Love³

Eight

•FBI Agent•

So close but at the same time so far, I look at the file in front of me, the file that contains all the information we, mostly me gathered on her.

Neera Adelina Zade.

She looks so innocent but she is deadlier than most guys I put behind bars, that makes me doubt myself, my skills, maybe I bit more than I can chew. I'm in this investigation for years, tons of coffee, hours of surveillance, and sleepless nights and we got nothing.

Nothing.

I know she's the boss, I know she kills, I know she sells drugs, guns, and more, but there's no trail, there's no proof. There's nothing. I know everything about her.

This 26-year-old woman with black long hair and the greenest eyes I have ever seen, tanned skin, and 5'6, intrigues me, this is wrong I should be focused on finding evidence to arrest her.

Put her away for all the laws she broke.

But knowing that she loves her little sister like a daughter, Liam Smith like a brother, knowing that she's obsessed with heels, her favorite colors are silver and black, her favorite flowers are Narcissus and two of her favorite smells are freshly baked cinnamon rolls and the smell of the earth after rain, I'm intrigued.

No, fuck, I'm obsessed.

Can't help it though.

"Carter, how are we in the Zade case?" My boss asks.

"Nothing new, but my inside man said that something is happening, some Ryan guy and she will work with the Langston brothers."

"I want pictures, audio, prints anything. There's any of that? A dead body we can link to her?"

"Nothing boss. "

" For fuck sake Carter, it's been years."

"I know boss, but now with more people involved it mi- "

"I'll give you three more months, then you have to close it if there's nothing, we can't keep wasting resources on this wild goose chase."

"It's not - "

"I don't care. Three months Carter." He said and walked away.

This, makes things harder.

I put the files in my briefcase and make my way out of the building and to my car.

Three months, I don't know how I will get the evidence we need, last time I spoke to my inside man he said that she killed more people, her sister kidnappers, but when it's time to dispose of the bodies and evidence, he's never alone so he has to follow orders.

The protocol.

Whatever that means.

I don't have anything more to offer, we offered him money immunity, and protection when the time comes, I could ask him to try to get some audio or image, but there's a chance of him getting caught and dying on the spot.

But fuck it, I only have three months.

I take my phone out of my pocket and dial his number.

"Hey, dad."

"Anything new?" I ask.

"Yes."

"I need more, I have three months, We need to meet. "

"I can meet with you for dinner dad."

"Burger joint in Crofton, I see you there at 9. " I say and hung up.

I get inside my dark grey Dodge Challenger and make my way home, when I get inside the door and look around, l get this feeling of loneliness and failure. I have nothing and no one waiting for me, I'm thirty-two years old and alone.

The Zane case is my biggest one, I've been working in it for six fucking years, and has consumed me entirely, like I said I'm fucking obsessed. Why? I don't fucking know.

But I can't stop now.

Maybe to prove myself that I can do it, maybe to prove to Neera that she's not untouchable as she might think. I really don't know, maybe I should've closed the case when the charges of money laundering were dropped, but two months later the guy was killed inside.

That's suspicious.

I took a quick shower, dressed in jeans some t-shirt, and boots. I took the keys and my baseball cap, locked the door of my apartment, and made my way to meet Derek.

Fifty minutes late I was sitting in the corner of the old restaurant and Derek came in.

"I don't have a lot of time, the house is full."

"Why?" I asked.

"The twins are living there for now, this Ryan guy is causing a war."

"What can you tell me?" He looks around and leans forward before answering.

"I don't know much I tried to get close to her but she's a cold bitch. I was there when she questioned the guy that was with her sister, he wants what she and the brothers have, that's all I know, they are always in the office never talk shit around the house. Yesterday, we went to one of the clubs and found cocaine, maybe you can raid the others, but I don't know if you'll find something." He whispers.

"You need to put these around the house."

"What is this?"

"The smaller ones are mics and the other cams, you just need to stick this in the torture room and shit."

"Are you fucking crazy? She'll kill me if she finds out."

If she finds out you've been talking to me you are dead too.

"Then make sure she doesn't. Text me when everything is in place." I said, I left some bills on the table and left the place.

Once I have access to audio and image, I'll have what I need to charge her and deepen the investigation, he just needs to put the devices in the right places without being caught. Her office and basement are where the action happens, there would be perfect.

I just hope this works.