A Steel Town (A Gateway to Love #3)

by Chloe Barlow

  “I trust you, Claudia…and your instincts. I just need you to be careful. Got it?”

  She licked her lips and nodded gently. He wanted so much to kiss her, and throw away his own self-imposed discipline. Yet, he had to be strong, because if he took that step, there would be no turning back, not with her.

  Trey reluctantly removed his hand from her face and reached across her body to open her door. She threw him a quick, relieved smile before bounding out of the car, barely grabbing her bag on the way. He moved much more slowly, locking the car and following her to the elevators.

  “Are you nervous?” he asked.

  “No,” she stated, entering the elevator with her head held high.

  “You were right, you are a terrible liar,” Trey muttered, pressing the button for the floor that would lead them to David Murphy’s containment area.

  “I’m not lying!” she answered, but her words sounded hollow, punctuated with an anxious laugh. “All right,” she added, turning her body to his, “the truth is I’m kind of worried, but I’m also super excited. I can’t describe what it feels like to finally have a chance like this…”

  “That’s better. You can always be honest with me, little one. Besides, I’m never going to fall for it anyway if you try to bullshit me.”

  She gave him a sheepish half smile, resting her hand lightly on the side of his stomach. He looked down at her, and could feel his face easing into a small grin.

  “Mmm,” she hummed. “You know, you should smile more often. It suits you,” Claudia added with a teasing tone.

  Trey beamed at her before briefly, before he squared his shoulders and schooled his face into a serious expression again. “If David tries to pull any legal shit about being in here too long, ignore it. He’s waived all his speedy trial rights so his lawyers can file motions on his behalf. And he’s a posturing ass, so he doesn’t actually know what he’s talking about most of the time.”

  “Got it,” she responded, nodding quickly. The two fell into a pensive silence as they made it through processing and finally were escorted into a room with murder defendant and ex-professor, David Murphy.

  He sat at a long, nondescript table, his hands resting on it in a thoughtful, clasped position, almost concealing the shackles at his wrists. Even in a prison jumpsuit, he still looked like a pompous ass. His hair was perfectly combed and his face free of worry. The guy didn’t have a single wrinkle, even though he was forty-five years old.

  “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Adler, my favorite college dropout. You’re back to chat again, I see.”

  “It’s not my interview to take this time, David. Though ours have never been productive. I’m being assisted today by FBI Special Agent McCoy here.”

  “Well, well, what a pleasant surprise. I would stand and shake your hand, Agent McCoy. But, you understand…” he cooed at her smoothly, spreading his hands to showcase the metal containing him.

  “That’s perfectly fine, Professor Murphy,” Claudia responded and her respectful demeanor irritated Trey to no end. David loved it — beaming in response to her deliberate effort to show him deference. “Are you sure you don’t want your lawyer to be present?” Claudia continued calmly.

  David smirked at Trey, before responding, “Oh, it appears Agent McCoy is both beautiful and conscientious? You should try to be more like her, Mr. Adler. She’s quite impressive.”

  Trey laughed mirthlessly, keeping his eyes glued to David’s obnoxious face. Without flinching, he said, “I know what you’re trying to do. Just answer the questions she asks you, David.”

  “My pleasure. Though I have a few of my own, first. Specifically, how is Tea? I’ve written letters to her, but I’m not sure the mail system here is particularly accommodating to a gentleman in my position, no matter how pure the intentions,” he stated, his eyes never wavering from Claudia’s impassive face.

  Trey pulled out a metal chair for Claudia, and one for himself.

  “Can’t you give this shit a rest for one hour?”

  “What do you mean?” David asked with a simpering look, which showed he was ready to play.

  “You’re fucking kidding, right?” Trey could already feel the familiar aggravation brewing inside him at the mention of his best friend’s fiancée.

  “Of course I’m not kidding. How are Tea and Johnny? Do they talk about me at all?”

  “They’re fine,” Claudia said quickly. Trey shot her an exasperated look, before turning back to David.

  “David, you know the rules, talking about them is off-limits when I’m here,” Trey stated.

  “Oh, what a silly rule,” he countered, and turned to Claudia. “You must understand, Agent McCoy, I never wanted to hurt Tea. She and Johnny were my family after Jack passed away.”

  “After you killed him,” Trey grunted.

  “Eh, eh, I’m still not confessing anything to you, Mr. Adler.” And a lascivious grin ran across his lips as he took another quick glance at Claudia. “You understand the closeness of family, don’t you, Agent McCoy,” he cooed.

  “Of course.”

  Trey threw her a stern look, before growling at David.

  “Cut the bullshit, David, everyone knows you killed Jack and tried to kill Griffen. You confessed it to Tea,” he stated roughly, furious he’d already lost his cool again with the son of a bitch. “Let’s get to work. Agent McCoy is new to my team. She’s a gifted computer scientist and white-hat hacker. You know the drill, if you cooperate with us, you may be able to make a fresh start with the U.S. Attorney.”

  “New to your team? Well, isn’t that something. You really do fascinate me Mr. Adler.” David’s voice turned acidic when he added, “Because you aren’t really a team kind of guy, are you? You seem like more of a bomb thrower to me.”

  The boiling red blood coursing through Trey’s blood made him so hot, he thought he might explode.

  “David, you better…”

  “I’m just saying, seeing as you behave as though you enjoy working alone, this is quite interesting. I think I’m going to need to learn more about this person who is important enough to make you change so dramatically. Tell me, Special Agent McCoy, where are you from, because your exotic beauty is quite a non sequitur for your pedestrian name.”

  “I’m Mexican and Irish.”

  “Oh my, certainly a fiery background. I imagine you are quite passionate, in addition to being as brilliant as Mr. Adler claims. Tell me of your other accomplishments.”

  “Well, that’s part of why I’m here. This is my first big assignment.”

  “Come closer. I can’t quite hear you.”

  “David, let’s take it down a notch.”

  “Does this bother you? Me talking to your new special friend? I mean special agent friend.”

  “I’m not going to let you bait me this time.”

  “Oh, really? Not even if I move my hands just a little bit closer to this stunning teammate of yours.”

  “Damn it, David, I know what you’re trying to do…”

  Claudia threw Trey a look of warning, and intoned, “Mr. Adler, can I go over something with you outside for a moment? Professor Murphy, please excuse us.”

  “By all means, take your time. I’m not going anywhere,” David answered, spreading his hands in a show of supplication.

  Claudia walked briskly out of the room and Trey followed behind her with slow, measured steps. As soon as the door closed, she spun on him, her eyes wide with confusion.

  “Trey, what the hell was all that? You know he’s just trying to get a rise out of you, and you’re letting him. I sensed it was happening when I read the interview transcripts, but this is much worse.”

  “Sorry, I’ll try to behave myself. So far, he’s refused to talk to anyone but me. Our conversations are usually just that pointless. Each time I go in there, he says he’ll only talk if I bring Tea and Johnny here to see him… But, this was different. I don’t know why, but he got me even more pissed than usual.”

  “Maybe it wou
ld be better if you leave me alone with Professor Murphy for fifteen minutes.”

  “No way. And don’t call him Professor Murphy. He’s not a person to be respected and you shouldn’t treat him like one. You need to refer to him as ‘piece-of-shit-David,’” Trey said quickly, leaning away from her to press his back against the wall, bringing his arms calmly in front of his chest.

  “Fine. I’ll put that on his name tag,” Claudia grunted out.

  He could see her teeth were clenched with barely leashed rage, but he didn’t give a shit. She might be ready to pounce, but he was too worried to care.

  “You said you trust me, right, Trey?”

  “I do.”

  “Then give me a chance with him. You see there’s a guard right out here with you, and you can watch it all on the monitor right there,” she added, pointing to the live feed into the examination room.

  Trey’s jaw was twitching, and his arms had clenched even more tightly across his chest.

  “Claudia, that professor in there is a very evil man. You have no idea what evil people are truly capable of…and what they are more than happy to do to someone like you. I do know — too fucking well. And I’m here to keep that from happening to you.”

  She rolled her eyes, and retorted, “You need to make up your mind.”

  “About what?” he inquired, honestly confused.

  “You’re giving me these great opportunities, and I really appreciate it. But it’s bull shit the way you give me an inch, and then yank me back a mile when the time actually comes. This place is monitored better than a new iPhone reveal. I have complete faith I’ll be safe in there with him. What I can’t trust is he’ll talk while you’re in there. Trey…please?”

  “Fine,” he growled. Claudia smiled, but Trey held up a finger and instructed, “But I’ll be watching the whole time and I will absolutely stop it if I need to.”

  “I know,” she whispered, her eyes softening. “Thank you.”

  Claudia disappeared back into the interview room and the seconds ticked by at such a torturously slow speed that Trey wondered if the passing of time had ceased altogether.

  He wanted to pace up and down the hallway, but didn’t risk peeling his eyes from the monitor above him. David appeared to be responding well to her, but Trey couldn’t see her face. All he could do was hope she was okay.

  Suddenly the image of Claudia’s small black and white figure stood, and in a flash she was out of the frame. He couldn’t tell if she’d fallen, or just walked to a corner of the room. Fear grasped at his heart.

  Several terrifying scenarios played out in his mind each painful moment she was out of his line of vision.

  What if she was having a hypoglycemic episode in there and couldn’t get to the door?

  What if David threatened her and she needs to get away from him? She could be grasping at the door handle now — desperate for my help!

  “Kevin, can we get audio?” he asked the guard.

  “Yes, but we’ll have to go to the AV center down the hall. This feed is just for visual security purposes. Sorry.”

  “Right. I understand…”

  Trey tried to take a calming breath, but he choked on it once he caught sight of David laughing, his eyes crazy and hands slapping the table, as though he were keeping a drumbeat.

  “Man, that dude just gets more messed up every day,” Kevin muttered.

  “No shit. Can you let me back in there?” Trey asked, forcing his voice to sound normal, as his throat tightened and his heart raced.

  “Want me to come in with you?”

  “No, I don’t want to end the interview. I’d like to give Claudia a chance to question him some more. I just need to get in there and make sure everything is okay.”

  “If you say so.”

  When the door finally opened, Trey quickly looked around the room.

  “Oh, what a shame. Claudia, it appears your babysitter has returned. I suppose he’s not comfortable letting you out of his sight for a minute? Mr. Adler, this is quite disappointing, seeing as Agent McCoy and I were really starting to get somewhere. I suppose you aren’t happy unless you have her squarely under your thumb.”

  “Shut up, David. Are you okay, Claudia?” he whispered to her. “You went out of frame. I couldn’t see you.”

  “I’m all right,” she answered, but he could tell she was a little shaken.

  “What did he do to you? What did you say to her, you son of a bitch?”

  “It’s okay. He was answering my questions. He just said something that made me uncomfortable, so I walked away.”

  “And I couldn’t see you.” Trey tempered his tone. Claudia’s wide eyes said enough about how nuts he must seem.

  “Relax. As you can readily discern, she’s perfectly fine, Mr. Adler. Honestly, you are exhausting me today. Why don’t you take another break and give us some more alone time. I think it would be delightful to continue to learn about this remarkable mujer encantadora.”

  Trey battled his intense desire to strangle the arrogant ass seated at the metal table in front of him.

  “What does that mean? Are you talking in code, David?”

  “Yes,” Claudia retorted quietly. “It’s the code of my Spanish ancestors. Christ, chill out, Trey,” Claudia whispered.

  “Fine, where’d you leave off?” Trey growled, his shoulders tight with irritation. “How about some more questions?”

  “I’ve decided I only like talking to Agent McCoy. Run along, Mr. Adler.”

  “Professor Murphy, I thank you for your faith in me, but I can’t exclude Mr. Adler. It’s his case too.”

  “Those are my conditions. I like being alone with you. I don’t have much in my life to enjoy.”

  “Then we’re leaving,” Trey commanded.

  “Trey…” Claudia murmured.

  “He answered some of your questions. Let’s go.”

  “So pushy. Well, hasta luego, Agente Especial McCoy,” David said smoothly.

  “Sí, adios, Profesor Murphy,” Claudia answered, having already recovered her usual bravado.

  “I will see you again, my dear, I promise you,” David added.

  “What the hell does that mean? You’re fucking full-on bat-shit now? Is that it? All this fucking time with nothing but your own messed up brain to keep you company finally getting to you?”

  “Trey, that’s enough,” Claudia stated with an impressive amount of authority, but they both ignored her.

  “Tea has moved on. Maybe I should, too. I would love to meet with Agent McCoy more. Even in here, I can learn things about people. For example, I can see your lovely Agent McCoy here is committed to solving this case…figuring out who paid me so much money to ruin my life, and I must say, she has a real knack for loosening my lips.”

  “You talk about her like that again, I’ll fucking destroy you. You hear me? I will end you.”

  David laughed, and the brittle sound only served to make Trey angrier.

  “I’m just being honest. It is why you keep bothering me, isn’t it, Mr. Adler? So I’ll prattle on one truth after another?”

  “About your murderous tendencies, nothing else.”

  “See, and this is why I feel so much more chatty with the charming Agent McCoy over here. Though I am very angry with you for distressing her so much. I hope you treat her better when you are out of my presence.”

  “Shut up, David…” Trey growled out, but David was clearly on a roll.

  “Everyone has a weakness. Your beautiful, young compatriot here? She’s desperate to prove she has what it takes to solve this case. Desperation is the most toxic and dangerous emotion in life, even more than love. I should know… And you? I think your weakness is her. It’s nice you indulged her and let her see me alone. I know you regret it now. It’s really quite fascinating to watch. I can’t blame you for enjoying her company. I know I do. If it means I have to keep opening up to see her again, then so be it.”

  “That’s it! We’re done here. I warned you, Da
vid.”

  “What are you going to do, Mr. Adler? Kill me? Please, because if you let me live I’ll do all I can to manipulate these weaknesses, until I make your little conniption fit in here look like a hiccup… I do have to keep myself entertained somehow,” he added with a feverish chuckle.

  Trey knocked the metal table to the side. Claudia pulled at him from behind, but he shook her off quickly. He grabbed David by the front of his jumpsuit and yanked him as far off his chair as his shackled ankles would permit.

  He could feel Claudia trying again to yank him back, as the guard rushed into the room, but all his senses could focus on was the smirk on David’s face. He might’ve seemed like a weakling before, but his simmering menace was fully present now.

  “What’s going on in here?” Kevin demanded.

  “Trey! Let him go, now!” Claudia commanded again, and this time he listened.

  “It’s okay, Kevin. We were just talking,” Trey stated.

  “I don’t know, Mr. Adler. On the video it looked like you attacked the inmate.” Kevin’s hand was resting at his holster, ready to immobilize one of them, and it was unclear to Trey if he was the more probable target at that moment.

  “Oh no, nothing like that. I had something on my jumpsuit collar,” David said to the guard, never removing his taunting eyes from Trey’s face.

  “Yeah, everything is great, Kevin. No worries at all,” Trey answered, removing his hands from David and stepping back so quickly he almost fell against the metal table, which was still askew. “It’s nothing. Agent McCoy and I were just leaving,” he added before calmly turning and leading Claudia out with a gentle hand on her elbow, and a pounding heartbeat in his chest.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Trey, what in the hell was all that crap you just pulled?” Claudia demanded, before flinging her purse on the bench by her front door as she stormed into her townhome. A slight Texas drawl had invaded her voice, eagerly accompanying the heavy dose of anger in her tone.

  “Oh, so you’re speaking to me again?” Trey asked, before clomping behind her with the type of useless rage usually reserved for a twelve-year-old boy whose bike just got stolen. “I thought you’d lost your voice on our drive here, what with all your silent stewing,” he countered, releasing his own personal batch of indignation to match hers.