“In exchange for immunity, yes.”
“I’ll need some time to arrange this. Are you in Smitsville?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll text you the time and place. Meet me there.”
“Where is there?”
“Someplace safe. Is Skull Crusher with you?”
“Yes, but I will come alone. He has nothing to do with this.”
“Santiago, if this is some kind of setup—”
“No setup. Speaking of, I want you to come alone. If I see anyone else at the meet, the deal is off.”
Jordan was shaking his head adamantly, but I ignored him.
“You missed me that much, Santiago?” I mocked him. “I’m flattered.”
“Not as much as Skull Crusher missed your pretty partner. He keeps mentioning his ass.”
His words made me see red, clouding my judgment.
“No deal!” I snapped. “Fuck off.”
I almost hung up when Jordan stopped me. At the same time, I heard Santiago speak.
“I was just joking. Sheesh. Calm down, cop. Where’s your sense of humor?”
“I don’t have one,” I bit out. “Wait for my text and lie low.”
Jordan took my phone from me and hung up before I could say something that would make Santiago change his mind.
“I hate this son of a bitch,” I growled, raking my fingers through my hair, exasperated. “How the fuck dares he?”
“Do you trust him?” Jordan asked me a legitimate question.
“I wouldn’t go that far. He’s a psycho, but he’s a wounded animal. Bull is out to get him, we are out to get him, his lawyer is dead, and he’s a wanted man. He doesn’t have much choice.”
“They’ll never give him immunity,” Jordan mused. “Reduced sentence, maybe.”
“I know, but he’s our best chance to get Bull. Can you call Chief Bibb and fill him in on this while I change?”
“Of course.”
One hour later, the plan was set in motion. Chief Bibb pulled some strings, and we got the approvals to start the negotiations. I texted the address of a safe house to Santiago, with instructions on how to get there. By the time I was ready to go, the only thing I didn’t know was if Santiago was really going to show up.
I got the answer to that question two hours later when I came to the meeting, which was at Smitsville National Park. We had a safe house there, a small cabin in the middle of the woods, just behind the Eary Lake. I left Jordan a mile before the meeting point because he refused to let me go alone. I even threatened to withhold sex, but he was adamant about coming with me.
When I finally arrived at the rendezvous point, Santiago was nowhere to be seen, and it set off the alarm bells in my mind. Either he changed his mind, or it was a trap, and I was about to be ambushed. I disliked both options equally, but there was only one way to find out.
I circled the cabin, keeping myself partially hidden as I surveyed my surroundings. Gravel crunched under my boots when I paused by the window to look inside, but the cabin was hauntingly empty. I scanned the backyard, only to spot a blueminivan parked by the edge of the forest. With my gun raised, I slowly approached the car, only to spot the man in the driver’s seat. It was a man I knew.
And that man had a bullet in his forehead.
Jordan
