Below the Surface (The Witness Series Book 5)

by Heather D'Agostino

  “Later, guys!” he shouted as he abruptly stood, grabbed Tiff’s hand, and began dragging her towards the door.

  “So what are you two up to tonight?” I turned toward Dev and Mark.

  “Well, I’m waiting for my woman to finish payroll. She had a meeting earlier with that Danielle chick, and now she’s finishing paperwork,” Dev grumbled as he twirled his bottle in his hand.

  “Meeting my girl in a bit. She’s been excited today. Something about her best friend coming back to town. I may or may not have volunteered our services for helping to move heavy stuff when her friend finds a place to live,” Mark looked slightly sheepish, but I rolled my eyes and turned back toward Lena.

  “Looks like it’s just you and me then,” I winked as I watched her appraise me.

  “Guess so,” she murmured.

  I couldn’t tell if she was happy about that, or not. She seemed to be back to her flirtatious self, but after the last several encounters we’ve had, I never know what I’m going to get when I talk to her.

  “So how’s it been going? I haven’t seen you in a couple of days?” I leaned against the bar, being careful not to get too far into her space.

  “It’s been going,” she sighed.

  “Something on your mind?” I didn’t want to pry, but she seemed like she might need a shoulder to lean on.

  “Not really. It’s just,” she paused as if she were debating on whether or not to tell me something. “I haven’t heard from my sister in a few weeks. We used to talk all the time, but last summer we got in a huge argument. Our calls have become less frequent, and now they’re almost nonexistent. I don’t know if I should be worried or not,” she glanced away before she went back to cleaning the same spot that was in front of her.

  “Did you tell your parents?” I offered.

  “My parents died when I was nineteen,” her head dropped as her voice lowered.

  “I’m sorry,” I reached out to touch her, but thought better of it when she started to step away. My fingers recoiled as I lowered them and placed my hands in my lap.

  “It’s ok,” her voice grew louder as she cleared her throat. “It was a long time ago, and I’m over it,” she lifted her chin as if she gave herself an internal pep talk, and then rushed toward the other end of the bar to help her newest customer.

  “Be careful, dude,” Dev’s voice held warning as he leaned closer to my ear. “I don’t know her story yet, but something isn’t right.”

  “What do you mean?” I glanced at him, but then went back to staring at my beer as he shifted to take the stool beside me. My training took over, and we began a conversation that no one even knew we were having.

  “Her ID is fake,” he murmured. I was in Sam’s office helping her clean up and organize things. I saw Lena’s paperwork sitting on her desk. I picked it up, and a photocopy of her license was on the top. Sam brushed it off, but I couldn’t help but stare. It was a good fake, but it was still fake.” He shook his head and the conversation changed as Lena came striding toward us with two fresh beers. “So, are you going to help with the expansion?” Dev nodded in thanks to Lena as he turned toward me, waiting for an answer.

  “It’ll depend on what she says she needs our help for,” I winked at Lena as I lifted the beer to my lips. She rolled her eyes before walking in the other direction.

  “So anyway, I went through her other paperwork, and it’s fake too. I ran a background check on her at work last week,” he murmured. “Nothing came back yet except her last name’s an alias.”

  “Maybe she’s getting a fresh start. Have you seen how jumpy she is?” I picked at the label on my bottle. “She reacts like an abuse victim,” I rubbed my knuckles along my jaw.

  “Well, just be careful,” Dev warned one last time before scooting the stool back and heading toward Sam’s office.

  ooooooooo

  The days began to blur to together as the task force began to heat up. We’d gotten a few tips on our mark, but nothing had been confirmed as of yet. I hadn’t had time to really talk to Lena much, but today I was supposed be helping Mark’s girlfriend, Amber, move her best friend Danielle into her new condo. Mark had pretty much bribed me along with the rest of the squad room with food, and I owed him one, so I couldn’t say no.

  “You know,” Jase chimed in as we wrestled a couch into the lift at the end of the building; we’d been here all morning. “Danielle’s pretty hot,” his brows bobbed as he stared at me.

  “Un huh,” I nodded as I rolled my eyes.

  “I think you should ask her out,” he deadpanned.

  “And why’s that?” I sighed.

  “Because you need to get laid. I’ve watched you, dude. You’re too uptight at work. You need to loosen up. She could help you with that,” he lifted a shoulder just as the lift stopped, letting us off.

  “Since when are you this invested in my sex life?” I groaned as we shifted the couch and began maneuvering it down the hallway. When we got to Danielle’s door, she stepped out of the way to let us in.

  “Right there is fine, thanks,” she smiled as she went back to digging through a box. “I’ll order pizza if I can find my phone charger. I want to thank you all for your help.”

  “I can’t stay,” Dev yelled out from somewhere in the other room. “Sam wanted to have a family night tonight with Mara but thanks.”

  “I need to get back to work,” Jase lifted his hand and waved as he moved toward the door.

  “Yeah, he’s my ride so…” I trailed off as I followed him out the door.

  “See, hot,” he chuckled. “You should ask her out. Show Mason how it’s done.”

  “What’s Mason got to do with it?” I swung my head in his direction as we made our way back downstairs.

  “I’m not sure yet, but every time he’s in the same room with her,” he jerked his thumb in the direction we’d just come from, “fireworks explode. It’ll be a good show if anything.”

  “Un huh,” I huffed. “I don’t really have time to date. I’m on a big case right now.”

  “I get it, I do, but you still should ask her out,” he shoved my shoulder as we reached his car. I don’t know why he was being so persistent on this, but with my nonexistent sex life I figured, ‘what the hell?’

  ooooooooo

  “So?” Mark stopped in front of my desk at the station and crossed his arms over his chest. “Spill!”

  “What is this? Junior High?” I shook my head at him.

  “You never date, bro. I wanna know if she said yes,” he shrugged as he placed his hands on the front corners of my desk and leaned in as if I had a secret.

  “Why does it matter?” I shuffled some papers around. I’d been going back and forth with Danielle for the last couple of days over a date. We’d finally settled on going to the reopening party that she was organizing for The Rusty Nail. Sam had expanded, and Danielle was in charge of promoting it. I’d been so consumed with my new assignment that I hadn’t been able to help much. I’d felt bad, but Jase and Dev had brushed it off.

  “It matters to me,” Mark scoffed.

  “Did you suddenly grow a vagina or something? Geez dude! Grow a pair!” I rolled my eyes as I brushed him off.

  “Well?” he stood there waiting as if I hadn’t just dismissed him. When I didn’t answer right away he grumbled, “Her best friend is my girlfriend. I need to know if I’m going to be enemy number one because we know each other or not.”

  “I asked. She said yes. We’re going to the launch party together. Happy? Now get the fuck away from me so I can work,” I tapped a few keys on my computer, bringing up the files I’d been working on and effectively cutting Mark off.

  ooooooooo

  Lena

  Tonight was the night, the reopening. Sam was rushing around like crazy. Mason was standing guard at the door, and Tiff and I were getting the last little things we needed set up at the bar. There was already a small crowd forming outside, and when the door opened you could hear the shouts from people w
aiting to get in.

  “Thank God! Can you please tell her to calm down?” Dev threw his hands in the air as Danielle came walking in dressed to kill. The slinky dress that was hugging her body sent the message loud and clear that she was trying to impress someone.

  “Everything looks great,” she smiled. “Relax,” she hugged Sam before turning around to direct all of us to be ready, and then motioned to let everyone in. Mason’s jaw kinda hung loose as he stared at her a minute before he got his bearings. It was obvious that he had a thing for her by the way he couldn’t stop staring, but the look he gave Jeff when he came in the room made it loud and clear.

  You would have thought that Jeff had taken his favorite toy by the way Mason’s eyes sent daggers in his direction. “What’s up with that?” I murmured to Tiff as I motioned with a paring knife at where Mason was standing, grinding his jaw.

  “Not sure, but it should be an entertaining night,” Tiff smirked as she tied her apron and took her position on the opposite end of the bar.

  ooooooooo

  Jeff

  “So, where’s your date?” Jase lowered himself onto a stool beside me.

  “I’m not sure. She was here a minute ago, but rushed off,” I shrugged. The truth was I’d seen her go outside. I’d gotten up to use the restroom and when I was making my way through the crowd to get back to my seat, I saw them. Mason was leaning into her side and whispering something before he strode out of the bar with a look of confidence on his face. Her face had turned a dark red before she stormed after him outside. I’d let it go. It was obvious they had history. What, I wasn’t sure, but I really didn’t have time for a relationship now anyway. With my job, it was hard to explain things at times and after more misunderstandings than I can count, I’ve pretty much given up.

  “Probably something with all this,” he waved his hand at where the band was standing. They were announcing their last song of the night. The reopening had been a huge success. “There she is,” he chuckled. My head snapped up as I caught her tugging at her dress. She was wiping at her lips with her thumb as if she were trying to fix her lipstick before she wobbled in my direction. She’d had a few glasses of wine, and I’m sure they’re having an effect on her at this point.

  “Hey,” I smiled as she came to a stop beside me. The stool she’d been sitting on was taken now so she just shifted on her feet. “Here,” I pushed back and climbed off mine. “Take mine,” I offered as I nodded at Lena for another round of drinks. “You ok,” I leaned in close and watched a tiny tremor zing through her body.

  “I’m fine. Let’s celebrate. My first solo gig was a success,” she grinned as she grabbed a shot that Tiff had set in front of Jase and slammed it back.

  “Ok then,” I laughed as Lena poured several more for our entire group. This night was about to get interesting.

  Chapter 6

  Jeff

  “So? How did last night go?” Mark wagged his brows as he stood in front of my desk appraising me.

  I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest, “Really?” I shook my head at him.

  “That great, huh? A little rusty are we?” he snickered.

  “Fuck you,” I growled. “I’m a gentleman. She was drunk. I don’t take advantage.”

  “So that’s what you’re going with,” he chuckled as he rubbed his chin. He looked off to the side before turning back to me. “You need to man up.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I rocked forward and minimized the screen on my computer. I could tell that this discussion wasn’t ending any time soon, and I was working on something that was highly sensitive.

  “She called Amber this morning,” he shook his head at me. “No goodnight kiss. No anything?” he scoffed. “You’ve lost your touch.”

  I tipped my head back to stare at the ceiling before releasing a deep breath. “I was trying to be honorable. Do I think she’s good looking? Yes. Would I like to climb into bed with her? Who the fuck wouldn’t? I’m not going to start something that I don’t have the time for though. This,” I pointed at my screen, “is getting ready to crack wide open. I can just feel it. Any day now I’m going to get the piece that I’m missing and I’m not going to have time for anything else.”

  “I hear ya. You better talk to her, though. I think she thinks she may have done something wrong, or maybe that you’re into her more than you actually are. Just don’t mess with her head. My balls can’t take another night like the last. My woman is brutal, I tell ya.”

  “It’s not my fault you can’t get laid. Now get the fuck back to work so I can,” I jammed my finger in the air toward his desk before enlarging my screen.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to kiss her, but I could tell something was bothering her all night. The way she’d look over at Mason by the door, how she chased after him when she didn’t think I was looking, the way she poured shot after shot down her throat once she came back… it all screamed that she was trying to forget something. I wasn’t stupid. I knew the signs, and as much as I’d have loved to get her into bed last night, I knew that she wasn’t the type. She wasn’t going to let me be a 1-nighter, and right now that’s all I could really offer. Was it my MO? No, but it’s what I had time for.

  I figure I’ll keep it casual and see what happens, but I can’t let her get too attached. If this case blows up like I think it’s going to, I’m not going to have time to date, and she’s not going to understand the things I have to do.

  ooooooooo

  Lena

  The days were beginning to run together. Business had been booming since the reopening, and it looked as if Sam was going to have to hire more bartenders. Tiff and I could barely keep up and with lunch shifts starting soon, we’d be stretched even thinner. I’d seen a few girls come in to interview, but they just didn’t seem like they’d be a good fit. This was a fast paced place and if you didn’t pick up on things quickly, the customers would chew you up.

  “I’m gonna need you to stay late tonight,” Sam tapped the bar to get my attention. I was currently stacking clean glasses while Tiff sliced more fruit.

  “Ok,” I sighed before heaving the heavy rack onto the shelf behind me. “Can Mason come back here after the door slows down? It’s been insane,” I wiped at my forehead. Mason had been trying to help out by bar-backing for us on these nights, but when it was crazy, he needed to stay at the door.

  “We’ll see. The line’s not dying down yet,” she gave me a half-smile as she walked away. Sam had been known to jump behind the bar on busy nights, but with the new dance floor and stage, she’d been circulating more.

  “Thanks,” I waved as I turned toward the next person elbowing their way through the crowd.

  Every muscle in my body tensed when he stopped in front of me. Dressed in a dark suit with his hair combed back, he leaned on his elbows. His suit jacket inched up his arms exposing the gold watch on his wrist. He stared as if he thought he should remember me, but he didn’t say anything other than, “whiskey; neat.”

  I swallowed and blinked a few times. No way could it be him. I was far enough away that I shouldn’t ever see him again, but those eyes… they looked the same.

  “Did you hear me?” he cleared his throat as the words came out like a growl. “Whiskey, neat.”

  I nodded numbly as I turned to reach for a short glass. Knowing who it was, I grabbed the Makers Mark. I tipped the bottle and silently poured. It was him, and my body and brain just reacted to it. It was as if I were on autopilot.

  I turned and placed the glass and bottle in front of him. “Ah, a woman after my own heart,” his lips curled on one side. “How much for the bottle?”

  “Thirty, Sir,” I kept my eyes away from his. I did not want him to recognize me. I wanted to get away from him as fast as I could. Even with the noise of the busy bar and all the chaos around me, it seemed as if I were there alone. I was back in Leo’s house waiting on his clients, and there was nothing I could do to get away.

  “Keep
the change,” he slapped a fifty on the bar and turned, carrying his glass and the bottle into the other room.

  “You ok,” Tiff nudged me. I hadn’t even seen her come up. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “I think I have,” I mumbled so quietly that no one could hear me. I hadn’t seen Gabe since the last time he paid Leo for a night with me. He was one of the better clients. He didn’t slap me around, but he did have a penchant for whiskey. He liked it fixed a certain way and if you didn’t get it right, Leo knew. Gabe may have not physically hurt me, but Leo had no qualms about it.

  “Lena?” Tiff nudged me again.

  “What? Sorry,” I shook my head before jumping back into what I was doing. I needed to forget about him. I had customers waiting, and he didn’t seem to recognize me. The rest of the night I couldn’t help but glance in his direction every chance I got. No one ever joined him, and he never came back to the bar. He sat there off to the side sipping his whiskey and people watching. His eyes never connected with mine, and when he finally left I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. That was too close of a call. If he came in here, who’s to say Leo wouldn’t. I didn’t think he’d be brazen enough to go out in public, but if he knew I was here, he probably would.

  ooooooooo

  I spent most of the night staring at the ceiling and debating on whether to call Melissa or not. I needed to talk to someone about what had happened at work, but I didn’t want to wake her up in the middle of the night. She’s done so much for me already, and I needed to learn to cope. I’d been doing better, but every time I seemed to get comfortable with my life, something would happen to remind me that I could never be comfortable. I would always live with the dark cloud of my past hanging over me, and it would impact me daily.

  I’d almost fallen asleep when my cell rang. It was a number I didn’t recognize and I almost didn’t answer. No one called me, ever, but something in my gut told me to answer.

  “Hello?” I whispered as I shifted to sit up and fumble to turn on the light.