Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Paige
Parker and I were up early the next morning. As I brewed us some coffee, the doorbell rang.
“It’s Simon,” Parker said, walking to the front door.
I grabbed another mug from the cabinet and made him a coffee.
“Morning.” Simon walked into the kitchen.
“Good morning.” I handed him a cup of coffee.
“Thanks.” He smiled. “All the kids from last night went missing around two months ago. We contacted their families, and they’ll be reunited today.”
“Do any of them know who Elias is?” I asked.
“No. They never saw him. Only heard his name. I was able to get some information out of the guy you shot last night. He said that Elias is the middleman, and the kids were bought by a man named Carson Dewberry. He’s a billionaire here in Los Angeles who’s been under investigation for bank fraud, tax evasion, and possible murder.
The thing is, every time some type of evidence appears, it quickly disappears.
So, we were never able to formally charge him.
He’s been under the FBI’s watch for two years.
My friend Roman, with the FBI, told me last night that they’re looking for someone called the Judicator. Ring any bells?” His brow arched.
“No.” My response was too quick.
“The Judicator? What the hell is that?” Parker asked.
“A ghost.” Simon’s eyes never left mine. “A person who judges, enforces, and makes sure justice is served. An executioner. So far, all they know is it’s a woman. And with your particular set of skills, Paige—”
“Enough,” I said, bringing the mug to my lips.
“Paige?” Parker glanced at me and cocked his head.
“It’s just a stupid name a group of thugs made up.”
“Well, your secret is safe with me,” Simon said. His phone rang. “What? Are you kidding me? Fuck. I’m on my way.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“The man you shot last night was just found dead in his hospital bed. Someone slit his throat. I have to get to the hospital. I’ll be in touch.”
At the exact moment Simon left, my phone rang.
“Gabriel,” I answered.
“I found something, Paige. Every month, on the same day, Adamar Industries deposits a large sum of cash into the account of one Marian Bennett.”
“Were you able to find out who she is?”
“Are you ready for this? She’s Elias’s mother, and she died ten years ago. Last year, a houseboat in Marina Del Ray was purchased in her name. I’ll bet you any money that’s where Elias is hiding.”
“Send me the address. I also need you to do a deep dive into a man named Carson Dewberry. He’s a billionaire who lives in Los Angeles. Apparently, he was the buyer for the children we found last night.”
“Got him. I’m sending you his address. Do what you need to do to get these scumbags off the streets.”
“I will. I’ll talk to you later.” I ended the call.
I reached into my handbag and retrieved the two Glocks, running my thumb across each magazine to make sure they were loaded. My phone rang. Glancing over at it, the word ‘Unknown’ appeared on the screen. A feeling I didn’t like settled into my belly.
“Hello,” I answered, and put it on speaker.
“You’ve left quite a trail of bodies, Judicator. My men. My operation,” the man’s low voice on the other end spoke.
I looked at Parker as his eyes widened.
“Your men signed up to die the minute they joined you, Elias.”
“Such conviction from the righteous judicator,” Elias said. “Tell me, do you sleep well at night with all that blood on your hands?”
“Better than you will when I’m finished,” I said, my tone cool as a cucumber.
“My men were the best, and you took them out as if they were nothing. If you want to continue playing this game, I’m in. I’m coming for you myself, and that lawyer you’re protecting.”
“Do you think your threats scare me?” I breathed out a laugh.
“You should be. The last woman who crossed me is buried under concrete so deep, she’ll rot there for eternity. Did I mention she was alive when I buried her?”
“Is that supposed to impress me? Or scare me? Because honestly, Elias, I’m bored.”
“We’ll meet when you least expect it.” Click.
“Paige, this is too dangerous,” Parker said.
“I need to hide you and your brothers and their families while I’m gone. Do you have a boat?”
“My dad does.”
“Round up everyone, including your moms, and take the boat out for the day. Wait for my call. Simon has men posted outside your father’s hospital room, so he’ll be safe.”
While Parker walked away and called his brothers, I reached into my bag, pulled out a small tracker, activated it, and held it in my hand.
“We’re meeting at the marina in thirty minutes,” Parker said. “I’m riding with Julian.”
I turned my hand over and opened it. “I need you to keep this on you at all times.”
“Is that a tracker?” His brows furrowed.
“Yes. I can keep track of your location on my phone. Whatever you do, don’t lose it.”
“I won’t.” He took it from me and placed it in his pants pocket. “Please be careful.” His hands gripped my hips.
“I always am.” I lightly smiled.
I waited until Parker climbed into Julian’s car, then slid behind my own wheel and punched in Carson Dewberry’s address into the GPS. Dialing Gabriel, I waited for him to answer.
“What’s up, Paige?”
“I need a visual of Carson Dewberry’s house. I’m on my way there now.”
“Pulling it up now,” he said. “There’s an electric gate at the entrance, flooded with cameras. When you get close, I’ll hack into his security system and shut it down. You’re going to have to climb that gate.”
“Elias called me, Gabriel.”
“What? What the hell did he say?”
“He’s coming after Parker and me himself. I sent Parker and his family on their father’s boat for the day while I take care of business. If Elias is hiding out on that houseboat, this could all be over in a matter of a few hours.”
“Let’s pray he’s there.”
I parked my car on the curb, a few houses down from Carson Dewberry’s. Placing my earpiece in, I told Gabriel I was approaching. His house, a glass mansion, was nestled on the hillside.
“Security system is down,” Gabriel said.
I climbed over the gate, pulled my gun from my back, and slowly approached his house.
“There’s a service door around the side to your left,” Gabriel said.
I jimmied the lock, and I was in. A long hallway stretched before me as I quietly moved inside, listening for Carson.
“Paige, a car just pulled up. I had to turn the security system back on.”
“That’s okay. I’m in. Is it Carson?”
“Hold on. Yes. He has two men with him.”
I found a closet and hid inside, listening to Carson and his two men talk when they stepped inside.
“You better find out what the fuck happened last night,” he shouted at his men. “Elias Dimitri screwed me over, and he will pay. I want answers now!” he shouted.
“Did you call Elias?” one of his men asked.
“Excuse me? Of course, I called him,” he shouted. “He’s not answering, that fucking little snake.” His phone rang. “This is Elias. Leave me,” he told his men.
The two men left the room as I quietly watched through the crack of the door.
“You’re a dead man, Elias,” Carson spoke through gritted teeth. “What the hell is a judicator, and how did this person know about the shipment?”
As he was ranting and raving, I carefully stepped out of the closet and hit him on the back of the head with my gun. He went down instantly. The thud of his body hitting the floor caught the attention of the two men who were with him. They ran into the room, saw me, and pulled their guns.
“Who the hell are you?” The bigger guy with the long blonde hair asked.
“Your worst nightmare.”
In one swoop, I kicked the guns out of their hands and knocked them out.
Grabbing a chair from the kitchen, I lifted Carson’s body onto it and zip-tied his hands and feet.
While he was still knocked out, I found his study.
On the far wall were framed photos of Dewberry shaking hands with politicians, smiling while cutting ribbons for children’s hospitals.
Opposite the wall was a desk with a stack of folders, each labeled with a first name and age, and photos paper-clipped to the front.
“Gabriel, I need you to hack into his computer.”
“Working on it. I’m in.”
I woke his computer screen to find an open email.
Carson,
The shipment will arrive tomorrow night. Your packages will be delivered at 7 a.m., and I expect the remaining payment to be made in full. It was a pleasure doing business with you. If you need anything else, you know how to reach me.
~E
I heard Carson waking from the other room.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked, trying to get out of his restraints. “You have no idea what you’ve done, lady.”
“I know exactly what I’ve done, and you’re going away for life.” My gun was pointed at him. “You think because you have loads of money, the laws of this country don’t apply to you? Well, I’m here to let you know they do.”
“You’ll never get away with this. Where are my men?”
“Taking a little nap.” I smiled. “Where is Elias? I know you were the one who bought his little shipment I shut down last night.”
“I don’t know where Elias is. We only communicate through email and burner phones.”
“Bullshit. Tell me where he is now!” I shouted.
“I have no clue!”
I fired my gun, the bullet hitting his knee.
“FUCK!” he screamed.
“If you don’t tell me, the other knee is getting one too.” I pointed my gun at his opposite leg.
“I never met him! I have no idea where he is! I swear to God, I don’t know!”
“What were you going to do with those kids you bought? Traffic them to the highest bidder, you sick fuck?”
“Fuck you, bitch.” He spat.
I fired my gun at his other knee. Screams of pain echoed through the monstrous house. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dialed Simon.
“Paige, what’s up?”
“Send your men to Carson Dewberry’s house. All the evidence you need to put him away for life is here.”
“You’re there? What the hell, Paige? Where is Dewberry?”
“Tied to a chair with two bullets in his knees.”
“Jesus Christ,” he sighed. “I’m on my way with backup.”
“I won’t be here when you arrive.” I ended the call.
I waited until I heard the sirens and then slipped out the back door. Climbing into my car, I headed to the marina. Checking my phone, I saw Parker and his family were safe out on the water. This had to end today.