by Rhea Wilde
“It’s hard to tell exactly what he’s manufacturing but it’s nothing commercial,” I said. “There would have been evidence of some type of business.”
“I could look into business records. Maybe there’s a front.”
“That’s possible. All of these documents are within a week of each other. That must mean Owens is getting close.”
“Getting close? To what?”
“The abductions in New Gardens started months ago. It’s taken some time. They couldn’t just take everybody without drawing too much attention to themselves. With all of this equipment, that means they’re getting ready to start manufacturing.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod. “That makes sense… Where did you find these papers?”
“I managed to get by security. There was an office in the back. I almost didn’t notice it at first because it was out of the way. There was a long hallway and—”
“Wait a second,” she said, putting her hands up. “They had security. They weren’t just going to let you waltz in there.”
“I had to go in through the ventilation.”
“The ventilation? You mean you walked through the air conditioning?”
“It’s mandatory for every room in a business to have proper ventilation. If not a window, there has to be some other type of air flowing into it. For a club that large, the ducts are large enough for someone to squeeze through.”
She blinked her eyes. I could almost see the gears grinding in her head and getting stuck because of the alcohol. Her face, contorted in confusion, made me smile a bit.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“What? Oh, I just… It’s nothing. So, you found an office with these documents. But did you find anything tying them to Owens?”
“According to these papers, these supplies are all going to different addresses in the city. It’s most likely they don’t want to draw any attention to themselves. That and they’ve probably attained multiple locations throughout New Gardens. That would make it harder for the authorities to keep track of them.”
“What are the addresses?”
“There’s one on Garden Street.”
“That’s near Harbor Drive. Where else?”
“There’s another near Underwood Avenue. And then there’s another on Industry.”
“It could be any one of them.”
“Or all three. You’re more familiar with this city than I am. I need your help with this, Eva.”
I looked right at her. Her emerald green eyes staring at me in the darkness of her office, she gave me a look like she wasn’t sure whether or not to believe me. But I saw something else. Maybe it was because she was slightly bleary-eyed from drinking, but she looked so innocent.
She suddenly shook her head and looked away.
“Yeah,” she said as she cleared her throat. “I remember our deal. I may be a little drunk but I know what this is about. You need to find your son… Brandon.”
“And you need to get your prize money from the man who hired you.”
“Lee Taurus,” she scoffed. “That’s one way of solving a case. Throw enough money at people and eventually they’ll solve your problems for you. Speaking of which…”
Eva closed her eyes. She sank into her seat with a deep sigh from her lips. It was clear that the only thing she needed right now was a good night’s sleep.
“That must have been uncomfortable for you,” I said.
“What was uncomfortable?”
“You said you found a dead body. That’s never easy to stomach.”
“It wasn’t the first time. Not that things like that happen very often. But yeah, I’d be happy going the rest of my life without having to see another dead body. Funerals included.”
I sat on the couch with her right next to me in the silence of her office. The window was open and a warm summer breeze blew against the blinds.
Old memories started to swirl around in my head as the silence continued. I couldn’t help saying what was on my mind.
“I know how you feel,” I said. “Seeing someone like that is something you could never get used to.”
I stared into space, my thoughts lost. From the corner of my eye, I saw her slowly open her eyes and shift them toward me.
“I imagine you’ve seen a lot of dead bodies,” she said. “Being a Green Beret and all…”
I glanced at her.
“Shit. I didn’t mean it like that—”
“It’s okay,” I said. “You’re right. I’ve… I’ve had a long career. I’ve seen a lot even though I haven’t hit thirty yet.”
“I’m not asking you for the details. I just assumed that you’ve probably done some… intense things before. I’ve seen you in action a little bit.”
“Intense,” I sighed. “That’s one way of putting it. I was just doing my job. It was my responsibility. I never did anything that wasn’t a part of a mission.”
“Just like this. You’re gonna find your son. Everything will be all right.”
Eva was a stranger. I’d only spent a day with her. But it was strangely comforting to have her by my side.
“How about you?” I asked. “Do you have any children in your life?”
“I hope you’re just asking that because you’re curious and not because I look like a mother.”
“I’m just curious,” I said with a smile.
“Yeah, I know… But no, I don’t have any children. There’s this girl… I spend time with her sometimes when she’s free but it’s not much.”
“Any other family in New Gardens? Anywhere else?”
“No… No family. It’s… It’s just me.”
There was a look in her eyes. Like she wasn’t comfortable saying it. There was something there. But seeing as how she’d had a lot to drink, I didn’t probe. I just nodded in understanding, my lips sealed.
“How about you?” she asked. “You mentioned your son’s mother…”
“…She’s doing fine. I don’t speak to her but she’s fine. Brandon is my responsibility now. I’m okay with that. I’m just…”
“You’re just what?”
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t be there for him. I’m sorry I was away on a mission. If I weren’t, this never would have happened.”
Eva sat up in her seat and reached out to me. Her hand ran over my forearm but I didn’t think about it. I stared past her and lost myself in my thoughts.
“It’s all right,” she said. “You can’t dwell on the past. If you do, you’ll miss everything that’s right in front of you.”
I slowly shifted my eyes toward her. Her throat shifted when she swallowed. The intensity of her green eyes seemed to stick out even more in the darkness of her room.
We were silent. Our lips were sealed. I swore I could hear her heart beating.
There’s something about her…
I didn’t do anything. I just sat there as she reached up with one hand and ran it along my chin. Her soft touch along my stubble was comforting in a way I couldn’t describe.
I stopped thinking.
My eyes started to close as her face drifted toward mine. I could feel her moving closer, her breath on my lips. My mouth opened when her lips pressed to mine. The smack was loud. She darted her tongue between my lips and found the wetness of my tongue. I could taste the alcohol in her mouth, a reminder that she was real.
I wrapped both arms around her and she gasped into my mouth. Eva was so small, so fragile. I wanted to be there for her now. I wanted to protect her.
Eva was the aggressor. I didn’t stop her. She moved one hand down my neck, coiling it around my throat then toward my chest. She continued sliding it down toward my stomach. She ran her palm over my abs, forcing me to sigh.
A growing pleasure started to surge between my legs. A pleasure no man was disciplined enough to stop.
When she reached my belt, she moved her hand down and searched for it. It didn’t take her long to find it.
My bulge was painfully throbbin
g. She squeezed me through the fabric, sending a jolt through me. She shuddered like it had affected her the same.
Stop… You can’t do this…
I managed to regain my senses. A sudden moment of clarity washed over me, like waking from a dream.
I gasped as I pulled away from her. My arms unwrapped from around her. She stared back at me, her eyes widened in shock.
“I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered.
“I should be the one apologizing,” I responded. “I shouldn’t have… I don’t know what came over me.”
“It’s all right,” she said with a laugh. “It was just a kiss. It’s not a big deal. Unless… There’s not someone in your life, is there? A girlfriend? A wife maybe?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just me. How about you?”
“Ha! Being with someone is absolutely out of the question. There’s no time for that.”
“In a city like this, I assume everybody would take the chance to indulge themselves.”
“I’ve had my fun. Sometimes I get bored and I just need to satisfy my womanly functions. It’s a biological need.”
“There’s no need to justify it to me. That wasn’t part of our deal.”
“I was just answering your question. It’s… just me, too. You don’t have to feel bad about that kiss or what happened in the club. To be honest with you, I’m glad it happened. Just the thought of having to talk to that sleaze…”
“What about now? Are you glad that happened?”
I couldn’t help a sly smile on my face. She was embarrassed and wasn’t doing a good job of hiding it.
“It’s a biological need,” she said to me bluntly. “They probably didn’t explain that in your special forces, elite agency, Green Beret or whatever-the-hell training but they should have.”
I chuckled softly.
“Maybe they should have,” I said. “You know, my training didn’t involve just learning how to handle weapons and kill people. I also had to learn how to speak with people, too. It’s not all violence. There’s negotiation, too.”
“Well, I don’t think there’s gonna be much violence tonight. No negotiation either. I…”
She leaned back in her seat like the alcohol was beginning to affect her even more.
“…I think I need to lay down now.”
“That’s probably for the best. Now that we have a lead, we have much more work ahead of us.”
“Yeah… yeah, that’s good. We’re gonna nail that asshole.”
I smiled at her as she lazily pumped her fist in the air. Her body slumped on the couch as she started to drift away. I observed her for a moment before wrapping my arms around her and picking her up.
“What are you doing?” she said.
“You’re falling asleep. I’m taking you to your bed.”
I carried her through her office and toward her bedroom. She was a dead weight in my arms.
“It’s all right,” she said. “I’ll sleep on the couch. You can sleep on the bed tonight.”
“I’d rather sleep on the couch. I should probably be by the door in case something happens.”
“Right. You can never be too sure.”
She closed her eyes, seemingly too tired to argue with me.
I laid her on the bed. Just before I left, she called out to me.
“Good night, Sabin.”
I smiled at her and spoke even though she probably didn’t hear me.
“Good night, Eva.”
Chapter 8
JOHN
I woke up later in the morning than I was used to. Frankly, I was surprised I got any sleep at all. With Brandon still out there, he wasn’t safe. I couldn’t rest easy until I found him.
I kept myself occupied in Eva’s office. I sat on the couch and tried to rest, knowing that I had a long day ahead of me. I couldn’t do it without her though.
When I walked into her bedroom that morning, she was still out like a light. I took the liberty of trying to clean myself the best I could in her bathroom. Afterward, I headed back into her office and waited for her to recover from last night.
I eventually heard her stumbling into the bathroom. She stepped into the office and looked as presentable as she could, given the long night she had. Despite the slightly bleary-eyed look on her face, she still had a certain charm to her. It was if she were ready to face whatever came her way. I had to admire her determination on the task at hand.
I turned and looked out the window as she took a seat on her couch.
“You’re free to use my bathroom,” she said. “There’s an extra toothbrush. Think maybe you can use a shower after a night out.”
“Thanks. I already took the liberty of doing so. I apologize for not asking, but you were sleeping.”
“It’s not a problem. What are partners for? Wait… You did all that while I was sleeping?”
“You were out like a light.”
“I hope you didn’t do anything else while I was sleeping.”
I turned around and stared at her. I knew what she was getting at. The smirk on her face made it hard for me to not laugh back at her.
“Where are we headed?” she asked. “We have three locations to check out.”
“I don’t have any information that would lead me to believe one location is more important than the next. And since you know New Gardens better than I do, I’ll leave that up to you.”
“All right. Let’s head to Industry.”
“Why Industry?”
“Garden Street is near the port. There are too many people out there. Underwood… My head is throbbing from my hangover. My head would explode if I heard all of that annoying motorcycle exhaust.”
“Industry it is.”
“Are you ready?”
“We’re not heading there now.”
“What?”
“The sun is still out,” I said. “If we’re going to investigate, we should do it at night, when there’s less chance we’ll get spotted.”
It made perfect sense to me but I forgot not everybody had the training I did. Eva closed her eyes for a second and shook her head.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “There are people missing. If we wait any longer someone might get abducted.”
“We can’t risk it. If we get caught, no one will find Brandon.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“What happened the last time you went investigating in the middle of the day?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The last time you went looking for dirt on the abductions, someone tried to drug you,” I said as I walked toward her. “I thought you would remember something like that.”
“I guess you have a point,” she sighed. “But it’s still the middle of the day. What are we supposed to do until then?”
“You still have to recover from last night. Your eyes indicate you’re still not 100-percent sober.”
She moved over to her desk and opened the top drawer, pulling out a pair of shades to hide her eyes behind.
“My head does hurt a little bit…”
“And I’m sure you’re famished as well,” I said. “When is the last time you ate?”
“It’s been awhile. Maybe we should head out and get something to eat. We won’t be putting ourselves at risk, will we?”
“I don’t see a problem with that. And I think it will do a good job of helping us blend in with the general public.”
“Good idea. I’ll tell you what, since we’re partners, it’ll be on me. Lee Taurus gave me ten grand. I can spare a little bit of it.”
“Somewhere fancy wouldn’t help us blendin.”
“I wasn’t planning on somewhere fancy. Come on.”
I followed her outside. The warm summer sun wasn’t something I’d gotten completely used to.
“This way,” she said.
Nothing was out of the ordinary. Everybody was going about their day in the city. The kids were out of school, so they were all running
in the streets and playing in the nearby park. The atmosphere was pleasant if nothing else.
“It’s not usually this hot,” she said. “This summer has been strange.”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve been to hotter places.”
“Oh, yeah? Like where?”
“Have you ever been to Sudan?”
“Yes, I visited three times last year.”
“Have you?” I said, an eyebrow raised.
For a second, I thought she was serious. Then I saw the grin on her lips.
“What are the chances someone would visit Sudan of all places three times in one year?” she asked.
“It was a possibility. It’s a large country. Most of it is warm desert—”
“Which makes it even less likely I would go there. First of all, I don’t have the money to afford a trip like that. Second of all, why would I go to the same place three times? No place is worth visiting that often.”
“How would you know if you’ve never been?”
We both stopped walking for a second. She looked at me and noticed the half-smile on my face. I knew she was rolling her eyes even though I couldn’t see them from behind her shades.
“Whatever,” she sighed. “Maybe it is a nice place. But I’m guessing you weren’t there to look at the scenery and drink a margarita.”
“I had some work to do.”
“Ah, work. Some covert mission. You probably had to dress up in some fancy outfit and do some reconnaissance work.”
“Generally speaking, something to that effect.”
“Probably snapped a few necks and stabbed some people. Poor bastards never saw what was coming.”
She smiled but I didn’t respond. It was nice to know that she was getting more comfortable around me to joke about what I did. I didn’t respond though. I wasn’t in the mood to talk about what I did.
“Come on,” she said as she cleared her throat. “We’re almost there.”
We didn’t say much else. From the corner of my eye, I could see her looking at me as I observed my new surroundings.
“Here we are,” she said suddenly.
She walked up to a small hot dog cart and the old man greeted her with a smile.
“Hey, Ben,” she told him. “Let me have two with everything.”
The old man nodded and worked his grill. The sausages on the cart sizzled with steam. I raised an eyebrow as Eva inhaled a deep breath and exhaled a satisfied sigh. The food wasn’t completely appealing but I had to admit that seeing the meat cook made me hungry. Still, I was curious why she’d taken me here.
