The Runner's Daughter

by Jessica McCrory

  “What happened to him?”

  “Cooper Sandoval killed him. The night I escaped, he came into my room still covered in Alejandro’s blood and taunted me. He bragged about how he’d killed my ‘lover boy’, and how he was going to teach me a lesson.”

  “Is that when you thought you killed him?”

  She nodded. “Alejandro had given me a knife, and that night, when Cooper attacked me, I drove it down into his eye and left him lying there, bleeding, while I made my escape. I found out later that Alejandro had only been working with Liam so he could save his family.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Liam had a habit of exploiting people’s families in order to gain employment. It was the ultimate control for him. Without Alejandro, I wouldn’t be here today. He taught me how to fight and how to use a gun. He is the reason I was able to escape, and I wish I could go back and somehow keep Cooper from killing him.”

  “I’m so sorry, Jemma. I know I keep saying that, and I know it won’t help. But I want you to know how damn sorry I am you had to deal with all that.”

  “I know, Caid, and thank you.”

  He nodded and leaned back in his chair. “We know Charmont runs the largest drug operation in this part of the country, and that he has been responsible for the deaths of more than one public official as well as countless civilians.”

  “You don’t even know the half of it.” She stood and began to pace. “When I was seventeen, he took me to inspect a new shipment that came in on the docks. I wasn’t expecting anything but the usual drugs and weapons, but when he opened that container.” She closed her eyes and a tear slipped out. “It was packed full of people. It’s not just drugs and weapons he ships, Caid. Liam sells people too. Men, women, and children taken from who knows where.” She clenched her fists. “There was nothing I could do to help them, even though I wanted to so badly.” She turned to him, and there was fire in her eyes. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to know about something so horrible but not be able to do anything about it?”

  Caid nodded. “I do. But we are going to do something about it, Jemma. We are going to bring him down.”

  “I’ve heard that line before.”

  “Never from me. When I tell you that, I mean it. We will nail him to the wall with everything he’s ever done.”

  “He doesn’t deserve jail; he needs to die.”

  “I agree, but we have to let the justice system do its work.”

  “I suppose we will have to disagree on that, because I promise you that the second I get a chance, I’m putting a bullet in him. Even if it means I end up in jail too.” Jemma put her coffee mug in the sink, and grabbed some clothes from her trunk before disappearing into the bathroom.

  Well, he supposed that was a bridge they were going to have to cross when they came to it. Caid had been raised believing the system wouldn’t fail the innocent. Watching his dad putting away criminals after spending so many years in the military had given him a heavy dose of patriotism. He still held that, but after his own experience in law enforcement, he knew that too often the bad guy got off on some technicality or another.

  They were going to have to make sure they had what they needed in order to keep Liam Charmont behind bars for good. Because if he ever escaped, Jemma had no chance at a normal life, and Caid desperately wanted her to have one so he could see just how deep his feelings for her ran.

  He put on his clothes and shoes, and then stared at himself in the mirror hanging on the wall. They were going to have to find somewhere to get him more clothing, he thought irritated as he looked at the bullet hole in his favorite leather jacket.

  Jemma stepped out, and Caid mentally groaned. He hadn’t thought she could get any more attractive, but dammit if the black leather pants, motorcycle boots, and black tee hadn’t made her so. She probably would have hated the comparison, but she looked like a badass Barbie.

  She belted on a shoulder strap and slid her .45 into the holster. Caid decided against reminding her he was an agent with the FBI and she couldn’t legally carry it.

  He watched, fascinated, as she quickly braided her blonde hair down her back and secured it with a tie. He would never understand how women could do that without being able to see it.

  She walked over to a full-length mirror and lifted it off its hooks to reveal a wall safe.

  “You are full of surprises,” Caid commented as he stepped up to her side and watched her put a code in.

  The door swung open, and Caid’s eyes widened. “Where the fuck did you get all this? Wait, don’t answer that. There’s no way you acquired them legally.”

  “Better in my hands than in Liam’s.”

  “What the hell did you think you needed all this for?”

  “War,” she said simply, and after grabbing some boxes of ammo, sealed the safe and replaced the mirror.

  15

  Jemma stood patiently outside the payphone as Caid made a call in to Pax. She watched every move those around her made, and her eyes searched for anything out of the ordinary. This was the closest she had ever been to finally being free of her father, and even if she didn’t trust the FBI, she trusted the man standing behind her with her life.

  He turned and offered her a light smile. He believed he knew what was coming for them, but he had absolutely no clue. She did though, and it was going to take everything they had in order to survive.

  Caid stepped out and put his gloves back on. The look on his face was exactly what Jemma had been expecting. Liam had moles so far up in the FBI she doubted they would get any help at all from them.

  “Pax warned us to stay away for now, told me to take a few days before returning. She is handling what she can from the inside, but the thumb drive we gave her was empty.”

  Jemma’s back straightened. “It was not. I copied the data onto it myself, Caid.”

  “Pax isn’t going to lie to me, Jemma.” His tone was a warning to not press, but she was too pissed off not to.

  “Caid, I am telling you that the thumb drive I handed her was absolutely not blank.”

  “Does it really fucking matter right now? Pax says it was, and I believe her.”

  “Yeah, because who would believe the daughter of a criminal,” she scoffed and began walking down the street. He caught up with her and stopped her with a hand on her arm.

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

  “Whatever. What’s our next move then, Agent King?”

  “We need to check out those docks you mentioned.”

  “Seriously? Do you have any idea the arsenal he has guarding those?”

  “Nope, but you do. Just as I imagine you know exactly where the guards are posted and the best way to sneak in.”

  She stared at him completely and totally dumfounded. Did he want to die? Still, if they could gather some evidence and turn it over to the right people, they might be able to put a stop to Liam’s operations.

  “Fine. But we need to grab a camera first.”

  “After you BB.”

  “BB?”

  “It’s your new nickname.”

  “What exactly does it stand for?”

  He grinned. “Badass Barbie,” he said and started walking.

  “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” she muttered, but a small smile played at her lips.

  Jemma and Caid crouched low as they made their way through the maze of shipping containers. As it turned out, it was much easier than Caid would have thought to sneak in. Luckily for them, a large truck had been coming in the same time, and they had been able to sneak in on the side.

  “Over here,” Jemma whispered, and Caid followed until a small building right on the edge of the water came into sight. “Looks like today is our lucky day.” She pointed to a group of men standing next to the water.

  Caid growled when he saw Charmont’s muscle from the day before standing in front of other men. He did gain some satisfaction at seeing the asshole’s arm in a sling.

 
; Caid had been lucky, and the bullet that hit him hadn’t gone in too deep, otherwise he might have been in one too.

  “Do you know where they store those containers?” Caid asked, trying to ignore the throbbing in his arm. Funny, it hadn’t been bothering him until he’s started thinking about it.

  He flexed his shoulders and turned to see Jemma staring at him.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked worriedly. “You did get shot yesterday.”

  “Twice, but who’s counting? I’m fine; this is more important.”

  “All right, if you say so.” She pointed to the right side of the building where two containers were stacked. “They only bring in a couple at a time and have them unloaded within twenty-four hours.”

  They watched as the men got into a black SUV and drove away. “If we are going to make a move, now’s the time. They meet Liam for lunch after inspecting the shipments, and then on his orders come back to move it.”

  “Let’s go then.”

  They made their way over to the containers, and Jemma pulled a pair of lock cutters from her backpack.

  Once the lock was snipped, Jemma and Caid opened the door.

  “Son of a bitch,” Card cursed as he stared at over a dozen pairs of eyes watching him.

  “Are you here to help us?” A girl no older than sixteen stepped forward. She was slender and holding the hand of a brunette about the same age.

  “Yes. I’m Agent King with the FBI, and this is my associate, Miss Saige.”

  “I’m Amber.”

  “We need to move fast,” Jemma reminded him and popped the lock on the second container. It was full of crates, and after lifting the lid of one, they discovered they were packed full of cocaine. Jemma took pictures with the small digital camera that hung around her neck, and then closed the container back up.

  “Come with us and stay low,” Caid said and motioned for Jemma to lead the way. He watched with absolute disgust and anger as fifteen young girls ranging from around fifteen to their early twenties filed out of the container and after Jemma.

  He followed behind them until they reached a stack of containers near the gates. “Fuck,” Jemma said as he approached.

  “What is it?”

  “Apparently lunch was canceled.” She gestured to the SUV coming back in through the gates. “And if we aren’t gone before they realize their cargo is missing, Eric will have this place locked down, and we won’t ever escape.” Caid watched the black SUV re-enter the yard.

  “How are we going to get out?” Amber asked, and Caid smiled warmly at her.

  “We’ll figure it out.”

  “Still have your badge on you?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then look the other way,” Jemma said and snuck away to a van that was parked off to the side.

  “That’s a felony,” he muttered as she broke in and hot-wired it. He ushered the girls to the van, and Jemma scooted over so he could drive. “Here we go,” he muttered as he pulled up to the window. “Hey, man, how’s it going?” He smiled at the guard and held out his badge so the guard could inspect it.

  “Agent King.” He glanced in the passenger seat. “Who’s your friend?”

  “My girlfriend, who is currently pissed at me since I ended our date early to drop some things in storage.”

  The man studied him for a moment and then handed Caid’s badge back. “Probably shouldn’t do that.”

  “Good advice. Have a nic--”

  The guards radio went ballistic, and he stepped back to answer it.

  Caid pressed the gas gently and eased away from the gate until he reached the street. Then he punched it to put as much distance between them and the shipping yard as possible.

  “I can’t believe he bought that,” Jemma commented. “Hopefully, he doesn’t disappear.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Liam is going to be pissed when he realizes that guard let us out.”

  “I don’t get it. Who are you rooting for?”

  “Us, obviously. I was just making a comment.” She turned around to the scared girls huddled in the back of the work van. “When was the last time any of you ate?”

  Amber spoke up. “Two days ago. I think anyway. I was trying to keep track, but it’s hard when you can’t see outside.”

  Jemma nodded. “Head back to my safe house. We can drop them off and then ditch the van.”

  “The stolen van you mean?”

  “Would you rather I have not stolen it?”

  “No, just making a comment.” He grinned as he watched the road, and Jemma felt her heart flutter slightly. Damn him.

  An hour later, Caid returned to her apartment a hero as he carried in half a dozen large pizzas. The girls, who had been ecstatic and talkative only moments before, went silent as they devoured the food.

  “How long do you think they had been in there?” Caid whispered as he and Jemma stood at the counter eating.

  “Not sure. After they get some food in them, I think we need to ask.”

  “Maybe we should give them tonight.”

  “Caid--”

  “Jemma, they need rest. We can ask them in the morning.”

  “Fine. You’re probably right.”

  He smirked at her. “I think you’re coming around to me, Saige.”

  “Unlikely, King.”

  “Admit it, you like me.”

  “I tolerate you.”

  “Uh-huh. I saw how you checked me out when we sparred that first time.”

  “Please, could your ego be any larger?”

  “Probably.” He leaned back against the counter. “How long do you think we can hide here?” he asked, changing the subject.

  Jemma pursed her lips. “Hard to tell. I’ve hidden it extremely well, but Liam is resourceful. If he was somehow able to track our movements, then he could find us in a matter of days. There are no street cams over here, no ATM cameras or anything like that, so it helps keep us off the grid.”

  “Well, we’ll move as quickly as possible to gather evidence. Tomorrow we’ll take these girls over to the NYPD and see about getting them home.”

  They looked over, and all the girls were already asleep, half eaten pizza slices in the boxes and all.

  “You don’t want to take them over to the FBI?”

  Caid ground his teeth together and shook his head. “Until we know exactly who is corrupt, I don’t want to risk it. The NYPD is more visible in the sense of there are more officers. I know quite a few good cops in that office, and since it’s not the FBI, the girls will be able to stay slightly under the radar this way. Possibly anyway. I’m hoping Charmont has his eyes on the bureau and not on street cops.”

  Jemma nodded and then smiled. She had finally been able to help some of her father’s victims, and it gave her hope that one day soon, they would be able to help them all.

  Jemma sat on the roof watching the empty street below her. This part of the city was scarce. Every now and then some drunk guy would come stumbling down the sidewalk, or a homeless person looking for shelter for the night, but for the most part, the city’s occupants didn’t venture this way. It was why she had chosen this building. It was in an area her father wouldn’t think to look, and if he did, there likely wouldn’t be any innocents getting in the way when he did come for her.

  Jemma was no fool. She knew eventually he would find her hidey hole. She just hoped they would be able to take him down first.

  She had no intention of letting him get arrested. She’d meant what she said -- she was going to put a bullet in him, even if it meant Caid would have to haul her off to jail for it. He deserved nothing less than death for the horrible things he had done.

  Jemma closed her eyes and thought back to the people she had seen in that storage container all those years before — the ones she hadn’t been able to save. She hoped they had somehow managed to get out, to find a way to gain their freedom.

  “Hey.”

  Jemma turned to see
Caid standing a few feet away. “Hey, don’t you know better than to sneak up on an armed woman?”

  “I figured you probably wouldn’t shoot me.”

  “I suppose you figured right.” She turned back to look at the city lights.

  “New York sure is gorgeous at night, isn’t it?”

  She nodded. She had always loved the bustle of the big city. You never felt truly alone when there were so many people around you.

  “How are you doing?” he asked and leaned against the half wall next to her.

  “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

  “I could see how difficult it was for you to see those girls in that locker. Makes me wonder if there’s something you left out about your time with him.”

  Jemma stayed silent. She had no reason to tell him her deepest, darkest memories. Still, she wondered how he would take it. Would he feel sorry for her? “I just can’t stop thinking about what would have happened to them if we hadn’t found them.”

  “You can’t think like that.” He walked to her. “We found them. They get to go home and be with their families again, and live normal lives.”

  “There are so many others just like them that haven’t been saved.”

  “We will save them. We are going to bring him down and rescue anyone we can, and once he is in prison, he won’t be able to do this to anyone else.”

  She nodded and continued staring out at the skyline.

  “It’s been a while since you’ve had a panic attack.”