Gentling the Cowboy (30 page)
She opened the freezer and pulled out a Lean Cuisine at random. She tore open the box and tossed it into the microwave. As she walked through the living room, she turned the TV on to the Dolphins’ exhibition game and headed for the shower. Tomorrow she’d be one step closer to bringing down this drug ring.
*
Annie was worried that her gun might not work if she sweated on it anymore. The sun was so hot on her skin that the sweat running down her spine was cascading around her Sig tucked securely in her lavender bikini bottoms.
She saw the kid and his buddies eyeing the ice cream stand and decided it was close enough to the meeting time to head up there. Diego hadn’t shown yet, but he could be waiting for them. She tied her hair back into a ponytail and slipped off her flip flops. She needed to be able to run if anything happened.
Annie saw the second the kid recognized her. He ribbed his buddies and they all stared. Maybe she should have worn a one piece. She was meeting with kids after all. But, Diego really liked her bikini so the tiny bikini won out.
“Hola, senorita. Let me take care of these kids and us adults can talk,” Diego said, appearing suddenly beside her as he ran his hand slowly down her arm. “Hey, kid. You all got the funds?”
“Yup, twenty-five hundred, just like you asked for.” The kid handed a plastic shopping bag over to Diego who in return handed over his own shopping bag.
Annie watched as the kids sauntered off, knowing that part of her team was waiting to follow them. As soon as they had Diego in custody, they’d arrest the kids and scare them and their parents into full confessions and lots of information.
“Why put up with those brats?” she asked as she turned back to Diego, who was ogling her breasts.
“Have to. I specialize in a new product. It’s steroids on steroids for young athletes. High school mostly, but our middle school market is picking up.”
“Sounds expensive at five hundred a pop. Where do kids get that money?”
“That’s the best part. The majority of our clients are middle to upper class. They just take it from their parents and are above suspicion. No one will question the star of the private school football team, and it reduces the risks on our end.”
“How?”
“Kids like this have more to lose if they talk. They also aren’t used to life on the streets, so the risk of violence is low. It’s a win-win for us.”
“Do you make the drug yourself? It sounds very interesting.”
“No. We import it from up north. Now, enough about them. Let’s talk about you. I got you something special.”
“Ooh! What did you get me?”
“A nice designer drug that gets you high as a kite but with the sensations of Ecstasy. How about we go back to your place and test it out? If you like it, you can show me your gratitude and I won’t even charge you for it.” He reached out and grabbed her waist with his hands. He ran them up her ribcage, stopping at her breasts. She counted to ten to try to rein in her temper.
“So, if I have sex with you, you’ll waive the three hundred dollar fee? Look at me. I think I’m worth more than three hundred. Throw in two more packages and you have a deal.”
“You run a tough bargain, but you look worth it.” He pulled out three little pouches from his pocket down by his knee and slipped them into her triangle top.
“Now, let’s go party.”
“Sure thing, big boy.” Annie reached into her bag and brought out her cuffs. “You’re under arrest for the sale and distribution of narcotics. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in…” Annie’s head was snapped back by a strong slap to the face. A
slap
? Who slaps these days?
Diego took off down the beach in what could barely be described as a run. It looked more like skipping as his shorts kept falling down, causing him to miss steps while trying to keep the pants up.
“We got him, Annie,” she heard in her earpiece.
“No. He’s all mine. Go pick up the kids.”
“Remember your temper. Take a deep breath. It was just a little slap,” the agent chuckled.
“Don’t forget the boob grab.”
“Really, Annie. Take it easy.” But it was too late. She had reached him in just a couple strides. She pushed off the sand with the balls of her feet and launched herself at him. She wrapped her arm around his waist, taking him to the ground as his shorts slipped from their precarious perch on his thighs to his ankles. Annie sat half on top of him trying to secure her cuffs.
“Puta!” Diego grabbed whatever he could, which happened to be her top, and pulled. Her ties dug into her neck as she felt his nails dig into the soft skin above her breast.
He brought his hand up and boxed her ear. Sand burned her eyes as her ear rang. Okay, that was enough. Annie pulled back her right arm, tightened her hand into a fist and brought it down as hard as she could onto the side of his face. She heard the satisfying grunt and watched as his eyes rolled back in his head. She secured his hands in the cuffs and stuffed her breasts back into the tiny bikini top. She’d hear about this for months. Nothing like having her boobs popping out on surveillance to suddenly have every agent in the department wanting to review the footage to “help out.”
She looked up and saw the telltale sign of federal agents: cheap suits on a beach. No blending in for these guys coming towards her.
“Blake, you’re going to be in deep trouble when Cruz hears about this. This is the fourth guy you’ve knocked out in three months.”
*
Annie took a deep breath. She knew every set of eyes on the floor was on her now. She looked up at the door belonging to her boss, Special Agent in Charge Manuel Cruz. Show no fear. She raised her hand and knocked on the door before opening it. She was expected, she had been summoned. She hadn’t even had time to get dressed before she had been called to his office. There was no dignified way to face your boss in a barely there lavender bikini, but she lived by three rules – one, never show fear, two, never get attached, and three, if all else fails, fake it until you make it.
She stepped up to the large oak desk covered in papers and files and clasped her hands behind her back. “You wanted to see me.”
“Jesus, you could have gotten dressed first.” Cruz took in her apparel, or lack of apparel, and shook his head. “Here.” He threw her a DEA t-shirt and waited until she slipped it on.
“You said it was important, sir.”
“I know I did. I have a huge problem. I have a massive drug ring targeting kids, and I am this close to having my ass chewed out by the U.S. Attorney because I have
another
perp beaten up. Luckily, it was caught on camera that he sexually assaulted you and hit you on the head. At least that’s the angle we’re taking.”
“So, what’s the problem then?”
“The problem is I can’t cover for you anymore. You’ve had three mandatory cycles of anger management, but I still can’t control you. The problem is you’re my best agent, and you know the most about this new drug.” Cruz paused and shuffled through some of the papers on his desk until he found the one he was looking for. “Diego spilled his guts as soon as we said we’d let you interrogate him. He doesn’t like you very much anymore. It turns out the shipments all originate from a small town called Keeneston, Kentucky.” He handed the paper to her.
“I’m being transferred to the Lexington office?” She stared in disbelief at the paper in her hand.
“Yes. You’ll be undercover as Annie Hill. I got you a job in Keeneston at the high school so you can keep a close eye on the kids there. If it’s being made there, then I’m sure they’re using it. You’ll be at ground zero and reporting to Special Agent in Charge Vincent Romero. You’re his problem now.”
“When do I leave?” She stood straighter. She would not show the hurt she was feeling. It was just one more move in her life. It’s not like she hadn’t done it a dozen times before.
“You’re transfer is immediate. Good-bye, Agent Blake.”
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