by Coulton, JC
Every six months or so Jacob makes us suit up and pass the mandatory training requirements for the force, but that teamwork shit was different. Normally there are heart rate tests and bear crawls and all sorts of physical challenges. This time it’s way too much talking and sharing. I prefer the fitness tests. I’m probably one of the few detectives who keep up with the physical demands of this job. When you’re not working the streets it’s easy to get lazy, but I haven’t.
My phone screen lights up when it has enough power. I have some missed calls from Carrie. Without listening to the messages I call her back.
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“Blake, who the hell is Neon Lips?”
Her tone is commanding, and I’m immediately on the defense.
“Why are you asking me this, Carrie?”
“Because I just got a threatening phone call from someone telling me she has a message for you. The person told me to back off Jessup Lee and stay away from you.”
She’s angry and I need to explain this in person. “Carrie, just stay there, I’m on my way ok. I can explain everything.”
I jump in the car. I’m showered but still a little sweaty from my workout. I need to get there and put a lid on this now. I don’t know how Erica got Carrie’s number. She was wrong to phone her. This could ruin everything. I need a strategy. I’m not sure how to handle it. Is it time to finally tell her the truth? There’s nothing dodgy to tell when it comes to Erica. She’s part of my history.
I start to wonder what this means. Jessup must be playing some angle to put the two of them in touch. Fucking asshole. Nothing is simple, is it? Some angry rock music is on the radio and I turn it up. It was the anthem of the punks I used to hang out with, and it reflects my mood now. I’ve been keeping the two of them away from each other, but still, I hate being accused.
I park downstairs and take the elevator straight to her floor. I use my card to I let myself in, and find her sitting on the balcony. She’s staring out over the city with one of April’s cigarettes in her hand. Jesus. This is not good.
“Carrie, hon, it’s not what you think.”
She turns to me. The look in her eye is more hurt than anger. “Blake, you’ve been keeping secrets this whole time.”
I can’t deny it, and I can’t give her too much. I nod. “Neon Lips is one of Jessup’s associates.”
“How does she know who I am and why does she care that we’re together?”
Trust Carrie to get straight to the point. Fuck.
“I can’t tell you how she knows me. All I can say is this relates to the case. Somehow Jessup is still after you. He wants something, Carrie. Do you have any idea what that could be?”
The diversion works. I watch as she thinks and has another drag of her cigarette before changing the subject entirely.
“Did you know about the Blue Star sale, Blake?” I’m confused.
“The what?”
“Jessup’s company. It’s his warehouse in Jersey. I was making enquiries about it earlier. It’s the only thing she could have meant. Unless you’re a lying, cheating piece of shit with a girlfriend who realizes you’re here with me half the time?”
I feel sick from the strength of her words.
“Jesus Carrie, No! There’s no one else in my life. You’re wrong.”
“Well how did she get my number? Why does she care what I’m doing? What does it matter to her if I’m with you? Isn’t witness protection info supposed to be confidential?”
She makes a point I can’t answer without telling her about my deal with Jessup. If I do that, this whole case will turn to shit.
“Let me see your phone. Will you show me the number that called?”
She holds out the screen with steady hands. She’s steaming now. Fuck the truth; what I say now needs to be good.
“Okay, I recognize that number. Hang on.” I pull out my own phone, open my emails and scroll down to the one from the tech lab. “This is one of the landline numbers associated with Blue Star Carrie. Look.”
I show her the matching digits and get a sense of her relief.
“Neon Lips has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with Jessup Lee. I don’t know how she found out about you. I just know that Jessup is after something. You need to be even more careful. Why were you poking around his company anyway?”
She grinds her cigarette out on a plate, jumps up and fetches her laptop to show me the page reporting the incident at the Blue Star auction.
“Look at this. Local businesses reported that they could hear a woman screaming—why do you think I was poking around?”
There are tears in her eyes now. I feel bad. I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but she can’t know anything.
“So you found this article and then?”
“I called you. You didn’t answer, so I emailed the reporter who wrote it. He told me the extra info, I phoned you again and I was about to go there for a look when this Neon chick phoned me.”
I’ve never heard Carrie so sarcastic before. I’m losing her but I can’t help protesting,
“You were going to head down there? What were you thinking?” I point at the track suit she has on, “You were just going to casually run past and see if your friend was there?”
Chin up, she nods, but starts to look a little unsure of her plan.
“Blake, how could I not do something?”
I shake my head and sit down on other deck chair. We’re not looking at each other. That’s probably a good thing at this point. I get a little arrogant again.
“Carrie, there’s a reason the police were called to that auction. It’s not what you think. The reporter is wrong. You need to trust me. Do not go down there!”
“So I’m just supposed to sit here and believe that you’ve got it all under control when you didn’t even know about the Blue Star report? And this woman is calling me up, telling me to stay away from you? Do I look like a fool, Blake?”
She’s yelling now and I start to shut down. There’s nothing else I can say to convince her so I say nothing. I can’t tell her the rest.
“Blake Anderson,” her tone is mocking me now. “You must think I’m a fool, because you’re certainly treating me like one.”
I keep looking out over the balcony. I’m gonna let her say whatever she needs to say. Maybe it’ll help.
“I thought you and I could actually have something. I was falling for you Blake, and the whole time there’s been someone else!”
She sobs at that. All the emotion is in her eyes. I want to reach out to her now, but I can’t. I just listen.
“Do you know how long it’s been since I trusted anyone? Never! And you’re ready to fuck me over just like that.”
I meet her eyes and listen. She’s crying, and it’s killing me not to comfort her.
“On top of that, I’ve been trusting you to do what’s right for my friend, and you’re still using her as bait. How dare you?”
She stands up. For once she’s towering over me and I let her.
“How dare you come back into my life and stir up all this stuff from the past, and treat me like it means something, when all you’re doing is fucking me over!”
Oh God. I put my head in my hands. If only she knew the truth. If only she knew how much I want her and care for her, none of this would be happening. I want to say something. Now is the time, but if I do, this case could be over. Erica will go to prison, and I’ll never be able to make amends for what I did back then.
Carrie goes inside and slams the sliding door, leaving me sitting outside as she angrily sucks on a bottle of water inside. I can’t save the situation. I decide to leave. She’s going to think what she wants. I can’t tell her more, so there’s nothing I say to change anything. I get up, head inside and place her phone on the coffee table.
“Do not leave the hotel. That’s an order.”
My tone is harsh. It’s the only option I have left. The only way to keep her safe is to shut her down.
“I’ll be stationing an armed office outside this door. I will not hesitate to treat you as a hostile witness if you fight me on this one, Carrie. You clearly don’t trust me, but do not mistake my authority on this one.”
I grab my keys and walk out the door. There’s nothing left to say. I don’t look back as I step into the elevator doors and make my way down to the parking lot. I wait until I get into my car, and let out a frustrated Fuck as I smash my fists into the steering wheel. I sit for a second, trying to calm my breathing. The pain in my chest is more than anger; it’s about losing her trust after doing so much to earn it these last several days. She doesn’t deserve this, but I can’t say anything more.
How the fuck did this happen? How can I tell her the truth and keep her safe? My phone beeps from the dashboard. I see the name flash up on the screen and bury my head in my hands. This couldn’t be worse timing. I feel overwhelmed. What I want to do is the opposite of what I need to do. It just sucks. I push the gears into reverse and screech out of the parking spot.
I’m like a madman, going around corners to get up the street. I’m moving way too quickly for anyone’s good. I turn left and drive, scanning the road. I see her and pull over, leaning across to open the door for her.
“Get in.”
She slides into the seat. Her musky scent is overwhelming; her pale skin is luminescent and those eyes, they’re still the same.
“Tell me what you know and get out,” I say to her, trying to stay strong.
“Oh honey,” she croons, “why the rush?”
I pull away as she draws closer to me. That magnetism is still there, stronger than ever.
“Just let Neon Lips make it better.”
I want to keep away, but I can’t. She still has some kind of control over me. All I can do is sit back as she turns and looks deep into my eyes, her scent engulfing me before her kiss.
To Be Continued
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