A man burst into the room like a wildfire. “Gun!” Josh pulled the trigger on his weapon. A bullet plowed into the man’s chest before he got off a shot. His eyes rolled up and he was dead before he hit the ground. Tension gathered at the base of Josh’s neck. He rolled his head to relieve the pressure.
Everything seemed to slow down as more armed men emerged from a side room carrying automatic weapons. Four other agents moved to his side and opened fire. A spray of bullets littered the wall surrounding the men sending pieces of plaster and cement raining down on their heads. In mere seconds three men lay in a puddle of blood. Braced for disaster, Josh’s eyes darted in every direction so he would be prepared for another attack.
From the back of the warehouse Josh could hear screams of panic as the workers heard the gunfight. Together he and his men rushed forward. They didn’t slow but kept moving until they stormed into the meth lab. At least fifty workers, most of them women of various nationalities were frantic as they tried to escape. A young man who looked to be about fifteen pointed a pistol at Josh. A face full of desperation peered back at him.
Josh gripped his weapon and shouted, “Drop your weapon! FBI, don’t move!” Eyes large and wild shifted from agent to agent. Finger on the trigger, he tightened his grip on the weapon.
As he stood there wondering if the young man would pull the trigger, the rest of the women and men pushed and shoved to get out of the room. White surgical masks covered their faces and they wore gloves so they wouldn’t absorb the white poison through their skin. Some ran for the back door, but in their panic forgot it was locked. They shoved and pushed to evade being arrested by the FBI. Shrill screams echoed off the high ceiling.
Even if they managed to get the door open, police officers were waiting in the back alley and would apprehend them when they emerged. In fact he preferred suspects run instead of opening fire. Less chance of his men getting shot.
“You have no chance of getting out of here! Put your gun down!” Josh had to yell to be heard over all the mayhem. The young man stood his ground. “Look around you! You’re surrounded!” With so many weapons pointed at him, the young man placed his weapon on the table covered with meth. He placed his hands over his head and dropped to his knees. He already knew the procedure proving he had been arrested in the past.
Agent Bauer cuffed him and pushed him into a nearby chair. “Don’t move.”
Josh shouted, “Lock the place down! No one gets in or out of the building! Fan out!” The next few minutes were agonizing as his agents spread out and searched the rest of the warehouse in teams of two. Now was when they were the most vulnerable. It would be easy to walk into an ambush.
Josh moved to the tables littered with white powder. Bags of it were boxed and ready for shipping. Millions of dollars in drugs would be kept off the streets because of their efforts. Someone was going to be pissed. He wished he could be a fly on the wall when Randal Collins was notified that three of his meth labs had been shut down by the FBI. He felt like breaking out in song. Nothing like a plan coming together.
Stan cut the chain barring the door with bolt cutters. Despair and pain could be seen in their faces as the women and few young men were herded out the back door like cattle so they could be handcuffed and read their rights. By his estimation some of the workers looked to be no more than fourteen, fifteen years old. It was a shame they didn’t have the qualifications for a decent job. They had to bag meth to make ends meet or to feed their own drug habit.
Agent Bauer pounded him on the back. “Great job, Special Agent Wilson. You didn’t lose a man. Everything was well planned and executed.”
This time thought Josh. Things didn’t always run smoothly when dealing with criminals.
Because of his boyish good looks and charm, Bauer was great at undercover work. No one would suspect he was an FBI agent. Long, brown hair he kept pulled back into a pony tail hung down his back. Tall and muscular, with a great sense of approaching danger, he had been a huge asset to the FBI.
“Thanks, Bauer.” Unable to stand the mask and hot suit any longer, Josh made one last sweep of the place before he headed outside. The women and young men were being loaded into vans to be transported to the jailhouse to be fingerprinted and questioned. He pushed through the people so he could call Uncle Tate to let him know everything went as planned. It brought a small measure of pleasure knowing the drugs wouldn’t make it to the streets.
****
Beth rubbed her tired eyes and tried to focus on the Powers’ file spread out on the tiny desk in her bedroom. She didn’t understand why the man didn’t just plead guilty. A mountain of evidence was stacked against him. Two eye witnesses had him dead to right for the attempted murder charges. What did he think to gain by going to trial? She took her pen and placed it on her lips as she studied the papers. She was so tired all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and close her eyes.
The doorbell rang and she gritted her teeth in agitation. She looked at her watch. It was nine o’clock. Who would be visiting so late at night?
She dropped her pen on top of the notepad she had jotted some notes on and hurried to the door. She peeked through the door scope to find Josh standing on the other side of the door with a huge smile plastered on his face. A bouquet of flowers was clutched in his right hand, and the other a bottle of champagne.
When she just stood there staring at him, he announced, “Let me in, Beth. I have some good news.” She stepped back a couple of feet and wondered if she should let him in. “I’m not leaving until you let me in. What are the neighbors going to think if they see a strange man standing in the hall? You don’t want someone to call the police do you?”
She let out an oath under her breath. She tied the belt of her favorite red, silk robe and unlocked the door of her apartment, but only a crack. She whispered hoping her neighbors would not hear. “What are you doing here so late?”
He lifted the bottle of champagne. “Matthew Collins was telling the truth. We busted three meth labs today.”
“Couldn’t this have waited until tomorrow? Or better yet, couldn’t you have called and given me the good news?”
He braced his shoulder against the door and pushed his way inside. “No, it couldn’t wait.” By his expression he was excited. A big bust like today would go a long way to help his career. She didn’t doubt he would get a promotion since he orchestrated the whole thing.
She quickly closed the door and put some distance between them. Just seeing him standing in her living room had her heart pounding.
His eyes raked over her robe. “Were you in bed?”
“No, I’m working on the Powers’ case. It goes to trial in a few days and I have to prepare.”
He circled the small living area. “Nice apartment.” Her apartment was small. At the moment it was all she could afford. Some of the furniture had been in her room at Twelve Oaks. Most of the pictures and vases were flea market purchases. But even she had to admit it was pretty. She had inherited her mother’s flair for decorating. Problem was she didn’t have the money for expensive things.
Without asking for permission, Josh placed the flowers on the counter and began opening cabinets. “Where do you keep the glasses?” Before she could answer, he opened the cabinet next to the sink and grabbed two champagne flutes. He unrolled the foil wrapper and with his thumb he pushed against the cork until it popped loose. The muffled pop of the cork caused her to jump. He filled two glasses and handed her one. He clinked his glass against hers. “To us. We make a good team.”
“Josh, I don’t have time to celebrate. I have a lot of work to do.” She couldn’t keep her eyes off his full lips as he lifted the glass and took a sip.
“Nonsense, I won’t stay long.” He tucked his arm into hers and propelled her toward the gray sofa. “I wish you could have been there. We surprised them. They had no idea we were coming.” He pushed her down and sat so close his leg brushed against hers. She could smell the faint hint of his aftershave and the raw mal
eness of him. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Did you lose any men?”
“No. We had the element of surprise on our side. The only tragedy was four of the men guarding the meth lab were killed. They had automatic weapons. Thankfully, they didn’t get a chance to draw fire.” He raised his glass in the air for a toast. “My adrenaline is still pulsing. God, what a rush.”
“Yes, I can see that.”
“Uncle Tate led the charge at the old produce warehouse. His team took down the lab with no mishaps.” Josh downed the rest of his champagne and placed the glass on the coffee table. “I made arrangements to have Matthew Collins moved to the state prison tomorrow. As soon as he arrives, he’ll give us the name of the man responsible for the meth labs.”
His excitement was contagious. A bright smile on her face she replied, “You move quick.”
“I’m not taking any chances. I trust Matthew Collins about as far as I can throw him. None of this will be over until we know who is responsible for the meth labs. It’s hard to believe Randal Collins had a silent partner. We never suspected he was involved in the manufacturing and distribution of meth. The man is full of surprises.”
Laughing, he continued, “Can you imagine how angry Randal Collins is going to be when he finds out about his meth labs. Wish I could be there to see his face. Perhaps the man responsible for the meth labs will tell us where Randal Collins is hiding out in Mexico.”
“I hope so. None of us can feel safe until he is behind bars with the rest of his crew.” Talking about Randal took some of the pleasure away from the drug busts. She switched topics. “How about the people apprehended today? Didn’t you get any information from them?”
“Either they are too scared to talk, or they don’t know anything. All of them lawyered up. A couple of days in jail should get someone talking.”
His expression changed, became more serious. He took her glass and sat it on the coffee table next to his. He took her hand and peered into her eyes. “I can think of a better way to celebrate.” His gaze went to her lips. Leaning in, his lips brushed hers, then locked. His tongue touched hers and desire shot through her. His hand came up and slid across her back. The fierce sweetness of the kiss blocked out her common sense. Her fingers moved to his arms and she felt the wonder of his muscles bunching as his hands became bolder. In moments his kiss went from tender to voracious. In the back of her mind she knew it was now or never. A shuddering sigh ripped from her lips and she pushed against him. Her hands curled on his chest. When he leaned in for another kiss, she placed her hand over his mouth.
“I’m not sleeping with you.”
He pulled her hand away from his mouth but didn’t release it. At first he simply stared. “C’mon, Beth, just think how special it will be between us. I promise to rock your world.”
She met his gaze and felt a slow burn in her belly. “I don’t doubt you would, but I still have hours of work ahead of me and have to be at the firm early.”
Big brown eyes peered down at her when he stood. “Maybe another time.”
She jerked her hand out of his grasp. “We have had this conversation. I’m not going to have a relationship with you. I don’t have the time or energy for an affair at the moment. Not only is the Powers’ case going to take every spare moment in my life, but I have several other cases that need my attention.”
“You’re just making up excuses.”
“I don’t need an excuse.” She rose, walked to the counter and grabbed the bottle of champagne and stuffed the cork back in place. “Keep this and find another warm body to help you celebrate. I’m sure there are plenty of women who would be happy to sleep with you.”
When she tried to shove the bottle into his hand, he pushed it back into her hand. “You keep it. Have another drink to celebrate your new position.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
Her breath caught in anticipation as she waited for his lips to move to her mouth. It would feel wonderful to wrap her arms around his neck and give in to the need she felt for him. The promise of passion had her feeling flush. Reality was she felt lonesome. Deep down she wanted him to spend the night. But with Josh would come complications. Complications she didn’t have the strength to deal with at this point in her life. She tried to avoid men like him.
“Good night, Beth.” With long strides he walked to the door, opened it, and walked through without looking back. Seconds passed as she stood staring at the closed door.
Securing the locks on the door, she moved to the refrigerator and placed the bottle of champagne inside. The aroma of lilies and roses filled the kitchen. She picked up the bouquet of flowers and sniffed first the lilies and last the roses. They smelled wonderful. She rummaged through the cupboards until she found her mother’s favorite crystal vase. Something she had brought from home to remind her of her mother. During the spring and summer months there were always fresh cut zinnias, cosmos, or roses displayed on the kitchen table. She filled it with water and arranged the flowers until she was satisfied. Her eyes swept the tiny apartment. It seemed so empty without Josh.
****
Josh peered out the passenger side window of the SUV and thought about last night. He didn’t know why Beth was always on his mind. Could have something to do with long legs, russet hair, and curvy, sultry body. She had his head in the clouds.
Sitting in the back seat between two FBI agents, Collins offered, “You have no idea how happy I am to be out of that hell hole.”
Without turning around Josh stated, “If you want to stay in the state prison, you’ll have to divulge the man responsible for the meth labs.”
“As soon as I’m settled, I’ll give you the name.”
Josh wished Collins would keep his mouth shut because he could barely tolerate his presence. He had talked nonstop from the time they picked him up at the Federal Prison the other side of Raleigh. The man must not have anyone to have a conversation with in prison and was making up for lost time. Uncle Tate should have asked another agent to transport Collins. But the case seemed to have fallen in his lap. Josh hated Matthew Collins as much as he hated his son Randal. Randal had gone as far as to hire a member of his crew to kill Grant. In his book both were nothing more than low down criminals that didn’t deserve to live.
The driver, Agent Chad Bailey, had heard enough. “Shut up, Collins.” Several times he had tried to have a conversation with Josh, but each time Collins interrupted.
“Who pissed in your cornflakes?”
Josh turned his head and peered into the backseat. “Not another word. Just sit there and admire the landscape. Won’t be long and all you’ll see is drab, gray walls.” That seemed to shut Collins up for the moment. They had left the city behind and were now surrounded by rural farms and forests. It was pretty country.
While Grant and Nina were away on their belated honeymoon, he had been staying at Twelve Oaks to help with feeding the animals and other chores. He loved it there and had considered talking to Grant about renting the pool house. Even though it was about an hour drive from Raleigh, he felt the drive was worth it to be able to live on such a beautiful farm. He felt at peace in such a magnificent secluded place.
Chad asked Josh, “Heard you took Beth Reynolds to Wally’s Diner the other day. Are you two an item?”
“Just friends.”
“She’s a looker.”
“That she is.” Josh didn’t care much about the direction the conversation was going. He wasn’t in the mood to talk about Beth. It was still too fresh in their relationship. That is if he could convince her to have a relationship with him. He was charming and knew how to get what he wanted from women. He’d just have to wear her down.
The road became narrower as they neared the prison. Now the landscape was thick forests, no homes in view. Tall pines and oaks lined the road on both sides. Bright morning sunshine penetrated through the windshield causing him to become sleepy. Last night he couldn’t sleep after his visit with Beth. He tossed and
turned for hours before he had finally dozed off. When the alarm clock went off at 6:00, he felt like he had just gone to bed.
Up head in the curve he saw the black Chevrolet truck parked sideways in the road. He sat up straight and placed his hand on the handle of his weapon strapped around his waist. They considered Matthew Collins might attempt another escape. The black SUV in front hit its brakes. “Heads up everyone!” He pulled his pistol from his holster and jerked back to put a bullet into the chamber. From the corner of his eye, he saw two men emerge from the forest dressed in camouflage carrying automatic weapons. A spray of bullets peppered the SUV in front carrying two agents.
A chill ran up his spine as he yelled, “Back up, back up!” Their attackers had picked the best spot for an ambush. It was well secluded and rarely traveled. Josh felt sick to his stomach as he watched the men in camouflage continue to fire upon the SUV. It would be a miracle if anyone survived the onslaught of bullets.
Agent Bailey threw the gearshift into reverse. They went flying backward right into another black truck blocking their escape. The impact threw Josh forward and then back with so much force he hit his head on the passenger window. Everything was blurred as he touched his fingers to his forehead and felt the blood. It was as if everything slowed.
From the right side mirror Josh saw the door of the black truck swing open. Three men emerged from the truck dressed in black clothes and black ski masks. Josh yelled, “Everyone down!” as the men stepped to the side of the SUV, raised their automatic weapons, and opened fire. He opened the passenger side door and pointed his weapon at the same moment he fell hard to his knees on the pavement. He shot several rounds at the men using the door as a shield. One of the men went down. He didn’t know if he shot the assailant or one of the agents in the back seat shot him. In all the mayhem it was difficult to tell where all the gunfire was coming from.
Shadows of the Falls (Twelve Oaks Farm Series Book 2) Page 3