Tough Justice Series Box Set, Parts 1-8

by Carla Cassidy

  Cass’s eyes rounded above the tissues she had pressed to her face. “We will. That’s the best way to survive, the best way to get past this.”

  She blew her nose and settled back in her chair. She cleared both screens of the victims’ thumbnails and Andrew Moretti’s smug mug shot. “I did mean it, though—not much else to dig up on the Morettis. I’ve been pretty thorough.”

  Lara eased out a shaky breath and retreated to the doorway. “You’re always thorough, so I have no doubt you’ve investigated every aspect of their lives.”

  Lara studied Cass’s face, lit up by a blue light from her monitor. She’d recovered quickly. Or had she?

  What else had Cass heard from that conversation between her and Victoria? She remembered that night in DC. She’d fallen apart, laid it all out there.

  Within minutes, her own breakdown seemingly forgotten, Cass was scanning three different monitors, her fingers flitting across her keyboard. Her chatter floated between them, but Lara couldn’t focus on her words.

  Could Mason really have been playing the syndicate boss role on and off along with his brother? If not, where had he been all these years since the fire? Could he have been in another country under some assumed identity? How long had he been using the Trevor Black alias? For two teenagers who’d pulled off a fake death, establishing a new identity would be a piece of cake.

  Even if Mason never inhabited the Moretti persona, Lara didn’t believe for a minute he didn’t have a role in his brother’s crime syndicate. Why else go into hiding after the fire? Why even carry out the ruse of the dead twin?

  But why now? Why was he surfacing at this precise moment? Was it because his twin was behind bars?

  Given the state of affairs with his brother, Mason should be even deeper undercover. Now would be the perfect opportunity for him to inhabit the Moretti role—take over where his big brother left off.

  Why play with fire by hooking up with Meghan and then pushing the two sisters together? If she hadn’t been made aware of Meghan’s existence in the city, she never would’ve heard about or seen her new man, the mysterious Trevor Black.

  Why risk years’ worth of planning just to exact revenge against the woman who helped bring down the syndicate? Why not just reinvent Moretti and continue operating the crime organization?

  Lara headed to her own cubicle and sank into her chair. Maybe the brothers knew some of her secrets. She pressed a hand against her belly and the sour knot forming there.

  She pulled in a deep, cleansing breath and rolled her shoulders. One thing at a time, Lara.

  Nick burst into the room, his jaw set and his dark eyes blazing. Victoria trailed after him.

  Lara snapped out of her funk. “Nothing?”

  “More of the same after you left.” Nick grimaced. “The Ghost, whoever the hell he is, won’t say a word.”

  Except tick-tock. What the hell did that even mean? Was time running out for her? For those close to her?

  “You two still here?” Victoria rubbed the back of her neck, as Cass came to join them. “I thought you ladies would be long gone after all the excitement today.”

  Lara exchanged a quick glance with Cass, whose nose still sported a red tip. “Cass figures she has everything on the brothers that we’re going to get.”

  “I’m still searching for Andrew’s army records, but it’s a tighter system. I’m also checking INTERPOL for any hits on Trevor Black or any MOs similar to the Moretti syndicate. The NYPD is looking into the parents’ accident, and they’re going to question the auto shop teacher once they track him down.”

  “God, you must know if the Moretti brothers wear boxers or briefs at this point, Cass. You’ve looked under every rock and grain of sand. You probably know a lot more about those two than you ever wanted to.”

  Cass blinked at Lara. “Hopefully, every tidbit of knowledge brings us closer to putting an end to their madness.”

  “Do we know the condition of the pedestrian who was shot in the street today?” Lara shoved her hands in her pockets and turned to face Nick.

  “Stable condition. I guess old Ghost is losing his touch...or his aim.”

  “If he’d wanted to kill that man, he would’ve killed him.” Lara tapped his arm. “Just like if he’d wanted to kill you that day, he would’ve. He was just shooting into the crowd as a warning for me to back off. If he’d killed someone in the process, I’m sure he wouldn’t have cared one way or the other.”

  “Yeah, he’s a real piece of work. Good job out there, by the way, partner.”

  “Same to you since you almost took a tumble off the roof with him.”

  “Now if we could only get The Ghost to talk.” Nick did the honors on Victoria’s whiteboard and put a black X through The Ghost. “But these Moretti operatives are loyal as hell, and there are a lot of them. Hell, even the old lady who lived across the street from them is loyal to them.”

  The brothers had a seemingly endless supply of drones on their payroll, willing and ready to do anything for the twins.

  And Mason Moretti was still free and walking the streets with a score to settle on behalf of his brother, basically functioning as his brother’s puppet—ready to kill Lara as soon as Andrew gave the order.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Sitting across from Victoria with her big desk between them, Lara chewed the side of her fingernail. “Cass knows about me and Moretti.”

  Victoria crossed her hands behind her head. “What does she know and how?”

  “She knows we shared a kiss.” Lara closed her eyes as a little shiver claimed her spine. “She was working on some bugging system for you in DC. She overheard part of our conversation.”

  “Part?”

  “She claims all she heard was a discussion about the kiss. That was enough. She practically vomited her guts out on her multiple keyboards.”

  “One.” Victoria held up her index finger. “Cass has one keyboard and multiple monitors and switches between them.”

  Lara dropped her jaw for exaggerated effect. “You don’t seem concerned about this at all.”

  “It’s clear to everyone on the team—yes, even Delano—that you and Andrew Moore got close. He took you under his wing, showed you the ropes. Is it such a stretch to imagine you two shared a kiss?”

  “But Cass...”

  “Drop it, Lara. It’s a done deal. You did what you had to do to infiltrate that organization. If you hadn’t, Moretti would probably still be operating out there. Countless women just like Cass’s sister would be in his snare. She should think about that. You got the job done, and now we’ve got to finish it.”

  “You’re right.” Lara braced her hands on the arms of the leather chair. “I’m going out to see him again... Moretti.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  “We have The Ghost in custody, we know Andrew and his brother murdered Joseph Penzey, and we have a bead on Mason.” Lara enumerated the reasons on her fingertips. “I want to gauge his response to all of these developments. He might let something slip. He may try to communicate with his brother. I’ve gotta give it a shot.”

  Victoria tapped her keyboard. “So go out there and do what you do best.”

  Lara stood up and pinched the denim of her jeans. “I’m going home to change first.”

  “Do you really think a more professional image will do any good?”

  “It can’t hurt. Moretti knows me like this.” Lara swept a hand from her suede jacket to the toes of her boots. “He doesn’t know Special Agent Lara Grant.”

  Lara slipped through the office, unseen by Xander, arguing with someone on the phone, and Cass, head buried behind her multiple monitors.

  Good. She didn’t want to face anyone today on her way to visiting Moretti—especially Nick.

  When she got home, she toed off her boots and peeled off her jeans. She even blew her hair out for a sleeker look. How long had it been since she’d done that?

  Then she pulled a white silk blouse over her head and tucked it i
nto a navy blue pencil skirt. She yanked the matching jacket from the hanger and stepped into a pair of navy blue pumps. Dressed in her standard courtroom outfit, she left her apartment with confidence. She’d have the upper hand this time. She’d make sure of it.

  As she drove through the gates of the federal maximum security prison, her high-flying confidence flagged a little.

  Would he think she dressed up for him? She tugged at the hem of her skirt with one hand. She should’ve worn slacks. Were the heels too high? God, he wouldn’t find this getup sexy, would he?

  She braced her hands against the steering wheel of the car. Stop. You’re letting him get under your skin, and you’re not even sitting in front of him yet.

  Remember who he is, what he is. See him through Cass’s eyes.

  Once inside the walls of the prison, Lara submitted to the pat down. She left her weapon in the lockup. Turning to the guard, she asked, “He’s not in there already, is he?”

  “No, ma’am. Do you want us to bring him in first?”

  “No. I want to be seated first. You bring him to me.”

  “I got you, ma’am.” The guard tapped his temple. “That one plays mind games, and you always need to be one step ahead of him.”

  The guard seemed to know Moretti well.

  He pushed open the door to the interview room. She strode toward the booth nearest the door. She pulled out her chair, perched on the edge and folded her hands in front of her. No.

  She dropped her hands in her lap. No. She crossed her arms casually on the table.

  Before she could try out another pose, the door on the other side of the room opened, and a guard ushered Moretti into the room, his hands shackled in front of him, his feet shuffling as far apart as the ankle bracelets would allow. Those were new. Had he been a bad boy? Had he disobeyed prison rules?

  The guard pulled out the chair across the Plexiglas, hooked one hand in cuffs to the table and released the other, allowing him to use the phone. Lara kept her gaze on the guard’s face as Moretti took the seat opposite hers.

  Moretti. She just had to remember this was Moretti, not Andrew Moore, the army vet, the man trying to do the right thing for his buddy. The man she’d kissed.

  The guard picked up the phone and waited for Lara to raise her receiver to her ear. “Do you want me to remain in the room or just outside?”

  “Outside is fine, thank you.”

  “Ms. Grant and I are old friends, aren’t we, Lara?” Moretti’s lip curled, as the guard handed him the phone.

  Why did I ever kiss those lips? Cass’s questions and revulsion echoed in Lara’s head. Her gaze rose from his mouth to his dark eyes, and she had her answer. The man had looks to spare. He could easily appear in a men’s magazine, sporting the newest fashions—or nothing at all. Even in prison orange, his sex appeal was off the charts.

  As Andrew Moore, the arms commander, he’d worn his good looks effortlessly, his sex appeal heightened by the story he’d spun—a story of honor and loyalty.

  He’d been good. He’d completely fooled her. But then she’d done the same thing to him, hadn’t she? It hadn’t been a one-way street. He must’ve been as shocked and dismayed as she’d been. Humiliated. Had he felt humiliated, too?

  God, she hoped so.

  She tapped one fingernail on the table. “We know your brother, Mason, is aboveground and among the living.”

  Moretti didn’t even blink at this bombshell. Had he already heard the news that they’d outed Mason? Even if he hadn’t, he’d never show surprise. He’d see that as weakness.

  “We’ve also identified the person occupying his gravesite all these years—a young runaway.”

  Studying his handsome face, she waited for some acknowledgement, some recognition. Had the brothers even known the name of the young man they’d killed?

  She spoke again. “Joseph Penzey.”

  Moretti spread his cuffed hand. “That was a long time ago.”

  “And your brother? Has he been working for you all this time? Does he swap the syndicate boss role with you?”

  One dark eyebrow shifted upward. “Now, that’s an interesting theory. If that were the case, one would have to believe that Mason is very, very angry at me for allowing the boss to wind up here. He’d have to be extremely upset that I let down my guard. Is that how it is for you, Lara? Is your team, is Nick Delano, upset that you let down your guard with me?”

  Her back stiffened. He knew how to push her buttons. It was as if he could read the conversation she’d had with Cass in her face.

  “Is that the game you two play? I’ve heard of twins tricking people before, but that’s carrying things a little too far, wouldn’t you say?”

  “As I said, an interesting theory.”

  “And if that’s not how you played it, how involved is Mason in the organization? Was he running things overseas?”

  “You’ve really been giving this a lot of thought. It must be difficult for you, Lara...to think of me all the time.”

  “You’re a criminal.” She brushed a piece of lint from her sleeve. “That’s what I do for a living—think about crimes.”

  “I think about you, too.” He’d lowered his voice, and the deep, rich tone insinuated itself into her pores.

  Victoria had been right. She had to cut herself some slack for taking things too far with Andrew Moore. Was there a woman alive who could resist his charms—if she believed his sad story?

  “I hope you think about me every day, how I infiltrated your organization.”

  “Oh, I try not to dwell on the unpleasant parts.” His dark, sinful gaze dropped to her mouth.

  She had to get this back under control.

  “Does a man known as The Ghost work for you?”

  “The Ghost.” He tapped his full bottom lip with the tip of his finger. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

  “We have him in custody now. Not so ghostly after all.”

  “Better watch out or poof—” he flicked his fingers outward “—he might disappear.”

  “I don’t think so. You haven’t gone anywhere.”

  He smiled.

  She hunched her shoulders to suppress the chill dripping down her spine. “We have you, we have The Ghost, and soon we’ll have your brother.”

  He chuckled, but the humor never reached his eyes. It never did. Why hadn’t she noticed that before?

  “Do you know what the Moretti name means? It came up during our research on you.”

  “Questions, questions. I thought you enjoyed a man of mystery.”

  She ignored him and drummed her fingers on the table. “Moore, Moretti—similar, aren’t they? Is that why you chose Moore? In Italian, etti is the plural, diminutive form of a noun. Ragazzi, boys, ragazzetti, little boys.”

  “You’re thinking so hard, I can almost see the wheels in your head turning.”

  “So, maybe I’m getting close. Little Moores. Did you and your brother see yourselves as your father’s disciples? What did happen to your parents, anyway?”

  “You know all about that, I’m sure. They both died in a car accident.”

  “Something wrong with the brakes?”

  “Not that I recall.” Moretti pressed his lips together, a white line forming around the edges of his mouth.

  “Oh, yeah, we’re looking into all aspects of your life. Did Joseph Penzey trust you? Did you offer him a place to crash?”

  “Who?” His dark brows lifted ever so slightly.

  “I already mentioned him—the young man found in Mason’s grave.”

  He shrugged. “You’re really dredging up the past. Must mean you don’t have much in the present.”

  “We have plenty.”

  “Then why are you here?” He inspected his impeccable nails. “I guess you’re not all that as an investigative agent after all. Certainly not as good as you think you are.”

  That’s why you’re on that side of the glass and I’m over here.

  Lara let a smile curl her lip, but she kept
quiet. Moretti was a lot of things, but he wasn’t slow. If he didn’t yet realize the absurdity of his statement now, he’d have plenty of time to think it over when he returned to his cell.

  “You know what intrigues me the most about the idea of you two both playing the role of Moretti?”

  “Tell me.” He hunched forward.

  She didn’t move a muscle. “Which one did I fuck?”

  A light flickered in his eyes as they widened for a second.

  She hunched forward, copying his movement. “Maybe Mason played the lover boy role with me. Is that it? Does he play the part when it comes to charming the ladies? Is he...better than you?”

  His nostrils flared, his eyes narrowed, and a red circle appeared high on one cheekbone.

  “Are you the businessman and he’s the...business man?” She chuckled low in her throat.

  Holding his dark gaze, she lifted her chin and then called for the guard without breaking eye contact with him.

  He wasn’t the only one who was good at mind games.

  CHAPTER NINE

  By the time she swung by her place to change clothes and got back to the office, someone had ordered in lunch.

  Lara scanned the room, then leaned into Nick’s cubicle. “Where’s Ty? I thought he was starting to come around.”

  “With a vengeance.” Nick looked up from his laptop. “He’s been scouring the city for Mason, tagging along with the stakeout team, and he’s like a dog with a bone.”

  “Glad to hear it. We need Ty going full throttle.” Lara sauntered to the credenza where a spread of deli meats and cheeses beckoned.

  As she loaded up a plate, Nick drew up behind her, the smell of his fresh aftershave grounding her after that visit with Moretti.

  “How’d it go at the prison this morning? Did you get anything out of the son of a bitch?”

  The noise in the room ceased, and Lara turned around, plate in hand, to discover Victoria, Xander and Cass almost leaning forward waiting for her answer.

  “Honestly?” She popped an olive into her mouth, avoiding Cass’s stare. “I think I rattled him for a change.”