Текст книги "Cassie"

Автор книги: Jennifer Foor

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

I pretended to be amused and content. “I’m glad of that. It still makes me nervous. I wish we could walk away, Brant. Living here hasn’t been great for me. I’m tired of struggling. I need to get clean and be focused again, or else I’m afraid we’re never going to get out of here. I miss my family, and I know I agreed to let them go, but it’s not fair. Why should I have to choose? They know we’re together and they can’t stop us.”

We pulled up at the house and I noticed a car parked in the driveway. “Is someone else here? I thought you said we had the house to ourselves?”

“Come on. You’ll see.”

After the day I’d had, I wasn’t in the mood for surprises. All I wanted to do was take a long shower and figure out how to kick my habit before I lost control and landed in jail. I had a feeling the agent was going to keep his word. He’d be watching me.

If I slipped up for a second it could cost me my freedom.

When I walked inside and saw a familiar face I wanted to cry. My sister Cammie wrapped her arms around me and held for a few seconds. “It’s good to see you, sis.”

Next to her stood my cousin Christian. I hugged her next and pulled away to address Brant. “You did this?”

“I knew how lonely you’ve been, baby. I thought maybe if they visited you’d feel better. Not everyone is against us.”

I could have said something smart, like divulged information to them I knew he hadn’t. It was obvious they wouldn’t have visited if they knew what Brant was involved in. “We’re just glad you two are doing so well. This house is amazing. He told us you’ve been working at a casino. Is the money good? Do you make a lot in tips?” Christian asked.

“It’s okay money. Enough about me though, how did you get out of school?”

“I had exams. I’ve got some downtime, and when I went to Kentucky to visit Chris told me what was going on. I can’t believe Mom and Dad didn’t call me.”

“They probably thought I’d come home. It got ugly. I said things to them I regret. Mom has to be devastated.”

“They’ll get over it. Parents always do,” Chris added.

“How long can you stay?” I asked.

“They’re leaving on Sunday,” Brant interrupted.

Right away I felt cheated. They had to leave before Rocky came home and discovered our visitors. I wanted to be happy about the surprise, but for some reason my mind kept going back to all the things I didn’t know about my boyfriend. I wouldn’t be able to get to the bottom of it while we had visitors, and as much as I wanted them there with me, I kind of needed to be alone with Brant so I could drill him for answers. Brant walked up and kissed me on the cheek before heading into the kitchen. I finally dropped my purse on a table and gave all my attention to my family. “I can’t believe you’re really here. I miss everyone so much. How is everyone? Is Josh staying out of trouble? Did Callie get a dress for the Christmas ball? Is she still going with that guy she liked? Are Jax and Amber still mad at me for not being around to babysit?”

Cammie took my hand and sat down beside me. She looked in the direction of the kitchen before speaking in a whisper. “We’ll talk about that later. What’s going on, Cass? You look terrible. Tell us the truth. Are you in some kind of trouble? Is it drugs?”

I’d fallen flat on my face with guilt. They’d all told me being with Brant was a terrible decision, yet I’d gone and done it anyway. My rebellion had led me down a road I didn’t know if I could get back from. I was already thinking about my next score, even though in my heart I wanted to be able to stop. Being in a bad place and seeing the look on their faces made it all real for me. I couldn’t continue down this path. “I’m doing the best I can,” I admitted. “It hasn’t been easy for me.”

Chris sat on the opposite side of me and rubbed my back. “We’re here now. We came because we think you need to come home.”

They couldn’t understand how much I’d thought about it; the idea of being around our family again. At the moment the possibility was unreachable. I was involved in a situation I couldn’t avoid. Running away would only get me in worse trouble. “I’m not going anywhere. I can’t leave Brant,” I lied. The truth was, his secrets were making me question our relationship. Whether he was lying to protect me, or just because he was avoiding the truth wasn’t acceptable. I needed an honest relationship. I needed someone to protect me from the evils of the world, not persuade me to bask in them. I had to start thinking outside the box. It was important to straighten out my life; repair my wrongdoings, and make things right again. Then maybe, after some time, I’d be able to go home again.

“Cassie, please. You need to get away from him. It’s taking a toll on you. We can see it. I think you need help.” My sister was right, though I couldn’t make her aware of it.

“I do not. I’m fine. Can’t we just spend the next two days together and appreciate the time we have?” I was determined to make them see I was fine, even if I had to keep using to prevent from having withdrawals while they were present. “I can show you around town. We’ll go to the strip tonight. The lights on Freemont Street are incredible. Come on, you came all this way. Let’s have a good time. I’ll prove how amazing it is, and when you leave you’ll know I’m happy. I’ve just had a long day. I had to stay late at work and my feet are killing me. My head is pounding out of my head, and I need something to eat before I pass out.”

Cammie and Chris stared at each other for a second. I knew both of them too well to suspect they’d drop the subject. For now they were content on making the most of their trip. As long as I could keep them occupied maybe they’d forget about pulling me away.

My sister, who probably looked the most like me out of my three siblings, was trying to read my mind. I could tell from the way she stared into my eyes at dinner. I kept avoiding her, giving most of my attention to the food Brant had made us. He’d grilled steaks, baked potatoes, and made a creamy macaroni and cheese with big wedges of broccoli in it. The four of us sat outside. We’d turned on the lights around the pool and enjoyed the evening breeze. Much like I’d been when I first arrived, my family were taken back by the place we were calling home. If they only knew about the people we lived with, and what they were involved in they’d have wanted to do whatever it took to get me out of there.

Brant did good being the host. He catered to their needs and went above and beyond to make sure they were satisfied with his actions. He talked about his job briefly basically saying he was an employee of a major corporation for international trading.

Trading my ass. He was stealing. They were all thieves, myself included.

The innocent girl who once left North Carolina was gone. As a package I was a total mess. I had nothing going for me, and now the FBI were on my back for answers I didn’t know how to provide them with.

Brant drank a couple beers while we ate, and much to my surprise left me to be alone with my family. I’d pulled him to the side while doing the dishes to thank him for bringing them to me. He was drying his hands on a towel. I wrapped my arms around the front of him and rested my head on his back. “Thank you, Brant. It means so much to me.”

“I’m glad to see you smiling. I know it’s been tough. It’s almost over, baby. As soon as I get paid we’re out of here.”

He kept saying the same thing to me, but I was beginning to think it wasn’t going to happen, especially since I knew the FBI were investigating the operation. “Brant, when my family leaves I want to talk to you about our future. It’s important to me.”

He spun me around and cupped my face in his hands. “Are you leaving me?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Okay. It can wait then. I’m headed to bed. Enjoy your night.”

It was hard knowing my secret and keeping my composure. What was more difficult was knowing support was so close, yet too far away to grasp. I’d never felt so afraid and alone before. I needed help, mentally, physically, and most of all with freeing myself from danger. I needed to save Brant from himself before it was too late. The idea of him going to jail, even if we didn’t end up together, weighed heavy on me. I didn’t want him having to live his life in a cell. I couldn’t believe the future we’d dreamed of was further away than it had ever been. The harder we fought to move forward, we seemed to be permanently pulling back.

I wouldn’t give up.

I couldn’t, because I knew what the fate would be if I did.

It was hard remembering a time when I had courage and strength. I wondered what happened to that person, and if I could bring her back.

Chapter 13

Cassie

Two days wasn’t enough time to spend with my family, but with my body losing control from withdrawals, I knew it was best that they go. As soon as they left I became deathly sick. Brant assured me it would only be temporary, but many times I felt like I was dying. I was too ashamed to admit I couldn’t do this alone. I needed help, the professional kind. I think Brant knew it too. Between the vomiting and the lethargy I was left a feeble mess.

Still, it was important we had our talk. He needed to know how dangerous his involvement with Rocky had become. I needed to convince him to walk away. I didn’t care if we had to live on the streets. It was better than being under the same roof as a killer.

I didn’t take it lightly that the person who stayed in our room before us had vanished. Usually when that happened it was a given. He’s been murdered – removed. The problem ceased to exist. My only question was how long until Brant was his next victim. I wasn’t going to pretend Rocky was going to pay us and let us go on our merry way. He probably never planned on forking out a cent. Brant was just another pawn in his operation, and he’d use him until his job was finished.

“I need to tell you something, and I want you to really listen to me.”

“What?”

“I think we should leave. Let’s just get our things and go. We don’t have to tell anyone where we’re going. My family knows were okay now, and Rocky can find someone else to do the job. Please, Brant. Please do this for me.”

“What’s gotten into you, Cassie? I know you’re not happy here, but it’s only for a few more weeks. Don’t ruin this for us. It’s too much money to turn down.”

“I don’t care about the money. I care about you. I’m afraid you’re in trouble. I think Rocky did something to the guy who worked for him before you. I think he killed him,” I said softly in case someone were to be listening in on our conversation. “You’re the one who told me to be careful what I say. I’m scared for you, for us.”

“What? Listen to yourself. You’ve been watching too much television. Rocky may be a thief, but he’s never committed murder. I told you, he also runs a legit company. We’re safe.”

I wished I could tell him about Agent Campbell. Maybe if he knew he’d help me get our things so we could leave as soon as possible. “What if we aren’t?”

“I think the drugs are getting to you, baby.”

“I think you’re too damn blind to see what’s happening in front of you. Maybe you’re too stuck on Tammy to consider I’m right.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I’d definitely got his attention. “That night was all you. I told you several times we didn’t have to go through with it.”

He was right, but I knew he wanted it. What would stopping solve? In my head I’d always know he wanted her. It would never change. As much as I knew he loved me, a part of me would always wonder if I’d be enough for someone like Brant. He hadn’t been raised to respect the person you loved. I didn’t even know if he’d ever loved anyone truly before me. Sure, there was his grandmother who raised him, but she was a hard woman to live with. I’d never seen her be affectionate. Perhaps it’s why Brant struggled with his feelings so much. Maybe he didn’t understand them. “It doesn’t matter. I want out of here, and you’re not going to let me go. Whatever happens is your fault.”

He walked out of the room, leaving me to sulk alone.

For the longest time I laid in bed crying. I hated being so overly emotional, but it wasn’t like I didn’t have a reason. My life was falling apart. We were in danger, and I didn’t know how to protect us.

After a while Brant came back into the room. I could tell he wasn’t in the mood to argue. It was obvious he’d gotten high, which made my situation of getting clean much harder. Where he seemed relaxed, I was in excruciating discomfort.

He drove me to the hospital late on Sunday night, hoping they’d be able to give me something to manage my symptoms while the drugs worked their way out of my body.

I lay there on the hospital bed, freezing one minute and sweating the next. My teeth chattered out of fear, and I swore every single nurse who entered the room was out to make me suffer worse. Brant stayed at my side for as long as they’d allow it. A doctor came into the room to give me something that would help me sleep, and suggested Brant go home and rest. He fought with me about it, insisting he wasn’t going to leave me.

“Cassie, please. I hate seeing you like this. I need you to get better.”

“I need to get clean, Brant. Those two days were hell on me, and I’d rather do it now than wait until later, because I know I won’t want to. Don’t you want the old me back?”

He smiled and leaned down to kiss me, his eyes filled with tears. I’d never seen him so emotional, and in that moment I knew it wasn’t just because of my situation. Something was about to happen, and he wasn’t planning on telling me because he knew I’d argue with him about it. Rocky must have met with him while I was in the bedroom searching for ways to get out of there. Now I didn’t know the plan, or how soon it was going to happen.

Then my mind went to Tammy. Would she take advantage of me being away? Would she sink her paws into my man one more time? What was her role in the business, and why was Rocky okay with her screwing around with anyone she wanted?

Nothing made sense. For someone right in the middle of the clusterfuck, I literally had no idea what was going on. I felt like ever since we’d had a threesome things had been distant between us. Brant kept trying, and I refused to care. I thought it was just the environment; having to see Tammy all the time and imagine what we’d all done together, but that night was just the tip of the iceberg.

I’d committed just about every one of the seven deadly sins. My humanity was lost.

Pride: I’d been too conceited to allow my family to dictate my future.

Greed: Stealing had become easy, because I had to have more drugs and personal gain.

Lust: I don’t even have to explain this one, because the past month had pretty much been summed up for me.

Envy and Gluttony: I wanted and wanted and wanted, even what wasn’t mine.

Sloth: Instead of striving for greatness I’d settled into a life of crime and destruction, both mental and physical. I no longer cared what toll it took on me.

Wrath: I couldn’t help from being angry, at myself and everyone around me. It was easier to put the blame on others, even when I knew I was at fault more than any of them.

Growing up in a Christian family, I’d been taught to repent for my sins. I was to a point where I didn’t know where to begin. I thought kicking the habit would be the first step of many I’d have to take, but as I remained in the hospital I wondered if it would even be worth it. If I couldn’t convince Brant to break free of his commitment to Rocky, I was afraid of what could happen. I was reluctant to call him, but I felt like I didn’t have a choice.  I scrolled through my phone to find his number and prayed he wouldn’t answer.

“This is Campbell.”

“It’s Cassie Healy. I’m in the hospital. We need to talk.”

Chapter 14

Logan

I’d spent the last eight years going after the scum of the earth because I felt it was my obligation to do so. I’d lost too much in my life to give up. It was my own personal restitution to satisfy the emptiness I felt for doing nothing so long ago.

Maybe my life would have been different. Maybe I would have continued playing sports and gone somewhere with baseball. It was still a bad dream; the horror of what had transpired to take my family from me.

I hadn’t come from a broken family. We were solid, devoted to being good people. My mother was a social worker, and she’d met my father through a joint project with his construction company. Together they worked to build homes for the needy, and fallen head over heels for each other.

My sister had been the first born. She was a tough act to follow, getting good grades, and excelling at every sport she played. I did my best, finding baseball to be my escape after a ton of hard work.

Our parents were proud. They bragged to whomever would listen. We did everything together, especially during the summer months. My father, who owned his business, took off for a whole month every year. My mother saved up her time so she could be with us. We’d pick a different location each time, and spend a full thirty days there, exploring and discovering new things together.

They went to church, and worshipped even when we were away. I remember my mother’s bible versus on Sunday’s. When we traveled in our RV she’d make us sing for hours at a time. When I was little I hated it. When I became a teenager I hated her for making me do it.

Now I know why she was so adamant about instilling morals in her children. I fully understand why she wanted us to be good Christian adults.

Not a single day goes by where I don’t think about my parents. It would have been nice to hear their voices again – guiding me to be the best person I could be; to help others, even when I don’t agree with their beliefs.

Though I quit going to church after their death, I never stopping believing in a higher power. Now, more than ever, I needed to keep that faith, because Las Vegas was like dwelling in Hell. The devil was alive here, and he didn’t take sick days. Like a beacon for evil, this place attracted the worst of humanity. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw someone pay it forward. I suppose that’s what drew me here. I knew there was plenty of misery to surround myself in. I wanted to blend in; to be a different person than the one everyone saw on television – the sad teen son left with nothing but the clothes on his back. Had I not been at my friends that night I would have burned to death like my parents, while my sister and her crack head boyfriend stood out back watching. I still couldn’t imagine what the police thought when they rolled up to our property and found her high as a kite, watching the fire she’d set burn our parents to death.

She’d been in custody since that night. Eight years had gone by and I’d never once visited. I was already in foster care by the time she went to trial, charged as an adult. Thirty years was a long time to recover and think about what she’d done. They’d never given her a reason to hate them, all except for trying to prevent her from being with a man who would in turn ruin her life.

They’d been right, and they didn’t even get the chance to see it.

Every time I smelled smoke I imagined what it was like for them. Had they died from the smoke while sleeping, or had they woke and tried to get out of the house before the flames engulfed them? I’d never know the truth. A part of me didn’t want to. I knew I’d dwell on more of what I couldn’t change.

My drug addict sister, who once had so much potential, had met a guy she thought she couldn’t live without. She gave up her soul to be with him. Then she gave up her life when she killed our parents.

She’d been writing for years, probably as soon as she was clean. One letter, that’s all she got from me. I told her to leave me alone, and that I hoped she rotted in a cell before the state was willing to set her free.

Joining the force seemed like the right thing to do. As soon as I was of age I submitted my application. I’ve never looked back or regretted my decision to do good; to save people from themselves, before they’re too messed up to know right from wrong. I didn’t want to see someone else have to go through what I did; the unbearable future of being alone.

Cassandra Healy. I read her file again just to be sure I hadn’t left anything out. I had high hopes for the girl, especially after she’d called from the hospital. Then something in me started to worry. Maybe she’d told her boyfriend about our meeting and he’d harmed her. Maybe her life was in danger because of me.

I drove as fast as my cruiser would allow, lights beaming for vehicles to get out of my way. If she was in trouble it would be on me, and I wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

I don’t know if I calmed down until I located her room and found her in one piece. She looked rough, but I’d seen firsthand what withdrawals can do to someone’s appearance. I approached her bed, first looking around to make sure she was alone. “Ms. Healy, is everything all right?”

She seemed weak as she spoke. “I’ll be fine once I’m out of here. They’re saying at least seventy-two hours. I feel like I’m going to die, and it’s your fault.”

I chuckled lightly to myself. “And why is that?”

“You told me to get clean, so I took your advice. Now I feel like I’m on death’s door.”

“You’re not. I can assure you, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

“That’s easy for you to say. I’m sure you’ve never gone through this before. You’re probably a natural do-gooder,” she said with sarcasm.

“I’ll have you know I work hard to be perfect,” I taunted.

“Give me a break. I might choke on your humor.”

“Why am I here, Cassie? You have to know you’re not my only case.” It was important to stay professional with my informants. I knew she was new to the program, but she had to know I didn’t mess around. My goal was to keep her out of trouble. I wasn’t there for a therapy session. I wasn’t even qualified for such actions. She needed a friend, but it couldn’t be me. My priority was her safety, and that’s as far as our relationship could go. Sure, I’d noticed how beautiful she was, even while strung out. I could only imagine how fucking amazing she could be when she was clean. Even though I lived by my code of ethics, I was still human, and a man at that. I hated she’d fallen into a life of crime and drugs. Every case seemed to remind me of my sister, and how I hadn’t been able to help her. Sometimes I felt like each case was a do-over for me to get it right. With every failure there would be one that stood out. I hoped this one had a good outcome. Losing another female to the hard life of Vegas was crushing to my soul. For so many reasons I felt like this was my calling; to help the ones who couldn’t save themselves.

She waited a few seconds before answering me. When she did, she fidgeted with her hands, as if she was nervous. “I think Rocky is ready to make the switch. I don’t know for sure, but Brant mentioned something about it tonight while we were here. He said we wouldn’t have to stay in Vegas much longer.”

I immediately thought about what would happen when she left. Would she be able to maintain a straight life, or would everything fall apart again, because she couldn’t get away from her poor excuse for a boyfriend. For the life of me I couldn’t understand why good women were attracted to the wrong kind of men. It made no sense at all. Then I started to think about the case – the one I’d worked for over a year to solve. Even with the highest form of surveillance, we were still unable to be a step ahead of Rockefeller James. “What makes you think he’s telling you the truth?”

She shrugged. “He’s hiding something from me. Then when he mentioned us being able to leave soon I knew it was because it had to do with the job. You said you wanted to know if I heard something, so I called you as soon as I was able to.”

I stepped closer to the hospital bed, noticing how beautiful her green eyes were, especially since they were bloodshot. It made the color of her iris pop. I snapped out of the trance before she noticed. “I appreciate the call. I’ll have my team stake out the house to see if the activity changes. I’ll put a tail on every vehicle that leaves the house. The heads up will help. I appreciate your cooperation.”

“I’m only doing it so I don’t go to jail. You did threaten me with it.”

“When you’re clean you’ll thank me.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. My boyfriend’s life is in danger and you’re not going to do anything to help him. That makes us enemies.”

I wanted to laugh at the audacity she had. Obviously I had the upper hand, but her spunky personality kept coming out. It bugged the shit out of me.

“Cassie, you need to understand that I’m just doing my job. Being a criminal is a decision. It’s a choice. You could have gone home and told your boyfriend all about your ordeal. The two of you could be on the road headed for better things by now, but you’re not. Why is that? Is it because some part of you knows right from wrong? Are you in this hospital because I forced you to get clean, or because you know it’s the right thing to do?”

She was quiet, and I knew I’d proven my point. I tapped on her leg. “I know you’re having a rough time. I can’t imagine how hard it is to go through what you are. If I can get to Mr. James without involving your boyfriend I’ll do it. He’s the target. If we wipe out the big guy the rest will falter. I can’t make any promises. Guy’s like your boyfriend don’t like to be threatened. It’s in his nature to steal. Unfortunately guys like him have a hard time going straight. Once they get a taste of the life of crime, they stick with it. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but statistics don’t lie. Odds are even if we don’t catch him, he’ll get in trouble in the next town, or the one after. You have a choice. I’ve seen too many women lose themselves because of crooked men. Go home and start over. If you have a family, turn to them for support. It might hurt to think about, but it’s the best thing you can do for yourself.”

“Did I ask for your advice?”

“I’m offering it for free.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. I can never go home, not after everything. They’ll never respect me. I don’t want to live like that.”

It was hard to stand there and hear someone who had a family turn their back on them, especially when I’d give anything to have mine back. “I hope one day you’ll change your mind. I’ll stop by tomorrow to check on you. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s after visiting hours are over so nobody sees us together.”

She seemed annoyed, but now more than ever, I was determined to make sure she stayed out of harm’s way.