Chapter 20

Everything was too quiet,and Teresa didn’t like it. Two weeks had passed since she’d reached out to Angelo for his help. Two blissful weeks of spending days working at Alliez and nights spent in his arms.

Cass had set up a way for her to still monitor Arturo and Associates’ daily work activities, and while they still had money funneling in from the cartel, it hadn’t been as much as it had been in the past.

Considering that her cover had been blown, it hadn’t surprised her that the flow of money had slowed. The question was, which firm were they sending it to now?

The list Teresa had of other possible known associated companies the cartel may use wasn’t long, but hacking into all their systems and investigating transactions wasn’t that easy. It’d taken her weeks to follow the lead she’d been given at Arturo.

Then she’d triple checked everything to make sure her suspicions were right and that it correlated with the lead the paper had been given.

“Why can’t I find anything?” she muttered as she flicked through another screen of information. The text was beginning to get blurry, and she should take a break, but if she did that, she wouldn’t want to get back to it.

“It’s long and laborious. You should take a break,” Eveline said from her desk.

They were now sharing a space, and she had to admit, Eveline was fun and her computer skills were impressive.

“Are you a mind reader?” Teresa grumbled as she shut down one file and opened another.

“No, but I can see the frustration on your face. If you take a break and come back with fresh eyes, you may pick up on something you might’ve missed because you’re not focusing properly.” Eveline wasn’t lying. Sometimes a break was a good thing.

Teresa just hated to admit she needed it. “You’re right. I think I might go outside and get some fresh air. Take a walk down the street and come back.”

“Don’t go too far,” Eveline cautioned.

“I won’t.” She headed out of the room and down to the foyer.

Teresa didn’t need the pretty brunette to tell her not to go far. She wouldn’t. She hadn’t been forgotten about by the cartel. They’d want to find a way to shut her up after what she’d done.

Angelo didn’t know, and neither did anyone else at Alliez, but she’d written up her exposé on the cartel and Arturo. There was a draft email to the paper she’d worked for and another well-known one, ready for her to hit send on. She’d created a new account using a name her former boss would recognize.

Of course, the chances that he’d run the article could be slim, which was why she had it ready to go to another paper. Even though they wouldn’t recognize her name, they had the reputation of publishing anything that could get them clicks, and this article would be one.

Did Teresa feel bad about keeping everyone who was trying to help her in the dark? Yes, she did, but this story needed to be told, and if there was another way, then she’d do it.

It still burned her that after all this time, her former boss had pulled a story because of the subject matter.

Did the cartel have something over Monte? Was that why he’d pulled the plug on her investigation?

No, if that was the case, he wouldn’t have had her take on the assignment. The intel they’d been given already suggested that a cartel was involved.

There had to be another reason.

As Teresa walked, she tossed around other ideas. Nothing stuck other than him being frightened, and she wished she knew why.

Now that she’d had some time away and wasn’t so upset at her boss for not supporting her or protecting her, she could call him and find out.

There was no time like the present to ask.

Teresa grabbed her cellphone and dialed Monte’s number.

“Monte Dyson.” His normally gruff voice sounded even gruffer.

Funny how he didn’t answer with a Teresa, what can I do for you like he had in the past.

Had he deleted her number? Deleted all trace that he knew her?

“Monte, it’s Teresa. Teresa Carter, you know, your former best investigative journalist.” She didn’t even try to hide her annoyance at him.

“Why are you calling me?”

What the what?

Anger swirled like a raging storm in her belly. How dare he treat her like this? She’d worked her ass off for him. Always giving a hundred and ten percent of her time and energy to make sure every single story she’d given him was the truth and hard hitting. They’d achieved so much, and he was now acting as if she was an annoyance to him.

“An explanation. I want one. You owe me one.”

Silence greeted her demand.

She didn’t care if she sounded rude. She deserved what she’d asked for.

He’d left her high and dry when danger was creeping its thready fingers her way.

“Meet me at the bar on Oak Ridge in thirty. You know the place.” The line went dead.

Now he wanted to meet her.

What was with the about face? Had someone been in his office? No, if there was, no way would he suggest that they meet up with the chance that the person would follow him.

If Teresa wanted to be on time, she needed to leave now.

She opened up her drive share app ready to organize a ride but paused. She should really tell Angelo where she was going.

How long had she been away from Alliez anyway?

Would Eveline have told him she’d gone for a walk and hadn’t returned?

God, she hated this indecision that was riding her.

Normally, the decisions she made were clear cut, and she never questioned herself. That’d been when she was single. When her life wasn’t in danger, well, as much danger is hers could be right now.

If she contacted Angelo, would he talk her out of meeting her boss?

No, in all likelihood he’d want to come with her, and she couldn’t risk turning up with him by her side.

Whatever Monte had to tell her would stay buried. He wouldn’t trust her if she turned up with a former Navy SEAL by her side.

While he may be dressed in a suit, Angelo couldn’t disguise his special forces training. It was in the way he walked. The way he carried himself. The way he observed his surroundings.

Things that were subtle, but her former boss would pick up on them. He had been one of the best journalists in his day.

Teresa had read his stories. They were amazing, and the reason for that was because of his technique of getting people to talk.

She’d send Angelo a text with the address when she was in the car. He could track her if he wanted to. The only time she ever took the earrings out was when she had a shower and the second she’d dried herself off, she put them back in.

Decision made, Teresa opened the app and ordered a car, pleased to see there was one only a minute away.

Anticipation fired through her. She was going to get the answers she needed. At least she hoped she would.

A white Prius pulled up, and she hopped in.

The driver attempted to make conversation, but she gave non-committal replies and after a minute, he gave up.

Quickly, she fired a text off to Angelo.

I’m on my way to meet Monte at a bar near the paper. I’ll let you know when I get there.

He wasn’t going to be pleased with her for going off on her own, and she prepared herself for a fiery response from him.

A second later, her phone buzzed.

What the hell? Tre, what are you doing? Give me the address. I’m on my way.

Yep, his response was as she’d expected, but she wasn’t going to give in to him. Long before they’d gotten together, she’d been doing shit like this all the time.

No. I’ve got this. You need to trust me to know what I’m doing. Besides, you know how to find me.

Teresa shut down her message app and popped her phone back in her purse. She could feel it vibrating but ignored it.

The bar was around the next corner, and she’d done enough to let Angelo know what she was doing. No doubt when she walked out of the bar, he’d be waiting for her.

Or he’d slip in and watch her, and if he did that, she planned to ignore him and walk right past him when she left. Angelo would follow, and she’d deal with the fallout then.

Five minutes later, she was walking through the door of Rigby’s, her eyes adjusting to the dim lighting. The scent of stale beer and fried food clung to the air, but it was a smell she was used to.

If she knew Monte, he’d be sitting at a table in the left-hand corner of the room.

Teresa headed in that direction—and there he was, nursing a beer, his gaze fixed firmly on the amber liquid and not the room, almost as if he was hiding away and not wanting anyone to notice him.

Things were getting curiouser and curiouser because the Monte of the past would’ve been watching the room.

Tendrils of uncertainty crept up Teresa’s spine. Maybe she should’ve gotten Angelo to come with her because the way her former boss was acting wasn’t how he should be.

As if he sensed her presence in the room, he looked up, and their gazes connected.

He gave a short sharp “come here” nod to her with his head.

Teresa took a moment to center herself. To cloak herself in her professional investigative journalist persona, one she’d been very comfortable in until shit had hit the fan.

Not wanting to have her back to the room—something she’d picked up on hanging around a group of special forces men, none of them liked not being able to see the whole room—she sat on the chair to Monte’s left, instead of the one opposite him.

If her action surprised him, he didn’t let on.

“It’s good to see you,” she said when a few beats of silence passed between them.

“Teresa,” he returned before taking a long swallow of his beer.

If he was playing a game expecting her to crumble and walk away, he’d be waiting a long time.

She’d played this game plenty of times, and he should know that. This time it wouldn’t be her that broke the silence—it would be him.

The hair on the back of her neck tingled, as if she were being watched.

As if she was trying to get the attention of a server, Teresa scanned the room, not noticing anyone looking directly at her and Monte.

No one had walked in since she’d sat down. She didn’t have a direct line of sight of the door, but she had a sufficient one to notice the door opening and shutting.

“Why did you call me?” her former boss finally broke, and a surge of triumph fizzed along her veins.

“I believe I told you, and you said you wanted to meet me here.” It took everything in her not to slam her hand down on the table in frustration.

As if he could tell that he was being an obstinate jerk, his shoulders slumped a little. “You’re right. I’m just…” He lifted his head, and she read fear in his eyes.

Considering all the places he’d been while he’d been a journalist, this emotion coming from him was a shock.

“You’re just what? What’s going on? Why do you look like the world is about to end?” The feeling of being watched intensified, but nothing had changed since the last time Teresa had scanned the room.

What the hell was going on to cause this feeling?

Where was Angelo?

Surely, he’d be close by now. As much as she hadn’t wanted him to come, she was starting to regret that decision.

“Shit is happening, Teresa. Bad shit,” Monte whispered.

“Like what?”

“Two of my reporters covering the entertainment beat have disappeared. Vanished without a trace. They both went to cover an awards show and never filed their reports. Never came in the next day.”

Teresa’s stomach dropped at that the news. “Which two?”

“Cynthia and Steff. Two guys who report on crimes had accidents on the way home from covering separate stories on Tuesday night last week.”

This was a lot to process, and she could understand why he was concerned. In all her years working for him, there’d been a couple of incidents, but definitely no one disappearing from what they were reporting on.

The accidents, well, that could be a case of bad luck and coincidence. However, Monte wasn’t one to make a big deal out of something. The fact he was, suggested there was more going on.

“Were they hurt badly?” Teresa asked.

“Tim got a broken leg and arm. Richie suffered bad internal injuries, but word is he’s going to be okay.”

“And Cynthia and Steff…have their parents received any threats or ransom notes?” God, she hated saying that. “Wait, why isn’t this all over the news? Why aren’t their parents screaming for them to be found?”

If possible, the color in her former boss’s face drained out. “Cynthia only has her mom, but their relationship is strained at best. From what one of the other girls who works with her said, she hadn’t seen her mom in six months. Steff’s parents died when she was twenty.”

How did she not know this about her work colleagues?

Had Teresa kept herself so secluded in her work bubble that she was oblivious to the people who’d surrounded her?

Yes.Her focus had always been on the job, not to mention she was always in and out of the office, so getting friendly with everyone hadn’t been a huge priority for her.

“And you think it’s all connected? The accidents and the disappearance of the two girls?”

“What else am I supposed to think?” Monte scoffed. “Of course it is. How could it not? You get confirmation that Arturo is associated with a cartel. You come to me, and then this shit happens. I wish we never sent you in there.”

Teresa could understand his frustration, and the underlying fear in his voice wasn’t hard to miss. However, something didn’t add up.

When she came to him with the information, he’d immediately closed it down. Considering how her apartment had been bugged, twice, someone had found out what she was doing before she spoke to her boss.

“Did you get warned off before I came to you?”

His hand shook as he brought his drink to his lips, another sign he was afraid.

What else had happened?

“I received a hand delivered note suggesting that I squash the story or I wouldn’t like what was about to be brought down on me.”

“Which you did, but then the girls disappeared, and Richie and Tim got hurt—all after you fired me.” Teresa needed to get everything straight in her head. “Looks like even though you followed their instructions, they followed through on their threat.”

“Yes, and me coming here to see you is even riskier. I can’t be seen with you, Teresa.” Her former boss looked around the room rapidly, as if he was watching a tennis match. “They’ll think I’m getting the story from you.”

The last thing she wanted was to have put Monte or her former colleagues in danger, and that was what she’d done. Somehow, digging in the cartel was more dangerous than anything she’d done in the past.

“This is what we do now. We expose the bad guys. It’s what we’ve been doing for years, and some of the guys we brought down are worse than these guys.” No way was Teresa going to say the cartel’s name out loud. The sensation that she was being watched hadn’t gone away.

Did Monte feel it too?

Was that why he kept glancing around the room?

“You’re right, but I’m not going to risk my staff.” Her former boss stood and slammed his hand on the table, causing her to jump in surprise. “Lose my number, email. Everything. I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. You’re a hack and a liar,” he yelled, loud enough for everyone in the bar to look in their direction. Giving her one last scornful look, he stormed out of the room, leaving her dumbfounded.

Did he mean everything he said?

Was it all an act?

What a coward.

Yes, the man was afraid, and he had every right to be.

Once she got back to Alliez, Teresa was going to see if Cass or Eveline could find anything about Cynthia and Steff’s disappearance and Tim and Richie’s accident.

Determine if they were connected to the cartel or just a weird coincidence. Like, Monte, she tended to believe the cartel was sending a message, but why when it was clear that her former boss had dropped her story? Had pulled his support and disassociated himself with her.

Even though she was living with Angelo and hadn’t been back to her apartment, had whoever put the devices in her place not given up on watching her?

Had they reported that she was still investigating the cartel? Because she was.

Oh God, she was now putting everyone at Alliez in danger. Teresa recalled the email she had sitting in the draft folder under the fake name.

As much as she wanted to send it, the second it was released, the cartel would know what she’d done. The target on her back would be even bigger than what it already was, and Monte and the rest of the staff at the paper would be in even more danger.

Her head began to throb with all these thoughts. What should she do?

The part of her that wanted to expose the cartel was telling her to fuck the danger and just do it. Hit send.

The other part of her was yelling at her not to do it. That the risks were too high. Too many people were in danger.

A shadow fell across the table, and she looked up quickly, her heart thumping rapidly in fright.

The person was now blocking the dim lighting, and their face was in shadow.

Fuck, she’d sat here too long. This was who’d been watching her while she was talking to Monte.

This person was the reason she’d felt like someone had been watching her because they had been.

“Tre, babe. It’s just me.” Angelo’s comforting voice chased away her tumultuous thoughts.

“Angelo?” she asked, even though she recognized his voice.

He slipped into the chair her former boss had vacated and took hold of her hands, forcing her tight fists to loosen.

The warmth from his touch seeped into her soul, soothing the anxiety that had had her in its grip.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

Teresa shook her head. “I can’t talk here.” She stood abruptly, pulled her hands out of Angelo’s hold, collected her purse, and headed for the door.

His large hand landed at the small of her back, and she allowed herself a moment to relax against it.

“I’ve got you, Tre. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he murmured as he led her to the black SUV parked down the street from the bar.

Silently, she got into the vehicle and watched as Angelo strode around the front and climbed in.

“I need to go to my old apartment,” Teresa said as he pulled away from the curb.

He nodded without asking her reasons. All he did was reach over and take her hand.

She clung to him like he was a life preserver in a raging ocean.

Somehow, someway, Teresa needed to expose the cartel, without causing harm to anyone else. Not to mention staying alive herself.