“Sure,” Anna said, putting a dirty cup and plate on her tray from a vacant booth. Doing her best to make sure her hands didn’t tremble when she walked around the counter and placed the tray near the sink, Anna noticed that he hadn’t moved. He was watching her. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, but I need to speak with you privately.”
Anna debated saying that she couldn’t leave her tables but knew he would see right through that. She only had Mr. Ottmeyer sitting by the window, and Willow could easily handle refilling his coffee cup. Mitch and Elliott had specifically asked that she not be alone with him. But this could be her one and only chance to get any incriminating evidence on him for the murder of her family. Anna always made sure she kept herself wired underneath her uniform. It could pick up anything said to her, and with Nicholi monitoring from a van behind the garage, he would be well aware if Sam tried to take her out.
In the course of those four weeks, Anna had finally figured out a pattern. Every Tuesday and Thursday, a delivery truck would arrive with what everyone assumed was food and supplies for the diner. But it was the Thursday delivery that Sam always made sure he was there for. Anna casually asked Willow why Sam always came for the second delivery, but she had no answer other than that was how Sam ran things. Anna assumed that there had to be drugs on that weekly delivery and mentioned it to Agent Nicholi. He agreed and started tracking the deliveryman, along with investigating the company.
Then there were the takeout meals. It had taken Anna much longer to catch on to the pattern, because the pickup usually took place at the end of her shift. Even Agent Nicholi had mentioned that different people always came at the same time every other day. Anna started to pay closer attention and realized that the takeout order always came through Sam, and always when Sam was cooking. Somehow, someway, Sam was using that as a means to get the drugs into the hands of the buyers.
“Of course.”
Anna left her tray where it was and followed him through the kitchen and into his office. The room was small, with only a desk, a chair, and a filing cabinet. He didn’t even have a seat for a guest to sit in, but then again, whom would he ever have back in his office?
Instead of going around and taking his place behind the desk, Sam turned and leaned against it. He crossed his arms across his chest, but to Anna, it was nothing as impressive as Sam wanted to portray. Anna had taken time to prepare for the path she’d chosen and taken every self-defense course she could sign up for. She’d hired an instructor to teach her how to shoot. She had no doubt she could take Sam if it came to a one-on-one match. But that wasn’t her goal. Anna waited for him to speak.
“I’m curious, Anna. Your last name is Valdez,” Sam said, as if it was something she didn’t know. Anna tried not to tense and give away her unease. Had he finally pieced together the reason she was here? “I used to work with an Antonio Valdez.”
“You knew my brother?” Anna asked, doing her best to keep all emotion wiped from her face until she knew where Fowler was headed with this. She figured it was best to keep things vague until he showed his hand. “I was young when he died. I’d just turned eighteen.”
Sam seemed to study her for a moment. Anna maintained eye contact, not wanting him to see how nervous he was making her. She’d been in tougher situations before, but never one where she wanted to see justice served so much. Anna refused to let herself turn back into that emotional eighteen-year-old girl. It was time to take control of the situation. If Sam knew more than he was letting on, then she’d deal with the blows as they came.
“I’m not sure how much you know, considering how far away Triple is from Phoenix. My brother tried to cross the wrong people and ended up getting killed for his mistake. His oversight also caused the death of my parents.” Anna slowly transformed herself into Anna Cruz, knowing that was the persona it would take to make Sam believe the story she was about to spin. “My brother always did have a reckless streak. If you called me back here because you figured out my ties to the cartel, I’ll pack up and leave quietly. A deal had gone south a few months back and I needed to lay low. Triple seemed like a close enough area for me to maintain my city connections. My apologies.”
Anna had now officially turned herself into Anna Cruz, just minus the black wig and designer clothes. Her mannerisms and gestures were that of a confident woman. She didn’t hesitate as she reached behind her for the strings that would release her waist apron. Taking a step forward, Anna held out the blue fabric and waited for Sam to take it from her hand.
He slowly shook his head. Stepping around his desk, Sam finally took a seat and rested his elbows on the office chair. His fingers were shaped in a steeple as he tapped them against his lips. Anna let her hand drop to her side and gave him a quizzical look. She knew he’d taken the bait. Now it was time to reel him in. She hoped like hell that Agent Nicholi was getting this reception.
“I have a few—acquaintances—in that area myself, but I haven’t heard your name mentioned. Care to share the reason why you chose my diner to lay low?”
“No offense, Mr. Fowler, but I don’t know you. As I said, I’ll leave quietly.”
“If you share the right information with me, you won’t need to,” Sam informed her.
“I don’t share information, Mr. Fowler. As a matter of fact, this is much too coincidental for my tastes,” Anna said, placing her apron on his desk. She hoped he didn’t call her bluff, but she got the feeling if she didn’t pretend to go on the defensive, he’d never break. “I appreciate you letting me work here for the past month. I’ll be in later today to pick up my last paycheck.”
“Wait,” Sam said, his voice stopping her at the door. It had taken him long enough. Anna had started to think he was actually going to let her leave. “This room is secure. I personally sweep it daily to make sure no wires have been hidden.”
“And why should I trust you, Mr. Fowler?”
“Because I know the person responsible for killing your brother.”
Anna quietly reached for the door and started to close it, giving a clear indication that she was ready to hear more. Was he really going to pawn his part of her family’s death off on someone else? Once the latch caught, signaling that the door was securely shut, Anna leaned her back against it and patiently waited him out.
“Sonny Jones took your brother under his wing. He taught Antonio the ropes but quickly realized that Antonio was too young to indoctrinate. Sonny gave Antonio a few easy runs. Your brother,” Sonny said, shaking his finger at her, “he was a sneaky son of a bitch. Tried to make a profit on a trade and got his ass burned for it.”
“I know exactly how it went down, Sam,” Anna said, stressing his name. She walked across the room to stand in front of his desk. “As a matter of fact, I’ve had quite a few dealings with Sonny Jones myself. I have no qualms with how Sonny ran his business back then. My brother was naïve and got what he deserved.” Anna managed to choke out those words without giving herself away. “But Sonny Jones almost got my ass arrested by the ATF, and that is unforgivable. He’s getting sloppy in his old age.”
Anna thought Sam’s eyes were going to bulge out of his head. “That was you? You were the buyer? Word has it on the street that a Ms. Cruz has now become the main target of the ATF, although they are confident she’s working with one of the cartels.”
“Ms. Cruz is taking a hiatus, if you get my drift. She’ll be back in business soon enough. And please don’t think that there is any sort of connection between Anna Valdez and Anna Cruz, besides their first name, that is. I made sure of it.”
“I think you could be most beneficial to me, Anna. You see, I heard you bought several truckloads of some heaters,” Sam said, referring to the illegal weapons that she’d purchased throughout the last few years. He’d dropped the third-person reference, thinking he had her where he wanted her. What he didn’t know was that every shipment she had bought, Anna had stored in a remote location. When this was all said and done, she would turn the evide
nce over to the ATF. “They haven’t been seen on the street, so I’m assuming you’re still in possession. I have a buyer if you want to unload your cargo.”
“And why would I trust you, Sam?” Anna asked, leaning forward and placing her hands on the desk. Now it was time to go in for the kill. “You seem to have a little business on the side. Take for instance the delivery truck on Thursdays. How many kilos are there? For the amount of pickup orders by various strangers that aren’t Triple citizens, I’m guessing a fairly good amount. I should tell you right here and now—I don’t trust anyone who deals with drugs.”
“How long have you known?” Sam asked, standing up and letting the chair slide into the wall behind him.
“It wasn’t tough to figure out, Sam,” Anna answered, pulling herself up as well. She still wanted him to see her as a threat at this moment. If she kept jerking him around, it would keep him from seeing any holes in her story. “With our backgrounds, we tend to be more observant than most, wouldn’t you say?”
“Why haven’t you said anything before this?”
“Because I came here to lay low, remember? Your business is your business. I’m not here to cause trouble for you,” Anna reminded him. “As I said, I’ll leave today. The heat has lifted off of Anna Cruz anyway.”
“And what about Elliott and Mitch Braxton? Where do they fit into all this?”
“What?” Anna replied with a smile that could cut glass. “A woman can’t have her indulgences?”
Fowler chuckled. “Back to business then—how many truckloads do you have?”
Anna smiled, knowing he’d finally taken the bait. The drug cartel that he must be dealing with would love to get their hands on as many firearms as she had in her possession. Her reputation as Anna Cruz preceded itself. Sam would now be putty in her hands.
“Enough,” Anna replied. “But like I said, I don’t like drugs and I don’t trust the people that deal them. They are reserved for the lowlifes—no offense, Sam.”
“None taken. But unfortunately, sometimes we have to do the small side businesses to keep the bigger fish happy, if you know what I mean. Now, how about we get serious?”
Anna was well aware that the cartel was probably forcing him to distribute the drugs. It was a lucrative business, but Sam obviously liked the bigger payouts such as when dealing with weapons. Greed was now going to cause his downfall, just as it had with her brother. The end was finally in sight.
Chapter Thirteen
“No. Hell, no!”
Elliott watched as Mitch ranted and raved about the fact that Anna was setting up a deal with the drug cartel. If he wasn’t careful, Mitch was going to make a hole in his stubble if he rubbed his scar any harder.
Agent Nicholi was very pleased with the information she’d uncovered this afternoon and was all in for this meeting that was taking place in four days. Elliott and Mitch were not, but Mitch’s way of going about letting them know that was only getting Anna riled up. Ever since she’d come to the garage after the end of her shift, he’d noticed a coldness in her that he’d never seen before. He didn’t like it and wanted it gone.
“You don’t get a say in this,” Anna replied. “Agent Nicholi already has enough information to put Sam Fowler away on drug charges. He’s already called in Agent Monroe to oversee the meeting on Friday night. If I’m successful, the Contractor will never be able to be in the position to hurt someone again.”
“And when are you going to face reality, Anna?” Mitch hollered, throwing his rag down on the workbench. “Putting Sam Fowler away, an any other person that had a part in your family’s death, will not bring them back!”
“Mitch,” Elliott said, warning his brother that he was crossing the line. He stood up from the wooden stool he’d confiscated when Anna had informed them of what had happened this morning. “That’s not—”
“It’s exactly what she needs to hear, Elliott. For over a month, we’ve watched as she’s let herself be consumed by every little thing Sam Fowler does. She’s done this longer than the time I spent in prison. If you think that fucked me up, what the hell do you think this has done to her?”
“It’s given me a reason to live,” Anna said quietly. “My life was over the day my family died. It had no meaning. That”—Anna waved her hand toward the diner across the street—“had meaning.”
“And what about now? Are you saying we mean nothing to you?” Mitch asked with an anguish in his eyes that Elliott had never seen before.
“I’m saying I need to finish what I started, with or without your support,” Anna replied, not backing down. The only indication that Mitch’s words had any effect on her was the tightening of her hands into fists. “Right now, I need to go meet Agent Monroe at the B&B. We need to go over how Friday night will play out. I’ll understand if you two need to keep your distance. I knew what I signed up for a long time ago.”
Anna walked out of the open door of the garage and proceeded to walk toward the B&B. Mitch and Agent Nicholi started arguing. Elliott wanted no part of it. He knew it was Mitch’s way of releasing his anger, but Elliott had to make sure that Anna understood why Mitch was acting the way he was. She should have already got it through her head, how scared they were for her safety, but apparently she was too caught up in her vendetta.
Elliott slipped out behind her and followed her to the B&B. It was hard not to get distracted by that cute, round, sashaying ass of hers. He had yet to take her there, but it was on his list of many things to do. The heights that he and Mitch could take her to were nowhere near the surface they had scratched. It would take a lifetime to show her the things they wanted to. He and Mitch needed to make sure they had that time with her.
Right before Anna was about to walk up the steps to enter the B&B, Elliott quickened his pace so that he positioned himself between her and the door. He’d done that on purpose, so that he could keep an eye out for anyone who might come up behind them. Taking her face in his hands, Elliott could see she wasn’t surprised that he had followed.
“Mitch is worried about you.”
“I let things get too involved between the three of us, Elliott,” Anna said, sadness adding a dull tint to her blue eyes. She encased his wrists with her fingers. “I can’t afford this distraction, and it wasn’t fair of me to bring you or Mitch into my mess—my life.”
Elliott felt his chest fill with panic but didn’t let her see his alarm. She was going to use this situation to put distance between them, and just like when he first confronted her at the diner, he knew that if he let her walk away now, they’d never see her again. He had to convince her that what was building between them had more substance than just fucking.
“But you did, Anna. And whether you admit it today, tomorrow, or next week, you know in your heart that we’ve given you more reason to live than any vendetta ever could. We didn’t go into this blind. We knew the risks. We are trusting you with our future. And when I say that, I mean our future with you.”
“We have no future, Elliott,” Anna said almost desperately. “I knew that a month ago, but I still let myself fantasize. This isn’t going to end well. If the ATF does their job and they bring down part of this cartel, I will probably still go to jail.”
“You don’t have to do this, Anna,” Elliott said, tightening his fingers over her cheekbones. She was so beautiful, and while she might think she was invincible, Elliott was all too aware of what might take place. But it was this blind loyalty she couldn’t see past. If he could just get her to open her eyes. “The DEA has what they need to bring Sam Fowler down. That’s what you wanted. It’s over. Why subject yourself to going up against a drug cartel?”
“Because the drug charges aren’t enough to keep him in prison for as long as I want him to suffer,” Anna replied, tightening her grasp almost in a pleading fashion. “This is something that I have to do, Elliott, not just for my family, but for me.”
“Fine,” Elliott said, releasing her and taking a step back. He could see he had caught her b
y surprise. “We’ll play it your way, but Mitch and I are seeing this to the end.”
“I don’t want—”
“Too bad,” Elliott said, cutting her off. “We don’t want you doing this, so I guess we’re even. But if we only have four days with you before they haul your ass off to jail, then Mitch and I will make the most of it.”
Elliott could see his flippant response cause a fire in her. Good. He didn’t want her to think of their feelings at the moment, because she was right, and it would only cause her to be distracted. But he meant half of what he’d said. They would make the most of their four days, and while she was busy setting things up with the ATF, Elliott had more important things to tend to—like their future.
* * * *
Mitch’s cock was about to explode. Four days. It had been four days since they’d made love to Anna, and his body was feeling every agonizing minute. And that was only the physical part. His heart couldn’t take the thought of something happening to her. He’d gone and done the one thing he’d set out not to do when he was sent to prison. He’d fallen in love. He was fucked now, and not in a good way.
They stood off to the side of her room at the B&B, watching as Anna finished buttoning her shirt. A wire was threaded through her bra, giving the ATF the ability to hear every word that would be spoken at the drop tonight. She was going as Anna Cruz, dressed to the nines and wearing a black wig. The woman standing in front of them wasn’t the Anna they’d come to know. This person was cold, calculating, and deadly. Although she’d never killed anyone, Mitch had no doubt that she’d kill in self-defense. She had a self-preservation that he could relate to.
“We just need to get her out of this alive. I’ve taken care of the rest.”
Mitch turned his head to see his brother leaning against the wall, watching as Agent Monroe gave Anna some last-minute details. One of Monroe’s men was keeping tabs on Sam, making sure he wasn’t aware of what was about to take place. According to Monroe, Fowler was already on his way to the meeting site. Elliott seemed more relaxed than he had four days ago. Mitch knew that Elliott had something up his sleeve, and he wasn’t too happy that he wasn’t privy to what it was.
Imprisoned Match [Ménage.com 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 10