One Last Chance (Complete Series Box Set)

by Lauren Wood

  I was already eying her and she shook her head quickly, telling me that she didn’t want that at all. Her answer was so quick that it made me laugh. I didn’t know what to think about Danny as I dropped her off. We were now in the grey area that I hadn’t navigated before.

  “Take me home Ernest. I can’t sleep another night in that hotel. I need my bed after today.”

  “Do you think that is wise?”

  I was not sure what he was talking about and I asked him.

  “Well we’ve had a trail since the airport when we first arrived. I thought you knew. You always track them way before I do.”

  I was alarmed at his words and not sure what to say about it. I didn’t know that we had a tail, especially since we first touched down in New Orleans. If they were going across state lines like that, it meant only one thing and I didn’t even want to think about it.

  For once in my life, once in a very long time, I was unsure how to go forward. We were sitting in the car in front of Danny’s house and that fact made me even more nervous.

  “Let’s get on the interstate and we can drop them after a few exits. I don’t want them coming back here.”

  As I said it, I knew that they would. There were things about me that I didn’t want Danny to know about. She didn’t have the tolerance for certain things; she was a school teacher for God’s sake.

  Danielle

  I was walking on sunshine, literal sunshine, even if every step hurt a little bit. I had forgotten somehow what Mack was able to do to me. It was one of those times that I had underestimated him and it was something that I wouldn’t do again.

  Sleep was not a problem, but waking up was. It was too early and when the alarm went off for my run, I rationalized that I’d gotten enough exercise the night before and I was going to skip the morning all together. It was the first time that I’d done it all year, save for the few days that I had the flu. Mack was back in my life for a day and he was already changing my routine.

  But he wasn’t back in my life. He was just here to remind me what I’d lost and now he was gone again. I didn’t think I would hear from him again and I knew that the more I worried about it, the more I was going to work myself up. I didn’t want to do that, so instead of thinking about why my whole body was sore, I just took a shower and got ready for my day. It was going to be a good one, I was convinced.

  It also wouldn’t be the first time that I was wrong.

  I tried to call Mack on my lunch break, but he didn’t pick up and I didn’t leave a message. I wanted to talk to him and already my mind was convinced that he was avoiding me. He’d gotten what he wanted.

  The scenario played out in my head several times and I wasn’t sure what to think. Last night had been magical, Mack had said all the right things, but now he was gone and I was left holding the pieces, trying to figure out what I was supposed to do with them. He had made me feel more in those few minutes than I had in ten years. But now he was gone and I didn’t know if I was ever going to see him again.

  This was at noon. My mind was consumed and I leaned on my aid more than I should have. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around it all. I mean, why would he come back, pursue me so hard and then go to radio silence? It just didn’t make any sense and I wanted answers.

  The bell rang and for once I was far more excited to get out of there then the kids were. Mariss met me at the door and mentioned the painting and wine class that we had scheduled for later in the evening. I had forgotten all about it.

  “So are you going to tell me where you were last night until four in the morning? You look like shit by the way.”

  I sighed and thanked her for her honesty.

  “It will be brutal, but always honest. It looks like you were up all night on a bender. Is that what you were doing because you could have invited me you know? I’m always up for a good bender, no matter what the reason.”

  She made me laugh and I was reluctant to tell her because of the aforementioned brutality of her honesty. She had pushed the subject when it was time to go to the reunion, but she wouldn’t be as supportive if she knew that I had spent the evening in a plane with Mack.

  “I was with Mack, not on a bender, though I do feel about the same as if I had drunk all night. Some of the kids asked me if I was okay. How embarrassing, right?”

  She smiled at me and I wondered what Mariss was thinking.

  “So how was it?”

  I couldn’t catch the smile that came over my face any more than I was able to deny how wonderful it was. I felt like a whole new woman. How was that for an answer?

  I didn’t say that though. “It was just like it always was and now I can’t get a hold of him. I think he is gone and I don’t know what to say to be honest.”

  Mariss had a look of pity on her face because she knew how I felt about Mack, no matter how much I had denied it through the years. There was always one person that stuck in my mind and it was always him. This latest disappointment was almost too much to bear, but bear it I must.

  “Come on, you don’t really think he went through all of that to give up once he got the prize, do you?”

  I hadn’t thought it was possible, not the way he had been acting, but now I wasn’t so sure because whatever the reason was, he was gone and I was left wondering what in the hell had happened

  “I don’t know what to think.”

  “Well call him again. I’m sure he was just busy making money or something.”

  That was another point of contention with me, but I didn’t share with her the worries I had about his job and how he was making his money. I never talked to her about that side of Mack. It was the part of him that I’d wanted to change. It wasn’t something in my power to do though and it was one of the main reasons that I hadn’t stayed around. Mack didn’t mind bending the rules, whereas I felt like it was necessary to follow the rules. If not, there would be anarchy.

  We walked back to the apartment and I tried to call him again on the way. Again, he didn’t answer and I was surer of my suspicions then than before. He was avoiding me and after everything that happened last night, he could have at least answered his phone. I was getting ticked off as the night went on.

  After getting ready, I went to the art gallery with Mariss for some wine and painting. It was one of our traditions, but she got onto me about the fact that I kept checking my phone. I was trying to figure out where Mack was, but he never answered and I was left calling over and over again like an idiot. I didn’t understand what was going on or why he wasn’t answering my calls. I replayed the conversation before he left, looking for any indications.

  “You about done with that phone or do I need to take it from you?”

  I put the phone down and tried not to look so guilty.

  “I just can’t believe he won’t answer.”

  “I’m sure something came up Danny and you’re making it something else. He wouldn’t just pop out again. I’m sure he is just busy.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.” I was also sure that I didn’t care why he wasn’t around, just that he wasn’t around. I knew that there was something going on, but I just didn’t know what it was. All I knew for sure was that Mack wasn’t answering his phone and I was starting to get a bad feeling.

  On our way home, I noticed the same dark car parked across the street on the curb. As a car ran past us with his lights on, I saw a silhouetted in the car and I knew that someone was in there. It was late and it was strange to have someone just sitting outside of the house like that.

  I didn’t mention it to Mariss, but I kept checking out the window and the car was still there an hour later, as well as the person inside of it.

  I tried to call Mack again. I don’t know why, but I had a strange feeling that he had something to do with it.

  Mack

  “This is literally the worst time for all of this to be happening.”

  Cary just agreed. “I don’t think it’s ever a good thing when you have to retain a lawyer l
ike me.”

  Cary was the best defense attorney in the country and I knew that I should get her on retainer when I realized the obvious government tail. Some people would think that I was just being anxious and going too far, too fast, all because of a couple of tails. They could have come from anyone, but I had a bad feeling that it was going to be an agency that I hadn’t battled before, which meant that I hadn’t gotten anyone on my side yet and that was a problem.

  Cary left not too long after the paperwork was signed. I didn’t give her any specifics of what I will see coming down the pipe and she didn’t ask. She only wanted to know when it came time to beat a charge. She didn’t need to know everyone’s bad deeds. Cary already knew enough of them I supposed.

  My phone rang again and I should have turned it off. I couldn’t answer, not sure what was done to my lines at home and work. I wasn’t using my regular phone except for legitimate calls that wouldn’t give anything away. For every other call I was using a burner phone, but it wasn’t the time to call Danny back. She hadn’t left a message, but I knew her well enough that she had likely cursed me out ten times over with each call I ignored. She was not going to be happy, but it was worth a little anger to keep her out of it.

  I had a couple of my guys check things out since I was an hour away. I wanted eyes on her to make sure that she wasn’t dragged into this and they were to report back to me.

  She’d gone out the night before with her roommate and I was glad to hear that she wasn’t out with a man. I hadn’t really asked if she was single, basically because I hadn’t really cared. Now I cared and I needed more information.

  Making my way across the city, I had a meeting that couldn’t be changed and had to be today. I was going to miss a big opportunity or I would have skipped it with how I felt the heat. I knew that it was going to be a disaster if I didn’t go, so I had Ernest drop me off at a location and circle the block a few times, his eyes peeled for anymore black cars with impossibly tinted windows that wasn’t supposed to be there.

  When we arrived, Ernest told me that he hadn’t seen anything and neither had I, so I felt safe going to the meeting place. It was on the man’s boat and I knew that it would be safe to talk there. The boat was always on the move, as was the man. It was the sort of life that I wasn’t sure I was ready for, even though it may have to happen quicker than I liked to admit. I knew that it wouldn’t last forever.

  Tony met me at the dock and I followed him onto the boat. It was big enough that it hardly moved when I stepped on and I made a note to ask him where he got it when the business was done.

  “I was starting to think that you weren’t going to make it Mack.”

  “Just a little late, but I told you that I was coming Tony. I just had to make sure that I was alone for the meeting.”

  Tony didn’t like the sound of that. Everyone I worked with was paranoid in one way or another and Tony wasn’t any different. He had his captain take us to sea a little bit, convinced that we could be heard. He didn’t know who was listening, just that someone was. It may have seemed strange to others, but the fact of the matter was that in our line of work, it kept us on the right side of the law.

  When we were far enough out that Tony was satisfied, he turned to me and asked what was going on.

  “Not sure yet, just feeling a little heat and wanting to be extra careful. I don’t want to worry too much, but you know how these things are.”

  Tony nodded his head like he understood, but at the same time he was looking at me as if he wasn’t sure now. No one wanted to deal with someone that had heat on them and Tony was no different. There was a lot going on and the last thing that he wanted was to get dragged into my problems. If it wasn’t for the money, he would have dropped me off and told me to call him when it all blew over. But he was in the market to get some things off of his boat and I was the one that was going to find a buyer for him. I already had one in mind and I was only here to settle a price.

  “I think we should be careful.”

  “I am careful Tony. That’s why I’ve been in the game for over ten years. Nothing has changed. This wouldn’t be the first time I had some people trying to catch me with my pants down. They never do. I won’t let them.”

  I sounded a whole lot more sure about it then I really was. I didn’t like to think about all of the things that could go wrong, but it was impossible not to. I did feel the heat on the back of my neck and I would be the first to say that I didn’t like it.

  “After this, are you going to take a break?”

  “I might. Get out of here for a little while and let it get to a cooler temperature. This one is already sold as soon as I see it to make sure it’s legit. I heard about the heist. It was in all of the papers.”

  Tony agreed with a smile. I could see a bit of pride in his eyes. I never knew who did the jobs, just the authenticity of what they were offering. I was the seller of things and I didn’t particularly care where they came from. Sometimes it was easier just because then I knew it was the real thing.

  He brought me down into the cabins below and we went to look at the paintings that were expensive and very hot themselves. They’d been stolen not even a week ago according to the news and since they were so rare, they were considered priceless. I’d found in my line of work, nothing was priceless. I would soon be able to tell them real quickly what something was worth. It was worth what the next person would pay for it. It was that simple.

  “So give me a couple of days. I will have my guys come pick the pair up in a little while and we will go from there. Since I already have a buyer in mind, I think a forty-eight hour turnaround is suitable.”

  “We meet somewhere else then.”

  I agreed, not really liking the marina he was at now.

  “Where?”

  “I will let you know where I dock.”

  “Good enough.”

  We shook hands and I made my way topside as we went back to the marina where Ernest was circling with the car. If he wasn’t there, it meant we were being watched and I was going to have to leave a different way.

  Ernest was waiting for me and pulled to pick me up rather quickly.

  “Anything to report?”

  “Tony had a guy on the road, most likely waiting for us.”

  “I will keep that in mind.”

  “Please do. I got a bad feeling about Tony.”

  I didn’t have a bad feeling and I was used to listening to my gut. “I will be careful with him. He is one of the last people that I think would do something like that. He’s just as dirty as me. They’d have to find someone with clean hands and there is no one around me like that. Not even you Ernest.”

  The driver smiled, but it hid the same thing mine did, anxiety. Something was going on and though I wouldn’t touch the art, I was the orchestrator and that was worse.

  I shook off the feeling, telling myself that I was just being paranoid.

  Danielle

  I was leaving work and since Mariss was off sick today, it was just me going home. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t feeling that good. I never usually worried about things like that, walking home alone, but today it felt like the last thing that I should be doing.

  The car that had caught my attention the day before was back this morning and while I’d expected it to follow me to work, it hadn’t and I was left to forget about it. Until I was on my way home and I swore that I saw the car twice driving past. It looked like the same car, but I couldn’t be sure. I was making something out of nothing, like I always do. It couldn’t be what I thought it was, right? What would someone be following me for anyways? It didn’t make sense, but sense or not, I walked a little faster with the idea of it all.

  When I got down my street and I could see my house, the car that was now slowly moving beside me sped up and swerved right in front of me in one of the driveways. It stopped me from going any further and my heart was racing a mile a minute. I don’t know what was going on, but I knew that I needed to get away fro
m whoever it was.

  I heard my name being called, but that didn’t help anything. I just ran towards the house, thinking that if I just got inside everything would be okay. I don’t know who was following me or what they wanted with me, but I knew that I wasn’t going to stick around and find out. I was going to just see what happened.

  Getting to my door, I pulled it open and looked beside me to the car. It was still pulled in my neighbor’s driveway and I hoped that I had this all wrong and they were there for them.

  As I went inside I peeked out the front window and the car stayed for a moment and then took off down the road. No one got out of the car to knock on the door of the neighbor’s house and that told me that they weren’t there for the Fishers. They were there for me, but why?

  “What in the world is wrong with you? Are you hallucinating or something?”

  Mariss’ voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked behind me and nodded that everything was okay.

  “You don’t look okay. What is going on?”

  “I don’t know. I think someone followed me here.”

  She waved me off like I had lost my mind. “You’re a school teacher Danny, who is going to follow you?”

  It was a good question, one I didn’t have an answer to, yet I knew that I was right. There was something going on. I wasn’t a paranoid person so I had to think that there was a reason that I was feeling this way.

  “I don’t know Mariss, but something isn’t right.”

  My roommate looked concerned. She didn’t look concerned for my wellbeing though. I think Mariss was more concerned about my sanity and that had me shutting up. There was no way that I was going to let that slip again.

  A little while later, there was a knock at the door and I about jumped out of my skin. I could only think of the men in that black car and wonder if that was who was on the other side of it. What would happen if I went to the door?