by Sara Gauldin
Her smile faded, and she looked at me with an air of caution. “Yes, Ryan. He said that he had been helping you on a case. One that he thought I would be interested in.”
“Tori? Victoria Kain? He said you were dead.” I spoke through my teeth.
“Victoria Kain is dead. I left that name and that life behind a life time ago. I am Tori Sams." Her voice was smooth and low, and her eyes scanned for anyone listening nearby.
“So Ryan is all right?” I asked. I blinked back a tear that wanted to join the conversation.
“He had to make some changes to keep himself safe, but he's fine. I saw to his relocation myself.”
I chewed my lip as I processed this stranger’s claim. “So just like that, he just left and never looked back.”
“Not at all. I haven’t ever seen him quite so tied to a situation. He sent me here because you aren’t safe. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I said. I looked down at my coffee, still full on the table. Adrenaline had given me a boost that no amount of caffeine could equal.
“You're too accessible in the police station. You have no way to know who you can trust, and if you stay, you will find out the hard way.”
“Is that a threat?” I asked.
“No, it is the way things are. You saw what happed to your commander. He worked closely with those under his command, yet he became a liability.”
I shook my head. “The bomb was meant for Ryan.”
“You’re right, but the witness list had all of your names on it,” Tori said.
“I already testified. The trial is over and my case load is full of mundane, ordinary crime. There's no reason for anybody to want me out of the way now.” I knew better.
Tori shook her head. “See for yourself.” She rummaged in a bag she had been carrying and produced a paper. On the front page the headline read: Fredrick George--Mistrial Declared!
I gasped. “No! How?”
“Powerful people with money and influence have a way of stacking the deck in their own favor. Now, think about that list again. Who do they need to get rid of to make a new trial squeaky clean?”
“Just me. They think Ryan is dead.”
“Exactly. That's why I'm here. I want you to work for me, in my division. I think you have what it takes to trace these situations back and help smooth things over so that life can go on for the general population. In fact, you're uniquely qualified.”
“I would have to walk away from my career,” I said.
“And into a new one,” Tori said. “One that would open doors and answer questions you've had for your entire life.”
“All right. I’ll consider what you have to offer. Do you have anything in writing?”
“Of course,” Tori slid a manila envelope across the table toward me. “You have two days to consider. I'll contact you then to see what you decide to do--if you live that long, anyway. Even so, I think you will. You seem to have good survival instincts.”
I shook my head. “For somebody who says they want to help me, you sure have a way of making everything you say sound like a threat.”
“Avery, some people are optimists, some are pessimists. I consider myself to be a realist. I try to find out the way things really are, with no window dressings. Ryan seems to think we have that trait in common.”
“He couldn’t come to tell me any of this in person?” I asked. What if this was all a trick. If the headline was correct, then anyone on the Georges' payroll would have a reason to look for me.
“He thought you'd be cautious about my offer. There's a letter in the envelope from him. I hope it gives you the answers you're looking for.”
I nodded. “Two days?” I asked.
“Two days, and I will need a firm answer.” Tori stood up and picked up her bag. She smiled, and her eyes sparkled like Ryan’s. “It was nice running into you. I hope we'll be able to work together soon.” She didn’t wait for my reply. She simply walked out of the coffee shop without looking back.
I stood up with my coffee and the envelope to leave as well. Back on the street, I looked around to see where Tori had gone, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.
The remainder of the afternoon crawled by. The envelope in my bag called to me, but I would not open it at work where anyone might stumble upon this strange turn of events.
As soon as I entered Kain's apartment, I locked and dead bolted the door behind me. I searched from room to room and checked every lock before I allowed myself to open the envelope. Inside was a contract from the organization that Tori had called the CCA. It looked official, but I couldn't help wondering if it could be a real thing. With the contract was a plain, white, mailing envelope. I opened it and saw what I hoped to see: Kain’s handwriting.
Dear Avery,
I am so sorry that I wasn’t able to contact you before now. You're still in danger. There are corrupt officers in the police department that will use your position to eliminate you.
I hope you will take Tori’s offer and get away from this place and this situation.
For now, we need to take separate paths. I hope we can meet again, soon. In the meantime, I wish you safety in the career you were meant to have.
Yours,
R.K.
I swallowed hard. What could possibly be so dangerous that he would run from the fight?
A quiet scraping interrupted my thoughts. I unclipped my gun from its holster and moved, silently, toward the front entrance. The noise repeated, this time louder. I reached the doorway and looked at the small, security camera screen to see a man wearing a hood kneeling at the door, attempting the pick the lock. I stood with my gun at the ready. I could hear the unmistakable sound of a kick to the door as someone broke through. I took a deep breath as I came face to face with the intruder.
A man with a ski mask on ran at me, the knife in his hands glinting. It was over in a second. The smell of gunpowder and the ringing in my ears followed the shot. I stood over the intruder. He'd dropped his knife on the floor next to where he'd fallen. I kicked the knife away from him before checking to see if I had killed him. There was still a strong pulse, but the man was bleeding heavily. I reached for my cell phone and called 911.
“Yes, this is Detective Avery Rich. There was an intruder in the apartment where I've been staying. I shot him, but he is still alive. I need an ambulance. I reached down and pulled off the ski mask.
Officer Adams.
I shook my head—my job decision had already been made.
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Sara B. Gauldin
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