She took his money but held it over the register. “Good. I’d hate to see you get hurt. Thanks again for helping.”
“My pleasure.” He gave her a knowing wink. “What time are you off?”
She blushed. “Six.”
“If I stop by tonight, might I be able to buy you a drink?”
“Sure, I’d like that. I’d like to hear about your traveling life.”
He leaned close and lowered his voice seductively. “I’ve got lots of stories.”
“I want to hear them all.”
Ice promised to see her later, grabbed his purchases, and left the market. Not all of his coworkers were finished shopping, so he popped a Red Bull and scanned the parking lot as had become his habit. He always searched for the out-of-place car, one that would indicate a federal presence.
He saw lots of pickups, several with boats hitched to them, though to Ice, it was too cold to be out on a boat. There was a Rogue’s Hollow police car at the far end, by the burger hut. He sauntered to where he could see the cop. Never hurt to be clear on where the enemy was. She was sitting at a table with a man Ice had seen helping at one of the burned-out houses. He’d heard that the man was the local head Bible-thumper.
He walked back and leaned against the van, thinking about the best tack to take with Tami on their “date.” He was in a hurry, didn’t see any reason to pussyfoot around the issue. Since she was talky, he’d probably find out right away what he needed to know. Force might not be necessary, but he was ready either way.
Just then a vehicle came screaming into the lot. Ice stood up straight, peering intently as the vehicle came to a stop in a parking space three cars down on the other side of the lot from where he stood. Unmistakable, it was a Fed car. The driver jumped out, a small Asian woman wearing jeans and a flannel shirt. With a sidearm. She looked as if she’d lost something, something important. And she had Ice’s full attention.
20
“She’s acting as if she finally settled down,” Oliver said as he picked up his iced tea. He and Tess were enjoying lunch from Max’s Grill in the market parking lot. At sixty-five degrees there was a fall chill to the air, but that was set to change. He wasn’t sure how much longer lunch outside would be an option. Clouds were moving in, the temp was dropping, and tomorrow would be a totally different day than today.
He followed Tess’s gaze to the river and knew that she hadn’t heard him. He couldn’t blame her; Midas Creek roaring into the Rogue River was a captivating sight.
“Earth to Tess.”
“What?” She faced him. “Sorry, but doesn’t that water look awesome?”
He chuckled. “It does. So do you. But if I spent all day looking at you the way I’d like, I’d never get anything done.”
She darkened a shade as he knew she would, something he loved about Tess. She really had no idea how pretty she was and easily blushed when complimented. He wanted so much to tell her that he loved her, but the time hadn’t been right.
“Okay, Romeo, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Chevy. I think she’s a bigger problem than we thought.”
“How so?”
“Acting settled, but not really being settled. She’s trying to play Bronwyn. Which hasn’t gone very far, but Agent Takano is a different story. She’s not paying close attention because she doesn’t want to be here. It’s affecting her job a bit.”
Tess blew out a breath. “I was afraid of that. What do you think her endgame is? Chevy, I mean. Will she refuse to testify?”
“That I can’t say. She’s built a protective wall around her emotions, not surprising. But I truly think we’re dealing with an eighteen-year-old going on thirty with the emotional makeup of a thirteen-year-old.”
“What about Counselor Peel? What’s her take?”
“She thinks Bass is pushing the girl too hard too soon. Think of what she’s been through in the last three years of her life. Now, overnight, she’ll be a credible witness in a high-profile criminal case? Against a guy like Beck?”
Tess sighed. “I can’t say you don’t make sense. I’ve tried to keep my distance from the girl, Faith’s Place, and Takano because the trial is not my rodeo. And Beck is still stonewalling. His lawyers are filing motion after motion, trying to delay or derail the case. In my opinion it was a mistake for the judge to release him on bail, even with an ankle monitor. Chevy and Takano might have to be here a while longer. If I—”
Squealing tires sounded, and Tess looked over his shoulder, her attention drawn to the market parking lot.
Oliver turned to see what had interrupted her train of thought and saw a car come to an abrupt stop and FBI agent Mia Takano jump out.
“Speak of the devil,” Tess said as she stood. “What is she doing here and where is the fire?”
“I take it you’re going to go ask?”
Tess nodded, leaving her half-finished lunch on the table. Oliver followed, realizing that he was just as curious as Tess was. Takano was supposed to be low-key. Her entrance to the market parking lot just now was anything but.
Takano was looking all around the lot as she walked toward the entrance of the market. She must have caught sight of Tess because she stopped, changed direction, and hurried toward her.
“What’s the problem, Agent Takano?” Tess spoke in a formal cop tone that told Oliver she was not happy with the agent.
“She’s gone.”
Tess stopped, and Oliver felt his pulse surge as he wondered if he’d really heard what he just thought he’d heard.
“What do you mean?” Tess asked.
“That girl. I was on the phone, Nye was out, and Bronwyn was dealing with a minor animal emergency. She slipped past everyone. She’s gone.”
–––
Tess stared at Takano. She’d known the woman was not happy with her assignment. But a lapse like this was inexcusable. The girl was supposed to be kept safe and secure. Where would she go?
“How long ago did she leave?”
Takano shook her head. “I don’t know. I went to get her for lunch and she wasn’t in her room.”
“She left on foot? She couldn’t have gotten far.”
“I know; that’s why I came here. I thought maybe she’d come to the market.” She grabbed a fistful of her hair. “Oh, man, I’ve messed up. My head was not in the game.”
“Let’s check inside the market,” Oliver suggested, his calming voice meant to settle Takano, Tess was certain.
Tess nodded and walked past Mia. And nearly ran into Chevy.
The girl had a bag of groceries in one arm, was staring down at a pay-as-you-go cell phone in the other.
“Hey.” Tess reached for the free arm, afraid the girl would flee. Keeping her voice low, tone even, Tess said, “What on earth? What do you think you’re doing?”
Chevy tensed; then her brows lowered in anger. “Shopping. Am I under arrest? I thought I was free. Didn’t you cops free me?” She tried to jerk away, and Tess was painfully aware that everyone was watching. Chevy was now the center of attention, exactly what she shouldn’t be.
Before Tess could speak, Oliver stepped up. “Chevy, we were worried about you.” He spoke in a soothing voice, a low tone Tess had come to love for its calm, sure strength. It was also commanding in a way—it made people listen. “All of us are simply concerned about you.”
The girl’s attention shifted from Tess to Oliver and she relaxed.
“I know you are,” she said to Oliver. “But these other two are jailers. I just wanted to get out, get some fresh air, find current things to read, not feel like a prisoner.”
Tess released the girl’s arm and Oliver moved in beside her. “I had no idea that was so important to you. How about we talk about this elsewhere?” He gestured toward Takano’s car.
For a second, Tess thought the girl would resist.
“If you’re going to drag me back, I’ll go back with you, not with them.”
“Good, fine.” Oliver looked to T
ess and she nodded.
“You know the phone is out of the question, right?” Tess asked, holding out her hand, wondering if the girl would hand it over.
“It cost me thirty bucks.”
“Chevy, I heard Agent Takano explain the rules to you. A phone is a clear no-no,” Oliver said. “Give the chief the phone. She’ll either pay you back or return the phone to you when all this is over.”
Chevy huffed and jammed the phone toward Tess. “Fine then.”
“Thanks,” Oliver said; then he led Chevy toward where his car was parked.
Tess looked around at all the people watching and prayed there wasn’t anyone in the group who would do something—intentionally or not—to bring Chevy any harm. Then she turned to Takano.
Through gritted teeth, she said, “This is a major mess—you know that, don’t you?”
“I do, and I’m sorry.” At least she was contrite. “I’m not going to let this happen again.”
Tess watched Chevy get into the car with Oliver.
The cat was out of the bag now; damage control was all they could hope for.
“Let’s go back to the shelter and try to figure this out,” Tess said to Takano and headed for her car.
21
Ice couldn’t believe his good fortune and stood, openmouthed, careful to stay out of sight, watching the confrontation with the cop, the Fed, and the pastor. He knew the girl was Chevy; he’d recognize her anywhere. He just had to be certain she didn’t recognize him—at least, not yet. And he kicked himself. She was in the store and he’d missed it! I was too worried about the cashier, he thought.
“Jim, saddle up—we’re ready to go,” his supervisor called out.
“Huh?” Ice didn’t want to tear his eyes away.
“Stop gawking at the cop. Work calls.” The guy pointed at the van.
“Uh, sure thing,” Ice said. He walked slowly to the van, trying to watch but not be so obvious. He forced his way to a window seat, ignoring his coworker’s whining. He focused on the little drama, hoping somehow he’d be able to see where Chevy went.
Ice lucked out. As the van’s driver waited for everyone to get in, Chevy walked off with the pastor. He watched her get into his car. Then, while the van paused for traffic on the highway to clear, the sedan that the pastor and Chevy got into started to move.
The van pulled out of the lot. To Ice’s surprise, the pastor’s car eventually followed. He was able to keep tabs on them in the rearview mirror. But as the van continued up the road to the burn area, the other car turned left, on a road Ice had never been down because nothing had burned over there. He needed to find out what was down that road.
The drink he planned to buy for Tami would have to loosen the woman’s tongue. But now Ice knew he was in the right place. His spirits soared. There was no need at all for Gage; Ice had things well in control.
Besides, he thought, the people around here are stupid; they’re no threat to me. Neither is one little Fed or an entire backwoods police department.
Tami better have something useful to tell him because he wanted to wrap this up before Gage arrived and messed everything up.
Ice crushed his can and placed it in the recycle bag. He would find her—he was certain. And he’d end the threat to his friend Cyrus. Then disappear with his new wealth.
22
“Chief, I am so sorry.” A mortified Bronwyn greeted Tess and brought her into the house. “Our security is more concerned with keeping people from getting in, not people getting out. But there’s no excuse. Chevy never should have been able to walk away.”
“I understand, and I don’t really blame you.” Tess cast a glance to the living room, where Oliver, Mia, Chevy, and Dr. Peel were skyping with Agent Bass. It was heated at times, with Chevy acting thirteen and petulant. She kept insisting that she was just as much a prisoner here as she was in Mesa. If she’d truly been rescued, why didn’t she really have freedom?
“Takano should have been more involved with her from the get-go. Chevy is her responsibility,” Tess said.
“In my home she’s my responsibility,” Bronwyn countered. “Do you think Bass will move her?”
“He should. Her cover was just blown to smithereens. But I don’t think he has any place to move her to.”
Tess was the one who had called Bass to tell him what happened.
“My hands are tied. We’re waiting on the next legal maneuver. Right now, Beck appears to be stalling. I’ll know more after the next pretrial hearing.” Bass didn’t sound as confident as he had the last time Tess spoke to him.
“If I were paranoid,” she told Bronwyn, “I’d think Beck’s tactics are a purposeful stall so that he can locate Chevy and have her taken out of the picture.”
“And her walking out like she did . . .”
“Broadcast that she was here in Rogue’s Hollow,” Tess finished Bronwyn’s thought. She glanced to the living room as the conversation shifted. Mia closed the laptop, and she and Dr. Peel bracketed Chevy as a deep, quiet conversation began among the three.
Oliver got up from the couch and joined Tess and Bronwyn. “Agent Bass is not happy.” He shrugged. “But Chevy has a point. She’s young; it’s difficult to have her movements so restricted after making an escape from what was, essentially, slavery.”
He held Tess’s gaze. She knew he’d fall on the side of forgiving the girl for jeopardizing her situation. Tess was less sympathetic.
“If her movements are restricted, it’s for her own good.” It was black-and-white to Tess: Beck was evil at all levels. Chevy needed to see that and lie low until she could testify. She wasn’t only jeopardizing herself, she was jeopardizing the entire case against Beck. Isaac Pink came to mind. Is this what cost him his life? An ungrateful witness who by her actions brought killers to his house?
“She’s young—you can’t expect this to be easy.”
“If she wants to live to be old, she’ll need to buckle down and listen to the people who are trying to help her.”
Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder. “You sound like Agent Bass.”
“Hmmph.”
He looked back toward Chevy, who finally seemed to be listening to Dr. Peel.
Tess took a deep breath. She knew how tangled court stuff could get. She was sure Beck’s first move would be to try to get all the evidence thrown out. If that happened, there would be no need to keep Chevy here and no need for the FBI to continue with her protection. She was eighteen; she’d be on her own.
“Her cover could be completely blown here. The case might already be lost.” Tess spoke her pessimistic thoughts out loud.
“I don’t want to see that any more than you do, but would getting rid of Chevy really get Beck anywhere? Agent Bass has the tablet.”
Tess chewed on a thumbnail and considered the question. She thought about the many investigative hours Bass had spent—how difficult it had been to get solid evidence against Beck. What would convince juries these days should be clear, but it was often hard to peg.
“Besides the chain of evidence, Chevy puts a personal face on the results of Beck’s evil. It will be much easier for his defense attorneys to attack the iPad and how it was recovered if Chevy isn’t around. Then they’ll attack the agents and the methods they used, diverting everyone’s attention away from the human trafficking. Putting the cops on trial is standard operating procedure.”
“But isn’t the iPad hard evidence?”
“In a logical world, yes. I’ve just seen so many games played by defense attorneys. . . . Juries are human, and today, sometimes easily conned.”
“Cynicism does not become you.”
“Ah, but it’s a broken world. A certain pastor I know says that all the time.” Tess grinned at Oliver, who returned her smile.
“Sounds like a wise man. But in his wisdom, he probably still believes in the legal system to eventually triumph.”
–––
The one good thing that came from Chevy’s escape attempt was th
at Mia Takano appeared more committed to her job.
“I realize it’s a little late,” Takano said, “but I’m paying closer attention now. I don’t want anything to happen to Chevy or the case.” She apologized to Tess for freaking out and screaming into the market parking lot.
Chevy was still froggy and apparently still under the illusion that Cyrus Beck was somewhat of a good guy. When Tess got up to leave, Dr. Peel stopped her and asked that she speak to Chevy.
“You’ve seen what happens to young women victimized by monsters like Beck—just tell her what you know.”
This was something Tess dreaded because in her experience, there was nothing worse than a petulant female teen who thought she knew everything. But Tess was a team player.
“I don’t want another lecture,” the girl said, studying her fingernails instead of looking at Tess.
Tess sat across from the girl. “I don’t want to give a lecture. Just want to give you my perspective.”
The girl took a noisy, bored breath.
“I’m a cop. Cyrus Beck is a criminal. You are a victim. You have the power here. You can put Beck in jail. But make no mistake: he’ll do everything in his power to keep you from testifying, including kill you if he gets the chance.”
“You don’t know him.”
“There you’re wrong. I do know him. He’s a man who victimizes people weaker than himself to satisfy his own appetites. He never cared for you, Chevy. He used you. There’s a big difference.”
23
Not certain if anyone got through to the girl, Tess headed back to the station, still bothered by the very public incident. The idea of protective custody was to protect, and in Chevy’s case to hide, a subject from bad people.
Oliver thought she was being overly paranoid. Was she?
Tess settled behind her desk and woke up the computer. She tapped on the keyboard and decided that no, she wasn’t being overly paranoid. The rumors Bronwyn had shared about Beck still lingered in the back of her mind. He was a man with a lot of money. And besides the fact that Bass brought Chevy here because he was afraid Beck would discover the location of a standard safe house, he also believed that Beck had at least one hit man, or enforcer, on his payroll. It went without saying that men who killed for money were without scruples. Add a lot of money to that and Tess would bet her service weapon there were plenty of people looking for Chevy. And when they found her, they’d kill her and anyone else who got in the way.
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