The paper fluttered to the floor at her feet. She couldn’t believe he’d do this. If she hadn’t seen all the evidence, she wouldn’t believe it. She bent to pick up the paper to add it to the others in the file she’d compiled and noticed her messenger bag on the floor. With the flap against the side of the desk. The opposite way she’d put it there earlier.
She pulled her bag out and checked for the file. Still there, but the papers were off-kilter. Noel had not only moved her bag, he’d gone through it. He knew she knew.
She ran for the back door, stopped by her locker, and grabbed her purse and car keys. If she hurried, maybe she could follow him and find out whom he gave that list to, his accomplice. If she knew who, she could tell Jay and they could stop anyone else from getting robbed—and possibly killed.
She opened the back door an inch at a time, checking the lot for any sign of Noel. About to step out, she spotted him off to the right. She used the door for cover and spied on him writing something on the paper on the hood of the red-and-white truck she’d seen here when Noel argued with the two men at the back door. He tossed the paper through the passenger window to the blond driver she thought was the same man she’d seen all those weeks ago.
The driver said something to Noel. The devilish smile and Noel’s deep scowl hinted that the driver teased him. Then he really did taunt Noel, holding out a rolled-up wad of what she guessed was money, then snatching it away when Noel tried to take it. The driver laughed and slapped it into Noel’s outstretched hand.
Noel stepped back, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and yelled, “Just get it done!” Instead of looking in control, like that order implied, Noel walked away with his shoulders and head slumped, like a man defeated.
The last she saw of Noel, he had slipped into his car and stared straight ahead through the windshield, his face completely blank. She backed into the pharmacy, locked the door, walked back toward the office, and waved at Mandi to let her know she was okay, then sat behind the desk and took out her phone and called Jay.
“Hey, sweetheart, you caught me just in time. I only have a minute. Everything okay?”
She held back the tears clogging her throat. “No. No it’s not.”
“Alina, what’s wrong?”
“That thing we talked about last night.”
“What about it?”
“It’s bad. I need to turn it over to you, or just call the police and give it to them. Someone has to stop him.”
“Noel?” Jay growled out the name.
“Yes.”
“We gotta go, Bennett. We’re not set up soon, they’ll see us coming and skip on us. We’ll miss our shot at these guys again,” someone yelled at Jay in the background.
“Sorry, sweetheart, there’s this thing. I was about to text you that I’d be busy most of tonight.”
She couldn’t dump this on him when he was about to take down some bad guys and possibly face yet another life-and-death situation. Her bad guy could wait for the morning. All of the robberies took place during the day when most people were out of the house at work. She could only hope and pray the ones she hadn’t found on the internet were also committed during the day and she had time to stop Noel’s guys.
If she went to the police with what she knew, she wouldn’t have Jay and her brothers’ protection. If knowing them afforded her any in the first place.
“Are Caden and Beck with you?”
“They already left. I’m following them with my team.”
None of them could help her right now. “Can I meet you, Caden, and Beck at your office in the morning? I’ll bring everything I have and we can decide what to do then.”
“Are you in danger?” Urgency filled his voice.
If he was on the move to carry out some operation, she needed to keep this short and not distract him. The last thing she wanted to do was make Jay worry about her when he needed to be sharp and watch his back. So she put as much confidence as she could muster in her voice. “I’ll be okay.” She really hoped that was true. But just in case, she asked, “Would you mind if I stayed at your place tonight? Maybe you’ll be done earlier than you think?”
“Alina, you can stay at my place any time you want. Just ask my mom to let you in. I’ll text her that you’re coming by later.”
“I can’t wait to see you. Please be careful.”
“Always. And Alina . . .”
“Yeah.”
“If you need me to come right now, all you have to do is say so.”
She hesitated for a moment, but in the end didn’t want to take him away from something important. “I know you mean that and it means so much to me.”
She could give him all the information later tonight or in the morning. He’d have Noel and his accomplices arrested by lunch. Simple. Clean. Even if the aftermath would be a huge mess.
To be sure he didn’t worry, she reminded him and herself what really mattered. “I’ll miss you tonight. If I had nothing else but you, I’d have everything I need.”
And tomorrow, she might only have him, and oddly enough, she was okay with that. He’d be there to support her as she picked up the pieces.
“Jay?” The connection didn’t sound like it dropped.
“There aren’t enough or the right words to tell you how much I love you. I bought you something today.”
“You did?”
“Yes. And if I was there right now, I’d give it to you, knowing it would light up your whole face and make the blue in your eyes outshine all the gray. I can’t wait to see your pretty smile. I’m sorry you have to wait. I don’t want to wait either.”
“You do your thing tonight. We’ll sort out my thing when I see you. If you don’t make it home tonight, text me when you get into the office, and I’ll drive down.”
“I’m going to miss you tonight. I won’t be able to stop thinking about you in my bed.” His gruff voice touched her heart.
“I’ll miss you, too. Be safe.”
They disconnected the call.
Her heart ached for him. She wanted to feel his arms around her and let that safe and protected feeling that came over her every time they were together wash away the worry and anger from today. She wanted another amazing night under the stars and to forget all her problems.
“What do I do if I can’t be a pharmacist anymore?” She loved her job. She liked helping people. How would she pay her rent? All her money was tied up in the business.
What a nightmare. Before her mind spun out of control with worries not yet reality, she went back to the pharmacy to immerse herself in work so she didn’t think about her problems, Jay out chasing bad guys, or Noel’s warped mind.
Tomorrow, everything would be different.
Alina walked into the pharmacy and spotted Mandi in her boyfriend’s arms. Mandi broke free and rushed to her. “Is everything okay? Did Noel leave?”
Alina nodded. “What’s going on?”
“I called Robby just in case Noel tried to . . .” Mandi shrugged, unable to finish the sentence because neither of them could predict what Noel would do now.
Sweet that Robby rushed over to protect them. Jay would have done the same for her.
Mandi had found a really great guy. Alina had the best guy in Jay.
“Listen, Mandi, I think you should stay with Robby tonight.”
“Do you really think Noel will come after you?” Robby wrapped his arm around Mandi’s shoulders and held her close.
She wanted to say no. But the car crash came to mind and turned her insides cold. Noel left the dirty work to his other partners. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Jay’s working tonight, but I’m going to stay at his place just to be on the safe side. In the morning, I’ll meet with the DEA and turn over the files. Once Noel and his accomplices are in custody, there won’t be any reason to worry about what they might do.”
Robby kissed Mandi and headed for the door. “You two stick together. Text me if you need me. I’ll pick you up at closing.”
&n
bsp; “Thank you, sweet.”
Robby beamed her a smile before darting out the door and off to the electronics store.
“If you want to stay with us tonight, we can totally make room for you. We’ll pick up some barbecue, a bottle of wine, and teach you how to game like a champ.” Mandi’s easy smile didn’t diminish the concern in her eyes.
“Thank you for the invitation, but I’ll be fine at Jay’s.”
“You’re hoping he’ll get home early.” Mandi’s seductive eyebrow raise and smile made Alina laugh. “Seriously, I don’t like leaving you alone.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” Alina patted Mandi’s hand on the counter. “Come on back. Let’s get to work.”
“Why? This place will probably be shut down tomorrow.”
Alina hoped not, but knew that was a real possibility. She looked around the store and sighed. This had been her dream. Noel practically handed her everything she ever wanted for a career and stole it all away from her at the same time.
He needed to go down. And she planned to be the one who put him and his deadly cohorts behind bars.
She kind of felt a little like her brothers and Jay must feel taking down the bad guys.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Alina parked her car in the lot outside her apartment and blinked her tired, scratchy eyes. Hours staring at the information she’d gathered and typing out her notes on the computer gave her a serious case of eye strain. All she’d learned put her guard up, making her scan and check all the other cars around her looking for any sign of Noel or his buddies. Nothing. Worrying about what came next made her head pound despite the ibuprofen she’d downed after closing the store. Mandi and Robby escorted her to her car just to be on the safe side. Now, all she wanted to do was pick up some clothes from her place, maybe something to eat, and head over to Jay’s and crash for the night.
She grabbed her purse and messenger bag off the passenger seat, checked her phone for a message from Jay, and headed to her door, disappointed he hadn’t texted but still hopeful he got done early tonight.
She kept her eyes peeled as she approached her door and unlocked it. All the hyper-vigilance made her paranoid about every shadow and sound in her complex.
The darkness outside and in her apartment made her rush to flip the light switch as she walked through the door and shut and locked it behind her. She set her purse on the dining table and dropped her bag in the bottom drawer in the kitchen where she always hid her laptop when she got home. Autopilot took her to the cabinet for a cup to make her favorite tea. She filled it at the sink, placed it in the microwave, and grabbed her travel mug and a tea bag while the water heated. She went to the fridge to find something to eat in the car on her way to Jay’s before she packed her bag and got on the road. She could hit a drive-thru on the way, but didn’t want to take the time this late at night.
Since she spent so many nights out at Jay’s place, she hadn’t really stocked her fridge, but she did have the makings for a decent roast turkey sandwich. She set the lunch meat, tomato, and head of lettuce on the cutting board along with a knife she pulled from the block, then reached for the overhead cupboard for a loaf of bread and the bag of her favorite thin and crispy tortilla chips. The microwave buzzed. She abandoned her cold dinner, took the mug out of the microwave to finish making her tea, but set the cup on the counter and rushed to the table when her phone dinged to see if Jay had finally texted her. Maybe they could meet for a late dinner together.
Glass cracked and shattered, tinkling on the hardwood floor in the living room before she reached her phone. She gasped and turned toward the startling sound. Obscured by the kitchen lights reflecting her apartment in the glass windows, she didn’t see the threat until it was too late.
One of the two men dressed head to toe in black tossed the fist-size rock he used to break the glass back into the garden and reached through the hole, unlocking the door. Her mind went to Crazy Town and mocked her for not listening to her brothers or Jay about getting an alarm system. She’d meant to make the call, but she’d been consumed with spending time with Jay after his near death-experience and getting the goods on Noel.
The lattice fence and bushes out back blocked anyone from seeing into her apartment and concealed the two men walking right into her house, their eyes, the only thing she could see of their faces, locked on her.
“Get out.” She lunged for the phone on the bar-top counter.
One of the guys ran through her living room and smacked the phone out of her hand, sending it flying across the room and into the wall. It landed on the hardwood and skittered across the floor. She backed up, knowing there was no place to go. The small space made it easy for them to block the routes to the front door, back slider, and the hall to her bedroom where she should have run the second she saw them.
Fear froze her in place. It pounded through her veins now, making it hard to think straight.
The man stalked her, pulling a knife from his cargo pocket and holding it up, taunting her with the wicked sharp blade. “What you going to do now?”
She frantically glanced around and found the closest weapon. The hot mug stung her hand as she flung the steaming water into his face.
He bellowed out a curse and ripped off the scalding hot mask. She vaguely recognized him as the man Noel argued with at the pharmacy, though now his blond hair stood on end in disarray and his face burned bright red from fury and the hot water dripping from it.
“Stupid bitch.” He slashed the knife down at her.
Alina put her left arm up to block the knife from plunging into her chest. The blade sliced through the underside of her forearm. She swung the mug and clocked the guy in the temple, sending him back a couple of steps.
Blood ran down her arm and hand and dripped on the floor. She had just enough time to throw the mug at the second guy as he rushed forward. The cup bounced off his shoulder and landed on the floor with a thunk. She stumbled back into the kitchen to grab the knife off the cutting board.
With both men coming at her, she’d maybe get one more chance to defend herself before they overpowered her. She didn’t want to think about what they’d do to her once they had her subdued.
The guy with the knife backed her farther into the galley kitchen toward the wall at her back.
“That cut looks bad,” he taunted, his voice amused. “You’re going to bleed out, but not before I teach you a lesson about meddling into things that are none of your fucking business.” His voice rose with his building anger.
Desperate for a way out of this, she snatched the knife off the cutting board and lunged at the taunting man. He blocked her attempt to stab him, pushed her sideways, and grabbed her around the throat, cutting off her air as he pulled her into his chest and squeezed. He held the knife with her blood on it at her shoulder. In one quick motion, he could slice it across her throat. His breath came hard and heavy at her ear. “Where are the files you took?”
Her immediate need to breathe overrode everything. Her bloody arm hurt too much to move. She scratched at the guy’s arm ineffectually because the knife handle pressed between her hand and his arm, while the blade poked her chest a few times, pricking her skin and sending out little blasts of searing pain.
“I know you have them. Stupid fucking Doc was too weak to grab them when he had the chance. He thinks he can scare you into keeping quiet. But not you.” He shook her in frustration. “You know he’s got you dead to rights on the same charges he’ll face. A girl who dates a cop, has cop brothers, you’re hell-bent on fucking all this up. I can’t let you do that.”
She struggled to get free, but the sparkling lights in her eyes and lack of oxygen were taking a toll.
“You’re a fighter. At least you’ll know you didn’t go down without a fight.” He squeezed harder.
With a last-ditch effort, she found the strength and clarity of mind to stop trying to move his arm and swing the knife with what little strength she had left. The blade hit his thigh and slic
ed deep. His scream blasted her eardrum a second before he let her go.
The second guy rushed forward to grab her. The guy behind her shoved her toward him. The next thing she knew the knife in her hand plunged into the guy’s chest, blood oozing out and over her fingers.
Time seemed to stop, then move in slow motion.
Hazel eyes stared at her through the ski mask filled with shock. His hands dropped to his sides. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor, the knife pulling free in her hand. He landed in a pile of loose limbs, blood pumping out of his chest as his body trembled, then went still. His eyes stared, void of anything anymore.
“Davy!”
Startled out of her shock, she spun toward her other attacker. Light-headed, unsteady on her feet, her throat aching as she tried to suck in air, she stumbled back as he came after her again, slicing the knife through the air. She tried to duck out of the way, but the blade caught her on the top of her head and cut across her forehead in a searing path of pain. The back of her head cracked against the granite countertop as she fell backward to the floor and crumpled, weak from blood loss and unable to fight. She did the only thing left to do and pretended to be dead, praying he didn’t plunge the knife right through her heart like she’d done to his friend Davy.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He kneeled beside her, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard. “Where are the fucking files?”
With her head splitting with pain, she couldn’t answer even if she tried. The last thing she wanted to do was give him a chance to hurt her more if he thought she was still awake.
He tossed her back to the floor. Her head hit hard on the goose-egg swelling and nearly made her scream. She didn’t have to pretend so much anymore as the darkness crowded into her mind. She tried to fight it off, to be sure he left so she could call for help.
She needed help fast.
Her arm lay in a pool of blood, more ran down her face from the long gash.
Tempted by Love Page 27