CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

LIAM

I checked for my pistol again, the fifth time since we settled in and waited. Yep, still there. 

The sting was under way. My partner Felix and I were here undercover and in separate cars to maintain our low profile. I parked down the road behind the convenience store, out of sight to most of the travelers stopping by. He was in the main parking lot, pretending to nap under some shade. 

Solomon left an anonymous tip at the police station just like I told him to. All he said was that a robbery was being planned at this convenience store just outside of Cloverville city limits. 

It was also a truck stop and gas station along a major freeway. This place saw lots of traffic day in and day out. Privately, Sol filled me in on more details. The family trying to shove their way into his territory was called La Familia Noriega. This truck stop was also where Sol signed off on his shipments to continue on to their customers in the Bay Area. Noriega had been hanging around here regularly in the past week trying to ruffle Sol's feathers. 

My partner wasn't sure who to look for but I did. I’d make the first move and all he had to do was follow my lead. I kept my eyes peeled on the cars coming in and the parking lot for two straight hours looking for a suspect. 

And still Hazel remained at the back of my mind. I shouldn't have let her invade my thoughts, not when I had important work to do. 

But those green eyes filled with tears and the hurt twisting across her face haunted me. 

From the moment she left, I was tempted to turn myself in as she asked. But I knew that couldn't happen. That would only achieve what I was trying to prevent. 

The calm, criminal world would have unrest. Sol could find himself in the middle of a war and Cloverville would be the battlefield. 

No, I couldn't let that happen. 

The delicate balance had to be maintained even if I lost what I cared about most once again. At least this time she wouldn't leave me in a body bag. 

But goddamn did I miss her. I missed looking at her beautiful sleeping form in the early morning light. I missed the beautiful sounds she made and how hard she bit my shoulder when she came. The mark was still there and I wished it would never disappear. I missed her quick wit and her intellect. I missed having someone to love me again. 

She's alive. She's safe. I kept repeating it to myself like a mantra. That's all that matters. And eventually, you will heal from this too and move on. 

A beat-up car pulling in from the freeway caught my eye. Fuck, I should have been paying more attention. 

The car pulled up next to a gas pump and I squinted to get a look at the driver but it was hard to see through his dusty back windshield. 

The moment he stepped out, I knew we had our guy. He was a tall, lanky Hispanic man and the spitting image of a gangbanger. A black fitted baseball cap sat atop a red bandanna wrapped around his head. His matching red flannel shirt and loose, sagging jeans completed the gangster look as he swaggered up to the store. Even from 200 feet away, I could see that he had a gun tucked into his waistband under his shirt. 

Seeing his glaringly obvious gang attire made my respect go up a notch for Sol. At least he put some effort into dressing classy and not like a typical gangbanger.  

"The dog's loose and he's on the run," I said quickly into my radio before exiting my car and walking as casually as I could up to the convenience store. 

I was dressed in plain clothes and drove a decoy car. Felix had the signal and the second stage of our plan was in motion. 

Upon entering the convenience store I gave a curt nod to the clerk, an older Indian man, and headed straight for the far corner of the store. I was at least thirty seconds ahead of the Noriega as planned and would pretend to inspect the selection of pretzels until he made his move. 

Beep beep beep!

The door chimed as he entered and I made sure not to look up and blow my cover. Rather, I looked in the reflection of the refrigerator doors to confirm it was him. 

His large, dark eyes swept across the store to survey for any threats. He looked young, jumpy and eager. This guy was eager to prove himself to his familia and earn his place. I kept my eyes down on the snacks in front of me in order to not alert him of the random white guy in the corner. 

With a flurry of movement, the young man sealed his fate. 

"Put your hands in the air, old man!" 

His gun barrel hovered inches away from the clerk's face as he hurriedly looked around the store for customers to subdue. I already crouched low out of sight and drew my own weapon. 

"Open up the drawer slow and put everything in a paper bag," he instructed the clerk as I slowly made my way closer. "Keep your hands where I can see 'em." 

"We don't keep any large bills up front," the clerk said with a surprising amount of calm. 

"Well, then you're gonna show me where you keep the big bills, my man."

Silently as a cat, I pivoted and stood, raising my gun to point at the young thug's back. 

"Cloverville Police. Put your weapon down and back away," I commanded. 

I saw his eyes widen with fear and surprise in the mirror behind the counter. He stood frozen, stunned. 

"I said back away!" I barked. "Raise your hands and back up toward me." 

Finally, he did as I instructed, setting the gun down on the counter and walking backward toward me. 

The moment I touched his wrist to bring his arm back behind him, he bolted for the door. 

Right into the arms of my partner and all our backup officers waiting with squad cars boxing him in and guns drawn. 

"Where you going in such a hurry, man?" Felix asked cheerily.

The fledgling Noriega hung his head and fell to his knees in defeat, allowing himself to be taken into custody.

As his rights were read to him and he was escorted to the jail for booking, everyone came around and gave me good-natured slaps on the back and congratulations. 

"Great plan, Barnes! Another one in the bag!" 

"Thank God you were there!" exclaimed the store clerk with tears in his eyes. "I could have lost everything!" 

It was a victory all around. No one got hurt or robbed, Solomon's business was no longer threatened and peace would return to Cloverville soon after the media reported the story. 

Years ago I would have been riding the justice high like all the other young officers celebrating at the station. 

But I couldn't bring myself to feel joy that day. Not after knowing I would be going home to an empty house. I wouldn't see Hazel's green eyes flash with excitement after I told her all about it. No, she'd be in her own bed far away from me. 

Or in bed with someone else already. 

The thought created a painful squeezing around my heart and I tried to push it away as I pulled up to my house. 

I turned the TV on and punched the volume up. Normally I enjoyed silence but lately, my house felt too quiet. 

I almost didn't hear my phone ring, with BLOCKED NUMBER reading across the screen. I figured it was Solomon calling from one of his many burner phones to kiss my ass and gloat about our victory. 

"Hey Sol," I said distractedly. 

"Good evening, Officer Barnes."

My blood ran cold as I heard the garbled, distorted voice that definitely wasn't Sol’s. 

I jumped to my feet, heart racing. 

"Who's this?" I demanded. 

"We don't appreciate you interfering with our business," the fake voice said smoothly. "But we're a forgiving family so we'll give you a chance to make it right. We'll pay you handsomely for giving La Familia Noriega a place in Cloverville." 

"Forget it and fuck you," I spat. "I'm not on the payroll of any wannabe crime family."

"You may want to rethink that, Officer Barnes." 

A scuffling sound came through the phone and then I heard a voice that made my heart shatter. 

"Liam? Liam, is that you?" Hazel cried. 

"Hazel!" I screamed, panic fully overtaking my body. "Hazel, where are you? Are you okay?" 

"I don't know! They grabbed me off the street! Help me, Liam!" she sobbed into the phone. 

"I'm coming to get you," I said, my voice thick with guilt. "I promise. It's gonna be okay, beautiful." 

"Liam, help me please!" 

Her sobs disappeared while all I could do was listen helplessly as the garbled voice returned. 

"Think about it, officer. We'll be in touch soon." 

"I'll fucking kill you motherfuckers myself!" I screamed. 

Click.

The line went dead.