“Good point. It’ll be interested to see if he’s met with anyone of interest. I’m sure if he’s planning something, he would’ve slipped up somewhere,” I add, seeing Shay nod in agreement.
“But like Evans, Brimstone doesn’t do his own grunt work. I’ll have to get Lamar to try and get one of his underlings to flip on him. It’ll give us a far better position that where we are now.”
I ponder that option. “That would seal it for us, but I don’t see that happening any time soon. I don’t know what to do about Elle, though. I can’t be with her all the time and keep up with my classes and work the case.”
“I’ll cover her when you can’t, you know that. She’s like a sister to me now, I won’t let anything happen to her,” Shay says emphatically.
“I feel so bad that I left you at the bar alone, man. I lost focus. She was all I was thinking about last night.” I’m frowning now, I haven’t been able to let go of the guilt all afternoon. I’m disappointed in myself, Shay should never have been left there alone. Then there is the fact that Evans is my problem, not Shays.
“B, it’s okay. We agreed that you had the night off. God knows you guys needed it, especially after what’s been happening around here. I probably didn’t need to see what went on before you went into the booth, but oh well. Lucky your girl’s hot, aye?” he replies with a cheeky grin.
I know he’s ribbing me, but damn if he doesn’t know the right buttons to push.
“Pervert!”
“You know it!” he laughs.
“I talked to the boss this afternoon.”
“Gibbons?” he asks with a weird look on his face. I haven’t told him about my suspicions yet.
I frown. “Nope, the big boss. He’s not too happy that your GPS wasn’t tagged leaving the state. Nor was he happy that I dropped the ball and wasn’t with you.”
“It’s not your fault, Brax. I’m a grown man and I said you had the night off. It was me that sent you home in that cab, remember?” he says, getting agitated. “But as for the GPS, I was wondering the same thing. They knocked me out and moved me in my own car. It should’ve been flagged straight away.”
“Yeah, I told the boss I should’ve been called. As soon as I realized you were missing, I checked your GPS straight away. It didn’t take me long to work it out.”
I can tell Shay doesn’t like the conclusion he is drawing. “Who was on last night, B?”
“Gibbons.”
The name of the one person we never thought we’d ever have to doubt. I can see that he’s just as disturbed about this as I am. HQ is supposed to have our back.
“Shit,” Shay says when he realizes what that means.
“Hey, boss. What’s up?” I ask as he walks into the control room.
“You tell me, Gibbons. Shay was kidnapped last night, his car taken out of state with him in it, and somehow it wasn’t tagged?” he says, getting angrier the more he talks.
“Oh, shit. Is he okay?” I ask, trying to keep my face as blank as possible.
“He’s fine. Brax tracked him as soon as he realized he was missing and Evans let him go unscathed. It seems Evans just wanted to send a little message to Brax.”
“I’m glad he’s okay. Not sure why the GPS didn’t get picked up, but I’ll follow up with Leo. He was on with me last night,” I explain, desperately thinking of ways to get out of this.
“It’s on you, Gibbons. Fix it,” he says sternly before turning around and storming back into his office. Damn Brax, bringing heat down on me again. Maybe Harry is right. It’s time Brax learns a lesson in respect.
“I’m taking my break,” I say to George, the newbie working the control room with me, as I rise to my feet and grab my burner phone. I walk outside and put the phone to my ear, dialing the number I have now memorized.
“Hello?”
“It’s me. We need to start things moving along. I’m getting heat at work,” I explain.
“Okay, well do it then,” he states grumpily.
“I need to know our deal is still on the table.” I’m getting eager now. This deal will set me up for life. No more working for the grumpy ass**le anymore.
“Yup, the deal is set in stone, my friend,” he replies.
“Okay, so we’re pulling Brax out?” I ask.
“Sooner the better. Then I can move in and talk her round.”
“Ha ha. Yeah, change her mind. I didn’t think you’d be talking to her? Thought actions speak louder than words in your business?” I say as he hangs up in my ear.
I go back inside to start making preparations. I need to work on getting Brax and Shay out of there without suspicion, giving them no choice. It’s going to take some time, but I can’t afford to have them questioning me, especially when I’m so close to getting what I so desperately need.
We need to get Elle alone.
Chapter Twenty-One
One month later
“Elle?” I call out, putting my messenger bag down on the couch as I walk through the door. I’ve been in class all day and all I want to do is see my girl and relax. I find her lying on her stomach sideways across the bed, reading a book. I stand in the doorway and watch her as she remains blissfully unaware of everything going on around her.
I wish I could keep her that way forever.
It’s been eight months since I met Elle and my life has changed forever. I never envisioned myself being in a loving relationship and being this happy with someone. I never believed in it before, but Elle is my soul mate. I can’t imagine her not being in my life. She is radiant, the darkness that surrounded her for so long is now a thing of the past. After pushing my way into her life, and doing everything I could to break down her walls, I finally got that spark of hers to catch alight and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that her fire never goes out again.
In the past month, Shay and I have intercepted two more threatening notes left in her mailbox. One of them even contained an old soft toy with a note stating that the wrong sister died. We can’t link them to anyone and whoever is sending them is being super careful not to leave any trace of themselves on the notes or even the envelopes they are sent in. All of the notes have even looked different. Shay has spent hours watching the apartment building, keeping an eye out for anybody out of the ordinary hanging around or leaving mail, but we just haven’t caught a break.