“Yeah.” Agent Jones waited for the page to finish printing and put it down in front of me. “You’ve definitely got something that we haven’t had up until this point—you’re exactly what he’s looking for. The north side is one of the last pieces of New York he needs to seize control of the entire city.”
“Then let’s use it against him.” I grabbed the pen and signed the agreement. “When are you going to pick up Liam?”
“I’ve had someone on him since he left his apartment this morning. He’s at work right now. We’ll need to wait until he’s away from the Fire Department.” Agent Jones picked up the agreement. “I’ll make sure he’s safe before you walk back into Robert Townsend’s club.”
“Good.” I moved the pen over to my statement and signed it. “Then I’ll get what you need so you can put the bastard behind bars.”
Special Agent Jones was someone who came to help our department during an investigation involving a serial arsonist a couple of years back when our investigators weren’t able to make any headway on the case. He wasn’t like the other federal agents that came in and tried to run everything. He worked with us, and it was more like a partnership. He was also a good man—I saw that when we went out for drinks one night, and he kept his wedding band on instead of taking it off, so he could keep talking to the beautiful blonde who tried to hit on him. I believed I could trust him, mainly because he was outside of Robert Townsend’s reach. I wished I had the ability to handle it on my own, but that wasn’t real. I needed help, or I was going to be Robert Townsend’s bitch for the rest of my life. The bastard wasn’t going to take my dignity or my balls—and he sure as fuck wasn’t going to keep me away from the woman I loved.
&
nbsp; I just hope I hadn’t made her hate me again already when I didn’t come home last night. I hope she understands that this is for the best and the only way we can be together.
“Mr. Townsend.” I motioned with my hand when I saw him walking through the club. “I called in sick today like you suggested—what happens now?”
“Ah, already getting excited about your new job?” Mr. Townsend smiled as he approached the bar.
“Just thinking things over—changes that I need to make.” I nodded and sipped my drink. “Any suggestions?”
“Don’t worry about that.” He patted me on the shoulder. “I’ll take care of everything when the time is right.”
“Yes, sir…” I nodded, and my jaw clenched when he walked away.
Fuck, that isn’t enough. He didn’t admit to anything.
Special Agent Jones told me that I would need Robert Townsend dead to rights. A full confession was the only thing that was going to get him behind bars. It couldn’t be vague, and it certainly couldn’t leave anything to the imagination. He had good lawyers—the best that money could buy. They had gotten him out of a couple of jams, and then the witnesses disappeared—especially the people who were responsible for getting him into the jam, to begin with. If I fucked up, everyone I cared about would be safe, but I wouldn’t be with them. I would be six feet under the ground—if I even got the courtesy of a grave. I was already in too deep though. My statement confirmed that I made a deal with Robert Townsend. It laid out everything that led to the point I was at. I had to take the next step, even if I was walking into a fire without the suit I usually got to wear that kept me from getting burned.
“Mr. Townsend…” I followed behind him as he got to his office. “Are you sure I shouldn’t be there when Chief Dade announces his retirement? Wouldn’t that help my case if I’m going to be the new chief?”
“It’s not necessary.” He shook his head back and forth. “It would just create suspicion. It’s better that nobody knows you’re getting the job until the mayor announces it.”
Okay, that’s almost what I need.
“You’re probably right.” I nodded quickly.
“Yes—I always am.” His head turned to the side when his phone started to ring. “Excuse me; I need to take this.”
I walked towards the door, but I didn’t close it all of the way. I stood outside his office, trying to listen to the call. If I was lucky, the wire I was wearing might pick up his side of the conversation. I doubted he was going to say anything incriminating unless the person was sitting right in front of him, but it was worth a shot. My blood ran cold when I realized that the call was about Chief Dade—and he was not going to retire. The discussion was heated, and as soon as he hung up the phone, I walked towards the bar as fast as I could. If something had gone wrong, then he would probably come looking for me—but that might be a good thing. I quickly ordered a drink and gulped some of it to make it look like I had been sitting there since he sent me out his office to take the call. A few seconds later, Robert Townsend walked up beside me.
“Fucking hell.” His jaw was tight, and he was nearly seething.
“What’s wrong?” I tried to keep a casual expression on my face as I turned my head in his direction.
“Chief Dade is refusing to retire—he told the mayor that he’s going to have to drag him out of his office in handcuffs if he wants him gone!” Robert Townsend slammed his hand on the bar—hard enough for people to look at the dancer and us to stop in the middle of her routine. “Let’s go back to my office—too many ears out here.”
“Yes, sir.” I nodded quickly and followed him.
He’s upset, and he wants to talk. This is it. I just have to make sure I don’t say anything. God bless Chief Dade for having a set of balls—I could hug him right now.
“Okay, we need a new plan.” He was fuming when he sat down behind his desk—the steam was practically rising up from his ears. “I thought Chief Dade had enough sense not to fuck with me, but apparently I was wrong.”
“He’s—he’s an honorable man.” I sat down across from Robert Townsend and shrugged. “He’s always been on the up-and-up.”
“He’s a fucking fool, that’s what he is.” Robert Townsend glared his desk and then yanked the drawer open—a second later he was holding a gun.
“Fuck! What the hell?” Fear ran through my veins immediately.
Does he know? Oh my god. What happened? I haven’t done anything that would be remotely suspicious except sweat so much my armpits are drenched…