Free Web NovelChapter 117: The raid
"I ain’t threatening you," El said. "I’m just saying get me the hell out of here. My life is on the line every second I spend in this place."
John let out a sharp, frustrated breath, his eyes darting to the dark window.
"I’ll get you a lawyer. " freeweɓnøvel.com
There was a short pause on the other end, followed by the sound of El letting out a long, shaky breath. "Now you’re talking. That’s all I needed to hear."
"Listen to me El. You threaten me again, you dumbass, and that will be the last thing you do. I’m the only person in the world still trying to save your skin. Don’t forget that."
He threw his phone against the wall smashing it into pieces.
"Damn it!"
In all the years they’d been running "arranged" business together, he’d never imagined El could be this stupid. His brother had dug a hole so deep he couldn’t see the sky, and now he was demanding the impossible from him.
He walked over to the sink and splashed cold water on his face.
His doorbell rang.
He frowned, glancing at the clock. It was far too late for a social call. He moved to the door, his hand instinctively reaching for the weapon at his waist before he pulled the handle open.
Standing in the dim light of the hallway was a young woman. She was strikingly elegant, her coat perfectly tailored and her expression unreadable. She didn’t look like she belonged in a rundown apartment building at midnight.
In her hand, she held a black briefcase.
"Can I help you?" John asked.
The woman smiled.
"Aren’t you going to ask me in?"
John didn’t move. He leaned against the doorframe, blocking the path. "Well, I don’t know you. And I have trust issues that usually involve people showing up at my door late at night."
She simply shrugged. "I don’t think anyone would be dumb enough to hurt a cop in this city, John."
John didn’t move. He kept his hand near the edge of the door, his eyes scanning the empty hallway behind her for any sign of other people.
"You know my name. That’s a bad start for someone trying to build trust."
"I know a lot more than your name," she replied. "But in the end, you’ll find my visit to be mutually beneficial. Ten minutes, that’s all I ask."
"Five minutes. That’s what you are getting."
He stepped aside, swinging the door open just wide enough for her to pass.
"Keep your hands where I can see them," he muttered.
She stepped into the cramped, dim apartment, her heels clicking on the hardwood. She didn’t seem bothered by the mess. She set the briefcase down on the kitchen table, right next to his forgotten dinner.
"Nice place," she muttered, her eyes skimming over the peeling wallpaper and the stained kitchen table with a hint of irony. She set the briefcase down and flipped the latches.
Click. Click.
"What’s in the box?" John asked, staying by the door.
She didn’t reach for a weapon. Instead, she pulled out a burner phone and held it out toward him.
"Relax," she said. "My boss would like to have a little conversation with you."
John stared at the device.
"I don’t take random calls," he said, though his curiosity was already winning.
"You’ll want to take this one."
Just then, the phone began to vibrate in her hand.
She didn’t hand it to him. Instead, she swiped the screen and set it on speaker, placing it carefully on the table between his cold takeout and the briefcase.
"Hello, John," an older woman’s voice came out.
John narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to the table.
"Who is this?"
"Someone who needs your help, in return for any favor you might need. And I know your list of needs is growing quite long, Detective."
John glanced at the elegant woman standing in his kitchen, then back at the phone.
"What do you want?"
"I need you to do something for me. I will go straight to the point, as I do not have time to waste. I need you to send police officers to raid a warehouse. Tonight."
John felt a familiar tightening in his chest. "A raid? On whose authority? I can’t just whistle up a strike team because a voice on a burner phone asked nicely. I need a reason."
"The reason? You’ll find enough illegal cargo to make you the hero of the precinct," the voice said, sounding far too calm. "But that isn’t why you’ll do it. You’ll do it because you need my help to get your brother out of jail, and more importantly, to prevent anyone from learning he is your brother."
A cold chill settled in John’s gut. The connection to El was a secret that could end his career, and his life.
"In addition," the voice continued, "I will owe you a favor."
John stared at the woman, then back to the phone. frёewebnoѵēl.com
"Who are you?" he asked again, already starting to freak out.
The line was quiet for a second before the woman spoke one last time. "A friend. For now, that’s all you need to know."
The line went dead. Without a word, the woman picked up the phone and tucked it back into the velvet lining of the briefcase. She reached back in and pulled out a thick manila envelope, sliding it across the wooden table toward him.
"You’ll find everything you need to know in there." Her voice smooth and professional.
She snapped the briefcase shut, then walked to the door, leaving John alone with the documents and the crushing weight of a deal he didn’t have a choice but to accept.
Meanwhile, back at the penthouse, Julian lay in bed fast asleep. Lyvana was spending the night at Emily’s apartment, and he was alone.
A sharp, persistent buzzing broke the silence. Julian groaned, fumbling for the phone on his nightstand. His eyes stung as he squinted at the screen.
3:14 AM.
