Larry really didn’t want to leave. However, he couldn’t very well invite Finn over for a debrief in her home. The information was sensitive, classified. Besides, he didn’t want to drag her any further into this mess than she already was. As a thought struck him, he moved the curtain and searched the street below.
His heart sank when he noticed the battered sedan parked a little way down. They were persistent, he’d give them that. It seemed he was going to have to make his presence known again. Hopefully, this time, he’d be able to convey a message too. He needed them to understand he wouldn’t tolerate them intimidating Tahlia.
He knew what he had to do; he just didn’t want to. She’d had so much fear and anxiety in her life already. She was finally coming out on the other side of it, and he didn’t want to be the one to send her into a downward spiral back to that dark place, but he needed to drive home his argument for her going into witness protection.
“Sweetheart, can you come here a minute?”
Slowly, Tahlia rose from the sofa, reluctance stamped all over her. Her body language screamed anxiety and discomfort. “What is it, Laurence? Is it bad news?”
He waited for her get to him, slipping an arm around her shoulders before he answered her. “Unfortunately, that would be an affirmative on multiple fronts.”
A frown marred her smooth forehead. “What do you mean?”
“Firstly, the message I received is not good news, and it means I’m going to have to leave, even though I don’t want to. Secondly, we have a situation outside.” He shifted Tahlia to stand in front of him at the window and pointed down into the street. “Do you see that rather beat-up dark green sedan parked by the curb?”
She was silent a moment and then replied, “Yes, I see it.”
Putting a gentle hand on her arm, Larry gave it a squeeze. “It’s not the first time it’s been parked out there. They’ve been watching the house, monitoring your movements, and probably reporting to whomever is paying them.”
Her small frame jerked under his hand. She swung around to face him, and he had to step back to avoid an elbow to the chest. “What do you mean, they’re watching me? Who are they? Why are they watching me?”
“The message that came in a few minutes ago will hopefully shed some light on all of this. They” — he indicated the car — “are smalltime hoodlums always on the lookout to earn easy money. What worries me is, who are they working for?”
Larry gathered Tahlia’s stiff frame close as he tangled a hand in her loose tresses. He tugged gently so she tipped her head back to look up at him. She stood quietly in his arms and stared into his eyes, as if searching for the answers he didn’t yet have.
He laid his lips on hers with a kiss that had her pressing closer. She moaned into his mouth, her fingers curling into his shirt tightly. Despite how she responded though, he could almost taste her fear as he kissed her. And the thought clawed at his heart. The last thing he wanted was to be the source of her distress, but he desperately needed her to understand the gravity of the situation at hand.
If this was what it took to get her under protection, then he’d deal with his conscience later.
With great reluctance, he broke off the kiss. “Lia, I need to go meet with my agent, but I hate leaving you here on your own. I’ll order a vehicle on the house. You need to stay inside. Don’t go out, especially on your own. If you want, I can come back later when I’m done?”
“I’d like that very much,” she replied.
Larry walked to the door, stopping short of opening it. “Promise me you’ll stay here. I need to know you’re safe while I’m gone.”
Tahlia nodded.
“The words, sweetheart. I need to hear the words.”
An obstinate look crossed her expressive face before going blank again. She sighed, then said, “I promise.”
He leaned forward, and just before his lips touched hers, he replied, “Thank you, baby. I appreciate it.” He closed the tiny distance and kissed her, long and deep. Reluctantly, Larry drew back. “I have to go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Be careful, stay safe.”
With one last smile, Larry waited for her to close the door and lock it. Then he walked away. It felt like he was leaving his heart behind in the suite. He needed to shake the feeling off and get his head in the game. There was too much riding on this for him to be distracted.
On the ground floor, he went looking for Mrs. Wilson. He found her in the kitchen with a cup of tea and a book.
“Good evening, ma’am.”
“Oh, hello dear. Can I get you a cup of tea?”
“No thank you, Mrs. Wilson. I was just wondering, is there a back gate on the property?”
“Yes, dear. Why? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No, ma’am. There’s something I need to check out, and it would be easier if I could go out the back.”
For long moments, Mrs. Wilson searched his face, as if trying to read his mind to decipher what he was up to. He could see the questions she was dying to ask in her eyes but was pleasantly surprised when she simply stood and said, “This way, dear.”
Larry followed the older woman out the back and to the gate. She unlocked it for him and stood back to let him out.
“Lock up once I’m out, Mrs. Wilson. I’ll wait until you’re done.”
Once he was through, he did as he said and waited to hear the click of the lock as it closed securely. He heard her footsteps as she headed back to the house. Then he turned, rolled his shoulders, and made his way back to his vehicle. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and placed a call for back up. When he was done, he replaced the phone while watching the vehicle parked down the street, several cars away.
It didn’t take long for an unmarked vehicle to slide in behind him, and he noted one of his most trusted, long-time agents climb out from behind the wheel. After a brief exchange, the other man returned to his own vehicle, filling his partner in on the plan.
She stepped out of the vehicle, and as they’d discussed, strolled down the street toward where the suspect was parked. When they were in place, one of the agents gave the signal, and Larry got out of his car. He headed for the mark, and this time, he approached with more stealth, intending on catching the driver unaware.
As he approached the vehicle in its blind spot, he slid his Glock clear of its holster. He crept up to the window and tapped on the glass. The driver jumped and turned to look out. Panic flashed across his face as he recognized Larry.
“Come on out, Hector. Let’s chat a minute.” He saw the man’s hand move toward the ignition. “Uh-uh, you don’t want to be doing that. I’m feeling a little edgy today, and there’s no telling what my trigger finger will do if you touch that key. So best you come on out for that chat.”
Hector opened the door, and Larry braced. He didn’t know what to expect – did the man have a weapon? Would he come out swinging? With no way to know, he’d far rather be prepared for anything rather than get caught on the back foot.
Once Hector was fully clear of the door, Larry indicated for the other man to close the door and to step away from the vehicle. He stepped forward and patted Hector down for any concealed weapons. He found a gun tucked into the waistband of Hector’s jeans. Removing the weapon, Larry put it in the pocket of his jacket.
“That’s my property, man. You got no right to take my stuff.”
“I don’t trust you not to use it.”
“Fuck you, man.”
“Thanks for the invite, but you’re not my type. Besides, I’m far more interested in why you’re staking that house out,” Larry said, indicating Mrs. Wilson’s house.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Me and my homie are just sitting here chillin’, man. Why you always gotta bust my balls, man?”
“Playtime’s over, Hector. I’ve seen you watching that house for days now. I want to know why. So, you have a choice. We can do this the easy way, and you can tell me what I want to know right
now and be on your merry way. Or I can haul your ass downtown, and you can share what you know there. And then you can have the pleasure of telling your employer why you were at the FBI building. Your call.”
“No, man. Why you gotta do me like that, man?”
“Last chance.”
If he hadn’t been watching for it, Larry would not have seen the telltale sign in Hector’s eyes a split second before Hector braced to bolt. He reached out and grabbed the man’s wrist in an iron grip.
Like the lowlife worm that he was, he wiggled and squirmed in an attempt to break the hold. Despite the fact that Hector was a good five inches taller and probably twenty pounds heavier, Larry made short work of subduing and cuffing Hector’s hands behind his back with the handcuffs he pulled from the rear pocket of his pants.
“Come on, dude. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
Hector struggled like a man possessed. He cursed a blue streak and called out to his friend to help him. Larry’s ears pricked up when he heard the passenger door open. He swung them around, maneuvering their bodies so that they were facing the direction of the sedan. He didn’t want to be caught from behind. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his two agents take a step toward them, training their weapons on the youngster climbing out.
Bringing his weapon up, he pointed it at Hector’s companion. “You’re gonna want to stop right there. I don’t want to have to put a bullet hole in you, but trust me when I tell you, I would do it in a heartbeat if I had to.”
Hector’s young companion held his hands up to show he was unarmed.
With his weapon, Larry indicated for the man to get back in the vehicle. “Get back in and stay there. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
His young face was a mask of fear and uncertainty. Larry estimated him to be no older than late teens. Maybe seventeen. It burned like acid in his gut when he saw them get sucked into this life. Nodding furiously, the kid got back into the sedan and closed the door, his hands in full view.
Larry twisted a fist in the hood of Hector’s hoodie and marched him over to the other agents’ vehicle. “This makes me very unhappy, Hector. I have an appointment, and now I’m going to be late because I’ve gotta drag your sorry ass over to the office.”
“Fuck you, asshole,” Hector spat in reply.
“Already told you, you ain’t my taste.” He smiled grimly at Hector before continuing. “Who you working for, Hector?”
“I ain’t telling you nothing, man.”
“I can protect you, you know. I can keep you safe.”
“You don’t know what you talking about. And I ain’t got nothing to say to you.”
It interested him greatly that, despite the swearing and blustering, the other man was afraid. He was curious about who the man was working for that had him so frightened.
He handed Hector over to the agents, having a quiet word with them before calling Finn to let him know he’d been delayed but was on his way.
Traffic was light, and he reached the designated meet spot in good time. He parked a little distance away to scope out the lay of the land. There was no movement and no sound out of the ordinary. When he felt as comfortable as he was going to get under the circumstances, he climbed out and made his way to the nearest building.
Once again, he stopped to listen. Not hearing anything, he entered the building as quietly as possible. He stood for a moment just inside the door and allowed his eyes to become accustomed to the dimness. As they adjusted, he scanned the room in search of Finn.
He spotted his agent leaning against a wall on the opposite side from him. If he didn’t know the man better, he’d have sworn he was relaxed, without a care in the world. But he did know him better and could see the tension telegraphed in his stance.
Larry made his way over to where Finn stood. “Hey, how’s it going?”
The other man straightened. “Gotta say, boss man, I’ve been better.” He indicated with his head for him to follow.
They entered the office just to the side of where Finn had been standing. The furniture inside was old and well used, but dust free. Clearly, this space was put to use on a regular basis. The other man indicated for Larry to take a seat.
“What you got for me?”
Finn heaved a huge sigh, a hand going to his neck where he rubbed. “What we have, sir, is a clusterfuck of note. If my informant is to be believed, and I believe he is, we have a problem on our hands that is going to have far-reaching consequences.”
Larry frowned. “Lay it out for me.”
And that’s exactly what the man did. He listened without comment as Finn shared all the information his informant had given him. But the more Finn spoke, the sicker Larry began to feel. They’d known they had a leak in the department. What they hadn’t known is just how deep the mole was buried.
By the time Finn was finished, a rage unlike any he’d ever felt bubbled through him. His heart raced, his breathing was shallow, his mind buzzed. He wiped a shaking hand over his brow, frowning at his shoes as his mind scrambled to process everything he’d just heard.
Now that he had the answer to the question that had been haunting him recently, he had no idea how the hell he was going to fix the problem. It was delicate and needed to be dealt with carefully, but there was no way out. It had to be dealt with. The problem was, he had no idea who he could turn to for help. No idea who he could trust.
Right about then, he would have sold his soul to the devil for a bottle of Pepto Bismol.
12
Larry waited impatiently for the District Attorney to arrive. Preston James had agreed to meet him at the club, since they were both members there. He needed a neutral space where he was assured of privacy and, more importantly, no possibility of bugs.
He felt jumpier than a cat on a hot tin roof. This case had taken a turn he couldn’t have foreseen. He’d been in the game long enough to expect the unexpected, but this time, he’d been completely blindsided by the revelation of who the mole was. Not prone to nerves, even under fire, even he was jittery.
With absolutely no clue who in the department could be trusted, Larry felt cut off from any support he might have asked for in the past. He was going out on a limb putting his trust in Preston. However, they’d been friends for years, so he’d chosen to give him the benefit of the doubt. First they’d been at school together, then they’d attended the same college before Larry had chosen to go into the private sector while Preston had gone on to work for the state.
Right on time, the District Attorney strode into the bar area of the club. He wore an aura of confidence like a second skin. He drew many admiring glances, but today, Larry could see he was all business. Considering the nature of their meeting, he wasn’t surprised either. He’d shared a small amount of information, enough to whet the man’s appetite, but not enough to compromise the case should it get back to the mole.
His gut twisted at the thought. He couldn’t believe it when Finn had revealed their leak. He’d have bet his entire career the person was a company man to the bone. Clearly, he’d been wrong.
“Larry. How’s it going?” Preston held out a hand.
Larry stood, taking the proffered hand. “Not so great. How about you?”
“I was doing pretty good until I got your call, brother. Sounds like you’ve got a really crappy situation on your hands.”
“You can say that again. In the words of my agent, what we have here is a clusterfuck of note. Pull up a chair, and I’ll bring you up to speed. I’m definitely going to need your help on this one. What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have the usual, thanks.”
Larry nodded, then indicated a table in the corner of the room where they could sit with their backs to the wall. They’d be able to see who came and went. He placed their order before following his friend to the table.
He took a seat, dragging his hands tiredly over his face, and looked over at the other man. There was so much to tell that he was at a loss on quit
e where to start. For the first time in a very long time, he felt lost as to how to proceed. The last time he’d felt this overwhelmed had been back in the early days of his career with the agency.
He gathered his thoughts, and taking a deep breath, he started to lay it all out for Preston. The waitress came over with their drinks, and he paused while she flirted with them for a minute. Usually, he enjoyed the interaction. Today, he just wanted to get on with things.
As she walked away, Larry continued talking. Periodically, Preston would ask a question to clarify a point, but for the most part, he was quiet as he listened. When Larry reached the end, the man simply sat there. He looked as shellshocked as Larry himself had felt earlier when Finn had dropped the bombshell on him.
“I’m tempted to ask if you’re sure, but I know that’s a pointless question. You would never have come to me unless you were. Jesus, Larry.” Just as Larry had earlier, Preston ran his hands over his face.
“Yeah.”
The two men sat in silence, each contemplating their own thoughts. The situation had far-reaching consequences, and the fallout would be enormous when the knowledge became public. Careers would implode, and anyone being seen to associate with those involved would come under intense scrutiny too. The question was, though, how did they handle the situation?
Their leak was a man in a position of power and had friends in very high places. They would need to tread carefully; their case would need to be airtight.
“Okay, let’s start with something simple on the scale of difficult to impossible.”
“Shoot.”
“Marcus Forrester. Do you feel the knowledge he has is worth risking our careers for? Because you know if I can swing a pardon, the governor is going to want something solid and worthwhile.”
“Yeah, I reckon Marcus is in deep enough to be privy to important info. Important enough to crack this ugly mess wide open.”
Trusting Laurence Page 10
