Chapter 18 Legal Shit
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
LEGAL SHIT
Jett
“Look who decided to join the party. Fashionably late, as always.”
All eyes go to the door of the conference room of the manor. Police Chief Dean Moretti stands in the threshold and glares at Devon who just called him out for being late.
Before he has the chance to bite back at Devon, Harlow greets him. “He’s Mr. Bigshot. He can be late if he wants.”
“Leave it to you to peg me with a nickname that has gone so viral in these parts, I bet they’ll etch it on my tombstone.
” Dean shuts the door behind with more force than necessary and turns his glare to Harlow.
“Why are you here? I thought your fiancé would have you locked up in his creepy tower at the first sign of trouble.”
Harlow’s smile turns into an unapologetic grin. “I’m not stepping foot near this operation. I’m just nosy and want to know what’s going on.”
“What I want to know is how did you get pegged as Mr. Bigshot?” Devon’s brother-in-law, Cole Carson, sits across the table from where Dean just walked in. Cole looks annoyed as fuck. “If anyone in this room has earned the title of Bigshot, it’s me. I’m the one everyone calls when shit goes south.”
Harlow is the one who answers. “But you don’t run the Winslet Little League or coach old-man softball.”
Cole shakes his head and lets out one annoyed huff. “Man, I could dig up shit on everyone in the Winslet Little League—including your T-ball team. Those little fuckers are ornery. I should know, I helped create one.”
Bella Carson, Devon’s sister, pats her husband’s shoulder. “Our baby is perfect and precious. His orneriness is the basis of the future badass he’ll no doubt be.”
Cole claims his wife’s hand and pulls it to his lips. “Our genes are perfection. We should have more kids.”
“It never stops with these two,” one of the DEA agents from Miami mutters.
When he introduced himself, I knew who he was immediately.
The name Brax Cruz carries weight in the mainstream media.
I hear there may be a Netflix docudrama in the works about how he went deep undercover and took down one of the most notorious cartels in the history of drug trafficking.
King Jennings steps forward and shakes hands with Dean. Apparently, Jennings was Dean’s Battalion Commander in their Army days. “I see nothing has changed. You were always the bigshot back in the day. Good to see you, man.”
“Back at you, Jennings. Welcome to small-town America. You won’t know what to do with yourself—literally. We’ll have to catch up before you leave.” Dean greets his old friend before he claims a chair and dumps his cell, duty weapon, and police radio and turns to Lennon. “Sorry I’m late.”
Lennon smiles. “That’s okay.”
Dean keeps talking. “Had a hiker with no sense of direction. He slipped, turned into a bobsled, and wrapped himself around a tree. We had to send the four-wheelers out to rescue him. Catch me up on the plan. I’m a quick learner.”
I stretch my arm out to rest it on the back of Lennon’s chair.
“Lennon made arrangements for us to meet Petrov in The Greenhouse at eight. Brax and King will have hidden mics set up on the table in the centerpiece to record the conversation. Bella and Cole will be in the kitchen triangulating the area to collect numbers other than the one we already know. We need you and your men stationed outside in case shit goes south and he decides to escape. Petrov assumes Lennon is bringing the goods to dinner, but she’s not. The goal is to get him to talk.”
Lennon interjects. “Whether I’ll be able to make that happen, I don’t know. Petrov is smart, and we’ll be in a public place. He hardly got off his boat. He doesn’t trust anyone and hates being in the public. I’ll do my best. No one wants him behind bars more than me.”
Dean turns to Bella and Cole. “You have a warrant to triangulate that area?”
Cole shrugs. “I’m CIA. We don’t care about warrants.”
Dean frowns. “But you’re in the country.”
Bella waves off Dean with a smile. “I work in the private sector. I don’t need a warrant.”
King crosses his arms and motions to Cole and Bella. “Just go with it. Working with these two makes shit a hell of a lot easier.”
Dean turns to King and Brax. “Don’t get me wrong, it’ll be good to catch up, but why are you two here?”
Brax pulls out a rolling chair at the table and takes a seat.
“I’ve been investigating Petrov for years.
He’s a slimy fuck who’s been skating on the edge of drug boats traveling in and out of the Caribbean.
So far, the evidence on him is inconsequential.
If we tried to bring him in now, he’d know we were onto him.
His dealings haven’t touched American soil—until now.
We know he’s funding these boats and profits from a big cut.
We’re just trying to prove it the way a court of law likes.
And we want his clients. We’re after the trail. ”
“With evidence,” King adds. “Judges like that—the legal shit that’s obtained by warrants and such.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Cole demands before he turns his attention to Lennon.
“Let’s talk about the meeting. I’ve heard everything I need to hear about you.
You’re a survivor. Do not worry. The meeting is in public, and we’ll all be there.
Jett will be at your side, and even though he’s coming off a surgery, I know he’s got your back.
Devon said the jewels are locked away in his safe, so he’s not getting those back.
Brax and King are after his clients. Do you know anything about his recordkeeping? ”
We moved the jewels yesterday. Lennon had them locked in her desk drawer. They’re safer now than they’ve ever been.
Lennon shrugs. “I wish I did. All I know is Andrei was always in his office on the boat. There were laptops and files that he always kept locked.”
Bella turns to her husband. “Should I send someone to have a little look?”
A little look. I’m not shocked. I got a taste of Devon’s family after Harlow went through her drama.
Lennon, on the other hand, looks like she just saw a ghost. “You mean, they’re going to break into his boat?”
“Where else would we look?” Bella sits back and looks between her husband and brother. “I’ll call Crew and have a chat.”
“Who’s Crew?” Lennon asks.
“Crew Vega,” Brax answers. “He’s the reason they can do everything without warrants and affidavits and judges. He’s a scary motherfucker if you’re not on his side.”
Bella stands and tucks her purse under her arm. “You men are more dramatic than a henhouse. Crew may be intense, but he’s lovely. He has a beauty of a wife, two lovely daughters, and a brood of cows that they keep as pets. There’s nothing scary about that. I’ll be right back.”
We all watch Bella leave the room. She’s tall, blonde, and trim.
She struts out the door like she’s on a catwalk, and Cole watches her the whole way before he turns back to Lennon.
“If there are documents, Crew and his people will find them. Let’s get back to the meeting tonight. What are you two going to wear?”
I frown. “Why does it matter?”
Cole looks at me like I’m an idiot. “Does he know who you are?”
“No.”
“Then we don’t want him to. You’re basically a billionaire now. Dress the part and intimidate him.”
“I don’t need to intimidate him with my outfit, Cole. I’ll be carrying.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to look the part,” Brax adds. “We know who Petrov’s clients are. He’s used to working with oligarchs and cartels. Intelligence shows he dabbles in the mafia. He doesn’t need to know who you are, or that you’re a Madison.”
I frown. “I’m not a Madison.”
“That’s not what Devon told us,” Brax says.
Harlow enters the conversation. “He’s not, but he is. It’s complicated. It’s also going to take some time for him to get used to it. Being a Madison is a lot.”
“It doesn’t matter if you claim to be a Madison tonight or not.
Listen to Brax. He’s the king of undercover.
” King motions to Lennon and me. “This looks real from where I’m sitting, but whatever you do tonight, claim her like you’re willing to lay down your life for her.
Make Petrov know what he’s up against. I’ve been there and done that.
I landed a wife and family out of the deal, so it didn’t end up too badly for me. ”
“I’ve been doing that already. I’ve got a suit. It’ll be easier for me to carry with a jacket.”
Lennon fidgets beside me but says nothing.
Devon stands. “I gave Blake the night off. I’ll be in the dining room the whole time. I’ll be watching and listening.”
Dean moves for the door. “My guys and I will be in position. We’ll be on the radio on standby.”
Everyone gets up to go their separate ways, but Harlow comes straight to Lennon and leans in and whispers something in her ear.
Lennon shakes her head.
“I wondered,” Harlow says and turns to me. “Lennon and I are going to hang out for a bit. She’ll be safely locked up in our suite. We’ll call you when we’re done with girl time.”
I turn to Lennon. “You okay?”
She gives me a hesitant smile. “Of course. I’ll call you.”
I lean down and press my lips to her forehead. “Just so you know, there won’t be anything pretend about tonight.”
Harlow’s smile swells from ear to ear. “This makes me immensely happy. Go clean your gun or do whatever you need to do before something like this, big brother. We’re going to do girl things all afternoon. Lennon deserves it.”
Lennon
There are only two penthouse suites at the manor.
They have two full bedrooms and baths, and a living and dining space with a kitchen.
Devon and Harlow live in one of them while they renovate her grandmother’s home to live in.
The other is rented out for a ridiculous price.
Unless Devon is keeping it for a friend or his family, it’s usually booked.
Jett told me that the agents from Miami are staying in the other suite and Bella and Cole are taking the other room in Devon’s.