It’s mostly the truth, but not entirely.
“Well, you can skip out on feed tonight if you want to head home early…”
Nope. This is my happy place. My safe space. It’s more cathartic if anything.
“Thanks, but I’ll stick around.” I pull back and wipe the tears from my eyes. Derek appears in the doorway with a hard expression, My face is red and blotchy, no doubt. He was privy to watch what went down with the Aldridges. I wonder what bullshit everybody else in town has said to him about me.
“Are you all right?”
Derek’s phone tears through the moment.
“Give me five. I’ll be right there.”
He smiles apologetically and turns away.
21
DEREK
I land in Chicago near midnight. Steve waits for me at baggage claim with a stony look on his face. I briefed him after I got done with Nate. From what Steve has observed, the two Agents who have been put to babysit him are on his payroll. He and Tanner were able to figure it out together through bank records. But, the FBI doesn’t have a connection yet. And for them to even look into these two, someone higher up needs to take notice. Unfortunately, Nate can’t investigate them if he never sees them.
Now the real work begins. Delgado is renting a car under an alias and will be in the front of arrivals to pick us up by the time I’m done meeting with Steve.
“How was your flight?” He asks.
“Fine. How has the hunting been going?”
A sinister smile spreads across his lips.
“It was more observing if anything. And, instead of junior, I was checking out the woman who came to the barbeque. She and I had words.”
“Yeah? What happened?”
“I have proof of her messing around with multiple other men, not just the driver. I threatened to expose her if she didn’t cooperate. She’s told us the number for the burner phone and has told Novak everything he needed to know about the conversations she’s overheard. We need to get audio and visual in the apartment. He’s nearby scouting the place. He’s going to stage a block-wide blackout and he’ll disable the backup generator for the apartment building. I hope you’ve been working on your cardio. He lives in the penthouse. Also, Dodge is meeting with the FBI tonight, so he isn’t here.”
Great.
“Well, let’s get moving, then. The faster we can do this, the faster we can put this behind us.”
He gives me a questioning look. I’m here because I need Zoey to be safe, and I can’t do that if Aria’s demons are coming back to haunt her. We live on the same street.
Who am I kidding? She’s…interesting. And I want her to feel like she can relax on her own property.
That’s concerning.
Steve and I walk out to the curb and find Delgado parked on the side waiting for us. He’s a serious guy. I think I’ve only seen him smile one time. But he’s the best at what he does. He’s quick. He’s lethal. He’s thorough. And at a time like this, we need him.
“Bubba,” He greets quietly as he gets out of the car and pops the trunk.
“Cabron,” I reply, earning me a smirk from him.
“Let’s move. Tanner’s in position.”
The apartment building looms above us, taunting us with something we won’t ever have. I’m okay with my three bedroom house in the middle of nowhere. At least there, the atmosphere is warm, and there are kind people all around me. As for Dodge, this place is…cold.
Delgado parks a block away with the building still in sight.
“And we’re going dark in three…two…one…” Tanner’s voice crackles over our earpieces when the block goes dark.
Delgado’s and my ball caps are thrown on and pulled low over our eyes and we walk staggered to the back door of the apartment building.
“Back door is demagnetized. Be quick.”
We slip in through the back and enter the back stairwell. Fourteen fucking flights of stairs. Are you kidding me?
We take them two at a time, huffing and puffing until we reach the top. Delgado cracks the door and peers out, his night vision equipment giving us the advantage.
Sweat beads in my hairline and the back of my neck as the minutes tick by. He gives me a thumbs up and we quietly pass through the door,
It’s eerily quiet. And…sterile. Not one thing is out of place. There isn’t any light filtering through here. Night vision illuminates our way, seeing how this asshole truly lives. There isn’t an ounce of clutter anywhere. A strong scent of citrus cleaner hangs in the air. We scan the room, silently cataloging everything. He’ll know if something is amiss.
“All rooms need a/v,” Nate’s voice chimes in on the earpiece. “He’s observant so make sure you hide that shit strategically. Otherwise we’re screwed and he’ll walk free.”
“Understood,” Delgado replies for us. He sets the brief case on the kitchen island and opens it. He hands me a handful of devices and assures me he’ll do the common areas.
My first stop is the master bedroom. The rage flows through me like a coursing river when my eyes rest on the bed he and Aria shared. How many nights did she cower in the fetal position?
Focus…
There’s a perfect spot behind the armoire which would conceal the microphone perfectly. Putting the camera in a light would be too obvious. I’ve learned something important about Charlie Dodge. He’s expecting some kind of foul play. He’s constantly looking over his shoulder.
“What side of the bed does he sleep on?” I ask.
“Does it matter?” Tanner replies.
“There’s not a ton of space I can put the camera without him noticing. I can put it in an outlet that’s not being used, which would be Aria’s side…”
“It’s the side closest to the bathroom,” Nate replies.
“Are you sure?”
“She told me he needed to be close to the bathroom when he slept. He needed a quick space he could hide if anything happened.”
Pussy.
“Got it. Thank you.” I take a mini screwdriver out of my pocket and take the outlet plate off the wall on Aria’s side of the room and position the camera.
“I’ve got visual, but it isn’t great,” Tanner announces.
“It’s better than nothing. We can’t afford for him to find it. Besides, he has a distinctive voice, so audio is the main player here,” I reply.
“All right. How many areas do you still have?”
“The guest room and I believe that’s it. Delgado, what’s your status?”
“I’m done, jack ass. Hurry up.”
Asshole.
We rendezvous at a diner in the suburbs. Steve buys us a late dinner and smiles for the first time in months. Agnes, our waitress, is taken with him. Always refilling his glass of coke up first and flirting horribly.
He texts Betty Lou he’ll be home as soon as he can.
Tanner is one of my best friends. And right now, he looks like absolute crap. His brown hair is disheveled, and it looks like he hasn’t slept in days. He asks Agnes for a coke, in which I immediately correct to a water. He glares at me.
“Mind your business, Bubba.”
“I could knock you out if you’d like,” I offer slyly.
He rolls his eyes.
“You assholes have me up all hours of the night. Need I remind you, you only hired one of me.”
“We didn’t hire you,” Steve quips. “You asked to be a part of the group.”
Tanner grumbles under his breath while Steve excuses himself to the restroom.
“So, when are you going to tell Old Man McKenzie you have a thing for his daughter?”
“Fuck,” Delgado grumbles under his breath.
“What are you talking about?”
“How was the viewing party for the International Space Station the other night, Bubba? Did you strike out?”
“If you don’t shut your mouth by the time Steve comes back, I will knock you out. She’s my friend. And she’s Zoey’s new best friend.�
��
He waggles his eyebrows suggestively.
“It’s good, Bubba. You’re letting someone in. You’re giving Zoey a new Mommy.”
“You may be my brother, but it’s not going to stop me from beating the piss out of you the second we step outside.”
He rolls his eyes and waves me off dismissively.
“Are you making a play for her?” Delgado asks.
“No. We’re friends, that’s it. I told her I didn’t want a relationship, and she’s already said she’s off the market for the rest of her life. There’s nothing between us.”
Delgado inhales and cocks his head as if to say, ‘It’s your funeral.’
“You hugged her.”
“I hug Eve too.”
Immediately, Tanner’s face falls.
“She’s been calling me a lot,” he says sadly.
“Have you talked to her?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nate told me not to answer her calls. She’s smart. She knows she can play me like a fiddle.”
Eve and Tanner were always close. Like a brother and sister relationship. And now Nate has broken up with her without much of an explanation, we’re all put in an awkward position.
“I listen to the voicemails. First she was devastated. Now she’s angry. She’s already threatened to come to my house and force me to talk to her.”
“It’s a shitty situation,” Delgado reasons. “This jobs sucks. It’s like they say in the Corps. If the Marine Corps wanted you to have a wife, they’d issue you one. Same rings true for the Bureau. I don’t blame him for letting her go. I love her. She’s my sister, but I don’t think I’d ever get over it if she got killed because of a case.”
Steve swings back into the booth.
“I wish I wasn’t the one she’s threatening. Bubba, has she tried to get in touch with you?”
“No. I think she knows I wouldn’t say anything. Do you think she bought Nate’s story?”
Tanner scoffs. “Absolutely not. She’s knows something’s up and she gets angrier with every passing day.”
“I don’t see him saying goodbye a second time. That was it. He’s not going to give up his dream job for her,” Delgado says.
We reach an awkward silence, soaking in Nate’s situation. When all of this is over and the Dodges are behind bars, we’ll help Nate get back on the right track. But for now, all of our lives are at stake.
After we’re done eating, Delgado and Tanner take off, leaving Steve and I alone.
“How’s she doing?”
“I think she’s doing okay. She told off Brian and Nicole Aldridge today, so I guess that’s progress.”
He puffs his chest with pride and tries to hide his smile.
“Betty Lou said she’s been seeing a therapist.”
“She’s not taking any of this lying down. She’s a fighter.”
This time, Steve purses his lips and twiddles his thumbs.
“When she was born, I knew there was something about her that would be resilient. She was six weeks early. Nearly killed herself and her mother on the way out. When they brought her to the NICU, Betty Lou immediately went into surgery to repair the internal bleeding, so I had to follow Aria. I expected her to cry or scream or…something. She never did.”
“She hasn’t folded under the pressure of the investigation. You’ve got to hand it to her, Steve, she was in danger, but she noticed Nate was watching and got a message to him. She made it out alive. I think she’s a lot stronger than everyone gives her credit for.”
Steve narrows his eyes at me, pondering my words.
“People make mistakes, Steve. And I think if anyone knows that it’s her. She’s sorry. And she just wants you to love her.”
“What exactly is going on between the two of you?” He asks suspiciously.
“Nothing. I overheard her talking to Chris.”
He nods and frowns.
“I grabbed some rooms in a motel close to the highway. Let’s get some shut eye before our flight leaves in,” he checks his watch, “five hours.”
Three hours of sleep. Perfect.
22
ARIA
25 weeks pregnant…
It’s brutally hot outside. Derek isn’t around, and I totally could’ve gotten away with a form fitting, short sleeved shirt, but I’m not taking any chances. Besides, the long sleeves protect me from the annoying flies. My belly is growing by the day, and it’s not like I owe him an explanation, but, I feel like this secret I’m keeping close to my chest is the only thing I can control at the moment. Pathetic. I know, but I have to grab control while I can.
Annie is slaving away at her computer. She told me she’s trying to stack articles so she can get ready for the Summer Series at the rodeo and not have to worry about work. And while Chris is working the crops with Bernard, Hank, and Jose, I’m stuck alone at the barns.
I’m not complaining. In fact, I prefer it when I have the place to myself.
Olson has been quiet. I visited this morning and made him breakfast because he was working so hard, but he barely exchanged five words with me. JJ used to tell us in the military, no news is good news. But when it comes to Charlie, no news is concerning news. He hasn’t blown up my new phone in a week or two. I have a new cache of voicemails I have yet to send Olson, but I feel like if I do that, I lose my independence. He’ll take my phone away to analyze, and then we’ll be in this perpetual circle of changing my number, only for Charlie to find the new one.
It’s Coley’s day to get her feet trimmed. Eric is dropping by to do a quick trim, and he’ll be on his merry way. Thirty minutes tops.
Eric strolls in with a cigarette hanging lazily in between his lips. He waves and sets his equipment down. We don’t exchange pleasantries, because of who are as people. You’d think as old as Coley is, her sass would be toned down by now. Nope. Instead, she throws her head back and forth out of sheer boredom. She demands attention. And apple cookies.
“The doc isn’t around, is he?” Eric asks as I make myself comfortable on Zoey’s lawn chair.
“No. I’m not sure where he is, actually.”
He nods and starts working on Coley without a second glance.
It’s a quiet afternoon. I left my phone at Annie’s so I could lose myself in mucking stalls. Besides, Momma has made it her mission to call me every half hour to make sure I’m doing okay. I’ve been itching to call my father, but I’m afraid it’ll end up in a shouting match and I’m not entirely up for the fighting.
Eric talks to Coley in a low voice. She listens and lowers her head in relaxation. She’s spoiled in the sense that any grooming, whether it’s brushing or getting her feet done, she relaxes into it and tucks her sass away for another day.
“What’s this scar on her back leg?” Eric asks.
“Oh, that happened a few months ago. She kicked down a whole panel of fencing because the food wasn’t coming fast enough.”
He chuckles and pats her neck.
“It’s looking a lot better. Is she still lame?”
“Not really. She does favor that leg, so I’m not rushing into riding her until she feels one hundred percent on it.”
Or, once the baby comes since I’m not allowed to ride anymore.
Fifteen minutes later, Eric’s done. He gives me an invoice and encourages me to call the office so I can pay with a credit card and leaves the property.
“Hey.”
I turn around to Derek’s voice. It’s then I see Daddy behind him, watching me with weary and untrusting eyes.
Awesome.
“Hi Daddy. How was your trip?”
“It was fine. What’s she doing in here?” He asks, walking closer to Coley and stroking her nose.
“Eric stopped by to trim her feet. You just missed him.” He towers over me, avoiding my gaze. I literally looked up to him my entire life. Only this time, he refuses to look me in the eyes. “So who did you see?”
“Some friends from college,” he replies nonchalantly.
“Friends from college,” I repeat in disbelief. When he doesn’t say anything, it only fuels my anger more. “You didn’t go to college, Dad. Try again.”
He smirks and takes a few steps back.
“I’m home now. Where’s your brother?”
“Harvesting.” My clipped answer amuses him. I don’t know what it is about the men in the family, but they thoroughly enjoy pissing me off.
“I’m going to check in with him.” Without another word, he storms off out of the barn and hops into the truck and drives off.
“You were with him, weren’t you?” I ask Derek without looking at him.
“It was pure coincidence we got here at the same time.”
Right. And my mother is Cameron Diaz.
“Oh?”
“Yep. Had a family emergency I had to take care of.”
Mmhm.
“I’m going to get some shut eye. I’m beat.”
“I’ll bet. Conspiring with my father must be exhausting.”
I want to be angry, but his smirk makes me smile.
“It is. I can’t keep up. Hey, drink some water. It’s fucking hot out here.”
I wave him off and watch him walk away. There’s something they’re keeping from me. And I don’t like it one bit.
23
DEREK
I’ve never skipped a day of running, and I’m not about to let an impromptu trip to Chicago ruin that for me. The porch swing groans under my weight as I lazily reach for my tennis shoes and pull them on.
It’s a beautiful day, and while I’m usually working at this time, I have the day off and I need to find my normal before my head runs off with the little minx I left at the barn.
I stand up from the porch swing and stretch, allowing my back and joints to pop before I start my three miles. The back pasture is the perfect place to run. For the most part, the ground is pretty flat, and there aren’t any holes I need to worry about. And it’s close enough to home that I won’t have the women of Sage Creek ogling me as I run or catcalling me to take my shirt off.
Make Me Dream (The Sage Creek Series Book 1) Page 18