by Chloe Lang
Matt nodded.
Sean said, “I think the first thing we need to do is get this money to TBK so it’s more secure.”
“Agreed,” Matt said. “And tomorrow morning we’ll take Carrie to Black and the rest of the team to tell her story. All hands on deck for this one.”
Josh pulled her in tight, making her feel safe and protected. “Everything is going to work out fine, sweetheart.”
Jacob squeezed her leg. “You’ve got the best on your side. Shannon’s Elite is the best the CIA has to offer.”
“And I also have you and Josh to thank for helping me get this off my chest. I’ve been carrying this around for thirteen years. None of you can imagine what a burden has been lifted off of me. I’m not alone anymore.”
“Sis, you will never be alone again,” Matt said. “I promise.”
Sean took a sip of his drink. “That’s a fact, Carrie. You can count on us.”
“I found you,” Jena said. “You can always come to us for anything. We love you.”
Sean put down his glass and started putting the stacks of money back into the satchel. “First things first. Let’s get this money out of here.”
“The most secure place in the building isn’t Shannon’s Elite area,” Matt said. “It’s Eric and Scott’s offices.”
Sean stood and slung the satchel’s strap around his shoulder. “Carrie, it’s lovingly referred to as the Presidential Fortress of Solace by the employees. All the churches’ money will be safe there.”
“We need to call Dylan to let him know we’re coming,” Matt said. “He’s TBK’s head of security, Carrie. And he’s also part of Shannon’s Elite.”
“Thank you so much. I just want to make sure that this money gets back to those churches. They are good people. They didn’t deserve what Willie did to them.”
“Sean and I won’t be gone long,” Matt said.
“I’m going, too,” Jena said, taking the list of churches from her. “I want to put in this information so that we’ll have it when the team meets with Carrie.”
Matt kissed her. “Good idea, baby.”
“Do you mind keeping an eye on Kimmie for us?” Jena asked.
“That little angel. Of course not.”
Matt came over and gave her a hug. “I promise you that everything is going to be okay from now on.”
“I believe you.”
After the trio left with the two million dollars, she leaned back between Josh and Jacob. “That’s the first time in thirteen years that money has been away from me.”
“How does it feel?” Jacob asked.
“So good. I feel two million dollars lighter.” She couldn’t stop grinning. “How can I ever repay you? I’m not sure I would’ve ever found the courage or right time to come clean with my family without your help.”
“Coming to dinner with us tomorrow night is a start.” Josh pressed his lips to hers. “The date is still on, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Sweetheart, you did good tonight.” Jacob kissed her. “A lot of innocent people are going to benefit because of you.”
She smiled. “So this is what happiness is all about.”
Kimmie’s little dog came running, and they all laughed.
* * * *
Parked back on the street to stake out Matt and Sean’s house, Willie held his gun. Earlier, he’d lost his mind when he’d seen his bitch with the two fucking cowboys. But now the calm that had gotten him through many a close call was back in place.
He smiled. “No need to rush. I’ve waited all this time to find her. And now I have a full-proof plan to get my money back and make that bitch pay for what she did to me.”
And when he completed Trollinger’s task, the amount he would be paid, along with the two million he recovered from Carrie, would give him all he needed to live out his life on an island in the Caribbean, drinking rum and fucking the local beauties to his heart’s content. Carrie would be his bitch slave, taking care of all of his needs. By the time he finished with her, she would be grateful to do anything he told her.
He glanced down at the screen of the burner phone Cindy Trollinger had given him in Denver. The e-mail from her had come in less than an hour ago. It had a photo and very detailed instructions. The final line was the agreement he’d made with her for the information about Carrie’s whereabouts.
“Kill Jaris Simmons.” The man had killed Trollinger’s brother.
The photo was a few years old, when Simmons had still been working as a police officer in Chicago. Now he was a deputy in this backwater town and also worked with his wife raising service dogs for the blind. What a pussy. Watching the bastard die would be a pleasure.
Willie put the phone away and watched three people, a woman and two men, come out of the house down the block. He brought binoculars to his eyes.
None of them was Carrie. But he was certain she was inside. Once again, not alone. The two cowboys were with her and so was Matt’s daughter Kimmie.
Patience, Willie.
The cell rang.
Only one person had the number. “Hello, Cindy.”
“Where are we on taking care of that issue we talked about, Reverend?”
He grinned. “You mean killing Simmons?”
She didn’t say a word, which let him know she wasn’t pleased. Trollinger liked speaking in code, whereas he was more to the point unless he was working a con. That’s when it was best to talk around specifics.
“When can I expect the job to be done, Willie?”
“I’m working out the details for both our issues, ma’am. There’s a big paintball event that starts day after tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to school me on anything that happens in Destiny.” Trollinger’s tone sharpened. “I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears on that town for a very long time.”
He’d learned from the man working the desk at his hotel in the nearby town that Trollinger was the most hated woman around. How was she able to keep tabs so closely here? If she ever set foot in town almost every citizen would recognize her. He bet that she had spies on her payroll. Best to stay on her good side. At least for now.
“Then you know, Cindy, that the big event will bring thousands of visitors to Destiny. That’s when I’ll make my move. The crowds will give me the cover I need for both our operations.”
“Just make sure it gets done, Reverend.”
The line went dead, just like Simmons would be very soon.
Chapter Eleven
Getting out of her brother’s car, Carrie looked at the nine-story building.
“Welcome to Two Black Knights Enterprises,” Jena said.
“Home of Shannon’s Elite,” Sean added.
TBK’s edifice was all glass, but the lower floors were all covered in plastic, like the rest of the places in Destiny. Already, out-of-towners were arriving for the big paintball event that started tomorrow. “It seems this building is too large for this size town.”
“Look to your left, sis.” Matt pointed at the even larger office building next to TBK. It was ten stories and had a projecting cornice decorated with interlocking stone circles and leafy garlands. “That’s O’Leary Global, Destiny’s first billionaire family. The Knights are the second. Both companies are headquartered here but have offices around the country and world.”
“We better get inside,” Sean said. “We still have to process Carrie with Terrence.”
“Terrence?”
“Don’t worry,” Jena said. “He’s security and I called ahead to let him know we were bringing you.”
They walked into the building.
The man behind the desk had gray hair and a warm smile. “Hello Mrs. Dixon-MacCabe. Mr. Dixon. Mr. MacCabe. And I believe you are Miss Carrie Dixon, correct?”
“I am,” she said, realizing that was her real name. Had been her entire life, though Willie had told her otherwise.
“I’m Terrence McCoy. Pleased to meet you, Miss Dixon.”
“Me, too,”
she said, instantly taking a liking to the man. “Please call me Carrie.”
“And you call me Terrence.” He held out a pen for her to take. “I have a few things for you to fill out.”
She couldn’t believe all the questions that were on the forms. “You really need to know my weight, Terrence?”
“Protocols. And your height, too, Carrie.”
Sean smiled. “Don’t mind Terrence. He takes his job seriously.”
“Yes, I do, sir.”
“Congratulations on your promotion,” Jena said. “You deserve it.”
Terrence smiled. “Thank you.”
“Being Dylan Strange’s right-hand man might be tough,” Matt said. “But if anyone can do it, it’s you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Never will stop with the formalities, will you?” Sean asked.
“You were officers in the Marines. I was enlisted. That will never change.”
Carrie hadn’t known that her brother and Sean had served in the military. There was so much more she wanted to learn. Thank God, it seemed she would be able to stay in Destiny for a long time to find out. No need to run any more. “All done, Mr. McCoy.”
He took the paperwork. “Excellent. Next, I’ll need to get your fingerprints and a photo of you.”
“Okay,” she said, feeling like she was getting ready to join the CIA herself.
There was no ink to take her fingerprints. Instead all she had to do was place her hand on a scanner. And taking the photo had been different, too. Terrence had her walk into a booth. The whole picture-taking process was automated and took several minutes.
Once all the steps were completed, Terrence opened a drawer and brought out a temporary badge. He slid it into a slot that was attached to his computer. Then he handed the badge to her. “You’re all set. This will give you all the access you need.”
“Thank you, Terrence.”
He smiled. “My pleasure, Carrie.”
“Let’s try your badge,” Jena said.
She handed it to her and Jena swiped it on the reader by the glass door that led into the main building.
There was a buzzing sound and Matt opened the door for her.
Having been cleared to enter, Carrie walked out of the lobby and into the main area of TBK with Jena, Matt, and Sean. Two Black Knights Enterprises was very modern and impressive.
They led her to an elevator that had more security measures than she’d ever seen before. “Josh and Jacob were right about this place being the safest in town. Perhaps in the world.”
“It is. We have the latest technology available,” Matt said. “And the two million is in the most secure area of the entire building, though that’s not where we’re going.”
Sean swiped his card, and the elevator doors opened.
She started to step inside.
“Wait,” Matt said. “Everyone that gets into the elevator must use their card.”
“Everyone?” She held out the visitor’s card that the guard at the front had given her a few moments ago after Matt had vouched for her and signed her in.
“Yes,” Jena said. “If the weight in the elevator exceeds the amount it should for the people inside, the doors will shut and not open until Security comes and gets you.”
“I thought it was odd that I had to put my weight down on that form. I’m glad I told the truth.”
Sean and Matt laughed.
Jena grinned. “A few pounds either way wouldn’t have made much of a difference, but it is best to be honest around here.”
After they all swiped their cards, they entered the elevator.
Sean punched the button marked B2.
Carrie turned to Jena. “Your CIA team works in the basement?”
“We just moved from our temporary offices to the permanent ones. We’re very happy with our new home. Langley had considered trying for our own location, but with TBK’s vast security, the top brass thought it better to keep us here. We have the whole floor to ourselves.”
When the elevator stopped, the door didn’t open immediately. A voice came through a speaker. “This level is secure and requires the highest clearance. Please say your name and access code. Then step forward for a retina scan, placing your chin on the rest and keeping your eyes open.”
Carrie felt like she was in a James Bond movie. “That wasn’t a normal photo the guard took of me, was it?”
“Correct,” Sean said. “He got a complete scan of your eyes.”
“I knew it was strange that he made me stay still for so long. What’s my access code then?”
“Your birthday, for now. Two digits for the month, day, and year.”
“Relax, sis,” Matt said. “It’s really simple. I’ll go first. Matthew Lee Dixon. Alpha-Texas-One-Six-Gamma-Charlie-Seven.” He leaned forward as the voice had instructed. She could see a blue light run up and down his face.
“You are cleared, Mr. Dixon. Next.”
Sean and Jena went next.
“Your turn,” Jena said, taking her hand and squeezing it lightly.
“Carrie Anne Dixon. Ten-Eleven-Eighty-Five.” Like the other three, she positioned her chin in the rest and opened her eyes as wide as she could. The light made her blink.
“Sorry, I blinked. Do we have to do it again?”
But the voice let her know the scan had worked perfectly. “You are cleared, Ms. Dixon.”
“Everyone blinks,” Matt said as the doors opened. “Doesn’t matter. The scan happens superfast.”
They walked into a room. Two nice-looking men in dark suits stood by a set of glass doors.
“Carrie, this is Brock Grayson and Cooper Ross,” Jena said. “Guys, this is Matt’s sister Carrie.”
They shook hands.
Brock opened the door. “The rest of the team is already in the War Room.”
As they followed Brock and Cooper down the hall, she whispered to Jena, “War Room?”
“Not actual wars, but the name definitely fits for the kind of work we do here. We are the very front of the country’s war on cyber terrorism.”
When they walked into the room, Carrie saw several people seated around a long conference table, which had images floating on its surface. She saw a couple of them typing away on the table’s top at what looked to her like touch monitors. Again, she turned to Jena for answers. “That’s an impressive table. Are the monitors voice activated as well?”
“Yes.” Jena smiled. “That’s my baby. I designed it. Each team member can work individually or the entire table can become a single screen that can tie into the monitors on the walls.”
She was introduced to the entire Shannon’s Elite team. Being more nervous than she’d anticipated, she wished that Josh and Jacob were here to support her. The men and women around Jena’s special table were CIA. What would they think of her after she told them about the two million dollars?
“Thank you for coming, Carrie,” Easton Black, the team’s leader, said. “Everyone take a seat and let’s get started.”
It didn’t take long for her to relax, as each of the team listened intently to her recount how she’d escaped Willie with the two million dollars of stolen money. “I kept a list of each church Willie conned.”
“We made copies of Carrie’s list,” Jena said, passing around the pages to the others. “It’s very detailed. I’ll have a digital copy up that you can download to your ROCs after this meeting.”
“Carrie, how old were you when you started the list?” Jaris Simmons—she’d learned during the introductions—was one of the sheriff’s deputies and also the newest member of Shannon’s Elite.
“I think around five or six.”
“How did you know to do that so young?” the other deputy, Nicole Coleman, asked.
“At first, it was just a journal I started to remember all the places we lived. Then as I got older I realized the information might be valuable someday. We always left each town in such a hurry that by the time I was thirteen I suspected that Willie was robb
ing from each of the congregations, although I didn’t know how he was doing it. It took me a few more years to figure out his whole scheme, but when I did I started planning how I was going to escape and return the money.”
Mr. Black nodded. “It’s amazing that you have such high ethics having been raised by such a wicked man.”
“Actually, from every congregation I met such kind and decent people. I decided at an early age I wanted to be like them.”
“Some of those churches likely don’t exist anymore, Carrie,” Joanne Brown, the woman to Black’s right, said.
“Maybe not, but as you can see on the papers that Jena gave you, I do have a name of at least one elder from each church on the list. Will you help me get this money back to its rightful owners?”
“Yes, but not only that, Carrie,” Black said, “we’re going to find Willie and make sure you don’t have to run ever again. Dylan, what can you tell us about the man’s last known whereabouts?”
“August of last year he was captured on a security camera at a bank in Wisconsin,” Dylan Strange, the head of TBK security as well as Shannon’s Elite member, said. Dylan wore sunglasses, even though they were inside and underground. Carrie wasn’t quite sure what to make of him, but since he was on the team she thought he had to be one of the good guys.
“Willie had been living there for a few months under an alias,” Jaris continued. On another screen a small church appeared. “We knew that he’d been attending the Good Shepherd Chapel while living there. We also know that he had been wooing the members to make him their pastor. What we hadn’t known was why.” Jaris smiled at her. “But thanks to Carrie, now we do.”
“What happened to the church?” Carrie asked, wondering how many other churches Willie had conned after she’d escaped. “Did he steal from them, too?”
“No,” Jaris said. “Perhaps without you it was harder for him to convince congregations to take a chance on him.”
“I bet you’re right, Jaris. Whenever we showed up to a church Willie told them a sob story about how he was trying to raise me on his own and about how my fictional mother had died in a car accident.”