Renegade

by Jeanne McDonald

“Come again?”

  Sarah’s leg began to bounce hard and high. “You heard me. Sutcliffe is after you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you shot Neil Hoff.” Sarah reached for a bag hidden at the end of the sofa. She pulled out a file and tossed it in front of me. “Jane Asher did commit suicide, but not because she was afraid what Sutcliffe would do to her. She did it because she discovered she wasn’t an orphan after all. She couldn’t live with the fact that she was the biological daughter of Stuart Sutcliffe, as was her brother.”

  I thumbed through the file, reading over the lives of Neil and Jane. So much of what they’d been through, I’d experienced firsthand. Home after home, taking them in, only to send them back. Eventually, Jane was taken in by the Asher family, but they only wanted a girl. She was adopted, but according to the file, she was a terror of a child. Since the family refused to take Neil and they couldn’t control her without him, they returned her to the group home.

  When Neil turned sixteen, they ran away together. That was how Sutcliffe found them and took them into his employment.

  “This is why he started employing foster kids.”

  “Yeah. He knew they were his, but in finding them, he discovered that people didn’t typically look for runaway foster kids. They were cheap labor, willing to do anything he asked. It’s also why we believe the doctor was approved for the grant. Sutcliffe could use the good doctor to obtain all the runaways he needed for his operation.” Sarah closed the folder in front of me.

  “My God,” I hissed, appalled by the reaches of this man.

  “Problem is, you spilled his blood, and now he wants yours.”

  “And he’s chosen Ian to complete the task.”

  “Yeah. He’s been doing everything he can to keep you safe, because Sutcliffe has that goon, Ringo, watching him. It was bad when Senator Baxtor almost recognized him. Ian was certain his cover would be blown.”

  “That’s what he was worried about? His cover being blown!”

  “That could have been the death of you both! He had to protect both of you!”

  I fell back into the couch, disgust swelling up inside my stomach. “Did he have to pretend to like me? Hell, did he have to sleep with me?”

  “I’m sorry, Lucy. I tried to warn you.”

  Betrayed, I snapped my head in her direction, the sting of tears burning my irises. “You should have told me!”

  “How was I supposed to tell you that?” Sarah threw her arms in the air. “I was under orders.”

  “Fuck orders! This is my life you’ve been playing with. First with demanding I keep in touch with Jude and then with Ian. That’s not what partners do.”

  Sarah dropped her hands, scrubbing them over her face. “Jude. That bastard has been a thorn in my side ever since I discovered who he was to you. We thought your connection to him would make keeping tabs on him easier, but it only made things far more difficult.”

  “Like me spending the night with him last night.”

  “Yeah. None of us saw that one coming.” Sarah snorted. “You had to open the blinds this morning, sharing with the FBI your presence there.”

  I stared at Sarah in disbelief.

  “Lucy, they’ve had surveillance on him since we IDed him at The Yellow Submarine.”

  Sarah handed me another folder. I opened the file, immediately recognizing Jude’s arrest record.

  Absentmindedly, I pulled the elastic band from my wrist and wrapped it around my hair. Once comfortable, I settled back into my seat, flattening my vintage Beatles t-shirt over my stomach, and began to review the file. There were countless photos of Jude, and even some of Klaus, all of them walking around at night with a camera in hand.

  “He’s working for Sutcliffe.” Sarah turned to a picture of Jude pulling away from a corporate building just outside of DC. “That’s one of Sutcliffe’s businesses, and Jude doesn’t look like your typical insurance adjuster to me.”

  The lack of emotion inside of me felt wrong. I should’ve been angry because he lied to me, but oddly enough, I wasn’t. This news didn’t even surprise me.

  “Are you okay?”

  I nodded, continuing to read each of the casefiles in front of me. Back and forth, line by line, I poured over them, taking in every detail. My brain twisted and twirled, putting pieces together like a puzzle.

  Finally, it all made sense.

  “Tonight,” I whispered.

  I lifted my eyes from the page to meet a confused Sarah. “It’s all happening tonight.”

  “What is?”

  “Whatever Sutcliffe has Jude doing. It’s going down tonight.”

  “How do you know?”

  I closed the casefiles and handed them to Sarah. Before I’d left Jude’s house, he once again begged me to meet him tonight. He said he had something he had to do, but afterward he would tell me anything and everything I wanted to know. He’d keep no more secrets from me ever again.

  “The night I had a drink with Jude, his partner, Klaus Zane,” I opened the file showing Sarah who I was speaking of, “came in excited, wanting to celebrate. Jude wants me to meet him there again tonight, after midnight.” I tapped my fingernail against my teeth, unable to stop the thoughts racing through my head. This had to be it.

  I turned to her, still sketchy on the details of something. “How does catching Jude help us catch Sutcliffe?”

  “If he’s caught in the act, which is what we’re hoping will happen, the FBI has already worked out a bargain for him. If he gives us Sutcliffe, he’ll serve minimum time.”

  “If not?”

  “He goes away for life.”

  Either way, he was damned to do time. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to stop him from doing whatever it was he planned to do.

  “You’re going to try to stop him, aren’t you?”

  “I have to. Maybe I can talk him into becoming a witness without committing another crime.”

  “No one turns on Sutcliffe. You saw Jane’s reaction when she talked to us. Imagine how someone like Jude will respond.”

  I scrunched my face together, raking my nails across my forehead. This was the only option. I couldn’t let Jude go to jail. Not if I could stop it from happening. He could go into protection. I’d even go with him. It was my turn to save his life as he had mine.

  Sarah dropped back into the sofa, landing her feet on the edge of the coffee table. “How are you going to stop him?”

  In a single bound, I was out of my seat and collecting my belongings from the front table. “I’m going to his house to stop him.”

  “And you think that’ll work?”

  Determination flooded my soul. “I don’t know, but I have to try.”

  “What about Ian?”

  I stopped dead in my tracks, giving her an incredulous look. “What about Ian?”

  Sarah stood up, coming around the sofa to meet me. She took my hands in hers, giving them a squeeze. It was the most friend-like thing she’d done since our night in George and Michelle’s kitchen. “I don’t believe that everything between the two of you was fake. I need you to think about the pickle he’s in.”

  I shook my head. “Sarah, I’m still not sure why he can’t take Sutcliffe down for wanting to kill a cop.”

  “Because it’s not Sutcliffe’s order. Had it come directly from him, he would’ve. Ringo runs the shots on Ian. Ian could easily take Ringo on, but that doesn’t get us Sutcliffe.”

  I tucked my gun clip on my belt, securing it to me before sliding my weapon into its holster. “One person at a time. Okay? First I have to stop Jude.” I slid my badge into my pocket along with my cellphone.

  “Okay. I’m coming with you.”

  Keys in hand, I shook my head. “Not this time. I have to handle him alone.”

  “No. You need backup.”

  I opened the front door, smirking at her from over my shoulder. “I have backup. There’s a whole FBI crew surveying his house.”

  “You know what I mean, Diamond!�
�

  I laughed, turning to close the door behind me. “Fine. I’ll call you if I need you.”

  “You better.”

  “Tell Michael I’ll be back later.” I rushed out the door, heading straight to Jude’s.

  The whole drive to his place, all I could think about was how I had to save him. He really did save me that night on the pier. He saved me from Reed. He put his life in jeopardy to tell me about Ian. That was enough for me to believe if I came to him and told him what was happening, he’d be willing to testify.

  I arrived at his place in record time, having weaved in and out of traffic and sped the whole way there. I tried calling him. Over and over again, I tried, but he never answered. I feared I might be too late, but when I pulled into the drive, I sighed in relief that his car was parked in the driveway. Even more to my relief, I saw the reflection of someone passing an upstairs window.

  Parking next to his car, I rushed to the door, banging wildly on it. “Jude! Let me in. We need to talk!” My fist made contact with the wood, pounding harder and harder while ringing the doorbell. “Dammit, Jude! Open up! Don’t make me call for backup!” My knocking continued until I heard the deadbolt click.

  The door opened wide, but to my surprise it wasn’t Jude standing in front of me.

  “Jesus, fuck!” the woman squelched, standing at the open door in a skimpy white tank and a pair of shorts that barely covered her butt.

  I recognized her from the bar. The woman who sent over shots to Jude and me. “Lisa?”

  Lisa jutted out her hip, propping her hand there. “Pig.”

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.

  “Fucking Jude.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Right. We both know better than that. Where is he?”

  Lisa pursed her lips. “I’m not telling you.”

  I cocked an eyebrow, giving Lisa my best bitch stare. “You know, I could cart your ass down to the station.”

  “On what grounds?” Lisa snarled.

  “Suspicion of prostitution.”

  “You fucking bitch. I’m no hooker.”

  I smirked, my mouth pulling into a twisted grin. “I know that, but I can still take you in. Now, unless you want that to happen, get Jude.”

  “He’s not here,” Lisa spat.

  “Shit!” I hissed. “Do you know where he went?”

  “Fuck off, bitch.”

  “Have it your way.” I reached behind my back, pretending I had a pair of cuffs. “You have the right to remain silent.”

  “Fine!” Lisa raised her hands, waving them. “All I know is they have a job.”

  “Where?”

  She hesitated, until I began to reach behind me again. “They said something about the pier. That’s all I know.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck, rolling the words around in my head. My eyes widened in realization as to why Jude had been on that pier the night we reunited. “Thanks.”

  Pivoting on the ball of my foot, I dashed toward my car. I was stopped by the sound of Lisa calling out to me. “Is he in trouble?”

  I popped open the driver’s side door to my car, glancing back toward the house. “Not if I can help it.”

  “He loves you, you know.”

  The heaviness of those words weighed on my heart. “I know.”

  I slipped into my car, fired up the engine, and reached for my phone. Still no calls or texts from Jude. My heart squeezed in my chest

  Lucy Diamond: Don’t do it! I’m on my way.

  I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the open window. Klaus reclined back in his seat, the moonlight casting a shadow across his tanned skin.

  “Meet me at the shipping yard in one hour,” I reminded my friend.

  Klaus brushed his index finger along his nose, sniffing hard. “I don’t like this, man. Somethin’ don’t feel right.”

  I understood my friend’s concern. I’d felt that way since Sutcliffe informed me to move up my timeline, but I really had no choice.

  “You know me. If I saw another way, I’d take it.”

  Klaus exhaled hard, his nose flaring and his chest rising. “I know. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.”

  A somber laugh bubbled in my throat. “That makes two of us, but it’s for the best.”

  Pushing up a timeline was a struggle, but one I could work with. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I could get my payout and get Lucy away from that prick. I didn’t want to know why Sutcliffe wanted Lucy snuffed out. I only cared about making sure it didn’t happen.

  I glanced down at my watch. Only a few more hours ‘til I’d meet Lucy at The Yellow Submarine and tell her everything. It’d felt so good last night telling her why I’d left. I never realized how much of a burden that was, carrying that secret with me all these years. I felt free for the first time in my life. All these years, Reed had held me captive, and I didn’t even realize it.

  “Whatever. I’ll see you in an hour.”

  “Deal,” I stated, locking my hands behind my back and watching as Klaus pulled away from the pier.

  A flood of adrenaline rushed through my veins. I could almost taste the anticipation of the steal. My fingertips tingled with excitement and my body felt like an untamed livewire. There was nothing like this high. No amount of drugs or alcohol could ever simulate the effect.

  I flipped the hood of my jacket over my head, pushing up the sleeves as I made my way down the dock. Checking my peripherals, I ensured I was alone on the pier. I maneuvered my way to the vehicle with cat like precision. Just as planned, the car was there, waiting on me. Ripe and ready to be plucked. I waited in the shadows, watching. I didn’t want to take any chances I was being followed by fuckface or his little errand boy. After tonight, he’d never follow Lucy or me again. I would make sure of that.

  When I was satisfied that things were clean and I was safe to go, I stepped out of the shadows and made my way to the car.

  Stopping in front of the vehicle, I admired the beauty she was. This vehicle was gorgeous with her pearl paint job of neon green swirled with hues of purple and white that shined bright under the soft glow of the streetlight. Unable to control the urge, I drifted my fingers along the sleek clear coat. Flawless, this car was everything I dreamed she’d be.

  I leaned forward, glancing through the window at the exquisite interior. I couldn’t believe a douche like Ian actually owned a car like this.

  As I admired the vehicle, a familiar sight on the other side of the pier caught my attention. A serene smile donned my lips as I thought back to the night I found Lucy again. So much had happened since that night, but I would never forget how lost she seemed when she’d dangled over the railing. Little did I know how much our past had affected her present. After tonight, I would make sure she never felt that alone again.

  With one more glance over my shoulder, I reached into my pocket and withdrew my tool to pop the lock on the car. I worked with swift precision, opening the door and slipping into the plush leather seat. The fragrance of the interior was better than I’d imagined. Ian had spared no expense refurbishing this car. The lines of the steering wheel felt amazing under my hands.

  I was a pro at what I did and never messed with wiring to boost a car. It was cruel to break a steering column when there were other, more refined, methods to jacking a motor.

  With a little tweaking, the engine roared to life. I took a moment to appreciate the purr beneath me. To anyone new at stealing cars, it would’ve felt like an eternity had passed since I’d hopped in the vehicle, but the reality of it was, I could hotwire a car in under twenty seconds flat.

  I put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking spot, but slammed on the brakes at the sight of someone waiting on me. There, standing at the end of the dock, was Lucy. Her eyes were wild and her hands rested on her hip, her badge on display. I could tell, just by her stance, she was ready to draw her weapon. As twisted as it might seem, that thought aroused me.

  A flood of thoughts cascaded
through my mind. How the fuck did she find me? How could she possibly know what I was doing? Had she been playing me all this time? Payback for hurting her all those years ago?

  I threw back my hood and rested my hands on the steering wheel. Lucy and I stared at each other, neither making a move. The loud idle of the engine rumbling rang in my ears. Lucy cocked her head to the side, daring me to try something. I gazed at my beautiful diamond, unsure on how to proceed. Either way, she knew the truth now. But most of all, I’d been made. There was no going back from this.

  My stomach clenched in anger. It was one thing to tell her I’d done something like this. Her seeing it was another. The Lucy before me was Officer Diamond, not my sweet Lucy from last night.

  Lucy stepped forward, rushing to the passenger side of the car. I steeled myself not to move. It was better to be arrested than to fight it. Even in my anger, I couldn’t hurt this woman. She was merely doing her job.

  She rapped her knuckles on the glass and wiggled the handle. Confused as to why she was on that side, I leaned over and unlocked the door. The hinges creaked as the door flew open and Lucy slipped inside.

  “Am I under arrest?” I blurted out.

  A simple smile pulled at her lips. “Not at the moment.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck, stunned. “Then what are you doing here?”

  She rolled her shoulders, her eyelashes fluttering. “I’m here to stop you. Return this car, and let’s get out of here. We can go somewhere to talk.”

  My fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “How’d you find me?”

  Lucy met my wild gaze. “Lisa.”

  I rubbed my hand over my face. I needed to think, but my mind was blank. Nothing was right. This was all wrong. Frustrated and worried, I dropped my hands back to the steering wheel, my knuckles straining against the leather. “I’m sorry, but I can’t return the car.”

  “You have to. It’s the right thing to do. It’s bad enough you decided to steal Ian’s car. I get it. You want revenge, but not like this.”

  Revenge? She thought I was doing this to get back at the douchebag. While that was the icing on the cake, I was stealing this car for her. To save her. With that money, we could get away, somewhere Sutcliffe or Ian couldn’t reach us. But how to make her understand that?