Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
K ristin couldn’t tell if the man standing in front of her was a friend of Nick’s or if he was a legitimate Federal agent. His demeanor was confident, almost too confident, and it made her uneasy.
“Can I please see some identification?” she asked, trying to mask the tremor in her voice.
He held up what looked to be a real Federal ID. She scrutinized it, noting the seal and the details, but still, a sense of distrust lingered.
“Agent Austin Young, what do you want?”
“I’m sorry if I startled you,” he said. His voice was calm, almost soothing. Looking around the shop, he asked, “Is there somewhere private we can go to talk?”
Kristin shook her head firmly. There was no way she would follow a complete stranger to a location where no one could see them. Her life had been too tumultuous, too filled with uncertainty and betrayal, to take such a risk.
“No. I’d rather stay right here thank you. Anyone who’s online knows the story anyway. I don’t care who hears you,” she replied, her voice laced with defiance.
She was angry. More than once, her life had been uprooted to the point where she had little control over her circumstances. She vowed never to put herself in that kind of position ever again.
“I suppose you’re here to keep me safe? What are you offering this time?” she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Ms. Wright, we’re not offering anything. We want to make sure you have all the information before you decide to help us or not,” he said, maintaining his calm demeanor.
Kristin laughed bitterly. “Help you? Help you with what?”
“We plan to put your ex-husband back in jail for good.”
“What? How can you do that? I don’t understand. He’s about to be released. If you wanted him to stay in jail, you could have made that happen. Why didn’t you?”
“Ms. Wright, I can’t give you all the details, but I’m asking you to trust me on this. We need Nick Caruso’s testimony, and one way or another, we’re going to get it, with or without your help.”
“Without,” she answered without hesitation.
Agent Young wasn’t taking no for an answer. He leaned in slightly, his expression turning more serious.
“You can do as you wish, but you need to understand that one way or the other, your ex-husband will show up here. When that happens, I promise you, you’ll wish you’d signed up to help us.”
He turned and headed toward the front door. Kristin watched him, her mind racing with thoughts and emotions. She called him back before he could leave.
“What do I have to do?”
The agent stopped and turned back to her, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth, clearly certain she would change her mind.
“We want you to encourage him to continue visiting you.”
“What? No. No way. I didn’t divorce him so we could start dating.”
“I didn’t ask you to date him. If he comes to see you, I want you to be open to listening to him talk. There will come a time when we’ll probably want to get some things on tape. Would you be willing to wear a wire?”
Kristin looked around the shop, her eyes darting to the few customers browsing the racks. She was grateful no one was anywhere near her, but the conversation was getting detailed, and she didn’t want anyone to hear what the agent was describing.
“Let’s go into my office, please,” she said, motioning towards the back of the store.
He followed her to the small, cluttered office at the rear of the shop. She closed the door behind them, feeling a slight sense of relief at the privacy.
“If I’m getting involved to this extent, you’re going to have to tell me everything,” she demanded, crossing her arms.
“The Federal Government wants more than Nick Caruso. We didn’t get our guy last time, but with Nick’s release, we’re confident he’ll lead us to the right person,” he explained.
Kristin thought for a minute before asking more questions. “Who is this guy you’re trying to get?”
“For obvious reasons, we can’t give you his name, at least not right now.”
“What has this person done?” she asked, her curiosity piqued despite herself.
“Let’s just say there are far too many children in this country on drugs. The person in question is responsible for it throughout the U.S.”
“Nick gave children drugs?” Kristin’s voice was a mix of disbelief and disgust.
“In a word, yes,” the agent replied grimly.
It didn’t take long for Kristin to agree to wear a wire. The thought of anyone harming a child was beyond her understanding, and she was happy to help bring anyone down who did.
“We’ll be in touch,” the agent said as he opened her office door and walked out of Seashells and Such.
Kristin watched him go, her mind spinning. She had always known Nick was trouble, but this was beyond anything she had imagined.
She sat down at her desk, the reality of what she had just agreed to sinking in. She was about to enter a world of danger and deception, but if it meant protecting children, she was ready to do whatever it took.
As the door closed behind the agent, Kristin took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. Her thoughts drifted to Nick and the tumultuous years they had spent together. The love, the betrayal, the fear. She had worked so hard to rebuild her life after him, to create a safe and stable environment for herself. And now, here she was, about to dive back into the chaos, not for herself, but for a greater cause.
The shop was quiet, the only sounds were the faint rustling of clothing and the soft murmur of customers. Kristin glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing she had been in her office longer than she had intended. She stood up, smoothed down her skirt, and stepped back out into the main area of the store.
Her assistant, Mary, gave her a questioning look as she emerged from the back.
“Everything okay, Kristin?” Mary asked, concern evident in her voice.
Kristin forced a smile. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Just dealing with some personal stuff.”
Mary nodded, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. “If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Mary. I appreciate it,” Kristin replied, grateful for her assistant’s support.
As the day wore on, Kristin found it difficult to focus on her work. Her mind kept drifting back to the conversation with the agent and the implications of what she had agreed to do. She knew she was taking a huge risk, but the thought of children being harmed because she didn’t act was something she couldn’t live with.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. Kristin managed to get through her tasks, but her heart wasn’t in it. She kept replaying the agent’s words in her mind, trying to piece together the puzzle of what Nick was involved in and how she could help bring it all to an end.
As closing time approached, she felt a mix of exhaustion and determination. She locked up the shop and headed home, her thoughts still racing. She needed to talk to someone about what had happened, but she knew she had to be careful. The last thing she wanted was to put anyone else in danger.
At home, she poured herself a glass of wine and sat down at the kitchen table. The house was quiet, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside her mind. She sipped her wine, trying to calm her nerves and think clearly.
She knew she couldn’t do this alone. She needed someone she could trust, someone who understood the gravity of the situation and shared her concerns.
Her mind drifted to her sister, Claire, and Claire’s daughter, Katie. They had always been close, and the three of them had been living under the shadow of Nick’s release, worried he would show up in Captiva.
Kristin picked up her phone and dialed Claire’s number. After a few rings, Claire answered.
“Hey, Kris. What’s up?”
“Hey, Claire. I need to talk to you about something.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Claire’s voice came through, more focused now.
“What’s going on?”
Kristin took a deep breath and began to explain everything. She told Claire about the agent, why they allowed Nick’s release from jail, and the plan for her to wear a wire. She laid it all out, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke.
When she finished, there was a moment of silence. Kristin could almost hear the wheels turning in Claire’s mind as she processed everything.
“Kris, I expected something like this. We’ve all been on edge since we heard he was getting out. Katie’s out right now, but she’ll be home soon. I’ll talk to her about it.”
“Thanks, Claire. I just don’t know what to do. It all feels so overwhelming.”
Claire sighed, the sound of concern clear even over the phone. “I get it. This is a lot to deal with. What can I do to help?”
Kristin paused, considering her options. “I don’t know yet. The agent wants me to wear a wire and get close to Nick again. I’m not sure how to handle it all.”
“Maybe you should call Linda and Millie. When they were at your place on Thanksgiving, they were so eager to help. I’m sure they’d want to be there for you now,” Claire suggested.
Kristin nodded, even though Claire couldn’t see her. “You’re right. They were both supportive. I’ll reach out to them.”
“Good. And remember, you’re not alone in this. We’re all here for you, Kris. We’ll get through this together. Do you want me to come over right now?”
“No, that’s all right. I’ll call you later and we can talk more. I just need to think about all this.”
They talked a bit longer, Claire offering more words of support and caution. Kristin could hear the comfort and determination in her sister’s voice, which helped steady her own nerves.
When they finally hung up, Kristin felt a bit more grounded. She wasn’t alone in this. She had Claire and Katie, and the possibility of calling Linda and Millie for additional support.
Kristin poured herself another glass of wine and sat back down at the kitchen table. She scrolled through her phone, finding Linda’s number first. She hesitated for a moment, then pressed the call button. The phone rang twice before Linda picked up.
“Hey Kristin! How are you?”
“Hey Linda. I’m… I’ve got a situation, and I could use your help.”
Linda’s tone shifted instantly to one of concern. “Of course. What’s going on?”
Kristin took a deep breath and launched into the story again, detailing the visit from the federal agent, Nick’s release, and the request to wear a wire. Linda listened quietly, her occasional murmurs of understanding encouraging Kristin to continue.
When she finished, Linda didn’t hesitate. “Whatever you need, Kristin, I’m here. I’m not sure about Millie. Maggie is her boss and is concerned for everyone’s safety so she told Millie to let the authorities handle it. Well, she told me too, but I’m more hard-headed than Millie. Whatever you need, you just say the word, and I’ll be there.”
“Thank you, Linda. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Kristin allowed herself a few hours of rest with her wine and a television show to distract her. She finished her wine and got ready for bed, her mind still buzzing with everything that had happened.
For the first time in a long while, Kristin felt a sense of resolve. She would do whatever it took to help bring Nick down and stop the person behind him.
With Claire, Katie and Linda by her side, she knew she had the strength and support to move forward. The thought of her friends and family gave her the courage she needed to face Nick again.