I wanted to ask about Brant, but knew I’d be pushing it, especially since he was giving me the opportunity to avoid being charged. I had to do this, because I couldn’t live with myself if my parents ever found out the way I’d been living my life.
As far as Brant’s involvement, I had to hope I could convince him to stop and run away with me, otherwise he’d be going down with the ship, because telling him I was informing the task force of their business wasn’t an option. He’d be irate, and in turn would lash out, sending alarm to Rocky.
The agent, who said his name was Logan Campbell, made me sign a bunch of papers. If I screwed up, I’d be charged with interfering in an investigation. Alongside of the crimes I’d already committed I’d be doing jail time.
Special Agent Campbell was in charge of the investigation, and had been for quite some time. According to him they’d surveyed Rocky, also known as Rockefeller James, for around two years, gathering enough intel to be able to shut down his operation. Without someone on the inside, they’d been unable to establish timelines, mostly because Rocky kept everything to himself until the last minute. I knew how crucial I was for this case. However, he was giving me no choice. If I didn’t abide by his terms I could go to jail.
After agreeing to be his in, he brought in more files and surveillance photographs, stating it was only a part of the information they’d collected.
We’d been in there for several hours before I started to worry about Brant coming to work to look for me. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost seven, why?”
“My boyfriend picks me up from work. I get off at seven. If I’m not there he’s going to require an explanation. Unless you want me to tell him I was detained by the FBI, you better get me back.”
He stood up from the table and left the room, only to come back with my purse. “Call him. Tell him you’re covering for a friend until she can get there. Tell him she’s having car troubles.” Since he was adamant, I did what he said immediately without argument.
Brant answered on the first ring. “Hey, baby. Did you get off early. I can be there in fifteen minutes.”
I looked straight at the concerned agent as I purposely lied to my boyfriend. “No. It’s the opposite. Chloe is having trouble with her car. She got a flat tire. They’re taking their time fixing it, so she’s running late. I told the manager I’d stay until she could arrive.”
“Okay. I’m making you a special dinner tonight. The house is all ours for a change. I’m making your favorite, and I even splurged on that fancy wine you like drinking.”
I felt terrible for being a liar while he unsuspectingly prepared to impress me. I was essentially planning his demise while he was cooking dinner. I felt like a horrible person. “I can’t wait. I’ll call you when I’m ready.”
“Sounds good.”
“See you soon.”
After making sure the call ended, I slid my phone back toward the agent. “You can’t keep me here much longer if you want my help.”
He tapped on the table top before standing up again. “We better get on the road. Traffic is a bitch this time of day.” He handed me my purse. “I put my name in your phone as Cam. If he sees it, tell him I’m an employee at the casino; a female. If you learn anything you’re to call me as soon as you’re able to. Remember, if I find out you’re withholding information, I’ll be forced to proceed with charges against you.”
I knew how important this was. “I get it. I know I’m in deep shit. I’ll do whatever you want as long as my family doesn’t find out about this. It’s important they think I’m doing fine. Can we go now?” I was tired of talking to this guy. He wasn’t going to protect me when Rocky was holding a gun to my head, or killing my boyfriend for allowing me into his home.
I think I made it obvious I didn’t like the agent. He was quiet as we walked toward the rear exit. A few times I looked over to see him clenching his jaw. It didn’t matter that he was calm and collected during the whole ordeal with me. He hadn’t cursed at me, or treated me like I was a junkie. He’d been professional, even kind at times. I understood this was his job. He was only doing what he thought would help with the case. I just hated the fact that I was his bait.
Once we were back to the unmarked cruiser, he opened the front passenger side door for me. I was surprised I didn’t have to sit in the back again. I waited until we’d left the precinct to speak. “Do you do this for all the women you arrest? Do you have a slew of informants at your beck and call?”
A voice was coming in through the radio asking for available agents in the area to respond to an incident. He reported that he was in the middle of transferring someone and couldn’t respond, before finally answering me. “No. But I’ve been watching women like you fall victims because of men for as long as I’ve been doing this job. You don’t want to know how many dead females I’ve had to respond to. Most of them are runaways. Their families don’t even know they’re living in Vegas.”
“I’m not a runaway. I made an adult decision to leave North Carolina.”
“Let me guess,” he sarcastically offered. “For the boyfriend?”
“Not just him. We’ve been together for a long time. My parents don’t care for him. I was sick of being in the middle.”
“Ms. Healy -.”
I interrupted. “Cassie.”
“Fine. Cassie, maybe they don’t care for him because he has a long rap sheet. The first thing I did was look into the new couple living with Mr. James. After what happened to his last housemates, I needed to know everything I could about you and your beau.”
“What do you mean? What happened to the people before us?” This was news to me, and to say I was concerned would have been an understatement.
“Your guess is as good as mine. One day they were there, and the next they weren’t. The girlfriend put out a missing person’s report, but we’ve yet to find a single clue as to his whereabouts.”
Of course I feared the worst. Rocky was a bad man; I knew it even before I was informed by the agent. Now I had more reason to want to get out of dodge. “Look, all I know is our place was a mess when we moved in and Rocky made a big deal about having it cleaned up first.”
“Cleaned up? Was it a crime scene?”
“I have no idea,” I said honestly. “Listen, this is all a little too much in one day, agent. If you’ve looked into me the way you say you’d know I don’t have a criminal record. I may or may not be involved with someone with one, but you’re barking up the wrong tree if you think I can help you. I’ve told you what I know, and I’m not sure what else I can offer.”
We pulled up out back of the casino and he put the vehicle into park. “I’m hoping you’ll overhear something crucial to our investigation. It’s all I can ask. So far you’re the closest I’ve been able to get inside. Keep your eyes and ears open. I’d hate for someone like you to end up like the last tenants.”
“If anyone’s going to get me killed it’s you.”
“I hate to break it to you, but you’re already on the road to killing yourself. You’re putting those drugs into your body. There’s no telling when you’ll get a bad batch and take your last breath. I often ask myself why people do them. What’s so great about the high that keeps you coming back for more? It leaves you unhealthy and broke. It causes strain in relationships. It makes you a zombie, walking around not giving a shit about anything.”
“You don’t know anything about me. I’m not an addict.”
I swear he almost smiled when I said it. “That’s what they all say. You have an opportunity here to rethink what you’ve been doing with your life. Don’t be a statistic. Clean yourself up and start over. Give yourself a second to realize what you’ve gotten yourself into before it’s too late.”
I appreciated him for wanting to be a government official assigned to such a messed up city, but he wasn’t my friend and I refused to allow him to tell me what I was doing wrong. “I can handle my own life. If you’ll excuse me I need to ge
t going.”
He grabbed my arm before I was able to climb out of the vehicle. “Cassie, I will be in touch. This isn’t over. If you cross me, I’ll make sure you’re charged.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. I’m not asking you to get involved. Just tell me if you hear anything. Stay out of trouble. Oh, and lastly, get off the drugs. I’ll be watching you, don’t forget it.”
Chapter 12
Cassie
Nervous couldn’t begin to explain how I felt when I called Brant to come and pick me up from work. When I saw his vehicle pull up I worried he’d see right through me. Instead the smile on his face remained, as if he had no clue where I’d been and what I’d promised to someone else. “I can’t wait until you see what I made for dinner. I know you’re probably tired, but if you could stay up with me tonight I’d love it.”
“I’ll do whatever you ask, Brant. You know that.”
“Good. After a talk with Rocky earlier I think things are about to happen for us. He says everything is set, and within the next couple of weeks we’ll be making the switch.”
“What does he do with the old ones?”
“I don’t know. I never asked. He’s so sensitive about people prying. I just do what he says to stay on his good side.”
“If I were him I’d burn them. Wouldn’t one lost device be enough evidence to convict him if it were ever discovered?” I realized I was asking questions that may seem too inquisitive, but as Brant’s girlfriend I had every right to appear worried. Whether I was asking for myself or Agent Campbell, I still needed an answer. I wanted to know how involved we’d become.
“I’m sure he has a way of wiping the information clean before they’re destroyed. You never know what kind of devices the authorities have nowadays. I saw on a show they could recover erased hard drives. No one is safe anymore. If you want to live the lifestyle of a criminal you need to be one step ahead of the authorities at all times. It’s a good thing I got in with Rocky. All the security shit is his deal. My job is simple.”
I pretended to be amused and content. “I’m glad of that. It still makes me nervous. I wish we could walk away, Brant. Living here hasn’t been great for me. I’m tired of struggling. I need to get clean and be focused again, or else I’m afraid we’re never going to get out of here. I miss my family, and I know I agreed to let them go, but it’s not fair. Why should I have to choose? They know we’re together and they can’t stop us.”
We pulled up at the house and I noticed a car parked in the driveway. “Is someone else here? I thought you said we had the house to ourselves?”
“Come on. You’ll see.”
After the day I’d had, I wasn’t in the mood for surprises. All I wanted to do was take a long shower and figure out how to kick my habit before I lost control and landed in jail. I had a feeling the agent was going to keep his word. He’d be watching me.
If I slipped up for a second it could cost me my freedom.
When I walked inside and saw a familiar face I wanted to cry. My sister Cammie wrapped her arms around me and held for a few seconds. “It’s good to see you, sis.”
Next to her stood my cousin Christian. I hugged her next and pulled away to address Brant. “You did this?”
“I knew how lonely you’ve been, baby. I thought maybe if they visited you’d feel better. Not everyone is against us.”
I could have said something smart, like divulged information to them I knew he hadn’t. It was obvious they wouldn’t have visited if they knew what Brant was involved in. “We’re just glad you two are doing so well. This house is amazing. He told us you’ve been working at a casino. Is the money good? Do you make a lot in tips?” Christian asked.
“It’s okay money. Enough about me though, how did you get out of school?”
“I had exams. I’ve got some downtime, and when I went to Kentucky to visit Chris told me what was going on. I can’t believe Mom and Dad didn’t call me.”
“They probably thought I’d come home. It got ugly. I said things to them I regret. Mom has to be devastated.”
“They’ll get over it. Parents always do,” Chris added.
“How long can you stay?” I asked.
“They’re leaving on Sunday,” Brant interrupted.
Right away I felt cheated. They had to leave before Rocky came home and discovered our visitors. I wanted to be happy about the surprise, but for some reason my mind kept going back to all the things I didn’t know about my boyfriend. I wouldn’t be able to get to the bottom of it while we had visitors, and as much as I wanted them there with me, I kind of needed to be alone with Brant so I could drill him for answers. Brant walked up and kissed me on the cheek before heading into the kitchen. I finally dropped my purse on a table and gave all my attention to my family. “I can’t believe you’re really here. I miss everyone so much. How is everyone? Is Josh staying out of trouble? Did Callie get a dress for the Christmas ball? Is she still going with that guy she liked? Are Jax and Amber still mad at me for not being around to babysit?”
Cammie took my hand and sat down beside me. She looked in the direction of the kitchen before speaking in a whisper. “We’ll talk about that later. What’s going on, Cass? You look terrible. Tell us the truth. Are you in some kind of trouble? Is it drugs?”
I’d fallen flat on my face with guilt. They’d all told me being with Brant was a terrible decision, yet I’d gone and done it anyway. My rebellion had led me down a road I didn’t know if I could get back from. I was already thinking about my next score, even though in my heart I wanted to be able to stop. Being in a bad place and seeing the look on their faces made it all real for me. I couldn’t continue down this path. “I’m doing the best I can,” I admitted. “It hasn’t been easy for me.”
Chris sat on the opposite side of me and rubbed my back. “We’re here now. We came because we think you need to come home.”
They couldn’t understand how much I’d thought about it; the idea of being around our family again. At the moment the possibility was unreachable. I was involved in a situation I couldn’t avoid. Running away would only get me in worse trouble. “I’m not going anywhere. I can’t leave Brant,” I lied. The truth was, his secrets were making me question our relationship. Whether he was lying to protect me, or just because he was avoiding the truth wasn’t acceptable. I needed an honest relationship. I needed someone to protect me from the evils of the world, not persuade me to bask in them. I had to start thinking outside the box. It was important to straighten out my life; repair my wrongdoings, and make things right again. Then maybe, after some time, I’d be able to go home again.
“Cassie, please. You need to get away from him. It’s taking a toll on you. We can see it. I think you need help.” My sister was right, though I couldn’t make her aware of it.
“I do not. I’m fine. Can’t we just spend the next two days together and appreciate the time we have?” I was determined to make them see I was fine, even if I had to keep using to prevent from having withdrawals while they were present. “I can show you around town. We’ll go to the strip tonight. The lights on Freemont Street are incredible. Come on, you came all this way. Let’s have a good time. I’ll prove how amazing it is, and when you leave you’ll know I’m happy. I’ve just had a long day. I had to stay late at work and my feet are killing me. My head is pounding out of my head, and I need something to eat before I pass out.”
Cammie and Chris stared at each other for a second. I knew both of them too well to suspect they’d drop the subject. For now they were content on making the most of their trip. As long as I could keep them occupied maybe they’d forget about pulling me away.
My sister, who probably looked the most like me out of my three siblings, was trying to read my mind. I could tell from the way she stared into my eyes at dinner. I kept avoiding her, giving most of my attention to the food Brant had made us. He’d grilled steaks, baked potatoes, and made a creamy macaroni and cheese w
ith big wedges of broccoli in it. The four of us sat outside. We’d turned on the lights around the pool and enjoyed the evening breeze. Much like I’d been when I first arrived, my family were taken back by the place we were calling home. If they only knew about the people we lived with, and what they were involved in they’d have wanted to do whatever it took to get me out of there.
Brant did good being the host. He catered to their needs and went above and beyond to make sure they were satisfied with his actions. He talked about his job briefly basically saying he was an employee of a major corporation for international trading.
Trading my ass. He was stealing. They were all thieves, myself included.
The innocent girl who once left North Carolina was gone. As a package I was a total mess. I had nothing going for me, and now the FBI were on my back for answers I didn’t know how to provide them with.
Brant drank a couple beers while we ate, and much to my surprise left me to be alone with my family. I’d pulled him to the side while doing the dishes to thank him for bringing them to me. He was drying his hands on a towel. I wrapped my arms around the front of him and rested my head on his back. “Thank you, Brant. It means so much to me.”
“I’m glad to see you smiling. I know it’s been tough. It’s almost over, baby. As soon as I get paid we’re out of here.”
He kept saying the same thing to me, but I was beginning to think it wasn’t going to happen, especially since I knew the FBI were investigating the operation. “Brant, when my family leaves I want to talk to you about our future. It’s important to me.”
He spun me around and cupped my face in his hands. “Are you leaving me?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Okay. It can wait then. I’m headed to bed. Enjoy your night.”
It was hard knowing my secret and keeping my composure. What was more difficult was knowing support was so close, yet too far away to grasp. I’d never felt so afraid and alone before. I needed help, mentally, physically, and most of all with freeing myself from danger. I needed to save Brant from himself before it was too late. The idea of him going to jail, even if we didn’t end up together, weighed heavy on me. I didn’t want him having to live his life in a cell. I couldn’t believe the future we’d dreamed of was further away than it had ever been. The harder we fought to move forward, we seemed to be permanently pulling back.
Cassie (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6) Page 8