Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
It took a few days to get everyone’s schedules aligned, but on Thursday afternoon, they met in Sylvie’s living room. First to arrive was Ethan, Faith’s upstairs roommate and Sylvie’s cousin. Then Nic, Sylvie’s boyfriend. Faith hugged them both.
“Have the police found anything more about the guy who broke in?” Nic asked.
“That’s what I need to tell you all about.”
Sylvie and Ethan both knew this was about Jon. But Faith had only seen Sylvie for a few minutes here and there since her weekend with Tanner. They had a lot to catch up on.
Faith had spent every night with him since they’d returned to West Oaks.
When they were in each other’s arms, laughing, making love, she could pretend nothing else mattered outside the walls of his house. But afterward, the worries kept coming back.
Jon hadn’t called again yet, but it was only a matter of time. She had to be ready.
Sylvie and Tanner walked in the front door. Faith’s roommate dumped her bag and keys on the ground, rushing over to wrap Faith in her arms. “I’m sorry we’re late. It was hard to get away today. You’d think that place couldn’t function without me.”
“I guarantee it can’t.” Tanner gave Faith a heart-melting smile. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She couldn’t resist giving him a quick kiss. Her body instantly responded to having him near, and she wished she could focus on him instead of the mess involving her ex-husband.
“Ugh, you two are so disgustingly adorable,” Sylvie said. “Are we talking business or what?”
Faith forced her attention away from Tanner. “What do you mean? I’m all business.” Despite her happiness at seeing her boyfriend—she loved saying that—the trouble with Jon had been weighing heavily on her mind.
They all took seats in the living room.
“Sylvie, Ethan, this affects both of you. I wanted you to be involved in this decision. Same with Nic and Tanner because you both have experience dealing with…things like this.”
“Criminal conspiracies?” Nic asked wryly.
Ethan’s eyebrows shot up behind his wire rimmed glasses. “That sounds ominous.”
Faith wished she could joke about it. But this situation felt too serious. “I’ll tell you everything I can, and let you decide for yourselves.”
She went through the chain of events so far. How Jon had reappeared at her workplace, asking her to store things for him, and an innocent package had soon followed. How Jon’s old associate Kyle had shown up at the house, demanding another delivery.
“At first, Jon seemed apologetic. He promised he’d leave me out of whatever scheme he’s mixed up in. But he never keeps his promises.” She told them about his latest call over the weekend, asking her to receive another delivery here.
“That asshole,” Sylvie said. “He’s really unbelievable.”
Faith had no interest in defending him. Nor did she want to rehash the full, tragic story.
“The people Jon’s involved with are threatening us.
They beat him up. He’s in way over his head, and I feel stuck.
If I keep refusing, I have no idea what they’ll do to Jon or me.
And if I go along—which I won’t do—he’ll just keep asking for more. ”
Nic brushed his dark curls away from his forehead.
“It’s typical for the cartels to have storage places for their product when it arrives from overseas before it gets moved for sale.
Makes sense an innocent person like you would be attractive as a stopping point in their distribution chain.
You wouldn’t be on the radar of the DEA or local authorities. ”
Nic was one of the most physically beautiful men Faith had ever met, though of course he had nothing on Tanner.
Yet Nic was also soft-spoken and unassuming.
Sylvie had mentioned he had a checkered past, including personal experience with organized crime—on the wrong side of the law—which was hard for Faith to believe.
These days he worked for an art gallery and consulted with law enforcement to help catch bad guys.
But when it came to subjects like drug cartels, she had to assume he knew what he was talking about.
“But Jon hasn’t asked her to store a whole stream of product,” Sylvie argued. “Just a box here and there.”
Nic looked skeptical. “Still sounds drug related to me. The kinds of people we’re talking about?
Who dole out beatings as punishments? They don’t make elaborate plans unless there’s money in it.
And not many kinds of contraband would be as valuable as cocaine or high-purity heroin or fentanyl pills coming in from overseas. ”
Faith was inclined to agree. “Because of Jon’s past, how he was a dealer before in Texas, I’ve thought from the beginning this was about drugs. But if Jon was involved in the drug trade here, why didn’t Tanner’s friend in the LAPD find any evidence of it?”
Tanner rested his elbows on his knees, looking down at the carpet. “I’m not sure.”
Nic propped his foot on the coffee table. “If Jon’s moving drugs, but he’s doing it outside the cartels who have ownership of this region, it would be insanely dangerous. Both for Jon and anyone else who touches this.”
Faith didn’t want to mention that Jon had passed on a threat against her if she reported his associates. It probably went without saying. Tanner already knew.
Sylvie jumped up from the couch, pacing on the rug in her combat boots. “But we’ve faced down murderous thugs before. I’m not going to let anyone intimidate my friends.”
Nic looked up at her fondly from his seated position. “I’m right there with you. But we have to be smart about this.”
“Exactly,” Ethan said. “We let the police handle it. Not us.”
Which she’d also considered, despite Jon’s threats.
Tanner lifted his head. “We should let Faith decide.” His brown eyes were soft as he regarded her. “Do you have a plan in mind?”
She shifted on the cushion. “I might. I mentioned two options so far. Refuse Jon altogether or go along. I don’t like either one.
So, here’s number three. When Jon contacts me about the next drop-off, I’ll act like I’m on board.
But when the delivery comes, we’ll see if the package has drugs inside, hidden somewhere.
Tanner, maybe your friend at the LAPD would be willing to check it out? ”
“Sean will help us unofficially. But the police will want concrete evidence before devoting their resources.”
“So, we’re running a sting operation?” Sylvie had stopped pacing. Her arms were crossed over her petite frame.
Faith nodded. “Basically. And if it’s really something illegal, as it probably is, we’ll have the evidence the police need to get involved. They can catch the person who comes here to pick up the delivery.”
Tanner’s knee brushed Faith’s. “But what about Jon? If it’s drugs, he’ll be implicated, too.”
“I know. I’ve spent too long covering for him. I’m done.”
Nic pushed out a breath. “This sounds dangerous.”
“I guess there’s a fourth option,” Faith said. “I leave town. I can’t imagine Jon or Kyle, or anyone would still bother you if I’m not here.” Though nothing would stop them from coming after her.
The others made sounds of disapproval. Tanner frowned, reaching for her hand.
“This is only happening because of my presence. Sylvie and Ethan, you invited me into your home, and I brought this mess along with me.”
Sylvie crossed her arms over her black tank top. “Out of the question. We’ll follow your other plan, option three. And no matter what, we’re in this together.”
Faith let out a breath, sagging into the couch with relief. None of this was going to be easy. But having her friends beside her made her believe she could do it.
After their meeting, the five of them ordered takeout for a quick dinner. But the whole time, Faith couldn’t wait to get Tanner alone.
He seemed to be thinking the same. The moment she stepped out of Sylvie’s dining room and into the hall, he followed. “I’ve missed you all day.” Tanner lifted her up, pressing her into the wall and kissing her.
Faith put her hands on his cheeks, enjoying the scratch of his whiskers on her palms. All she wanted was to curl up with him and wish everything else away. “I missed you, too.”
Myra had commented at work on how she wouldn’t stop smiling. Faith’s coworker had also demanded details about what happened after their infamous double date. But despite much cajoling, she’d only given up that she and Tanner were official now.
What they did when they were alone belonged only to them. She cherished each new memory they’d been making.
This thing with Tanner was only a few days old, still brand new. Faith didn’t know any more if they were going fast, slow, somewhere in between. She only knew how right she felt whenever they were together. Why should she question this feeling when it was so good?
And the sex… Faith hated the word addiction. Yet it was the only term that fit the overwhelming craving she felt for this man. Whenever they weren’t tangled up together, she was distracted by her longing for it.
But no matter how happy she was, her problems with Jon still hung over their heads. She wanted the bad parts to be over.
He set her down. “My place again tonight? I drove here from work.”
“You don’t want to walk? I don’t mind.”
“Nah, I’m good. I haven’t felt like walking as much lately. Cuts into our alone time.”
Faith had already changed out of her scrubs into comfier clothes. In the living room, she grabbed a few things from one of her suitcases to take with her.
Sylvie, Nic, and Ethan were still sitting at the table, nibbling on Thai food. “Sleeping at Tanner’s again tonight?” Sylvie asked.
Faith’s cheeks warmed. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Nic grinned. “I certainly don’t. I’ve been staying here the past couple nights, and without you sleeping in the living room, Sylvie and I can be as loud as we want.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “You think I can’t hear you upstairs?”