by M. J. Perry
Chapter Four
Maverick
“Nice of you to join me,” I snapped as Lee and Matt strolled into the dining room. I had it set up as an office with boards covering the walls showing every piece of information we’d gathered on Ted and his associates over the years. We’d gathered a good amount of evidence, but nothing concrete that his boss couldn’t have thrown out of court.
“Sorry, we thought you and Ivy could do with some alone time,” Lee said with a grin.
I grimaced. “You can cut that shit out.”
“What?” He asked with amusement.
“I do not need you to match make.”
“We know. You’re doing okay on your own.”
“I’m not getting involved with a client. Besides, she isn’t my type.” I snapped.
I was lying to them and to myself. Ivy was perfect. She was sweet, funny, and fucking sexy. Honest and so vulnerable, I just wanted to take care of her and protect her, and not because she was a job. But I wasn’t going to get involved with her; I didn’t want to put myself out there again.
Lee held his hand up in surrender. “Okay, dude.”
“Sorry. I’m just not…” I trailed off.
“Ready?” Matt supplied.
I nodded.
“We’ll say no more about it.” He said.
“Except this,” Lee said. “Ivy is sweet. Don’t lead her on. She doesn’t deserve that. We see the way you look at her.”
“I won’t lead her on. That’s the last thing I want to do.” I promised.
“Make sure that you don’t,” Lee pointed to the photo of Ted, “Now let's talk about the dirt we have on that son of a bitch. If we can pin even just a misdemeanour on him, we can get his boss rattled enough that he may drop him.”
I nodded. “It’s a good plan. He won’t have any leverage then.”
“Exactly, if we cut him off from his protection, he’ll be an easy catch.”
“His boss won’t let him go too easily, though. Ted’s gained him a lot of money.” I reminded him. “He’s an asset to Sid.”
“Yeah, but his boss won’t want anyone looking into Ted because if they dig deep enough, they’ll find dirt on him too,” Matt added.
I sighed. “We need to find a weak link.”
“We don’t need a weak link, we just need a person with big enough balls to infiltrate Sid’s gang, and go undercover,” Matt said.
“I’ve thought about that before, but Sid and Ted know who we are. It wouldn’t work.”
“Good thing I got in touch with an old friend then. We’ve had a plant in Sid’s network for the last six months.” Lee grinned.
“Why am I only just hearing about this now?” I barked.
Lee had the good grace to look sorry. “I only heard from him a couple of days ago. Rick’s been in deep, and I haven’t managed to talk to him. I obviously can’t just call him up for a chat.”
“Do I know him?”
“No. I served with him. I got out, but he stayed.”
“What reason does Rick have to put his life on the line?”
Lee sighed. “Rick’s dad was blackmailed into signing over his business to Ted. A week after Ted paid him a measly amount of money for it, his dad committed suicide.”
“Fuck.”
“Rick didn’t know anything. He was working abroad at the time and didn’t even know the business was in trouble.”
“What does Rick do for a living?”
“Let’s just say he has his fingers in a lot of pies.”
“So you don’t know what he does?” I said.
“There are rumours, but I don’t believe everything I hear.”
“He’s going to help with our investigation?”
“He has a lot of information. He’s a trusted member of their family, has been on runs with Ted and watched him in action, seen the devastation first hand when Ted does his job. He’s collected names, evidence of blackmail, and has a list of people Ted uses for the physical jobs when his victims don’t want to give up.”
“Knowing what Ted did to his dad, I can’t imagine that’s been easy for him to do.”
“He’s tough. He also has a lot of control which is a good thing else he’d be dead by now.”
“When will we have this information?”
“He’s sending it here later.”
“Does he have any on Sid?”
“A shit ton, but we can’t take him down yet because we want him to take Ted out for us, don’t we?”
“It’s a shame we can’t take them both out, but yeah you’re right. We’ll focus on Ted first, make sure Ivy is safe and then we’ll set about getting rid of Sid.”
“Do you think Ivy knows anything?”
I shook my head. “She has no idea what Ted does for a living. She thinks he’s a financial adviser.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” I said.
“She might know something without realising. We should ask her.”
“You can do it,” I told Lee. I had to keep my distance from her. I wasn’t sure how I felt, and Lee was right, I had to make sure I didn’t lead her on. She didn’t deserve that. They exchanged a look, and I pretended not to notice.
“If that’s what you want,” Lee said.
“It is. I’ll phone Ian and liaise with him. He’s been working on this investigation a lot longer than anyone else.”
“Okay.”
“I’m going out for food. We have hardly anything here.” Matt said.
“We need coffee and sugar.”
“I won’t forget them. I’ll call my contact at the station and see if he can dig any cold cases out with links to Ted.”
“Does he know the possible danger?”
“He has no family.”
The words were chilling. People who tried to make a stand were threatened and when they didn’t back down, they lost loved ones because Ted was untouchable thanks to his boss, Sid. It made me furious. “There’s no one who can be used against him?”
“He lost his wife to cancer, and they never had children.”
I felt pity for the man. I knew how it felt to lose a loved one. My wife Gwen was murdered because I’d been investigating a case someone had wanted me to drop. They thought that by killing her I would worry for my own safety and back off, but fuck that, they were wrong. They took my only reason for living so I had nothing to live for. I’d tracked down the bastard who’d taken my Gwen away from me, and I would have killed him with my bare hands if my partner hadn’t talked me down. Gwen’s murderer was now serving a life sentence for her murder and the murder of two others. He was a hired gun, a hitman, and he deserved the chair for his crimes, but we didn’t have the death penalty here. Him being in prison didn’t make things right, and it didn’t bring Gwen back, but at least he was suffering for what he did. My only hope was that he didn’t piss off another inmate and get shanked for it. It would mean he got off easy. Death was too easy. Prison meant he’d never get to be a part of a family or have children to carry his name. It meant he’d die alone, just like Gwen and his other victims did.
“Mav, are you okay?” Lee asked in concern, and I figured I’d been quiet too long.
“Yes, fine. You go call your mate.” I looked at Lee. “Are you going to ask her now?”
“I might as well unless she’s asleep.”
“Please go easy and don’t overshare if you can help it.”
“I’ll try not to upset her, but don’t you think she deserves to know who she’s been in bed with?”
My lips tightened. The thought of her in bed with Ted or anyone else made me angry. I didn’t want to examine why. “Just go easy. It’s going to be a shock.”
He nodded. “I’ll let you know, but I think you’re right, I doubt she’ll know anything. Ted kept her in the dark, I’m not sure if he was trying to protect her or himself.”
“Himself, I would guess. He might think he’s in love with her, but he’ll always put himself first.”
Matt said. “Do you think she likes chocolate?”
“Don’t all women?” Lee asked as he walked out of the room and headed up the stairs.
“I guess so,” Matt said as he picked up the car keys. “I’ll be back soon.” He told me as he followed Lee out.
“Okay.”
I turned to look at the wall. The photo of Ted right in the middle of it set my teeth on edge. His clean-cut image didn’t fit the man I knew him to be. I could understand why Ivy fell for it, though. He was polite, thoughtful, and I guess you could call him good looking. Ivy was innocent, naive, and submissive. That would have been what drew Ted to her. He liked being in control, and Ivy would have been an easy target. For what he did to her alone, he deserved to pay. He was rotten. If we didn’t stop him, he’d cause even more despair.
He worked for a gang known for brute force and coercion, and up until now, it had made him untouchable, but now I was going to take him down and make sure he couldn’t get back up. I wouldn’t stop until Ivy was safe.
I’d seen the hurt in her eyes earlier when I’d pulled away from her. I’d been about to kiss her, one second away from capturing her pink lips with mine. The phone ringing had brought me to my senses. After everything Ivy had been through, she didn’t deserve me. I’d only cause her more pain and hurt. I wasn’t looking for a relationship or another woman in my life.
Losing Gwen nearly killed me. The idea of her murderer being free to roam after he’d taken her life had consumed me. If I hadn’t been so obsessed with hunting down her killer, I don’t know what I would have done. Gone crazy, I guess. I couldn’t open myself up to the possibility of feeling like that again. I didn’t have it in me. From now on, I’d focus on keeping Ivy safe, and treating her like a client, because if I gave in to the connection I felt for her I was worried that we’d both suffer. She’d been through so much; she needed someone to look after her, treat her like a treasure. I wasn’t the right man to do that. I just didn’t have it in me.
Taking down arseholes, however, I was good at, and Ted had many enemies. I didn’t think it would take much to get them to talk if they had reassurances that Ted would pay for what he’d done to them. I’d always hated the bastard. We’d heard the stories, seen the trouble he’d caused, but it was never personal until Ivy Robinson walked into the office needing our help. Now I would stop at nothing to make sure Ted never harmed another hair on her head again.
Chapter Five
Ivy
A knock at the door startled me. For a minute, I wondered if it could be Maverick. After earlier, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to see him. I quickly plastered a smile on my face and opened the door.
I tried not to let my disappointment show when I saw it was Lee. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine I just wondered if we could have a chat?”
“Sure, come in.” I invited as I stepped back and gave him room to enter. It felt too weird to close the door, so I left it open. Lee took a seat on the stool, and I sat on the end of the bed.
“What’s up?” I asked because he looked troubled.
“I need to ask you some questions about Ted.”
“Okay.”
“I also need to tell you some things about him. I believe you have the right to know.”
“Okay.”
He nodded. “He’s a piss poor excuse for a human being. He has no compassion, no empathy, and he doesn’t give a shit who he has to hurt to fulfil his goals.”
“It sounds like you know him.”
“He’s been on our radar a long time, but unfortunately, whenever a piece of evidence surfaces that we can use against him, it disappears just as fast.”
I pulled my knees up and rested my chin on top of them. “Tell me.” I requested.
He sighed. “Ivy, he really is a foul person.”
“I know. I imagine you’re aware of what he’s done to me?”
His face tightened. “Yes. He deserves a slow death for that, more so for what he did to you that you haven’t shared.”
I looked away in shame. I’d let Ted use my body, and I’d pretended to enjoy it. I felt sick to my stomach when I thought of it.
He read my shame. “You did what you had to do.”
“I did, and now I don’t want to talk about it again.”
“Maybe you should speak to someone, Ivy.”
“I’m not ready yet,” I said. “The man I thought I loved never existed. I know first-hand Ted is all kinds of evil, so please just tell me.”
His penetrating gaze made me squirm. “Ted is a financial consultant for a company owned by a gang called the Right Side. It may sound silly, but they are organised, they are rich, and they are dangerous. The leader, Sid, is in charge of the area surrounding our office.”
“He works for gangsters?” I pulled a face. “He doesn’t seem the type to do that, he doesn’t even like getting his hands dirty.”
“When money is involved, people will become whoever they need to be.”
“I guess so. I just can’t believe it. I mean, I do believe you, but it just seems so farfetched. What does he do?”
“He buys and sells companies which are on the edge of collapse.”
I frowned. “That doesn’t sound bad. He’s doing the owner a favour, isn’t he?”
Lee shook his head grimly, and I braced myself. “He forces them to sell using blackmail and threats against their family. He warns off any investors who take an interest in helping them and makes the owner take a fraction of the price they could make from an honest buyer. Then he sells it on at a profit.”
“What a bastard.”
“The money he makes is used to fund the drug side of the gangs business. Sid is very pleased with Ted because he makes them a lot of money. Ted also invests the money in the stock markets for them.”
“He’s a Jack of all trades,” I said bitterly.
“Yes, which unfortunately for us makes bringing him down harder. He’s protected for his usefulness.”
“That’s why the policeman wouldn’t let me press charges. Ted really is as bad as he told me.”
“The officer has a family. Anyone who tries to take Ted down ends up losing somebody they love.”
“God,” I got up from the bed feeling dizzy. “I nearly married this man,” I said in horror.
“You had a lucky escape.”
“I did, even if it hurt.”
“I’m sorry it did, but if he hadn’t shown his true colours I think you’d still be there now, and in more danger because of it.”
“I’m still in danger.”
“You are, but you have us to protect you while we find a way to take him down.”
“It could take a while if he’s as dangerous as you’ve said.”
“Ted’s calling in a lot of favours to find you. It’s our hope he’ll become a liability to Sid, and Sid will make the call to dispose of him.”
I shivered. “As in have him killed?
“There’s no way Ted will be allowed to remain alive with the secrets he knows.”
“Oh. I know he’s evil, but I don’t think he deserves to die as punishment for his crimes.”
“He knew the score when he agreed to work with Sid,” Lee sighed, “Ivy, Ted wasn’t forced to become a minion. They didn’t blackmail him into working for the gang. Ted voluntarily offered his services to them, knowing what kind of people they are. Don’t feel sorry for him.”
“I’m sorry it's just… I find it so hard to separate the Ted I know to the one you’re telling me about.”
“You saw him in action; you know he isn’t a nice guy.”
“He isn’t, but I’ve known the nicer version of him longer. I remember the sweet things he used to do for me, and I just can’t wrap my head around the man he is now. And no matter what he’s done, I still can’t wish him dead.”
“It’s not in your nature to want someone dead. I get it, I do, but with Ted, it's a weakness, one he’ll use to his advantage.”
I nodd
ed. “I already know that.”
“Did he ever tell you anything he did at work? Did he mention any names or even places?”
“No. He used to come home sometimes with a bottle of champagne and tell me he’d had a great day at the office.” I shook my head. “We drank to people being ripped off. Celebrated their downfall,” I said. Guilt sat heavy in my stomach.
“You didn’t know. You thought you were celebrating his win; don’t beat yourself up over it.”
“It still makes me feel sick. I never asked him much about his job, but thinking back, I realise he never volunteered anything. Even when we were celebrating, he would only tell me he’d won a big client.”
“Ivy, other than being too trusting you’ve done nothing wrong.”
“I can’t believe it never occurred to me before now, but I don’t even know where his office is. How ridiculous is that?” I shook my head. I didn’t need Lee to answer. “All of my things, my keepsakes, my jewellery, everything is in the house we shared. It’s all in his name, and I have no rights to it.”
“When Ted is gone, we can get your things back.”
I shuddered. “The thought of going back there repulses me.”
“I can’t say I blame you. We’ll have all your gear collected.”
“Thank you.”
“Ted knows you have our support, but we don’t want to advertise how deeply we’re involved. If we retrieved them now, it would cause unnecessary difficulties. We want to keep him in the dark as much as we can.”