Friend or Foe

by Liz Turner

  “Are you sure about that?” Banks looked at her over the brim of his glasses.

  Truthfully, though, she wasn’t sure about anything anymore. “Can I take a look?” she asked, pulling on gloves and extending her hand for the magnifying glass.

  Banks, sensing he’d struck a sensitive chord, handed her the tool.

  “It’s definitely gold-plated,” Lily commented. “I need a closer look though.” She shifted the sample to the microscope.

  “What do you see?” Banks asked, hiding his enjoyment at watching her take charge of his laboratory, working in her efficient and quiet manner.

  “The base metal is titanium. It looks like a kind of charm that snapped off a necklace or bracelet.” Lily pulled a piece of paper and a pen closer to her and drew the outline of it. “What does this look like to you?” She held up the paper for Banks to see.

  “Like the work of someone who clearly didn’t attend art school,” he said with one of his rare smiles.

  Lily rolled her eyes. “It looks like half a dolphin to me.” She drew in the remainder of the dolphin and held the paper up again.

  “Definitely not award-winning stuff, but I do see what you’re saying. Where did you find this?”

  “On the bank floor.”

  Banks chucked the charm back in its evidence bag and tossed it in the box.

  “Hey,” Lily complained, “what’s up with that?”

  “Do you know how many feet travel through the bank on any given day? How many women with gaudy gold charm bracelets could have bumped their wrists and lost half a charm? This is a useless clue and you know it.”

  Banks’s condescension hit Lily hard. She scowled at him while removing her gloves and throwing them at a nearby trashcan. Naturally, she missed and had to endure the added embarrassment of stooping down to pick them up, all under Banks’s burning gaze. “I’m heading home,” she said sulkily. “I think I’ve had enough of this station for one day.”

  She flung open the swing door, forgetting the force of her shove would only backfire and slam into her as she was halfway out. Fortunately, Banks had already repositioned himself behind his microscope and hadn’t noticed.

  Chapter 6

  Undercover

  Operation

  An officer nervously jumped out of the way, practically falling over his feet to hold the station’s entrance door open for Lily. She smiled appreciatively at him, and with a flutter of her eyelashes, stepped gracefully passed in her six-inch heels. Her perfume floated through the air behind her like the newly opened cherry blossoms in the wind.

  It was around four in the afternoon, and Lily was making her way into the station to meet the detectives for the security briefing and run down of Gary’s big plan.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” the officer called from behind her.

  Lily turned around, assuming she must have dropped something.

  “I was just wondering what you’re doing later,” the officer said, flashing a confident smile, “and if you might be interested in letting me take you out for a drink?”

  “Uh, Brian—it’s me…” Lily suppressed a laugh. She stopped by this officer’s desk every day to sign the register, and he usually never even looked up at her.

  Confusion flooded his face as he scanned Lily with his eyes, trying to recognize her.

  Lily didn’t know whether to feel insulted or complimented. Did she really take such little note of her everyday appearance, or was it just that her long hours of work on this particular day had paid off? “Lily Wilkens!” she said. “You literally sign me in everyday. I work with Garcia and Ryan Scott…”

  The officer’s face reddened as he finally recognized her. He belted a laugh as he rubbed his chin and looked her up and down. “Well, you sure clean up good!” He winked. “So, how about that drink?”

  Lily clicked her tongue in annoyance before turning on her heels and striding away from the officer, shaking her head in disapproval.

  Lily wasn’t the kind of girl who wore a lot of make-up or spent hours beautifying herself, but if Mickie needed a showstopper entrance from a gorgeous woman to turn heads, then that’s what Lily planned to give him. When her arms had started shaking from the hours of working on her hair, she had to admit that, in part, Garcia’s and Ryan’s disbelief in her ability to pull this off had fueled her motivation to keep going and prove them wrong.

  Lily confidently stepped out of the elevator doors. With her chin held high and her elegant black dress flowing behind her, she cat-walked to Garcia’s office, ignoring the heads that snapped around to stare at her and the whistles that followed.

  Ryan poked his head through the doorway to see what the commotion was about, and stopped dead when he saw Lily, his jaw falling open and his eyes widening in surprise.

  Lily’s stomach lurched uncomfortably as Ryan watched her approach, her smoldering eyes locked on his.

  She stopped in front of him and stared him down until he slowly moved out of the doorway and allowed her entrance into the office.

  Garcia chuckled to himself, watching the exchange take place. He then offered Lily a gentlemanly compliment on her attire and proceeded to fill her in on how they would be closely monitoring the situation to ensure her safety at all times.

  “We have a tiny camera disguised as a jeweled broach that Ryan can pin to your dress. That way, we’ll have a visual of you. We don’t want to endanger either of you by making you wear a wire, so if it looks like they’re going to be searching or scanning you, you can easily toss the broach off. Got it?”

  Lily nodded and quickly snapped the broach out of Garcia’s hand. “I think I can attach it myself, thank you,” she said, scowling at Ryan, who still seemed dumbfounded by her appearance.

  “Uh… Lily,” Ryan said tentatively, “if you sense that you and Gary are heading for trouble at any point, please don’t hesitate to get out. If you still have the camera, then hold up three fingers in front of the lens. That way, we’ll know to come and get you. If you don’t have the broach, send us a text or phone call.”

  “Ryan’s right, Lily,” Garcia said, growing serious. “Gary is unpredictable and focused on his own mission. Our foremost concern is your safety.”

  “So don’t do anything stupid.” Ryan grinned at her, but his blue eyes held hers seriously for a second longer.

  “So no gun then? Not even a small one?” Lily questioned.

  “Not a chance. Now, let’s get you to Gary’s pickup point,” Garcia said.

  Lily slid her arm over Gary’s as he led her through the entrance. The guards gave Gary a curious look, one placing his hand aggressively on Gary’s chest.

  “Aye, Billy, now don’t start with me,” Gary growled with his faint Irish accent. “It’s me, Steve, and you know it. So do yourself a favor and get your filthy paw off my chest before I cut it off!”

  Gary was several inches shorter than the buff security guard, but the man called Billy backed down, suddenly doubting himself. His small eyes darted to Lily suspiciously.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Gary spat at him. “You’ve already insulted me, and now you want to insult my lady too?”

  “Sorry, Steve. It’s just that you were gone for a while and I—”

  “I know,” Gary interrupted. “You missed me.” Gary slapped Billy on the chest, and a shared uproar of laughter followed.

  Lily laughed gently along with the two men. Once through the doors, she could feel the tension drain away from Gary beside her; he was practically radiating nervous heat, and she was surprised his bluff had gotten them in.

  Lily set about ignoring the men in the room. If she wanted Mickie’s attention, she couldn’t come across as some floozy, willing to accept cat-calls from just any man. Mickie had to think she was untouchable—something that was worth the attention of a powerful man. She held her head aloof, laughing only at Gary’s jokes and pretending he was the only man in the world worth her attention.

  In reality, though, Lily had no idea what to do. S
he was struck with the horrible realization that the wealthy men around her—casually flipping poker chips, sipping whiskey, and laughing at each other’s gambling misfortunes—were members of a renowned gang responsible for murders, burglaries, and other organized crimes terrorizing innocent communities.

  As Gary settled down at a poker table, Lily was surprised by how many men approached and amiably slapped him on the back. “Stevie, old friend—we’ve missed you!” were the comments erupting around him, and within five minutes, he was fully immersed in his old gang once again.

  Lily had to wonder how close was too close when working undercover in a gang.

  Bored, she felt tempted to join the poker game herself, but figured she would have a better vantage over the room if she just hovered supportively behind Gary’s chair instead. Gary’s poker game progressed slowly, and the cigar smoke clouding above the table stifled her lungs.

  Resisting the urge to yawn, Lily suddenly felt the strange sensation that she was being watched. She scanned the room as casually as she could, and finally located a young, well-dressed man with dark hair, surveying the party from the top of the stairs. His eyes locked onto hers, and Lily fought hard to hold his stare, figuring he had to be Mickie, judging from the bodyguards in close proximately to him.

  Lily smiled, lowering her head and eyelashes as a sign of submission. Then she quietly stepped away from the table, pleased that Gary was so absorbed in his poker game, he hadn’t even noticed. Lily could almost hear Garcia and Ryan freaking out inside the security van parked nearby, yelling at their screens in vain for Lily to return to the safety of Gary’s side. Lily, however, shoved both detectives out of her head and moved assertively to the bar where she ordered a glass of champagne.

  “Make that two glasses please, Bernard,” a strong voice said behind her. “It would be wrong to allow a lady as lovely as yourself to drink alone.”

  Lily tuned around, her back braced against the bar so that she could see the man standing behind her. She extended her hand. “I’m Olivia.” She smiled bashfully as he raised her hand to his lips and imparted a kiss, his eyes focused on hers. “You’d better be careful,” she cautioned with an alluring smile, gently removing her hand from his. “The man I’m here with might not appreciate you giving me this attention.”

  The man scoffed. “And who exactly would that be?”

  Lily knew better than to use a cover name she was uncertain of, so she extended her arm to point in Gary’s direction.

  “Steve?” the man said, clearly surprised. His eyes darted back to Lily’s, and he gave her a fleeting smile. “Steve and I are old friends. He won’t mind if you and I get to know each other over a private drink. My name is Mickie Romano.”

  Lily nodded, instantly understanding his meaning. “Perhaps Steve would like to join us…” she attempted. “I know he’s mentioned wanting to catch up with you.”

  “Well, if that were in fact the case,” Mickie commented stiffly, “he should have made more of an effort to attract my attention, not make his beautiful woman do all the work for him.” He shook his head and smiled. “You and you alone have earned my attention tonight. So shall we?”

  Mickie extended his hand courteously, and Lily felt compelled to take it.

  As Mickie led her away to his private office, she felt like bolting. She ignored her pounding heart and tried to move gracefully through the room while hoping to alert Gary. Mickie might be wealthy, young and clearly able to have his pick of any lady in the room, but his touch chilled Lily to the core. She wondered how many murders those hands had been guilty of, and if those were the same fingers that had pulled the trigger killing Candy.

  When Mickie whisked Lily up the stairs, she glanced over her shoulder to see Gary’s panicked face watching her, the rest of him stuck in the middle of his poker game. The bodyguards blocking her view made it certain no one would interrupt their private meeting.

  After closing the office door, Mickie poured himself a whiskey. “Can I perhaps offer you an upgrade?” He gestured to the bottle of fine whiskey on his polished desk.

  “No, thank you,” Lily responded, battling to keep her confidence up. She decided to make the best of her situation and trust that Ryan and Garcia would burst through the door if Mickie got too close. “You seem to be a very important man, Mickie Romano,” Lily said, pacing along the wall of his office and studying the various photographs. One featured Candy grinning at the camera, though Lily was certain she could see the sadness in her eyes.

  “Is that why you’re here?” Mickie asked, suddenly right behind her.

  Lily jumped slightly, fearing he meant Candy as the reason.

  “I’m an important man, everybody knows that. I suspect you knew who I was before I even approached you. Why else would you have worn a dress like that to a boring party like this?” Mickie moved closer to her, bringing his nose inches from hers. She could smell the whiskey on his breath. “So, what is it you want from me?” he asked in a voice that was neither inviting nor threatening, but simply curious.

  “Answers,” Lily said, her brain grasping desperately for a plan. Gary was supposed to be there to take the lead, but he wasn’t and now Lily had to find a way to get the information they needed herself.

  Mickie drew back from her, his expression becoming confused and untrusting. “Answers to what?”

  “I see you knew Candy.” Lily gestured to the photograph on the wall with her head, her face suddenly serious.

  Mickie took an uncomfortable swig of his whiskey. “Of course I did. She worked for me.”

  “I thought she worked for the bank?” Lily countered, taking a step towards Mickie, her arms folded.

  “She did. But Candy did the kind of work for me that wouldn’t exactly be approved of by the public, so it was kept a secret.” He narrowed his eyes. “But clearly not from you.”

  “And was it something Candy did wrong while working for you that got her killed?” Lily allowed her voice to crack with emotion, tears springing to her eyes as she imagined sniffing a handful of freshly chopped onions.

  “Let me get this right.” Mickie slammed his glass on his desk. “You come into my party, into my office, drinking my champagne—and then accuse me of being involved in the murder of one of my own employees? Who are you?”

  Lily laughed humorlessly, wiping her crocodile tears away. “Oh, don’t look so anxious, Mickie Romano. I’m no one important that you need to worry about. I can’t touch you.” She sat silently for a second and drained her champagne. “But I was a friend of Candy’s, and as her friend,” she allowed tears to well up again, “I need to know why she was shot dead in that bank robbery.”

  Seeming to believe her, Mickie sighed and took a seat on a leather armchair opposite Lily. He continued to eye her suspiciously, but it was clear he no longer considered her a threat. “The truth is, I don’t know why Candy was shot. She was a valued employee, and I looked after her for years.” Sadness seeped into his eyes. “Candy was always a loyal member of our… team.”

  “Who was behind the bank robbery?” Lily leaned forward, intensifying her gaze on Mickie, willing herself to determine whether he was telling the truth or not. “I was there, at the robbery. I saw the robber lift his gun and shoot her in the chest, for no reason…”

  “I don’t know who was behind the robbery,” Mickie said, rubbing his hand through his hair, frustrated by the conversation and annoyed at having to admit to a gap in his knowledge regarding the criminal activity on his turf.

  “From what I’ve heard about your reputation, you seem to know about every underhanded deed that goes on in this town.” Lily stood and approached Mickie’s desk, pouring herself a whiskey and hoping to create the impression of being in control. “Another round for you?”

  Mickie held up his glass, his eyes never leaving her as though he couldn’t quite figure her out. “Look,” he said, “I don’t owe you anything, Olivia—if that really is your name—but out of loyalty to Candy, I’ll tell you this. My ope
ration wasn’t behind anything as trivial as a pathetic small-town bank robbery that would only profit me a few thousand dollars.” He waved his hand dismissively and took another swig of whiskey. “Besides, something as obvious as that would lead the cops straight to my door.” He paused, his glass mid-air. Abruptly turning his head sideways, he silently stared at Lily for a few seconds.

  “You think I’m a cop?” Lily scoffed. “Me? That’s hilarious. You’ve been trying to outsmart too many people for too long. It’s starting to get to you.”

  But refusing to relax, Mickie banged his drink on the table and leaned forward to study Lily more closely, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Suddenly, he leaped out his armchair, bounded across the carpet in two giant steps, and grabbed her by the wrists. He pulled her off the couch and ran his hand roughly down her back and up her stomach, feeling for a wire.

  “You happy?” she asked gruffly as he threw her back down onto the sofa. “I told you I’m not a cop!”

  “Then what’s this?” He held up the broach that was now missing from Lily’s dress. “You filming me?”

  “Insurance,” Lily answered without hesitation. “Just in case you decided not to let me go.”

  “What do you mean? I could kill you right now, and I guarantee you that your boy, Stevie, is loyal to me first,” Mickie threatened.

  “Yes, but that camera you’re holding records and uploads everything to a private account a friend of mine has access to. One wrong move, and this footage will land on the desk of a cop,” Lily could feel her heart missing every third beat, but she held Mickie’s stare with all the fire she could muster.

  Mickie laughed. “Have you ever thought about joining my gang? I’m sure I could find a spot for someone with your initiative and skills.” He poured himself a third whiskey. “I can tell you’re terrified right now, but you’re holding your ground pretty well.”

  “Mickie, did you kill Candy?”

  “No.”

  “What if you knew that Candy was planning to leave your gang for good? Would that give you a motive for murder?”