Chapter 14
Fourteen
N oah walked into the office, his hair still damp from his shower, dressed in his usual sharp, no-nonsense suit. The faint smell of coffee lingered around him as he placed Ruth’s Stanley cup on his desk. He didn’t have the heart to leave it behind. As he set down his bag, Alex glanced up from his computer, a sly smile spreading across his face.
“Well?” Alex leaned back in his chair with a knowing look.
Noah furrowed his brow. “Well, what?”
Alex chuckled, folding his arms behind his head. “Uh-oh. That’s the tone of a man who doesn’t want to talk about something interesting.”
Noah ignored him, reaching for the Stanley cup and taking a slow sip of coffee. Alex’s grin widened as he pointed at it. “That’s not yours.”
“How do you know?” Noah countered, feigning indifference.
“Well, first, lavender isn’t your color, and, two, try her initials on the side. I gave her that cup for Christmas. She wouldn’t shut up about wanting one,” Alex said, shaking his head with a laugh.
Noah glanced at the initials monogrammed neatly on the side: R. A. E. “She let me borrow it,” he muttered, setting it down with a little more force than necessary.
Alex raised a brow. “She let you borrow it. Right. What time did you get back?”
“Five,” Noah replied curtly, leaning back in his chair.
“And the asshole?” Alex asked, his tone shifting to something more serious.
Noah explained the events of the night—Matt’s drunken antics, his awkward isolation after security posted up near him, and the subtle implosion of his carefully crafted persona.
Alex listened intently, nodding as Noah described the subtle shifts in the room’s perception of Matt Brandt.
“Good. He’s digging his own grave,” Alex said. “So, if that’s all taken care of, why are you here at…” he glanced at the clock, “…seven thirty in the morning, after getting back at five?”
“Her secretary Melanie’s boyfriend,” Noah said simply, leaning forward and pulling up his computer.
Alex blinked. “Her boyfriend? Why?”
“Luke Andrews,” he answered just as his phone rang. The security desk was calling.
“Mr. Kandor,” the guard said over the phone, “there’s someone in the lobby asking to see you. Says his name’s Luke Andrews.”
Alex perked up. “This isn’t good.”
Noah’s stomach twisted, and his mind clicked into high gear. “I’m on my way.”
As he stepped into the lobby, Luke Andrews stood leaning against a pillar, his hood pulled low, his casual jeans and hoodie a sharp contrast to the tuxedo he’d worn at the holiday party. It had been years, but dressed like this, there was no mistaking him. Noah knew him.
“Luke Andrews,” Noah said, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. “Or should I call you Agent Andrews?”
Luke straightened, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Figured you’d remember me.”
Noah folded his arms. “What’s going on?”
Luke gestured toward a quiet corner of the lobby. “Let’s talk somewhere private.”
Noah instead led him to an empty conference room, shutting the door behind them. As soon as they were alone, Luke dropped the casual pretense. “I’m still with ATF, Noah. And I need your help.”
Noah leaned back against the table, his arms crossed. “It’s been years, Luke. What the hell are you doing here? Or, more importantly, what were you doing at the dinner?”
Luke met his gaze, his tone steady. “I’m here because I trust you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come.”
“Cut to the chase,” Noah said, his voice sharp. “Why are you here?”
Luke exhaled, his demeanor shifting into something more serious. “I’m undercover as private security for Maxim Fairchild. ATF has been tracking a shipment of ghost guns coming up from Mexico. They’re being smuggled in shipments of decorative rocks. Maxim Fairchild’s working with the Viper Lords, one of the nastier gangs in South Dakota, to distribute the weapons through garden supply chains. ATF has been building a case, but we’ve only got circumstantial evidence. I need something concrete.”
Noah’s jaw tightened. “And you think I can help with that?”
Luke nodded. “When I saw you at the party, I hoped you were already working the case. I’m in from D.C., and ATF can’t trust anyone local. We’ve buried two agents. Too many leaks. You’re the only one I know who’s clean. I need someone who can have my back.”
“I was simply there with Ruth.” Noah studied him for a long moment, his mind racing. He and Luke had worked together years ago on a sting operation in Kansas City. A gunrunning pipeline was moving weapons across state lines disguised as farming equipment. Luke had been deep undercover, running logistics as a fake supplier. Noah had coordinated the federal side, managing the takedown. They’d worked well together, even under the constant threat of betrayal. But that was then, and this was now.
His voice tight, Noah asked, “Why now? What are you looking for?”
Luke hesitated, then spoke quietly. “Because it’s gone deeper. Fairchild’s not just working with the Viper Lords. He’s got people in Pierre in his pocket, including Dylan Grant.”
Noah stiffened. “Grant? Senior counsel at Ruth’s firm? Are you serious?”
Luke nodded grimly. “Grant owes a ton of money to a loan shark. Fairchild bought the debt, and now Grant’s doing his bidding. But that’s not all. There is someone else inside Ellison & Grant. I’m not sure who. I’ve got my eyes on a few people. Matt Brandt—Grant’s nephew—is a possibility.”
Noah’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “Brandt is Grant’s nephew?” How the hell did I miss that?
“The kid and Grant buried it well. A divorce twice removed. Though, after his behavior at the dinner, I’m seriously doubting his involvement,” Luke said.
Noah’s mind churned with the implications. Ruth was working directly under Brandt and was part of Grant’s division, which meant she was closer to Fairchild’s network than he realized. “Why involve me in this? What do you need me for? I’m not going to tolerate interagency lack of communication.”
Luke’s expression softened slightly. “Because I trust you, Noah. I think there are holes everywhere. And because you care about Ruth. I saw it at the party. The way you looked at her. I don’t want her to be collateral damage.”
“And Melanie?”
“I’ve been in the game long enough to trust my instincts, and something about Melanie isn’t adding up. On the surface, she is just a secretary at the law firm—efficient, friendly, always where she needs to be. But I’ve seen too many operations disguised behind the ordinary to ignore the warning signs.
“First, there is her proximity to key players. She got herself hired as Ruth Everhart’s secretary. Originally, she was hired as a float secretary covering absences. And now working in the chain of Brandt and Grant puts Melanie in a position to overhear, intercept, or manipulate information.
“Then the financial irregularities. I pulled some of her banking records—nothing definitive, but enough small cash deposits and sudden purchases to raise flags. She isn’t living lavishly, but there are unexplained expenses that don’t match her salary.
“Most telling, though, are her movements. I can place her near locations linked to the Viper Lords and Fairchild’s landscaping business—warehouses, private clubs, places she had no reason to be. Not often, and never long, but enough that I started to suspect she was either passing messages, handling logistics, or acting as a lookout.
“And finally, there is her demeanor . I’ve spent time watching her—too confident, too at ease, yet calculated in what she reveals. She acts like someone who has something to hide but knows exactly how to keep it just out of reach.
“She may be part of the operation—someone I need to watch. She is not adding up. I can’t put my finger on it. But I know she’s not just a secretary.”
Noah’s jaw clenched, but he nodded slowly. “You’ve got suspicion but not enough for a conviction. If you’re lying to me about any of this?—”
“I’m not,” Luke interrupted firmly.
Noah let out a long breath, his resolve hardening. “Alright. But we do this my way. We need solid evidence—something that’ll stick in court.”
Luke nodded. “I’ll keep digging on Fairchild and his operations. This is going to get messy.”
Noah’s voice was low and steady. “Messy I can handle. But if Ruth gets caught in the crossfire, all bets are off.”
Luke held his gaze. “I wouldn’t have come to you if I thought anyone else could handle this. I want to keep Ruth safe. From everything I can see, she’s not involved in any of this.”
Noah glared at him. “Okay. What’s the plan?”
Luke glanced around, making sure no one was within earshot before leaning in. “Cameras. Recording in here?”
Noah shook his head. “No.”
“Fairchild’s in Florida right now, making arrangements for the first shipment. He’s already livid that his accountant betrayed him and handed evidence over to the state. That means he’s looking to clean house. And I just got word there’s an opening higher up the security chain.”
Noah’s eyes narrowed. “An opening?” He wasn’t sharing he had the accountant’s files, not that they had given him anything yet.
Luke gave a humorless smile. “No one quits Fairchild unless they’re sick or dead. My guess? Someone didn’t hold the line, and Fairchild either made or will make an example out of them.” He sat back. “That’s my in. I’ve been told I could have some time off before stepping up. I’m getting closer.”
Noah nodded. “And once you’re in?”
Luke’s expression hardened. “Fairchild keeps everything in his study—his books, his deals, his personal journal. A record of everything he does. If I can get access to that, I can tie him directly to the shipment. I can put him at the scene.”
Noah folded his arms. “That’s enough for gun trafficking. But wire fraud?—”
“—is where you come in,” Luke finished. “If we can prove he’s been falsifying records, laundering money through fake shell accounts, or tampering with transactions, you’ve got him on federal charges. And that sticks even if he finds a way to weasel out of the gun charges. And I’m hoping his journal will tell us who else is dirty.” He exhaled. “I’ve closed the circle of trust. I’ve gone dark, with a couple of exceptions. The two men killed were friends.”
Noah ran a hand over his jaw, thinking. “This is high-risk, Luke. If he gets even a whiff that you’re working against him?—”
“I know,” Luke cut him off. “But this is the best shot I’ve got. And I need to move before he locks everything down.”
Noah exhaled. He didn’t like it—but he couldn’t argue with the logic. After making arrangements for how he could contact Luke, he watched him leave the building. Then he took a walk outside and filled Alex in on what Luke had revealed.
“So, Grant’s compromised,” Alex said, rubbing his temples. “And Brandt’s his nephew? Jesus. How deep does this go?”
“Deep enough,” Noah replied grimly. “Fairchild’s got his claws in Grant. Luke’s sure there is someone else in the firm but not sure who. Ruth’s caught in the middle, and she doesn’t even know it. I have over a thousand of Hilton’s files on a thumb drive that are either written in some kind of code that I can’t figure out, or they are straightforward accounting records that all add up, which means we have nothing.”
“Why would Hilton give us simple accounting records?” Alex shrugged.
“Why would he give me a damn thumb drive and not tell me what’s in them, and let me put him in protective custody?” Noah blew out a breath.
“You said he was squirrelly. Maybe it was Fairchild’s way of making the state go in circles?”
Noah glared at his friend. “Luke said he’s pissed about his accountant’s betrayal.”
Alex leaned on a railing, his expression serious. “And Luke? Can you trust him?”
Noah hesitated before answering, “Yeah, as far as the gunrunning goes. I didn’t tell him we have Hilton’s files. We worked together on that Kansas City sting. He’s solid.”
Alex nodded, his gaze steady. “Then let’s make sure we figure out what’s hidden in Hilton’s files. It may also solve the gunrunning.”
Noah’s jaw tightened as he turned back to the building. Protecting Ruth had just become more than persona—it was a mission. And he wasn’t about to fail.
Alex studied Noah for a moment, his expression shifting from curiosity to something more pointed. “You’re running on fumes. Let me work this. I’ll dig into Luke Andrews, cross-check his connections, and loop in Brad if it pans out. The Viper Lords are a dangerous group. We saw their involvement in Izzy’s kidnapping. You, my friend, need to go home and get some sleep.”
Noah glanced at Alex. “I’m fine,” he said, though the slight sag in his posture betrayed him.
Alex snorted. “Sure you are.” He grinned, adding, “Speaking of Ruth, Ethan’s having people over for New Year’s Eve. It’s just a small thing at his place—food, drinks, no pressure. Why don’t you come? You’ll see her again.”
Noah shot Alex a look, the corner of his mouth quirking upward. “You’re relentless.”
“Says the guy who just spent half the night protecting her from Matt Brandt and then still came in to chase a hunch about her secretary’s boyfriend,” Alex countered. “Come on, man. You like her. She clearly likes you. Don’t overthink it.”
Noah leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he considered Alex’s suggestion. “Ethan’s house, huh?”
“Yeah,” Alex held the door to the office, “low-key, good food, good company. And who knows? Maybe Ruth will bring you another cup to borrow.”
Noah chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”
“Not a chance,” Alex said, grinning. “So, what do you say? Take the rest of the day off, get some rest, and show up tomorrow night ready to enjoy yourself for once.”
Noah hesitated, but the idea of seeing Ruth again, without the tension of Matt Brandt, was appealing. He sighed, grabbing his bag. “Fine. You’ve got this for now. But call me if anything comes up.”
“Deal,” Alex said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Now go. And don’t even think about coming back here until next year.”
Noah smirked, grabbing Ruth’s Stanley cup as he headed for the door. “See you tomorrow, Alex. And don’t screw anything up.”
As he walked out of the office, the thought of seeing Ruth again settled in his chest, warm and insistent. For the first time in a long time, he felt like there was something more waiting for him, and he wasn’t about to let it slip away.