Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
“Come in.”
Jenna pokes her head around the door.
I stand up and pull her into the office. “Why are you knocking on your own office door?”
She shrugs. “I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
I start putting my computer and papers into my bag. “I’m about to leave. I have a few things to take care of, but there’s someone watching the place. If you have anything out of the ordinary or anything you need, just call me.”
“Are you coming back?” she asks, and I stop packing to look at her.
“Yes. I’m coming back, but I don’t know how long I’ll be. When you’re ready to go, you can leave anytime. My friend, Charlie—” I pull my phone from my pocket and scroll through my photos before holding up an image of an old Army buddy that is helping me out. “This is him. He knows to stay low-key. You won’t even know he’s following you unless you need him. He’s going to follow you home and will stay in the parking lot until I get there. All I ask is when you leave, please go straight home. I trust this guy, but I don’t want any surprises. Okay?”
She nods, and I know I’ve overwhelmed her. She opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.
“Go ahead. Say it.”
She shrugs and shakes her head. “It’s nothing. Maybe we can talk about it when you get back later.”
I look at my watch and then back at her. I have to go, but I hate to leave her. I put my bag over my shoulder and pull her to me. I pull her too roughly, the adrenaline of what I’m about to do already rushing through my body. A puff of air comes out of her mouth as she lands hard against my body. I put my forehead to hers. “This is all going to be over tonight, Jenna.”
Her eyes widen, and something flashes across her face, but just as fast, it’s gone. I press my lips to her forehead. “I hate to go, but I have to.”
She nods, clenching her eyes tightly together. “I know. Just be safe, okay?”
I smile softly at her. She has no idea that this mission is simple compared to others I’ve been on. Well, simple in the physical sense. In an emotional sense, it’s probably been the hardest. I know I’m going to have a hard time not permanently damaging this fool, but all I keep telling myself is that I’m not going to be good to anyone if I go to prison. Right now, I don’t have the backing of the Ghost team behind me. This is not a Ghost mission. This is now personal.
I drive across town and park across the street of Paul Stevens’ small house. I wait only a few minutes before an unmarked police car parks in front of me. I get out at the same time he does. We stand next to each other, both of us looking up and down the empty street. “Are we good?” I ask him. I got his number from Charlie with the promise I could trust him. I hope he was right.
“That depends. Did you bring me what we talked about?”
I hold up the manila envelope. “It’s all here. Evidence of him laundering over a million dollars from the accountants. Illegally obtained footage from him that connects to an ISP at this address. Images, account numbers, paper trails... everything is all there. Everything.”
He holds his hand out for the transfer. “And you don’t want credit? You’ve recovered a million dollars. You don’t want anything?”
“I want fifteen minutes with him before you arrest him. That’s all. Then he’s all yours.”
The officer rubs his hand across his mustache. I can read people, and he’s not comfortable with my request. “How did you get mixed up with this? What’s he to you?”
I tilt my head to the envelope he’s now holding. “The woman in one of the videos is my woman.”
“Fuck! Is he going to be alive when you’re done with him?”
I grit my teeth. I know this is the right way to do this. “He’ll be breathing.”
He pauses for just a second before holding his hand out. “Deal.”
I put mine in his. “Deal.”
As soon as I let go, I’m walking up the steps. I’m going to fix this. I’m going to make him wish he’d never met Jenna. He’s going to spend the rest of his life in prison. And I may leave him with breath in his body, but he’s going to wish he was dead.
10
Jenna
The rest of the afternoon went by at a snail’s pace. I kept checking my phone, thinking that Dylan would call. I almost texted him, but I didn’t want to bother him if he was in the middle of something. When it was time for me to go home, I walked out to my car, looking everywhere for this Charlie that is supposed to be following me, but I can’t spot him anywhere. I drive straight to my apartment, walking slowly through the lot, keeping an eye on my surroundings like Dylan talked to me about, but still no Charlie. It’s only after I get to my apartment and look out the window that I find him sitting in a dark grey sedan with his eyes locked on my window. I wave stupidly at him, and he just lifts his head with a nod.