Undercover Heat

Chapter 4: The Bait

POV: Joseph

A waitress places a wrap and fries in front of me. Agents Williams and Bond sit to my left and right.

The waitress puts their coffees in front of them.

We sit outside a cafe in Hollywood. I think it's the worst place to have a secret meeting. However, I don't work for the F.B.I.

I eat as Agent Williams opens a folder and points at the burly man with a menacing expression. "This is Canyon Young. He killed Miles Sweet to assume the head of the family."

"With your father's help," Agent Bond interjected.

I look at Agent Bond.

Agent Williams says, "the information about him is in here. He started as a low-level drug dealer and did a stint in juvenile."

I watch Agent Williams flip the photograph to reveal another one. The woman is young, pretty, and wears a mean expression like her favorite outfit.

Agent Bond says, "that's Alex, his daughter. We think she's your best way to get close to Canyon."

I take a huge bite of my wrap and read a criminal history with my name on it.

Agent Williams explains, "we figure you did a good job creating a new identity for yourself as Joseph Anderson, that you can keep it. Know this s**t like the back of your hand."

I lean back and look from Agents Bond to Williams as I let the anger bubble through me. Come on. I'm not my father. I didn't create an identity because I'm ashamed of my race.

"Am I right," Agent Williams commented, "Dean Joseph Anders, Jr."

I glare at him. "Your point?"

Agent Bond tapes on the wrought iron table. "Thank you for doing this."

I chuckle and scan my wrap sheet again. "I have the feeling that the two of you already have me in this organization already."

As I close and grab the file folder, I say, "Is it true that this guy is joining the human trafficking industry?"

"Our man on the inside found out Young is at least six months from starting his operation."

"Why didn't your man on the inside take him out, then?" I ask, pushing my plate away.

Agent Bond exhaled. "Dennis disappeared."

***

"I advised you to fight for joint and legal custody. Why didn't you listen to me?"

I cross my arms and slump down. After meeting with the F.B.I. agents, I decided to torture myself by visiting my family law attorney.

"Come on, Joan, I know. I'm a sh*thead for believing a woman I married after a one-night stand would treat me fairly in a custody battle."

My attorney, Joan, flips her red hair over her shoulder and stares me down.

After a long silence, I meet her stare. Then, quickly, I look away when I see the disappointment in her hazel eyes. She's been with me since Elizabeth filed for divorce.

"As I said, I'm going to file the petition, but not tomorrow. So I have to do something first."

Joan leans forward. "You've given me enough evidence to show a pattern of verbal abuse. With the emergency petition, you may get temporary custody. Please reconsider."

***

Clank.

I rub my wrists as a dark-skinned man with an athletic build sits on the bottom bunk gives me a leary look.

We wear the same black and white jail uniforms.

He leans forward and wrings his hands.

"Are you fed?"

I chuckle. "Sh*t, I wouldn't be here. You know those m*therf*ckers never go to jail for the s**t they do."

The man chuckles and nods. "Yeah, man, I don't start that talk. I respect the police."

I study him for a long time, not hiding my confusion.

He stands and extends his right hand towards me. "Eddie."

I accept his handshake. "Joseph."

There's a ton of silence as Eddie sits on his bed and grabs a Bible on his pillow.

"They put me in here with an undercover S.O.B., and I figured it quickly." Eddie chuckles.

Slowly, I cross my arms over my chest and continue to study him. "No disrespect, but who are you?"

Eddie frowns, "I'm Eddie."

"No, why would they put an undercover in here with you?"

Eddie opens his Bible, "what are you in here for, man?"

'The agents told me to tell you that I was arrested in a d*******l. However, you're intelligent. So, what's going to stop you from asking questions?'

"I thought I could flip some stash I had while I was visiting my girl." I lean against the cement wall, looking dejected. "Supposedly, I was on some guy's turf, and he—"

Eddie flips through a series of pages. I can hear him reading in a low tone as if he was praying. Finally, after a few minutes, he tells me, "That Neal. He's been put back on the street for some reason or another and is eager to get back."

"Back?"

"Here the thing," Eddie closes his Bible and looks at me. "If you play dealer on your downtime with your girl, go back to where you live. If you're interested in making some real dollars slinging some sh*t, then stay off of Sweet turf."

I stand tall, trying to judge whether Eddie believed me. Then, hurriedly, I tell him, "I don't know. It was the first time, and except for petty s**t on my record, I've never got caught."

I force my voice to sound shaky as I pace. Then, as I run my fingers through my hair, I continue my act, "Why the f*ck did I sell to that b*tch? One time—that's all I was going to do to get some cash between jobs."

I slap my palms against my forehead. "I did everything my girl wanted. I decided to move here, applied to Boulevard Leasing—"

Eddie hurriedly stands and walks in front of me. He watches me for a long time before he says, "Your girl told you to apply to that leasing company?"

"Yeah."

"Anyone coming to bail you out?"

I slowly shake my head.

Eddie slowly girns.

"What?" I shrug.

"Your girl wants you to go legit—let's make you legit."