Chapter Chapter-Four
“And you’re sure you want to do this?” Mateo asked.
“I was very sure until you demanded I wear a wire.” She touched the apparatus taped to her. “I feel like he’s going to see it.”
“He won’t see it unless you can’t stop touching it,” Mateo droned. “This is the only way we’re doing this is with the wire. Even skilled field agents wear one.”
She knew it would be a waste of her breath to argue. “Fine, but don’t come charging in. Give me some time to speak to him.”
“Are we ready?” Jag asked.
He’d been quiet all morning.
Last night they’d slept in the same bed, and he held her, but did he regret what they’d shared?
She gave her thoughts a mental shake. She needed to focus on what she’d say to Howie, not her emotionally charged love life.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said.
Mercy was surprised at how calm she felt thirty minutes later as she walked into the apartment complex and took the stairs to the third floor. From the outside, the apartment looked like all the others, but inside, there were desks, computers, and a row of monitors on the wall that resembled those of a secret agent.
SMH Security offices seemed different without her team.
The office was empty. She examined the piles of clutter on Howie’s desk. Placed on top of a stack of papers was a recorder with a note taped to it. It read, Listen to me .
She placed the earbuds in and pressed play…
If you want answers, follow my instructions. First, take the burner phone from the top drawer. Once you reach the corner of Piat Street, call the saved number. I will provide you with further directions from there. However, if I suspect that you are not alone or that you are wearing a wire, I will not share any information.
She opened the drawer and took out the burner phone. She powered it on and just as Howie had said, there was a number saved in contacts.
Her mind raced.
She could tell Jag and Mateo, but then the opportunity would be lost.
If she met with Howie, could he be trusted?
Time was ticking. She had to decide quickly.
At her desk, she opened a drawer and dug out the taser that Mateo had given her. Only he would have given her a weapon as a birthday present. She grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and pulled it on, placing the taser inside the zipper pocket.
Entering the bathroom, she carefully peeled the wire from her skin, placed it on the back of the toilet, and turned the sink faucet on to a gentle stream.
She didn’t have much time before Mateo and Jag suspected something wasn’t right.
Leaving through the front door wouldn’t be an option, so she went into the bedroom, which they used as storage, and opened the window, peering out at the rusted emergency stairs. The exit couldn’t be considered safe, but this was her only chance at getting out without being seen.
“Here goes nothing.” She climbed through the open window and tested the stairs. They creaked and whined when she stepped onto them.
Descending them carefully, she finally made it onto the last rung and sighed in relief. She scanned her surroundings; it looked like the coast was clear. She hesitated a moment, rethinking what she was doing. She knew she had to do this.
She remembered the conversation with Jag last night. Stay logical.
Staying close to the building until she had reached the street, she lifted the hood of her jacket, tucked her hair in, and slipped into the mass of people on the sidewalk.
She could barely breathe as she made her way down the sidewalk, anticipating that Jag or Mateo would sweep in and stop her at any second. Yet, it didn’t happen. Guilt washed over her. They’d trusted her, but in the end, they’d see that she needed to do this to put an end to the threat hanging over them—to save the lives of the girls whom Cross had taken advantage of.
Pulling away from the crowded street, she took the alley over to Piat and once she reached the corner, she took out the phone, pressing ‘talk.’
Howie noticed the first ring. “I anticipated that you’d figure things out.”
She could hear the smile in his tone. It sickened her.
“Call it determination,” she said, looking over her shoulder to ensure she wasn’t being followed. “Are you alone?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Good. An Uber driver will be arriving shortly. Get in, and he’ll take you to an address. When you arrive, call me.” The line clicked off.
Shoving her phone into her jacket, she subtly pressed her hand against the taser in her pocket, needing the reassurance that she had something in case things went awry.
Just as promised, a black sedan pulled up.
With some last threads of hesitation, she opened the back door and peered inside.
Nothing seemed unusual. The driver seemed as professional as any other.
She slipped inside and closed the door.
As they passed the street in front of the apartment building, she spotted Jag and Mateo walking out of the doors. They were already onto her. She hated deceiving them, but she was determined to fix all her mistakes.
*****
One good kick from Jag and the door splintered.
He pushed it open and entered, followed closely by Mateo.
Jag raced through every empty room and when he got to the bathroom, he saw the wire sitting on the back of the toilet. A cocktail of anger and worry ripped through him. Swiping up the device, he stepped out, dangling it from his hand. “Looks like we have a runner.”
“Fuck!” Mateo ground out. “I should have known better. She never listens.”
“I know this about her, and I anticipated this would happen. So, this morning, while she was in the bathroom, I placed a tracker in the insole of her shoe.” This alleviated some of his concerns, but not all.
“Let’s go before she gets too far.”
Stomping through the debris left from the splintered door, they hurried back to the truck. The tracker was connected to the GPS on Jag’s phone and he pulled up the app. The blue dot representing Mercy blinked and moved on the map. “She’s in a vehicle moving west out of the city.”
Mateo slowed down at a stoplight, but instead of stopping, he glanced both directions and kept going. He pressed the gas pedal. “How long have you been sleeping with her?”
Jag clenched his jaw. “Mateo—”
“Before you answer, make sure it’s complete honesty,” Mateo glanced over at Jag, his gaze harsh.
“I wouldn’t lie to you. The night of your wedding, and I realized immediately that I had crossed a line. I thought I was doing the right thing by not pursuing anything with her, but it turns out I still have feelings for her. Last night, I realized I love her.”
“You love her?” Mateo huffed.
“I do, and I plan on being with her.”
They crossed a bridge that took them into the country.
Mateo ignored the speed limit.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” Mateo ground out.
“Look, you and I have been friends for a long time. I respect you and understand that you want to protect Mercy, just like any big brother would. However, she’s an adult now. She’s not the girl I met when she was eighteen. She’s a grown woman who is smart. While she sometimes takes unnecessary risks, she's also very independent and capable.” He exhaled. “If she decides she can see herself with an asshole like me, then I can promise you that I’m going to protect her, love her, and do my best every single day to show her that I appreciate her. Now I don’t know about you, but I think we have bigger fish to fry now than my relationship status.”
“We’ll put a pin in it for now,” Mateo said.
“Take a right on Blain.”