The Mermaid & The Crocodile (The Kill List Series Book One)

by Edee M. Fallon

  When I was barely seventeen, my father decided it was time for me to learn the art of B and E. He had chosen a target he knew wouldn’t call the cops if we were caught in the act—Tom Lewis. I always assumed Tom had been aware of our little training exercises. Knowing what I knew now, there was no way in hell he would have allowed me inside his home considering the secrets he had obviously been keeping.

  The game was simple. I was to break into the house and retrieve an arbitrary item that my father had requested. At first the items were kind of silly and useless; things that any normal person would assume had only been misplaced: a spoon from the silverware drawer, a book, a pen. As the months went on, my father’s requests became more explicit and more difficult to find. I’d been too amped up at the time to make the connection. Looking back, I realized my father must have had some idea that Tom was up to something.

  “Little Bird, tonight’s mission is a little more specific than usual,” he said to me as we sat in our car outside of Tom’s house.

  “Okay,” I said as I excitedly awaited his directive. I’d always enjoyed these nights together. I was more than willing to do whatever it took to make him proud. It was one of the rare occasions that we spent time together and my talents for this game always pleased him to no end. I was good at this and he knew it, too.

  “I need you to look around for anything that mentions Tony.”

  “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

  “Maybe you just weren’t paying well enough attention.”

  What the hell? Where’d that come from? Not wanting to upset him, I let that comment slide and waited for him to continue.

  “In the study … look in there.”

  “Okay,” I replied warily. I’d been all over that room the last time we played this game when my father requested I bring him a framed picture of him and Tom taken on the day they’d graduated from the academy. It hadn’t been on the bookshelf as I’d been told, but instead I had found it in a drawer of the desk, buried beneath old receipts, pens and loose keys.

  “Can you be a little more specific?” I asked him.

  “Not really. Just see what you can find, but be quick. I’m not sure when he’s going to be home.”

  I got out of the car and made my way to the house. I’d been visiting Tom since I was a child so the neighbors were never suspicious of my presence. I snuck in my usual way, by lifting the bedroom window and climbing inside. For a cop, he really didn’t care much about securing his home from intruders. Once inside, I went into the study for a look around. I quickly skimmed all the files in his cabinet, but came up empty handed. Next, I searched the desk, finding nothing but what I’d seen the last time I’d looked there. The last drawer I attempted to open contained a lock box. I tried to open it, but it was locked, as it should be. I fished around in the drawer I had found the photo in and gathered all the loose keys I could find. One of the keys opened the box. What kind of idiot keeps the key and the lock in the same desk, I thought to myself. Tom was obviously not as smart as I’d given him credit for, or his arrogance was off the charts. Once I opened it up, I realized why. Tom had locked a gun inside. Maybe he wasn’t such an idiot after all. If being a cop taught you anything, it would be gun safety. Out of habit, I removed the gun and checked the clip and safety. A moving shadow in my peripheral vision caused me to jump out of my seat and point the gun at the unseen intruder, forcing the lock box on my lap to crash to the floor.

  “Berty, it’s just me,” my father said from the shadows.

  “What the hell?”

  “Did you find the safe?”

  “What safe?” I asked with confusion, but he ignored my question.

  “You were taking so long, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I just got off the phone with Tom. He’s on his way back. Clean up that mess and meet me in the car.”

  “Alright,” I said as my father walked out of the room.

  As I kneeled down to pick up the metal box, I noticed that the lining had become dislodged and a manila envelope was now poking out from underneath. “Well, well, well … What do we have here?” I said out loud as I opened the metal fastener and poured the contents into my free hand. Pictures of Tony and his crew now rested in my palm along with a sealed letter, the name Nathan written across the front. I stuffed everything back into the envelope and left the house the way I came.

  “Here,” I said as I handed my father the envelope once I had situated myself in the passenger seat.

  “What’s this?” my father asked as he tried to hide the anxiousness he was feeling. I could tell that he wanted to rip that envelope open.

  “It looks as if Tom has also been keeping an eye on your other boss. There are pictures inside and a letter addressed to someone I don’t know. I thought maybe you could shed some light on the situation.”

  He shifted the car into drive after placing the envelope in the visor near his head. I wished I’d been allowed more time to study the contents, but I’d run out of time. As we pulled away from our spot on the street, headlights turned the corner behind us, signaling that Tom was close. We’d made it out just in time. I turned around in my seat and watched as Tom pulled into his driveway and went inside his house, never knowing that we’d just been there.

  Once we made it home, my father gathered the envelope and took it with him into his office, but not before closing the door and leaving me on the other side, officially locking me out of whatever he was doing in there. Several times I raised my hand to knock, but my nervousness got the best of me at each attempt. Whatever I’d discovered must have been quite upsetting to my father, since he never spoke of it again.

  Over the weeks that followed, I’d snuck into my father’s office many times to try and find what I’d found that last night at Tom’s. Either my father had found a new hiding place, or he’d returned the envelope to its original hiding spot in case Tom became aware that it was missing.

  I wished I knew where my father had stashed it. It wasn’t among the files I’d retrieved from the safe before the fire took the house. It was possible that it was hidden within a box from the storage unit. But why then would he not have left me some sort of clue to its location or existence? It just wasn’t adding up. Was I missing something? I wasn’t sure, but what I did know was that I needed to find out and quickly.

  Hugo’s unannounced entrance into the room pulled me from my thoughts. “How you feeling, Little Bird?”

  “Sore, but I think I’ll survive,” I said as pain shot up my side.

  “You scared the shit out of me, by the way,” he said as he took a seat on the bed and grabbed my hand.

  “I know,” I said as I squeezed his hand in return. “I’m sorry, Hugo. I didn’t … know who else to call.”

  “You need to get out of town. Word on the street is that Eddie’s put a bounty on your head. Every bad guy from here to the Mississippi is looking for you and so is Jenks. That annoying bastard is convinced I’m hiding you.”

  “Fuck. I can’t leave yet. I’ve got something I have to take care of first.”

  “Like what?”

  “Can I ask you a question?” I ignored his question and asked one of my own. I needed to know if he could possibly shed some light on what Eddie had told me.

  “Anything,” he said, his eyes pleading with sincerity.

  “Did my father ever mention anything to you about Tom?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Last night, before I could … well, you know … Eddie said Tom was the one who killed my parents.”

  “And you believed him?” He shook his head adamantly, disbelief clear on his face. “Tom’s dead, Berty. Jenks confirmed it, remember? He was about to die. He would have said anything to try to stop you.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I told him even though I knew he was wrong. “Eddie said Tom was still alive and that they were looking for him, too. And maybe it’s why my father could never finger the real shooter.”

  “Jesus Chr
ist.” He stood up from the bed and started pacing.

  “What? What is it? What do you know?”

  “Bobby never really trusted Tom,” he said as he turned to face me. “It wasn’t something he talked about. It was more of a feeling I got off of him. It was his fault your father got wrapped up in the business to begin with and the reason your father never talked to Tony about separating from the life. But why would Jenks lie?”

  Why, indeed. Fucking Jenks. I was going to kill him too if I ever saw him again. I needed a couple of lifetimes before I would be calm enough to face him.

  “I’m not really sure, but you best believe I’m going to find out,” I said, wincing in pain as I tried to sit up.

  “Stay there, Little Bird. Whatever you need, I’ll get it for you.”

  “Well, that’s awful kind of you Hugo but I need to pee. I’m not sure how you can help me with that.”

  He stepped closer to the bed and extended his hands for me to grab. With his help, I slowly made my way towards the bathroom. Once inside, I lifted my shirt to check the wound. The bullet had only grazed my side, but I’d lost a lot of blood in the process. I knew I’d be sore for a while, but as long as I kept the area clean and changed my bandages regularly, I would be fine. When I finished my business, I opened the door and waited for Hugo to help me back to bed.

  “I’ve been giving you some antibiotics and pain meds. They’re in the bottles on the dresser if you want to take more.”

  “How long do you think I should stay here?”

  “Until you’ve healed up a bit more and until the heat dies down a little.”

  “I’ve got to go to Tom’s.”

  “You will do no such thing!” he yelled at me. “You are leaving as soon as possible, but until then I’m not letting you out of my sight. It’s the only way I know how to keep you safe.”

  “And where am I supposed to go? I hadn’t thought that far ahead. It all happened so fast.”

  “You’ve always been quick on the think. You’ll figure it out.”

  “Eddie will never stop looking for me. Not until I’m dead.”

  “I know.”

  “I should have killed him while I had the chance.” I realized too late why my father had put Eddie on the list. He knew this would happen. That if I didn’t kill him, I’d spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.

  “So why didn’t you?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, which was a total lie.

  “I find that hard to believe.” I didn’t respond so he just left his last comment hanging in the air. “Get some rest. I’ll come back to check on you in a little while.”

  I took an extra dose of vicodin and passed out. Hugo woke me up a few hours later to change my bandage that was now soaked through with blood.

  “It looks a lot worse than it is,” he said. “A few more inches over and …”

  “Thank you, Hugo.”

  His eyes began to shine with unshed tears. I pulled him into me so I could hold onto him. Hugo had been as much of a father to me as my own. Maybe even more so in some respects.

  “I … I … Thank you,” I whispered into his shoulder. I gasped and winced as he held me tighter.

  “Shit. Sorry if I hurt you.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “You always were the toughest person I’ve ever known,” he said as he finally released me.

  “Bullshit,” I said as I leaned into the mound of pillows behind me, trying to get comfortable.

  “I’m serious. You’re going to be alright, Little Bird. Your father used to tell me that all the time, but it never stopped me from worrying about you.”

  “Really? He used to say that?”

  “Yeah, he did.”

  “I think I’m going to get some sleep,” I said, hoping to stop anymore confessions. My mind couldn’t deal with any more trauma. He left the room again, but not before he gave me one last solemn look.

  The next morning Hugo brought me breakfast in bed.

  “A girl can get used to this kind of treatment,” I teased.

  “Well, I’m glad to see you in such high spirits. I hate to ruin them, but you’ve got to get going today.”

  “Why?”

  “Jenks is threatening to come in here with a warrant. I don’t know how long I can hold him off.”

  “Shit.”

  “I know. I’ve been thinking. I have a place in the middle of nowhere that would be perfect for you. At least for a little while.”

  “How many damn houses do you own?”

  “Several,” he said with a smile. “It’s in a little town in Louisiana. I’ve never seen it but in pictures, but I think you’ll like it.”

  “I don’t want to live in the country. I’ll die of boredom.”

  “Maybe a little slow life is exactly what you need after all this excitement. Just stop and see it. If you don’t like it, then you don’t have to stay.”

  “I don’t know if I feel comfortable with you knowing where I am. Plausible deniability and all.”

  “No one is going to get that information out of me. I promise.”

  “That isn’t what I meant. You’ve risked so much already …”

  “And I’d risk it again and more. Berty, you’re like my own blood. I’d do anything to help you … to protect you. You know this.”

  “Okay.” I had no argument against that. Hugo was the last person in my life I could depend on.

  “I’ve already got the car packed up.”

  “Damn. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were kicking me out.”

  “I am, but not because I want to. I told you I’d do anything to keep you safe. If forcing you to go is what that entails, then you better believe I’ll do it. You ready for this?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Hugo left the room so I could shower and get ready. Once that was done, I met him outside. The Range Rover had been cleaned, inside and out. There were no visible traces of the blood I knew I lost that night.

  I stepped into his open arms as he bid me a farewell that only a father was capable of. He was careful not to hold me too tightly, but I could still feel the sadness of this goodbye.

  “I’ll see you around, kid.”

  “Yeah. I’ll see you in another life.”

  And with that, I was gone.

  I drove all the way to the Florida/Georgia border that night, taking as many back roads as possible. When I became too tired to drive and couldn’t stand sitting because of the pain any longer, I found a cheap hotel for the night. The roads I’d taken were almost empty, making it easy for me to check that I didn’t have a tail. I slept like shit that night because every little noise had me jumping up and reaching for my weapon. I knew in my gut that I’d never feel safe again, no matter how much time had passed. My own mission was proof that past deeds could come back to haunt you when you least expected.

  Once I’d learned the truth about how my parents died, I knew that Eddie had every right to exact vengeance upon me. Tony and the cartel had killed more people than I could keep track of, but that didn’t mean they deserved to die at my hand for something they hadn’t done. Knowing that they were guilty of unspeakable atrocities did not make me feel any better about the ones I’d committed.

  I tried to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t take me. After rolling around in the bed for hours trying to find a comfortable position and ease my racing thoughts, I decided to put more distance between me and my enemy instead of wasting time trying to find peace that I knew would never come. I packed up what I’d brought inside the room and took off for another long day of driving before the sun had made its first appearance in the east. If I’d mapped it out right, I could be in Louisiana by late afternoon.

  I’d been on the road for a few hours when thoughts of Jenks and his deceit crept back into my mind. I was so angry at him for the lies he told and the truths he’d kept secret. No matter how hard I tried, I could not figure out his motives. Knowing that talking to him would be the
only sure way to find the answers to the questions whirling around my head, I called him. He picked up after a few rings.

  “Jenkins,” he said once he’d answered his phone.

  “You knew!” I screamed into the receiver.

  “Jesus Christ, Little Bird, what are you talking about? Where are you? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I found blood and I thought …”

  “You fucking knew and you didn’t tell me! How could you Jenks?”

  “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Where is he?”

  “Where is who?”

  “Don’t fuck with me, Jenks. Don’t you dare fucking act like you don’t know who the hell I’m talking about. How long have you known it was Tom?”

  “Berty.”

  “No! All this time you let me believe it was them. You let me believe that he was dead. You told me he was dead!”

  “Berty, you know I can’t tell you anything.”

  “Oh, don’t give me that bullshit. It’s a little late to hide behind your badge. Was it him, Jenks? Did Tom Lewis kill my parents?”

  His silence spoke volumes.

  “I can’t fucking believe this. I just can’t fucking believe this. Do you know what I’ve done because you lied to me? Fuck. Holy fuck. Holy fucking fuck!” I screamed as I banged my hand against the steering wheel.

  “Where are you?”

  “Where am I? You don’t get to know that anymore. Like it fucking matters anyway. I’m as good as dead.”

  “Berty, I’m sorry, I …”

  “Fuck you. Fuck this. I’m going to find him Jenks and when I do, I plan on making him suffer for as long as possible. You better call him now and warn him.”

  “I don’t know where he is.”

  “Don’t lie to me. You know exactly where he is.”

  “Berty, just listen for one goddamn minute! I don’t know where the fuck he is! This wasn’t my idea! That night I canceled dinner with you … That night I found out Tom wasn’t dead. That he decided to confess if it meant he could disappear. Tony found out about your dad and told Tom that he’d kill them both if Tom didn’t take care of the situation. I fought it, Berty. As hard as I could … I swear. I would kill him myself if I could. I almost walked out of the Bureau for good that night. But I knew if I did, I would never be able to make this right somehow. You’ve got to believe me, Berty. I tried to make this right. I’m still trying!”