Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Cara
I can tell Grant is nervous about tonight. It’s not in our skills and abilities, but I think it’s because of our relationship status. We’re no longer just partners in the field. He looks at me now as if I’m his entire world.
I love it when he does, but it makes me hesitant about his behavior when we’re working. The first time I saw the shift in his eyes, my heart melted. I felt like I was in a puddle of happiness after finally finding the one who makes my heart soar.
Grant revs the engine of the car as he switches lanes.
We’re both dressed for the mission. He is wearing an all-black suit, and I’m in a matching black suit too. Enough to blend in but also practical for what’s to come.
We’re silent as he continues to head to the casino.
I’ve never been a talker in these scenarios, but I usually work alone. I don’t know if I should try to be reassuring to Grant or just let him work it out in his head.
“Grant,” I say.
“I’m fine.”
I laugh.
“Fine? Don’t get me started on that obscene excuse for a word again.”
Grant smirks and glances over at me before focusing back on the road.
“I love you. That’s all. I’ve never had someone I love be in danger before. It’s something I have to work through, but I know it’s a me issue.”
“We’ve got this. We’ll both be fine. This is a simple recon mission to find out what we need to know. Time is passing by, and we don’t have a clue who the Marlin is.”
“I know.”
“Something has to be in Taby’s quarters.”
“I agree. It’s too personal for there not to be.”
“Good.”
Grant pulls into a spot by the side of the casino near a back door. It’s still around other cars but will be near the closest exit we can take to leave quickly.
We both hop out of the car and silently walk into the casino. Spotting the private room, we give our names to the guard, who sees we are permanent guests on the list to get in.
Simple already. We won’t be tracked necessarily, and if anything, our being here should look good if Cordelia or Taby were to find out. We’re coming back to the business and showing our support without work being involved.
It’s going to plan, and that’s all that matters. Simple and easy. Grant has nothing to be worried about.
We saunter past the gamblers and revelers as we make our way to one of the bars. We’ll stake out here for a bit before making our move.
“What can I get for you?” the bartender asks.
“Tonic with lime, please.”
“Make that two.”
“Two tonics with limes coming right up,” he answers.
Leaning with my back to the bar, I look around the casino to make sure there’s no one here who would immediately recognize us. Grant does the same, facing the bar area.
“I think we’re good,” I tell Grant.
“No one on the opposite side either.”
“Perfect.”
“Here you go,” the bartender says as he slides the drinks over.
Grant pays in cash and turns to hand me mine.
“Thank you.”
“Cheers.”
We clink glasses and keep observing the room.
“There are four cameras on the door that will be an issue.”
“Then I clocked six cameras in the route there.”
“That’s not bad,” I say.
“Not at all.”
Grant and I both hold onto our drinks to blend in with the crowd.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Let’s go. We’ll set these down over there,” I answer while pointing to a table of discarded drinks.
We meander over in that direction, trying to act as naturally as possible. Almost simultaneously, we set the full glasses down on the table.
I pull out a device and start tapping away.
“That’s how the cameras will be cut?”
“Yes.”
A few more taps and bingo.
“Ready, in three, two, one. Cut.”
I press the button that shuts down all the cameras in the casino. Grant and I close the distance to the door and type in the code quickly. The commotion of the cameras being off allows us to slip in undetected.
Guards around the room are being notified in their earpieces that something is up. As the door closes behind us, the adrenaline kicks in.
We run down the hallways as fast as we can and finally reach the destination. Dozens of red lasers cross every which way to the door.
“Try the code,” I say.
Grant enters it, and nothing happens.
“Try something else.”
Grant types in another code, but nothing happens again.
“What’s the plan?” he asks.
“I’ve got this,” I say.
I pull out another device and hook it up to the control panel.
“Time is almost up,” Grant says.
I push a few buttons, and it starts to run numbers on it.
“It’s almost been a minute,” Grant says.
Four. Seven. Two. Six.
And they’re off.
“Run,” I shout.
We both sprint down the hall to the door. I use a hairpin to unlock the door, and we slam it shut behind us.
“Fuck,” I whisper, out of breath.
“We did it. Fifty-six seconds.”
“Good. That’s good. Now we only have a few minutes until guards come searching in here to make sure there are no intruders. Where do you think she keeps her documents?”
Grant scans the room and settles on a door near the bar area.
“In there. Cordelia was in that room while I was here. It has to be important.”
We dart across the room and into a hidden oasis. A stream flows through it, and there is greenery everywhere.
“Wasn’t expecting this,” he murmurs.
“I’ll say.”
“Over there.” He points across the room.
I spot the same discreet-looking decorative cabinet. It looks out of place in this room.
Grant opens it up, and there’s a large safe sitting in it. I hook up the same device to try and crack the code.
“What is this thing?” Grant asks.
“Our ticket to information.”
“Fair enough.”
The numbers run again, and it gives me the code.
“Does this work for everything?”
I laugh.
“Yes.”
“Can I get one?” he teases.
“Later, Sinclair.”
“I like it when you boss me around.”
I roll my eyes as I punch in the code.
“Alright. Here we go!” he says.
Opening it up, we find a thick file.
A search through the documents reveals numerous players in the operation. Grant holds the files out as I snap a picture of each one. As he flips through them, I realize that this really is it.
“Wait,” I whisper.
He pauses mid-flip.
“This is… this is it.”
Grant holds the paper in front of him and scans it.
“You’re right.”
“Quick, let me take a photo.”
He puts it back in front of me, and I snap a photo of the page and the remaining few after that too.
“Let’s get out of here,” I say.
Grant nods, puts the file back, and shuts everything closed once again the way it was.
“How are we leaving the room?” he asks.
“Shutting it all down again.”
Grant cocks an eyebrow.
“Well, it works,” I answer.
“I’ll follow your lead.”
I pull out the same device as we head out.
“Three, two, one.”
I cut the cameras and then enter the code to turn off the lasers from the opposite direction.
We dart down the hallways quickly and finally arrive back at the main entrance to the offices and private quarters. Grant peeks out the door and gives me a signal that it’s all clear again.
Walking as fast as we can, we leave the casino without anyone knowing what we just did.
“I can’t believe that worked.”
“I can. You’re brilliant,” he counters.
We both slide into the car, and Grant starts the engine immediately.
“Let’s get home, Sinclair.”
Back at the house, I print all the photos right away. Grant has coffees prepared in the dining room and a pinboard out for us to start reviewing our findings.
“Okay, here we go,” I say, coming into the room and holding out a stack of photographs.
“Let’s sort them by the players, the plan, and…” Grant trails off.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Grant, now’s not the time to be hiding anything.”
He studies me as I set down the photos on the table.
“The price. With all the names we scanned, don’t you think that this is bigger than what we imagined?”
“Yes, it’s possible. Of course it is.”
“All of this for diamonds? I don’t believe it for a second.”
“You’re underestimating one major factor in all of this.”
“What’s that?”
“Greed. I know to you and me, it seems questionable why diamonds, or even drugs and other illegal trading, would be worth it, but it all adds up. It is worth it to people like Taby and Cordelia, who want more and are never satisfied. It’ll be worth it to the Marlin too.”
“You’re right. They are the company she keeps.”
“Exactly.”
“I think it’s time we call Dodger for another check-in. He’s going to want to know about all of this.”
“It’s a lot.”
“Which is good for us.”
“Hopefully, he agrees.”
Grant takes out his cell phone and dials the agency. An assistant transfers Grant to Dodger’s office.
“I’m on hold,” he whispers to me.
I give him a small nod as I start to organize the photographs into their respective categories.
Studying all the people who are part of this is everything we needed to confirm our original intel. People from all over the country funneling money, drugs, diamonds, and more into the Carolinas mafia operation.
All because of the Marlin.
“This is Sinclair and Collins here,” Grant says as he puts the phone on the table.
“It’s on speaker,” he mouths to me.
“Great. What do you have for me?” Dodger asks.
“We have confirmed intel about all the key players in the Carolinas mafia operation. We’re sorting through the documents with full details now. Tomorrow night, Sinclair is participating in an undercover operation that we think is connected to what we have here.”
“Good. When you have more, let me know.”
“Will do, sir,” I answer.
“We’ll want to move in immediately as the Marlin is confirmed.”
“Understood.”
The phone call ends without another word. Grant pockets his cell phone.
“It’s going to be a long night.” I sigh.
“Let’s keep at it.”
Grant starts pinning the sorted photographs to the pinboard as I separate them into categories.
“Hey, Sinclair?”
“Yeah, Collins?”
“I’m glad I’m with you during these long nights.”
He gives me one of his breathtaking smiles.
“Me too.”
We get to work, going back and forth with theories and dissecting all the details we’ve found.
What we know is that sometime in the next week, there’s going to be a major meetup at a warehouse in Charlotte.
“Brad has to know.”
“Will he tell you?”
Grant runs a hand through his hair as he paces in front of the board. I stretch in my seat with my arms over my head.
“No. Brad may have warned me about all of this in a way, but he won’t tell me anything about this meetup.”
“What about Fred?”
“Fred?” he asks, confused.
“Yes, the guy from the barbecue.”
“Oh right, how could I forget.”
“What do you mean?”
“He tried to provoke me that day.”
“How so?”
Grant chuckles in disbelief.
“He said he wanted to taste your pie.”
“That’s so cheesy and odd to say.”
“Yeah. I wasn’t exactly pleased about it.”
As I settle back into my seat, realization dawns on me.
“Okay, that aside, he doesn’t seem very…”
I pause, debating how to word this.
“But he’s… How do I say this?”
Grant crosses his arms over his chest and leans against a nearby wall. The exhaustion is apparent.
“Don’t go getting polite on me now about this.”
“Very funny.”
I stand to stretch my legs and pace in front of him now.
“He’s not very smart. Like really, you know?”
“I would have to agree with that.”
“So wouldn’t someone like that write down where the meeting is taking place so they wouldn’t forget? I mean, he probably doesn’t think anyone would break into his house to get this kind of intel.”
Grant uncrosses his arms and studies me.
“You’re right.”
“So maybe we need to do a little break-in? Find out if he has written down the date, time, and location.”
“It’s too much,” Grant counters.
“It’s not. We need these details.”
“I might get them from Taby after I win tomorrow night.”
“You won’t.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It’s too soon to bring you in like this. Isn’t it?”
Grant turns away, putting his back to me as he examines the board.
“You know I’m right.”
“Saturday. I’ll ask Brad and Fred to come over for drinks, and you can go in there. At least that way, we know he’s definitely not home.”
I wrap my arms around Grant’s waist from behind and rest my head on his back.
“It’ll work.”
“I know you’re right. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
I take a deep breath and rest my eyes.
“I have to win tomorrow night.”
“You do.”
“Taby or her goons might kill me if I don’t.”
“But you will.”
“Taby needs those diamonds, and I’m going to make it happen. When I hand them over, she’ll have to tell me why. I’ll make her.”
I chuckle.
“You are mister charming.”
“As long as you’re my lucky charm, I have no worries about that.”