Operation Midnight

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “Well, I’ll be damn. You were right. Not that I’m surprised.”

  Quinn poured the diamonds into his hand, before shoving them back into the bag. “Why hide these here?” he asked

  Wiz shook his head. “I don’t know, but I’m sure she intended to come back for them.”

  “So how much do you think they’re worth?”

  “If I had to guess, I’d say about thirty thousand.”

  Quinn gave a long whistle. “I guess if you’re going to steal something, might as well go big. I’m going to hit the head before we leave.”

  “Cool.”

  Wiz stuffed the jewels into the inside pocket of his jacket. Now he had to get them into the right hands so that he could get the gang off their backs and maybe even get Keisha out of her mess. He kept telling himself that anything he did to help her was for Olivia’s benefit.

  He strolled through the house, making sure lights were out and ended up in the kitchen. He sifted through the mail that had accumulated while they were away. He and Olivia liked the penthouse, but he was ready to return home, even if she did want to sell the house and purchase a different one together. All because he goofed and referred to the house as his.

  Wiz picked up another envelope, but stopped when he heard noise behind the house. Slowly placing the letter back down on the counter, he pulled his gun from the back of his waistband.

  He stood still. At first, he thought he was hearing things, but then furniture scraped across the wood deck out back.

  Wiz slipped out of the house through the garage. He could use the back garage door that led to the yard, without being seen.

  Stepping out into the brisk winter night, Wiz ignored the way the wind whipped across his face, sending a chill to his bones. He spotted a lone figure standing near the patio door with what looked to be a screwdriver in his hand. With his gun at his side, Wiz eased along the exterior of the house, careful to stay in the shadows.

  The man was so focused on getting the patio door open, he hadn’t heard Wiz’s approach.

  Wiz lifted his gun. “You really have a death wish trying to break into my house.”

  Startled, the guy dropped the screwdriver and quickly swung around, his elbow making contact with Wiz’s wound.

  “Sonofa—” Wiz’s gun slipped from his hand. He grabbed his side, gritting his teeth against the breathtaking pain, like fire in his side and fell to his knees.

  Damn.

  The man tried to make a run for it, but Wiz grabbed him by the ankle and jerked him back, causing the intruder to lose his footing.

  “Your ass ain’t going nowhere,” Wiz said through gritted teeth as he pulled the man down. Wiz jabbed him in the jaw with his fist and wrestled him to the deck. Catching the guy off guard gave Wiz a chance to retrieve his gun.

  Wiz straddled him, his gun in the man’s face. “Move again,” he said before recognition settled in.

  Clayton.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I … I ...” Clayton’s gaze froze over Wiz’s shoulder. “Listen, I don’t want any trouble.”

  “Looks like you’re having all the fun,” Quinn said from behind Wiz.

  “Yeah, this type of fun I can do without out.”

  Quinn hauled the man to his feet.

  “Clayton, you cannot be stupid enough to try and break into my home.”

  “I’m … I’m sorry, just don’t shoot me.”

  Wiz kept his gun trained on him. He had no intentions of shooting the guy, but Clayton didn’t have to know that.

  “I-I …” Clayton stammered.

  Quinn pushed him against the brick of the house. “You better start using some words other than I, otherwise you can talk to the cops.”

  “I-I needed to get something out of there.”

  “In my house?” Wiz yelled.

  Clayton said nothing.

  Wiz pulled out his cell phone. “I don’t have time for this shit. Let CPD deal with him.”

  “Wait. Wait! No cops. Please.”

  “Sure, no cops, but you better start talking,” Quinn said.

  “I want to know what business you have in my house and where is Keisha?” Wiz asked.

  Seconds ticked by while Clayton glared at Wiz, but then drop his shoulders. “Keisha came to me trying to unload some diamonds that her fiancé gave her. She said that if I helped her sell them, she would split the profit with me. But then someone started following her. She didn’t think it was safe to keep them at her place and said that her sister would keep them for her.”

  Wiz cursed under his breath. That sister-in-law of his was a real piece of work.

  “That still doesn’t explain why you’re trying to break into my house.”

  “We had to lay low for a few days and then Keisha said that her sister refused to give the diamonds back.”

  “Where is Keisha now?”

  “I think they have her.”

  “They who?” Wiz asked.

  “I don’t know. I guess whoever was following her.”

  “Maybe you ought to start at the beginning.” Quinn readjusted his hold on Clayton.

  Clayton explained how Keisha had contacted him a few weeks ago saying that she had a proposition for him. Getting rid of the diamonds had been a little harder than they expected. Once they finally found a buyer, Keisha realized she was being followed.

  “So how do you know they have her?” Wiz asked.

  “They found out where we were staying. Last night, I was outside taking a smoke and these two cars with dark windows pulled up to the house. I saw them, but they didn’t see me. Before I knew it, they were dragging Keisha out of the house.”

  “And what did you do?” Wiz asked. When Clayton diverted his gaze, Wiz shook his head. “Like a little punk, you did nothing.”

  “What was I going to do? There were four rough looking dudes, all tatted up. I …”

  “You did nothing. Now you’re here trying to break into my house.”

  Wiz lifted his cell phone and dialed 911.

  “Hey, you said you weren’t going to call the cops!”

  “I didn’t say that. He said he wouldn’t call.” Wiz nodded to Quinn who shrugged, looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  “What are you going to do with the diamonds?”

  “That’s not something you should be worried about right now. What you need to be concerned about is what CPD is going to think about you stealing diamonds from a jewelry store.”

  “But … I—”

  “Save it for someone who cares. Right now I have more important things to take care of.”

  *

  Sitting at the dining room table, Olivia pushed the pasta around on her plate, her mind everywhere but on eating. Wiz’s question regarding why Keisha would pick now to say something rattled around in her head. She never knew why Keisha did half the things she did, which was why Olivia didn’t understand why she had gotten so angry with Wiz earlier.

  Had she been in his shoes all those years ago, she might have been tempted to do something crazy to Keisha, too. Even after the shooting only days ago, seeing Wiz lay lifeless in front of her, blood oozing from his body, was a scene she would never forget. A scene that made her want to kill someone.

  “That pasta is probably more like paste considering how long you’ve been sitting here playing in it.” Victoria, carrying a bowl of popcorn, pulled out a chair across from Olivia.

  Olivia didn’t think she would ever get used to seeing Victoria and Travis walking around with their gun holstered in plain sight. She might’ve felt a little more comfortable with having guns around, but she didn’t want to stare at them all the time. It also reminded her that she was being babysat, because of Keisha.

  “I guess I wasn’t that hungry,” she finally said to Victoria.

  Natasha walked into the room and sat next to Victoria. “You have to eat, Olivia. That baby is counting on you to keep yourself healthy.”

  Olivia couldn’t argue
with her there, but how was she supposed to make herself eat when she wasn’t hungry?

  “I took the liberty of asking Malik to pick up a hamburger from your favorite restaurant on his way here,” Natasha added.

  Olivia smiled. She had mentioned having a taste for a burger earlier that day.

  It was the small gestures like that which reminded Olivia that these people were indeed her family.

  “I could definitely go for a hamburger. By the way, you look amazing.” The royal blue gown made Natasha look like royalty.

  “Tasha! Let’s go,” Malik called out from somewhere in the penthouse.

  “Oh, so now he wants to rush me. He’s the one who’s late.”

  Malik stepped into the dining room and halted near the entrance.

  “Mmm, hey beautiful.” He grinned down at Natasha, pulling her close and kissing her on the mouth. “Sorry I’m late. I had to make a run for my little sister.” He winked at Olivia and held up a grease-stained white paper bag, before setting it in front of her.

  She hugged him. “Thanks, you’re the best.”

  “I try.” He glanced at his watch. “Okay, we have to get out of here. We missed cocktail hour. Now we only have ten minutes to get to the fundraiser before they serve dinner.”

  “You two have a good night.” Olivia walked with them to the door, wanting to ask Malik if he had heard from Wiz. But instead kept her mouth closed. All she had to do was pick up the phone and call him, something she should have done hours ago.

  Malik opened the door, but Natasha pulled up short and hugged Olivia.

  “Eat and try to get some rest. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She pulled away and pointed at Travis who was standing behind Olivia. “And you, do not let her talk you into finishing her burger like she did with the chicken the other day.”

  “Yes, mother,” he cracked.

  “Can we leave now?” Malik asked.

  The moment they closed the door, Olivia grabbed her cell phone from the kitchen counter. She needed to apologize to Wiz.

  “Oh, Travis, can you see if you can get the heat vent in the bedroom closed? Or at least partially closed? It feels like a sauna in there.”

  “Will do.”

  He left the room and Olivia called Wiz.

  “Hey there,” he answered on the second ring. “I was just thinking about you.”

  “And I’ve been thinking about you all evening. I owe you an apology.”

  “No you don’t.”

  “Yeah, actually I do. I’m so sorry if I hurt you with some of the things I said. I guess I was just caught off guard with the news, but I get it. I—”

  “Olivia, your burger is getting cold,” Victoria called from the dining room.

  “I’ll be right there,” Olivia hollered back. “Sorry about that,” she said to Wiz.

  “What were you doing?” he asked.

  “I was getting ready to—” Someone pounded on the door. Olivia sighed. “I’ll get it!”

  “No!”

  “Don’t!”

  Wiz yelled on the telephone and Victoria screamed from the other room.

  Olivia stepped back just as a deafening crack sounded in the room and the door flew open.

  She screamed and the cell phone slipped from her hand. Her heart raced as two men blasted into the room.

  “Get down!” Victoria ran into the room.

  It was as if Olivia was reliving the other night all over again. Gunshots rang out around her. Victoria shot one of the men, dressed in all black, and he crumbled to the ground.

  Olivia ducked behind the large sofa. She covered her ears, trying to drown out the noise and closed her eyes.

  This can’t be happening.

  More shots were fired from beside her, and thick arms circled her waist.

  “No!” she screamed, her arms flailing as she kicked, trying to shake herself lose. It wasn’t until Travis said, “It’s me,” that she stopped moving, but her heart felt as if it were going to beat out of her chest.

  His large body covered hers as he practically carried her down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

  Another shot echoed in the hall behind them and Travis cursed, dropping his arms from around her. It sounded as if more people were in the apartment.

  “Run!” He turned and got off two rounds.

  Olivia heard someone grunt, but didn’t look back. She sprinted into the bedroom and slammed the door, locking it behind her. Struggling, she pushed a cushioned chair up against it.

  More gun shots.

  Someone was coming.

  I need a weapon.

  Her gaze darted around the room, as the knot in her gut tightened. No amount of self-defense classes could have prepared her for this moment. Her nerves were raw. She had no idea what to do in a situation like this.

  She swiped at the tears streaming down her face and a silver candlestick holder sitting on the dresser caught her attention. She ran for it just as someone pushed against the door.

  Oh God help me.

  She quickly grabbed the holder and glanced around the room for something else. The stuffed chair she had slid it front of the door wouldn’t keep whoever was trying to get in out for much longer.

  Come on! Think, Olivia, think.

  These guys knew she was in there, so hiding was out of the question. But she could put another layer of protection between her and her attackers. She hurried toward the attached bathroom, but the door shoved open.

  A large, fair-skinned man—with an angry scar across his right jaw and dark beady eyes that could have cut right through her had they been a weapon—charged into the room. “Where are they? Where are the diamonds?”

  “I don’t know what … what you’re talking about.” She took several steps back as the man moved closer. “I … I don’t know any … anything about any diamonds!”

  A second man who was just as large and scary looking stormed into the room. “Get her!”

  “Stay away from me!” she screamed, holding the candleholder out in front of her like a shield. Her hands shook but all she had to do was hold them off until Wiz got there. She knew he would come for her.

  “We have to grab her and get the hell out of here! This place is going to be crawling with cops in a minute,” the same guy stated.

  They rushed her at the same time and she swung the candleholder back and forth like a sword, as hard as she could. Anger charged through her body with every move.

  The men cursed, ducked out of the way, but she made contact with one of them.

  “Dammit!” Blood dripped from the side of the first man’s head. “You bitch!”

  He yanked her wrist with such force, the candleholder slipped from her hand, and pain shot to her shoulder. She kept swinging with her free hand. With her balled fist, she jabbed him in the neck, then clawed at his face and stomped on his foot hoping he would loosen his hold.

  They both grabbed her arms. “Let’s go!”

  She dug in her heels, grateful she was wearing running shoes. “I’m not going anywhere with you!” She pulled, jerked, and kicked to free herself from their grasp. No doubt they thought she was crazy, but no way was she going to let them take her from the apartment.

  “That’s it!” The biggest of the two released her, brought his arm back, and let it rip across her cheek.

  Searing pain shot through her face and an explosion went off in her head. She fell to her knees. Stars danced in front of her eyes as she willed herself to get up.

  “That’s what we should have done in the first damn place.”

  “Whatever. Let’s just get the hell out of here.”

  One of them lifted her from the floor. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, and couldn’t stop the room from spinning. She had no fight left. Her face stung. Her head throbbed. Tears and pain blurred her eyes as darkness descended upon her.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Sheldon’s there. He’ll meet us outside to get us in,” Quinn said, taking the next corner on two wheels.


  Wiz said nothing. He could barely breathe. He slammed his eyes shut and gripped the sides of his head, unable to quiet Olivia’s screams and the gun shots from looping through his mind.

  His voice was hoarse from hollering her name, as if that could save her from whatever hell had broken out in the apartment.

  When her phone went dead, Wiz had called 911. He not only feared for Olivia’s life, but not hearing from Travis and Victoria by now wasn’t a good sign.

  Quinn slowed when they were a half a block away from the penthouse. Unable to get closer due to the number of cop cars, EMT vehicles, and other emergency trucks, they both leapt out of the SUV and ran the rest of the way.

  Spotting Sheldon near the entrance, Wiz shoved his way through the crowd, Quinn right behind him.

  Sheldon held his palms out right when he saw Wiz. “I’m sorry, man … she’s not here.”

  Dizzy with fear, Wiz staggered, but remained upright thanks to Quinn’s hold on his shoulder. Wiz didn’t know whether to be glad she wasn’t there laying in a pool of her own blood or be scared that some assholes had her and might be doing God knows what to her.

  “The paramedics just loaded up Vicky and that kid that works for you guys.” Sheldon’s words broke into Wiz’s thoughts.

  Travis.

  “How were they?” Quinn asked as they stepped into the elevator.

  Sheldon shook his head. “Not sure. Vicky took a couple of rounds. I think one to the shoulder and one to the neck. Travis was shot in the back. I called Malik and Stan. They’re on their way to the hospital.”

  Dammit.

  Wiz leaned against the back wall, his fists clasped tightly at his sides, trying to keep it together. Sheldon filled them in on as many details as CPD had so far, which wasn’t much.

  “We missed the intruders by seconds. Witnesses say they charged out of a service entrance, shooting two women on the side of the building before speeding away in a dark sedan.”

  These guys had to have had some inside help, Wiz thought. Either that or they somehow obtained access to the code or a key card in order to have gotten into that part of the building.

  This was all like a bad dream and it scared Wiz to death of what he might find once they saw the scene.