It was about fifteen minutes before Rose called back and I answered. The plan was going exactly as we had hoped. Well, except for Carlos going to Del’s office – but other than that, we were on track and I felt like Carlos was putty in our hands.
“Hey, Brandon, I really need you to sign this form,” Rose said firmly. “We were together for a long time and you know that you can’t lie and trick me like this,” she started to cry.
“Okay, I’ll come over and sign it, you know I hate it when you cry. I didn’t mean to trick you, I must have forgotten,” I said as if Carlos could hear our conversation.
There was no way of knowing if he could hear it or not and I didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize Rose’s safety.
“Great, I’ll be waiting,” Rose said.
We hung up the phone and turned to the next step in our plan. I needed to get wired up so I could record what was about to happen. Billy had everything we needed and together with Josh, they taped the wire to my chest.
“This is going to hurt like a bitch when you pull it off,” Josh joked.
“Yeah, if I don’t sweat it off first.”
“I’m coming with you,” Delilah said as I got buttoned up and was about to head out the door.
“Um, the hell you are. I’m not putting you in that kind of situation.”
“Hear me out,” she said. “I think you could drag me with you and get angry with Carlos. Tell him you knew he was asking questions about him and you weren’t going to stand for it. He’s not going to back down. He’ll come out with his blackmail right then and there. It’s the perfect opportunity for him to say he will unfreeze your accounts if you just sign the paperwork.”
“Or he’ll shoot all three of us.”
“He’s not going to shoot you. Carlos is a money guy. If he thinks he’s winning, he’s going to take the money and run.”
“She has a good point. Otherwise, if you just show up there, he’s got no reason to come out with his plan. If he sees Delilah by your side, he’s going to freak out. He’ll have to admit to the blackmail.”
“Josh, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side, and I think Delilah’s right. We could be stuck in the back and forth with him for weeks if you just go over there and sign the form. No, I like her plan better.”
I had to admit the part of my plan that I had been most worried about was getting Carlos to confess on the tape. If I had Delilah with me, it would freak him out enough that he would put up his biggest offense. He wouldn’t have the time to get his brother there, and left alone with me and the ladies, he was going to try his hardest to keep his secret and still get the money out of me.
“Fine, but I don’t like it,” I grumped as Del and I headed to my vehicle.
“You know I’m a big girl, and I know what I’m doing.”
“Delilah, you’re a mother, and I would hate myself forever if I was a part of anything bad happening to you. Please promise me that you will leave if things get dangerous. No matter what. No matter what sort of threat is against my life or Rose; you get out of there if you can.”
She looked reluctant to agree to any such promise, but I had to hear her say she would protect herself. I didn’t think Carlos was going to get violent, but I just had no idea what he would do when things started to get out of control.
“Fine, I agree. But I want the record to note it was a very disgruntled agreement,” she laughed.
“Your record is dually noted.”
“I’m nervous. The second he sees me he’s going to know something is up.”
“Yes, he will. Stay behind me and play it off the best you can for the time being. We want him to be the one to crack first. Just pretend like I’ve brought you there against your will.”
“Okay.”
We walked up to Rose’s door and I knocked firmly. I had to pretend like I was angry, which wasn’t going to be very hard to do because I actually was pretty damn pissed at all the trouble Carlos had caused and the heartache he brought Rose.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I screamed at Carlos as I pushed past Rose. “You went to my girlfriend’s work and pretended to work for the government?”
I pushed Carlos into the corner and pulled my hand back as if I was going to hit him.
“Brandon, stop it! Carlos didn’t do any such thing. He’s just trying to protect me, and you were trying to trick me out of my share of the money.”