Chapter 10 #2
When he entered, the office was quieter than usual. Gabriel's desk was empty, and only Weston and Amalie were working at their respective stations.
"Where's Gabriel?" Abe asked.
"He is meeting with the surveillance company, in case you need to move ahead with that soon," Weston said without looking up from his bank of monitors. "Setting up surveillance on Jason is going to require some finesse. The guy has resources and probably expects to be watched."
"I agree we should be careful," Abe said. "Jason is a snake. But I'm telling you, he is not going to slither out of his crimes."
Weston swiveled his chair to face him. "I've fast-tracked the financial investigation. I should have something for you very soon. The money trail is getting clearer, and it's leading to some interesting places."
From her desk across the room, Amalie looked up from her laptop. "You'd be amazed by what some people post on social media."
Abe turned toward her. "You have something?"
"I'm just diving into it now," she said, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "I'll work up a report for Weston. But there are a couple of mentions about Jason that are very interesting. People in the industry talk, and not everyone's smart enough to keep their observations private."
"What kind of mentions?"
"The kind that suggests his business practices haven't gone unnoticed," Amalie said. "I need to verify some details before I can give you specifics, but there's definitely chatter about his methods."
Abe headed toward the door, impatient. "Keep at it. Tell Gabriel to text me the instant you guys have something concrete for me to pursue."
As the elevator doors closed behind him, Abe looked beyond investigation and evidence gathering. Jason had made this personal when he upset Genevieve. It was time to make him squirm.
*****
Sitting in his patrol car outside Guardian Investigations, Abe stared through the windshield at the busy street without really seeing the traffic. His mind was consumed with one thought: Jason Thornton had gone too far.
The systematic harassment, the break-in, the surveillance, and the intimidation of Genevieve's sister had been building toward this moment. But crushing her dreams just to prove he could was the final straw. Jason was becoming desperate, and desperate people were dangerous.
Abe started the engine and headed toward his house in the Garden District. Gabriel and Weston were building a case the traditional way, gathering evidence and following proper procedures. That was important work, and it would eventually put Jason behind bars. But eventually wasn't soon enough.
Genevieve needed to know that someone was willing to fight for her right now.
She needed to see that Jason's power wasn't absolute, that he couldn't hurt people without consequences.
And Abe needed to look Jason in the eye and make sure the man understood exactly what would happen if he continued to threaten the woman Abe loved.
Yes, loved. The realization hit him as he pulled into his driveway.
Somewhere between protecting Genevieve and watching her perform, between cooking breakfast in his kitchen and seeing her devastated by Jason's latest attack, protection had become something more.
He was in love with Genevieve, and that meant Jason's war against her was now a war against him.
Inside his house, Abe headed straight for his bedroom closet where his dress uniform hung in a protective bag. He hadn't worn the garments in months. But today called for the full authority and intimidation factor that came with official NOPD regalia.
He pulled on the crisp navy pants first, feeling his resolve harden with each piece of clothing.
The shirt came next, perfectly pressed and bearing the patches and insignia that represented years of law enforcement experience.
As he fastened each button, Abe thought about every violation Jason had committed, every boundary he'd crossed, and every moment of fear he'd caused Genevieve.
The badge went on next, heavy and solid against his chest. Abe had earned that badge through years of service, surviving countless dangerous situations and difficult cases.
Today, it represented more than just his authority as a detective.
It represented justice for a woman who'd been terrorized by a man who thought he couldn't be touched.
The duty belt came last, with its weight of responsibility and tools of enforcement.
As Abe adjusted the radio and checked his weapon, he felt the familiar transformation that came with putting on the uniform.
He wasn't just Abe Stewart anymore. He was Detective Stewart of the New Orleans Police Department, and he had questions that needed answers.
Standing in front of his bedroom mirror, Abe straightened his shoulders and checked his appearance one final time.
The man looking back at him was every inch the professional law enforcement officer, calm and controlled and determined.
Jason Thornton was about to learn what happened when you threatened someone under NOPD protection.
Abe grabbed his keys and headed for the door. It was time to have a confrontation with Jason, and this time, the scumbag wouldn't be controlling the terms of engagement.
The drive to Jason's business address took Abe through the warehouse district, where converted industrial buildings housed everything from art studios to tech startups.
According to the business license Weston had pulled, Thornton Music Group occupied the third floor of a renovated brick building that had once been a cotton warehouse.
As Abe pulled into the parking area, he noted the security cameras positioned at strategic points around the building's perimeter.
The main entrance was glass and steel, modern and professional looking.
A directory in the lobby listed various businesses, with Thornton Music Group prominently displayed.
Abe straightened his uniform jacket and checked his badge one more time. Then he walked through the glass doors, ready to meet Jason Thornton. The hunter was about to become the hunted.