Conned

by Jessica Wilde

  "That's fine, I need you to find someone who is given that information. Lucien will want to hear what I have to say."

  She nodded and scurried to the back without another word. I glanced over at the old man who was staring at the flat screen above the bar. He looked like he was here to stay for a while and the drunken sway he was trying to control in his chair proved he would probably have to be carried out anyway.

  I was aware that whoever was calling the shots was going to use the situation with Emily to their advantage. Lucien Ripley might already be aware that she didn't see anything that night, but he needed to know the details if I had any hope of getting her name off his list. She had put his brother in prison after all.

  "Who the fuck are you?" a hard voice rang out from the door the bartender had disappeared through. In her place was a dark skinned, middle aged badass. He was taking off his jacket, making no moves to hide his shoulder holster, when he walked toward me.

  "Conall Brannock. Detective in the Denver PD. I'm not here for anything other than I need to speak with Lucien Ripley and I need to do it yesterday."

  The man laughed mockingly, "Oh really? And just what do you need to speak to him about?"

  "Getting his brother out of prison," I stated, not taking my eyes off of his.

  This obviously startled him, but he made a quick recovery and scowled at me like I was up to no good. I didn't give a shit what this fucker thought, he wasn't going to stop me. I wouldn't let Emily live the rest of her life looking over her shoulder, even if I did plan to be right there with her.

  Without another word, he jerked his head toward the door he had come through and pulled his phone out of his pocket. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but whoever was on the other line was in charge.

  "Yeah, okay, boss," he muttered before returning the phone to his pocket. I stayed on alert as he turned back to me and pointed to a stairwell in the corner of the backroom. "Up those, left, first door you come to."

  I didn't hesitate and moved passed him quickly. There wasn't time to question whether or not I was doing something stupid. I would deal with the fall out if it came to that.

  I climbed the stairs, my steps echoing off the wall, but not drowning out the sounds of voices at the top. A large man was slouched in a chair in the hallway to my left and he pointed at the door across from him before I could say a word. "Two knocks," he grumbled and coughed violently before slouching once more.

  I walked up to the door, knocked twice, and it immediately flew open.

  A man who looked a lot like the one downstairs walked out and didn't give me much space. "Hand over your weapons or go no further."

  I handed over my holster and 9mm, then removed my ankle holster. Before he could instruct me to do so, I put my arms out to my sides. He raised an eyebrow, but went about his business patting me down before gesturing for me to enter the room and shutting the door behind me.

  The room was huge and filled with furniture of all kinds. Old antique stuff that Mom would have drooled over if she had gotten the chance to see it. At the farthest wall from me, there was a huge mahogany desk with the latest model computer and stacks of paperwork. Behind the desk was the man I wanted to see.

  Lucien Ripley.

  "Officer Brannock, a pleasant surprise," he greeted and stood from his plush desk chair that Dad would probably drool over. The man was taller than me by a few inches which was saying something and he was built thicker than Gus was. I had read somewhere that he had spent the first several years of his adult life fighting and not the legal kind. Another reason why no one wanted to mess with him and why Rayce Dawson and his boss had been such a huge deal. His eyes were almost black and his skin was tanned and freaking flawless, shaved smooth. He had black hair that was short and spiked and the smile on his face was anything but patient.

  "I'll cut right to the chase," I said confidently. Emily's face flashed in my mind and there was no way I was going to leave this place without ensuring this man never got near her. Ever. "Emily Dawson never saw your brother kill Officer Daniels. In fact, she wasn't even at the hotel when it happened."

  "I already know this," Lucien replied easily, his expression unchanging. "Doesn't change the fact that she lied and put my brother in prison."

  I had expected that response and pressed on. "I understand that, but she did it for her brother. He manipulated her. It's a long story, but she did it out of loyalty. You of all people should understand how much that means."

  "And you are here to convince me to stop trying to kill her. Tell me, Officer Brannock. What is she to you that you would risk your life coming here?"

  I knew that answer, knew it in my bones. "Everything."

  He smiled widely, flashing his perfect teeth at me and wiggling his eyebrows. "Love?"

  "Yes." My chest tightened, wishing I would have told her just one more time. Wishing I could have heard her say it back. I'd take care of that soon.

  "I enjoy a good love story," he chuckled and turned back to his desk. "Please sit. I'd like to hear everything."

  "I don't have the time to tell you a story, I'm here to-"

  "You have the time. I won't be killing her while you're here, I can assure you of that. Telling me will only help you."

  He gestured to the chair in front of his desk and sat down in his own. I sat quickly and started to tell him what I knew.

  "She was going to confess everything. Her brother-"

  "Is a little piece of shit who will stop at nothing to get to the top," he snapped. "That's not what I want to hear, though. Tell me about Emily. From the beginning."

  "I don't understand why you want to know…"

  Sighing, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the huge desk in front of him. "We may have time for a story, Officer Brannock, but I'm not the one out looking for her at the moment. Once you talk, we'll all be getting some answers. The faster you do that, the faster you can get back to her."

  I wanted to ask what he meant by him not being the one looking for her. Who was looking for her then?

  I told him everything. From the moment I got the call from Captain Miller, to the moment I arrived at Jack's Pub to see him. I may have left out a detail or two about me and Emily, but he got the gist of it.

  "So, she fell in love with you and decided her brother wasn't worth it." It wasn't a question and the way he said it only solidified the fact that I had made a mistake. A reasonable mistake, but one I didn't want to prolong.

  I loved her and I wasn't letting her go.

  Ripley didn't say anything else for a few minutes and the silence in the room was only broken by the occasional shout of voices out in the hallway.

  "I guess we all make mistakes," he finally muttered and shook his head. "Rayce Dawson conned us all."

  This was it. I knew without a doubt in my mind that I was going to get the answer I needed.

  "Emily is no longer at risk of any danger from me. I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but tell her I'm truly sorry her life has been what it has, especially over the last year. I can admit when I make a mistake."

  Relief unlike any other coursed through me and the first thought I had was to run to Emily and bring her home. Then I realized how little sense he was making. This was the guy everyone was afraid of, the guy I had spent a shit load of time trying to bring down.

  "What do you mean you made a mistake?"

  He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and groaned. "I should have known a woman like that wouldn't frame my brother. I've been watching her for a long time. Ever since her brother and that idiot pressed into my business. She's a fucking angel. My cousin's niece was one of her students." He chuckled at the look on my face. "Yeah, it's a small world isn't it?"

  He raked his hands through his spiked hair and kept them there. "Thought I could use her if I needed to, but then, Dawson never really showed any care for his sister. He's a prick who has no sense of loyalty. Not even to family. So I let her be. When I found out it was her that c
laimed to be a witness, I didn't take the time to think about it. She was a Dawson and, unfortunately, I treated her like everyone has treated my little brother over the years. Guilty by association. I never thought the kid would go to these lengths, though." He dropped his hands and for the first time since I showed up, he looked tired, done with the life he had been leading.

  "Stan said he was in the bathroom when Greg was shot. Didn't even hear the gun go off. When he walked out, Greg was dead and the gun was on his chest. He had to pick up the gun to move it, tried to do CPR before he saw the bullet hole was directly over his heart."

  That's how his fingerprints ended up on the gun. How all signs pointed to him. It was too easy.

  "Greg and him had been friends for years and I paid the cop to watch over Stan whenever he was in town. He'd been working for me for as long as I can remember. Why do you think it's so hard for you people to take me down?" he raised an eyebrow and watched the understanding cross over my face.

  "Son of a bitch."

  "Can I assume that you won't take his position?" he chuckled.

  I shook my head, "No way, I'm clean. Coming to you is putting my career on the line already."

  "Well then, guess I better watch my back from here on out," he said with an amused smile. Too bad he was one of the bad guys, I would have gotten along with him.

  "So your brother was obviously framed, but why would Dawson manipulate Emily into testifying against him?"

  "I asked myself the same thing and only came up with one solution that I'm sure you've already considered," he suggested. "I'm looking for Rayce because I know he killed Daniels, but he tried to destroy my family, infiltrate my home, my business. I want his head before you get him."

  Challenge. I wanted him first.

  "Rayce is the one who came to me with a proposition when his sister first went into hiding," he continued.

  "What kind of proposition?"

  "He gets a position on my 'staff'," he even used air quotes, "if he could help get me what I wanted most. At the time, I was too pissed to think of anything but helping my brother. He showed up here almost two weeks ago telling me he was getting it done himself. What I wanted, he could get me. He knew that."

  Dread boiled in my stomach at the look in his eyes. There was fury there, but at the same time, pity.

  For me?

  "And what was that?" I asked, my voice strangely calm when my body was wound up so tightly, I thought I would snap.

  "Emily," he said. "Alive."

  Chapter 13

  Emily

  The doorbell rang and Deputy Shaw sighed before standing from the table they had gathered around. "That'll be the pizza," she grumbled and scowled at Givens who rubbed his hands together anxiously.

  They had been going over the plan for her and informing her that jail time was definitely going to happen. Emily had already accepted that, even welcomed it. At this point, it would be a miracle to get away from these two. If it wasn't Shaw complaining about the food in this place, it was Givens trying to piss her off, or in other words, get in her pants.

  It was awkward and made her miss Conall that much more.

  So yeah, she welcomed the thought of jail time. Anything to distract her from the thought of Conall hating her forever.

  She had spoken with Ash briefly that morning. Ash had been perfectly pleasant with her which was a surprise. She was aware of the situation and didn't hate her, too. In fact, she had told her that she was sorry her 'brother was an asshat' and she hoped everything worked out in the end. It had put a smile on her face, but it didn't last long. She didn't give Emily any other information other than Conall had left early that morning and was working on getting some answers.

  Captain Miller hadn't been too happy about that and went off on a tangent about how he wished Lucas Shade would come to Denver and trade places with Conall. She'd defended him, but realized the man was just blowing off steam. The way he talked about Conall said he respected him and he valued him as a detective.

  She wanted to tell him that and see the pride on his face when she did, but that wouldn't happen. Not anymore.

  Rayce had made sure of that.

  No. She had.

  She'd always had a choice and she couldn't forget that.

  She heard Shaw drop the chain on the door and open it, then there was a deafening silence before a loud crack. She turned and saw Shaw's body collapse to the floor in a heap and barely registered Givens shooting out of his chair before a muted sound filled her ears and he fell back into the table, moving it a good two feet before crashing to the floor as well. She stared at him, lying at her feet in front of her and the red seeping out of a hole in his stomach.

  The sound of the deadbolt sliding into place at the door brought her to her feet. Her movements felt heavy and strained, like she was moving through water. She looked over at the front door to find the cause of all of this.

  Rayce.

  "Hello, Emily."

  She couldn't move her lips and all the blood in her head dropped to her feet, leaving her dizzy and nauseous.

  "Why don't you sit down, huh?"

  She did, in fact, she basically collapsed back into her chair and nearly sent it toppling backward as she stared at her little baby brother with the same green eyes as hers. Only they weren't the same. They were dull, cold, dangerously hard. The eyes of a killer.

  "I know what you must be thinking. I want to explain it to you before I take you to Lucien."

  "Take me to Lucien?"

  "Shut up. I should have known everything would be fucked once I brought you into this. If Trent had shown up on time instead of pissing his money away at the casino, this whole thing would be playing out smoothly."

  She kept her mouth shut this time instead of asking the question that was playing on repeat in her mind, "Did you do it? Did you do it?"

  Rayce lifted a chair off the floor that had tipped over when Givens fell into the table and sat down roughly, a shiny black gun with a silencer attached to it dangling from his hand. He rested it on his lap as he faced her. She looked back down at the injured man and it didn't look good. He was still breathing, but he was pale and losing a lot of blood.

  "But he didn't show up on time and the plan changed. You were the only person I could think of that would do whatever I asked as long as I asked it correctly. Pathetic really, but useful." He grinned at her and the brother she had sworn to protect so long ago was completely gone. She couldn't find a trace of the silly little boy she had loved so much. The boy who had looked to her for guidance when their parents disappeared on one of their drinking binges and never came back.

  His blonde hair was shaved clean and he sported a tattoo on his skull that looked frightening and evil. She didn't want to see the details, so she looked back at the ice in his eyes and waited.

  "I've been waiting for a chance to get in with Lucien Ripley for a long ass time. The only way to show loyalty was to put his family first. What better way than to set something up to prove I could do the job? Stanton's a pussy, but that didn't make it hard to frame him. Trent was supposed to play witness, claim he was meeting with an escort who I'd already paid to go along with the story. The dumbass didn't realize how deep he was going and I liked it that way. I could get rid of his worthless as in the process. Guess he got what he deserved when your detective shot him in the head."

  She was going to vomit. Suddenly, it all made perfect sense. Trent had been so familiar, but the hair and scar had thrown her. She'd caught only a glimpse of him at the station when they had both given their statements, but she hadn't recognized him, especially when she was too concerned with the gun pointing at her.

  "And Daniels? He was playing Ripley and Garrett."

  "Garrett?" she asked softly.

  "My boss. We caught him selling both products and pocketing a portion of the profit. Figured I could kill two birds with one stone by taking him out. Stanton being his little buddy was just too easy."

  She already knew it, but h
earing it come out of his mouth was still a blow to the stomach. "You killed him?"

  He tilted his head to the side as if the answer was so obvious, she didn't want to believe her brother was capable of all of this. "Emily, come on. Don't tell me you're still holding out hope for me. You may have raised me, but I wasn't about to let myself continue to live the way we were. You'd never take a risk to improve your life. I had to get away from you and then when I came back to help you out and you refused… well, that was insulting, sister."

  "I didn't want your dirty money," she stated angrily. "I just wanted my brother."

  "Doesn't matter, I made the effort then washed my hands clean of you."

  Her already broken heart shattered into a billion pieces. She knew he resented her, but to literally toss her aside because she couldn't give him everything he wanted… it was agony. She should have left him to the system, let someone else teach him the importance of family. They might have been more successful.

  "So you used me."

  "Yep. Plain and simple, but you couldn't even accomplish that. After all your claims of love to your only brother, you were ready to throw me to the wolves, weren't you?"

  He was crazy. That was plain and simple. "You've done the same to me, brother."

  He shrugged and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, well, it had to be done. Once I take you into Lucien, my spot will be arranged. I'll be making more money than I'll know what to do with."

  "So that was your plan all along, to basically have me killed just so you could make a little money?"

  "Not exactly. Once I got you involved, I figured I'd be able to convince Ripley without having to kill you, but then you were supposed to disappear and I ran out of time. I couldn't find you until you called."

  Conall had been right. She was stupid enough to contact him, thinking he was only worried about her. He'd found her with Deputy Ross and sent someone to bring her in. If it wasn't for Ross, she would be dead by now. She suddenly felt the guilt all over again that the man had gotten injured in the process. If she wouldn't have been so God damn trusting, everything would have continued to play out without anyone else getting hurt. But she still would have ended up testifying and putting an innocent man in prison. The rest of her life would have been spent in hiding.