Becoming First Lead

xxiii - unscripted

●NIKKI POV●

Over the course of the next few days Liam was able to get in contact with Rick's previous conquests and their families. He was even able to dig up his military files . The case was building rather quickly and with everyone utilizing all assets to this , we were able to get enough evidence to put him away.

Shirley followed my instructions to the T . We were able to secure her somewhere else under the protection of the local authorities . When I was finally able to visit her she looked as if she had aged a decade. Sunken eyes, extra bags underneath and hollowed cheeks. Her hair was thinning and overall she looked like the shell of a person I once knew.

Aria and Sonja were ready to pummel her face in . Stephanie said she could make her disappear. When did my friends become members of the mafia? I appreciated their concerns and need to defend me but looking at Shirley and the state she was in, I'd say she had been through enough torture.

Alex was reluctant in allowing me to meet with her but I assured him I would be safe. There were enough people around that Shirley wouldn't have been able to attack me. As added precaution she was searched and removed any electronic devices off of her . They wanted to make sure there wasn't one thing she had that could carry some sort of tracker. They even checked the jewelry she was wearing.

In the meantime they confiscated her cellphone and disabled the gps on it . They kept it on to see when Rick would contact her or reach out to her. At first we were worried that he had realized that we were onto him when he didn't call or text for several days . But on day 5 we got a hit.

First it was a phone call . Then three more phone calls with a voicemail . The voicemail was troubling as he said that she "better be dead" for not answering his calls . Of course she was shaking with fear hearing this . I assumed these were the constant threats he gave her . It must've been far worse than what I experienced because she really was afraid.

The text messages began shortly after the voicemail . Asking where she was. If she had any new information about me. If she had stayed in contact with certain members of the press . It was more information to add to the growing file .

It wasn't until we had witness statements and their cooperation to testify did we finally get Shirley to respond back to Rick. We needed to get him and we needed to do it quickly .

She was hesitant at first but we had to keep reassuring her that she was going to be safe . We were going to watch her every movement and that she will have people near by if things got hairy.

"No! I can't let you be the bait. Isn't it enough that Shirley is going?" Alex argues.

"It's not . He needs to see me alone.  Vulnerable,  if you will . He won't come out otherwise," I try to reason.

"Why can't she just take us to him? She knows where he's been holed up."

I can't deny that that hadn't crossed out minds but it wasn't safe . He had cameras around the area , surveying at about a 400 meter radius.  He would know and he would kill her on the spot .

"I know this isn't ideal but it's the safest option ," I remind him .

"I don't like it, I don't feel good about it," he stresses out his concerns. All valid concerns. If it were flipped around , I'm sure I'd be making the same exact arguments.

"You will be able to watch everything . You'll be right there and I promise to keep my stun gun and my kubaton on me," I say.

The plan is to have Shirley tell Rick that she made contact with me . This is where things get dicey because we're banking on him making an appearance if she guarantees that I'm under the impression that she's the one I suspect to be blackmailing me. This means, I'm relying solely on her acting skills to pull this off.