Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
I bent down and paid close attention so that he didn’t try to kick me as I searched his pocket and came up with what I assumed was a burner phone. I opened it. There wasn’t security and only one number was on the call list. I stood up, moved back, and dialed it.
A familiar voice answered. “Is it done?”
“Probably not as you expected.”
“Shawn,” Nicolas Cortez said.
“Surprised?”
“Disappointed.”
I tucked my gun in my waistband and went for the murder-for-hire’s gun as I said into the phone, “Disappointed I’m alive?” I kept one eye on my intruder with the phone between my cheek and shoulder as I emptied his gun of bullets and decocked it.
“Disappointed you didn’t kill my wife as ordered.”
“You really shouldn’t say these things over the phone,” I suggested. “Besides, it was a long shot I could find her. Give me a minute,” I said and put the phone down. I could hear him talking, but he would wait.
I hauled my intruder up by the waistband and got him to his feet. “You have one shot at walking out of here alive,” I said in a low tone, not wanting my neighbors to overhear as I frog-marched him to my door. “Leave and don’t come back. If you try anything, I’ll be forced to go for center mass.” He nodded.
This was the riskiest moment as I uncuffed him. My hold on the gun was tenuous during this time. Thankfully, he didn’t try anything as I stepped back and aimed at him. “Go,” I said. And he left. I guessed he decided killing me wasn’t worth his life. I closed and locked the door, not that it would stop the guy. He was clearly gifted with picking locks. I picked up my phone and turned on the camera view before setting my gun down. Then I picked up the burner phone and walked to the window.
“Still with me?” I said.
“What is going on?” Cortez said.
“I let your guy go.” I was banking on the feds listening in and preparing to take the guy into custody.
“Just like that?”
“Just like that,” I repeated.
“You have a thing for letting pretty things go.”
I didn’t think he was talking about his hit man.
“I’ve got too many eyes on me. You should know that. The cops and the feds are waiting for me to screw up. Doing anything for you is too risky. Letting her go and have her believe I was her savior gave me brownie points.”
I was curious how he would react. How well did Cortez know Ruin? Were they working together?
“Should I be worried about this me attitude?”
“No. Last thing I need to add to a list of charges is cop killer. Besides, I went to California looking for your wife.” It was a lie. I was testing to see if he’d known if I went to New York or not.
“What did you find?”
My intruder finally emerged from the building, where he was approached by plainclothes cops and herded into a black SUV.
“Nothing,” I said.
“Why California?”
“Well, we both know your wife would not survive in a small town. Other big cities are risky. California, specifically Los Angeles, is the perfect mix of urban but ritzy enough for her.”
“Was this a hunch, or did you have information?”
I scoffed. “Information? I’m a leper in the PD. I don’t have the same contacts as I used to.”
“What good are you to me?”
“Alive? If I’m killed, they will pin it on you. And not being dead means they are spending some resources trying to indict me and not all on you.”
“Maybe. Besides, your kid dealer will likely take care of you for me when he finds out you cut a witness free. Bye, Shawn.” And he hung up.
Finding out if he and Ruin were working closely together hadn’t been clear. He knew enough to confirm they were acquainted with each other. Time would tell on the rest. But as long as Tayla stayed in New York, the longer I had to deal with the Ruin problem.
My phone signaled a call. I closed the burner and retrieved it.
“Griff. What’s up?” I said.
“You’re not going to like this.”
I blew out a long breath. “What?”
“Tayla’s on her way back to Chicago.”
Fuck.
29
TAYLA
Though I truly believed that Ruin wasn’t looking for me, my anxiety was still at an all-time high. Having Bailey’s cooking saved the plane ride. Barbeque pulled pork, mashed sweet potatoes, and oddly delicious crisp green beans kept my worried thoughts at bay. When we finished eating our fill, I cornered Kelsey on something I’d been wondering about.
“Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with you and Griffin?” She had been a little more than annoyed when relaying that Griffin was playing security guard to some young up-and-coming movie star. But I hadn’t wanted to corner her about it in front of Lizzy and Bailey. Now we were alone.