Exit Wounds

by V. K. Powell

  Her throat tightened with the certainty of her answer as she shook her head.

  “Ever asked yourself why?”

  “I guess I felt I didn’t deserve real love.”

  Eve nodded. “Get over that old garbage and move on. Every woman is not like your mother or your father. They don’t all leave.”

  Had she been looking at the situation all wrong? Maybe it wasn’t Abby or Kinsey or even Tyler who’d let her down. Maybe she’d let herself down by not living up to her full emotional potential, even when her heart was urging her to do so. She’d fashioned an elaborate cocoon around herself with trust as the gatekeeper. Perhaps her self-concept caused her to doubt the actions of those she cared about. “Thanks for listening…and for the advice, I guess.” She rose and hugged Eve good-bye.

  “You’re welcome, smart-ass.”

  When she stepped into the October morning, the cool damp air settled around her as tangibly as the decisions she had to make. Eve was right. She’d believed in Abby and Kinsey instinctively and opened part of herself to them. Her love for Abby had slowly seeped into her heart, but she’d been too afraid to admit it. The idea that she could love at arm’s length had brought only pain and regret. She’d ignored Kinsey’s calls since yesterday and hadn’t responded to Abby’s message either. It was time to talk—and not about the case—about relationships and what she wanted.

  As she walked through Center City Park toward the club, her cell phone rang. She answered without looking at the caller ID, hoping it was Abby. “Hello.”

  “Officer Landry?”

  Carl Torre’s scratchy voice seeped through the line like a bad dream. “How did you get this number?”

  “Cops aren’t the only ones with sources. I have a proposition for you.”

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m into women.” She didn’t intend to make it easy for this guy to make an offer of any kind.

  “I definitely noticed and this is strictly business. Are you interested?”

  “Don’t know until I hear the offer.”

  “Abby is making a delivery for me and I’d like you to accompany her—in case she runs into trouble.”

  Loane stopped beside the fountain, unsure if she’d heard correctly. This could be the answer to their investigative prayers—if the job involved guns. “A delivery? Of what, and what kind of trouble are you expecting?”

  “I don’t expect any problems, but I’m a cautious man. As for the cargo, Abby can fill you in if you accept the job. I’ll pay you fifty thousand dollars.”

  He expected her to be financially motivated, and with figures like those, it wasn’t particularly hard to play along. “Say no more. I’m all yours. That’s nearly an entire year’s salary with the GPD. But out of curiosity, why me?”

  “The guys said you handled yourself pretty well at the club the other night. That’s a good enough reference for me. Get the details from Abby. And carry a weapon. I want my interests protected at all costs. Understood?”

  “Absolutely.” Carl hung up and she shook her head in disbelief. Was he handing the entire case gift-wrapped over to an ATF agent and a police officer? Either Carl Torre trusted Abby completely or he was setting them up. Maybe he just wanted a cop solidly in his pocket. Either way this scenario was playing right into their hands. She practically ran to the Sky Bar, anxious to tell Abby the good news.

  A few minutes later, she pushed open the door of the office and couldn’t believe her eyes. Abby was sitting at her desk drinking coffee and talking with Ray and Tiny like they were old friends. She caught the end of an off-color joke before they broke into laughter. Abby saw her and straightened in her chair.

  “Okay, boys, guess you better get back to work. I’ll expect the van between four thirty and five this afternoon.”

  “Will do, boss.” Ray said. As he passed Loane, he added, “Thanks for the assist the other night.” Both men gave her a nose salute and exited.

  “Did I walk into an episode of the Twilight Zone? Those guys hate you.”

  Abby came around the desk, reaching for a hug before she apparently thought better of it and dropped her arms to her sides. “We’re like this.” She raised three fingers pressed tightly together. Loane caught the hint of sarcasm in her voice. “Now that I’m on the inside, everything’s peachy. I’ve been trying to reach you.” Abby sounded concerned.

  “Hold that thought.” Loane went to the office door and looked out to make sure Ray and Tiny weren’t still within earshot. She’d hoped she and Abby could talk about their relationship, but something more urgent was obviously bothering her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Have you seen or talked to Kinsey since yesterday?”

  “No.”

  “She didn’t come to work this morning and that’s not like her, especially with everything we’ve got going on right now.”

  “Have you tried her cell? That thing’s like an appendage.”

  “No answer.”

  “That is unusual.” Abby was giving her a strange look. “What?”

  “Are you upset about what she told you yesterday?”

  “She’s a kid, doing the best she can. I get that.”

  “She’s not spying for her mother, if you were worried about that. They haven’t been in touch since she refused to help Kinsey find her friend June.”

  “Her mother is a piece of work.” Kinsey had been honest about her motives, if not all the circumstances, and she’d been justified in trusting her. Relief swept over her because, like it or not, she’d come to care about Kinsey.

  “She was afraid you wouldn’t let her help if you knew who her mother was.”

  “Yeah, maybe I was wrong…about a lot of things, but it doesn’t seem like now is the right time to talk about them. You’re worried about her, aren’t you?”

  Abby nodded and her bottom lip quivered. “We got her into this mess, Loane. If something happens to her…”

  She hugged Abby reassuringly. “We’ll find her. Do you know where she lives?”

  Abby pulled away reluctantly and opened a file cabinet full of folders. “The only thing I have is her employment application.”

  Loane took the paper and scanned the contents. Kinsey’s address and the owner’s name leapt off the page like they were highlighted in a brilliant glowing color. She stared up at Abby. Her world became unexpectedly smaller. People who shouldn’t know each other did. Things that shouldn’t be linked suddenly were. “Did you know about this?”

  “What?”

  “That Kinsey was living in my house? That my brother was her landlord?”

  Abby’s eyes widened and the creases across her forehead deepened. “I never read the application. I liked her and went with my gut. How did that happen?”

  “Guess it’s a question we have to ask my brother or Kinsey, when we find her. I’ll go see if she’s home. By the way, Carl has employed me to accompany you and the shipment to New York. Either this is the best luck we’ve had so far, or he’s on to us and it’s an ambush.”

  “At least we’ll be together.” The upturned corners of Abby’s mouth mirrored the pleased twinkle in her eyes before they suddenly drooped. “You should probably know…” The hesitancy in her voice warned Loane she wouldn’t like it. “I told Dan Bowman about the delivery and he wants to help.”

  How could Abby involve a man who’d tried to railroad her? He’d gone after her in the inquiry like a man obsessed. As disbelief and indignation spun inside, she let them fill her, entice her, and finally drain away. She didn’t lash out or withdraw like usual. Forcing her pulse to calm, she met Abby’s gaze. “Why did you tell him?”

  Abby maintained eye contact. “He’s convinced there’s a leak in the local ATF office. That’s what Hector Barrio is worried about too. I believe he’s sincere and I trust him. He’s even sorry he didn’t listen to you sooner.”

  “He said that?”

  “Yep. He says you’re still deputized under the original mutual-aid agreement.”

  She le
t this new information register as she stared into Abby’s beautiful brown eyes. “You truly are amazing. Do you know that?” She drew her hand down the side of Abby’s face and gently cupped her chin, the urge to kiss her almost overwhelming.

  “I’m glad you think so. Does that mean you’ll work with him?”

  “If you trust him, that’s good enough for me.”

  Abby straightened her shoulders and lifted her head a bit higher, as if suddenly infused with confidence. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  “I’ll work with Bowman if he agrees to bring Tyler along. We’ll need another person since I’ll be with you in the van, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust right now. If something goes wrong, I want at least two people covering us. Agreed?”

  Abby stood on her tiptoes and kissed Loane lightly on the lips. “That sounds like an excellent idea. I called him, you know, when I was looking for you.”

  “You called my brother?”

  “I was desperate. He couldn’t or wouldn’t talk to me, but I didn’t identify myself either. I had to be the one to let you know I was back.”

  Loane allowed herself a moment of indulgence before the next round of chaos began in their lives. She hugged Abby tight and claimed her with her mouth, surrendering all the feelings she’d held back, praying that Abby received the message. It would have to do for now.

  When she pulled away, she wobbled unsteadily. Her body was drawn to Abby’s, desperate to be rejoined. “Save my place right here…to be continued.” Before Abby recovered enough to respond, Loane ran out the back door of the club. She had to find Kinsey and talk to her brother before the trip.

  The short drive to Tyler’s wasn’t long enough to cool the burn Abby’s kiss unleashed or to dull the excitement of a pending reunion. She hadn’t felt this optimistic about their relationship since their early days of lusty sex. Knowing Abby felt the same made waiting possible, at least another day or two.

  With her raised fist cocked outside Tyler’s door, she couldn’t muster the courage to knock. 1910 Greensboro is the destination of the first piece of airmail sent in the U.S. She felt like she was about to face a stranger, not a man she’d known all her life. Fordham’s Drug Store opens on Elm Street in 1898. Would she actually be able to break the family cycle, admit she needed help, and ask for it? If she could, they might be able to establish a closer connection, and she wanted that. She started to rehearse what she’d say when the door suddenly swung open.

  “Are you going to stand out here all day reciting history facts or come inside?” Tyler didn’t give her a chance to answer as he drew her into a bear hug.

  “I can’t breathe,” she managed to say.

  “I’ve missed you, at least I think it’s you. My sister had longer hair, no tattoos, and definitely no metal in her face.”

  “Cute. It’s all fake, so don’t freak out.”

  “Good, then you’re still my sister.” He ushered her into the family den filled with slices of domestic life. The boys’ toy trucks and Legos littered the floor, and he playfully kicked them aside as he made a path to two leather recliners. Pictures of his wife and children lined the walls, and Loane felt a momentary pang of guilt that she didn’t visit more often. The boys were growing up and she was missing it.

  She sat down and fidgeted with the stitching on the back of her glove. “Ty, I’m sorry about the whole shutting-you-out thing.”

  “You’re not getting all girly and mushy on me, are you?” When she didn’t respond immediately, his tone changed. “Sis, you don’t have to explain. You needed to get away for a while. That’s what you do when you’re hurt. You’ve always been that way, but you kept in touch this time. And as for the mushy part, I sort of figured you knew I love you.”

  When she looked at him, she saw only affection reflected in the blue eyes that mirrored hers. Some of her emotional awkwardness fell away. “I love you, Ty. It’s good to say it occasionally. We never did that a lot. I was too busy trying to prove I was as good as you.”

  “Always were, sis. Everybody knew that but you.” He winked.

  “I should’ve trusted you…about Abby and the investigation. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Her vision blurred as tears formed. Though she was older, she’d always known Tyler would be there for her, and she’d denied him that opportunity. She hoped he could forgive her. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s all right.” He shifted uncomfortably in the huge brown leather chair that molded around him like memory foam. He wasn’t used to such honesty and raw emotion from her. Rubbing his hands along the arms of the chair, he said, “You did what you had to. So, what happens now?” As the wronged person, Tyler reverted to his familial training and shifted the topic, indicating he was ready to move on. They were back in familiar territory.

  Their first heart-to-heart hadn’t been long or probing, but it was a start. It was up to her to take it a step further. “I need your help.” She never realized how good it would feel to ask and know without a doubt that it would be given.

  He clasped his hands together, like a kid receiving a new toy. “I can’t wait. What is it? Surveillance? Takedown? Kicking some serious bad-guy ass? Name it.”

  “It could be all the above. Abby…” He gave her a strange look. “Oh, yeah, she’s alive and she’s also the woman who called looking for me. And she’s an ATF agent to boot. Who knew?”

  “That’s great news…right?”

  “Absolutely, on all fronts, but that’s a story for another time.”

  “Good. I love you but I do not want to hear about your sex life.”

  “Ditto. Abby and I are scheduled to drive a shipment of guns from here to New York this afternoon. We’ve nailed down the key players and have a money trail, but we need the exchange to finalize the case. Dan Bowman will—”

  “That prick? The one who raked you over the coals? What the—”

  She held up her hands to stay the string of expletives he was getting ready to unleash. “It’s cool, Ty. He’s apparently one of the good guys. Maybe a little misguided at first, but he’s come through. Abby believes him and I have to go with her instincts. Can you work with that?”

  “If you’re sure.” When she nodded, he added, “What do you want me to do?”

  “Abby and I will drive the delivery van. You and Bowman will be our cover and surveillance. There’s a tracking device on the van so you won’t lose us. After the exchange, we’ll make the arrests. Abby will coordinate with ATF in Miami for the arrests there. We’ll have to inform local authorities as a courtesy, but we’re covered under mutual aid and Abby has the real federal juice. What do you think?”

  While she waited for Tyler’s answer, she took in the comfortable surroundings. Would she ever share a life so full of love that it seeped from the walls of their home like a fragrance? She envied his love for his family and vowed to become more involved in their lives. They were all she had left of a bloodline. Was she being fair involving him in this case? What if it all went sideways and something happened to him?

  “Ty, maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all. You have responsibilities and I couldn’t live with myself if something—”

  “Whoa, I’m a big boy, and my family knows the risks that come with my job. Besides, what kind of brother would I be if I let you do this on your own? I want to help. And if I’m riding with Bowman, I can keep my eyes on him—in case.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you with details of when and where to meet him. Now, about my house.”

  Tyler’s smile reminded her of his victory grin when he beat her in a martial-arts bout. “Rented it and the money’s going into your account like you asked.”

  “Rented it to Kinsey Easton?”

  “Kinsey Easton Jeffries…the councilwoman’s daughter. Quite a coup. She showed up one day, résumé in hand, and asked if I wanted to rent your house. I’m still not sure how she knew it was available. I hadn’t even advertised it yet. She’s a little strange but her cash is good and regul
ar. How do you know her?”

  “That’s another long story. The short version is she works for Abby at the club and is the technological brains behind our whole operation. Have you seen her in the past couple of days?”

  “Nope. She usually comes by on the next-to-last day of the month with the rent.”

  “She’s a day late. Get your spare key and let’s go to the house. She didn’t show up for work today either.”

  Neither of them spoke on the drive to her Sunset Hills home. She imagined Tyler’s cop sense was spiking, like hers. When they arrived, she knocked on the front door while he checked the back. The house was quiet and no one answered.

  “Your busybody neighbor in the back said she hasn’t been home since she left for work yesterday morning. I love nosy neighbors. Sure makes our job easier.”

  “Open the door. Let’s make sure she’s not inside injured or…”

  Tyler turned the key and pushed the door wide. “Police, anybody home? Kinsey?”

  The house was as quiet as the day her mother died. Loane’s chest tightened as she moved into the room, fearing what she might find, praying it wasn’t another body of someone she cared about. “Kin—” Her voice caught and she tried again. “Kinsey?”

  She and Tyler both pulled their weapons and went into search mode, clearing the house room by room. The tension in her body grew as each area revealed no sign of disturbance and no trace of Kinsey. They worked their way back through the house looking for clues of where she might be and found nothing significant.

  “We definitely have a problem,” Loane said. “I’ll drop you off. I need to keep looking.” Leaving Abby in a lurch at the club, especially with the delivery coming up, was out of character for Kinsey. She pulled in front of Tyler’s house and squeezed his forearm before he got out. “Thanks, bro. Call you later.”

  Loane checked at Loaf first. Kinsey stopped by occasionally for an afternoon latte, but the owner hadn’t seen her. On her way up Elm Street, she spotted a redheaded kid a couple of blocks ahead and ran to catch up. The girl had a backpack exactly like Kinsey’s. Loane tapped her on the shoulder, but when she turned, it wasn’t Kinsey. Loane’s next stop was Center City Park, where the city attendant was busy scooping leaves out of the fountain. He shook his head when asked about Kinsey. She checked every kid wearing a hoodie hunkered over a laptop in the park, with no luck. As Loane checked the last place on her list, the nerves in her gut bunched into a tight mass. Kinsey was in trouble.