Sylvia Hessman was a player at the same level as Melvin, only she had a high profile RL, real life, presence. Lydia knew Sylvia Hessman was just a character the woman played. Kind of like an avatar. She’d tried to run a deep background check on her, but hadn’t been able to find out who Sylvia really was. Bottom line, she was someone who knew where all the financial bodies were buried, and she occasionally came out and played.
Sylvia would eat Clint up with a spoon. Then she realized what Melvin just said.
“Hey! How do you know about my new friend?”
“There’s a picture on the web of you two leaving the hospital in Dallas. I figure he’s probably still there with you and that’s why I don’t get to do the video skype thing.” Lydia was already logged into her secure drop account.
“Send me the picture. Has he been identified?”
“Negative. He was wearing a ball cap that covered his features. He acted like a pro. Built like one too. Sylvia’s going to be chomping at the bit to bring him over to the dark side.”
“He’s mine. She can’t have him.” Melvin let out a loud laugh. Clint grinned and hugged her closer.
“Lydia, I’m just telling you what will be the best bait to use for the information you want to get.” Her computer pinged and she pulled up a bunch of JPEG images. She was clearly visible. She looked like a stiff wind would blow her away, which just made Clint look all the more powerful. But Melvin was right, the ball cap covered his face. She covered her mic.
“Did you know we were under surveillance?”
“It’s best to assume we are. That’s why when we changed vehicles you had the scarf over your head and sunglasses on.” She uncovered the microphone.
“Melvin, where is Sylvia hanging out these days?”
“You can reach her at her normal hangouts on the dark net. If push comes to shove, you can always message her dummy account on Facebook.”
“No, I mean where is she in real life?” Lydia’s question was met by the sound of keys tapping.
“Are you sure about this, Lydia? Sylvia is as scary in her way as that fucker Berto. She has real blood on her hands.”
“I’m sure.”
“That guy who’s with you. Is he on the up and up? Will he be able to protect you? I’m assuming he’s right there with you.”
“Yeah, he’s with me. So are some of his friends. They’re the good guys, and they can be pretty damn scary too. I can’t tell you anything more. I don’t want you messed up in this, Melvin.”
“I intend to be, and not just because I got to see your cleavage every other week. I know all about you Lydia Hidalgo. I have always thought you were crazy to want to join the Federal Ministerial Police. In my opinion, you’re too good for them. But I always admired the fact you wanted to do good. So there is no way I am not going to help you when you most need it.”
“All I need from you is Sylvia’s whereabouts.”
“I’ll give you everything I have on her. But I’ll continue to ferret out other information as it comes to light and feed it to your secure drop account.”
“Melvin, how good is your security?” Lydia kicked herself for never having asked this before.
“Kitten, ain’t no one ever going to find your Uncle Melvin.”
“Ooooohh. That’s just nasty. Please never refer to yourself as my uncle again, okay?”
“See, now you’re not worried about me anymore. Check your account tomorrow, you’ll have everything you need about our dear cousin Sylvia then.”
“Enough with the family references, you’re creeping me out.”
“Ciao, Kitten.” The line went dead.
They put their computers on the nightstands beside the bed. “I still don’t know what we’re going to do about Sylvia.”
“Let’s not borrow trouble. We’ll see what your friend Melvin sends us. It could be that he can’t find anything on her, so it’s a moot point.”
“I haven’t told you much about Melvin, but he’s seriously good. He’ll find out about Sylvia. When he does, we’ll need to be ready. But just so you know, as much as you disliked the idea of me flirting with Melvin, same goes. I don’t want you letting Sylvia sinking her claws into you.” Instead of arguing, Clint just gave her a very satisfied smile.
“You’re jealous.”
“Nope, I just don’t share well with others.” Clint fluffed up the pillows and positioned them so that they were cuddled facing one another.
“I applaud the sentiment. Please remember I feel the same way. If you have any other contacts you video skype with, plan to stop. Also, quit with the sexy voice when you’re talking to poor Melvin.” She opened her mouth to protest, but Clint raised his eyebrow.
“Okay, no more sexy voice.”
“I didn’t say stop it entirely, just with your contacts.” She laughed. “Now scooch closer, I need to feel you against me. I can’t get to sleep without you in my arms.” She nestled closer, loving the smell of him, and the feel of his hand on her ribcage.
“Maybe…”
“No more maybes tonight. You plumb wore me out Lydia.”
She giggled. Not even the thought of Sylvia and the Guzman’s could ruin perfection of sleeping in Clint’s arms.
****
Clint hated the fact Sylvia insisted on meeting Lydia face-to-face. Clint insisted on meeting her far-the-fuck-away from Orlando, so they were now in Houston. In fact were at the bar in the St. Regis Hotel in Downtown Houston, and he couldn’t imagine anything bad going down here.
However there was an upside, he got to see Drake hating life as he was dressed in a charcoal gray Armani suit with a silk maroon shirt. He never saw Drake this uncomfortable, and it was providing him and Darius unending joy. It had been Lydia’s idea to make Sylvia lose focus. What the hell, a beautiful woman often worked to make him lose focus, at least they had before Lydia came into his life. Darius was waiting upstairs in yet another magnificent suite Finn arranged. They had a microphone set up so he could hear everything said at the table.
A tiny blonde woman glided into the wood paneled bar on the tallest high heels imaginable. She was wearing a black pinstripe suit that hugged every curve. Her hair was slicked back in some kind of complicated elegant braid.
“Lydia Hidalgo, it’s so nice to meet you.” Sylvia Grant sat down in one of the wingback chairs and crossed her legs. Clint could see the tops of her stockings, he glanced over at Drake. He easily read his friend. Drake was both salivating and offended. Damn, friend was a piece of work.
Sylvia raised her hand and a waiter literally ran over to take her order. She stroked her hand down the waiter’s arm and then turned to Drake.
“And can I have him bring you anything, handsome?”
“I’m capable of ordering my own beverages, thank you.” Drake gave her a cold look. Well now he was outraged.
“But I thought you were brought here for my benefit, or did I misread things? I don’t work for free.”
Before Clint or Drake could even form an answer, Lydia was in Sylvia’s face.
“Sylvia, I expected better of you, but I’m saving my evaluation until after our meeting is completed. In the meantime, listen very carefully. Just because you’re a woman and he’s a man, doesn’t mean the same rules don’t apply. I’m allowed to bring eye-candy to butter you up and make the meeting go smoother, but everyone at this table is free and belong to themselves. They will not be coerced or paid to do anything abhorrent to them. Now pull down your damn skirt, you’ll scare the customers.”
“Lydia–” Drake started.
Lydia held up her hand, her eyes never leaving Sylvia’s face. Finally Sylvia nodded.
“She’s right. I apologize.” Sylvia uncrossed her legs, tucked them tightly together and tugged at her skirt.
What the fuck just happened? He looked over at his woman, but she was still staring at Sylvia. Sylvia looked back at her.
“So you’re a friend of Melvin’s too? How’d you meet him?” Sylvia asked.
&nb
sp; “I was doing a research paper for my Criminology class. I needed some information on how information was being hijacked out of company Ethernet despite their firewalls and security.”
“Yes, Melvin’s your guy for that.”
“We talked for months, and then he turned me onto the dark net, and all things related with human trafficking, drug trade, and illegal arms. I was interested in the Mexican cartels, specifically Alfonso Guzman, so I focused on drugs.”
“You’re being naïve, he’s got his hands in all of those other pies as well.”
“Not human trafficking,” Lydia protested.
“Is it illegal? Does it make money? Than Guzman is doing it.”
“What’s your angle? I finally figured out Melvin’s.”
“Oh really, what did you figure out about Melvin?”
The waiter came back, and this time everyone ordered for themselves.
“It’s private. If he hasn’t told you, I don’t want to break a confidence,” Lydia said.
“Fair enough.” Sylvia played with the napkin the waiter put down on the table.
“You’re on the side of angels Lydia, I’ve checked out you and your merry men. So I feel comfortable telling you I’m going to retire within the next twelve months. Sylvia Hessman will no longer exist.”
“Why does she exist in the first place?”
Clint really looked at the woman, and realized she wore a lot of make-up. A lot of make-up. She had made herself look much older than she was. Lydia was twenty-four, but he was thinking this woman was probably four or five years younger.
“My angle is simple. I make money by following the stock market. All of these criminal assholes have their money tied up in banks and corporations. I watch their illegal business, I see how their operations are doing, I know how it will impact their legal businesses, and voila, I will make good trades.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for her drink. It was subtle, but he looked over at Drake and realized that he had seen it as well.
“If you’re only in it for the money, why are you here talking to Lydia?” Clint asked.
“Sylvia is only in it for the money. Like Melvin I have my own story. Helping Lydia is something that makes the real me happy.” She took a sip of her whiskey and Clint saw her put on a blank face. Obviously Sylvia liked whiskey but the real girl didn’t. Fuck, this was all too confusing for him.
“What should we call you?”
“Sylvia!” Both women said in unison.
“Clint, anything else gets her killed.”
Drake lifted his hand and asked for the bill. He got out his wallet and pulled out a wad of cash. When the waiter gave him the ticket, Drake eyes widened. He handed it to Clint.
“We’re going to be charging it to his suite.”
How could four drinks cost that much? Then he saw the price of Sylvia’s whiskey. For God’s sakes, she didn’t even like the stuff. He signed the tab.
“We’re moving this party upstairs Sylvia.”
****
Darius was in the room waiting for them. He took one look at Sylvia and he started frowning.
“For God’s sake, you’re a baby.”
“I’m five feet, one inches tall,” Sylvia said indignantly.
“Are you even twenty?”
“I’m thirty.” Clint and Drake both laughed. The girl had guts. Lydia started really looking at Sylvia. Now that they weren’t in the low light of the bar, she saw all the make-up she was wearing. If her hair wasn’t pulled back in such a severe hair-style, then her baby face would really be noticeable.
“You’re the contact that brought us to Houston. The one who is the barracuda who was going to eat Drake alive?” Darius sounded exasperated. He put his arm around her and guided her towards the couch.
“Get your hands off me, Mr. Stanton.” She tried to shrug out of his hold, but it did no use, as he had her sitting at the couch before she could finish her protest.
“That’s Master Chief Stanton. How in the hell do you women walk in these shoes? How do you know my name?” He pulled them off her feet and she let out a sigh of pleasure.
“Damn, Dare, quit manhandling our guest.”
“I know all of you. My business is information. I suppose you were listening to our conversation?”
“Yep, I heard it all. You’re one of the good guys. Or good girls. So we have to take care of you.” He started to massage her foot. Sylvia gaped at him.
“Y’all are bat shit crazy. I just wanted to meet Lydia, make sure she was on the up-and-up. If she was, then I was going to tell her what I knew, and start supplying her with info going forward. I’m not signing up with y’all. I work alone.” The last was said with a distinct Southern accent.
“So did we pass the test?” Lydia asked.
“Yes, you did. These men you’re surrounded by haven’t. How in the hell do you stand them? They’re like steam rollers.” She shot a glare over
“Look, let me give you my information and then get back home. I should have known it was a bad idea to meet with the likes of y’all. I should have just trusted my instincts and done this all online.”
The accent was getting thicker by the minute and she looked so forlorn. Clint crouched in front of her.
“Why did you meet with us honey?”
“What I found out for Mizz Lydia scared me. Melvin normally finds out all of the criminal stuff, I find the money stuff. But I found a video hidden away. It was awful.” She twisted her fingers in her lap, and Lydia covered them with her own. She looked up at Lydia with tears in her blue eyes.
“I only saw part of the video before it was taken down. I thought they would trace back to me, but I put up enough walls that they couldn’t find me. I’m so sorry I didn’t copy it.”
“What happened?”
“They tor-tor-tortured this man. They cut him…open. They were pulling…” She stopped and gagged. Darius was there with a glass of water. Sylvia took it gratefully and sipped.
“He died. The man who did it had a mask. He told the camera that if they didn’t tell them the location of Ricardo Hidalgo that this is what would happen to his family.”
“Lydia, I know you, we are part of the same online community. I had to find you and tell you. I had to warn you.” She gagged again. She lurched up off the couch and looked around wildly.
“The bathroom is this way.” Lydia put her arm around her, and guided her down the hall at a run.
“Fuck. Who are these people?” Dare asked.
“What are you talking about? What else would you expect from Guzman?” Drake snarled.
“No, you dumb fuck. Lydia, this Melvin guy, and now this brave girl. Who are these people who are basically fighting evil? I mean we’re soldiers, we are trained for this shit, but they all got involved and they’re right in the middle of it.”
“I still can’t believe I didn’t notice how young she was,” Drake said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “She had me running scared. I was ready to go join a convent, and then I find out she’s just a baby.”
“It’s pretty fucking funny if you ask me.” Clint watched as Drake ripped off the silver tie and pulled off his suit coat. They heard the women coming back from the bathroom. Sylvia looked totally different, all of her make-up had been wiped off, and she now looked like a fresh faced farm girl.
“Where are you from?” Drake asked, playing up his own Tennessee accent.
“Texas born and bred.”
“Do your parents know you’re out this late?”
“Ah fuck, here we go,” Darius muttered.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Shouldn’t you be studying for your finals, so you get to go to homecoming? Does Dad know you’re running around downtown Houston? Who do I need to call? I know you think you’re the big bad, but you are not going to risk your life on my watch.” Drake pulled his phone out of his pocket and took her picture before she had a chance to move. He pressed another couple of buttons.
“Cl
int, I just sent you her pic, do me a favor and track down Nancy Drew. I want her back home and in bed by midnight.”
“Thanks ever so sir,” she said sarcastically. “Mom and Dad are dead. But the last foster father I had would love to have me back in my bed so he could come and visit. Is that what you want for me? Is it?”
“That’s not where you’re staying now, is it?” That was Drake, never backing down.
“Fuck no! That was four years ago.”
“So you have someplace safe you could be? Somewhere not in the middle of trying to take down international drug smugglers?”
“Yes! And as soon as I’m done giving Lydia, not you, my information you will never find me again.”
“Bullshit. You now belong to us. You will be under our care.”
“Are you out of your ever-loving-mind?” She turned to Lydia who shrugged. She turned to Clint who grimaced. Then she turned to Darius who looked poleaxed. She turned back to Drake.
“You are a special kind of stupid, aren’t you Drake Avery. Not only do I take care of myself. I’m the one who takes care of others.”
“Look missy.” A shrill whistle sounded. Everyone turned to Darius.
“Enough,” Darius said quietly.
“He started it.”
“Well I’m finishing it. Drake get Sylvia’s computer from her room. She needs to get Lydia some information.”
“How do you know I have a room here?” Darius raised an eyebrow. Her shoulders drooped. She handed her room key to Drake.
“Don’t let her leave while I’m gone.”
“Shut up Drake, you’ve done enough damage.”
As Drake shut the door behind him, the four of them stood in a circle in the middle of the room.
“I hate being the shortest. I hate having everyone looking down on me.”
“We’re not looking down on you, I promise. You just gave Drake hell, as far as I’m concerned I’m looking up to you.” Clint grinned.
Darius bent down to the coffee table and picked up the room service menu. “Sylvia, do you trust us enough to tell us your real name?”
Her Loyal Seal Page 14