by Rachel Dylan
“We’ve got you, Annie,” Caleb said. His deep voice was soothing and calm. His grip on her right arm was a steadying force in her time of need.
She was safe. She had to remind herself that. But this revelation changed everything. All of a sudden she realized why things had gotten so bad. “I need to tell you all something.”
“Why don’t we sit down and then we can talk about it,” Gabe suggested.
Annie nodded, thinking that was a good idea. Because if she didn’t sit, she didn’t know how much longer she could stand. “I know now that this isn’t just about me witnessing Doc’s murder.”
“What else could there be?” Caleb asked.
Could she even form the words? She needed to put it all out there. This would put everything into a different perspective. “Caleb, remember when I told you about my mom’s boyfriend. The man I shot in self defense when I was seventeen?”
He narrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah. But what does that have to do with this?”
She took a deep breath. “That man’s name was Damon Vaughn.”
Caleb let out a low whistle and looked over at Gabe and then back at her. “No way that’s a coincidence. And the Florida connection is there. You grew up in South Florida, right, Annie?”
“Yes. South Florida.”
“Can we back up for a second. I’m completely lost,” Kane said. “Can someone fill me in so I know what we’re talking about.”
Annie took a minute and retold the story about what had happened to her. How she had shot Damon in self-defense when she was seventeen. It was actually easier retelling it than it had been the first time to Caleb. Kane was also able to pull up a picture of Damon on his phone—confirming her worst nightmares. That it was the same man from her troubled past. There was no doubt in her mind, as she stared into his eyes, that this was the same man.
“That would explain a lot,” Gabe said. “Like why Silva has put so much time and resources into finding you. Initially, you were just one of his regular loose ends. But I bet when he put out the word to his network, and Vaughn was clued in, then that’s when he decided to really go after you.”
“And now he’s using this as an opportunity for revenge,” Caleb added.
Hearing them play the theory out made it even more real for her. And more terrifying. “So how does this impact the plan?”
“Everyone stays put for tonight. The only people that know the location of this place are the people in the house right now,” Kane said. “I suggest you don’t even clue in your family, Caleb. That way we can ensure there are absolutely no leaks.”
“Agreed. For now. It’s radio silence,” Caleb said.
“Kane and I should start doing some leg work on the Vaughn angle now that we have these new facts,” Gabe said. “One or both of us will be back soon with more supplies and any updates.”
**
The next morning Caleb needed to get his head on straight. The information had been coming at him fast and furious. He couldn’t believe how troublesome the connection between Damon Vaughn and Annie was. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any more dangerous for Annie. Lord, I need Your help. I want to be able to defend and protect Annie. But there are so many threats and I’m just one man.
He felt like their backs were up against the wall, and how they responded could change everything. There was a knock at the door and he jumped up from his seat at the kitchen table. He walked over to the front door and looked through the peephole. He let out a breath. Gabe and Hope were standing on the other side.
He opened the door. “Come on in.”
Gabe looked at him. “I know we said keep the circle tight, but I thought that given the circumstances Hope could talk to Annie about what happened with Sasha.”
“That’s a great idea,” Caleb said. Given Hope’s experience as an attorney, she might be able to provide some support to Annie that he wasn’t able to give. “She’s still upstairs. She hasn’t come down yet this morning. Honestly, I don’t think she really wants to talk to me right now.”
“Let me see what I can do. I’ll go up to see Annie and let you guys talk.” Hope smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Caleb. We’re going to shut down these guys before they can do more harm.” Hope left the two of them in the living room and headed up to find Annie, leaving him alone with Gabe.
“Is she freaked out over the bomb?” Caleb asked him.
“She knows that I have a high risk career. But of course she was worried. And not just for me, for all of us.”
“I’m sorry to have brought you into this.” He was putting his best friend in harm’s way. And he didn’t like that one bit.
“I know you’d be there for me in the same way in a heartbeat. Just like you’ve been in the past. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got your back,” Gabe said.
“Thanks, man.”
“Kane and I have been working most of the night trying to pull together files for intel on Vaughn. Everything we know about Damon Vaughn.” Caleb handed him over a large manila envelope. “It should give you some more insight into this guy. But from what I’ve read, I’m telling you it’s not pretty.”
“Let me guess. He’s just as bad as Silva?”
Gabe nodded. “If not worse. But Silva currently has a tighter grip on controlling the entire organization. I spoke to Kane again a few minutes ago, and there have actually been rumblings that Vaughn wants to run the whole show one day.”
“A coup?” Caleb asked.
“Maybe. But according to intel, nothing is imminent. Maybe Vaughn is just hoping for a peaceful transition. Silva’s got almost twenty years on him.”
“Are you comfortable with Kane and this entire DEA angle?” Caleb now felt it was his job to question everything and everyone. He couldn’t afford to be blindsided again.
“Yes. I know that Kane’s the real deal. He won’t jeopardize Annie’s safety.”
“Given that we’re completely off the grid at the moment. Do you think Mike is up for the task of holding down the fort in Maxwell?”
“Sure. I know he’s a little cranky, but he knows the ins and outs of Maxwell better than any of us. Better be careful or he won’t want to give the power back to you upon your return.”
Caleb couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah. I know. We had a rough patch when I started as chief, but he’s all good now. He’s actually been very supportive for the past year. He’s got his eye toward retirement in a couple of years anyway.”
“Once Hope finishes up with Annie, I’m going to go and run down a few more things I wanted to check out on Vaughn.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“How do you think Annie’s doing?”
“She’s upset about Vaughn for sure. But she doesn’t even realize how strong she is. And she’s clearly still mad about what happened with Sasha.”
“That’s why I thought bringing Hope over might help. I knew Annie was distressed after the meeting with Sasha. And rightfully so.”
“And you know one thing that’s been bothering me?”
“What?”
“Why was Atlanta PD there at Sasha’s office?”
“Maybe Sasha told them when the interview was taking place with Annie and they wanted to play ball?”
“But I specifically had an agreement with her, no cops,” Caleb said. “I would like to think that a prosecutor wouldn’t lie like that.”
“You’re right. Her setting up Annie would be totally inconsistent with her sterling reputation.”
“We already know that there is most likely someone in the FBI on Silva’s payroll. But even if there is an FBI mole, how would they have known about the timing of the interview?”
“Just another reason for us to be extra cautious.”
**
Annie sat on the edge of the bed beside Hope. Hope wasn’t the person Annie had expected when she’d heard the knock on the bedroom door. But, man, was she glad to see her.
“When Gabe told me all that
had happened, I thought it would be good to come and have a chat with you. I can help give you the lawyer perspective on all of this.” She paused. “But even more importantly than that, I know what it’s like to need a friend in a rough time. And as great as the guys are, sometimes they just don’t get it.”
Annie was grateful for Hope reaching out. Even though she knew Hope couldn’t solve any of her problems with Sasha or the Atlanta PD, just being there and listening was important. “Sasha seemed inherently suspicious of everything I was saying. Like all of a sudden I was under a microscope and she was trying her best to pick me apart piece by piece.”
“That’s just the lawyer talking. When a lawyer is conducting an interview—any interview—if they are any good at their job, they will ask probing questions, because even if a detail or fact seems insignificant in your mind, it could have a legal implication for the case. I wouldn’t take her pushing you on questions as her not believing you. Sometimes lawyers push just to confirm that the witness is truthful, that their story is consistent and could hold up in court.”
“I think if it would just have been that, then maybe I would’ve been okay. But when she told me that McCoy had pointed the finger at me for Doc’s murder, it just sent me over the edge. I totally lost it. I know the guys think I’m totally crazy, but I couldn’t help it.”
“As your friend, I can totally sympathize, and I’m sure the guys don’t think you’re crazy. If anything, they think that you’re amazing for being able to handle every single thing that has been thrown at you. I can speak from experience, though, I don’t want you to feel like Sasha was personally attacking you. She was just doing her job. Seeing how you reacted to his allegation was part of her legal analysis. During the interview every question she asked was to help gain information and evaluate your credibility. After she gets all the facts from all the people involved, she’ll make her decision about who she believes is telling the truth. And I know I haven’t known you for that long, Annie, but you present yourself as an honest person. You make eye contact when you talk to people, you speak clearly, you answer questions with real answers not the run around. Sasha is a top notch prosecutor. I have no doubt that she will get to the truth—and that will include McCoy being prosecuted and you being a witness—not a suspect.”
“Thank you for saying all of that.”
“I wanted to say it because I believe it’s true and that it’s helpful for you to hear my take on things, but I’m also here to listen to you vent. Not as a lawyer, but as a friend. So lay it on me.” Hope laughed.
Annie almost got teary at Hope’s kind words. If she got through all of this alive, she prayed that she and Hope could stay friends. “I’m running out of steam, and I felt like Caleb didn’t really get why I was so upset. He and I come from such different worlds. He grew up in a stable home with loving parents and siblings. I was an only child with a drug addicted mother.”
“Your upbringing shaped you, Annie. No doubt about it. But it doesn’t have to define you. It seems to me that you’ve done really well for yourself, and you’re used to doing things on your own. Believe me—I was the same way. You and I are a lot alike.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. I grew up very poor. There were many days when I didn’t know if I’d have anything for dinner. That impacted me so much, and on top of that, or maybe as a result of that, my mom was an alcoholic. She chose to spend what little money there was on booze instead of food.”
“Really?” Annie asked. “I would’ve never thought that you’d had a tough childhood. You’re so put together.”
“Far from it. At least for many years. Oh, I’ve had some difficult times in my life. I had a career plan. I threw all of my time and energy into law school, into getting a job at a top New York law firm. I thought that if I got to the top of the firm, it would make me more than I was. But I realized that I was fooling myself. I was looking for worth in all the wrong places. Growing in my faith really helped me become the woman I am today. And honestly, Gabe helped me a lot too. His love for me made me realize that I was okay just the way I was. And that all the struggles I went through made me a unique person who had truly lived life.”
“Sounds like the two of you have something very special. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” Hope said.
“What made you take the leap with Gabe?”
“I was scared initially because I felt like I had to give up so much to be with him. But then I realized I wasn’t giving up things that mattered, that what was important was the love I had for him. He was willing to leave Maxwell and come to New York with me, but I didn’t want to go back to that life. I wanted to start a new life in Maxwell. One that didn’t revolve around defining my worth over the number of hours I billed at the firm.”
“Well, my career is obviously different, but I can relate. I throw myself into my work, and I know that I use it as an escape. When I’m in the kitchen the rest of my problems don’t invade that space. It’s my safe zone.”
“You don’t have to give up what you love doing, Annie. It’s just a matter of perspective and not running from the very good things that might be right within your grasp.”
“And not using being a chef as a crutch or an excuse not to live out fully the rest of my life.” Annie paused. “I’m not going to lie. It all sounds good, but it’s easier said than done. All I can do is take it one step at a time.”
“I can see it in the way you look at Caleb. You care for him. Don’t let what happened to you before make you miss out on the opportunity for a life changing relationship.”
She nodded and wondered if she was capable of following Hope’s advice.
“Caleb is such a good man. And I can tell you from what Gabe has told me, Caleb hasn’t been in a serious relationship since before he left for the military. So the fact that he’s so interested in you shows that this is special. That you’re special to him.”
“Thanks for everything, Hope. I wish it would’ve been under different circumstances, but I’m really enjoying getting to know you.”
“That goes both ways.” Hope looked down at her watch. “I better go see if Gabe is ready to go. I know he said he had to do some more investigating.”
“Thank you again, Hope. For everything.”
As Hope left the room, Annie thanked God for sending a much needed friend into her life.
**
Caleb locked the door after Gabe and Hope left, just as Annie was coming down the stairs. She looked a little tired, but still beautiful to him. He would do anything to take away the hurt he knew she was facing.
“How did you sleep?” he asked.
“I’ve had better nights,” she said. “But it was nice being able to see Hope again.”
“I’m sorry about your night, but I’m glad Hope came over too. She has a lot of first hand experience living through dangerous times.” Caleb pointed to the coffee table. “Gabe dropped off a file on Vaughn. I’m going to do the deep dive and get totally up to speed on everything law enforcement knows about him.”
“Okay. Then we should start.” Annie walked over to the coffee table. “Let’s take a look at what’s in Damon’s file.”
“I don’t know if that is such a good idea for you, Annie.” He was worried of what might be in the file. “I think I should take a look first.”
“After all I’ve been through, do you really think that it’s necessary to try and shield me from the truth?”
He was taken aback by her visceral response. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you. Since I haven’t read the file, I can’t guarantee what we’ll find in there.”
“I can handle it.”
He reached down and picked up the file and prayed that this was the right thing to do.
**
Annie could sense Caleb’s hesitation as he opened the large manila folder that contained the information on the man that had wrecked her life. She needed to do this. Not just for the sake of the investigation and tryin
g to secure her safety, but because she needed to prove to herself that she wasn’t the scared and confused seventeen year old girl anymore. No, she was so much stronger now and she could beat this. Or at least that’s what she kept telling herself.
“Caleb, I already lived through the worst of this when I was seventeen.”
“But I know good and well that a trigger to a traumatic event can really have an impact on someone.”
What was he talking about? It sounded like he was speaking from personal experience. Maybe the death of his parents? “I promise you. I can do this. We already know that Damon Vaughn is not a good person.”
He reached out and grabbed onto her hand. “Annie, do you trust me?”
She paused, conflicted between what she thought she should feel and what she was actually feeling. Her mind told her that she should never trust anyone ever again—and certainly not a man in law enforcement. But her heart told her that Caleb was loyal and would stay true to his word. In the end, she knew how she had to respond. “Yes, I do.”
“Let’s do this together then.”
The next couple of hours they waded through pages and pages of documents about Damon Vaughn. Everything from his troubled youth to his current illegal activities. His familial connection to Silva on his mother’s side and an obvious quest for more power that had been building over the years. From reading all the intel that had been gathered, it was clear that Damon was every bit as dangerous now as he was a decade ago when he had attacked her. The only difference is that now he was even more of a threat because he actually had become a power player in the Silva organization. Back when Damon had dated her mother, he was still an up and comer.
“This is all interesting reading, but how does any of this help me get out of this mess?” she asked.
“Vaughn’s connection to you and Silva provides the motive for McCoy to lie about you killing Doc. We’ve got to take this to Sasha.”
“How do you know that you can trust her?”
“I don’t know for sure, but we need to clear your name. We can’t afford to have the police looking for you in addition to Silva and Vaughn trying to track you down.”