Bluegrass Undercover (27 page)

“
I don’t think I’m going to send her back to Miami. I think I’ll keep her,” Romero joked.

“
I think I will too.” Cade smiled.

* * *

Annie read over the statement one more time. Damn, damn, damn. He didn’t know the identity of the boss. He did give up the entire organization though and all the other major and minor players across the country. He gave her drop dates and times, dealers, middlemen and even explained that the boss used the teenagers as guinea pigs.

“
This doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t at the games and neither were any of his people,” Annie told Romero and Cade.

“
Then the boss must have been at the game.” Cade saw Annie look to Romero whose brow creased in concentration.

“
He’s right. Agent Jones!” Romero yelled into the cubicles outside his office. “Call a judge, any judge and get us a warrant for additional surveillance equipment to be put up in and around Commonwealth Stadium. Then call Commonwealth and get this set up. The boss will be there, and we need a picture of every single person who goes in or out. Also, we need everyone held for 48 hours. No paperwork on them, no phone calls. Get the judge to sign off on that too.”

Annie watched as Romero went over to his desk and shuffled through the file. “Good job, you two. Go home. Get some rest. Good luck at that game tomorrow, Coach.”

“
Thank you. I assume the 9-1-1 call should be covered up?” Cade asked.

“
I’ve already taken care of it.”

“
No disrespect, sir, but gossip travels at an amazing rate in Keeneston. It will take more than the DEA’s office threatening the local cops to quiet this down.”

“
I know. I called John Wolfe as soon as I got the call. He’s helping us out with a cover story.”

“
That’s, well, that’s just brilliant.” Annie was in awe. She would never have thought about that.

“
I’m from Paris, Kentucky. It’s just a little bigger than Keeneston so I know the ropes of small town gossip.” Romero actually cracked a smile as he pointed them out the door.

“
Come on, let’s go home.”

Annie’s heart warmed at the thought. She was becoming part of a town with the old guard looking out for her, a man who loved her, and a dog that had saved her.

“Sounds great. But, let’s pick up a burger for Justin. I think he deserves it.” They headed out to the parking lot and to the car waiting to take them home.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Annie was sure she had never felt such pain. Ow! There it was again. She had been trying to casually check out everyone in attendance, but it was proving to be very difficult with so many people there.

“
Did you see that? I have never seen Trey or Austin so in tune with each other!” Paige hit her arm again and Annie cringed. She had been bruised before the first quarter was over. Now that the game was almost over, she was pretty sure one more hit would snap her arm in two.

“
They are playing really well,” Annie said absently as she looked around again.

“
Playing well? What’s the matter with you? They have led this team to beat the top school in Louisville with an unstoppable offense,” Paige squealed as she hit Annie’s arm again.

The game had been close until the third quarter, but then Trey and Austin had found their groove and never looked back. The Keeneston crowd gave the team a standing ovation as the clock reached zero.

Cade shook the hand of the opposing coach and headed for the locker room to celebrate with his team. He looked into the stands and caught Annie’s eye. She shook her head slightly and he grimaced. They hadn’t found anything yet. It would be a long night for Annie, but he’d be waiting for her when she got home.

Annie paced the small, dark control room in frustration. They had been in there for three hours looking over security footage. By now she could name every person in the town who had showed up to the game. None of them shouted “Drug Kingpin.” They were all the guy or girl next door.

“
These are all my neighbors. It’s none of them. This is pointless,” she growled in frustration.

“
I think you may be right. It’s time to ruffle his feathers. Book the goons, put Gaylen in protective custody, and see if we can’t get the boss to feel a little desperate knowing his organization is all in jail,” Romero ordered. “Go home, Blake. Keep me posted.”

Annie pulled into St. Frances’ parking lot and found two trucks parked in front of her house. Warm light lit up her porch as she climbed the steps. She recognized Cade’s farm truck, but the other truck was not known to her.

She cautiously opened the door and stuck her head into her house. She took a whiff and started to drool a little. It smelled warm and yummy. Cade was sitting on the couch with his dad, watching
SportsCenter
. She looked around her small house and found Marcy in the kitchen. She was pulling the casserole out of the oven and Annie’s stomach rumbled. There was the source of the great smell.

“
Welcome home, dear! Cade said you had a meeting that would run late. I also know you don’t cook, so I thought I would bring this chicken pot pie over so you have something good to eat before bed.” Annie bit the inside of her cheek to prevent from tearing up. No one had ever thought to make sure she had a good meal before bed.

“
Thank you, Marcy. Maybe someday I will learn to cook that. It smells great.”

“
Well, to each her own. If you don’t like cooking, then don’t. Cooking is made with love after all.”

“
It’s not that I don’t like it. I just don’t know how. I never had anyone to teach me,” she said quietly.

“
Well! Why didn’t you say so? I’ll teach you. Now, it’s late and you need your rest. Jake! It’s time to go.” Marcy leaned forward and gave her a motherly kiss on the cheek and a squeeze of her hand before herding her husband out the door.

Cade came to stand beside her and slipped his arm around her waist. “I take it, it didn’t go well?”

“
No, we got nowhere. I knew every person there and have no reason to suspect any of them. So, we booked the ones we’re holding and will just hope that the boss will get nervous and slip up. But, your mom’s cooking is making me feel better.” She walked into the kitchen and got down a plate. “I must admit. I’m getting spoiled being around her. It gives me a feeling of family I never had.”

“
You could have the family you want now.” Annie thought about what he said as she ate a late dinner. Could she have it all?

* * *

Annie sat at her home computer and stared at the old email. Cade was at practice at Commonwealth Stadium for the championship game Saturday evening, and here she was, sitting alone at home on a Sunday night. She forced her thoughts back to the old email from her cousin Chrystal. Cade and his family were stirring up feelings she never knew she had or wanted. All she could think about was wanting to share the love and closeness the Davies shared. But, was Keeneston just one more stop in a life of constant moves and let-downs?

She hit reply and typed a short message to her cousin. She did not agree to meet, but it was enough that the feeling of being alone in the world abated. The knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.

“
Hiya!” Paige pushed her way through the door with bags of food, heading straight for the kitchen.

“
Hello, dear. We’re here to teach you how to cook. I brought all the makings for Cade’s favorite and easy dinner. And,” Marcy pulled out a white box with a green ribbon tied on it and handed it to her, “this is for you. Every cook needs one.”

Annie opened the box and pulled out a light-green apron lined with a white ribbon. Her name was embroidered across the chest. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. “Thank you so much. This is lovely.” It was also a sign. She was putting down roots. She had love and friendship. This wasn’t just another stopover. This was home.

Annie smiled and asked old Mr. Fowler how his hip was doing as she walked with him to the cafeteria for lunch. Mrs. Bentley waved hello as she hurried to her next class. Ms. Lopez stood by the big double doors waiting for their lunch date. Ever since yesterday when Paige and Marcy spent the afternoon with her, she realized how much she had become integrated into Keeneston in the months since her arrival.

“
Nervous about tonight?”

“
You know I am, Margaret,” Annie told her friend as she sat at one of the teacher tables in the brightly lit cafeteria.

“
There’s always a first time and it’s always the worst. But, I promise, it does get better.”

“
Really?”

“
Sure. I remember the first meal I cooked Randy and it was horrible. I had to throw out the pan. Now I can cook a meal for ten with my eyes closed.”

“
That makes me feel better. I’m going to leave a little early and get fresh groceries for dinner. Cade’s coming over at seven, or whenever practice in Lexington ends. I’m going to need all the time I can get in case I ruin it the first time and have to start over.”

“
Call me if you need anything and good luck!”

“
Thanks, I’ll need it.” Annie tossed her garbage into the trash can and headed back to her office to look over the recipe just one more time.

Cade ran his finger down the column and checked it off. Austin’s grades were improving. He had three more tests to grade, and then he could head over to Commonwealth Stadium. School had let out, and everyone was on their way to Lexington for practice. He wanted them to get used to the stadium and the facilities so nothing would take their focus away on the big day.

Coach Parks had driven the bus over, and they had section meetings first and then they would warm up. That gave Cade enough time to get the quizzes graded and submitted. Cade put the graded paper in his finished pile and recorded the grade in his book before he reached for his mug filled with water. He absently took a gulp of water before starting to grade the next paper.

Cade closed his eyes and then opened them again. He had read the same answer five times and still couldn’t finish reading it because it was moving around the page. Something wasn’t right. He was sweating and very dizzy. He took another drink of water and tried to focus on the far wall. It blurred as his vision tunneled. Something was really wrong.

He tried to stay calm and assess the situation. He had taken a drink of water and then gotten dizzy and light headed. He had drunk more water to try to feel better and that’s when he started sweating and getting tunnel vision. He tried to reach for the phone to call 9-1-1, but his arms wouldn’t move. He was positive now, he had been poisoned.

He took a deep breath and focused on his cell phone sitting on the edge of the desk. As he exhaled, he lunged for the phone only to fall out of his seat and onto the ground completely paralyzed. His eyes blurred and everything started to fade to black. He tried to focus his eyes but could only see a shadow of a figure come to stand over him. It had to be the boss. He was making his move.

He felt hands grab under his arms. He willed himself to fight, to kick, to punch, but nothing would work. He tried to open his mouth, but no sound came out. He wasn’t even sure his mouth opened. He was trapped in his own body as he watched the blurry lights pass by him as he was dragged down the hall. He had to fight. He had to try. With one last effort, he felt his finger move before the tunnel collapsed and everything went black.

* * *

Annie placed the groceries on the counter and reached for the ringing phone. “Hello.”

“
Annie? It’s Al Parks. I know Cade was planning on coming over there for dinner, but I have some questions about practice I need to ask him. I thought he was coming after he got done grading papers, but I guess I was wrong.”

“
Cade’s not here. He was supposed to be at practice.” Annie felt a chill dance down her spine.

“
Well, if he’s not there and he’s not here, then he must be at school. I tried his office, and I tried his cell, but he’s not answering. If you see him, will you tell him to give me a call?”

“
Sure, Al. Look, I gotta go.” She hung up the phone and raced into her bedroom. She pulled out her underwear drawer and lifted the hidden compartment to get her DEA-issued 9 millimeter and badge. She had a boyfriend to save…again.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Cade felt like he was swimming in caramel. Everything was moving slowly and his memories were sticky. Only years of training kept him from opening his eyes. He knew he had no strength or balance so he focused on controlling his breathing and listening. If he could just figure out where he was and who took him, he could develop a plan for escape.