ETA four-zero.”
“We’re ready for wheels up when you arrive. Any problems?” his team leader asked.
“No. We’re clear so far.” The man sitting next to him stared straight ahead. You couldn’t tell the difference unless you looked for it. The suit fit well and there was no redness on his neck. This was going to work.
AJ disconnected the call and checked the rear view mirror again. Tight muscles refused to allow him to settle until this ended.
Exactly forty minutes later they arrived at the Chicago Executive Airport. He and Hank wiped down the SUV before they boarded the Gulfstream G650. The truck would eventually be found. Linking it to today’s activities would be impossible.
AJ walked aboard and straight to the bar, grabbing a cold beer before he took a seat, fully stretching his legs. It was Tim’s time to take over.
Tim Treymayne, the team leader, had been entrusted with ensuring the mission went smoothly. He and another man usually drove on the missions, but for some reason they’d asked for him and Hank to take their place today, while they’d remained on the plane.
AJ figured since this had to be the boldest and highest profile move they’d ever made, Tim wanted sacrificial lambs in case things went wrong. They didn’t realize he wasn’t anyone’s lamb.
The team bribe guy, Ted Magee, lounged in the back of the plane, a drink in his hand. “Any problems?”
AJ shook his head wondering how much time went into preparing for a mission such as this, finding the people to blackmail or bribe. Jeremy had regularly bragged, “Almost everyone has skeletons in their closet, and I find them.” Maybe it had been a threat.
This team’s boss didn’t accept mistakes. Every move was too important, and it took only one small error for the entire mission to fail. They’d done this many times over the past few years with nothing but success. So far, today’s mission was no exception.
Each secret mission brought in more money than months of drug sales. Only this team, the bosses and now he and Hank knew about this side business of the Magician’s.
His muscles relaxed once they were airborne.
Tim made a call on the satellite phone. “It’s done.”
AJ let out a sigh of relief. They had successfully broken Denzel Wilkins, a high profile drug kingpin, out of a federal prison.
CHAPTER THREE
Applause greeted Megan’s arrival at the newsroom. Joy and pride instilled lightness in her step. She’d been the people’s voice in fighting the scum on the streets. She�
�d made a difference in the world, at least in her tiny part of it.
In the back corner, her colleagues and friends, Janet, Kelly, Kyle and Victoria congregated around her cluttered desk, each holding the morning edition.
Sporting a wide, warm smile, Kelly held up the newspaper. “Megan, this is excellent! The photos leave no doubt of his activities.” She swiped a loose tendril from her face.
Kelly Williams was the most strikingly beautiful woman Megan knew. She loved the straight blonde hair she’d inherited from her mother, but did envy the natural waves in her friend’s auburn hair.
“How’d you come upon this?” Janet asked.
Megan removed her coat and shrugged. She sat before her desk, and then placed her purse in the top drawer. “Following Keyshawn was easier than I thought it would be. He didn’t check to see if it was safe before he made exchanges. And Councilman Thomas walked around as if he owned the street.”
Witnessing that particular exchange had been luck. Now the councilman would be questioned, his reputation besmirched in the media, and she couldn’t be happier. Maybe they’d finally force him to resign from the Baltimore City Council.
“You have great sources to get you lined up with this dealer,” Kyle said. “I’ve heard of him. He’s notorious for avoiding the police.”
A knowing grin crossed her face. “I have amazing sources.” Keyshawn was only a start. With her sources, she’d catch more than the little fish.
Victoria grimaced. “I wish some of your sources could help me. I need new ones, the ones I have are useless.”
She and Victoria had been paired investigating Magic Shop. Megan was on the drug side and Victoria on the prostitution side.
“What’s next for you, Megan?” The tall red-headed Janet McFarland glowed. She and her husband were expecting a daughter and hoped she’d have her mother’s emerald green eyes. Being six months pregnant hadn’t slowed her down. She still dug into her investigations with full force. The office pool odds favored her dropping the baby during an interview.
