by David Banner
He handed me a small mirror. I was actually surprised by how happy I suddenly became, seeing myself painted up that way. For a moment I even forgot why I was there, but I needed to focus. This had to go well ... for Rachel.
I walked slowly up the spiral staircase in the middle of the room, looking around to see just how many of Sofia's men were there. Not that I had attended a lot of teenagers' birthday parties in recent memory, but this had to take the cake for the largest number of security guards to attend, but which side they were serving was anyone guess.
"I have eyes on Zoey." I said.
"Decoy in place," a voice responded in my ear piece.
"When the time is right," I said.
A large portion of our plan was reliant on the birthday girl hitting her marks and following the plan. I spent hours with her in my bar, after she managed to disguise herself as Rachel and sneak past the watchful eyes of Sofia’s men, going over every inch of what was supposed to happen. Every footstep she was supposed to take and every smile she was supposed to smile. It was all planned out.
I kept my eyes high, scanning the balcony above and looking for a sign of anything odd, but as far as I could tell everything was going according to plan. Which for me, made it not feel exactly right.
"Everyone good?" I asked into the earpiece.
With three simultaneous 'yes' responses I could only assume we were good to go, but looking back I can now see just how wrong I truly was. As the music pumped louder and louder into the night, I felt ready. Everything was set to happen in less than three minutes, but my steady breaths immediately turned to panic as my eyes fell upon something I wasn't expecting to see.
"What the fuck is my brother doing here?" I said.
His face was painted the same as everyone else's and from my angle at the top of the stairs he looked almost exactly like me.
"What?" a voice said into my ear.
"Micah. Micah is here."
"Stick to the plan. He probably won't recognize you in that makeup," the decoy said.
"This isn't good."
But with the time to make our move now upon us I had no choice but to chance it. "Now!" I said.
'BANG' A shot rang out and the room plunged into a dark silence as the entire building lost electricity. Panic immediately filled the air, and what was only moments ago a Spanish dance beat, was now the sound of a panicked rampage as people trampled over one another heading for the door.
Leaping over the banister and landing hard on the marble-tiled floor I made a run for the spot Zoey's decoy was supposed to be waiting for me. I would grab her, head out the back door, and call for Sofia's people while the real Zoey would be escorted into the wine cellar where her father's people would be waiting to take her off the island ... It was supposed to be easy, but things are rarely ever easy.
Amid the panic I managed to make my way to the meeting spot my decoy and I agreed upon, and just like clockwork she was there waiting for me. "Ready?" I said, grabbing her arm.
"Ready!"
I pulled a zip tie from my back pocket, wrapped her hands behind her back loosely enough so freeing herself wouldn't be a problem, and headed for the door. The place was in chaos, but that’s pretty standard I guess for a crowd of people who've just heard gun shots ring out in a dark room.
I almost fell over at least three different people, both my decoy and I stumbling our way toward the door. I hadn't expected the party to be so crowded. But after what seemed like too long we finally managed to exit through the back door.
But what I saw when I got out there made my jaw practically hit the floor. In front of me, surrounded by Sofia and her security detail, stood Micah, and on his arm was the real Zoey Mitchell.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I WANTED TO ASK HIM WHAT IN THE FUCK WAS GOING ON. How he managed to find Zoey and bring her out here when she was clearly supposed to be in the safety of the wine cellar. I wanted to ask him what on earth he was doing at the birthday party anyway when he was supposed to be back at the bar.
Anger bubbled up in my veins as I looked at him and he looked back at me. I thought about running, about grabbing Zoey, and making a mad dash for the car. But I couldn't, I couldn't risk letting Sofia know I was trying to double-cross her.
"Well done, boys ..." she said, clapping her hands. "Two for the price of one. Now that’s the kind of business relationship I like to see."
There was something in the way she spoke, in the way she slowly walked closer as she spoke. You could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. This sadistic drive for only herself that propelled every move she made.
"Someone placed a decoy in the room." I looked to Micah, knowing he would follow my lead. "We couldn't risk losing her, so we obtained both."
"That’s what I like to hear," she said, tracing her long violet nails along my cheek. "A smart business man leaves nothing to chance. You might be even more valuable than I thought, Mr. Waters."
"I told you I would deliver."
"And you," Sofia said, walking in a slow circle around Micah. "Useful and handsome. The whole package. Makes me wonder what else you have to offer ..."
"Plenty!" Micah said, grabbing her hand, and placing it against his chest.
Sofia's security responded immediately, raising, and cocking their guns. "Boys, boys ..." she said. "Mr. Waters was simply answering my question."
I was surprised to say the least; by how quickly Micah adapted to the situation. Obviously, he knew he fucked up. I could see him putting the pieces together the second he saw Sofia. But like me, he knew he simply had to play the hand he was dealt, and work with the situation at hand.
"Where's Rachel," Micah said, dropping Sofia's hand.
"Easy there, handsome." Sofia walked back a few feet, positioning herself between two of her guards. "I told you. I always keep my promises, and I'm a woman of my word. But ..."
"But what?" I said.
"It occurs to me that if I give her over to you now, you might be less keen on helping me in getting what I want."
"You have what you want!" I said. "You have Zoey. That’s what you asked me to do, and that’s what I did."
"Yes ... But as they say, the rules of the game are the first to go. Things change. It seems I'm going to require one more little thing."
"And what is that?" I asked.
"Sharon Rhodes."
"Sharon Rhodes is dead."
"Yes. I know ... So sad." Sofia smiled. "But her supplier is not, and try as I might, I just can't seem to get a handle on where he is, or even who he is."
"Okay ..." I said.
"Well the first rule in any business is sniff out and destroy any competition. And if this person is still out there, operating on what is now my territory, then I need to know. Don't you think?"
"We'll find him," Micah said.
"Wait!" I responded. "This wasn't part of the plan. I want Rachel. I want proof of life."
Sofia looked at me for a what felt like a lifetime, studying my face as though she were trying to find a location on a map. Then without a word she extended her arm back to one of her guards. He placed a phone in her hand and with a few clicks I saw Rachel on the screen.
I was more than a little surprised by what I saw. There she was, sitting on large bed, dressed in what looked like a silk robe and flipping through television channels. Beside her, sat a bottle of wine and a few glasses. And while I couldn't be completely sure, I thought I could make out chocolate-covered strawberries on a platter next to her.
"Is ... is she in a spa?" The words left my mouth without a thought.
"She's being well taken care of Mr. Waters. I see no need to treat my guests poorly. I told you I would keep her safe, and as I've said, I am a woman of my word. Rest assured, if you do what is asked of you, Rachel will know no pain or discomfort. She will be treated with the utmost respect and patience. Just as she deserves. But keeping her that way. Well ... That’s up to you."
"How long do we have?" Micah spoke up.
"I'll give you three days."
"Three days?" I said. "We're going in blind. We need more time."
"Three days," Sofia repeated, then turned and headed for the large black SUV parked behind her.
I was powerless to do anything other than watch as the guards grabbed both Zoey and the decoy by the arm, wrapped duct tape over their mouths, and pulled them away into the dark Anna Maria night. The large guard loaded Zoey into the back of the SUV then tuned to the decoy but stopped short of putting her in the vehicle.
Sofia's long purple dress licked the ground as she approached the door, then turned to the guard and whispered something in his ear. My heart sank as the sound of a single shot rang out, sending an innocent woman falling to the ground.
"Oh my God!" Micah said, running toward her.
I quickly followed, kneeling beside Zoey's decoy, but neither Micah or myself could do anything, only watch as she bled out on the pavement, taking her last breath in the arms of my brother. This was exactly what I didn't want, the thing I wasn't sure I could bare. It was the same thing that happened with Sonny. An innocent person was dead, and I was at fault.
I wondered how my mother and father dealt with this kind of thing. Or if they ever even had. How was I supposed to keep going like this, leaving a trail of bodies in my wake. All in the name of justice. But where was the justice for this woman? I didn't even know her name. Her life ended in my brother’s arms and I didn't even know her name ...
"This is your fault!" Micah said, his voice bubbling over with anger.
"My fault?"
"Yes. If you hadn't lied to me about what you were doing. If you had just told me what was really going on here tonight, then we wouldn't be in this mess."
"You weren't supposed to be here, Micah. What the hell were you doing at this party anyway?"
"It was Day of The Dead, Brandon. I just wanted to see the costumes. I didn't know you were playing fucking double-o-seven."
"How did you end up with Zoey Mitchell?"
"She was standing next to me when the lights went out. She was talking about getting to her safe place. I guess she thought I was you. Then when the lights went out and I heard the gunshots, I grabbed her and headed for the first door I saw. I was trying to keep her safe."
"Well now she's gone," I said.
"Because you lied to me. Because you don't trust me enough to tell me the truth."
"I do trust you, Micah."
"Then what is it? Why not tell me what's going on?" His voice cracked as he looked down at the woman in his arms. "Why keep me in the dark all the time, Brandon?"
"I'm trying to protect you!"
I'm not a kid, I haven't been for a long time. You need to get that. You need to see me for what I am. I don't need protection all the time. I can help you, but not if you don't let me. Not if you keep pushing me away."
"Pushing you away?" His words cut through me like a knife.
Pushing my little brother away was the one thing I never wanted to do. It was the one thing that kept me up at night, the stuff of my nightmares. Picturing him alone or hurt made my stomach turn and my head pound. I had spent my whole life trying to make sure that never happened.
Since our parents vanished I had done nothing but try with everything in me to make sure he felt happy and secure. To make sure he was loved. And now, suddenly, I was pushing him away. The thought of that made me ache in a way I hadn't felt in years. It was in that moment I finally saw Micah for what he was, and not what I thought he was.
He was capable and smart, handling himself masterfully when Sofia spoke to him. How could I have not seen it sooner, how could I have not realized the truth? I spent years thinking about the ways Micah needed me. Thinking I had to care for him, and guard him, like he was breakable. But the truth is, everyone is breakable. And while it may be true that he needed me, I finally realized I needed him too.
"Pushing you away ..." My voice faded.
"I see you. Going off into the night, working on cases and trying to help people. It’s like watching Mom and Dad all over again. Only this time, I'm alone. I have no one sitting there with me, telling me they'd be back, and everything is going to be okay. I can't help but feel left out, like I'm not part of this thing that means so much to you, this thing that meant so much to Mom and Dad. It's not a good feeling, Brandon."
"I ... I had no idea."
"Well," he said. "Now you do."
"Right ... So, tell me then. What are we going to do now. What's our next move?"
"Our next move?" He looked up at me.
"Yes. Our ..."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"W HAT DO WE DO NOW? WHERE DO WE EVEN START?" I ASKED MICAH.
Rest hadn't come easy after the birthday party. I must have tossed and turned in my bed for hours before actually falling asleep. The meeting with Charles Mitchell hadn't gone very well, because the one thing he asked me to do, the one thing I assured him I would do, was keep his daughter safe. Now she was gone, off to God knows where with Sofia Alvarez, the up-and-coming drug lord of Florida's gulf coast.
It wasn't easy convincing him to trust me with getting her back, especially as I was the one who lost her. But after making it clear that calling the police would only lead to much worse things, he realized I was his only option. The clock was ticking, and with only three days left, we had to get moving.
What was supposed to be easy had somehow become the world’s biggest nightmare. Maybe Micah was right, maybe if I had just been honest from the start and told him what was going on, everything would have turned out okay. But it was too late for that now, the only thing we could do was try to get the information Sofia wanted.
"We need to buy some drugs ..."
"Buy drugs?"
"If we're looking for this island’s biggest supplier then we have to start somewhere, and buying drugs seems like a surefire way to figure out who's selling them."
"Well ..." I said. "I can't argue with that. It's just ..."
"What?" Micah asked.
"I've never bought drugs."
"Oh ... Well ... I have. I bought weed in high school. But usually I'd just repackage it in a fancier bag and sell it again."
"Micah!" I said.
"What, dude? We had to make money."
"Why do people care what bag it's in?" The thought seemed preposterous to me.
"I found these stupid little gift boxes at the dollar store. Ten for a buck. They had a little lace flower on the top."
"Yeah ... so?"
"I'd put the stuff in there, then hit up the soccer moms during the game. I'd just tell them it was infused with lavender from the fields of California. Worked like a charm."
"They didn't realize it didn't smell like lavender?"
"It did!" He smiled. "The dollar store also had this lavender water room freshener crap. I'd give it a little spritz first."
"That’s the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."
"Well, it got me those Nikes I wanted, not to mention a lot of meals."
"Fair enough," I said. "So ..."
"So what? Didn't you hear me. We're going to the soccer field. Get dressed."
"How about this? You go to the soccer field and I'll go talk to Randy."
"Randy? What's he got to do with anything?"
"He's a fisherman whose been living on this island for his whole life. If there's anything happening on this island, I bet he knows. It can't hurt. Besides, soccer moms are more your thing than they are mine."
"Yes, they are ..." Micah smiled.
It was almost noon as I began walking down the beach toward the marina. I knew exactly where to find Randy at this hour. He'd just be returning from his second outing of the day over near Holmes Beach.
I couldn't help picture the woman from the night before. Lying there on the ground, her head in my little brother’s lap as she left this world. I never understood how people could just march through the world with such little regard for human life.
I hadn’t heard
Sofia as she’d given the kill order, but I knew she viewed that woman as nothing more than extra baggage she had no room for. Ending her life without taking the time to consider what effect it might have on the world. Never asking herself if maybe the woman was leaving behind a husband, or children who would have to deal with the unexpected grief of losing someone they loved.
It was that kind of disregard and callousness that made the world such a shitty place sometimes. The clear gulf sky stretched out above me for miles, not a single cloud marring its beautiful bright blue wonder. I felt the sun pour down on my arms and face as the waves crashed against the shore, licking my feet.
How could these things, these wonders of nature and symbols of peace not be enough for people like Sofia? How could you wake up to the sound of the gulf coast, walk outside, feel the sand under your feet, and still not think it's enough?
"Randy," I said. Walking down the marina.
He was hunched over, pulling the thick nautical ropes tight around a rusty silver cleat and securing his boat for the day. "Heya now!" he said in a welcoming tone. "What brings you out here?"
"I was wondering if you could maybe help me with something?"
"Sure thing. Whatdya need?"
"I'm not sure, actually," I said.
"Well if ya don't know what it is, then how do ya know you’re a'need'n it?"
"It's information. It's about the woman we pulled up in the net."
"Ohh ..." The smile faded from his face. "Remember what I told ya there, boy. The ocean, she's full of secrets and mysteries. And sometimes it's best to just let her keep it that way."
I was a little surprised by his words. I hadn't taken Randy as the type to withhold information or cover anything up. But something about the way his face changed when I mention Sharon Rhodes made me think he knew more than he was willing to let on.
"She was a drug dealer," I said.
"Didn't you hear me? It’s better to leave it alone. That woman is gone, and so are whatever secrets she was keeping, the water has them now. Don't go messing around with that. I found this earring in my boat after we pulled her up. I could go to the police or I could throw it back. But I won't do either. I'm going to respect the water’s decision and leave it here. You should do the same, leave things where you find them."
