Chapter 6 Let’s Make A Deal
CHAPTER SIX
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Three weeks had passed since Colin and Joshua’s forced relocation to the Omni Hotel, and in that time, Charlottesville law enforcement had made it their life’s work to turn up the heat on Elias Moreno.
His businesses had been hit with a relentless wave of scrutiny.
Routine inspections, surprise audits, and police visits that disrupted operations and put his employees on edge were now a daily occurrence.
More than one of his associates had been hauled in for questioning, and while none had cracked yet, the message was clear: Moreno was no longer untouchable.
At city hall, Esther Jackson’s desk was a battlefield of legal chaos—police reports, witness statements, and thick manila folders scattered in disarray.
Some lay open, sticky notes flagging key sections.
Others bore scrawled notes in the margins, some in Colin’s bold, decisive script, others in Norman Clayton’s neat, precise printing.
Esther sighed and reached for her mug of lukewarm coffee, but her gesture stilled when the phone next to her rang. “Yes?” she said, lifting it to her ear.
“The mayor’s on line one, ma’am.”
“Oh lord,” Esther breathed out. “Thank you, Sheila.”
She punched the button. “Good morning, Mr. Mayor. What can I do for you?”
“Esther, I spoke with Ryan Edwards this morning, and he’s all over me about this Moreno business. He’s very concerned, and, frankly, so am I.”
“Mr. Mayor, I’m dealing with a death threat directed at one of my attorneys and the cold-blooded murder of one of this office’s informants. Both of which are directly connected to Moreno Enterprises. Are you or Mr. Edwards suggesting I should back off?”
“I’m as worried about Colin as you are, Esther.
I’m simply reminding you of the kind of power Elias Moreno wields in this town.
We both know he doesn’t do business solely with criminals.
Ryan Edwards owns one of the largest corporations in Charlottesville.
He employs hundreds of our citizens, and his business ventures are completely legal. ”
“Mr. Mayor, I appreciate Mr. Edward’s position in this community. But my job is to prosecute people who break the law. And I don’t check their client list before I do so.”
“No one is proposing anything of the kind, Esther. I want to be sure we’re not—shall we say—escalating the situation unnecessarily. Ryan’s already hearing complaints from his board.”
Esther leaned back, her tone dry as a bone.
“Interesting choice of words, Mr. Mayor. And what would you have me tell Colin Campbell-Abrams—one of this city’s most capable prosecutors—that keeping him and his husband alive is too much of an inconvenience?
That protecting his life and Joshua’s is—” she let the word hang between them like a challenge—“bad for business?”
There was a prolonged silence, and then the mayor spoke. “Now hold on—no one’s saying that! I need to know if this level of force is necessary.”
“In my opinion, Mr. Mayor, this level of force is not only necessary but compulsory! We’re not dealing with a gang of teenage street thugs or a pack of drunken frat boys.
These are hardened criminals who have already demonstrated their willingness to murder Charlottesville citizens in order to protect their unlawful activities. ”
There was a sharp rap on her door, and Colin stuck his head in. When he saw she was on the phone, he frowned and started to back away, but Esther motioned him into a chair, pressing a finger to her lips in a plea for silence. She pointed to the phone and silently mouthed, “The mayor.”
“Esther, you think I don’t care about keeping Colin safe? I want these criminals arrested, but I need to see a plan that doesn’t put civilians and officers at unnecessary risk. The press is circling. I’m not saying no—I’m saying let’s be smart.”
Colin settled into the chair, his eyes flicking between Esther and the phone.
He couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but he didn’t need to.
The tightness in Esther’s jaw, the clipped precision of her words—he’d spent enough time in courtrooms and behind-the-scenes negotiations to recognize a brawl wrapped in diplomatic double-talk.
He leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. “What’s his goddamn problem, Esther?”
Esther lifted a hand, asking for silence.
“We’re conducting this investigation with full awareness of the risks, Mr. Mayor. If you want to discuss our plans moving forward, I suggest we set up a meeting with you and all the primary participants.”
Colin’s fingers tapped against the chair, a hard breath hissing out as his upper lip tightened over his teeth.
Esther’s head gave a quick snap as the mayor spoke again, cautioning Colin to remain silent. “I don’t think that’s necessary at this point, Esther. But I would like to be kept in the loop regarding future police operations against Moreno-run businesses.”
“Certainly, Mr. Mayor,” she replied, then hung up the phone and turned to her attorney. “Colin, before you blow sky-high, take a breath. I am handling the situation.”
Colin’s eyebrows arched. “The mayor trying to tell you how to prosecute, Esther?”
Esther rubbed her forehead. “No. Just trying to tell me how to help his friends sleep better at night.”
“That’s not our job!”
“And that is what I told him.”
Colin leaned forward, every muscle tense. “If this is about optics, Esther—if someone’s worried about how this is going to look instead of what needs to be done to protect—”
“Stop right there! Please tell me you’re not suggesting I would compromise your safety or Joshua’s in service to political expediency!”
Colin relaxed just slightly. “Of course not, Esther, but…” He paused for a moment, then met Esther’s eyes, his gaze hot with resolve.
“But there’s a target on my back, Esther.
And even more importantly to me… on my husband’s back!
So, forgive me if patience isn’t my first response when I suspect that the mayor is dicking around! ”
“I think we both know you’re too close to this to play the long game—and that may be exactly what’s needed right now.” She leaned in, her tone sharp and unwavering. “I’ll handle city hall!”
Colin growled out a frustrated breath, his hand drawing into a fist. His anger hadn’t cooled; it had coiled into something even more volatile. He gave a slow nod. “Fine. You handle city hall. But I won’t pretend this is just another case, Esther—not when it’s Joshua’s life on the line.”
His voice was quiet, controlled, but beneath it was something razor-edged, something dangerous and close to breaking.
He leaned toward his superior, his eyes narrow.
“I signed on for this. I knew the risks.” He leaned another inch closer, his teeth clenching around his words.
“But not him, Esther. They don’t touch him!
And please believe me, if they do, I will burn everything they’ve ever loved to the fucking ground and not give a good goddamn how I do it. ”
Esther held his gaze, unflinching. She let the silence stretch between them, absorbing the heat of his fury without adding fuel to it. Then, finally—quietly—she spoke. “I hear you.”
She leaned back, folding her hands to hide the brief tremor in her fingers. When she spoke, her voice was measured but firm. “Colin, I don’t intend to let them touch either one of you.”
She let that sit for a beat, watching as some of the fire in Colin’s eyes began to dwindle. Then, with the faintest ghost of a smile, she added, “Now—are you ready to let me handle city hall, or do you need to threaten anyone else before we get started?”
Colin nodded, his shoulders still tense. “I’m happy for you to handle city hall, boss lady.” He got to his feet. “But understand this: what I said wasn’t a threat.” He paused, letting the weight settle. “It was an unbreakable vow.”
Esther held her breath until he stalked out, his words lingering in the room like smoke. Only then did she let her shoulders ease, folding her hands tightly to still their faint tremor.
Several things had become painfully clear: Colin wasn’t just a prosecutor in danger—he had also become a problem for powerful men who preferred their dealings kept quiet.
And this case was no longer just about murder or a threat to her office; now some of the city’s most powerful movers and shakers wanted the investigation buried—along with anyone who refused to look away.
Danger had changed uniforms. It now wore a suit and shook hands with the mayor.
After grabbing a quick lunch at The Nook, a classic diner within walking distance of city hall, Esther strolled back to her office.
This was one of the few moments in her day that belonged solely to her—a rare pocket of time where no one needed her attention, no decisions hung over her head, and she could simply be.
The sidewalks of Charlottesville bustled with their usual midday rhythm.
Shop doors chimed open and shut, a street musician strummed a bluesy tune near the downtown mall, and the aroma of fresh bread from a nearby café mingled with the crisp scent of early autumn.
A mother steered a stroller past her, murmuring softly to the child inside, while an older couple walked hand in hand, their laughter carrying on the breeze.
Esther let her mind drift, her gaze catching on the golden leaves fluttering from the trees that lined Main Street.
They spiraled lazily downward, collecting in rust-colored piles against the brick sidewalks.
She took a slow breath, savoring the cool air, the bite of the season just beginning to creep in.
For a few precious minutes, she allowed herself to feel like simply another Charlottesville citizen—another figure among the crowd, with no urgent emails to answer, no meetings waiting for her return.