Racing the Tide

by January Bain

  Gabby nodded and caught Cole staring at her, an unfathomable expression in his eyes. He broke the connection first and she allowed herself a small victory smile. Don’t look too shabby now, eh, Texas?

  Jake continued, looking at Cole now, “Were you able to contact the ghost?”

  “Ghost?” she repeated. What the hell were they talking about?

  “Satoshi Nakamoto.” Cole gave her a sidelong glance. “The man behind the bitcoin gold rush who’s the only one alive who can do what the blackmailers want. And that’s break into the original source code and plant a bug to drain off funds without it being discovered. No, I’ve left a message. He usually gets back to me within twelve hours. We’ll hear soon.”

  “Good,” Jake grunted. “Okay, Gabby. I want to see how it goes, you working with us, you know, during the next while. I think this case will be a test for all of us and if you become a vital part of your team, pull your own weight—” He gave Cole a glance. “Then we’ll look at turning this into a full-time job. Does that work for you? Gives you a chance to see if you like working with us, as well. Sound fair?”

  “Yeah, sure, I get it. It works for me.” She got it all right. Cole was the perpetrator genius behind the probation period. Well, she’d show him! She was the real deal.

  “I want you and Cole working together, staking out Chinatown. This has come down so quickly we haven’t even had time to outfit surveillance vans, so, Cole, you’ll need to use the truck this week, and a huge thank you from us that you took the time to install some vital equipment last night. Plus, we need to hire office staff like yesterday.” No. Not him. I can work by myself, thank you very much. She kept her objections from showing with great difficulty, biting down hard on the inside of her mouth, the metallic taste that flooded her mouth souring her mood further.

  “How was she taken?” Gabby asked, wincing from the instant pain. She needed to get all the facts. Fast. Even the smallest detail could matter in solving a case. She pulled out her iPhone to take notes.

  “Outside a school dance. Prom night, in fact. Made it too easy, knowing the place and time. Why don’t you fill Gabby in with all the details, Cole? It will save valuable time and Quinn won’t be back until later. I’m on my way out to make some arrangements. Oh, and I’d better send you a photo of Sara.” He stared at his phone, working the keys.

  “Sure,” Cole agreed, his tight expression not giving anything away as he waited for Jake to finish the task.

  Things were happening at a dizzying speed. But with a young girl missing, there was no time for any hesitation. On her part, either. She needed to get over herself, be the professional she knew herself to be. “Okay, whatever you need, Jake, I’ll do my best.”

  Jake nodded with satisfaction as he finished with his phone, sealing the deal by shaking Gabby’s hand. “Okay, good, welcome aboard. I’m confident you’ll want to join us permanently after a few days working together.” He leaned over and kissed Silk again. “Catch you later, baby doll.” He was gone in a flash out of the front door.

  “And I have to check on the baby. You okay if I leave, Gabby? Cole can get you up to speed. I’ll be back in an hour or so. I just need to go nurse my son.”

  The hairs on the back of Gabby’s neck tingled. Alone with dream guy. Oh, great. Yes, she’d have to get over herself—him, too, when a young girl needed their help.

  “Okay. Fill me in on all you know,” she said, turning around and facing the enemy square on.

  “Have you read The Art of War, Gabrielle?”

  “No, why? And it’s just Gabby.”

  “One of the questions that is asked by Sun Tzu, the Chinese general who wrote the classic work during the Chou Dynasty around 500 BC is, which side are the officers and men more highly trained?”

  “Okay, you’ve hooked me. Explain.”

  “Jake’s filled me in, telling me about what you’ve accomplished at such a young age. Quite remarkable.”

  “What?” She didn’t like that, not one little bit. It made the earth feel less stable beneath her feet. Even though she spent her days researching others, she hated the tables turned on her, having others discuss her. She might have suspected what was being said behind the closed door a few minutes ago, but it was a different thing to have it confirmed. “Why would you need to question my abilities?” Hands on hips, she glared at him across the short distance that separated them. “Don’t you trust Jake to hire good people.”

  “I needed your measure. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover just how accomplished you are. With you being a friend of Silk, I was worried nepotism was involved.”

  “What the fuck? Thanks a lot. What about you? Aren’t you a friend, as well? Didn’t they even name their baby after you?”

  “Excuse me. I’m complimenting you here. Your work in the private investigator field has been outstanding. Well, most of the time, anyway. Lately you’ve been working some cases that are questionable at best.”

  “They pay the bills.” She hated having to defend working high-profile divorce cases. But the ex had tarnished her reputation, making her persona non-grata in some circles. She’d had to go it on her own without the benefit of partners, until now. And she was not going to let his doubts spoil her chances. No fucking way.

  He went on as if she hadn’t interjected. “Your work solving that wrongful death case and discovering the offender was still alive, saving the insurance company millions, was outstanding. And the guy had gone to a lot of trouble, setting up a fake mugging death in a foreign country. Even finding out he’d bought a body and involved the coroner shows remarkable skill. Bribed officials don’t like to be challenged. Then to discover the connection to the upper echelons of government. Damn fine work.”

  “You know about that? Yeah, well, I have my moments. And I really hate fraud of any kind. He was also blackmailing his wife’s family into being accomplices, threatening a small child. Fucking monster, in my opinion. Got what he deserved and I hope he rots in jail. What else have you got but your honor and reputation in the end? And your family, of course.”

  Cole turned pale. In an instant. A darkness slithered across behind his eyes before he turned away. What was the deal with him? She needed to ask Silk what she knew about him as soon as Sara was back home.

  He cleared his throat, his eyes hardening. “Okay, let’s discuss the particulars of this case. Ready? Let’s head into the back so you can see the rest of the operation.”

  “I was born ready.” It didn’t come out quite right, but she just followed him through the back door of the storefront and into the warehouse behind.

  A huge bank of computers and other high-tech equipment filled a good portion of the space. The air buzzed with expectations of something huge being accomplished.

  She turned to Cole after plunking herself down in one of the half-dozen aerodynamic chairs. “Okay, fill me in. Start right at the beginning.”

  He obliged, sitting down opposite her, bracing himself on the armrests. The man was so tense the corded muscles of his impressive forearms were clearly visible below the edge of the sleeve of his black T-shirt. And he was so tall his knees projected outward while she had to sit forward to keep her feet on the ground. She watched for other tells as he spoke. Passionate about saving the fifteen-year-old victim, of course, and dedicated to making sure Sara got home to her family before the deadline. Same as she was.

  “Quinn Malone, the former FBI special agent that Jake and Silk worked with in LA?”

  She nodded. Silk had filled her in on his involvement months back. It was the main reason they’d asked him to become a partner with them.

  “He’s fairly certain the problem arose in Chinatown—that one or more of the BTK gang members set up the abduction, right here in Vancouver. He’s in the field right now checking into it.”

  “How does he know this?” She pursed her lips as she asked and earned his quick glance at her mouth. Hmm. Interesting. Not as cool a cucumber as he lets on.

  “Some inte
l he’s been party to. He learned about them while working for the FBI in their gang investigation unit. Apparently, the gang’s widespread in the US. Began its reign of terror in New York City. And it’s spread to Toronto here, as well. Quinn’s knowledge is invaluable.”

  It was all business now as Gabby racked her brain for every bit of intel she knew about their illicit activities. “Hmm, BTK…mostly money laundering, drugs and prostitution, some real estate deals, all run here in Canada by Wu Chang and his clan for the past two decades They own Five Star Tower on the waterfront, and some buildings in the downtown core, chiefly the Red Dragon in the garment district, according to my source at the Vancouver Herald. Leanne Reimer, a columnist at the newspaper. She and I go way back. We both have an interest in seeing justice done, and this guy has been on our radar for some time.”

  Cole nodded, an eyebrow raised.

  “Also, their MO includes demanding protection money from businesses from people who don’t trust law enforcement to have their best interests. Chinatown is so insular that it causes all sorts of trouble for the regular people, good people, people just wanting to come to this country and make a decent living for their families. And don’t get me started on the exploitation of young women by men like Chang, demanding they work exclusively for his operations in payment for passage. But, same old shit that’s been going down for what seems like forever in most cities on the planet. It all needs to stop—be exposed to the light of day.”

  She paused, considering, hand on her chin. “But there’s more to this than just the BTK gang. I’d bet they just provided the muscle because it’s not their usual MO asking for bitcoins. I’m guessing this will lead all the way back to mainland China. Perhaps the triad?”

  “Yeah, I’d say that’s an accurate guess. Some big player wants an easy way to siphon off funds to an off-shore account. Smart thinking—long-term.” Cole rubbed at his jaw, giving her a speculative glance. Clean-shaven this morning. She’d been wrong about him doing a fancy razor job. He’d just not shaved for a couple of days when she’d seen him last night. She preferred a clean-shaven face anyway. Less razor burn. She swallowed, last night’s dream loop still too fresh in her mind. She forced it away. Keep a lid on it, Gabby.

  “Yeah, but maybe not smart short-term, since we’re all going to be hot on his thieving ass!” She couldn’t help giving Cole a wicked grin. His eyes widened just a tad. It was the first moment of levity between them and she relished the way one corner of his mouth twitched upward. Good. Whatever he’d lived through—and she could tell by the dark shadows lurking in his eyes that it had been bad—fucking bad—he was still capable of seeing humor. She vowed right then to work on that. See if she could make him at least give one good belly laugh after they’d brought Sara home.

  Cole came closer, reaching around her for something lying on the desk behind her. It took her off-guard as he was all of a sudden in her personal space. His tantalizing fragrance filled her nostrils, making them flare. She was certain she caught his nose twitching, as well.

  He held up some tiny electronics she knew had been designed for gathering information from a fair distance for her inspection. “We’re going to be planting some of these Acute 5000 babies today. Get some intel.”

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, her panties wetting from the heat of such close contact. Just great. Now, she’d need to invest in clean underwear. And, if they were going to be spending days locked together in the truck doing intensive surveillance on BTK, she’d better buy lots and lots of pairs. Just what she needed, another expense.

  A noise in the outer office announced company and she hopped off her chair to check on the visitor, thankful for the interruption.

  Chapter Three

  Day Three: 9:38 a.m.

  Cole watched her leave, her tiny body sizzling with energy as she strode across the cement floor of the warehouse, still wearing the cowgirl boots of the night. Instead of the enticingly skimpy yellow sundress, she now wore a knee-length denim skirt, and a red silk blouse that hugged her curves. She was unlike any woman he’d met with those fuck-me boots, sexy, wild yet constrained hair that he’d love to see down and feisty attitude. Not to mention those clear blue eyes that reminded him of a summer morning. If she only knew what had transpired last night after meeting her, a hot piece he figured for an empty-headed though intriguing party girl. Fuck.

  Dreaming of pushing her up against a wall, having her on the floor, in his bed, planting his face in her sweet pussy as she spread herself wide open for him, giving him a view of her slick pink center, her nipples budding under his finger. Having her every which way, filling her with his cock. His balls tingled with the memory, his cock going hard for the umpteenth time since they’d met. Had that just been last night? Double fuck.

  He had to keep himself in check, even if he had to masturbate three times a day, every day, until this was over. Which might not even be enough, considering what she was doing for his libido. Maybe he should invest in saltpeter? Reduce his carnal urges before they got out of hand and he pounced on her in a moment of weakness, embarrassing everyone in the process. But still, he had to wonder, was she as good in bed as she looked? Because if she was, he was lost. Oh, Jesus, I could lose myself in a woman like that.

  But, he had to admit as he positioned himself more comfortably, willing his hard-on away with great difficulty, there was something more to her than her obvious beauty and sexiness that now piqued his interest. Her passion, drive, and commitment to catch bad guys, whatever it took, was clear in her intelligent eyes as she spoke. But was she the right woman for a case like this? Even given the facts Jake had shared a few minutes ago? He shook his head with worry. That remained to be seen.

  A few seconds later, she came back with Quinn in tow. Quinn’s expression tight, he nodded at Cole, who shifted his thoughts to the case, where he vowed they were going to stay. No time for foolishness. “Morning, I’ve just come from Chinatown and a trail that led down to the docks, but it petered out. How’s things going with the tech situation? Any word from your guy?” Quinn asked.

  “Just waiting to hear back,” Cole grunted. “Explain what you found out.”

  Quinn pursed his lips, shaking his head, his deep brown eyes fierce with intensity. The last time Cole had seen him, he’d sported a short military haircut, faded jeans and black Henley T-shirt accompanied by a tactical multi-pocketed canvas vest and lace-up boots. Today it was the same, minus the vest. By his six foot, three inch muscular frame that rivaled his own, it was obvious he worked out and could handle himself. And Cole knew from personal experience it was the truth. Quinn was a man he’d follow into battle anytime, anywhere.

  “The talk on the street is about what you would expect. No one’s talking, obviously scared of retaliation from the BTK gang. But I’m damn certain that something’s being covered up. A lot of tells in the eyes of the merchants I questioned that they were hiding information. Years of experience handling interrogations for the FBI made that abundantly clear.”

  He paused for a deep breath. “That damn Born to Kill gang. Started in New York City in the seventies, the target of a massive sting in the early nineties, now it’s reared its head again. Though the group that’s taken on the moniker is not Vietnamese this time, but mainly Chinese.” Quinn might be repeating what they already knew, but still, the stark words rang harsh and expressions sobered further.

  “Go on,” Cole said.

  “I’ve narrowed the place of operations down to a couple of businesses. Chang’s Café and Paradise Massage. Both run by Wu Chang, the man I suspect having something to do with this. He’s known as ‘Uncle’ to the local people in the neighborhood and is feared and respected. He’s the head boss, their number-one guy, and the only one with enough muscle to carry off the kidnapping. We’ll need to get inside both locations and plant bugs in hopes of picking up some chatter about what’s going down. Today. I don’t think I have to remind anyone that the clock is ticking.”

  Cole no
dded. “Yes, I can take care of—”

  “That’s my job. I’m filling in for Silk and that’s what she does,” Gabby interrupted him.

  Cole shook his head. “Absolutely not! Massage parlors are often fronts for prostitution, especially when they’re run by a gang as this one appears to be.”

  “What, you don’t think I can handle myself?” she challenged, arching her eyebrows.

  “It’s not that. It’s a seedy, dangerous place for a young woman. Makes more sense if I get inside as a customer. Quicker and cleaner.”

  She frowned at him, her baby blue eyes narrowing and taking on a dangerous glint. “Silk went right into the lion’s den in LA. Got the deed done. I’m more than capable of doing the same. I can handle myself. I’ve had lots of tactical training, including advanced self-defense and jujitsu.”

  He wanted to say that Silk had been deep in a revenge psychosis at the time that Jake had rescued her and kept her from an action she would not have been able to take back. But he didn’t. Being one of Silk’s close friends, Gabby already knew. He’d opened his mouth to offer more objections when Quinn interrupted, flashing him a warning with his eyes.

  “Fine. I think Cole should do the massage parlor as the chance of them hiring outside the immigrant population is slim, while you, Gabby, can do the café,” Quinn said. “If that doesn’t work, we’ll figure out something else. But be ready for both points of entry before you leave here with plenty of tech equipment. Cole, have you got access to enough electronics to do the job? We’re going to have to go at this full bore. There’s no time to be caught with our pants down, unprepared.”

  “Sure, I have everything even remotely necessary.” The café couldn’t be as dangerous as the massage parlor, right? He’d supplied Silk’s maid uniform in LA. When she’d come on-board to help, he’d been ready with the goods, having known that was an ideal route in. And it had worked out just fine, though it wasn’t the planted bugs that had given over the goods but her tapping into the main circuitry. A vision of Gabrielle in a skimpy uniform giving him a massage slipped into his mind. His groin tightened. Fuck. He didn’t need that kind of distraction right now. Not with all those images from last night still threatening to send him into overdrive. He absently licked his lips, wanting a taste of her in the worst way.