by Sheila Kell
Detective Phillips cleared his throat. “We need you to testify but that worries us.”
“I know they’re dangerous, but it needs to be done. Wanton murders have to stop.”
A hand soothingly touched her shoulder and she looked back. Trent had returned with a pinched look on his face.
“It’s your safety we’re worried about. The last people scheduled to testify against someone in Magic Shop disappeared.”
“I’d hate for him to get away. I’ll testify, even if it’s risky.”
He gave a tight, little nod. “Ms. Rogers, are you planning to publish this?”
“Yes. I’ve already submitted my article. It’ll be in the morning edition. It’s too late to pull back. It just won’t have Damian’s name since I didn’t know it at the time.”
Detective Cooper looked at her. “Ms. Rogers, we need to hide you. When you print that article announcing to the world that you’re a witness to this crime, your life will be in serious danger, especially if you printed the killer’s photo. By the look on your face, I’m guessing that you did just that.” He sighed heavily. “Ms. Rogers, you know this group isn’t shy about eliminating threats to them. And now, you are a threat.”
Trent’s hand tightened on her shoulder, but he remained silent allowing her to decide.
“I already have a bodyguard. Isn’t that enough?” Her stomach clenched. She could no longer believe things would work out. They might, but not to her advantage.
“They would get around bodyguards. They wouldn’t care if they took them out to get to you.”
Trent cleared his throat. “We can protect her. She’ll leave for a safe house today.”
She looked up at him. Safe house? Was he out of his dang mind? He’d said he’d hire extra help before. That’s what she’d hold him to.
“While we set things in motion, you’re at risk on the street.” Detective Phillips looked up from his notes, motioning to someone.
“I’ll be safe. I’ll report it to the FBI after I leave here.” She watched them exchange another glance. According to what she’d learned, they’d worked this case for years. The FBI taking over wouldn’t settle well. It wouldn’t with her if another reporter was suddenly assigned to a story she’d worked on that long.
“Ms. Rogers, we’ll take care of that for you. They’re better equipped to protect you for the long term, but since you’re already working with us, we’ll get you set up first. A couple of days in a hotel, then a safe house once we have everything ready.”
Her thoughts raced. They truly thought it serious enough for protective custody. That Trent wouldn’t be enough. In the back of her mind she’d known the truth. She just hadn’t wanted to see it. She hadn’t wanted it to be true. Once they found out what she’d witnessed, her life would be in danger.
“Megan, we can hide you just as well as they can, if not better,” Trent said. “In fact, I’d prefer it.”
“Look here. This is now a police matter, and she needs to go into protective custody,” Detective Cooper countered.
She didn’t need them fighting it out. She couldn’t afford Trent until a trial came and went. It could take months. Her pocketbook wasn’t that deep.
She sagged in defeat. Once she finished with this boss, she’d return and tie things up. She wanted Kevin’s killer, not just the man who’d ordered it.
“What does protective custody entail?”
Detective Phillips explained it to her while his partner excused himself.
“How would I work?” No contact with the outside world was unacceptable. She’d seen it on TV but thought they’d exaggerated things like Hollywood tended to do.
“Ms. Rogers, to keep you safe, no one is to know where you are except those charged with safeguarding you. The FBI will more than likely change your location when they take over so then only the FBI agents assigned to protect you would know where you’re located.”
“I don’t have to tell them where I am. I can do it via phone and email.” She could write without talking with the office. Kristen could set that up. Megan had plenty of small stories that didn’t require her to be out and about.
“I’m sorry but that can’t happen.”
“How long will I stay there?”
“At least until after the trial.”
While not what she preferred, her choice was made. She couldn’t risk it. Protective custody it was. She couldn’t seek her vengeance if she winded up dead. They needed to bring Damian to trial fast before his boss hid his tracks deeper than they already were.
“Thank you for helping me. I’ll go home and get everything squared away.”
Detective Cooper returned. “No. You stay here until we start things in motion with your protection detail to take you to the hotel.”
She shook her head. “My article hasn’t published yet. They don’t know I witnessed it. I’m safe until tomorrow morning.”
After arguing with her for ten minutes they compromised and agreed to give her a few hours to pack and do whatever else she needed before she was whisked away to a safe house as long as policemen accompanied her until then.
“We’ll pick you up in two hours. We won’t push it back any later than that, Ms. Rogers. That’s already longer than we think is safe,” Detective Phillips stated.
“It’s the only way I’ll do it.” No one knew she’d been at the meeting except her co-workers and AJ. She had some time to prepare and tell her parents. Her mother wouldn’t be able to handle it if she up and disappeared like Kevin had.
After they’d reviewed with her what to expect, she trudged home, listening to Trent attempt to talk her out of it.
He disapproved of her trusting the police to protect her. Like AJ, Trent stated there were many dirty cops. It only took one to find out her location and she’d be dead. He pushed for her to come with him. He’d protect her. He mentioned reaching out to a group called H.I.S. for help.
She explained the finances, and he offered to do it for free. She wouldn’t allow him to do that. This could take a long time and he needed to eat.
He refused to leave her side until she left in police custody and stated he wouldn’t give up trying to convince her to stay with him.
Her life was about to change. This was not the way it was supposed to happen. She’d planned to shut down their business and expose the leaders. Instead, they had her hiding from them. Her pulse sped up. They wouldn’t get away with this.
* * * * *
AJ ensured Megan was out of sight before he walked to the apartment he rented. Entering, he yanked off his jacket, turtleneck and body armor. Red-hot pain radiated through his chest as he lifted his arms above his head. It had already colored black and blue. He didn’t believe any ribs were fractured. Even if they were, he couldn’t walk up to the ER. They’d be waiting for him.
He’d never experienced this level of pain, the pressure on his chest and the inability to breathe deeply were taking a toll on him. He couldn’t imagine the pain of actually being shot. His brother Matt knew, but he refused to talk about it.
Now wasn’t the time to think of his brothers. They’d come together and started Hamilton Investigation and Security, Inc. simply called H.I.S. That’s how his oldest brother Jesse met his wife, Kate, AJ’s old FBI partner. Some maniac had attempted to kill her to get back at his brother. Little did the idiot know they didn’t matter to each other. Well, at that time. They did later.
AJ had never seen a couple so much in love with each other. And Jesse’s daughter, Reagan, proudly showed off her new momma.
With the exception of Jesse, the H.I.S. group was out of the country. He and Kate had recently adopted a child she’d fallen in love with. Jason had no idea what he was in for when all of his new uncles returned. It wouldn’t be just the Hamilton brothers. It’d also be the ten men on the team. Maybe it was more than ten now. Jesse had talked about increasing staffing. As usual, he’d tried to recruit AJ. At that time he’d been happy as an FBI agent.
He’d
fucked that up.
His brother and sister-in-law sought him out about a month ago. They’d been worried about him. He’d had to lie. It couldn’t be helped. Things had changed from what they had known when they’d found him.
Not locating Jake was destroying him. He’d lost sight of himself which nudged him into a world that ate and sucked at his soul. He was no longer the same man. The happy go lucky AJ, as Kate used to call him, had vanished, and he didn’t know if that man would return.
No matter what the family thought of him, he knew they’d aid him. He just wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t let them get involved in the mess he’d made of his life. He had to show them he could take care of himself.
If he planned to do that, he’d needed to get moving in order to stay alive. And he definitely wanted to stay alive.
AJ would leave town until things cooled down. He still had some contacts that would assist him. Then he’d return for those fuckers. The Magician was toast. He’d find that bastard if it was the last thing he did. It could be. They’d tried to kill him once already.
Shit. Tensing his muscles in anger only increased the pain across his chest.
Fucking Denzel. All that work to break him out, and he fucked it up. AJ didn’t get why they blamed him and Hank. The least likely people. Sure they’d been the only newbies, but they’d said goodbye at the airport and driven off in different directions.
AJ pulled a bullet from his Kevlar vest. Best decision he’d ever made wearing it today. Devon had been right about it being a life saver.
AJ grabbed his ‘go bag’. A bag already packed to depart quickly such as in cases like this.
His stomach grumbled. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and needed fuel until he could settle down tonight. He reached for the smoked turkey breast and ate it straight from the package. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to be caught at a drive thru. Magic Shop worked many of them. They sold a ‘heroin in a Kids’ Meal’ special.
He added the remainder of the turkey breast in his bag. It would keep for a while. He fit a few pieces of fruit in it, picked up a banana, peeled it and took a bite.
Leaning his back against the counter, his feet crossed, he ran through everything in his mind. He cringed. No matter what he wanted, he’d have to ask for help. He didn’t have a choice. Magic Shop was too large. They’d turn over every stone to find him.
He’d be living a life on the run until he could rid the world of this scum. He’d stay on the move and live in any seedy hotel he needed to, until the time was right to come back. That would be when he was face-to-face with the man.
Before closing up the bag he added extra clips and boxes of ammo to the bulging black duffel bag. He checked the clip on both his primary and backup weapons. Two handy weapons, well, three counting Hank’s. He might need them all.
At the nightstand, he picked up the forest green lamp and thrust it against the side table. Shards of ceramic covered the carpet. Mixed in was what he needed. He picked up his stash. Five thousand dollars should hold him for a while.
Two phones had already been removed from under a floorboard in the back of the room and were in his pockets. He placed his current cell phone on the kitchen table. Let them track it all they want.
Time to move.
Damn Megan. What could he do about her?
No matter what she’d said, she wouldn’t pass up the story. There was no doubt in his mind they would try to kill her. The crime boss would not sit there while one of his lieutenants was accused of murder.
There was no help for it, he had to go by her house and warn her again. He hoped she remembered what he’d told her of corrupt police officers. She’d foolishly believe they’d want to help her.
Part of his worry vanished. Trent was there. He’d move her to a safe house and protect her.
AJ pulled an encrypted cell phone from his pocket and dialed the familiar number. When it was answered, he said, “I may need your help. They tried to kill me.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jeremy met Megan and Trent at the door. After being cleared, she stepped into her home and strode into the living room. She had quite a bit to do. No time for dallying. Phone calls first.
She called Kristen while Trent spoke softly into his phone. Megan updated her on what had happened. Her boss offered to help her close up her home and collect any other story information she had. The problem was that while her boss believed protective custody was the way to go, Megan didn’t want to lose contact with her.
Kristen assured her the story would be put in a drawer and Victoria would be pulled back just in case. It didn’t matter. Megan wasn’t giving any of it up.
Janet had to forgive her for not contacting the FBI personally. The detectives would take care of it. Megan hoped they didn’t take the case away, but she expected it to happen.
Detective Cooper had assured her that as few people as possible would know where she would located. Knowing he led her protection, she didn’t worry.
They’d recommended she share with her parents and anyone who might report her missing that she’d be gone for a while. She wasn’t to disclose any details. Like her mother would let her get away with just saying, “Hi, Mom. I’m going away for, I don’t know, a long time. I won’t be able to chat but don’t you worry.” Huh.
She checked her watch and thought of Kevin. I’m doing this for you, big brother. Damian will be the first to pay.
She hit speed dial with a heavy heart, wishing she didn’t have to make this phone call.
“Hi, Mom.” She mustered as much happiness in her voice as she could at the moment.
“Hi, honey. What’s going on?”
She wasn’t ready to answer that question. They’d get to it soon enough. “What’ve you been doing?”
“I’m crocheting your sister a scarf. The one she wears is getting ratty.”
That ratty scarf meant something special to her sister. It was the first gift from her husband. She doubted Leann would change it out, even if the new one was from their mother.
“How’s Dad? What’s he been involved in lately?” Megan placed the phone between her ear and shoulder and applied lip balm. It had become a habit with the harsh winds. It had also been something she found calmed her somewhat.
“Oh, your father worked with the police department fingerprinting kids last weekend.” Her dad was active in every organization possible. He worked as the Director of Security at a casino. Most of his buddies were police officers. She’d always wondered why he’d ended up in security instead of becoming a police officer, but had never asked.
“That’s a valuable thing for parents. I’m glad he was able to help. I’m sure it meant a lot to him.”
Quit beating around the bush. Just tell her.
“You know him. If he has time off, he has time to do something useful.” Tonya chuckled.
A true smile emerged across Megan’s face. She remembered her mother shooing her father out the door with a broom, telling him to go find something to do or he would aggravate her while she cleaned. He’d laugh, kiss her and quickly escape through the front door.
Megan took a deep breath. Her heart pained at how her mother would react. She’d upset her. “Mom, there’s a reason I’m calling.” Screw Detective Cooper, she’d tell her mother the truth.
Her mother hesitated. “What is it, honey?”
“I witnessed a murder today.”
Her mother gasped.
She quickly continued before her mother cut in. “It’s a boss within Magic Shop so I’m being put into protective custody until the trial. When I’m there I can’t have any contact with you or Dad.”
She’d miss them terribly. She and her mother held a close relationship, talking regularly and sharing almost everything. Megan drew the line at sharing details of her sex life.
The quiet sobbing came through the phone tearing at her heart. She had to stay strong for her mother.
“Oh, honey. It must’ve been horrible to see that. How are you holding
up?”
Her eyes watered. She couldn’t stand it when her mother cried. “I’m doing okay, Mom.”
“Don’t lie to me, Megan Elizabeth.” Middle name and stern voice, at least she’d stopped crying.
“Truly, Mom, I’m okay. I keep seeing it happen, but it doesn’t bother me as much any longer.” If she kept lying to her mother, she’d have a spot reserved for her in hell. But she couldn’t tell her the truth. That it still flashed through her mind, making her blood pump faster and her stomach queasy.
“He’s the boss of the enforcers, Mom. He may’ve been the one to kill Kevin, or, at least it would’ve been one of his people. We’ll have some justice for Kevin.”
“Thank the Lord. Where will they take you? And who’s taking you? The police? The FBI? Federal marshals?”
Megan leaned back against the kitchen counter and crossed her ankles. “It’s the local police to start and then probably the FBI. I don’t know where they’re taking me yet, and if I did I couldn’t tell you. I have to be cut off from everyone. They say it’s the only way to remain safe.”
The crying began again.
“Oh Mom, don’t cry.” She’d never wanted to hurt her family in the process of her revenge. And the fact that she’d be separated from them hurt her mother.
Tonya sniffed. “I’m okay. I’m just scared for you. You didn’t stop with that drug gang and look what happened. You have to go away like you were in prison. I don’t want to lose you like I did your brother.”
Megan closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath, holding it a moment before slowly releasing it. “Mom, since I’ll be in protective custody, the bad guys won’t be able to find me. I’ll have the police protecting me. I’ll be safe. You don’t have to worry about losing me. I’ll be back after the trial. We can take a vacation together. You’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon. Let’s plan on that.” How else could she soothe this over?
“Why can’t you use the telephone or your cell phone to call us? Can you Skype?”
“I don’t know why they won’t let me use a phone. Maybe they take a precaution in case Magic Shop can use GPS tracking or something like that. You know, like on TV. I doubt I can Skype.” After all of the rules Detective Phillips had issued, she couldn’t imagine they’d allow it.
