CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sniper
“WHAT’S UP, CAP?” I asked as I walked into his office just minutes after he called me upstairs.
He waved me over and set the phone back on the base after he hit the speakerphone button. “I’ve got Chance here. Go ahead.”
“Are you Sniper?”
My eyes flashed up to Cap’s. The only person that ever called me Sniper was Chief. Was he in trouble? Had something happened already? “Yeah, this is Sniper, but I don’t go by that anymore. My name is Chance.”
“My name is Storm. I work at the strip club that Shyla works for. I’m one of the bouncers.”
“Okay,” I said hesitantly. That made sense. She had only ever heard me referred to as Sniper.
“She told me to call you if something happened to her.”
My heart rate sped up as I prepared for whatever he had to say. It wasn’t like we were a couple or anything, but I had this strange need to keep her safe after hearing why she was working in that strip club to begin with.
“What happened?”
“Nothing yet. But she was supposed to be in one of the back rooms with a man named Wes tonight. He’s what everyone calls The Broker. Not many people know him by the name Wes because not many people actually meet him. He deals in information all over the city. If you need to know anything about weapons, drugs, trafficking, basically any illegal activity you can think of, he’s your man.”
“What does this have to do with Shyla?”
“Right before she went in the room, she told me that her daughter had disappeared six months ago and she was told to get in contact with The Broker. He was in the club a little over a month ago, but Shyla didn’t know who he was. He showed up again tonight and she just left with him. She’s trying to get information and I have a feeling she’ll stop at nothing to get what she needs. This man is dangerous. He’s not someone that she should be taking on by herself.”
“Do you know where they were going? What vehicle they got in? Anything like that?”
“I saw them get in a black Audi, but I couldn’t get the plates.” He sighed into the phone. “She said you could help her and I’m really hoping that’s true because I have a feeling she won’t be coming back after tonight.”
“I can head to the club now.”
“I’m sure you can access the cameras, but there won’t be much else.”
“I’m about an hour away. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
“One more thing, her name is Morgan James and her daughter is Payton. You might want to have someone look into the police reports and see if you can get anything from there.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you soon.”
Cap hit the end button and flopped back in his seat. “This bullshit never ends. Grab your team and I’ll have Alec’s team join you. Becky can get started on the police files and we’ll let you know more when we’ve gone over everything.”
I nodded and rushed out the door, telling the teams what was going on. We were on our way fifteen minutes later and I prayed that didn’t make us fifteen minutes too late.
✯✯✯✯✯
“What’s the deal with this woman?” Jackson asked. “One minute, she’s a stripper and the next she’s got a missing kid?”
“Fuck if I know,” I grumbled. I was staring out the window, my elbow resting on the door. We were headed to Pittsburgh to try and find Shyla, or Morgan, before she became a missing person. I was still trying to piece everything together myself. “I didn’t know much about her in the first place. I’m not sure what’s real and what’s not.”
“Who was the guy that called?” Gabe asked.
“A bouncer at the club. I think I met him before. If it’s the same guy, he seemed to really look after the girls. My guess is he’s ex-military.”
“So, all we have to go on are security cameras outside the club?” Jackson asked. “Do we at least know who this Wes guy is?”
“He’s called The Broker. He’s who you go to when you want information. The problem is, nobody really knows him as Wes. He doesn’t let anyone know him and if they do, they don’t live very long.”
“So how did this bouncer know who he was?” Gabe asked.
“I’m guessing that working in a club like that, people don’t really see him. He probably knows more about what goes on in that city than people would think.”
When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I pulled it out to see Cap calling.
“Yeah,” I said, putting it on speakerphone for Gabe and Jackson to hear.
“We’ve got the police report for the abduction of Payton James. We don’t have a lot to go on yet. We’re still researching, but here are the basics of the case. Payton was with a babysitter at the park when she was snatched from the playground by two men in a white van.”
“How cliche,” Jackson said.
“The babysitter was there with six other kids and she couldn’t do anything without leaving the other kids at risk. She called 911 immediately, but she didn’t get any plates. That was the last lead they really had. The police had offered a reward for any information, but nothing panned out. After three months, the police basically told Morgan that they would keep looking, but there was nothing more they could do without any leads.”
“That’s it? There’s nothing more to the file?”
“That’s pretty much all there was.”
“How did Morgan get as far as she did if the police said there was nothing to go on?”
“She must have asked the right people. What we need is to talk to Morgan and find out who pointed her in the direction of The Broker.”
“We’re almost to the club. I’ll talk with Chief and see if he can shed any light on Morgan before we head out to look for her. If this guy was in his club, maybe he knew him or where he might hang out.”
“Keep me updated.”
Cap hung up and I tossed my phone on the dash. That was absolutely no help whatsoever.
“How much do you trust Chief?” Gabe asked.
“In the Navy? He was a great man. I would have followed him into any battle. I don’t know him anymore. People change over time. I would hope that he’s still the same man, but I can’t say that for sure. When I found out that he was basically letting women get sold off so he could gain intel, that was really fucking hard to hear. I never thought Chief would do something like that.”
“Just remember that he was trying to bring down some serious players.”
I glanced at Jackson and wondered if he would be willing to sacrifice Raegan if it meant bringing down weapons dealers. He seemed to understand what I was thinking.
“I’m not saying it’s right or it’s what I would do. But he thought he was doing the right thing. He thought the end would justify the means. That doesn’t mean he’s not the same man you knew.”
We pulled into the club at a little past eleven. The place was packed and if not for the call I got from Storm, I never would have thought anything shady was going down. He must have looked up my profile on the Reed Security website because he approached me immediately.
“Chance, I’m Storm.”
I shook his hand with a nod. “This is Gabe and that’s Jackson. I have another team parked out front waiting for instructions. Where’s Chief?”
“In his office.”
“Does he know about Morgan leaving?”
“I told him that she left, but he didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. The last time Wes was in, Morgan let him do some shit to her. I guess the boss thinks that they have something going on.”
I stiffened at his comment. “What do you mean she let him do shit to her?”
“It was pretty fucked up. She was on stage dancing and he walked right up to the stage and started touching her. Finger fucked her right in front of everyone.”
“And she let him?” I exploded.
“I don’t think she wanted to. When I asked her why she didn’t stop him, she said she needed him or something. Now I know why.”
“So she left here thinking he was going to lead her to her daughter.”
I scoffed, irritated that there wasn’t a whole lot I could do right now. I had nothing to go on and she fucking voluntarily went with him.
“I need to see Chief. He has to know something that can help me find her.”
“I’ll take you back there.”
He signaled someone over and then led us down a few dimly lit hallways until we reached a closed door. He knocked twice and then opened the door to Chief’s office. I probably could have found it on my own, but the last time I was here, the lights were on and there wasn’t all this smoky shit in the air.
“Sniper, glad you could bring some friends for the show. I’ve been waiting for-”
“I’m not here for the show,” I cut in. “I’m here to find Morgan.”
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, shooting me a confused look. “Morgan? I don’t have anyone named Morgan working for me.”
“Shyla?”
He laughed lightly, but sobered when he saw I was serious. “Shyla’s name is Morgan? Why are you looking for her?”
“I think she’s in danger. You said yourself that you thought she was running from something.”
He sank down in his chair, shaking his head slightly. “Yeah, but I don’t understand why she would be in danger now. I mean, I figured she was hiding from an ex or something. Storm’s always looking out for her, so I let it slide. She’s never brought any trouble here.” He shook his head and looked back up at me. “Why do you think she’s in danger?”
“She left tonight with a man named Wes.”
“Yeah. I know him. He comes into the club at least once a month. He does business with a lot of people in Pittsburgh.”
“He’s The Broker.” I watched his reaction, waiting to see if he was hiding shit from me. But the shock on his face couldn’t be faked.
“Wes is The Broker? Weston Hughes? No. No fucking way. That guy is-” He shook his head as he stared off in the distance, like he was going over things in his head. He dropped his head in his hands, swearing loudly. “I’ve been so focused on dealing with the players in the trafficking ring that I let him walk right through the fucking door!” He slammed his hand down on his desk and got up, stalking around the room in anger. “No wonder we couldn’t get to the guy in charge. The Broker is said to be a fucking expert at gaining intel. He fucking played me.”
“Did he ever sit in on any meetings with you?”
“No, but he wouldn’t have to. All he needed were the guys behind the scenes. The Broker knows everyone and everything, which means he knew all along that I was working to bring down that ring. He’s probably been using it against me.”
“Didn’t you suspect him?” Gabe asked.
“He checks out. Wes runs one of the biggest corporations in the city. He has offices all over the country. I figured he came in here to blow off some steam when he was in town.”
Okay, I did not know that. I must have been living under a tree for the last ten years because I had no fucking idea who Weston Hughes was. But as I looked at Gabe and Jackson, it seemed I wasn’t alone.
“Storm told me that no one knows the two identities are the same person.”
“Nobody actually sees The Broker. If they do, it’s because they’re looking down the barrel of a gun. He keeps his identity a secret. If Storm knows and he’s not dead, it’s because he’s smart enough to not let on that he knows they’re the same man.”
“So, we go after Wes. We take him out and make him talk.”
“You don’t get it,” Chief laughed. “The guy has an army of men around him at all times. Even when he comes in here, there are men hidden discretely around the club, inside and out. You wouldn’t even be able to take him out with a sniper rifle. Doesn’t matter that you’re the best shot I’ve ever seen, his security team is the best.”
“Then we spread the word who he really is. There’s gotta be somebody that he’s pissed off enough to want revenge. If enough people are after him-”
“It won’t make a fucking difference. When I say this guy has the best security, it’s because he can buy anyone. He’s one of the wealthiest men in the country, and that’s only what shows on his fucking taxes. As The Broker, when he gets paid, there’s no wire transfer. The guy doesn’t let anything get tracked. His guys scan every fucking bill before a transaction is complete. He trusts no one. And if you can’t pay the fee, you pay in favors. He has so many people in his back pocket that you couldn’t go to anyone without suspecting they would turn on you.”
This was giving me a fucking migraine. “Fine, fuck Wes. I don’t give a shit about him right now. I need to find Morgan. Obviously she’s gotten herself into deep shit and she doesn’t even know it.”
“I don’t know what I can do for you. He could literally take her anywhere. The sky’s the limit with this guy. I can give you video feed, but that’s not gonna get you very far.”
“We’ll take it. I’ll send the feed to Reed Security. Maybe they can give me something.”
An hour later, I was on the phone with Becky as she told us our starting point. She didn’t have anything definitive yet, but we had to get moving if we had any hopes of finding her.
“Take Storm with you. The man is ex-military and Shyla trusts him,” Chief told me as he walked us out. Storm nodded his agreement and followed Gabe out to the SUV. Normally, I wouldn’t take along someone I didn’t know, but the man had called us and warned us about Morgan.
“Thanks for your help.”
“I’ll call you if I hear anything. Good luck finding her.”
I shook his hand and headed for the SUV, calling Becky back to see what she had.
“Okay, I’m tracking him by the cameras around the city and Rob is looking into any properties he owns nearby or has any association with.”
Jackson followed her directions, zigzagging around the city and heading out of Pittsburgh.
“Becky, what the fuck is going on? That was one long ass way to get from point A to point B.”
“I’m looking into it. I don’t have any camera feed from here, so just stay on that route for now.”
“Chance, it’s Rob.” His voice boomed over the speakerphone. Rob was another tech specialist, but we normally went right through Becky. He was more of a field techie as of late. He went along on jobs that required a bit more skill. “Wes has a property outside the city. The road you’re on leads right to it, but it’s fucking huge. There are outbuildings and homes. It’s like the place is its own little city.”
“Why would he drive all around the city like that when we could have gotten on 376 and headed right to the same fucking road?”
“He was going where the cameras were,” Becky’s voice cut in. “I’m looking at the traffic cams and the city is currently installing new systems around the city. There are a few lines that aren’t up and running yet. He specifically took you on a route that we could follow.”
“He wants us to know where he’s taking her. But why?”
“A trap?” Gabe suggested. “Maybe he wants something on Reed Security.”
“How would he even know we would come after her?” I asked.
“A distraction,” Storm said. “He wants us away from the club.”
“If he knows that Chief’s working to take down the ring, then he probably knows that we were planning to be here for the next pickup.” I pulled out my phone to call Chief. “He’s gonna take the girls tonight while we’re distracted.”
I pressed the phone to my ear, waiting for Chief to pick up. “Did you find Morgan?” he asked almost frantically.
“We might have a location, but Chief, we think the girls are gonna be taken tonight. He must know we’re involved and he’s leading us away from you.”
“Shit. I sent Storm with you. I’m shorthanded tonight as it is.”
“Send all the girls home,” I said urgently.
“I think it’s too late for that,” he said grimly. “I
gotta go.”
“Chief!” But he didn’t answer. “Fuck!” I dialed Cap and didn’t even give him a chance to say anything before I was relaying what had just happened at the club.
“We can’t get there in time,” Cap said. “They’ll be long gone before we can get anyone over there. I’ll call the police, but if Wes has planned it this well, he’ll be gone within five minutes of being at the club. I’ll see if Becky can hack into the feed at the club.”
“We’ll let you know when we find something.” Hanging up, I tossed my phone onto the dash. “This is fucked up. Storm, how did you know Wes was The Broker?”
“A friend crossed paths with The Broker a few months back. He found out The Broker’s identity and knew he was gonna get killed. He told me if he disappeared that he had his family hidden and asked me to take care of them.”
“Was he killed?” Jackson asked.
“The very same night,” he said quietly as he gazed out the window.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Morgan
THE POUNDING IN my head made it nearly impossible to open my eyes. I felt dizzy and nauseous, but worse than that, every single part of my body hurt. I slowly blinked my eyes open, trying to figure out where I was. It was completely black with only a small hoop of light creeping in from above me. It seemed so far away. I blinked several times, trying to figure out where I could be.
I took stock of my body, trying to figure out why I felt so horrible. My stomach was cramping and combined with my headache, it was making me nauseous. I gripped my stomach, feeling flesh under my fingers. Oh, God. I was naked. Slowly, I began to feel the dirt digging into my butt and my back scraping against something rough. I tried to remember if I had been naked before I got here, but my brain was so muddled that trying to think just made my head hurt more. I was leaning against some kind of cold wall. I pressed my hand to it, trying to push myself up, but stumbled back to my knees when my legs gave out. If I couldn’t stand, I could at least try and crawl around to see if I could find some clues.
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