by Debra Sage
“Hopefully, he’s on his way here. Let me know your whereabouts if things change.”
“Will do.”
Alex turned and filled Bryce in on the latest.
Bryce was down on his knees, looking under and around the desk. He knocked on the wood, listening for hollow points.
Alex pulled the drawers on the filing cabinets, checking to see if there were more than paper files in them. What amazed him was how much paper there still was, even though most things were digital at this point. The four long drawers were horizontal in length and as long as they were deep. Nothing stood out to him.
He flipped over the chairs to see if anything was under them. Then, crouching down, he checked under everything else. “Nothing.”
Bryce smiled. “I think I’ve got something.”
“Yeah?” Alex spun to look at his partner.
With a yank, a panel slid open. “Oh yeah.”
“What is it?”
Bryce pulled out a phone and a ledger. “Now, what would these be doing hidden away, I wonder?”
“Awesome. Let’s see what we can find. Toss me the phone and I’ll see what I can do. Check the ledger.”
Alex flipped turned on the phone and flipped through the history. “Pure gold.”
Bryce arched an eyebrow. “What have you got?”
“He’s working out a deal, something about a shipment. I think it’s time we have a sit-down with our suspect.”
Bryce paged through the ledger. “Big money, that’s for sure.”
***
Cam dialed Alex. “He went past the hospital. Looks like he’s heading somewhere else.”
“Stay on him.”
“Will do.”
Alex looked at Bryce. “He just passed the hospital. Where do you suppose he’s heading?”
“Cam’s on him?”
“Yeah.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
When Cam got back to them, he hesitated. “You’re not going to like this. Looks like he’s headed straight to Amanda’s place. We just turned in to her neighborhood. She’s not home, is she?”
“No. She’s safe at my place. I have Bruno on the door.”
“Good choice.”
“Yeah, nobody will get through him. Keep on him. I’ll send back up. When they get there, take him in. Don’t do it on your own. Consider him possibly armed and dangerous. He could be desperate after everything that’s been happening.”
“Roger.”
***
Lee swore the dark car a couple of cars back was following him. Why? Shit. Was he just being paranoid at this point? He made a couple of right-hand turns to double-check. Sure enough, the car was back there.
Don’t panic. There’s no reason for somebody to be following you.
Lee avoided going down Amanda’s street and turned back to leave the development. He’d talk to her later. He’d head to the hospital and pull her aside when she got in. He was on edge, certain something wasn’t right. He pressed harder on the accelerator and tried to put more space between himself and the dark sedan.
Was it an unmarked car? A cop? Undercover? Or was it somebody from the Devil Riders looking to cut him down? Had they discovered Mark’s dead body? Did they suspect him?
He’d gone too far. Lee’s heart slammed into his ribcage. He reached up and wiped newly formed beads of sweat off his forehead. If he could get to the hospital, that was where he was safest. It was easy to blend in or hide away in his office for the time being. Something had to give. Maybe it was time to run. He needed time. Time to think.
***
Cam called Alex, his voice laced in frustration. “I lost him. A bus pulled in front of me, then I got boxed in at a light. I think he’s headed back to the hospital.”
“Okay. We’ll be waiting for him.”
Chapter 25
Amanda woke up to an empty bed. Alex left a note on the nightstand that his ex-military buddy Bruno was outside the front door and to stay put until they had Lee in custody. Chills ran up her spine. This was real.
She pulled the covers back over her head and bundled them tightly around her. She wanted to cocoon in the nest of blankets and pretend none of this was happening, but it was. Lee? Poor Dawn. Amanda shuddered as the tears started. What had he done to her? Only a monster would do such a thing.
She cried for her friend who’d lost her life. Then Greg. Had Lee been responsible for his death too? They’d assumed it was an overdose when it was all said and done, but it happened so fast. What if Lee poisoned Greg? She hated the constant thoughts in her head and being alone. She hated doing nothing and feeling helpless. She hated that evil had been so close…and hated that she hadn’t seen it sooner. Maybe if she’d paid better attention she’d have seen something, anything, that could have prevented the tragedies.
Amanda finally crawled from the warm bed and shuffled into the bathroom. She almost didn’t recognize herself in the mirror. Her eyes were glassy and her cheeks hollow. It was as if a stranger were staring back at her.
Her lungs collapsed, refusing to inflate. She finally forced air into and out of her lungs, but it was like the walls were closing in on her. She’d never had issues with claustrophobia before, but in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to run.
She turned and rushed out of the bathroom and went to sit on the bed. It was comfortable there when Alex was with her, but it was an empty house as she sat there alone. It wasn’t home. Would she ever feel safe there again? Maybe she could move, sell her place and opt for a condo in a gated community, or maybe a loft in the city with a door man.
It’s not like she could stay at Alex’s forever. It was sweet of him to take her in, and she loved the benefits of what went along with dating a sexy cop, but their relationship was coerced due to the circumstances and moved much quicker than it would have naturally. She usually preferred to take things slowly.
Alex was great. He was caring, warm, made her feel safe, and was damn good looking. Yet, would they have slept together so quickly? Would she be staying with him in his home? Probably not if she were being honest. They’d have gone on a few more dates, maybe flirted, fooled around a little bit, but how could she know how she felt about him when she was thrust into his arms out of fear?
There might be a future there. Truly. Only now she’d question it all, wondering what path their dating would have taken had things been normal.
Amanda pulled a T-shirt from Alex’s dresser drawer and yanked it over her head. Padding downstairs, she headed to the coffee maker. She was going to need something strong, and booze wasn’t the answer this early in the morning. She wasn’t a big drinker but could easily see herself getting lost in a bottle with all the craziness spinning around her. It was easier to hide away and pretend like none of this was happening, but it wasn’t her style.
She’d always faced things head on, but as the world twisted on its axis this time, it threw her off balance. Hiding sounded just about right.
Once the coffee was ready, she popped open the front door. “Bruno?”
“Amanda.”
“Would you care for some coffee?”
“That would be great, thanks.”
She handed him a mug. “How do you take it? Do you want cream or sugar? You’re welcome to come inside.”
“Black is fine, and I appreciate the offer, but my job is to stay here and keep eyes on the premises.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
“My pleasure. Alex spoke highly of you. I don’t take that lightly. He’s not one to heap praise easily.”
A soft smile slipped across her lips. It was a surprise to hear him say that. Her heart pitter-pattered a little faster. Maybe there was something between them after all. Maybe it wasn’t just being forced together. Maybe there were real feelings. With all the confusion and craziness, she hoped they still felt that way when the clouds cleared away.
***
Alex checked in with the others serving the search warrant
at Lee’s residence. “Is Mrs. Brock there?”
“Affirmative,” one of the officers answered.
“I’m going to want to speak with her, see if she knows anything. Our subject slipped away from our tail. He might be heading back home. If he shows up, let’s take him to the station for questioning. We don’t know his current state of mind, so use caution.”
“Affirmative. I’ll get back to you momentarily.”
“Thanks,” he said.
After a few minutes, the detective contacted Alex through is radio. “Mrs. Brock said she’d go to the station, but she’s a bit hesitant to say much since she’s still in shock over the possible charge. I’m going to have Patty come and get her while we finish searching. She can take her to headquarters and you can meet her over there.”
“Sounds good. We’re still on location. Our suspect hasn’t arrived. We think he might have realized he was being followed. He accelerated and slipped away at the last minute. Not sure if he’s heading toward us or toward home.”
“Roger.”
Rebecca Hendricks stepped up to Lee’s office. “Are you almost finished here? I’d like to lock up when you’re finished.”
“We’re going to be waiting for his arrival. We’ll blend in the best we’re able so as not to cause a scene, but it’s urgent we get ahold of him. If he contacts you, let us know.”
“Right. Do you want me to call him, ask him where he is? I can tell him we’re having a last- minute meeting and I need him to get here as soon as possible.”
“You can try, just don’t tip him off.”
She pulled out her phone from her pocket and dialed his number. She mouthed “no answer” and then proceeded to leave a message. “Lee, it’s Rebecca. We’re having an impromptu meeting. If you could give me a rough estimate of when you can be here by, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
Alex nodded, alerting her that she’d said enough.
She hung up the phone and looked at the detectives. “This is bigger news than I was expecting today.”
“Innocent until proven guilty, but yes, he’s indeed a person of interest. It’s imperative this goes no further. We only notified you because of the warrant. We’ll also need to speak with you to see if there’s anything you might know and not realize is important to the case.”
“Certainly. Whatever you need. You have my full cooperation,” she said.
“Thank you,” the detectives said.
“I’ll cover the garage,” Bryce said. “You want to take the entrance?”
“Yeah, sounds like a plan.”
Alex handed Rebecca his card. If he calls you back, give nothing away, then contact me immediately.
“Will do.”
***
Lee passed the hospital, not sure where he was headed. Home? Maybe. He wasn’t sure. He was getting antsy. Maybe paranoid was more like it, but he was certain he’d been followed. The Devil Riders knew where he lived. Maybe home wasn’t such a good idea.
When his phone rang, he glanced at the caller ID on his car’s screen. Rebecca. Not now. He’d talk to her later. He didn’t have time for her. He’d deal with her when things straightened out.
His heart wedged tightly in his throat, making it hard to swallow. It was beating fast, faster than he knew it could. He wiped his sweaty palms on his slacks, realizing the deck was stacked against him. He’d gotten greedy. Gotten power-hungry. What started as an accident turned into so much more.
He wasn’t a killer, not in his mind. Not in his soul. Caught up in the situation, there was no going back. What now? How did he undo the mess he’d made?
Panic slowly twisted up his spine like a python squeezing him from the inside out.
He needed time. He needed to think. His brain was crowded. What happened? Why now? He’d been so calm, collected, in control. It’s like he was unraveling like a loose thread on a worn-out piece of fabric.
Lee rubbed the back of his neck, slicking a way a thin coat of perspiration. He reached over and turned on the air conditioner. When he was certain the car that had been following him earlier was gone, he pulled over on a side road and parked.
A light mist of rain started to fall, spitting on his windshield. He drew in a deep breath and watched the pitter-patter of the tiny drops. The weather would be changing soon. At least it wasn’t snow or ice. He dreaded driving in that crap.
He looked at his phone. Rebecca had called earlier. He listened to his voicemail. Something about a meeting. There was another he somehow missed. His wife. Cops. At his house. A search warrant. Her voice held a trace of panic.
“Lee, there’s a detective here with a search warrant. You need to call me back as soon as you get this message. I’ll try you at work. They say something bad happened. What’s going on?”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He slammed his fist onto the dashboard. They knew something. Was this about Dawn, Greg, or Mark? What did they know? Had they tied it to him? Or was it about the drugs? Had somebody figured out he’d been smuggling expired drugs out of the hospital? Lee closed his eyes. It was getting harder to think. To focus. To breathe.
His head clouded over. What now? He forced air into his lungs, then expelled it with force. It didn’t seem to want to happen on its own. Lee reached over and turned on the wipers. The gentle swish, swish of the wiper blades took on a steady rhythm. There was something soothing about the white noise. He listened to it as if he’d never heard it before. He got lost in the simplicity of the sound.
Lee shook his head and tried to loosen the marbles. He couldn’t sit there all day. And if he went home…nope, that wasn’t an option. The hospital. He’d go to the hospital and act like nothing had happened, just like every other day. Or would they be waiting for him there too?
The gravity of the situation weighed heavy on his shoulders, like a massive anchor. Was this the end? Had he been found out?
No. Paranoia was all that it was. Right? He’d let his mind run away with things. How would they know? He hadn’t left a trail. He was careful. He’d covered his tracks. Lee tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, trying to drum out what to do next. He needed to talk to somebody. He was drowning in a sea of uncertainty.
Could he hold it together if the cops questioned him again? Would he give it all away? The pressure was mounting, but he’d pulled it off before. Act as if there were nothing to hide and he’d be just fine. As for the Devil Riders, they were lucky he cut them in on the deal. There were plenty of other gangs that would be happy to have the distribution rights that he’d offered them. He’d brought them a ton of wealth in the process, and they’d be foolish to shit on him.
Lee swallowed hard. Clear your head. Get it together. It’s not like you can run and hide or you’ll look guilty as sin. Take control of the situation and show them who’s in charge.
Chapter 26
Amanda’s phone rang. Alex’s voice played through her head. “Don’t answer it for anybody but me.” She looked at the caller ID.
It was Lee.
She dropped the phone on the coffee table as if it were on fire and paced across the living room. Anxiety twisted tightly around her ribs. Why was he calling her? She shook her head.
“No. I can’t do this. Don’t call me,” she said aloud, even though nobody was there.
Bruno was back outside. She glanced through the window, just to make sure he was still there. Her stomach knotted. What did Lee want? Why was he calling her? She looked down the street, but didn’t see his car. Relief washed through her. At least he wasn’t nearby, stalking her. Did he know where she was?
Should she tell Alex that he’d tried to reach her? She knew they were serving warrants, and didn’t want to interrupt the operation. She’d tell him later. The last thing she wanted to do was to put him in danger while he was working. She’d text him later. He’d call her at some point to check on her. He always did. Besides, with Bruno out front, it’s not like Lee could get to her.
She was still in shock over it all. The wa
y it all played out…the pieces came together, but it didn’t change the fact that she’d only ever known him one way. Her hands trembled. She clasped them together to steady the shaking.
Amanda closed her eyes. Did he torture Dawn? Was she alive when he…it was probably better not to know the details. She’d never sleep another night without nightmares if she knew too much. Was he the one responsible like Alex said? Dawn wore a necklace he gave her, but it didn’t mean he’d been the one to…she forced herself to breathe. Her lungs were squeezing air out but refusing to take any in.
She sat back down. Her foot tapped wildly on the ground. Her nerves were getting the best of her. And what about Greg? Had Lee caused his overdose? He was in the business of helping people, not hurting them. She couldn’t picture him being so violent. And why? What would push him to the edge? What had Greg done to deserve this? And why Dawn? Did they know something? Or was it that he’d simply snapped?
Amanda thought back to the night of the attempted break-in. She’d heard the crash of her window. If it was Lee, wouldn’t he have rung the doorbell to gain entry? It’s not like he was a stranger. Amanda wouldn’t have been afraid to open the door and let him in. It didn’t make sense. And a gun? Shooting at the window that night…Lee didn’t like guns.
She shook her head. No. It didn’t make sense. They had to have the wrong person. They were connecting the dots. They had the wrong person. They had to. Lee wouldn’t hurt her. And why simply scare her?
The night in the parking garage, she went over the details again. Lee was there, walking out with her. He couldn’t have known what was going to happen.
Her heart dropped to her stomach. She had to tell Alex. They had the wrong suspect. It was a mistake. The pieces didn’t add up.
***
Amanda’s phone rang again. She glanced at the caller ID. It was Lee. She was tempted to answer, but knew not to. Torn between some twisted loyalty to a friend and colleague, she wanted to warn him that they’d made a mistake. He needed to talk to the police and straighten things out. And yet…what if he had done the things Alex said? It just didn’t explain her being run off the road or the incident in the garage.
