Chapter 40 Cold edges
We had returned to the apartment. There was silence on the drive. Unspoken words were prevalent in the atmosphere. It had a heavy feel like a weight in the body.
I sat on the couch and looked at nothing. The tiny bulky flash drive was in my pocket. It was warm to the touch.
All of it was inside it. I sensed his gaze on me. I kept my eyes off of him. I was unable to. All I could do was stare at the dark window.
At last Carson said something. “Annabel. Will you speak to me?” he asked in a low voice.
I gave him a look.
His expression was a mixture of worry and annoyance. His eyes were surrounded by lines. He appeared fatigued. Possibly guilty. I was unable to tell.
I questioned “What’s there to say?” I spoke in a flat tone.
As he put it “Everything.”
He moved to the coffee table in front of me and took a seat. “You haven’t spoken since we left.”
I shook my head.
“What had she said? What had happened back there?”
“What she said doesn't matter. At least we found some documents and that is all that is important. But I think she knew all along”
He scowled. “Knew what?”
He appeared to be truly confused.
I spoke in a rough tone. “She was aware. A message was left by her. She was aware that I would be there. Long before I got there.”
His jaw tensed. He took a moment to look away. “You think it's a trap? I don't get it Annabel.”
“It's a leap.”
“Why would she do that?”
“The most dangerous betrayals come from the people you trust the most. She said.” I studied his face intently.
There was nothing in his eyes. No flicker. “How did she know we would be there at all?” he asked running a hand through his hair. His fingers were trembling a little. “Annabel wait, I think she's trying to play with our heads. Don't fall for it.”
“Is she?” I inquired raising my voice. “If no one knew that I was heading to that warehouse how did she know? Fred and you alone. And it wasn't until I was gone that you told Fred. Was there anything you forgot, a phone call a text message or someone else you told?”
He froze. His hand fell to the floor. His eyes were broad. “Are you serious? What are you saying?”
My chest was constricted. “Tell me Carson. It's a straightforward question: Who else was aware of that address? Who else even had a clue as to what I was doing?”
He firmly stated “No one.”
He bent forward. “I swear. I didn't share tell no one. I kept it a secret from Victoria. I was aware that she was not trustworthy. I was careful .I kept it to myself. I didn't say anything to anyone. Never once did the information leave this apartment until I called Fred and told him. And you were gone by then.”
“You think she is the only one?” I sneered.
I raised both of my feet on the couch. “It’s not always possible to know what's going on behind your back.”
He got up and began to walk away. My hand reached into my pocket and touched the flash drive. My phone rang at that precise moment. It was a high-pitched noise.
It relieved the tension. Fred. The screen flickered with his number.
I said “It is Fred.”
Nodding Carson said. His pacing ceased. “Switch him to speaker.”
I did.
His voice was strained as he said “Annabel, Carson I need you to listen to me.”
“Fred what is it?”
“Examining some of Victoria's historical financial documents. Something caught my attention. A cash payment. A wire transfer took place, to a burner account. It has been a regular payment for more than a year.”
“That’s a big amount. Too big for a straightforward deal. What was it for?” Carson inquired in a quiet tone.
He held his breath.
“The account was cross-referenced.” Fred stated. His voice wavered. “The funds were being taken out of an account connected to a ghost company.A corporation in disguise. The trail is well hidden. The name of the business is on a list though, a list of Laura Prices networks recognized affiliates. A list of individuals who actively participate, not only partners. Workers. Members of the organization in their entirety.”
My ribs throbbed with my beating heart.
“So Victoria was paying someone in the network?”
“No. It's worse.” Fred remarked. “The funds belonged to a payroll, a salary each month. And the account it will be associated with is connected to a close friend or relative. Someone from our group. Someone we both had complete faith in.”
I glanced over at Carson.
His face was a mask of disbelief. He looked like he’d been punched. “Who Fred?” he demanded. His voice was a raw angry sound. “Who is it? Just tell me the name.”
“I can’t tell you over the phone. Not yet. It’s too dangerous. I have to verify it first. But… you have a mole. A deep one. I'm afraid they might be listening. They might have been listening this whole time.”
Fred’s voice was fading. Carson’s face was pale.
He looked at me a flicker of something in his eyes I couldn’t decipher. Fear? Anger? Betrayal? A thousand emotions at once.
Just then a loud bang echoed through the apartment. Then another. And another. A pounding on the front door. Someone was trying to break in. It was forceful. Relentless.
“Fred we have to go” Carson said into the phone. “Someone’s at the door.”
“It’s them” Fred said. “They know. You need to get out of there. Now. Take the evidence. Don’t let them get their hands on it. The flash drive. It’s the only thing that matters. Get it to safety.”
I grabbed the flash drive from my pocket. It was the only thing that mattered. The door splintered. I heard a loud snap. The lock broke. Footsteps thudded in the hallway. They were fast. They were close.
“Annabel come on!” Carson yelled.
He grabbed my arm but I pulled away.
“No.” I said. “Wait.”
The footsteps were getting closer. I took a step back, my hand on the flash drive. My eyes never left his face. His expression shifted. A flicker of something. A flicker of fear.
The game wasn’t just starting. It was getting tougher.