Chapter 44 The First Drop
CAITLYN'S POV
I sat in my car in the parking lot of a grocery store three miles from my house. Detective Rourke had texted me an hour ago saying we needed to meet urgently. He gave me this location and told me to come alone, making sure no one followed me.
Getting away from the security guards had been harder this time. I told them I needed to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy and that I would only be gone for twenty minutes. They did not look happy about it but they let me go.
I had driven around for fifteen minutes, taking random turns and watching my mirrors as Rourke taught me. No one was following me as far as I could tell but I was still nervous.
A car pulled up next to mine and Rourke got out. He was not in uniform today just jeans and a jacket. He looked around the parking lot carefully before getting into my passenger seat.
"You have the photos?" he asked.
I pulled out the flash drive I had prepared. "Everything is on here, financial records, wire transfers. Names of everyone on his payroll. All of it."
Rourke took the drive and looked at it like it was the most valuable thing in the world. "How much did you get?"
"Over two hundred photos," I said. "From his study. His filing cabinets, his desk. I photographed everything I could find."
"Did anyone see you?" Rourke asked.
"One of the security guards came upstairs while I was in there," I admitted. "But I told him I was looking for a book and he believed me."
Rourke looked concerned. "Did he tell Collin?"
"I do not know," I said. "Collin has not said anything to me about it. But he has been acting strange since he got back from his trip."
"Strange how?" Rourke pressed.
"More paranoid than usual," I explained. "Asking me more questions about where I go and who I talk to. Watching me more carefully. Like he suspects something but cannot figure out what."
"That is not good," Rourke said. "If he suspects you are working against him he will become dangerous. More dangerous than he already is."
"I know," I said quietly. "But what choice do I have? Either I help you or I wait for him to figure out the baby is not his and kill me anyway."
Rourke was quiet for a moment. "When are you due?"
"Three months," I said and touched my stomach. "The baby is getting bigger and Collin keeps talking about doing a paternity test after the birth. He says it is just to have official records but I know he suspects something."
"We need to move faster than," Rourke said. "I was hoping to build a bigger case but three months might not be enough time. We need to act on this information now."
"What about my stuff?" I asked. "My clothes and things?"
"Forget about your stuff," Rourke said. "When that text comes you leave with just your purse and your phone. Nothing else, do stop packing. Do not try to take anything. Just get out as fast as you can."
"What if Collin is there?" I asked. "What if he tries to stop me?"
"Then you run," Rourke said simply. "You get in your car and you drive. If he follows you then you call 911 and tell them your husband is threatening you. But whatever you do you do not stay in that house once the raid starts."
The raid. He said it so casually like it was already decided. Like everything was in motion and could not be stopped.
"When is this going to happen?" I asked.
"Soon," Rourke said. "I cannot give you an exact date because I do not know yet but soon. Maybe a week, maybe two. Just be ready."
"We will protect you," Rourke promised.
"You cannot protect me from everything," I said. "You said it yourself. His network is massive. Even if you arrest him there will be other people who want revenge. Other people who see me as a traitor."
"Then we put you in witness protection," Rourke said. "New name, new city, new life."
"What about my baby?" I asked. "What kind of life is that for a child? Always looking over our shoulder? Always hiding?"
"It is better than being dead," Rourke pointed out.
He was right. But it still felt like I was trading one prison for another. One life of fear for a different life of fear.
"I should go," I said. "I have been gone too long already."
"One more thing," Rourke said. "Jason Cross has been asking about you."
My heart skipped. "What about me?"
"He knows you are working with me," Rourke said. "I did not tell him but he figured it out. He wants to help."
"No," I said immediately. "I do not want Jason involved in this."
"Why not?" Rourke asked. "He has resources we do not have. Connections in the criminal world. He could be useful."
"Because he is dangerous," I said. "And because I do not trust him. He showed up at my wedding, he has been following me. He is the father of my baby but I barely know him. I do not want him anywhere near this."
Rourke nodded slowly. "Okay. I will keep him out of it. But just so you know he seems genuinely concerned about your safety."
"He is concerned about his baby," I corrected. "Not about me."
"Maybe," Rourke said. "Or maybe he cares more than you think."
I did not want to talk about Jason anymore. I opened my car door. "I really need to go."
"Be careful Caitlyn," Rourke said as he got out. "And remember the code word. Green. When you see that text you run."
"I will remember," I promised.
I drove back to the pharmacy and picked up a random prescription I did not actually need just to make my story believable. Then I drove home. The security guards were waiting by the gate looking annoyed.
"You said twenty minutes," one of them said. "It has been forty-five."
"The pharmacy was busy," I lied. "And then I had to stop for gas. Sorry."
They did not look like they believed me but they let me through anyway. I parked and went inside. Mrs Chen was in the kitchen and gave me a sympathetic look.
"Mr Hayes called," she said quietly. "He wants you to call him back right away."
My stomach dropped. "Did he say why?"
"No," Mrs Chen said. "But he sounded angry."
Of course he did. He was always angry about something. I went upstairs to my room and called Collin's number. He answered on the first ring.
"Where were you?" he demanded.
"The pharmacy," I said. "I needed to pick up prenatal vitamins."
"That took forty-five minutes?" Collin asked.
"There was a long line," I said. “Is something wrong?”
"You tell me," Collin said. "You have been acting strange lately and distracted. Like your mind is somewhere else."
"I am pregnant and tired," I said. "That is all."
"You better be telling me the truth Caitlyn," Collin said. "Because if I find out you are hiding something from me there will be consequences."
"I am not hiding anything," I lied.
"Good," Collin said. "I will be home late tonight. Do not wait up."
He hung up wi
Without saying goodbye. I sat on my bed and tried to calm my racing heart. He suspected something. I could hear it in his voice.