Chapter 11
11
W e’re halfway to Miami when I finally break the tense silence.
“Alicia, I owe you an apology.” My voice is gruff, the words feeling almost foreign as they leave my lips. Admitting fault has never come easy for me.
She turns to me, her eyes guarded and skeptical.
“For what, exactly?” Her tone is clipped, laced with lingering hurt and distrust.
I grip the steering wheel tighter, choosing my words carefully. Vulnerability doesn’t sit well with me, but I know I need to open up if I want to make things right. “For doubting you. For thinking you were guilty.” The admission leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but it’s the truth.
Alicia remains silent, her gaze fixed resolutely out the passenger window. The distance between us feels like a vast chasm, one I’m not sure I can bridge.
“You can’t blame me for thinking the worst when you tried to run,” I offer, attempting to justify my actions. Old habits die hard.
Her head whips around, eyes flashing with defiance. “As if you could blame me for trying to run! I was scared, Ace. Scared of going to jail for something I didn’t do.” Her voice trembles with emotion, and I can see the fear she’s been carrying etched into the lines of her face.
“I know, but…” I trail off, trying to find the right way to explain the tangled mess of thoughts and emotions swirling within me. How do I make her understand the instincts that have kept me alive all these years? “You have to see it from my perspective. You moved the money, Alicia. That didn’t exactly scream innocence.” The words sound hollow, even to my own ears.
She’s quiet for a moment, staring out the window at the passing scenery. The weight of our words hangs heavy in the air. “I panicked,” she says softly, her voice tinged with regret. “I thought that I needed to freeze the money. I didn’t want them to move it again. I believed that once I got my hands on the money, I could prove my innocence somehow.”
I nod, understanding the desperation that must have driven her actions. In my line of work, I’ve seen enough to recognize the signs. She was grasping at straws. “I get it. You were backed into a corner, trying to find a way out.”
“Exactly.” She turns back to me, her expression softening as our eyes meet. There’s a vulnerability there that catches me off guard. “I never meant to mislead you, Ace. I was just… I was desperate. I would have tried just about anything to clear my name.”
“I know that now.” The realization settles in my gut like a lead weight. I reach over, taking her hand in mine, offering what little comfort I can. “And I’m sorry for not trusting you. I should have had more faith.”
Alicia squeezes my hand, a small smile playing on her lips. A glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. “Apology accepted.”
We fall into a more comfortable silence, the weight of misunderstandings slowly lifting. But even as the tension dissipates, I can’t shake the nagging feeling that we’re a long way from the trust needed to build something real with someone. That thought surprises me, but as the Miami skyline comes into view, I feel a new sense of purpose stirring. As strange as it may seem, I think Alicia’s the one who might just help me break through the walls I’ve built around my heart.
A few minutes later, we pull up to the police station. I have no problem finding a spot. There’s a special parking space for bounty hunters delivery. Despite the sheriff’s reassurances, Alicia seems anxious, her eyes darting around like a caged animal. I reach over and give her hand a reassuring squeeze, the warmth of her skin sending a jolt through me.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say. “Trust me.”
She musters a weak smile, but as we head inside, her eyes betray her fear. At the front desk, the officer looks up, her gaze lingering on Alicia before turning to me. I can sense her boredom. I’m just another bounty hunter.
“We’re here about the Alicia Floyd case,” I say, keeping my voice level and meeting her stare. “I’m representing Hunter’s Guild.”
“I see,” she nods and taps a few keys on her computer, her long crimson nails clicking against the keys. “Ah yes, MissFloyd. One moment please.”
We wait in silence, the only sound the rhythmic tapping as she keeps on typing. After what feels like an eternity, the woman looks up again, her expression unreadable.
“It appears there’s been an error,” she says matter-of-factly, as if commenting on the weather. “The case’s been closed.”
“The case has been what?” Alicia asks, probably a little louder than she meant to, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Dismissed.” The officer looks up at us, then back to her computer again. “Yeah, it seems it all started because of a clerical error.”
I frown. Something doesn’t feel right. “You’re sure?”
“Well, I don’t have access to the entire file, but from what I see, the money wasn’t lost but misplaced. Some glitch happened during a routine transfer.” She dives further into her cyber file and nods, as if confirming her own words. “Looks like the bank has already contacted the IRS to clear up the misunderstanding. So, yes, MissFloyd is free to go.”
I turn to Alicia, searching her face for a reaction. “Did you hear that? You’re free.”
She nods slowly, her eyes wide, as if she can’t quite believe what she’s hearing.
The officer winks and whispers to Alicia, “You know, no one would blame you if you sued the bank for what they put you through.”
Alicia smiles, a genuine one this time, relief washing over her features. “I’ll consider it, but I think I’d rather turn the page and be done with this nightmare.”
We walk out to the street, and she turns to me, her brow furrowed in confusion. “You were there with me, you did hear Blackwell Senior say he was pressing charges, and that was, what… less than two hours ago. So how… how is that possible?”
I shake my head, unable to hide my grin. Something isn’t adding up, but for once, I don’t care. “Who cares? The important thing is you’re in the clear.”
Alicia lets out a shaky laugh, her shoulders sagging as the tension leaves her body. “Can you lend me your phone, please? I need to check something…”
Leaning against my SUV, I hand her my phone, already guessing what she’s getting ready to check online. As I watch the smile grow on her lips, I know. Blackwell’s money is still in her accounts, and my guess is he won’t be asking for it back. It’s hush money, a very nice amount of it too—enough to start over, if she wants to. For now, though, all that matters is that she’s free, and the weight that’s been pressing down on her has finally lifted.