by M T Stone
Chapter 28
With coffees in hand, Ryan and Dylan walked slowly down the corridor, back toward Summer’s room. Both men were bundles of raw nerves, so the last thing either of them needed was another cup of coffee. Ryan’s phone beeped, so he pulled it out of his pocket and read a text message. “Summer has been getting all upset about things today, and now Chuck tells me the investigation is dead in the water.” He grumbled under his breath and shoved the phone back in his pocket.
“My uncle told me the same thing. Apparently, the FBI called off the investigation, so the local police did the same,” Dylan replied, taking another gulp of coffee.
“There are so many unanswered questions. I’m not sure Summer is going to be able to drop it quite so easily.” The pain was evident in Ryan’s eyes as he talked about his daughter. “It’s going to be a long, tough road ahead.”
“You mentioned that someone came with Carson to your meeting this morning?” Dylan reminded him, wanting to hear Ryan’s side of the story in hopes of connecting a few more dots. Summer had an obvious need for closure, so despite his uncle’s warning, he felt there was little choice but to continue searching for answers. Otherwise, it would be completely up to Olivia to work through everything with her.
“Yeah, Carson brought someone nasty to the meeting,” Ryan scoffed, shaking his head from side to side. “He looked like a mafia hit-man. I swear to God.” Ryan’s voice cracked a bit as he described the man, so it had obviously scared him. “As if having Carson on my ass wasn’t enough, this dude made him seem like a Sunday School teacher.”
“Wow. Hopefully, I won’t have the pleasure of meeting him. Doesn’t sound like the type of guy you want to run into in a dark alley.” Dylan tipped his cup to his lips and took another gulp.
“Believe me, that guy spends plenty of time in dark alleys. I don’t quite understand his connection to Carson, though.” Ryan seemed to be gulping his coffee out of nervousness. In fact, he kept shaking his head and muttering to himself between sentences. Whatever had gone down in that meeting had definitely put him on edge.
Dylan stopped and looked around to make sure there were no prying ears in the vicinity. “Do you realize that Carson bought Leo’s property from the county? It was in default, so he just had to pay the back taxes and penalties. He just told me that he already sold it to an investor for cash, and as part of the deal, that guy was supposed to collect the reward money from you,” Dylan explained in a hushed voice.
“Well, if he sold it to the guy we’re talking about, he’s not a typical investor. So, now I owe this total thug a million dollars instead of Carson,” he replied, still looking dazed. “Fuck me . . .”
“After that, he told me to forget about the land deal and everything else because people disappear every day for knowing too much.” Dylan gave Ryan a sideways glance. “I have to wonder if he had the same conversation with the local cops.”
“It’s possible. I’m going to meet Chuck for a little off-the-record chat later on. I think I’ll see if I can get him to stop up here so you can sit in on it too. You seem to know more about what’s going on than me.” Ryan gave him a look filled with uncertainty.
“All I know is what Summer has told me, along with a few tidbits from my uncle and Detective Thomas,” Dylan replied, downplaying his growing suspicions for the moment. He knew that the best strategy would be to listen to what everyone else had to say, then he could try to piece everything together later on. He didn’t want to say anything to the police chief or anyone else that could get back to Carson. He had already received a stern warning, and with the company he was keeping, he knew exactly why his gut had been churning. “I don’t think I should drink any more coffee,” he added, tossing his cup into the garbage.
“What are you guys conspiring out here?” Olivia asked as she came down the hall, pushing Summer in a wheelchair.
“We’re trying to come up with some answers for my little girl here.” Ryan blew out a frustrated breath before smiling at the two of them. “You starting to feel better, honey?”
“Yeah, but I won’t be walking for a while,” she replied with a sigh, looking down at the cast on her leg. She pulled the lapels of her robe together, appearing to have gotten a chill. Dylan joined the three of them and couldn’t help noticing Summer’s sallow skin and the dark circles under her eyes. The harsh lighting in the hallway wasn’t doing any of them any favors, but it really accentuated how sick Summer still was. It was tempting to think that she was going to recover quickly once her lungs cleared, but the last few days had obviously exacted a tremendous physical and mental toll. Dylan’s concern began to turn to anger as she coughed repeatedly and once again began struggling to breathe. “Dammit, I guess I’m not ready to go outside,” she whispered, trying to clear her throat.
“Tell the chief that I want to sit in on the meeting,” Dylan told Ryan as they turned to follow Summer back to her room. He wasn’t sure what his next move would be, but his concern for Summer would keep him at the hospital for now. He also felt a little safer hanging out with the Bennett family than he did on his own. He pulled out his phone and slumped into one of the chairs next to the bed. He sent his mother a text, asking her to leave the girls at Grandma’s for a couple more days. He planned on spending them with Summer and her family because she was still having issues. He would touch base later on once he knew more about her recovery. He looked up at Summer as he shoved it back into his pocket.
“Texting your other girlfriend?” She teased after getting herself settled back into bed.
“Yeah, I thought she might be wondering where I’ve been.” He shot her a smirk. “She seems to be cool with everything though.” He got up from the chair, leaned over the bedrail, and gave her a kiss. “You’re beautiful, even when you’re sick,” he said, tucking in the blanket around her.
“Thanks, but I glanced in the mirror as I went past.” She rolled her eyes and giggled. “I’m looking really scary right now.” She reached for his hand and pulled it to her. “Thanks for hanging out with me though. I feel better when you’re here.”
“I’m glad.” He smiled, looking past the sickness and into her beautiful blue eyes. Through it all, the twinkle had never faded. “I’ll be here, no matter what happens.” He leaned down and kissed her lips again, holding it longer this time and feeling a rush of blood to a certain extremity.
Olivia cleared her throat. “We’re still in the room.” She turned to Ryan, giving him a devilish grin. “Maybe we should see if we can make them squirm.” As if on cue, Ryan leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Olivia wrapped her arms around him, turning it into a sensuous kiss that immediately garnered groans from the younger couple.
“Okay, we get the point.” Dylan threw up his hands and took a step back. “I think you two might need a private room!”
Summer giggled, which resulted in another coughing fit. After regaining control of her lungs, she looked at the three of them and felt torn. On one hand, both her mom and dad appeared to be getting along with Dylan. Even though she had never admitted it, she had harbored feelings for him since the first time they’d met. She had never wanted to get too attached because of his emotional problems and the fact that her father seemed to hate him. Now, however, he appeared be willing to bury the hatchet and stop treating him like Carson’s nephew.
On the other hand, she still felt like crap and had so many unanswered questions. In the safety of a hospital room, she was able to keep her fears at arm’s length, but she knew that wouldn’t last. Within a few days, she would be sent home and then everyone would start expecting her to get on with her life. Despite the smile on her face, she felt a growing chasm of uncertainty deep within herself. It was going to take every ounce of strength she could muster to move forward from here.
“Are you okay?” Ryan asked, his voice filled with fatherly concern.
“I was just thinking that it’s nice to see you and Dylan getting along,” she replied with a subdued smile. “But that got m
e thinking about the future, and right now, thinking about the future makes me feel sick. I don’t know how I’m going to do it.”
“Don’t worry, honey. No one expects things to go right back to normal.” Olivia rose from her chair and walked over to the bed, placing her arm around her daughter. “But you’re the strongest person I’ve ever known, so I know you’ll be fine. You just have to give yourself some time.”
Summer had watched her mother counsel some of the same kids for years. She knew that a rare few responded quickly to therapy, while most spent years stuck in neutral. She had never understood how they had managed to get so stuck, but with a series of morbid thoughts churning repeatedly through her mind, she was starting to get it. “I was so excited to start college.” She choked up and tears sprang from her eyes. “I don’t think I can do it now.”
Dylan moved in next to Olivia. “I’ve struggled ever since Dad was killed,” he admitted. “I’ve always focused on how it affected my childhood and the fact that I was robbed of a father. But now, I want to help you get better, and I think we can probably get better together.”
Olivia smiled at Dylan. It was something she had been telling him for years, but it hadn’t clicked until now. She had tried to get him to focus on his mother and younger sisters, but he had never been able to get past himself. “You two are both going to be fine,” Olivia told them, slipping her other arm around Dylan and squeezing both of them.
“Hey, I want in on this too,” Ryan added, moving in behind Olivia and putting his arms around them. “We’re all going to need some help getting through this. Nothing about it is going to be easy.” All four of them remained silent for a moment, simply soaking in the beauty of the moment. It was true that Summer wasn’t the only one who was going to struggle going forward. Dylan had to figure out how to get out of the rut that he had been stuck in for several years. Olivia and Ryan would have to work hard to rebuild their financial stability after paying out the reward money. It made her proud that her dad would do that on her behalf, but she felt terrible that being rescued had come at such a steep price. For the moment, however, she simply pushed those thoughts aside and relished the fact that her parents loved her, as well as Dylan, and they were all getting along.
Chapter 29
A few minutes past seven, the police chief, Chuck Sanders, knocked on the door to Summer’s room. The look of consternation on his face let everyone know that for one reason or another, he was uncomfortable being there. “Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked, focusing directly on Ryan.
“We would all like to be part of the conversation,” Summer piped up with a look of determination. She was the one who wanted answers more than anyone, so her contentious attitude took no one by surprise.
“Okay.” Chuck nodded in her direction and came into the room. “I’m just not sure how much I’m going to be able clear up for you. I mean, my hands are tied here. The investigation is closed, and if anyone finds out that I’m talking about it . . .”
“We’ll close the door and turn on the Do Not Disturb light,” Olivia offered, moving quickly to take care of it.
Chuck shared a weak smile before his eyes dropped to the floor. He sauntered over to the far side of the room and took a seat facing the others. “What can I clear up for you all?” he asked, nervously rubbing the stubble on his chin.
“Why was the investigation called off?” Ryan asked, placing his hands on his hips and getting right to the point.
Chuck cleared his throat and stalled briefly as if he were searching for the right words. “There’s going to be a large drug bust on Thursday, just south of town. Carson has been working with his DEA counterparts out of the Chicago office, as well as the FBI, to coordinate everything. They’re sending in a rapid response team, and things are going to get a little crazy around here. We need to focus all of our available resources on any possible violence that spills over into the city,” he explained before sitting back in the chair, seeming satisfied with his answer.
“So Carson organized all of it?” Olivia asked, sounding a bit surprised. “He’s been a busy man.”
“Indeed.” Chuck nodded in agreement. “He told me a while back that he had a plan to push the primary drug corridor about fifty miles west, but I didn’t believe he could do it. Now that it’s coming to fruition, it’ll take a lot of pressure off our local officers, as well as the boys back in Bismarck.”
“So, Carson is actually inviting additional drug trafficking into his territory? That doesn’t make any sense,” Dylan scoffed. Chuck seemed to be caught off-guard by the statement. Carson had mentioned during their time together that his official territory included Montana, but not North Dakota.
“That’s between him and the agency heads. I’m just glad to see it pushed out of my jurisdiction,” Chuck stated emphatically. “Hell, they won’t be bothering anyone out there. It’s the middle of nowhere.”
“So, that’s who bought Leo’s land!” Dylan exclaimed, shooting up from his chair. “It all makes sense now. That would be the perfect place for a huge drug operation. It has an underground shelter on an island, and there’s only one farm within five miles of the place.”
“I’m not familiar with all the details.” Chuck shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “He just told me that he had worked out the deal, and any drug assets or personnel remaining within the state of North Dakota would be seized in Thursday’s raid.”
“Then you, the FBI, and Carson can all go on the six o’clock news telling the good citizens of North Dakota that you’ve eliminated the largest drug trafficking ring in the state,” Ryan added with a suspicious grimace. “Kudos and back slapping all the way around.”
“I think we’re getting a bit off-track here,” Chuck said, rising from his chair. “All I can say is that our limited resources, along with those of the FBI, have been redeployed since your little girl was brought back, safe and sound. I was truly relieved that Carson was able to find you.” He smiled at Summer and patted the bed railing, affirming his words. He then turned to Ryan and guided him toward the door. “You’d best be spending your time on those asset sales,” he said in a hushed tone. “From what I hear, you’re going to have some rather big bears clawing at the door soon.” He gave him a slap on the back and opened the door, looking back at the others. “You all take care now.”
As the sound of his footsteps faded into the background, everyone looked at one another in shock. “It sounds like everyone wins, except us,” Summer surmised with a steely glint in her eyes.
“Not at all!” Olivia countered immediately. “As long as you make a full recovery, we all win. Without you, money would mean nothing.”
“I agree completely.” Ryan rejoined the others at Summer’s bedside. “We’ll be just fine without the money, but our family would’ve crumbled without you.”
Dylan was now in his own world, having mentally checked out right after Chuck’s admission that Carson had shared a master plan with him ‘a while back’. Judging by the look that had crossed his face after saying it, he instantly knew that he shouldn’t have shared that little tidbit. Now, listening to Ryan talk about the fact that the family would’ve fallen apart without Summer only solidified his line of thinking. Everything that occurred was somehow part of Carson’s master plan, he thought. Unfortunately, he had no idea how to go about proving it. “I have to run back to the library and check out a few things. I’ll be back in an hour or so.” Summer reached out, wanting another kiss before letting him leave. He obliged, giving her another long, sensual kiss. “You might as well get used to it,” he teased her parents before making his exit.
He chuckled to himself as he left the room, but by the time he reached the library, he was a man on a mission. His early suspicions seemed to be solidifying with each new bit of information that came his way. The library was busy again with many of the same people still trolling for whatever was lacking in their lives. There was one open computer, however, so he quickly grabbed a seat.
The first order of business was to go back on Facebook and try to recreate a large, blurry picture. He changed the picture back to being his profile picture. He then logged out before going back to his profile page. He clicked on it, but nothing happened. So he right-clicked on it, and one of the options was to open it in a new tab, which he did. This opened a small version of the picture in a new screen all by itself, which was exactly what he had hoped would happen. He saved the image to the hard drive, opened it in preview, and pressed the Print button. He then changed the size to Fill the Page and printed it. He smiled as he pulled the page from the printer. It was a large blurry picture. Hopefully, it would be identical to the one Summer had seen. After stuffing it into his book bag, he sat back down and began organizing his thoughts on paper.
Blurry Facebook Pic was printed by a non-member
Carson bought Leo’s land for back taxes
He sold it to a drug cartel
Cartel now operating in his jurisdiction
He is shooting to be the regional director
Leo’s money was from a drug-tainted stack
Looking at his list, he thought back to the last conversation with his uncle. He had made a point to mention that wealth follows power and to put yourself in a position where you have power over others. If he were the regional DEA director and had previously cut a deal with a favored drug cartel, that would definitely be a position of power. It also had to be highly illegal, and yet Chuck seemed to know about it. Maybe he didn’t care if it were legal as long as it would no longer be his problem.
After a few more minutes of thought, he jotted down another statement from their last conversation.
Deep cover. Things aren’t always as black and white as they appear.
