I scowl at Becky as they approach the door while positioning my body to block the entrance. They're not welcome.
“Hey,” Becky says, walking up the steps.
I don’t say a word.
“I brought treats,” she offers.
My eyes glance past her to the three men. “As in, treats I get to kick the shit out of?”
“No,” she answers while Paul and Aiden snicker.
Becky’s partner seems unamused.
“What are you laughing about?” I inquire with my sights trained on the two tagalongs. “I’m talking about you.”
“What’s that look for?” I ask when I caught Bob smirking.
“Nothing,” Bob returns.
“I’ll smack that goddamn grin off your face once I’m done kicking the shit out of them,” I threaten.
“Laurie,” Becky calls.
“What?” I snap.
“Like I said,” Becky reminds. “I’ve brought a treat.”
“What?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the men.
“A new toy,” Becky states, opening a wooden box.
I look down and perk up slightly at the sight of a beautiful hand knife. “I’m listening.”
“Can we do this inside?” she asks. “It’s about to rain.”
“No,” I return flatly. “But, you can.”
“They’re with me,” she informs.
“That’s nice,” I answer.
“There are some things we need to discuss,” she comments.
“You mean more like things you need to explain?”
“No,” she corrects. “I meant discuss.”
“We can talk here,” I enforce.
“You know you don’t like being seen,” she reminds.
I huff. “Fine. But, I’m not feeding any of you.”
We make our way into the kitchen and I resume my seat at the table where my now lukewarm dinner waits. The dogs sit on either side of me while I’m at the head of the table with my back to the wall. With my free hand, I take the knife out of its box and start twirling it around.
Becky’s partner, Bob, begins to pull out a seat.
“Did I say you could sit down?” I snap, pointing the knife at him. “I said you could come in, but I didn’t offer you a seat.”
“Be nice,” Becky coaxes.
“When am I ever nice?” I inquire.
“You’re always nice to me,” she reminds.
“That’s because you’re a woman,” Bob states, sliding the chair back in.
Becky takes the seat to my right as I begin eating. All three men stay standing a few feet behind Becky. She sits quietly, letting me take a few more helpings of food. “How’re things?”
My hand pauses right in front of my mouth for a second and then I take a bite, choosing not to answer.
“They’re with us,” she comments. “They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t.”
I continue eating and don’t even bother to glance at Paul or Aiden, to whom she is referring.
“They’ve been undercover, working on a very special project…someone important.”
“Don’t care,” I say with a mouthful of food.
The sound of rain falling begins to trickle inside which reminds me to stay focused and calm.
“You should care,” she begins, pausing for dramatic effect and hoping I’ll reply. “I want to share more with you, but you need to agree to work with us first.”
I laugh. “First of all, what makes you think I’ll agree to anything? And second, I don’t want to know.”
“Regardless if you’re willing to help us or not, Laurie, you’re life could be in danger,” she adds. “I’d say it actually is.”
“Then, I’ll move,” I state calmly.
“The director won’t support those actions,” she shares. “Not with who it is and the opportunity at hand.”
“Then, I’ll go alone. I don’t need your protection,” I reply.
“It doesn’t work like that, besides, you need us to protect you,” she addresses.
“I’ve done fine on my own,” I challenge.
“They have more resources and men than you realize, Laurie,” she returns.
“I’m sure the government has the money and means to move me…I’ve been here for seven years without any challenges. Besides, I’ve got plenty of money if they’re too cheap to do it.”
“It’s not that simple, and you know it wouldn’t happen like that. We can help you….”
“If you really want to help me…then, get me the hell out of here,” I snap, cutting her off.
“It’s not that easy,” Bob interjects.
“Did I ask you for your opinion? No! If I want the opinion from an asshole, I’ll fart,” I say heatedly.
Paul and Aiden snicker, trying their best to hide their faces to Becky’s partner.
“Don’t be mean to Bob,” she directs.
“This is my house, I’ll be mean to whomever I want. If he doesn’t like it, he can go wait out in the fucking car,” I challenge calmly.
“Speaking of your house,” Becky starts, “it’s the reason why we need your assistance.”
“Don’t care,” I remind.
“You’re new neighbor is the one whom we need your assistance with,” Becky adds.
“Still don’t care,” I repeat. “Use the house on the other side and whoever is in there.”
“We looked into it. Your house gives us the perfect angle to monitor him from inside as well as being undetected with the way the house is built,” Becky continues. “Now, Agent Odell had the idea….”
“Who?” I interrupt.
“Agent Paul Odell,” she clarifies, gesturing to him. “Paul had the idea that, since you and Agent Killmore….” Becky pauses, pointing to Aiden. “…are close in age, that it would work to have you two engage in a pretend relationship.”
“A what?” I take a deep breath, releasing a nervous giggle. “No one would buy it,” I charge. “No one in town would believe that I’m suddenly dating, not after being here for as long as I have.”
“We wouldn’t make it happen too quickly….”
“No,” I say more confidently. “Leave.”
“Laurie,” she calls.
“I said leave,” I command. “Get out of my house.”
Becky stands and starts moving toward the door. I follow behind the four of them with the knife still in hand, wanting to lock them out.
“Think about it,” Becky suggests.
“There’s nothing to think about,” I answer.
“You can’t just pick up and leave,” Becky mentions. “Not with the relationships you have here in town. Plus, the Director won’t allow it.”
I don’t reply.
“Try to work with me, if not the agency,” Becky coaxes. “You know the director will push certain things in order for you to cooperate.”
I remain silent, not liking how this whole deal is sounding and too pissed to lash out.
“Think it over and I’ll be in touch in a day or two,” Becky adds, taking a step out onto the porch.
As soon as they’re all outside, I slam the door, lock it, and head back to my cold meal.
After finishing my food, I remain seated at the table and look out through the floor-to-ceiling windows as I spin the knife in my hand, weighing my options. There’s got to be a way to stay and not be forced into doing this, or else I’ll need to figure out a plan to skip town.
Seventeen - Aiden
I’m headed to the cafe to see Trudy, hoping to ask a few questions about Laurie that might help me get to know her better. Becky wasn’t able to give Paul and me clearance on Laurie’s file, but she was able to fill us in on a few small things when we returned from meeting Laurie. I really don’t want to involve the Director. The agency isn’t friendly when you get in their way.
“Can I ask you something?” Trudy says after answering my last question.
“Sure,” I return.
“Why do you want to know so muc
h about Laurie?”
“She…umm…she seems like a cool person, and….”
“And, you’re thinking she might go out with you on a date if you ask?” Trudy speculates.
“What? No,” I object.
Shit. Here goes nothing with the start of lies.
“No…well, you see,” I begin, ringing my hand on the back of my neck. “It’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated with asking a woman out?” Trudy checks. “She’s hot, right?”
“Yeah,” I reply a little too quickly.
“You like her, right?”
“Yeah,” I agree which is the truth.
“Well, what’s the problem?”
“I’m the reason why she won’t date anyone,” I mention as the start of our fake story.
“You? You’re the one who broke her heart to make her hate all men?” Trudy gasps.
“Yeah,” I sigh, wincing.
“That’s why she was extra weird around you too,” she states.
“Yeah,” I huff.
“I should kill you for that,” Trudy says, narrowing her eyes.
“Like I said,” I try to defend. “It’s complicated.”
“I’m listening,” she says, crossing her arms.
I take a deep breath in and just let my mouth start saying whatever comes to mind and start sharing some of the stuff Paul and I had conjured up as the backstory. “I’m ex-military. I ended up being called in for a mission…a special ops mission. I couldn’t say no to it, not with what was involved. So, I broke things off because I didn’t want her to just wait around. We didn’t know how long the mission would take and I didn’t want her to get the call one day that I might have been killed in the line of duty, you know? So yeah, I broke things off and broke her heart in the process.”
“Why now?”
“Why now, what?” I ask.
“Why do you suddenly want to be back in her life? Did you follow her here?” Trudy pries.
“No,” I answer. “Dad is retired and we moved here to get away. I didn’t know she lived here until you introduced us to her as the owner. I didn’t recognize her at first because of the sunglasses and how much shorter her hair is.”
Trudy regards me for several long seconds. “You never stopped loving her, did you?”
“No,” I lie.
“Did you ever try to talk to her at some point?” Trudy inquires.
“By the time I returned, and my head wasn’t so messed up, she was gone,” I fib.
“Alright,” Trudy states but then remains quiet.
“Alright? Alright, what?” I check.
“Alright, I’ll help you,” she comments. “But, if I find out that you’re lying about anything, I’ll kill you myself. I have a gun and I know how to use it.”
“Yes ma’am,” I return.
“Stop calling me ma’am,” she directs. “It’s Trudy.”
“Sorry, Trudy,” I laugh.
“You better get out of here,” she says oddly.
“Why?”
“Because, if Laurie sees me talking with you, she’ll know I’m behind whatever it is that we’re planning,” she answers with a wink.
“Got it,” I agree. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she laughs. “She’s a stubborn one and we’ve got to work some magic.”
Right as I turn to leave, Laurie walks into the cafe.
“Well, looky who the cat dragged in,” Trudy greets Laurie when she’s only a few feet away.
Laurie looks back and forth between Trudy and me. “What the hell is going on?”
“Nothing,” Trudy denies.
“Nothing my ass,” Laurie returns.
“You’re ex here was just telling me how he still loves you,” Trudy says bluntly.
Laurie yanks off her glasses and squints at me, clearly not happy with my tactics. “I need to talk to you,” Laurie states, grabbing me firmly by the arm and yanking me toward the door.”
“Wow. That was easier than I thought,” Trudy comments from behind us as Laurie pushes me outside.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing,” Laurie questions once we’re standing by the curb. “Why the hell would Trudy think you’re my ex?”
“Because, I am,” I say when a few people pass us by on the sidewalk. “And, I still love you.”
Laurie looks away for a few seconds. “What the fuck?” she says eerily calm.
“It works,” I share. “It works to getting everyone to believe why we need to do what we’re doing.”
“I didn’t agree,” Laurie returns heatedly.
“I know, but this is the only way,” I counter.
“Care to explain?” she asks, crossing her arms.
“You and I know that you can’t just leave for several different reasons…aside from the fact that the Director would block you from even trying it. The Director’s got the ability to seize control of all of your money and block you from exiting the state let alone the whole country. He’d give orders for Becky, Bob, Paul, and I to keep you here, regardless if you’re willing or not,” I state. “It’s in your best interest to work with me. I don’t care if you want to work with the agency or my partner, just work with me.”
“Even if I humored the idea, working with you would be just the same as working with the agency,” she returns.
“I’m trying to make this a win-win for both of us,” I add.
“No,” she objects. “You’re trying to make this a win for yourself so you can possibly be recognized for bringing in someone.”
“Please, Laurie,” I beg. “It will work and I promise you that we’ll minimize your involvement as much as possible as we watch our target from a distance.”
“Ha,” she scoffs.
“I’m one of the good guys. I promise,” I add.
“I’ve heard empty promises and empty threats from both sides. I don’t care if you’re one of the good guys or not,” Laurie replies. “You all manipulate regardless.”
“I can explain, but not here. I swear, I’ll tell you everything when we get the chance to be alone,” I reveal honestly.
“What makes you think we’ll ever be alone?” she says snidely.
“Because, I will get you to agree to doing things my way,” I return sternly. “It’s in your best interest. I’ll show you.”
She laughs at me. Right when her head tilts to see past my shoulder, I glance back to catch what's got her attention. Trudy is watching us from the window. Recognizing this as an opportunity to get the gears turning, I step in, take Laurie’s face with my hands and kiss her.
Laurie doesn’t move for several beats as I press more firmly against her lips and take another step closer. Suddenly, the sting of her slap wakes me from the haze my body fell into from our embrace.
“What the fuck!” she shouts at me.
Laurie turns and walks into the cafe as I stand motionless. I laugh to myself when I realize that the dogs didn’t lunge in attack mode. The faint taste of her still lingers on my mouth. I take a controlled breath in, needing to settle myself and my arousal. Making my way to the truck, I zone out, allowing the thoughts of kissing her again to tease me.
Eighteen - Laurie
After leaving Aiden on the sidewalk, I remain quiet as I head into the cafe and take care of a few things that need attention. Trudy comes into the office behind me, trying to explain the scenario I witnessed, providing all the details, making sure to emphasize that Aiden loves me and that he let me go to protect me several times. Aiden has a lot of nerve to manipulate my friends. I’ll kick his ass for it.
It takes some time before I’m willing to talk to Trudy. I’m not really mad at her. I’m mad at the situation and at Aiden for putting Trudy in the middle of this bullshit. I console her, letting Trudy know the reason for my silence and she seems to understand.
By the afternoon, I stop by my house and grab some gear, intending to get the tension out at the gun range. The dogs stay with Jerry, the owner, in the mai
n area of the range as always to keep them away from the noise. Using one of the metal chairs in the room, I position it against the door so no one dares to come in. The last thing I need is any of the Feds showing up.
Two hours later, after firing every single round I had brought, and the extras I purchased, the dogs and I continue our drive away from town, not stopping until we reach our destination. Just passing over the border into the reserve, I fill up the tank, shut off my phone after Becky tried calling twice and then make my way over to the casino. I wait patiently in the lobby after requesting to speak with my old friend.
“Hey, Laurie,” Benny greets.
Benny is Trudy’s brother and pretty much second in command for all things pertaining to the tribe. He chose to continue life on the reserve and eventually married a fellow tribeswoman, Helena. When Trudy moved to Willow River, Benny, the Chief, the family, and most of the tribe, took it pretty hard. She was a very influential person. Mike, Trudy’s husband, was studying to be a lawyer to assist in increasing the tribe’s strength and knowledge of American laws that always seem to be changing, and how to protect everyone on the reserve. I don’t know the whole story, but Mike died only a few years after he started working for Gerald.
“Is everything alright?” Benny checks.
“Yeah,” I huff.
“What are you doing back here so soon?” he asks, leading me through the back doors to the staff-only hallways. “Are Trudy and the kids okay?”
“They’re great,” I answer. “I’m here for personal reasons.”
“Didn’t want to bother him with it when you where here for Marcus’ birthday?”
“This happened after,” I inform.
“Ah,” Benny replies. “Well, you know he’s always happy to see you…we’re all happy to see you.”
I smile and nod.
Trudy’s father is the Chief of the reserve. Obviously, Trudy is her American name, and since most people wouldn’t be able to pronounce the majority of the Tribe’s real names, they’ve all adopted American ones.
“You hungry?” Benny checks.
“When am I not when I’m here?” I laugh.
“The food’s the best here,” Benny boasts proudly. “Much better than that mass produced, chemical laced crap the American corporations force on people.”
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