“You’re constantly putting me between a rock and a hard place having to cover for you, Nik,” Wiley said, aggravated that I was standing before him as if he hadn’t just hauled me away hours before and gave me the game plan.
I took a seat on the other side of his desk. My resting bitch face was on full display. I had other shit to worry about than how he was feeling at the moment. “Look, at this point, I don’t need to be covered for, Davis,” I said addressing him by his last name. “I just want to find out who the fuck almost killed my daughter, which led to the only man she knows as her father finding out that she’s not his. I want to dump lead in the motherfucker’s body like a bullet manufacturer.” I met my partner’s steel gaze with a steel of my own.
It didn’t take long for Wiley to rightfully surrender our stare war. He moved his attention back to his computer screen. “I’ve been drudging through surveillance clips and cellphone records trying to see if I can get any clue of who was behind the crash at your house,” he said.
“Now, that’s what I want to hear. Have you come up with anything?”
“No, not yet.”
“What about Broadnack? For some reason, my gut tells me that this has his name written all over it.”
“He was the first person I checked. His cellphone hasn’t been used since last night though. He’s probably tossed it and got a new burner.”
“Fuck. I want whoever did this to my baby dead.”
“Keep it down, Nik. You can’t be hollering that up here in the office.”
I lowered my voice. “Badge or no badge, they are going down,” I said truthfully. I could care less about being an agent when it came to the safety of my little girl who was lying in the hospital recovering.
Wiley letting out a deep sigh caused me to look at him and sigh as well. It was shaping up to be one hell of a day and the grief of it was written all over me and my partner’s face. “We’re gonna find out who did this and make sure they are taken care of,” he was saying when Chief Thomas walked in with that frantic look in his eyes. That look normally meant some shit was about to hit the fan.
“I needed you two in Society Hills five minutes ago,” his deep voice boomed through the room as he spoke. “Homicide of a minor, possible sex trafficking involved. The locals have asked for our assistance,” Chief said, the seriousness in his voice causing my nerves to flutter in disarray. The way he was barking off orders guaranteed we were going on a perilous mission that would take me away from my own personal dilemma for far too long.
“Chief, I was working on something very important,” I started to say.
“It can wait until after you work up this murder scene,” Chief said, appearing oblivious to my personal turmoil. He ran down the specifics of the victim and suspects we were about to investigate. He didn’t give me any chance to get in a word edgewise about what I had to do.
Wiley and I left out of his office and took the elevator down to the parking lot without saying a word. Wiley was getting into his investigative zone as we hopped into his car and headed to the scene. He turned his music down and examined me.
“Nik, are you going to be okay going on this run? I can swing it by myself and cover for you.”
“I’ll be fine. The sooner we get it over with, the better.”
“Cool.” Wiley revved his engine in his company issued Mustang and eased the music back up. “You know, you really pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, including mine,” he said as he whipped in and out of traffic. “I had no clue about you having a family…until about a month ago,” he admitted.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, fishing for how much he knew, while texting Granson to find out how Britt was doing.
“I make it my business to know everything about you, Nik, so I found out about your second home, your daughter and your boyfriend last month.”
“How did you find out?” I asked, lowering my phone into my lap.
“Well, it was right after we busted the Venducci mob. I followed you home because I wanted to make sure you got home safe. I know how dangerous they are, so I had to make sure you were good, even though you think you’re a badass.”
“If you found out then, why are you just saying something, Wiley?”
“I dunno. I guess I couldn’t believe my eyes at first. I figured you had a good reason for entering your apartment one minute and five minutes later a woman with your profile coming around the corner in a car identical to the one you drive. But the kicker was that your car was still in its same parking space. I thought maybe my eyes and mind were playing tricks on me.”
“I’m pretty sure that it was, Wiley.”
“Yeah,” he said, boring a hole through me with his dark eyes. “But I followed your mysterious look alike to your real home and realized that she was you. You have two of the same identical cars. I watched your place for a while and found out that you not only have a daughter, but a man too. Nik, I just don’t understand why you would try to hide your family from everyone. We are allowed to have a family, you know?”
“Listen, our job is dangerous. I don’t want my family exposed to it, so I took extra precautions,” I said, my voice raising with each word. “And after what happened today, you should understand my logic.”
“I do actually, but we are partners. Please don’t hide anything else from me. How can I help keep my partner safe, if she’s keeping secrets?” Wiley asked as he cut his eyes in my direction.
I saw sincerity in his eyes, which made me say, “Understood. I’ll do my best to keep it one hundred with you from here on out,” I said. Wiley may prove to be my best asset, while getting revenge on the person that hurt Brittney.
We soon pulled up to the gated community of Society Hills to workup this case Chief sent us on. Wiley showed his badge to the person manning the gate and we were in. Pulling up to all of these humongous, gorgeous homes, you would never guess that some of the grimiest crimes went down behind these expansive walls, underneath the very brilliant high-rise ceilings. The only thing protecting the great people of Society Hills from judgement and penalty was their riches.
We looped around the driveway of 213 Society Circle, parked and hopped out. Wiley walked over to the supervisor of the crime scene, Lt. Gabrielle, who ran down the scene.
“We got a murder here. Perp says that the vic broke into her home and she shot him. Everything took place in the upstairs master bedroom. Vic shot in the back of the head with a 38 or 45 mm caliber weapon. Homicide and forensics is inside working up the scene, so be careful,” Lt. Gabrielle said, shooting the deets off from his recollection.
The victim was a young boy that was shot and killed. He, reportedly, was trying to break into a wealthy woman's house. However, the boy was naked and there was evidence of a recent sexual encounter, which added to the fogginess of the case.
“I caught him in my bedroom, inside of my jewelry box,” the wealthy woman, who appeared to be in her late fifties, said, even though the local police had found no evidence of forced entry and she couldn’t name any items that had been stolen. The young man had none of her property on his person or in his immediate surroundings. After a round of questioning, the woman finally broke down and admitted that she hired him for sex. “I did hire him to come over for an evening with me, but I had no idea that he was only sixteen,” the lady said and began boohooing into a piece of knotted up tissue. “Men wearing masks burst into the room and started shooting.”
“Did they say anything to you or the boy?”
“They just ran in here and shot at me, but the boy dove in front of the bullet,” said the wealthy woman as she began sobbing.
“Do you know of anyone who would want you dead?” I asked.
“No, no one,” she said, shaking her head.
“Can you give us a description of the men?” Wiley asked, as he handed her a tissue.
“It all happened so fast, I couldn’t really get a good look at them, but I know they were Mexicans or Indians, or something like tha
t. They weren’t black and they weren’t white,” the woman said, along with giving us their heights and build.
“Ma’am, here’s my card. Give me a call if you can think of anything else that you need to share.
“I will,” the wealthy woman said and began sobbing again.
The woman’s shrilling cry was starting to rack my nerves over the coals. I stepped outside of the room to talk with the local detective team, who was putting a case together. Chief had hit my cellphone with an address to a warehouse that he wanted us to go check out. He explained that the string of missing children we’d been getting reports of in recent weeks was suspected to be a part of a new human trafficking ring that was happening right under our noses. I took a look at the young, Caucasian boy being outlined by chalk and believed strongly that the boy was a part of this human trafficking ring. My blood was heating up by the moment as I thought about how easily this could have been my child.
Since I couldn’t dump lead in the walking dead man that had the audacity to show up at my house this morning and alter my life, whoever I could touch that had something to do with this human trafficking ring was about to motherfucking get it. Those were my exact thoughts and feelings as I hopped into Wiley’s car and we sped down the street to the new location. Halfway to the warehouse, I got a call on my cell.
“Hey Nicollette, it’s Monique. We got a hit on Broadnack’s cell. He’s making a call from College Park, right now.”
“Okay bet. Keep an eye out for his movements and text me the transcripts from that call as soon as he hangs up.”
“Sure thing,” said Monique, as we both hung up.
CHAPTER SIX
No More Mrs. Nice Nicollette
Wiley and I pulled up behind a van about a half mile from the warehouse. FBI was stationed watching the warehouse from this distance. I didn’t want to be away from Britt this long, but I was damn good at my job. That's why Chief was insistent that I be on the scene. This particular sting was a child smuggling ring that my task force was briefed on a month ago. I remembered being sent in to purchase a slate of young girls on a tip that we'd gotten from a perp that was locked up. As a part of his plea, he had given up the names and contact information to the leader of the ring in Atlanta. As well, he personally called the perp to set up a meeting with me. Camped outside of the old warehouse, I was prepping to go in and save another group of girls.
“Nikki, we want you to go in to make the purchase,” Clanton, the head of the sex trafficking unit, said as he handed me a wig and an outfit.
“I remember the drill from the last time. Is there anything special I need to know about this guy?”
“He’s heavily armed and dangerous and is said to have up to fifty girls in his possession. Your job is to go in there and try to bargain for as many as you can. Tell them the money is in your car and we’ll get it to you, whatever the amount.” Clanton pointed to several briefcases lying on the backseat of his vehicle.
You’re going to pull up to the building and I’ll be driving the bus back there. He pointed to a black bus that had the words Local Transit on the side.
“Got it.” I quickly dressed, standing on the opposite side of the work van. Officer Monique Raybek helped me with my wig and makeup. “Thanks Monique,” I said as I rubbed my lips together to evenly spread my lipstick on my lips.
“Remember, these girls are depending on you, so follow the plan to the letter Nikki,” Clanton said as I hopped back inside Wiley’s car. We drove up to the building and I hopped out and walked up to the warehouse. I could see the bus creeping up and park behind Wiley’s car.
I nodded and walked up to a side door that was guarded by a skinny man that was tatted in every visible place. He patted me up and then allowed me entry into the warehouse. The first thing I see upon entering is a fat slob sitting by the door with what looked to be a five year old on his lap, rubbing on her thigh. I wanted to shoot his shifty ass on sight. But I showed restraint. I always did. No matter what kind of repugnant shit I was exposed to, it was imperative that I kept my cool.
"I was sent here by Ricky Maurel.”
“I know who you are and who sent you,” the pudgy man said, blowing smoke from his cigar into the little girls face.
“Good, now that the formalities are out of the way, how much for the little girl and about fifty more like her," I asked in a cool, unaffected tone.
"We'll get around to prices in a minute," he'd said, eyeing me suspiciously. "Where did you get your last batch?"
"From the Vargas family San Diego. Why do you ask?"
"Just checking. Who did you work with down there?"
"Don Vargas was my connect. He’s the one who told Ricky I could pick up a batch of fifty here. He didn’t tell me I would have to answer twenty-one questions though. Do you want me to call him up now and find out if he appreciates you giving me the third degree?"
"It's not that serious lady. Just asking a few questions. You know, checking things out, but you’re good. Get over there, Tabitha," the man said pushing the girl off his lap. She stumbled to the floor; her big eyes searched mine for any stroke of hope that I would save her from the vile man.
"Is Tabitha one of them?" I asked.
"Oh, no. She’s mine; she stays with me," he said with the sound of perversion lacing his words. I’d slit that motherfucker’s throat, if I had the other girls in my possession. "How are you transporting them?" he asked, bringing my attention back to our deal.
"I have a small bus. We're good. Let’s settle up."
“Five hundred thousand for this batch.”
“I’ll be back with the money.”
I went out to Clanton and told him I needed six hundred thousand. He tossed me a briefcase with the exact amount and I went back in. “I’ll up that to six hundred thousand, if you include Tabitha,” I said, motioning my head toward the terrified young girl, whose eyes reminded me that this was another mother’s very own shugga lump, just like Britt was to me.
“No deal. She stays.” He buzzed to the back and told the guy to send the batch up.
I removed the extra hundred grand and he counted out the money. Soon, girls walked in, of varying ages, hands bound and in a single file line. Eyes forced to the ground, shoulders slumped, and devoid of vigor, every single girl looked like they’d been oppressed for years, when in actuality some of them had just run away from their parent’s home or been abducted only weeks prior.
After I'd gotten the girls off to safety in the waiting bus, Clanton pulled off. I was supposed to pull off, as well, and keep everything copasetic, so we could free more girls in a few days. But, the little girl that I was leaving behind for another night of torture was on my mind. She had pleaded for me to save her by the look in her innocent eyes. I couldn’t leave her.
My partner saw the concern etched in my features. More importantly, he recognized the wild look in my eyes. “You’re about to do something off book, aren’t you?” he asked, as I removed the wig I’d been wearing and wiped away the cherry colored lipstick I wore for cover. I applied a coat of black lipstick to my lips, took out a napkin and kissed it. "Don't do it Nikki. We have strict orders to get the fifty girls out and to go home for the night. We have to come back for the others later.”
"You didn’t see what I saw. That fat bastard in there is going to molest a five year old. She is scared for her life and I have to do something to help her. Hell, that could have been Britt, or any other sweet little girl. That guy is a fucking rabid dog that must be put down."
“I know.” My partner unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. "And we will stop him, but we have to go. Now…"
"I'm just going to go and see if I can talk him into letting me take that girl with us. I have this extra money that Clanton gave me for the girls."
"Nik," Wiley pleaded as I jerked my arm away from his grasp.
"I'll be right back. I promise."
My partner took a deep breath. He knew I was a live wire and that anything could happ
en with my returning back in the warehouse. He also trusted my judgment.
"Hurry up," Wiley said, looking around at the scene. He took his gun from his holster and waited.
The man who’d been manning the door was away from his post, leaving the front door unguarded. I could hear sniffles from the other side of the warehouse door. I knocked and there was no answer, so I shot the lock off the door. When I walked in, that fat slob's pants were down around his ankle and the little girl was sitting in his lap naked.
Thinking about the unspeakable things he had planned to do to her, I aimed my piece, cocked the trigger back and gave it a firm squeeze. I watched as bullets flew into the center of his forehead. His cold eyes open wide, fear gripped his final moments and held tight.
He was a dead man when I first laid eyes on him, he just didn’t get the memo. Not one lowlife had gotten away from my grasp. They either faced jail time or eternal rest. A gratifying smile spread across my lips as the life left his disgusting body. I grabbed the little girl up into my arms. She was shaking and crying as we walked to the car.
"It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” I said to Tabitha as I placed her in the backseat of the Mustang and helped her into her seatbelt. “I told you he was about to molest her. I caught him in the act," I said to my partner who had an obvious look of disgust on his face.
"Come on. We have to get out of here," he said picking up the phone to call for an ambulance. "We need an ambulance at the 3500 block of Birmingham Hwy."
I called Clanton and explained to him what happened. He was upset that Wiley and I hadn’t left as planned, but I didn’t care. I’d ended one child abuser’s life and now it was time to focus on Blaine's case to get to the bottom of everything that happened to Britt. I was sure he had something to do with it and would soon meet the same fate as the suckling pig that was oozing blood in that warehouse.
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