Chapter 7: The Hit
1193 Words
POV: Joseph
I keep my head down as a police officer walks past, pulling down the caution tape from the crime scene. Eddie waves at the police officer.
Instead of worrying about what Eddie heard, my mind is consumed by my conversation with Reece. Is Reece being trafficked? I have a hunch she wasn't talking about a friend. The hope in her eyes hurt my heart because I'm only Maxwell's protector. I'm not here to save her.
Maybe Canyon has already started his trafficking ring?
When Eddie opens his driver's side door, he says, "I'll contact you later tonight."
"I thought you said we were going on a job."
"Look, stay away from her, man. She's bad news." Eddie tells me before getting into his car.
I lean forward as Eddie rolls down his window.
"What's wrong with Reece?"
"You don't want to find out, man." He points at me and orders, "Go home and be ready for tonight."
***
My studio apartment is a hole-in-the-wall in the worst part of town. No, I didn't expect the FBI to put in a penthouse in the wealthiest part of town, but it would have been nice.
I dim the lights and stroll to the living room area, a metal chair next to a window with a broken top pane.
I sit with the chair's back facing me and look out the dingy window. The one street light on the opposite side of the quiet street barely brights the road.
As I rub my bottom lip with the side of my index finger, I let my mind wander. How is Maxwell doing?
Briefly, I close my eyes, pushing the fear about his wellbeing away from my heart. 'Think positive,' I want to say. However, that phrase will only make me worry more.
I rub my eyes before I stare out of the window.
If someone told me I'd be back in this area five years later, I would have laughed. But, unfortunately, what makes you laugh will make you cry. Or that's what Mom says.
Reece.
She intrigues me.
I can't lie.
As I watch a scantily-clad woman slowly pace across the street, I remember not to mix business with pleasure. Canyon Young isn't dumb. He knows that the real money is in human trafficking.
I shake my head.
This is stupid. Instead of getting custody of Maxwell, I'm going to get killed. I'm a beat cop with no detective experience. However, my captain says I have the potential to be a detective one day.
That day isn't now.
A car slows to a halt. The woman gets into the car, and the driver speeds off.
The FBI wants me to save their ass because of my relationship to Dean. Well, maybe it's how I left. What does it matter now? I'm here.
Eddie's car stops outside my apartment building. I frown. There's someone in the passenger's seat. When Eddie leaves the car to come to get me, I move away from the window and grab my gun.
***
"Nope, I'm not doing this drop now."
I sit in the back seat of Eddie's car minutes after leaving my apartment with him.
The woman in the passenger repeatedly gives me dirty glances. Finally, when she turns back and glares at me, I nod at her.
"What are you looking at?" She exhales and stares at the road.
"I guess I should introduce everyone," Eddie says, pointing towards me. "Alex, this is Joseph. Joseph, Alex."
"Nope, I don't like working with white boys on something like this." She shakes her head.
"Mr. Young told me to use him."
"He obviously hasn't seen him."
I lean forward. "I've met Mr. Young."
No one speaks.
"All I need you to do is have fun and spend some money," Eddie tells me. "We get in, and we get out, right Alex?"
I clench my left fist as I rub my wrist. The highway exit sign indicates we're crossing state lines.
"Man, don't worry. Alex is hard on everybody." Eddie glances at Alex. "Right, Alex?"
Alex doesn't respond.
The car goes dark as Eddie increases the car's speed. Then, finally, he says, "Alex is Mr. Young's daughter."
I continue looking out of the window, seeing farmland.
My conversation with Reece plays into my mind. I frown and stare at Alex's profile.
"I pay my dues just like everyone else," she quickly interjects, sounding distant.
She doesn't look scared, but maybe she's nervous. I nod. She's the one Reece mentioned.
Eddie drives for a few more miles before I see city lights.
I sit back and try to force myself to relax.
After I clear my throat, I try to act relaxed. "Hey Eddie, I thought we were going to do some drug deals."
Eddie chuckles. "You need to lay off of those deals, man. You don't want to catch the law's attention again."
Alex interrupts, "And why is Daddy putting him on this job? From his looks, he's a replacement for Dennis."
Eddie looks at me in the rearview mirror. "Do you know Dennis?"
I tense, and look from left to right. The FBI agents mentioned a man named Dennis who disappeared.
Sh*t, has Eddie figured out who I am? Is he mentioning Dennis to get a reaction out of me?
Quickly, I shake my head, knowing Eddie is waiting for an answer. "Who is he?"
Eddie waves his hand. "It doesn't matter."
Time passes before Eddie pulls into a casino parking lot.
Once he's parked in the VIP section, he turns to me. "Here's the plan. Alex is your girl, and you're showing her a good time."
Alex takes two large stacks of bills from her purse and hands me one. When I accept the money, they look at each other and separate it into manageable parts to stash.
When I look up, I see them still staring at me. I frown. "What?"
"You're not a poor white boy, I see," Alex says, opening the car door.
Sh*t, I'm supposed to look like I've never seen this much cash?
It's been a while since I've seen stacks of cash. Dean always said he brought the store money home with him. So instead of telling Eddie and Alex the truth—stacks of money like this is how I learned how to count when I was a child—I say, "I make a lot of money where I live."
Eddie looks back and laughs.
Alex leaves the car, slamming the door.
***
Eddie, Alex and I enter the casino and held to the security guard at the podium. The security guard nods at Alex and happily greets Eddie. Eddie walks to the a slot machine.
Alex stands next to the casino kiosk waiting for me.
I nod at the security guard. However, he steps from behind the podium and raises his left hand.
“I.D. please."
I hand him my fake, FBI-issued driver's license. When he stares at it too long, I tense. He shines his pinlight on the license.
I glance at Alex who intensely watches us.
The security guard hands me the driver's license. “You're good."
- Writer
