Chapter 11 #3
“You can say that again.” Fletcher set the papers on the table. “What kinds of things did you report back to Tessa? And was it always phone conversations?”
“If I texted, she called.” Decker nodded. “Honestly, there wasn’t much to tell. Things like you all were living in town. She did take an interest in Dawson being a cop, and there were some questions about how the town reacted to you all.”
“I would think she’d be really interested in the Massey case.”
“I didn’t bring that up. It didn’t affect Baily.
Not directly anyway. But she did ask a few questions.
She wanted to know how Dawson handled the case—was he a good cop.
Thought she was just shooting the shit with me, and I did my best to get her off the line because I wanted her out of my life.
” Decker rubbed the back of his neck. “Things didn’t heat up until the Crab Shack burned down.
That’s when Tessa wanted more. Wanted me to turn up the charm and find Baily’s weak spots, but I told Tessa no way. I wasn’t that guy.”
“We’re gonna need you to pretend to be that guy,” Fletcher said, cocking his head.
“Yeah, I can do that.” Decker nodded. “I can lie to Tessa because I’ve been doing that for a while.”
“Excuse me?” Fletcher blinked.
“I told you, I wasn’t the enemy,” Decker said.
“I fed Tessa just enough information to keep her off my back while I tried to figure out my move. Only, I quickly learned I don’t have one.
At least not alone. I’d tell Tessa dumb things.
” Decker chuckled. “I will say she wasn’t very pleased to learn that Hayes took up with a Fed. ”
“Does she know Chloe moved here and retired?”
“She knows they're living together, but I haven’t said Chloe’s left the FBI.
Not sure that’s public knowledge.” Decker sighed.
“Lately, Tessa’s been hyper-focused on Baily, the marina, and the Crab Shack.
My last conversation with her was right after our meeting at Massey’s Pub.
I told her that I informed you of my intentions.
That I had more money and that there was no way you’d win the bid.
” Decker laughed, although it was sarcastic in nature.
“Tessa told me I better not screw it up. I’ll enjoy knocking the wind out of that woman’s sails.
I just don’t like the way Baily looks at me now. ”
Fletcher chuckled. He shouldn’t be thrilled that Baily was giving the old stink eye to Decker. But after being on the receiving end of it for years? Yeah, Fletcher would enjoy it for as long as it lasted. He didn’t care that it was childish or that it made him appear a little jealous.
“I’m glad you find this amusing,” Decker mumbled.
The door creaked open, and in walked Chloe with Baily two paces behind.
Fletcher stood, nodded to Chloe, and made a beeline for Baily. He rested his hands on her hips. This might be considered a dick move, but he didn’t give a shit. He pressed his lips over her mouth and kissed her good and hard.
The room stilled.
That was until Chloe cleared her throat.
Fletcher pulled back. “Is everything okay?” He traced Baily’s jawline.
“I’m fine,” Baily said with an arched brow. “Chloe talked me into staying for this meeting.”
“Good. I think you should be here.” Fletcher pulled out another chair and opened it. “Chloe, why don’t you start?”
Chloe sat cross-legged on the edge of the table, phone in hand, her brow tight with focus.
Decker leaned against the wall near the corner, arms crossed, trying to pretend like he wasn’t the most uncomfortable man in the room.
Baily sat next to Fletcher, her eyes hard as steel, but Fletcher knew her well enough to see the worry swimming beneath the surface.
“I did some digging into Tessa Gilbert, hoping to find some cracks—something that ties her company back to the Barbaros—”
“I know she’s working for them,” Decker muttered, interrupting Chloe. “Even if no one can prove it, she’s all but admitted it to me.”
“Well, we need proof, and so far, I've got nothing,” Chloe said. “She’s third-generation rich. Never really had to work a day in her life. That company was her father’s, and she’s just pretty much lived off the dividends, not really working, just pretending to, and backing a few younger studs she’s dated over the years.
” Chloe glanced in Decker’s direction, who grunted.
“Don’t feel bad, you’re not the youngest. Before you—”
“I’m well aware of Tyson Hughes. He was maybe twenty-five. Like I said, I was never in love with the woman, and I get that makes me look like a greedy asshole.” He shifted his gaze to Fletcher. “Who did exactly what he’d been trying not to do his entire life.”
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Fletcher said, holding Decker’s gaze. “She’s a Trojan horse. An unexpected enemy, and anyone could’ve fallen for it.”
“You wouldn’t have.” Decker let out a big puff of air in one extended swish.
“I don’t know about that.” Fletcher tilted his head. “Everyone’s got a weak spot. If she’d found mine, she might’ve been able to tug at the right string.”
Chloe’s phone buzzed. She lifted it. “My contact in Maryland.” She tapped the screen. “Talk to me, Diego.”
The speaker crackled, and then a low, gravelly male voice came through. “I’m with Garrett. He’s jumpy but talking. We met in a park—neutral ground. I brought coffee, he brought years of fear.”
“What did he say?” Chloe asked, sitting up straighter.
“He confirmed what your guy Decker said, and he’s got some proof to back it up,” Diego said.
“The Barbaros have been running drugs and guns through their plants for years. That was bad enough. But a few years ago, they expanded. Started bringing in people. Women, kids. Young. Vulnerable. They’re trafficking them through cargo shipments disguised as parts and equipment.
It’s not just moving drugs anymore. It’s moving bodies. ”
Baily sucked in a breath. Fletcher’s hand curled around her waist. They’d suspected this was what had been going down, and Decker had been the first to say it out loud, but again, he hadn’t had any proof.
No documents. Only his suspicions. But hearing it from Chloe’s contact, well, that made it real. That drove the point home.
“Garret kept the books for their warehouse in Maryland. He started noticing things. Things that didn’t settle right in his gut.
He did some investigating. Next thing he knew, weird shit started happening.
Things like he’d get blamed for stuff, but then his boss would be all like, ‘Man, stuff happens. We know you’re good.
Now, how about we make this happen? Or that happen?
’ It all got very cagey, quickly,” Diego said.
“Is Garret safe?” Baily asked.
“They haven’t touched him in two years, but he hasn’t done anything with what he knows,” Diego said.
“He’s scared. Damn scared and with good reason.
But he’s got intel. Things like how they’ve been scouting small coastal towns.
Places where they can bribe officials, buy properties under shell corps, and build infrastructure that’ll support their ops.
Garrett heard whispers—Calusa Cove’s on their list. The marina?
Perfect cover. Same with some new builds, investments in businesses that need a little help, and public land near the Glades.
Overflow points. Storage and transport hubs.
He’s got a file. A few things that are concrete, others just notes and things that need to be tied together. ”
“Jesus,” Fletcher muttered. “What’s he going to do now?”
“Nothing that would get him flagged with the Barbaros or their people,” Diego said. “He drives a rideshare and works at a local fishing charter. But every once in a while, someone from that organization comes poking around. Honestly, he thought I was one of them.”
“You do have that look,” Chloe said. “Why is he talking now? Why’s he trusting you?”
“Because he’s honestly got nothing to lose. He left too early to receive a pension. He’s got no money. His wife died last year. Cancer. Real shame. No kids. No grandkids. He looked me square in the eye and said, ‘Let’s burn the mother fuckers down if it’s the last thing I do.’”
“Gotta love guys like that,” Fletcher said. “But he could be playing us.”
“I doubt that,” Diego said. “Man’s broken. Until I walked into his one-room apartment, he hadn’t even an ounce of hope. Now? He’s got something to live for.”
Chloe nodded. “Tell him to pack a bag. He comes to Calusa Cove, or maybe we send him to Oregon. We’ll protect him. Maybe we can give him a reason to start over, after this plays out.”
“You sure?” Diego asked. “Because he wants to see them pay for what they’ve done to his neighborhood. To his friends. It’s not just him. It’s this entire harbor.”
Fletcher shifted his gaze, catching Decker’s. The man looked as if he’d seen a ghost. As if he knew exactly what that looked and felt like.
“Set it up,” Fletcher said. “I’ll try to back channel this with Foster’s team in Oregon and some fellas I know in an organization called The Aegis Network. Between the two, they can arrange transport and decide where to send him, for now.”
Chloe nodded. “I’ll call Greer.”
“All right. I’ll get him to a safe house,” Diego said.
“Chloe will send you Foster’s and a man by the name of Logan Sarich’s contact information. Logan’s out of Orlando,” Fletcher said. “Between those two, we’ll figure out the details.”
Chloe hung up and exhaled. “So, yeah. It’s worse than we thought. And now, we’ve got a guy on the run with a target the size of Florida on his back.”
“Been there before.” Fletcher arched a brow. “But at least we know what it is they’re doing, and sort of know what they want.”