CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Ezekiel sat in the dimly lit corner of his office, the blinds drawn to shield him from prying eyes. A cigarette burned between his fingers, its ash collecting in a glass tray overflowing with discarded butts. He had been laying low for weeks, ever since the heat had turned up on the gang’s operations. The kid—Christian—had been a thorn in his side, meddling in business that was none of his concern. And Ava? She was a problem Ezekiel intended to eliminate, one way or another.
The buzzing of his burner phone broke the silence. Ezekiel exhaled slowly before answering, his voice sharp and impatient. “What?”
“It’s Jarod,” came the gruff reply. “I just found out something you’re gonna want to hear.”
Ezekiel leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “What is it?”
“Ava and the kid,” Jarod said, lowering his voice as if someone might overhear. “They’re back in Virginia Beach.”
Ezekiel’s grip on the phone tightened, his pulse quickening. The corner of his mouth curled into a sneer. “You’re sure?”
“Positive,” Jarod confirmed. “They got back late last night. Been laying low at her place.”
Ezekiel’s thoughts churned as anger bubbled beneath the surface. He had been waiting for the right moment to clean up this mess, and now it seemed the opportunity was presenting itself. “Good,” he growled. “Send someone to track them. Watch their movements. When the time is right, take them out—both of them.”
Jarod hesitated. “Actually,” he began, his tone shifting, “I already know where they’re gonna be later today.”
Ezekiel’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Jarod cleared his throat. “They’re going to court. Something about the kid’s case. They’ll be there this afternoon.”
The sneer returned to Ezekiel’s face. This time it was sharper and more sinister. “Perfect. That makes things easier. I don’t care how you do it. Just make it happen. Take them out.”
“You got it,” Jarod said. “I’ll handle it.”
Ezekiel hung up, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. He leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk. Things were finally falling into place. With Ava and Christian out of the picture, his business could get back on track, and the gang’s operations would flourish once more. He allowed himself a rare moment of relaxation, his lips curling into a smirk.
That moment was short-lived.
The door to his office burst open with a thunderous crack, the sound of splintering wood echoing through the room. Ezekiel jolted upright, his feet slamming to the floor as armed officers and FBI agents flooded the space, their weapons drawn.
“Ezekiel Torres,” one of the agents barked, “you’re under arrest!”
“What the—” Ezekiel started, but the words died in his throat as two agents grabbed him, forcing him to the ground. The cigarette fell from his fingers, its ember snuffed out as it hit the floor.
His heart raced as cuffs snapped around his wrists. “You don’t know who you’re messing with!” he spat, struggling against their grip.
“Oh, we know exactly who you are,” Agent Jefferson replied coldly. “You’ve got a long list of charges to answer for, including murder.”
As another agent walked Ezekiel out of his office while reading his rights to him, Ezekiel’s mind reeled. How had this happened? He had been so careful, staying out of sight, making sure nothing could trace back to him. And now, his plan to eliminate Ava and Christian was crumbling before it even began.
As he was hauled to his feet, he saw that his office was now swarming with law enforcement. The smirk on his face was long gone and replaced by a mask of fury and disbelief. His carefully constructed empire was crumbling around him, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it.
◆◆◆
FBI Agent Jefferson stood in the chaos of Ezekiel Moore’s office. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins. This was the moment he’d been working toward for months. Finally, they had the mastermind behind the wave of violent crimes and gang-related operations that had swept through the region.
Jefferson’s chest swelled with pride as he watched the infamous criminal hauled off in handcuffs as his rights were being read to him.
This was justice in action.
Jefferson couldn’t suppress the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Got you, you slimy son of a—
“Agent Jefferson!” a voice called sharply, breaking his triumphant reverie.
Jefferson turned to see Agent Reed standing near a desk in the corner of the room. He had a look of unease on his face. “You need to see this,” Reed said, gesturing to a computer screen.
Jefferson frowned and made his way over, weaving through the swarm of agents cataloging evidence. “What is it?” he asked, leaning down to look at the screen.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
The monitor displayed an email from Judge Jarod Brown that was timestamped less than an hour ago, stating that Ava Morgan and the boy, Christian, who she was caring for, were scheduled to be at the courthouse at three o’clock for a hearing with Judge Holten.
Jefferson froze, his brain scrambling to process what he was reading. His pulse thundered in his ears as the gravity of the situation sank in. Fuck! Ava and Chrisitan were walking into a death trap.
“Somebody get VBPD on the line and have them get the courthouse,” Jefferson barked, his usual calm demeanor slipping into urgency.
He pulled out his phone and immediately dialed Derek Connors, the SEAL team commander who was working closely with their task force.
Derek answered on the second ring, his voice steady. “Agent Jefferson, what’s up?”
Jefferson didn’t waste time with any pleasantries. “We’ve got a problem. Do you know where Ava and Christian are?”
“From my understanding, they’re at the courthouse,” Derek replied. “Why? What’s going on?”
Jefferson pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting to keep his voice steady. “Get to the courthouse now. Ava is in danger. I’ve already called for backup.”
“What kind of danger?” Derek’s tone sharpened.
Agent Jefferson quickly went over the situation with the arrests of Ezekiel and Judge Brown before explaining the email that they just found on Ezekiel’s computer.
“Fuck!” Derek swore. “My team and I are on our way. We’ll also try to reach Ava.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Jefferson disconnected the call and turned to the room full of agents.
“Everyone, listen up!” he barked. “We’ve got an active threat at the courthouse. I need all available agents there immediately. Let’s move!”
As the agents sprang into action, Jefferson grabbed his gear as his mind raced. His earlier elation was gone, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread. If they didn’t get there in time, the consequences could be catastrophic.
He pushed through the crowd, his jaw clenched as he headed for the door.