Chapter 1
Jax pulled up in front of the precinct building and arrowed his Alpha Romeo into the designated parking spot for the chief of police. Quickly rounding the snazzy automobile, he was at the passenger side before Viviana could open the door. Ignoring her attempt to push his hand away, he reached for her and pulled her up next to him. Tipping up her chin, he forced her to meet his gaze. Seeing the constricted expression straining her pale face, he shoved at his concern and forced a tight smile to curve his lips.
“Oh no you don’t, sweetheart. No pushing away the guy who loves you just because we’re going to meet the team. Don’t worry, Sergeant Moreau. It’s an ill-kept secret that the SJPD chief of police is ass-over-elbows in love with the gorgeous VCU sergeant known as the Enchantress.” When she frowned and tried to pull away, he shook his head and blew out a hard sigh. “Listen up, baby. We had a challenging night, but we got through it. The same way we’re going to do everything from now on—together.”
When she didn’t answer, he grinned. “Don’t worry, baby, I’m not going to cuff you to my side. You still get to be your ornery self, the renowned shining star of the Violent Crimes Unit. However, know that the arrogant police chief intends to make his presence known.” He added with a chuckle, “He’ll likely be a more frequent visitor at the VCU. Which is to be expected given that we are now working as a team.”
Jax was relieved that his intentionally cocky assertion brought some angry color to her cheeks. Anything was better than the strained expression that had lived on her usually expressive face since she had woken from her troubled sleep. It had taken him over an hour to rock her back to sleep following what had to have been a terrifying nightmare. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t had them before. Since he’d moved her into his condominium, and now that they were sleeping together every night, Jax had become aware of how troubled her sleep was. In the last ten days, she’d had three full-blown nightmares, the worst being last night’s.
As she had done after her previous nightmares, Viviana refused to acknowledge her midnight terror. Not so much as commenting on the fact that she’d spent most of the night huddled on his lap, she’d dashed past him down the rooftop staircase. From there, she sequestered herself in her bathroom until it was time to leave for their morning meeting. A fierce scowl and a raised shoulder greeted his suggestion that she have a piece of toast and perhaps some fruit for breakfast. Her refusal was firm and more than a little confrontational. “You should know by now, Jax, that I don’t like breakfast and that I don’t like to talk before I’ve had my coffee.”
Jax shot her a narrow grin as he handed her a thermos filled with her required coffee, a brew that he insisted could hold its own with paint thinner. When she brushed by him, heading for her car in the driveway, he shook his head and pulled her next to him. “Uh-uh, darlin’. You’re going to ride with me this morning. In that we are going to the same place for the same meeting, two cars aren’t necessary.”
She glared at him. “What if I need my car during the day? Or do you plan to cuff me to your fucking side for the entire day?”
Not responding to her aggrieved query, he shrugged. “If you do need a car, I’m confident your partner, Detective O’Reilly, or your supervisor, Commander Bannon, will be pleased to ferry you around.” Pulling her next to him and ignoring her attempt to free herself, he murmured, “And you can relax, darlin’. I’m not going to force you to talk about your nightmare last night.” At her surprised start, he continued, “At least not now.” Lifting her chin, he gazed into her stormy, azure eyes. “But, Viviana, we are going to discuss what happened last night. You know that, don’t you, sweetheart?” When she slammed her eyes closed, refusing to meet his gaze, he brushed his lips across her heated cheek and said, “But for now, we’re going to get into my car and head to the precinct for a very important meeting.”
Striding through the hallway to his private office, Jax acknowledged the greetings from the men and women he passed. If the coterie of cheerful officers was surprised that Viviana was at his side, anchored by his hand on her elbow, none of them checked their smiling greetings to him and the superstar sergeant. Entering his spacious office, Jax was pleased to see that nearly all the places at the conference table were filled. His prospective team knew well his insistence on punctuality and to a man had apparently decided to beat the chief at his own game. Viviana was the only member of the group who might have challenged his early morning start time. Given that she was secured at his side, he was gratified that the first meeting of the special investigative unit he’d assembled would begin promptly on time.
The men surrounding the conference table leapt from their seats when he and Viviana entered. Keeping a firm hand on Viviana’s arm, Jax greeted them.
“I would tell you all not to rise, but given that none other than the Enchantress is with me, it’s the least you can do.”
His grin widening, he said, “Let me introduce Sergeant Moreau to those of you who haven’t had the privilege of meeting her.” Nodding to the warm-skinned man with piercing dark eyes, he said, “Damn, it’s good to see you, Mat. It’s been much too long.” Tugging Viviana closer to him, Jax said, “Sergeant Moreau, meet Matías Rocha, one of the toughest and most knowledgeable DEA agents I’ve worked with.” Turning to the man beside Rocha, he inclined his head as he reached for the blond-haired man’s hand. “And this guy, who gives our Commander Bannon a run for his money in the all-American surfer dude category, is Paul Walker, at this point representing HIDTA.”
Moving toward the distinguished black man who was studying Viviana with a slight frown, Jax said to her, “Viviana, you already know Serge Stryker from our Belize adventure. In addition to continually being mistaken for Idris Elba, Serge is the guy who helped us capture that hideous pair of child pornographers in the Lolitas Unbound tragedy. Serge knows as much about human trafficking as any FBI agent I know.” He shook his head and gave a troubled frown. “Hell of a specialty you chose, Serge, but you were invaluable to us in cracking the Lolitas case.”
Serge nodded to Jax but turned his full gaze on Viviana. “Thanks, Jax, but we all know that this extraordinary woman had literally solved the case before I tagged along for the takedown.” He breathed out a hard sigh. “I told you, Jax, that if Sergeant Moreau truly had cracked Lolitas Unbound, it would be the coup of the century. Hell, that case had us Fibbies sitting around with our thumbs up our butts for the last five years, unable to break it.” Reaching for her hand, Stryker pulled Viviana closer to him and met her gaze. He didn’t hide his concern. “How are you doing, Sergeant? That was a hell of a close call you had.”
Viviana shook her head and pulled back, shaking off Jax’s hand as well as Stryker’s. “I’m fine, Agent Stryker.” She added coolly, “It’s nice to see you again. Like Commander Bannon, who introduced himself to me in Belize, you also played a part in that misadventure.”
If he was surprised by her frosty welcome, Stryker hid it behind the wink he shot Jax. “Ah yes, that could indeed have been a misadventure if it were not for our righteous commander. Hell, Jax turned what could have been a pile of chicken shit into a hell of a chicken salad. But even I was surprised by his latest iteration as a police chief.” Nodding to Jax, he said, “But then, buddy, you always have been an accomplished chameleon.”
Viviana didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in her voice. “Yes, if playing many roles is considered an accomplishment, Chief Hughes is a master.”
Choosing to ignore Viviana’s acrimonious slam, Jax stepped forward and waved the men back to the conference table. As he did, he nodded to Greg Bannon and Mick O’Reilly. “I’m presuming you federalies have had the chance to meet my home team. You all know Commander Bannon, and I trust you’ve met this incorrigible Irishman, who has been Sergeant Moreau’s partner for the last five years. A challenging role, given our elusive sergeant’s penchant for secrecy.” Deciding that he wasn’t going to let Viviana off the hook and knowing that the federal agents were well aware that Viviana had come damn close to being killed, Jax added, “These two gentlemen achieved stratospheric heights in my view because if it weren’t for them, the chances that Sergeant Moreau would be gracing this meeting and our lives is unlikely at best.”
On that somber note, he spoke to the group as a whole. “Please, everyone, take your seats. We have a critical mission to plan.”
Capturing Viviana’s arm, he moved her toward an empty chair between Mick and Greg. Cocking an ironic brow, he said, “How about you sit here, Sergeant Moreau, next to Detective O’Reilly. If anyone is accustomed to dealing with your bad temper before you’ve had your required four cups of java, it’s your long-suffering partner.”
In true fashion, the irrepressible Irishman patted the chair beside him and said, “You said it, boss man. If anyone knows how to manage this little firecracker before she’s stoked up with that sludge she drinks, it’s me. But I gotta tell you, as I’ve warned sweet cheeks here, the minute that crap starts putting hair on that righteous chest of hers is the day I insist on chamomile tea.”
The surprised silence at Mick’s crude remark lasted a couple of seconds until Viviana punched Mick’s arm and said, “Not an option, partner. Now, if you choose a twenty-five-year-old Macallan or Bowmore scotch to replace my ‘sludge,’ I might concede.”
Jax allowed the rest of the men their appreciative laughter at their outrageous banter and then broke in. “As you can see, I have my work cut out for me. Any of you agents who thought that being a police chief was an easy job compared to our Special Ops missions didn’t have to deal with these two.” Pinning an amused gaze on Mick and Viviana, he said dryly, “Let’s just say that commanding them, particularly one of them, is a full-time job. Fortunately, Commander Bannon is my wingman and, as I’m sure he will tell you, he’d take chasing hajis any day rather than try to corral the infamous Enchantress.”
Greg raised his hands to acknowledge Jax’s salute but quickly qualified, “You’re right, Jax. At least with our terrorist prey we had a fighting chance of knowing what to expect.” Pinning a frown on Viviana, he said wryly, “What I’ve learned the hard way as the VCU commander is the only thing I can expect is the unexpected.”
Seeing Viviana’s expression harden at Greg’s implied criticism, Jax stepped in and moved to the subject at hand. Leaning forward in his chair, he breathed an audible sigh. Meeting each of their gazes except for Viviana’s, who was pointedly staring at her hands, he said, “I don’t have to tell any of you why I’ve convened this team. You are all aware of the challenge we face. Just know that every one of you is an integral part of this operation, and success is going to require that we all operate at the highest professional level possible.”
Rising to his feet, he reached for the remote on the corner of the table. Striding toward the bank of monitors on the wall, he brought them to life. Pointing to the statistics on the central screen, he said, “All of you are aware we are dealing with some serious shit in the drug running arena. For those of you on the federal level, the fentanyl scourge is old news. The growing number of overdose deaths involving fentanyl has risen dramatically in the last couple of years. For us here in San Jose, it is a relatively new threat. I don’t have to tell any of you that fentanyl is fifty to one hundred times more potent than morphine. What we’re seeing is an increasing number of overdose deaths attributable to fentanyl combined with other drugs. The most common are cocaine and heroin, ketamine, and methamphetamine. We’re also seeing it in counterfeit prescription sedatives—like Xanax—and pain relievers purchased on the street.”
Jax focused on the national agents. “You guys are familiar with the national and international statistics. What you may not be aware of is what’s happening here in our supposedly unassuming burg. As you know, San Jose is part of a drug and human trafficking route that runs from Columbia and Mexico to the Canadian border. In addition, a couple of local street gangs are hard at work, determined to capture and rule that lucrative market. The result is the beginning of a gang war that will only be more and more virulent until one or the other triumphs.”
Glancing at Viviana, Mick, and Greg, he said, “Fortunately, we have a crack team on board that is more than capable of meeting the challenge. But it would be foolhardy to think that any local jurisdiction, no matter how adept, can contain the certain violence to come and the repercussions on the national and international arenas.” Including the federal agents in his stern gaze, he said, “That’s where you men come in and the impetus for this multilevel team of hotshots I’m convening.”
Mick shot up his hand. “Damn, Chief, I don’t want to make these highfliers think we’re—make that me—as hot as you implied. But I gotta ask why would the dopeslangers try to kill off their geek monsters with horse shit crank? I don’t get it. I’d think that the fuckin’ anarchopharmasists are savvier than that.”
Viviana answered before Jax could. “They’re not selling it to their customers, Mick. They’re using it to threaten their competition. Adding a little China White or TNT to a rival gang’s shipment can turn off a hell of a lot of customers in addition to killing more than a few dozen of them. Trust me that word would spread like wildfire. It could cause a mass migration of dopemongers to look elsewhere for product that isn’t laced with lethal Tango.”
Jax nodding approvingly and said to the Feds, “Now you see why I have confidence in the home team.” To Viviana, Jax said, “You have the best street sources of anyone at the table, Sergeant Moreau. You’re a literal encyclopedia when it comes to inside information about the local gangs. Your CIs couldn’t be better placed, and you have managed them skillfully in the past. The challenge now is for us to capitalize on your entry points. Then we need to figure out a way to use them to break through what is the tipping point in a national and international curse that is about to sweep this community.”