Chapter 21 Alaric
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
ALARIC
“Let me be that I am and seek not to alter me.” - William Shakespeare, Much ado nothing about
After Celeste leaves my apartment I dive right back into analyzing everything about this guy.
Now that the stakes are higher with someone I care deeply about in the mix, it makes me feel even more uneasy.
Why she thought it would be a good idea to host a big event at the biggest club in the city is beyond me.
I can’t help but think she’s up to something, though.
She was so adamant about keeping it and I didn’t miss the fire that flamed in her eyes.
I shouldn’t have let her look through the documents and see all the photos of the victims, but she didn’t shy away from the sight of death.
It was like she absorbed it and she was calculating something she wouldn’t speak aloud.
One of hers is involved and I have no doubt she would do anything to protect her own, but does that mean she would be reckless at the chance of getting caught and lured into his web?
There’s something about her that is lethal and I can’t help but be so drawn to it.
It also makes me think back to Monroe giving me a warning, but I still refuse to hear what she has to say because Celeste is not a threat.
She doesn’t know her like I do. She's protective, driven, and she comes off as if she doesn’t need protection, no matter who screams at her that she does.
All I know is, Celeste Hansley is going to do something big and I needed to keep an eye on her.
She did, however, invite me and my team to the event as if it was going to help us with a lead.
I couldn’t deny her offer. It’s a brilliant idea to lure him into the heart of the sin he hates so much, but he wouldn’t show himself in the plain daylight.
He’ll come disguised and will blend in with the crowd, which could and will be a problem.
What I need to do now is bring this into the department and come up with a plan to be discreet and calculating. We need to blend in as customers instead of Special Agents. There’s nothing more I can do now until I head in and I sure as hell am not going to have anyone come over at this hour.
Pushing off the counter, I gather all the documents and place them into my backpack before heading down the hall.
I quickly clean up the room that I keep closed at all times hiding my deepest desires.
Smiling to myself, the images of Celeste knotted and hanging on full display makes my cock twitch.
It surprised me how much she loved it and never once asked for me to stop.
It was like she wanted something more, something more daring, but I didn’t want to go too far to scare her off.
Slipping into bed, her scent engulfs me, making me feel like a piece of me is missing.
My whole world revolves around her now. When I’m at work, I’m distracted by the moments we share together, the conversations we have and late night calls.
My team has noticed a difference in me. Beckett seems to like the new side of me.
He often tells me I’m more alive and less of an asshole, but then you have Monroe who huffs and makes sly remarks that I’ve pulled away from my duties.
That I can’t afford distractions and to get my head on straight.
But she’s wrong. Knowing what Celeste does for a living makes me want to catch this asshole even more.
My body slowly starts to relax, sinking deeper into the mattress. My phone dings causing me to jolt upright, making me groan. Damn, right when I was getting comfy.
Celeste: I’m home. Thank you for today. Next time, I want to be hung upside down
Goddamn, why does she have to be so perfect and tease me like this when I’m alone?
Me: Damn, baby girl, why do you have to tease me like that? You could come back over so I can fulfill your request.
Celeste: As tempting as that is, I have a girl’s night to fulfill and you have work early in the morning. Dream of me. Xoxo
Before closing out my phone, I set my alarm and send a quick text to Monroe and Beckett to meet me in the conference room in the morning. Setting my phone down, my body starts to relax again and slowly my eyes drift closed, taking me into deep sleep.
“You know, having us come in this early should be illegal. Must be something good for even you to grace us with your presence at this hour,” Beckett jokes as he sets his computer bag on the table and slumps into the chair.
“I brought coffee and breakfast sandwiches from the coffee shop down the road.” I gesture towards the end of the table.
Beckett shoots up from his seat and makes his way down the table. Grabbing one of the sandwiches, he tears open the aluminum foil and shoves the sandwich in his mouth. He closes his eyes and moans as a piece of egg hangs from his lips. Dear lord, you would think he doesn’t eat.
“Damn, trying to butter us up with some actual good coffee and food. Must be serious,” he responds with a mouth full of food.
Monroe walks into the room, closing the door behind her.
She notices Beckett and shakes her head before she grabs herself a coffee and takes a seat at the table.
She doesn’t speak a word, which may be better for all of us.
She’s not a morning person and I don’t have the patience to deal with her wrath of disturbing her beauty sleep.
On top of it all, she’s already on my shit list for how she treats Celeste and I may just lose all control with one snide remark.
“It was brought to my attention yesterday that there’s going to be a big event happening Friday at Urban Fantasy. There will be hundreds of people lining up to see the show,” I begin but am quickly cut off.
“You mean your girlfriend is hosting an event. What does that have to do with us and warrant making us come in before our shift?” Monroe spits out with annoyance.
I notice Beckett winces at her snide comment and holds his breath as he too knows she's hovering over a thin line. Taking a deep breath, I try to calm myself. This is not the time to get in the fighting ring right now. And she will lose the fight in the end.
“Celeste is hosting an event, yes. She mentioned it and I tried to tell her it’s not a good time and should cancel it for a different day.
She insisted that it could benefit us with the investigation.
She said this could draw him out and we might be able to catch him.
She’ll add our names to the list and we can recruit some undercovers,” I explain
Damn, I was hoping my little bribe of food and coffee would shut her up for once.
“That’s actually not a bad idea. Although, do you think it’ll actually work? He might not fall for it and figure out it’s a trap.” Beckett leans in, intrigued.
He opens up his laptop and starts typing at some ungodly speed like he’s on some sort of tech mission.
I walk over to stand behind him and watch as he types in codes and obtains the layout of the club.
He highlights all the entrance and exit points so we’re prepared to station someone at each one. We’ll make it harder for him to escape.
“I will have to agree, it might give us a break that we need in this case. However, she shouldn’t know anything about the specifics.
She’s too close to the case with Samantha's involvement. She might act before thinking and blow up the whole plan. I’m not trying to start shit this early this morning, Solace, but you and I both know it’s the truth,” Monroe concedes to the idea.
Her concerns are actually valid about Celeste.
Oliver has someone she cares for and I wouldn’t put it past her to get involved more than she already is but we can’t pass on this, especially when we have no other options.
Once we bring this to our director, he won’t hesitate to take her up on the offer, no matter the cost.
“She won’t be a problem. I’ll make sure of it. So we all agree to proceed with this plan?” They nod in agreement.
We take the next hour studying the layout that Beckett obtained and pick out the undercovers we’ll utilize.
The three of us will also alter our appearances and attend as wealthy business owners ready to spend big money.
Once we have our plan set, I call Ava, the director's secretary, to see if he’s in office yet and available and if she can get hold of the head of the undercover team.
She advised she would let him know to come to the conference room as an urgent matter.
About ten minutes later, Stevens walks into the room with the Head of Undercover, Lopez, and takes a seat at the table. We go over our strategic plan as well as where we’ll have everyone stationed. Handing over photos, we provide what the assailant looks like and his motives.
“How can you be sure that he’ll actually attend?” Director Stevens asks after taking a few moments of analyzing everything we’ve provided.
“Based on the patterns of the other victims, they were all sex workers. He believes that they’re committing a sin. With how big this event will be, he may become outraged with the excitement of the entertainment that will be on display. People are coming from all over to be there,” I assure him.
“He will no doubt be under disguise, as we will be, but we’ll watch for any ticks and reactions that a normal person would not make.
We’ll also watch for any signs of outrage or disgust. He’ll more than likely try to hide it but a person like him can only take so much until he breaks.
Solace and I will appear as a couple going out, looking for some fun to spice up our relationship and Beckett will be in a van monitoring,” Monroe adds and throws in another idea, that we did, in fact, not discuss.