High Stakes Gamble (3 page)

Aurora added what she already knew to be true. “Feds working the cases also? Kidnapping is in their jurisdiction.”

“Oh yeah, they’ve set up downstairs. But you know Cory. He likes to stay on top of what happens in his city. He’ll work with them, sure, but he’s pushing his own buttons.”

Glumly, she nodded; her keen brain hummed, trying to figure out all the angles. There was a definite din attacking her ears and she knew something still unclear was just out of reach.

“Have you any idea if these babies are being processed through an agency? I’ve no doubt they’ll have to be put into the system to make them legal for adoption. There’s people out there who will pay big money nowadays to have a family handed to them, to bypass the waiting—no questions asked.”

“Sure, but there’s records tied to those adoptions, easy-to-follow records.”

“Okay, in the government offices. What about the private agencies? Maybe some from out of the country?” She gnawed on her bottom lip and tilted her head to stop the vicious twanging.

She noticed when Hampton realized how much he’d disclosed to a fellow cop on sabbatical. “Leave it lassie. You don’t need to worry your pretty little head…”

In a flash, she had her finger in front of his face and she hissed a warning. “You’re beginning to piss me off, Ham.”

Her gently pushed her away, held his own hands out front and backed his chair up. “You taking your postpartum vitamins? A might cranky, even for you.”

His teasing grin did her in every time and today was no different. She calmed and grimaced. “Just don’t push me. I miss the job so badly; I could chew on the envy I feel coming in here, seeing you and knowing I can’t stay.”

“It’s just for a few more weeks, Aurora. We’ll hold the fort and you’ll be back before you know it.”

Her head dropped to her chin and she slumped back into her chair. “I know. I love being home with Lily, really I do. But some days I can’t breathe for wanting to have a problem to wrap my brain around that doesn’t include the words goo or poo.”

The ringing phone stopped their conversation. Ham picked it up on the second ring. His expression had the adrenalin pumping instantly for Aurora.

“Ya don’t say? At the truck scales? Right. I’ll be at there in a jiffy. Tie it down and don’t let anyone mess up the crime scene.”

Red-cheeked and eyes glittering, Ham unwound his huge size. His drooping shoulders gave Aurora a hint about the news he’d received. Only a few things she knew affected his overly big Irish heart in this way. Either a woman or kids were involved—or a cop.

She watched Ham look around to spot someone to partner him. She saw him settle on a Jason, a veteran who looked like hell as he sat holding his head up with one hand while listlessly plucking at the buttons on his computer. He sneezed then groaned and pulled another tissue from the box on his desk.

“Let me work backup for you today. I can fill in for Lisa.” Ham rubbed at his mustache and turned to look at her.

She stood waiting for his nod, and when he hesitated, she added, “I’m begging you here, Ham. It’ll be like you called me out for auxiliary duty… except I’ll forget to put in the paperwork.”

“You have no gun or badge. Means you stay in the background. I mean it, Rory.”

“Hell, I can do that!”

Ham snorted as he gathered his own piece, pushed his chair in, and waited for her to precede him.

She moved in front and snidely grinned over her shoulder. “Just this once you can call me Rory!”

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Colleen. It’s good to have you back.”

Chapter Five

Cory knocked on the door of an old colleague and waited for permission to enter, which came soon enough.

“Cory Ashton, you old dog, how long has it been? Last time you contacted me, you screwed me out of one of my best men without even a thank you kiss or an after-the-fun cigarette.” Bob Powers, Police Captain for the Los Angeles division stood with his hand outstretched.

Cory moved in smiling and they shook, both delighted to be together once again. “Bob! You’re looking good for an old man who sits around all day with nothing to do.”

“Right. My job runs itself. I just sit on my ass and play solitaire on my computer like you.” He smirked and pointed to the comfortable chair next to a matching sofa across the room from his office area. “Can I get you a coffee or a cold drink?”

“A coffee if it’s no trouble.” Cory made his way over to sit in the plush chair and took the time to glance around the space of a very busy man.

“As much as I’d like to believe that you’ve come to see me personally, I know better. What’s on your mind?”

“You do know me too well, Bob. I’ve come to enquire about Kai Lawson. He left my precinct in Vegas after the Rhondo shooting over eleven months ago saying he needed time and that he’d check back. I’ve called, sent e-mails and since I was in town, I went to his address and he’s not there anymore.”

“Why do you want to see him?” The older man’s thick eyebrows met above a frown that made rookies shake in their boots. It had had that effect on Cory back in the day when he’d called this tough guy Sarge.

“It’s personal.”

“Nothing’s personal with my men. Lawson’s gone through a tough time lately. The man will be receiving a special commendation for his outstanding bravery. He went above and beyond. Therefore, I’d stand in the way of anyone messing with him right now, even you.”

Cory’s ears perked up and he relaxed the tightness in his shoulders and inched back from the righteous indignation that swept him every time he thought of the prick. He’d come prepared to play whatever hand necessary to get to the guy and beat the crap out of him. A punishment well deserved in Cory’s estimation.

Playing fast and loose with a cop like Aurora Morelli, not to mention that Aurora was one of Cory’s best friends, then leaving her pregnant and heartsick was as low as a man could go.

It would satisfy the revengeful devil in him to punch the guy’s lights out. Not that he’d mention any of this to the keen-eyed man across from him. Especially after the Captain’s last statement.

“I need to understand, Bob. Trust me. It’s really important.” He suffered the other’s gimlet-eyed gaze and didn’t back down one iota. This had to be settled… now!

“Fine. I’ll tell you what I know but only because you look like a man itching for a fight. What I have to share might change your mind.”

He passed a steaming, strong scented mug of coffee to Cory and set his own down on the table across. Hitching up his pant legs, he sat in the chair opposite.

“When Lawson first came back to L.A. all fucked up, his words not mine, his dilemma took him to one of the seedier nightclubs in town to drown his sorrows. While there, the stepson of a kingpin, an Italian gang we’ve had our sights on for a long time, happened to drop in to the same place. Cutting to the chase, Lawson saved the guy’s life. Stepped into a fight, took down four men to rescue the jerk and won daddy’s deepest appreciation.”

“Must have pissed you off to have one of yours behaving so irresponsibly.” Cory stopped the chuckle after seeing the straight expression on the hard face of the man across from him. “And…?”

“Our boys were new and they didn’t recognize him as one of ours, so along with the other drunks; they pulled him in for disturbing the peace, assault and a few other misdemeanours.” Captain Powers stopped to take a sip of coffee.

Hmmm. This was getting more and more interesting. Cory also sipped the hot brew and watched the captain organize his thoughts before continuing.

“I happened to be in late that night and became aware of the unusual circumstances surrounding his arrest. You must understand, we’d been trying to infiltrate that bunch for quite some time and Lawson’s behaviour that night had given us the most opportune break we’ve had to date.”

Cory slammed down his mug. “You set him up!”

“I gave him a chance to do his job.” Hard and biting, the man revealed his authority in his piercing tone.

Cory looked away and took a deep breath, releasing the burning indignation that had blown up on behalf of the man he’d once loved and called friend. Forced to admit that as mad as he was at Kai, dammit, he still cared about the stupid bastard, he stroked the rage to keep in under control.

“What happened?”

“The mob lawyered him up and bailed him out, along with Sonny, the stepson of the boss who offered him a job as his kid’s bodyguard.”

“And he took it?” Christ! So that’s what happened! At peace now, Cory sat back to hear the rest.

“Truthfully, the man didn’t feel as if he had a choice. His own sense of justice, plus a few pertinent words from me, coerced him into taking it in order to bring down the scum. No one imagined it would go on for so long, though. Thing is, he got deeper into their gang politics than anyone else had ever managed.”

“What’s their names?”

“Father is Dominic Angeli. Sonny is the punk Kai’s been babysitting. You might know them as the Angeli mob. They’re pretty infamous on the west coast for their interests in extortion, money laundering trafficking, prostitution—”

“Not to mention smuggling and counterfeiting. Yeah, I know about them. They’ve been a boil on our backside for quite some time. Thing is, I heard the father disliked the stepson and kept him out of the loop.”

“He did. And Sonny ended up pissed about it. Being that he’s far worse than his old man, and craved leadership in the organization, we’re pretty sure he was instrumental in the old man’s death.”

“Was? Sounds as if there were new developments.”

“Thanks to Lawson, last week we were able to catch them red-handed with a load of young hijacked girls bound for the dens in the east and a shitload of drugs being shipped alongside the human cargo. He set up a sting that worked like a charm except for one thing.”

“What’s that?” Cory sensed the drama and knew he wasn’t going to like the answer. He didn’t.

“Lawson was shot in the line of duty, took one in the arm and the chest. Don’t look so worried, he’s getting better every day, enough to drive the hospital staff crazy. In fact, I received notice a few hours ago that he’d signed himself out and has taken leave.”

“Then he’ll be at his old place?”

“If he’s keeping his ass outta trouble.”

Chapter Six

Weary and heartsick, Kai returned to his apartment to find a dusty, cold shell of a home. Captain Powers had made arrangements for one of the flunkies to periodically check the joint, pick up his mail, which was scattered over his table, and water his artificial plant if the Chinese pot now filled to the brim yielded a clue. Dumber than stumps, some of those guys. He shook his head, sighed and looked around.

At one time, he’d been proud of his place. His man-cave, he had all the guy things that make a residence home for a regular sports-loving, game-playing, popular with a lot of friends kind of dude. A big-screen TV took the central position against the wall and the man-size comfy brown leather couches and chairs circled it.

First thing he tackled—listening to his totally filled answering machine took more guts than standing in front of a maniac firing a weapon in his direction.

The first call had recorded her soft voice pleading for him to come back so they could talk. Telling him she had a reason for the actions she’d taken by killing Rhondo. Begging for his support during her ordeal while under investigation.

The inquest had happened quickly and he’d done everything he could from L.A. He’d written a statement to exonerate her, explaining that she’d returned fire and might have saved lives by her actions.

A misrepresentation, but the investigators didn’t need to know that. Both he and Cory had shot to disarm the crazed man; Aurora had taken the final unnecessary shot, aiming for his heart. A traitorous move since just moments earlier she’d begged
him
not to kill Rhondo, to let justice run its course.

He still had no idea how she justified her actions to the committee. The difference was that he now knew she could and her reasoning would be sound.

Her tear-filled voice during the next few messages, telling him she loved him and needed him, tore away all the armor he’d built up over the last months he’d been forced to stay away. Aware of how tough it would have been for Aurora to lower herself to plead made his shame intensify to where it was hard to contain.

The weepy invitation beseeching him to accept her love bit into his soul, leaving a scorching wound that weakened every bone in his body with regret and self-loathing. He pounded his knees with clenched fists.

Then the final message played. Aurora’s angry sobbing tore into Kai’s wretched conscience and ripped his heart to shreds.

“Kai, in case you give a shit, I’m going crazy trying to put our baby’s crib together. I have no doubt a lunatic—most likely a man—wrote these directions when he was either drunk or high. You are a piece of shit and if our baby falls when this son-a-bitchin thing breaks, it’ll be your fault. I hope you rot in hell for leaving me alone to deal with all this.”

The slamming receiver made Kai wince. Ruefully, he felt a small sense of relief when the answering device announced it as being the final call saved.

Her angry words left him shaken to the core.
My God, I’m a daddy!
Aurora had conceived his baby and had been forced to go through the experience without him. Oh God! Could it get any worse?

He slumped down on the dusty sofa and lowered his head into his shaking hands. The vision her voice resurrected gnawed into his sorry soul.

Deep undercover, he’d had no choice but to stick to the plan, give up all his contacts, all connections to his old life and live the lie he’d taken on since that never-to-be-forgotten night he’d stepped in to fight another man’s battle.

But he’d won his freedom. The case had ended well for the LAPD. Even though in the final battle he’d taken a couple of bullets, which still hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, the mob now resided behind bars.

The two Angeli men, Dominic and Sonny, were dead and the drug ring completely busted. The last weapon haul had revealed the Mexican connection and they were also squashed.

Eleven months of undercover duty had sapped a lot out of Kai, he knew it. Not only because of the barely healed wound in his chest and the burning pain in his arm, but the aching in his heart made him feel pitiful and lower than a slug looking for a hole to crawl into.