Prisoner and Together: All of You series complete set (26 page)

I watch as all hell breaks loose around me.  Barrett begins to bark orders, Killian is about to have a meltdown beside me, and Jamie is on his phone, hopefully calling his guards at the hospital.  I pull out my phone, and call the one man who I know can straighten all of this out.

When he answers, I say, “Dad, I think you need to come downstairs.  Shit is about to hit the fan.” 

“Hey, Lani, where do you think they got the idea to fake transfer papers,” Killian asks, after he closes the phone line.

“Burke, I’m not that smart, okay?  I saw it in a movie.  It wasn’t my original idea.”  I frown at him as I say it.  I can’t believe he’s going to try to blame this shit on me.

Chapter Twelve

Tony

I’m getting less and less surprised by visitors.  At this point, the Secretary of the Navy could be knocking on my door, asking for advice.  It isn’t him, though.  “Hello, Chief Vaden,” I say as I step back and welcome him into my temporary home.  “What brings you here?  It can’t be good.  Is it Lani?”  I motion for him to take a seat, and I sit on the couch, where I’ve hidden Lani’s little gun. 

“No, it isn’t Lani.  She’s safe.  I’m trying to convince her to go to an FBI safe house in Oakville, but she’s refusing.”  He sits across from me, and I have to say, he looks very serious.

“Well, if you’re asking me to do something that Lani doesn’t agree with, I’d have to say my answer is no.”  I never thought I’d be deferential to the little lady in my life, but Lani is the exception to everything ever.  Period. 

“Hughes, the female guard who was the get-away driver for De Soto, the guard who broke into Lani’s cottage, has escaped.”  His gray eyebrows furrow, and he’s got the same tone in his voice that Lani gets sometimes.  She is very much like her dad.

“And what does Lani think we should do?”  God, I probably sound like a wuss, but I don’t care.  Basically, what Lani says goes.

“Well, she’s raising a ruckus at the precinct, because we’re keeping her there, and she wants to see you.” 

I try not to chuckle.  “Chief, you’ve had a lot more experience with Lani than I have.  But I’m under the impression that Lani does what she wants to do.  There’s something else, too.  Worthington called earlier, and said they’ve scheduled the Congressional hearing for Monday morning.”

“The day after tomorrow?”  I nod my reply.  “Does Lani know?”

“Not yet, but we both knew it was coming.”  I frown as I say it.  “I know she probably won’t be happy about it, but I have to go.”

“You’re right, on both counts.  I think, for now, you’d both be safer at the precinct, until we can get you both to Oakville.  How do you feel about joining Lani there?”

“That’s fine.  Just let me get dressed,” I say, as I look down at my gym shorts.

“Fine, I’ll escort you there myself, when you’re ready,” he assures me, as he pulls out his phone.  I can only assume to call his daughter.

I’m nervous as hell, and I never thought I’d be so happy to have new clothes in my life.  I’m wearing the olive green cargo pants, with the tan button down shirt, and a brown belt.  She has great taste in clothes, for men, anyway.  I also have my wallet, for some reason.  Maybe we can get me an ID while I’m here, since I have an address.  It’s the hotel about a block away.

I rub my left wrist with my right hand, where I used to always keep a watch, then smooth the front of my shirt as I stride into the precinct with Chief Vaden, and the havoc that seemed to be going on before we entered becomes an eerie silence.  Nearly every head turns when we walk into the big, open room.  Then I see a blonde ponytail at one of the ten or twelve desks in the bullpen, and as I watch she turns toward me.  She nods to her dad, before her eyes lock onto me.

I’m not sure if she could even control it, but her eyes move from me to her commanding officer’s door.  I refuse to look at the man.  Sure I’m curious, but right now I know he’s probably looking at me.  My eyes are on Lani, and that’s where they’re going to stay.  She purses her lips at her boss, then glances back at me. 

“Hi,” I say, when I’m standing right beside her desk.  The chair of the desk adjoining hers, the one with the nameplate that says
Detective James Johnson,
is empty.  Her partner must be out trying to catch the bad guys.

“Did Dad brief you on the situation?”  When I nod, she continues, “He wants to send us to Oakville.  What do you think?”

“I think right now would be the perfect time for you and me to head to the Gulf of Mexico.  We could spend a week soaking up the rays, sipping margaritas, and eating key lime pie.”  I turn toward Riley, who goes everywhere with me.  “You’re invited, too.”

Chief Vaden doesn’t seem to appreciate my humor.  Thankfully, his daughter smiles when I say it.  “I don’t soak up rays, I burn.  But I wouldn’t mind some tequila shots in the sand, under a wide umbrella.” 

“Would we have to invite Burke?  Because, for some reason I don’t think he’s too happy with me right now.”  He’s frowning and practically stomping toward us, but he’s carrying two cups of coffee, so he can’t be that angry.

“Chief, Roman,” he says, as he nods to us.  He hands Lani one of the cups.  “Would you please convince her that Winston probably isn’t the safest place for her right now?” 

“I like Tony’s idea better.  He thinks we should all take a road trip to the beach.”  Lani says it brightly, and for a moment I think she’s mocking me. 

Until Burke says, “I think that’s a great idea.  Except, of course, I have a case to close.  You two take Riley, and have a good time.  I’ll just be up here, I don’t know, trying to shovel a path through this shit storm that I’m standing in.”  He’s glaring at Chief Vaden. 

“My father didn’t have anything to do with Hughes being signed out.  The papers all looked in order, and the person impersonating an agent had a very real looking badge.  Inmates get signed in and out of custody all the time.”  Lani’s trying to use her best negotiator voice.  I think she’s being pretty effective.  “My dad…”

“Your father doesn’t need you to fight his battles, Detective Vaden.  I can do that all on my own.  We’ve got De Soto locked down at the hospital, he’s not going anywhere.  And we’ll get Hughes too.  She’s only got a few minutes head start on us.”  Chief Vaden turns then, and I watch as he walks toward a door that says
Lieutenant Barrett
. 

It’s worse than I thought.  The guy looks like a cross between a professional surfer, a movie star, and an underwear model.  He runs his fingers through thick, sandy blonde hair as Chief Vaden talks to him.  And then, he glances at me.  I’m almost positive I could take him in a fight.  He might be five years younger than me, but I have at least six inches, and about fifty pounds on him.  I’m just cocky enough to nod at him.  He looks away.  Hah.

“So Riley, road trip?  Can you drive a Sherman tank?  Because it seems right now that’s the only way you’re going to keep us safe.”  She’s looking up at me.  I want to reach out and touch her cheek, but this is her workplace.  Here, she’s not my girlfriend, my angel, my everything.  Here, she’s Detective Vaden, and I have to respect that.

“Well, thank God we have a SEAL on our team.  I say we arm Tony, and let him protect the rest of us,” Riley pipes up.  Up until now, he’s been relatively silent.  It feels good to finally get some respect.  “Who’s hungry?”

“I could eat,” I admit.  Lani frowns at me, but I just shrug.  “I’m a nervous eater.”

Lani

You know that nightmare you have, when you’re standing in front of the class and you’re nude?  This is worse than that, and it’s not a nightmare.  In the same room, I have my last serious boyfriend, my current boyfriend, and my former lover.  I feel like people are coming from other departments to watch the spectacle. 

Connie comes in to bring some papers and sits them on her husband’s desk.  I rarely see the two of them interact, except for planning lunch or dinner if they’re both working late.  They don’t even work for the same department; Connie works for the county, and Jamie works for the city. 

When I catch her staring at Tony, I frown at her.  As if she feels the need to explain her presence, she says, “We’ve dispatched all the deputies to look for your escaped inmate.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Johnson, we appreciate that,” Barrett says from behind her.  At least I didn’t say aloud my situation couldn’t get worse.  It just did.  This must be why they say workplace affairs are bad.  I want to crawl under my desk.

“Excuse me,” I say, as I stand.  Tony moves slightly, but his hot, dark eyes are on me.  I don’t tell anyone where I’m going, but I’m headed straight toward the ladies’ room.  Connie follows close behind me.  I head into a stall and shut the door, where I sit on the lid of the commode, without pulling my pants down.

“Tony’s fucking hot,” she says, just a little too loud.  “Jamie told me he’s big, but Jesus, Lani.  I wasn’t expecting-”

“Connie, can you give me a minute?  I’ll stop by your desk and see you in a little while, okay?”  I try to hide the tears, but they come out in my voice.

“Is this because of Tony and Killian, you know… Being here together?” Connie continues.  “Because, I mean… You and Jamie are partners, and I deal with it.”

Wow.  I’d never thought of it from Connie’s perspective.  I guess now I’m getting a big fat dose of reality.  And it tastes like crap. 

“You’re right, Connie.  No, I honestly don’t mind Killian and Tony being together.  I mean, we eat pizza together and stuff.”  What stuff?  I can’t name any right now.

“So, when all of this shit blows over, Jamie and I, and you and Tony can all go out to dinner like normal people, and you won’t feel weird?” 

I take a deep breath, wipe my eyes, and put on my big girl panties.  “I promise you, Constance, that when all of this blows over, we will go out together, and I will buy the first round.”

“Good, because Jamie bet me it would be cold day in hell before you brought Tony to hang out with him.”  I tip my head back, and close my eyes.  I had no idea that Jamie felt that way about me.  “He bet me oral sex for a week.  And if I’m not getting it from you, I’m damn sure getting it from someone.”

“Does Jamie know we’ve slept together?” 

“Hell no.  I mean, can you imagine how he’d react if he knew?  He’d probably be jealous as hell.” 

I open the door to the stall, and she’s looking at herself in the mirror.  “You are beautiful, babe.  Your complexion is perfect.”  As I wash my hands, I kiss her cheek.  “And you’re the best friend a girl could ever have.”

“And you need to dye your hair back.  Jamie says it reminds him of me, and I can’t handle that kind of competition, baby cakes.”  She gives me a half-hug around my shoulders, then heads out the door.

Tony

I don’t like the way Lani watches the blonde girl.  And to be honest, I don’t like Burke talking to Lani’s lieutenant.  Am I jealous of my bromance talking to another guy?  Or is it just the fact that her ex’s are chatting?  Would I be able to do that?  I realize that I’m actually starting to like Burke, so yea, I guess I could.

“So this is the guy who signed Hughes out of the jail.  Does this man look familiar?”  Chief Vaden holds up stills from the surveillance cameras at the jail. 

“That’s the guy who…” Lani exclaims, as she exits the bathroom just then.

Burke interrupts her.  “Took your money at the…”  And then they both glance at me.  Neither of them want to say the wrong thing, and upset me.  I guess I have been pretty sensitive about it, the whole being a killer thing.

“The place where the sting went down,” I provide for them. 

“Yes, the place where the sting went down,” Burke agrees.  “So, he’s connected to the prison.”

Well, if he sprung Hughes out of jail, it’s a pretty good guess that he has something to do with it
.  I think it, but I keep my smart-ass comments to myself.  And that is only because Lani is looking at Burke, and I can see the same thought is running through her head.  She glances back at me, and I feel our connection so strongly it nearly knocks me over. 

It’s like I’m reading her mind. 
Yes, my ex is a dumbass
.

I give her a smile, as if I’m saying,
Good thing you have me now.

She winks, and her eyes travel over my body.  I think she agrees.  I straighten my posture, and puff out my chest.  I know I’m the biggest, baddest guy in the room.  Lani knows it too, and she likes it. 

“We just need to figure out his name, and his address,” Burke continues.

There’s another understatement.  Really.  I mean, are these guys the best the Federal government can get?

“Can we get the computer people to run a search of the DMV’s facial biometrics database, and compare them to that image?”  Lani seems to be the smartest one in the room, and I like it.  I like it a lot.

“Constance in the tech department has already started.  Hopefully we’ll get a name soon,” her father replies.  I see where she gets her brains.

She covers her mouth with her hand, and I watch as she again steps out of the room.  I think the average IQ in the room just dropped about 80 points.  When she doesn’t return after several moments, I look toward her dad, but he’s occupied with the guy who sprung Hughes.  After a few more minutes, she’s still not come out.  So I try to slide out of the room unnoticed, but Burke stops me.

“Hey, have you seen Lani?” he asks me directly.  No, that’s not awkward at all.

“I think she’s,” I say, and point toward the bathroom.  “She’s been in there a while.”  I walk toward it, and knock, just as she is walking out.

“I think I ate something that didn’t agree with me.  I’m fine,” she murmurs. 

“His name is Elliot Cruickshank.  He’s been dating Ms. Della Hughes for four and a half years.  He does odd jobs, and on the weekends, he does security for Warden Drake’s side project.  We have a team headed out to his house now.  Lani, Tony, you two stay here where it’s safe.”  Chief Vaden is speaking, and everyone in the room is listening.  But my eyes are on Lani.  She’s extremely pale, and I see dark shadows around her eyes.  Even when I keep her up all night, I don’t see circles under her eyes.