Chapter 11
Jealousy isn’t an emotion I’m accustomed to, but I can’t deny that’s exactly what I feel after seeing Elliott Moore kiss and grope Jade. Calling her to interrupt their interaction was petty and unprofessional, but it was the only thing I could come up with that wouldn’t also draw their attention to me sitting in a parked car watching them.
Even though Elliott’s schedule didn’t show that he had an early meeting, I planned to be here in case the guys that tailed him a few days ago showed up. Donovan is working to find the ring they and Vinny are all connected to after the all-clear from Liam to proceed.
In the meantime, I’ll follow Moore beyond his scheduled meetings. It looks like I may need to tail the tails to get to the bottom of it.
Moore’s intense gaze stayed on Jade as she got into the waiting car and left. She never looked back at him. When her driver pulls out of the parking garage and onto the street, Moore finally gets into his car.
My phone rings, distracting me from the intense jealousy I had moments before. I didn’t expect any emotions about the two of them practically groping each other in public—let alone wanting to rip Elliott’s throat out for touching her.
I try to shake the crazy thoughts loose as I look down at my phone. My pulse picks up as soon as her name appears on the screen. I swipe to answer it. I don’t know if she’ll be angry I interrupted…
…or grateful.
“Jade,” I say cautiously.
“Colin, did you find something?” she asks. Her voice is hopeful, not a trace of anger in her tone.
I clear my throat, more surprised than anything that she sounds so hopeful.
“I’m following him now. We’re leaving the parking garage and headed in the opposite direction of you.”
She’s quiet for several moments before she responds. “Well, why did you call?” She still doesn’t sound angry. Instead, she sounds confused and defeated.
There’s no way in hell I would ever admit to her that I was jealous of Moore. I’d sooner die. But the way she sounds makes me want to give her something, some kind of hope that I’m close.
I never want to give a client false hope. Especially Jade.
I make a split-second decision I hope isn’t the wrong move. “I wanted to let you know I may not be the only person following Moore. So, I’m no longer sticking exclusively to his schedule.”
“Who’s following him? When did this happen? Why am I just now hearing about this?” Her rapid-fire questions are exactly the reason I haven’t told her yet.
“I’m still gathering information. I waited to tell you because I don’t have answers to those questions yet, and I figured that would only cause you more stress.”
I hang back from Moore. There are a few cars between us as we get onto the freeway.
“What can I do to help?” she asks in a lowered voice.
“Nothing right now. I can handle it. Jade…just be careful, okay?” I want to warn her because these guys could be dangerous, but I also don’t want to scare her when I don’t know anything for sure.
Moore picks up speed quickly and moves across the freeway to the far-left lane. At this speed, it’ll be hard not to be noticed. I accelerate but not too close to his speed.
“Colin, I have a right to know if I’m in danger.” Her voice is lowered still and strained. I assume she’s still in the car; maybe she doesn’t want her driver to hear.
Moore’s speed continues to stretch the gap between us. He’s out of sight for several moments before I notice traffic slowing ahead. I’ve never been so grateful for traffic before now. He’s several cars ahead of me, changing lanes as he tries to get through the jam quickly. I keep him in sight but stay in my lane, hoping to go unnoticed.
“I didn’t say you are. I’m just telling you to be careful. I don’t know who these guys are yet. I don’t want… You don’t want to get caught in the middle if they’re bad news.”
“You’d tell me if I were in danger, right Colin?” There’s a hint of something in her voice that I can’t quite place. Maybe it’s fear, which would be an emotion I haven’t seen from her.
Moore suddenly darts out of the left lane, cutting off car after car as he makes his way to the upcoming exit. I turn on my signal and make my way across the lanes, too. I end up behind several other cars on the exit ramp, Moore being one of them.
“Of course, I would. I’ll call when I have another update.”
I want off this call. There’s a softness on the other end of the line, one I’m not used to from Jade.
“Thanks, Colin,” she says softly before ending the call.
I glance down at the phone to make sure the call disconnected.
“Fuck,” I say out loud.
That conversation was uncomfortable, but I don’t have time to process it right now. I still need to tail this asshole and find out who else is tailing him. This case gets more and more complicated by the day. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying it a little. The thrill of the chase is one reason I love this job so much.
My cell rings again, and as I look down, I half expect it to be Jade calling back to rip me a new one. I’m surprised to find it’s Donovan. I pick it up, briefly thinking I need to pair it to the car, so I don’t have to keep doing this. I’m usually not in the same rental long enough to bother.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” I answer.
I planned to call him from the parking deck earlier, but instead, I ended up with ringside seats to see Jade get dry humped by Moore.
“Not much. Have you talked to Liam?”
He must be anxious to get back to work since his last assignment ended.
“He’s good with it. His condition is that we don’t get our hands so dirty trying to catch Moore in some shit that he has to bail us out of jail.”
Donovan chuckles. “That old bastard takes the fun out of everything.”
Donovan loves to rev Liam about being old, even though he isn’t that much older than us.
“You’re sure you want to step into this world, kid? This isn’t like anything you’ve done before. These are seasoned criminals with rap sheets a mile long, and you’re stepping into their ‘no rules playground.’” His tone goes from joking to dead serious in an instant.
I take a beat to let what he said sink in. I haven’t been in much direct danger before being a private investigator. SJ and Donovan typically get all the action because they’re bodyguards. Moore hasn’t left me much choice. He’s either too good at this, or he’s really fucking bad—only time will tell which.
I can still see Moore a few cars ahead of me. He slows to make a left turn. I squint to read the sign on the building; it’s a financial service firm. He makes the turn, allowing traffic in my lane to move again. As I pass the parking lot, nothing looks amiss. Just a few cars parked in front.
I turn into a parking lot that’s right across the street and watch as Moore gets out of the car and heads into the building. I turn the car off and crack the windows as I settle in.
“I’m sure. It’s the only real chance I have to catch Moore and put this assignment behind me.”
I’m not accustomed to chasing my tail like a dog. I usually get to work, compile evidence, turn it over to my client, and then I’m on my way. The longest case I’ve worked was for Andrew Shaw. That case took years to compile enough evidence to get the outcome Andrew was looking for.
Donovan releases a heavy sigh. “I know a guy who can get you in…get us in. I’ve known him for years, and he knows who I really am. But I’m telling you, Colin… Don’t ever underestimate this job or these people. They will gut you and move on like it’s another fucking Tuesday.”
“I hear you, man, and I appreciate the warning, but I can handle it.”
I’d be lying if I say I’m not nervous, but I can’t let it show. Donovan will pull the plug on the whole thing if he senses an ounce of fear. Being afraid when dealing with hardened criminals won’t just give you away; it’ll get you killed.
“Frankie knows I’m out of the game, but I did a stint in prison and never gave up any of their names. He knows he can trust me. I’m sort of playing both sides bringing you in…” His voice trails off like he’s still considering what he’s doing.
“I wouldn’t ask, but I don’t know another way.” I feel a twinge of guilt putting Donovan in this position.
“Shucks, Colin, don’t get all sappy on me now. It’s just business. This isn’t the first time I’ve risked my neck… and it probably won’t be the last,” he says with a groan.
“Fucker. You had me over here thinking you were feeling guilty about your friend.”
“Hey, I didn’t say Frankie is my friend. I said I know a guy, and the guy I know is Frankie.”
Smartass.
Moore’s schedule was rather lax today. That financial service firm was one of the few things on it. The other meetings listed I’ve followed him to before. I’ll be sitting here for hours while waiting for him to walk back out with a big stupid grin on his face. Probably closed a deal worth stacks of cash.
“So, what’s the plan?” I’m on pins and needles wondering what Donovan has come up with. He and I are opposite in most ways.
“Damn, kid, I gotta come up with the plan, too? Shit, what do you plan to do?” he asks with a booming laugh.
I laugh with him; he’s better at the life of crime shit than I am.
“I mean, you have the… experience,” I choose my words carefully.
“Fuck you, Colin.” He laughs.
“Hey, man, you said it. Only one of us has been to prison. Besides, I know you’ve been sitting around bored without an assignment. I’m sure you’ve come up with something.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Okay, you’re going to be Jax, a car guy. Brush up on knowledge of rare and unique cars and know what the fuck you’re talking about. If you don’t know, be the cocky son of a bitch you are and make them believe you’re right.”
I’d laugh, but he isn’t joking at all. Donovan has let bits of the puzzle making up his past slip out over the years. But there are never enough pieces to allow any one of us to get the full picture. If I had to guess, Liam knows. I can’t imagine he didn’t do deep dives on all our backgrounds before hiring us. Donovan’s background gives him an edge the rest of us don’t have.
“Okay, I can do that. I know a little about cars from a previous case, but I can learn more. Are we talking imports or American muscle?” I ask, wanting to be sure I don’t fuck this up.
“Both, be on the safe side and know some about both,” he says earnestly. “And don’t show up dressed in a suit or anything stupid. These guys smell bullshit from a mile away. Maybe I should bring you something over to wear.”
“Pssh, I fucking got this. Besides, these muscles wouldn’t fit in your slim clothes.” I take a jab at him. Donovan isn’t a small guy by any stretch, but I’m more cut than he is.
“You fucking wish!” he hollers before laughing again.
I catch movement when the front door of the financial firm swings open and Elliott walks out. A chesty brunette follows behind him. A chesty brunette who isn’t dressed like she’s going out to crunch numbers. I’m pretty sure I saw an areola as she leaned down slide into the passenger side of Moore’s car.
“You son of a bitch,” I say in a lowered voice.
“Come again?” Donovan asks. I forgot he was even on the phone.
“I’ll call you back.” I end the call without waiting for a response.
I put my car into drive as Moore’s car pulls out of the parking lot and takes a right. I pull out onto the street a number of car lengths behind him. Who the hell is this woman? I rack my brain to remember if I’ve seen him with her before, but I come up empty.
Moore heads east for a few blocks before he turns into a fancy restaurant that’s known around town. He pulls up to the valet and swings his door open. I pull in but instead of turning left towards the restaurant, I turn to the right and pull into a parking spot towards the back of the parking lot.
Moore stands and button’s his blazer jacket as he walks around the back of the car. The chesty brunette stands from the car when Moore places his hand out to assist her out. She cuddles into Moore has they both walk towards the entrance.
I raise my phone and swipe to my camera and start snapping pictures of Moore and the mystery woman walking into the restaurant together.
My hackles raise when Moore places his hand on the woman’s lower back as he escorts her inside. His hand a little too low to be professional but not low enough to be inappropriate.
“Who the hell is that?” I ask in the otherwise silent car.
I wait a few minutes, just enough time for them to be seated before I exit my rental. I go to the trunk of the car and pull out a blazer that I keep with me so I’m prepared to follow him wherever he may go. I put it on, quickly smoothing out some of the wrinkles that have set in from sitting in the car trunk. I make my way across the parking lot and inside the restaurant.
I quickly scan the restaurant and spot the pair sitting at a table with several empty tables around them. Bingo. How I get so lucky sometimes is a mystery to me, but I’ll take it.
“Hello, sir. How many are in your party?” the hostess asks as I make my way toward the lectern. It’s a nicer restaurant, but it isn’t as fancy as the one Moore and Jade were at a few nights ago.
“Just one, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to sit over there.” I discreetly point to a table close to Moore and the mystery woman.
“Oh, yes. Sure, that’s no problem.” The young girl smiles before clicking a few buttons on the tablet in front of her.
“Thank you,” I reply as she leads me toward the table I indicated just moments ago.
I keep my head low as I make my way closer to them. I can’t hear anything, but their body language says they know each other. While still sitting, she leans in over the center of the table, her chin propped on her hand with a playful smirk on her lips as he talks.
They don’t pay me any attention as the hostess guides me past, and I’m careful to keep my body angled away. She seats me at a table slightly behind Moore. I have a better view of the woman, which will allow me to get better pictures of her and stay out of Moore’s line of sight.
I sit and take the menu the young hostess offers me.
“Jessica will be with you shortly,” she says before she heads back up to the front of the restaurant.
Maybe this is the “out” Jade can use. I don’t think it’s what she expected. Though she seems so desperate for any reason to flee the alter that I don’t think she’d care.
I’m not surprised by this turn of events. I’ve followed him for weeks, and there haven’t been signs of cheating, which frankly, did surprise the shit out of me.
When I first took this case, I figured it would be a slam dunk. Find evidence the sleazy fiancé is cheating and turn it all over to the overbearingly annoying woman who hired me.
In and out.
Case closed.
If I’ve learned one thing over all the years I’ve done this kind of work, it’s to always expect the unexpected. This case is turning out to be more complicated and intricate than I could have ever imagined.
And just as I think that, Vinny—the boss of the organization I’m trying to infiltrate—walks into the restaurant and heads straight for Moore.