Chapter 20 – Messages

Marc Whittaker –

The lights finally flip on. I’ve knocked and rang the bell three times. A curtain moves at the sidelight before an alarm is disengaged and the deadbolt flipped.

When Sheldon opens the door of his Falls Church home, he growls angrily, “Why in the fuck are you on my doorstep in the middle of the night?”

I ignore him and barge in, forcing him to step aside in his robe.

“You alone?” I ask, waiting for him to shut the door.

It’s his turn to ignore me, and since he’s not whispering, I assume he’s alone.

My eyes track around the room before looking back at him questioningly. I point my finger downward, turn it in a circle and raise my brows in question, silently asking if it’s safe to speak.

Jerking his chin, he’s no less frustrated when he answers, “I did a sweep today, and you know I have cameras on the house.”

Wanting to get this done quickly and get out, I lay it out there. “It’s been over two weeks since you went to see her. They’ve been watching her close for months and are not happy her patterns have suddenly changed. She rarely leaves her property, and when she does, she’s not once been by herself.”

“Why do they want her by herself?” he demands, glaring at me.

Tipping my head, I shrug nonchalantly. I keep my cool, unlike Sheldon, who’s been wound tight and on edge since his demons from the past were dug up a couple months back. “Who said they want her by herself? I just noted that they noticed a change.”

“They don’t just notice shit like that,” he seethes.

“They’re suspicious.”

“They don’t need to be. She’s probably tied up in her business. I doubt her patterns have changed that much and they know she has the new boyfriend,” he says.

“They’ve changed enough,” I state.

“It’s a coincidence at best,” he throws back.

“Maybe. Maybe not,” I offer before telling him the real reason for my visit. “They haven’t said it outright, but they’re becoming leery about you. I’m here to relay a message. You don’t need to worry about the upcoming delivery. I’ll be handling it. They wanted you to know they’ll reach out if they need you.”

His face tightens and I can see it in his eyes—realization with a splash of shock, and maybe, a bit of fear mixed in. He regroups quickly when determination takes over, his voice firm when he says, “I’ll speak with them tomorrow. We’ll see who makes the next delivery, Whittaker.”

I tip my head to him in invitation. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear from you. Convince them who you’re loyal to, just like you did all those years ago when your friend, Wes, was suspicious. We all know the last straw was when he stumbled upon you stealing nuclear weapon designs. Even though you did your best to put him off, he was a threat that needed to be eliminated. Now you’re trying to protect his daughter—they’re not okay with that.”

“Get the fuck out of my house,” he growls. “Don’t come here again or beckon me—I don’t care what time of day it is. If they have a message, they can contact me directly. I earned their trust all these years. I don’t know what kind of shit you’re feeding them, but nothing’s changed.”

“They see it for themselves, Sheldon. I’m not feeding them anything. Watch yourself. Some might just think you’re losing your touch, coming to the end of your career.” With that, I turn to reach for the door. When I look back, he hasn’t moved from his spot. “See you at the Pentagon, Sheldon.”

Descending his steps in the dark of night, I quickly walk around the block to my car. I cross the street and walk one more block west. Assured I’m not being followed—I double back to my car. As I do, I pull my secure phone from my back pocket and hit call.

When it’s answered, I speak quietly. “He said he’ll be in touch, and like we thought, he was defensive.”

I listen for a directive, and exactly as I assumed, I’ll be making the next delivery. Sheldon O’Rourke has lost his position, even if the powers that be needed my help seeing it. They’ll be making plans soon for a changing of the guard. I can tell it’s coming—I just hope it’s soon. Then again, I might not know until after it happens.

Ending the call within seconds, I toss my phone on the passenger seat and head back to Arlington. I’ve got a big couple of days at work and need to get some sleep to be sharp. Creating access to something I’ve never had access to will need careful planning.

*****

Crew –

I got a text less than a minute ago from Rhonda—the first one I’ve gotten since the day I learned about Addison’s past. There’s no doubt I’d be right where I am now if that hadn’t happened, although it might’ve taken longer. In some demented way, I’m grateful for the catapult.

I grab the prepaid phone I keep with me and go to the hallway outside Addison’s room. I’m tense because I don’t like talking to Carson. I prefer Asa be his contact. I’m never happy to get these texts, but especially in the middle of the night, so I bite out his name when he answers. “Carson. What now?”

He doesn’t waste any time, either. “Whittaker visited O’Rourke minutes ago. They think the house is clean and spoke openly. Then Whittaker made a call to London after he left. This is good, we’re closing in on their European contacts. I wanted you to know we’re getting close, but until then, they’ve got eyes on your neighbor.”

Looking back through her bedroom door, my eyes trained to adjust to the dark, I see her sprawled on the far side of the bed. Her back is bare and the sheet’s barely covering her ass.

He keeps talking. “Sounds like they’ve been watching her for a while. They’ve noticed a change in pattern. She hasn’t been out by herself in a few weeks.”

“Fuck,” I whisper.

“Yeah. But good news, you’re just the boyfriend,” he says, and when he does, I swear he’s fucking smiling. “They aren’t looking into you, not that they would find anything, you’re practically invisible besides clicking away on a keyboard for years creating accounting programs.’”

I shake my head. I’m not worried about me—I can take care of myself. But this means they’ve been watchin’ her a while.

Not waiting for me to respond, he keeps going. “Just want you to know you should continue to keep your girlfriend on a short leash, your instincts were right. Then again, they usually are.”

“Is that it?” I’m frustrated with this and don’t like being on this call for any longer than needed.

“No. Looks like O’Rourke’s being cut out. I’m corresponding about this as we speak. We need to move before they eliminate anyone they no longer have a use for. I’m putting a closer tail on him starting tomorrow. We want him alive.”

Good. The faster this shit’s done, the better.

“You got more?” I go on.

“No. Hopefully we won’t talk again,” he reiterates my thoughts.

I look away from Addison and back to the large square hallway that’s open to the bottom floor with two bedrooms on the opposite side, but see nothing when I change the subject. “You offer a job to Grady, you’ll answer to me. Do not pull him back in.”

I get nothing.

Silence.

We have no business being on this line sitting in silence.

“Don’t make me have to step in, Carson. You know I will. Do not give him an assignment,” I threaten.

“You’re all independent contractors. You know I can’t speak to you about anyone else.” Carson’s voice is tight, controlled, all business.

“Cut him out,” I demand. “I don’t care what he wants.”

“Crew,” he starts before lowering his voice. “An offer’s being made tomorrow. They’ve got a job that fits his skillset. It’s already in the works.”

I close my eyes and drop my head. I cannot fucking believe this.

“Vega—” I hear, but before he has a chance to say anything else, I disconnect. Then quietly, like I learned how to move so long ago, I walk down the two flights of stairs in Addison’s huge-ass house without making a sound, to her garage where I left my tools. I need to decimate this fucking phone.

When I get back to bed, I lay next to Addison, a place I’ve become addicted to being over the last few weeks. There’s no denying it, I don’t want to be anywhere else but right here.

I don’t roll to her, I don’t let myself bury my face in her hair, touch her, giving myself what I want, what I’ve fucking earned.

I stare at her ceiling the rest of the night while she sleeps, wondering what the fuck I’m gonna do. Or if I can’t do anything, how to make sure Grady doesn’t step so close to the edge, that this time he doesn’t come back.

As I stare into the darkness for hours and contemplate, I’ve never been more pissed at my friend.