Black and White Truth (The Syndicate-Born Trilogy Book 2)

by K. M. Hodge

  “Stay right there,” he said. “Don’t move!” He jumped up and grabbed the old-fashioned camera he had found stashed away in one of the closets. There was no saying if the film was any good, but he had to take a chance. He worried his mind’s eye wouldn’t do the moment justice later on.

  When she saw the camera, she laughed and hammed it up, making him laugh in a way only she could.

  He lay down beside her and attempted an old-fashioned selfie. The room vibrated with joy.

  When he could wait no longer, he tossed the camera aside and kissed her, savoring each kiss, touch, and sensation—cataloguing them away as if it were the last time.

  Afterwards, as they lay spent on the bed and smoking a joint she’d brought, he at last felt some peace. He could write again.

  When inspiration hits, you have to act.

  He jumped out of bed and sat down naked in front of his typewriter—picking right up where he left off.

  ***

  She laughed quietly to herself at the sight of him working away at the typewriter—completely nude.

  What an odd duck.

  She threw on his t-shirt, which came down to her knees, and sauntered out to her bike to bring in the groceries. When she came back inside, she asked, “How close are you to being done?”

  “I’m close to finishing up,” he called out to her. “Maybe another day or two.” He glanced up at her with his fingers still dancing over the keys.

  She took a book from her leather satchel and stretched out on the bed to read while he worked.

  After two hours of furious, nonstop typing, he stopped.

  She glanced up from her book and met his gaze.

  “Are you reading my first book?”

  She smiled back at him. “Yes, and I didn’t steal it, if you were wondering.”

  He got up from the chair and pounced on her. “So... fucking... sexy.”

  He carefully placed the book on the table and peeled the t-shirt off her. The attention his devoted mouth gave to her body made her gasp. As his tongue and lips tickled their way up to her throat, his fingers toyed with her medallion. “What Saint is this?”

  “St. Rita, the saint of impossible dreams.” She took his hand and brought it down on the blue rose tattoo above her left breast. “Her symbol is the rose petal. She was married off to a horrible man who beat her and her children.”

  He paused for a moment and the stillness unnerved her. Did he see the connection between her and the saint? Did he see through the carefully placed mask she wore every day? Did he see her?

  “What’s your impossible dream?” He stared at the medallion, avoiding looking her in the eye.

  The direct question threw her. Sometimes she forgot he had been a reporter before an author. Up until now, she’d managed to avoid giving him too much information about herself, reasoning that the more he knew about her, the less he would want to be with her. Yet instead of deflecting his question, she told him the truth, without the embellished shades of gray that she shared with everyone else.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I guess a simple life with a kind man who loves me as much as I love him.”

  He regarded her for a moment, and then nuzzled his nose against hers. “That sounds nice.”

  Then he kissed her with agonizing slowness—lazy Sunday afternoon kisses that had no direction or timetable. After some time had passed their mutual exhaustion won over, and they fell fast asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

  ***

  Jason awoke with a start—famished. The vibrating growl of his empty gut awoke Sally, too, who lay pressed against him.

  She pulled away from him, threw on his shirt and got out of bed. “I’ll make us some sandwiches.”

  He crawled lazily out of bed and sat back down at the typewriter. When she brought him a sandwich, he inhaled it—not even tasting it—and began to write again. He typed and typed, not noticing until sometime after 3:00 AM that she hadn’t gone home. He smiled as he watched her curled up like a cat, fast asleep, on his bed. He stretched his arms over his head and rolled his wrists to return blood flow to his overtaxed extremities. His back popped and cracked, protesting the long hours of abuse.

  Crawling into bed beside her, he nuzzled his nose into the nape of her neck, waking her. “Hey, don’t you have to go?”

  “Mmm? No, not tonight,” she mumbled.

  “Really?” He grinned, snaked his arm around her midsection, and pulled her tightly against him.

  “Mmm hmm. Get some sleep.”

  At this point, sleep sounded like the best course of action. He would finish the book in the morning. Though it was a true crime novel, the romantic in him had peppered it with a little purple prose. He was a sad middle-aged man—falling in love for the first time in thirty years—with someone who wouldn’t love him in return... again.

  ***

  O’Malley’s Bar

  Ocean City, Maryland

  July 19, 2025

  3:00 AM

  ~~~

  “I don’t understand why you don’t just take him out. Isn’t it dangerous having this book out like this?”

  Scott shook his head and lustily drank his beer. So far his plan was going off without a hitch. As long as this half-wit kept the book off the net, everything would be golden. “I don’t pay you to understand, kid.”

  The boy fiddled with the ends of his hair, which twisted up into wide curls. “What do you need from me?”

  The twitchy boy annoyed Scott to no end. For a brief moment, he again thanked the gods that he had no progeny. “Just keep doing what you’re doing. Sally and Jason need to keep them believing they’re going to expose me and the others. I’ll be paying the would-be heroes a little visit soon and then things will get interesting.”

  “And if I don’t cooperate?” the young man asked.

  Scott shot him a pointed look. “Then you will end up an orphan or worse.”

  He enjoyed watching the young man’s smug expression crumple. A slow, easy grin slid across Scott’s face.

  The key to enjoying life is to find joy in the simple things.

  ***

  Highway 81

  Just outside Virginia’s Washington National Forest

  July 19, 2025

  10:00 AM

  ~~~

  Mari trembled with anticipation over the thought of seeing him for the first time in weeks, but easily fell into the “dead in a ditch” thinking. She needed to know if he was okay.

  Mari’s friends at the Millboro PD had alerted her that the cabin was again in use and currently had a motorcycle parked out front. She had called Detective O’Mally on the way, to alert him to her location in case anyone at the precinct asked.

  He had sweetly wished her luck.

  As she pulled into the drive, she felt like she might throw up—everything finally overcoming her. Gone was her well-worn armor that had protected her heart all these years. She’d made the mistake of letting him in, and now she was doomed.

  She hopped out of Jason’s borrowed truck and started for the door.

  ***

  Yellow Hat Cabin

  Millboro, Virginia

  July 19, 2025

  10:00 AM

  ~~~

  Sally nibbled her thumbnail down to the nub as she read the last page of the book. She sighed. “It’s amazing.”

  “You’re amazing,” he said. “And you bite your nails.”

  She blushed and looked away from him.

  He balled up her shirt with his fist and pulled her up against him—pressing her hand against his heart. “My beautiful, muse.”

  She tipped her chin up to kiss his smiling lips. “We should celebrate,” she said, grabbing his hand to lead him to the bedroom. “And I know just what we should do.”

  He removed his clothing in record time before backing her against the bed and falling down on her with a flourish. His teeth and tongue nipped at the tender skin of her neck.

  Is this our last time? Please... please don�
��t be the last.

  She closed her eyes, parted her lips and moaned in response.

  His confidence had grown during their time together. After lots of practice, he now knew what she liked. Sliding his hand up her neck, he dug his fingers into her hair. She acquiesced and let him pull her toward him for a soft, slow kiss. He would worship her like he had their first time.

  The memory of the hot night in the park still drove her mad with lust.

  ***

  He mentally cursed the sound of tires on the drive. He hoped it was someone using the drive to turn around on the highway. When he heard the vehicle’s engine cut off, he became enraged at the thought of their perfect little bubble being invaded by the outside world. “What the fuck!”

  “Ignore it.” Sally beckoned with her hands, cupping his face.

  Jason returned his mouth to her attenuated flesh, making her cry out.

  The front door opened with a bang and a pair of hard-soled shoes clapped against the ancient wood floors.

  He knew at once who was on the other side of the bedroom door. After years as friends and several years as a couple, he knew her every sound by heart. He also knew there was nothing he could do to stop her from seeing what she was about to see, and for that he was already sorry.

  ***

  Unknown Building

  Unknown Location

  July 19, 2025

  10:00 AM

  ~~~

  “Henry, this is crazy. You know this, right? Please tell me I’m not the only person who thinks this is the biggest mistake ever?”

  “Roy, you need to shut your fucking mouth before you get us all killed. We have our orders.”

  “How do we know this monster isn’t going to turn on us and kill us instead?” Roy asked.

  “If we don’t do our job, the boss man will have us killed. That is a sure thing. Always worry about the sure things.” Henry handed him the keys, his hands shaking slightly.

  Roy turned the lock to open the makeshift cage they imprisoned Tidy in when he wasn’t out doing the bosses bidding. “We have a new mission for you, Tidy.”

  ***

  Yellow Hat Cabin

  Millboro, Virginia

  July 19, 2025

  10:00 AM

  ~~~

  On the drive over, Mari worried about what she might find when she opened the door to the sparse cabin. She had tried to prepare herself for anything, but nothing could have prepared her for this. Her heart fell at the sight of the man she loved in bed with another woman.

  This is why he took off?

  No, she had no right to be upset; they had made no commitments to each other. Even though she logically knew this, it still stung. Either way, she needed to get out of the room and fast. She turned on her heels and bolted away from Jason and out of the cabin.

  “Marianna!”

  She clutched the key fob in her hands—so ready to forget it had ever happened. Through the reflection on the truck’s glass she could see him step out onto the porch wearing a pair of boxers. She turned to face him, tears stinging her cheeks as the door to the cabin slammed shut behind him.

  He stood at the top of the steps looking down at her with a look of genuine contrition. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was worried. We’ve all been worried. You just took off!” she choked out. “But you seem to be doing just fine.” She pointed to the closed door to the cabin. “In there.”

  “Mari....” He stepped down off the porch and onto the gravel drive.

  When he reached out for her, she stumbled away from him and grabbed at the door of the truck. The last thing she wanted was for him to touch her.

  She shook her head and held out her other hand in front of her. “It’s okay, you don’t have to explain. I don’t have any claims on you.” She yanked open the door and hopped into the truck.

  It kicked up gravel as she high-tailed it out of there, and a mile down the road, the tears fell in earnest. Mari wiped at her cheeks.

  I love him. The realization of this hit her like a brick wall. I can’t let that woman steal my man!

  With a flick of her wrist, she started a U-turn to return to the cabin. At the apex of the turn, she saw the shiny metal glint in the sun.

  Shit! It’s too late.

  The truck’s tires shredded instantly, putting her into a spin. Her head hit the steering wheel but she managed to turn into the spin. The truck came to a halting stop against one of the trees at the side of the road, and Mari’s world faded to black.

  ***

  Sally threw on some clothes, walked outside onto the porch, and sat down beside Jason. “Hey.”

  To her great surprise, he stood up without a word and walked back inside.

  Sally watched him with concern. Her world and all that she held dear was on the line. The well-meaning cop drew too much attention to herself at a time when she should be laying low. If she didn’t stop soon, she would get herself killed or, worse yet, put Sally’s mission in danger.

  She pulled a phone out of her bike’s bag and turned it on—risky, but it couldn’t be helped at this point. She sent a quick text to the group to let them know about the overly emotional cop.

  ***

  Bella’s Cafe

  Stafford, Virginia

  July 19, 2025

  8:00 PM

  ~~~

  Manny sat at their usual table waiting for his daughter’s band to go on stage.

  It wasn’t like Mari to be late. He checked his phone again to make sure she hadn’t called or sent a message. He didn’t want to bother her, or come across like a creepy old man who mistook their meeting to see his daughter’s band as a date.

  He pushed his fears aside as his daughter took the stage. Something must have come up. He understood the life of a cop. He’d been one himself once, and had missed his fair share of appointments.

  ***

  Unknown Building

  Unknown Location

  July 19, 2025

  9:00 PM

  ~~~

  Mari woke with her head pounding, unable to move her neck. She brought her hand up to her face and gingerly tested out the parts that hurt the most. Her entire face was slick with blood, which cascaded down her eyes and made it hard for her to open them.

  Even being unable to see or move, she knew she wasn’t in the car anymore. She could make out the sounds of two men talking, and a low hum of what sounded like an air conditioner.

  “This was not part of our original deal.”

  The man’s voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Her head hurt too much to think.

  “I’ll make it worth your while,” said an unfamiliar male voice. “You know that. Once we get the money, you will forget all about this unpleasantness.”

  “I liked her.”

  Where do I know that voice from?

  “You better not let anyone hear you say that, or you’ll be next on the list.”

  Chapter 10

  Yellow Hat Cabin

  Millboro, Virginia

  July 20, 2025

  5:00 AM

  ~~~

  Jason got up at the crack of dawn to chop wood. The solar flood light hung on the side of the cabin, illuminating his work. The act of swinging the ax and feeling the impact of it hitting the wood soothed him. He wanted a scotch, but this would do for now.

  His mind shifted from his current problems back into the past. He thought of Katherine and her struggles with sobriety. She managed to fight for her life without ever turning back to substances to cope.

  Why is this so hard for me? How will I stay sober when I leave this place?

  He never imagined himself becoming an alcoholic, but it had been a slow slide into the darkness.

  As the sky turned from the inky black of night to the bruised blue of predawn, he began to break a sweat from his lumberjack efforts. His underused shoulder blades flexed with each upswing of the ax. From the shadows of the Tiber behind the cabin, a gray wolf watched him with keen interes
t. The creature’s presence felt like an omen. Things always got worse before they got better. He couldn’t imagine what lay ahead, but he knew it wouldn’t be good.

  As dawn broke, he knew he needed to make a decision before Sally woke up. He pulled out a lighter and joint, and took a long drag. Doubt about the soundness of their plan began to creep in. There was only one hard copy, and one digital copy stored with her hacker friends. What if something happened? A digital copy that only he knew about shouldn’t cause trouble, but True was so dead set against it.

  He trusted Lisa, and knew she could keep the information safe, but how could he get it to his Editor-in-Chief without his lover knowing? Her Luddite paranoia seemed extreme to Jason.

  While True slept, he snuck out to where she kept their electronics in a box inside the saddlebag of her bike. Quietly, he opened the box and tried to boot up his tablet. No luck. He knew she was paranoid about electronics and was convinced that some they were trying to track her. Maybe she had turned on some sort of electronic disruptor.

  Since the disruptor could be anything, anywhere, he didn’t bother looking for it. Instead, he returned with the tablet to the cabin, slipped on his shoes, grabbed a handful of his papers, and headed out the back door.

  He got a quarter of a mile into the Timber when the device finally turned on. He stopped in his tracks and started scanning his pages, saving them on the secured editor’s cloud for the Danville Press.

  It was painstaking work but he kept at it well into the morning.

  ***

  As Jason walked back to the cabin, True and three armed men suddenly surrounded him.

  His lover’s jaw dropped and eyes widened as she looked at the tablet and papers in his hand. “You shouldn’t a’ done that Jason,” she said, leaning in so only he could hear her. “You should’a just trusted me.”

  Jason looked from her to the three goons. “Maybe I was right not to trust you, seeing as how you have now three goons pointing guns at me,” he said with a growl. “Sorry, no offense, goons. I don’t exactly know your names.”

  The man in the middle nodded, taking the papers and pad from him. “None taken.”

  When the men turned away, Sally grabbed Jason’s arm, but he evaded her hand and charged past her. “Lead the way, boys.”

  He should have known better than to trust her.