Breaking The Silence (Fatally Flawed Book 3) (12 page)

Chapter 30

Izzy

              I’ve spent the last two nights crying myself to sleep, craving K.J.’s touch. Then I close my eyes and see the look on his face when he told me he murders people for a living, and any doubt I had about making the wrong decision instantly vanishes. There was no remorse in his eyes and his body language showed no sign of shame. It was like I was in a twilight zone. How could I be so clueless?

              I stayed in this bed all day yesterday while Gunner brought me lunch and dinner that went untouched. My stomach is screaming at me to get out of bed and follow the smell of pancakes coming from somewhere in the house.

              Standing in the bathroom, looking in the mirror, I see a sad excuse for the girl I used to be. My hair is tangled, eyes swollen and red, and my nose is raw. Bending over the sink, cupping my hand under the cold water running from the faucet, I splash some on my face. Although my body will protest with every step I take and my heart still feels like it will never be whole again. I have to get out of this room and at least try to start the long journey of getting over K.J.

              Fully dressed, in a frilly pink skirt and an old Backstreet Boy’s t-shirt, I make my way down stairs letting my nose lead the way. Gunner is standing over the counter top stove, flipping pancakes, none the wiser I am now watching him. This makes me think of the many times I have tried to sneak up on K.J. only to be the one that got surprised.

              There is one particular time when we were at the gym, after one of our defense classes, that he got me really good. I had snuck into the men’s locker room, where he was taking a shower, to not only scare him but also get a glimpse at what he had been denying me. Jasper, Dalton, and Liam had already left so I knew it was only him still in there. Trying to be as stealthy as possible, I tip toed to the shower that was running, pulling the curtain back only to find it empty. With a disappointed sigh, I turn around, bumping into a large body now blocking my path. Judging by the look on his face I can tell he isn’t happy about my sneaking around. K.J.’s not the type of person that likes pranks, yet I couldn’t give up until I at least got him once. When he started questioning me, I did what anyone would have, I started retreating backwards. The problem with that was, the shower was still on and I ended up soaking wet. He looked a little to smug for my liking, so I started stripping out of the soggy clothes. His eyes went from their usual darkness to midnight black, and I thought he would finally take what I was offering. When he turned around and walked away without so much as a word, I remember calling him a pussy, right before the door slammed shut to the locker room.

              “… Izzy. Where did you just go?” Gunner asks, looking at me with a spatula in his left hand. “You zoned out with a goofy grin on your face.”

              “Sorry.” I say shaking the memory from my thoughts. “Those pancakes smell delicious.” I announce just as my stomach makes a sound of appreciation from the smell alone.

              “Have a seat.” He states. Walking to the bar that overlooks the kitchen, on his left side, I pull out a swanky looking metal stool. This kitchen reminding me of a page out of, Modern Magazine. I don’t like it. All this metal and white makes me feel like I am in a doctor’s office.

              “While you were sleeping the day away yesterday, I went to the market. The refrigerator and pantry are completely stocked. You can help yourself to whatever you want.”

              “Thank you, Gunner.” I whisper. He places a full plate of pancakes in front of me. “You don’t have to thank me, Izzy. I could never deny you anything. Let alone food.” He jokes.

              “Not only for the food. Thank you for everything you’re doing for me.”

              “I don’t want you to worry about any of that. Just know that you can stay here as long as you need.”

              Giving him a small smile, I take a huge bite of my syrup drenched pancakes. Barely taking time to chew my food, I am halfway done when, Gunner, breaks the silence that has settled over us. “There is something that I need to deal with at the office today. It shouldn’t take long. Why not spend the time exploring the house? When I get back we can go over the dinner plans.” He states.

              “Are you not going to eat?” I ask.

              “I ate before you came down. I’m actually late to my meeting. I just wanted to make sure you tried to eat something today.” He declares.

              “Since you made breakfast. It’s only fair that I make dinner.” I declare, “what time will you be home?”

              With a huge smile on his face, that lights up his eyes, “it’s going to be nice coming home to a hot cooked meal. I’ll be home at six.” He states, placing all the dirty dishes in the sink, before walking toward me. “I’ll see you later, beautiful.” He whispers, bending down, giving me a soft kiss on my cheek. Watching his retreating back I feel guiltier now more than ever. By coming here, I feel I’ve given him false hope. Letting him think we may still have a chance at a romantic relationship.

Chapter 31

K.J.

              Sticks meets me at my apartment shortly after I have tied Sal to a chair and left him in Kiersten’s room. There is plenty of time for me to deal with him later. Right now my first priority needs to be locating Izzy. Thankfully the license plate came back registered to someone I know, the bad news is Gunner now has what is mine. I had already made plans for him, since he didn’t take my warning to stay away from her serious, now they will involve more pain and blood.

              “He isn’t at the house you had cameras and microphones placed. I looked through all the camera feed. He hasn’t been there all week.” Sticks says.

              “I want to know anything there is to know about him that we apparently missed the first time.” I demand.

              “I’ve already been searching for any relatives we may have missed. This may take a little longer than you like, but I’m positive I will find her.  

              “I DON’T HAVE TIME.” I yell out. For the first time, in my life, losing my temper. The longer she is out there, without me to protect her, the easier it will be for my enemies that I’ve tried to keep her from to find her before I can. Looking over at Sticks, seeing the expression of concern and fear on his face, I decide right now may be the perfect time to pay an old friend a visit. Throwing a wad of cash onto the table, I turn to leave the apartment, yelling over my shoulder. “Call me when you get a lead?”

              The house is locked when I get there, and by the looks of the security system it might take me a while to let myself in. I parked my bike in a wooded area, two miles away, so the owner doesn’t get suspicious before he even arrives home. This isn’t my first time, with precise movements, I’m easily able to break into the back window without setting off the alarms. I walk around the unfamiliar house, memorizing the layout of the rooms before finding the perfect spot to lay in waiting.

              The sound of someone opening the front door, then punching in a code to the alarm, can be heard throughout the house just before I let my presence be known. Walking out of the dark corner, I clear my throat, trying to get Barbara’s attention. When she turns around, her bright red hair swings with her movement, and her smile turns into a look of fear and confusion. Her husband Kyle, seeing the change in her body language, sits down the baby seat.

              “Hello Agent Marks. Nice family.” I state, looking between his wife and new born son still in his car seat outside the door. He is smart to not bring him in, if someone of my nature showed up at my door, I would put as much distance between them and my family too.

              “Barbara I need you to get Jack back into the car and drive to your sister’s house. Stay there until I come and get you, okay?” Kyle demands, turning toward his wife, making sure she hears every word he says. Barbara doesn’t bother saying her goodbyes. She walks to the door on shaky legs before grabbing her son and doing exactly what she was told.

              “I thought you were smarter than this.” Kyle says while walking past me, heading in the direction of a liquor cabinet, toward the back of the living room. He pours him a glass of whiskey. Swallowing it down in three easy gulps.

              “The fact that I am still living lets me know you came here for something. I’m going to go out on a limb and say your little girlfriend is in some trouble. Otherwise you would not be standing in my living room.”

              “He’s taken Izzy.” I state, now making my way toward him. “I want her back.”

              “I haven’t seen or spoken to Gunner since last week. He came into our headquarters and said he needed some time to get his personal life together. I assumed it was over Izzy. Guess I was right.” Kyle declares, pouring himself another glass. He holds up the bottle, in my direction, silently asking if I would like a drink. I shake my head no as I watch him down the glass he just poured.

              “Forgive me if I seem a little thirsty. Having a man-made killer in my house, near my family has suddenly turned me into a lush.” He mutters out.

              “If you give me what I came for you won’t have to worry about me ever being near your family again. If you choose to lie, I will make sure your wife receives your body in the mail at her sister’s house. Cindy is her name, right?” I ask, knowing without a doubt the sister’s name is Cindy.

              “You break into a federal agent’s house, threaten him, and you’re not one bit worried about the repercussions. Wow! That sick bastard must have done a real number on you when you were growing up.”

              Releasing the blade of the knife, I had hidden in my hand, I throw it across the room. He curses out when he reaches down, and comes into contact with my knife that is now sticking out of his left thigh. Rushing over to him, I take the glass bottle he had, and break it across his head. When he hits the floor, rolling around in broken glass and whiskey, I bend over and pull my blade out of his leg.

              “You’re not saying anything I want to hear, Kyle.”

              “What the fuck did you expect, Kade.” He spits out at me. “I’m not going to give up my partner to you. You might as well kill me because there is no way I’ll tell you ANYTHING.”

              “I bet there is a way, Kyle.” I state taking my phone out of my pocket and dialing Stick’s. When he answers on the first ring, I say what I need, “have someone go to Cindy’s house and pick up Barbara.” Before Sticks can even acknowledge he heard me, Kyle has a change of heart.

              “Okay..Okay. I’ll tell you everything, just leave my wife out of this.”

              “You’ve wasted enough time of mine.” I state.

              I see the cockiness he once felt turn to regret when he realizes wasting my time was a mistake. “He just bought a new house. It’s on the outside of Tampa Bay city limits. I don’t know who’s name it’s under, but I do know it’s not his. I swear that’s everything.” He rushes out.

              “Did you get that?” I ask Sticks. When he confirms he got the information we need, I hang up the phone, then look down at the rat. He might think he is getting off easy, but there is still a lot of pint up aggression raging through my veins. This is only just the beginning. I’m about to find out if that truly is all he knows.

Chapter 32

Gunner

              Leaving Izzy in my house alone, when I just got her back, is not something I wanted to do but the text I received from Kyle last night gives me little to no choice. He said the devil himself payed a visit to his home when Barbara and Jack were there. I knew K.J. would go to drastic links to find Izzy, but it never occurred to me that my partner’s family would ever be put into danger. I held onto hope that K.J. is just an evil product of his childhood environment, believing deep down he could have redeeming qualities.

              I remember when Kyle and I were first handed this case. An undercover officer by the name of Brandon Leeks, assigned to Lorenzo Alvarez, had gone missing. He was last seen alive in the traffic camera’s close to the house he stayed in selling dope for Lorenzo. He was reported missing when he didn’t make it to headquarters for a debriefing a week later. He all but vanished in thin air and left no clues as to what happened to him. Thankfully he was married to the job and left behind no family but an estranged aunt on his mother’s side. The bureau decided not to assign anyone else undercover, instead handing over the case to their two best agents.

              Brandon had taken a lot of notes in the two years he was undercover. At the beginning it was just the usual information, who was who of the Alvarez organization and where they hung out. Most of the intel was stuff we had already suspected. Just a few short months of him working for Lorenzo he finally met K.J. and his investigation soon revolved around the man he nicknamed, The Watcher. Reading over his notes it seemed like he became obsessed with the man he insisted was the glue that held the organization together. He no longer thought we should focus our time on Lorenzo. Brandon was adamant that without K.J. the organization would fall.

              Turning into the abandoned parking lot Kyle insisted I meet him at, I notice he is standing next to a white dodge truck. I start to notice his slouched posture the closer I get and instantly know K.J. did more than just talk. Parking beside his truck I get out of my car, and take the few steps needed to be in front of him.

              “Tell me you at least got a hit in.” I joke.

              “I think I may have bloodied his nose but he seemed to enjoy the pain.” Kyle laughs out.

              “He is a sick son of a bitch, man. I’m just glad you were able to get Barbara and Jake out of the house.” I state, taking a step to his left side to lean on the door of the truck.

              “I told him about your new house, Gunner. I had no choice. He doesn’t know where it is or that you put it in your sister’s boyfriends name.” Kyle blurts out. Judging by his stiff movements and all the bruises outlining his face, I know he’s telling the truth. He would never sell me out if it could be avoided.

              “I don’t want you to worry about that. This will all be over soon. I got a call last night. Lorenzo’s off shore accounts have all been drained. Clarisse has everyone working on finding out where the money went. I give it just a few days and we will find out all that money was used to pay off Anthony. That leaves a trail of blood money, and I’m sure with all the other evidence we have, a warrant will be filed.”

              “That takes care of Lorenzo, what about Kade?” Kyle asks.

              “K.J. will go down with the ship. We have all the proof needed to show he was at the top of their organization.”

              Kyle turns his head, looking me in the eye, before saying what it is he really called me down here for. “You need to think more about what you’re doing, Gunner. Kade is a psychopath that was crafted to be the ultimate killing machine. You’ve seen the photo’s Brandon was able to get from Lorenzo’s office. No child goes through what he did and comes out of it with any human like emotions. You took something from him and he isn’t going to stop until he gets her back.”

              I have thought about those pictures many times, trying to envision what it must have been like, thinking he would have been better off dead. “I don’t doubt his will to have Izzy back, but I’m not going to throw her back into the wolf’s den. She was lucky to escape the first time. I don’t just see her as a mark anymore, Kyle. I love her and I’d be damn if I let someone like K.J. ruin her forever.”

              “I was afraid you would say that.” He states while shaking his head in disapproval. “That is why I put in the request to get a new partner.”

              The news of his decision doesn’t come as a surprise to me. Since I got involved with Izzy he has been relentless in telling me of his disapproval. I respect him enough to realize he has every right to make the switch. His family was threatened and it’s his job to protect them. Just like I’m doing what I can to protect Izzy.

              “I’m sorry your family got involved and I’m sorry K.J. rearranged your face to get to me. It’s been a pleasure working with you. Maybe after all this is said and done we can go have a beer.” I state.

              “You’re buying.” He declares, sticking his hand out for me to shake it. Placing my hand in his, I pull him in for a hug, softly slapping him on the back. “I guess I do owe you.”

              “One drink isn’t going to pay off your debt, asshole. Barbara is going to come after you after she nurses me back to health.” He jokes once again.

              “I’ll be sure to send her some flowers.”

              “Don’t do that. Then I’ll have to hear about how I never send her those smelly ass things. Just keep your eye open, and don’t underestimate Kade, Gunner.” He says in the serious voice he uses while questioning a suspect.

              “I’ll be fine.” I reassure him, as I walk around to my car, opening the driver side door. I get comfortable in my seat watching Kyle as he scans the parking lot, before getting in the truck. I wait for him to leave then make my way to a meeting with my boss, Clarisse. I would love to find where the trail ends on that money before going home to eat dinner with Izzy.