“What time is the board meeting?” Harmon asked me.
“Seven.”
“We only have a few hours to get this ready,” Fowler said, “but luckily we have a cop on the force that resembles Mitch a lot. I’m sure your parking garage is as dimly lit as the rest in the city so we can easily pull it off.”
“This is how it’s going to go,” Harmon said in a lowered voice. “There is no bug in Mitch’s office. Todd was unaware that you were in your own connecting office and you overheard his phone conversation.” He pinned Mark with a dark look because he knew his career would be over if he was caught crossing the line. “You’re going to give me a statement right now about the conversation you overheard fromyouroffice and I’m going to get approval from my lieutenant to do this right.” He took a deep breath and said, “We need him to confess and we need it to stick because no one,” he looked around the room and looked each of us eye to eye, “is perjuring themselves on the stand if called upon to testify. Once that happens to a cop, all of his old cases are looked at and next thing you know convicted killers, rapists, and drug dealers go free because they get a new trial under appeal and the new jury mistrusts the evidence presented.”
“I understand,” Mark said, followed by the rest of us.
“Timothy may be a hard ass who’s willing to keep his mouth shut, but I bet Todd will sing like a canary,” Fowler told us.
Mark gave his official statement to Fowler and Harmon who then phoned their lieutenant. An operation was put into motion and all I could do was sit and watch it all happen. I would have to stay at home with Hammer while the rest of them went out to catch my would-be killer. I didn’t like the idea of being used as bait, but I hated that I was going to be completely removed from the situation. Mark would be going and therefore would be a target for anyone who wanted to hurt me.
“Hey,” Mark said softly, bumping his shoulder to mine. “It’s going to work out fine. I’m going to be just fine, so stop worrying.”
“I won’t stop worrying until this is over and you come home safe to me,” I replied. I kept my voice low because I didn’t want anyone else to hear our private conversation. “I love you, Mark. Please don’t take any stupid chances. It feels like I’ve started to really live for the first time in my life and it’s all because of you.”
“I love you too, babe.” He leaned forward and kissed me softly. “I feel the same way that you do and I promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to come home to you.” He nodded his head and smiled, “Besides, we have a very special trip planned and I have no intentions of missing out on a chance at skinny dipping with you in those crystal clear waters.”
I couldn’t stop the soft moan that escaped my lips at the images he painted for me. I had been to the Maldives once before when I was too spoiled and too young to appreciate its beauty. The trip with Mark would be completely different.
“We’ll be back in time for Thanksgiving,” I told him. It was the first time I looked forward to the holidays since I left Howard and Dorey’s home. Even though I was a sad kid missing his mother something fierce, Mark, Howard, and Dorey made the holiday as special for me as they could. It was something I never forgot. “I’d like to have the dinner here and invite my father, Howard, and Dorey to eat with us. Edna too,” I added.
“I think Howard and Dorey would love to be invited to your home for Thanksgiving and have the opportunity to meet Max,” Mark replied. “It sounds like the perfect holiday to me.”
“Good,” I replied. “I’ll tell you more about it when you get back tonight.”When, not if.
I stayed by Mark’s side as much as I could for the few hours left before the operation went down. I didn’t cling to him or get in his way; I just needed to breathe the same air as him until he had to leave. The hours rushed by like minutes and the next thing I knew, he pulled me to him for a long, hard goodbye kiss.
“We’ll put this behind us tonight and tomorrow we’ll start turning it into a distant memory,” Mark said once he pulled back from the kiss. “Babe?”
“Hmmm,” I replied, looking into his green eyes.
“Successful missions make me really, really horny,” he said, carnal intent shining in his eyes. “With everything I have on the line, you can bet your sweet ass I’ll be successful. Be ready to feel me for days.”
“I’m holding you to it,” I replied and then gave him one final kiss. I probably stood there for way too long staring at the front door after he left. I was lost in a myriad of thoughts and felt frozen to the spot.
“Mitch, come play cards with me,” Hammer said from the couch behind me. “I understand you’re worried about Mark. Hell, I’m worried about Vic too, but worrying won’t do anything but give us ulcers.” Hammer lowered himself to the floor between the couch and the coffee table and began to shuffle a deck of cards.
I walked over to the opposite side of the coffee table and lowered myself to the floor. Frankie immediately jumped in my lap, and like it always did, petting her sleek fur brought me peace. “What are we playing?”
“War,” Hammer responded with a sly smile. “Hey, it suits the evening and it won’t take much brain power, which I suspect neither of us are capable of right now.”
“Plus it takes forever to play, so it will keep us occupied for a while,” I replied.
I let Hammer deal first and did my best to settle in and play the game with him rather than make myself sick with worry over what was happening with Mark.Have faith!I repeated those two words in my mind on an endless loop while we waited for word from the men we loved.
