Black and White Truth (The Syndicate-Born Trilogy Book 2) Read online

  He thought of Sally and wanted his anger at her to hold fast, but his stupid heart still wanted to trust her. She was the only thing in his crazy world that felt sane to him. He wasn’t ready to give a name to his big emotions, which had taken him over from the moment she had stepped out of the shadows that hot summer night weeks ago.

  He stood up from his desk and stretched the stiffness out of his body. Writing two novels back-to-back at such a breakneck speed was taking its toll on him physically as well as mentally, and all the strain from working long hours had caused a hitch in his step. He walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, where his eyes adjusted to the full moon light shining through the crack in the curtains. The blue light illuminated the small body curled up in a ball on the floor outside his bedroom door. When her eyes fluttered, he felt his pulse quicken.

  Finally, her eyes opened fully and she looked up at him in confusion and concern. “Is something wrong?”

  Jason shook his head and stared at her blue eyes, which glowed even in the pale moonlight. He sank carefully down onto his haunches. His leg and back muscles tightened and strained in protest, but he ignored it. He’d gotten good at ignoring his body these days. What he couldn’t ignore any longer was his need for her.

  He pushed away the errant hairs that had fallen across her face and tucked them behind her ear. Her roots—blonde—were coming in beneath the blue.

  She looked away from him.

  He carefully outlined her jaw with his thumb and passed it over her parted lips. Her gaze finally met his, and he knew without a doubt that she wanted him as much as he wanted her—an inevitability. Nothing on Earth could stop the magnetic pull guiding him back to her.

  His hand rose of its own accord and touched the soft, worn flannel of the shirt she wore. She must have found it hidden away somewhere in one of the cabin’s many odd cubbies and closets. He thought he might have recognized it as his own, but it had been so long since he’d been to the cabin that he couldn’t remember.

  He ran his index finger up the front of the shirt, coming to rest on the top button. With a flick of his thumb, he popped it open. He then made short work of the remaining buttons. When the shirt at last lay open, he brushed it off her shoulders and down her arms, leaving her naked before him.

  She shook from the cold—or from his actions—and her full chest rose and fell with each shallow breath.

  He grabbed her hand in his, pulled them both to their feet, and whispered in her ear, “Come with me.”

  He led her into the small bedroom where they’d made love so many times before, and closed the door behind them with a click. He lifted his shirt over his head, and divested himself of his jeans and boxers in one swift movement.

  This action set off a chain reaction and soon they were entangled on the bed.

  Later, as they lay panting with their bodies still joined, he opened his mouth to speak.

  Sally hushed him by placing a finger over his mouth and shaking her head. She mouthed that “they” were listening. To his great dismay, she disentangled herself from him and sat up in the bed to fiddle with her watch. After an agonizing minute with no explanations, she seemed pleased with the results of her tinkering, as a bright green light lit up on her watch.

  She whispered in his ear, “It will only block the dust surveillance for a few minutes, and we will still have to whisper. I need you to know that I never meant to hurt you. I’m not using you either. I couldn’t risk you knowing the whole plan. I just need you to trust me. We both want the same thing: to stop The Syndicate. I’m not working for Scott.”

  Jason nodded. His lips brushed against her ear. “I want to trust you,” he whispered back. “I do, but it’s hard to trust you given recent events. I don’t even know who you are. Hell, I just learned your real name not that long ago. Are you some kind of spy for hire?”

  Sally nodded. Her face was drawn—unreadable. This woman was an enigma.

  The mystery of her did appeal to him. “So what, I’ve been fucking Jane Bond?”

  Sally’s coy smile did nothing to put him at ease. “I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done. I’ll be honest, I’ve hurt a lot of people, and right now I want to hurt Scott. I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, her hushed whisper tickling his ear. “I didn’t plan on this—us.” She pointed at the two of them.

  “You mean you haven’t been fucking me into submission me so you could make millions?”

  “Getting money from Scott is only the first part of the plan. He thinks by finding the digital copy, he has bested me. He quit looking. I was counting on that. He doesn’t know he’s falling right into my trap. He needs to keep on thinking he’s won. He needs to think that the stack of bullshit over there is going to see the light of day, which it never will. I’m sorry that your friend got pulled into this. A friend of mine has been hurt as well. War has casualties.” Her gaze grew cold.

  Jason searched her face for some small bit of compassion, but came back empty. “That’s kind of a cold way to look at it.”

  “It’s the real world, and sometimes the real world is cold, especially when it has men like Scott in it.” Her watch beeped a yellow warning light.

  “Scott can never know that I love you. He will use you against me.”

  He looked at her in surprise and shock as her watch beeped red. It was no longer safe to speak. Had she used the “L” word on purpose? Sally curled against him, and it unnerved him that she could calmly step out of their conversation and right to sleep as if nothing monumental had just happened. No, he wasn’t going to let her get away that easy.

  He tipped up her chin to force her to acknowledge him.

  A storm of emotions rolled in behind her true blue eyes. She nodded.

  His heart started to race and his breath caught in his throat. She placed her soft hand on his cheek, and it all felt so right, but his mind continued to nag him to be careful and not to trust her. He longed for the time to come when he could drop his guard and live out the impossible dream.

  ***

  Outside, while the lovers fell into a deep sleep, the guards sat on the wide porch outside in busted rocking chairs.

  “We need to call the boss.” Roy shivered from the gust of cold wind that blew through the old porch like a wind tunnel.

  “I’m not going in there to separate them,” Henry said. “Let them have one last night together for Pete’s sake. Boss will want her gone now, but that ain’t gonna happen until these fucking roads clear up so just chill the fuck out Roy.” He lit a cigarette, cupping the flame from the wind.

  “I don’t know, man. Boss was real clear about making sure they didn’t start teamin’ up against us.”

  “They fucked and now they’re sleeping. I don’t think they’re telepathically plotting in their sleep. Surveillance didn’t pick up anything except fucking noises so give it a rest.” Henry took a puff of the cigarette and let the smoke leak out the side of his mouth.

  “I’m going on record as saying we should’ve separated them from the start. You’re gonna take the heat on this one, Henry.” Roy rocked the chair back-and-forth in an effort to stay warm.

  Henry stretched out his long legs and took short puffs of his cigarette. He really did love the rain. While Roy bitched and moaned about being outdoors all the time, Henry enjoyed the fresh air and relative quiet of the assignment. He tried not to think about how the boss man would react to knowing about Sally and Jason making up. At least they could have some peace tonight.

  They all could... well, except for Roy. That man was never happy a day in his life.

  Ain’t nothing more dangerous than a bitter old man.

  Chapter 15

  Church Hill Neighborhood

  Richmond, Virginia

  July 23, 2025

  11:30 PM

  ~~~

  “Well, what did they say?” Ellie twirled the end of her hair with her index finger—a nervous habit.

  “A junior agent from the Richmond office will
be going out with me tomorrow afternoon,” Manny said.

  Ellie sighed with relief, glad to know he wouldn’t be going guns-a-blazing into The Syndicate headquarters all by himself. However, she would have been much happier if the FBI assigned him a team of agents, and not just some kid fresh out of the academy.

  Manny finished off his coffee and rinsed out the cup in the kitchen sink. He gripped the side of the counter and looked out the window, where his worried face reflected back at them.

  “Don’t say it, Ellie,” he said.

  She walked over to him and covered his hand with hers—not saying a word. When the tear slid down his cheek, she squeezed.

  A choking sob escaped his tightly clamped lips and he fell into himself.

  Ellie simply stood there and held his hand, letting his raw grief ripple off him and spill onto her. In the mess of things, thoughts of his wife, and the grief that must be simmering right below the surface of Manny’s stoic façade, had escaped her.

  He sniffed back the tears, wiping his eyes and nose on the sleeve of his shirt.

  Ellie let go of his hand and stepped away slightly, letting him compose himself in private.

  Finally, Manny cleared his throat and tapped his hands on the sink. “I... uh... should go home and get cleaned up.”

  “Of course. I’m sure the girls will want to see you as well.”

  “The girls....”

  “Go home and get some rest.”

  Manny cleared his throat again and bussed her cheeks. “Thank you... for everything.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said with a smile.

  Manny adjusted the towel on the sink and turned on his heels. “I’ll see myself out.”

  “Call me later, or I’ll worry.”

  “Of course.”

  The sound of the door clicking closed echoed through the house. Tomorrow would be a long day, and she should turn in for the night, but it would be a futile effort. She could rest later, when everyone was safe and sound.

  She started to make more coffee as the comforting sounds of Ash snoring in the other room floated through the still air of the house. At least to the boy would be with her to wait it out.

  ***

  Yellow Hat Cabin

  Millboro, Virginia

  July 24, 2025

  7:00 AM

  ~~~

  Jason awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside his window. The sun peaked through the curtains—the rain had cleared up at last. The comforting weight of Sally sleeping on his bare chest supplied a contentment he had never felt in his life. She had said she loved him, and he believed her. Regardless of whether or not he trusted her, he began to see he might love her too. Never, in all of his life, had he uttered those three words to anyone but Katherine, and that time hadn’t gone well.

  Sally stirred in his arms. Her hair tickled his bare chest as she turned her head to look up at him. She smiled, and he smiled back. She kissed his smiling lips and almost purred as his hands skimmed her body.

  If he had learned anything in the recent months, life was short and you had to savor each sweet moment as it came.

  He cupped the back of her head and brought her mouth fully down on his. Her response ignited their mutual passions once again, and their bodies gave voice to the words that they were not safe enough to speak.

  Jason started to drop off to sleep, but startled awake as the door to their room was kicked open.

  Scott burst into the room ahead of his goons and threw Sally’s flannel shirt and pants at her. “Get dressed. You’re coming with me.”

  Sally took a deep trembling breath and met Scott’s gaze with renewed determination.

  That’s my girl.

  She leapt out of bed naked and dressed herself under their watchful eyes.

  Her resolve not to let them win amazed Jason. He slipped out of bed and joined her.

  “Well,” Scott said, “aren’t you two the little united front.”

  Jason crossed his arms across his chest. “What’s the matter? You jealous? Not getting any since you got out of prison?” He met Scott’s gaze in defiance.

  Out of the corner of his eye he caught a faint smile dance across Sally’s lips.

  “Wow, Jason, you get your dick worked over by the biggest whore in town and you suddenly think you got a pair.”

  Jason clenched his fist. He was not going to let Scott bait him into a fight.

  “Fuck you!” Sally’s cheeks flared red with anger. When she wanted to, she could be formidable.

  Scott scowled and his palm connected smartly with the side of Sally’s face, taking her breath away. “Watch your mouth, you filthy piece of trash.”

  The pressure of Jason’s impotent rage threatened to burst out of him like a geyser. For his and Sally’s safety he needed to keep his cool, to use his levelheadedness somehow to their advantage. Besides, the goons now stood between Jason and Scott; he needed to be smarter and choose his battles.

  “What, you’re not going to come to your whore’s rescue?” Scott’s smug face twisted up in an infuriating smirk.

  Jason stood in his place, resolute to keep calm. He caught Sally’s look of approval, too. She wasn’t looking for him to hot-headedly come to her rescue. They both understood the value of waiting to strike.

  When they didn’t give him the reaction he wanted, Scott snatched her by the arm and pulled her away.

  A part of Jason wondered if this was the last time he would see her. If it was the last time....

  I can’t let her leave without knowing.

  He followed closely behind them with his gaze trained on Sally’s every move. When she turned to look back at him, he mouthed the three words he knew she longed to hear from him—the three words she could carry with her as she went on to fight her battle against Scott alone. The sad smile she gave him in return burned in his mind as he watched her being pulled out of the cabin.

  As the door slammed shut behind them, Jason sunk down into the wooden chair Sally said reminded her of the old chairs she’d enjoyed in the library back home.

  The faster I get this crap done, the faster I can maybe see her again.

  He stood up from the chair and dragged it into the bedroom, where his makeshift desk sat. He switched out the chairs and sat down to work on the new chapter. He would stay the course because that is what she needed him to do.

  He needed to trust her.

  ***

  Buffalo Gap Highway

  Swoope, Virginia

  July 23, 2025

  12:00 PM

  ~~~

  Manny and the junior agent from Richmond, Agent Alcott, monitored the surveillance of the cabin and the surrounding area.

  “It appears that it’s just Mr. Knettle and two unknown armed guards inside,” Agent Alcott said. “I’m going to call the Bureau again and request a team.”

  Manny nodded as they continued to traverse their way down the barely passable roads to Buffalo Gap. As they neared the location of the warehouse, they pulled over to assess the situation.

  “We can send out some drones to survey the area around the warehouse.” Alcott set up a team of FBI-issued drones, but his hands shook, slowing the process.

  The Bureau still hadn’t gotten back to them on whether or not they would send out more agents, and Manny worried about the success of the mission when his partner shook like a leaf.

  My luck, this is his first time out in the field.

  Twenty minutes later, they began to get usable footage back from the drone. Manny’s mouth went dry when he saw the numbers of guards outside the building. When they switched it to heat sensory mode to get an inside reading, Alcott swore under his breath. The two of them would be up against ten men who were more than likely heavily armed.

  That’s if they could even get there. The road going toward the warehouse was still treacherous from all the rain. The Buffalo Branch River had left its banks, leaving the roads littered with debris. They had chains and some tools that allowed them to clear away
most of the things they’d come in contact with, but it would still be a slow process.

  Alcott e-mailed all the updated information to the Richmond Bureau and, once again, put in an immediate request for more agents.

  Ten minutes later, they received the message they’d been waiting for—backup was on the way. It seemed that the information from the medical examiner regarding the suspicious death of Ashton’s mother had also come in that morning, and they had gotten the go-ahead from the judge as well. There was enough information and clearance to warrant making a move on the compound.

  ***

  Abandoned Warehouse

  (Off Old Parkersburg Turnpike)

  Swoope, Virginia

  July 23, 2025

  12:30 PM

  ~~~

  Sally shivered in the small supply closet and clutched her medallion inside her trembling fist, praying Jason was safe and she might be with him again... soon. She wanted to believe that she hadn’t misunderstood him, that he really did love her.

  Before Scott and his goons put her in the closet, she had caught sight of the detective. She looked worse than when they’d seen her through the video feed, and it made Sally’s stomach flip-flop. She tried not to focus on what Scott and his men would do to her. She crossed herself and said a prayer to St. Rita in intercession that they might all come out of this alive and in one piece.

  ***

  Yellow Hat Cabin

  Millboro, Virginia

  July 24, 2025

  12:30 PM

  ~~~

  Jason’s fingertips hammered the keys as he continued to write the garbage Scott wanted. He needed to believe Sally would come through and this piece of garbage would be just an exercise in futility. He didn’t think he could live with himself if it ever saw the light of day. It all came down to trusting her and this “plan” she had put in place. Being a pawn meant he needed to do his part by playing along.

  He wanted a drink so badly that he nosed around the dusty old cabin until he found an ancient bottle of scotch hidden away in the kitchen larder. A bigger man might have been able to leave it be, but he couldn’t.