Fatally Yours

Chapter 6

•INDIANA•

"What the hell is that?" I asked aloud, taking the device from Agent Hawke's hand.

"This is called a scanner. It's specifically designed to unlock any vehicle from the outside by pressing it against the handle. Once the light blinks green, the car will automatically unlock. It works on any vehicle, no matter the model or size."

I awkwardly twisted the device around, feeling a little confused but mostly fascinated. Where was this thing when I needed to unlock my car every time I forgot my keys inside?

It was the size of my hand and kind of looked like a walkie-talkie.

"You ready?" Agent Hawke asked, snapping me back to focus.

I was glad for the brief distraction, momentarily forgetting about the mission we were about to execute. But reality was a bitch, and now I was reminded of why I was nervous about this job.

Not only was my life on the line, but also the lives of billions in areas where the Valahia Syndicate
had already taken over. If we did this right—if I did this right without making any mistakes—we'd be one step closer to taking the Valahia Syndicate down.

I nodded at Agent Hawke, and he gave me a satisfied smile before we all got into our cars and drove to the restaurant where Lee was supposed to show up.

I couldn't help but send a quick 'I love you' text to Hailey during the drive before switching off my phone and slipping it into the small bag Keith would be handling. It held all my personal items, and if it ended up in the wrong hands, my cover would be blown.

After putting my phone away, I grabbed the burner phone from the glovebox that the FBI had given me. I'd be using it the entire time I was undercover to contact Agent Keith and the others.

The drive to the restaurant took about ten minutes. We pulled up a block away, and Agent Keith dropped me off before driving off, leaving me standing across from the restaurant.

"Go time, Detective," Agent Wilder said through the earpiece plugged into my ear.

I started walking toward the restaurant. There was a deck outside where people were busy dining, and as I got closer, I spotted Lee sitting among them with another man.

Cars were parked outside, and the valet was attending to them. I pulled my hood up and clutched the scanner in my hoodie pocket.

I crossed the street and made a quick beeline to the black Ferrari Roma parked with the other cars. I pulled out the scanner and pressed it against the driver's door. I heard two beeps, then the lock clicked.

"Good job," Agent Hawke said.

I wasted no time opening the door and slipping inside, worried that the valet would notice me stealing the car. I pressed the scanner beside the steering wheel, and the car roared to life.

Adrenaline pumped through me, heightening my excitement as I pressed the accelerator and sped away from the restaurant.

"Hey! Stop!" I faintly heard someone shout.

I chuckled to myself and sped away, heading straight to the crew's waiting location. After checking the rearview mirror and confirming I wasn't being followed, I took a detour and headed to the warehouse.

It took about thirty minutes to get there. Upon arrival, the crew and the three feds were already waiting with their tools.

I parked the car in the center of the room and stepped out smoothly.

"You got away clean?" Agent Keith asked.

I smirked. "I take it Lee has no idea who stole his car."

He smiled, and I stood with the others as we turned toward the computers set up on the table behind them. The crew had already started working inside the car, hiding the wires where no one would find them, even if they looked closely.

"You jacked that car without a single scratch, Detective," Agent Wilder said. "Who knew you could drive like that, let alone a Ferrari Roma."

"I've been driving since I was fifteen. I experimented with race cars in my teens, so a Ferrari Roma is nothing."

The guys exchanged looks of respect, and I couldn't help but feel proud. But that was only the easy part. The real mission hadn't begun yet.

"It's done. We're good to go," one of the crew members announced ten minutes later.

I turned toward the group, and Agent Hawke gave me a stern look.

"There's no going back now, Detective. Once you're in, you're in. If you have any doubts, say them now before we waste any time."

I turned fully to face him, folding my arms.

"You came to ask for my assistance for a reason, Agent Hawke. The least you can do is start showing that you trust me to make this plan work without doubting my capabilities."

His lips thinned into a straight line, and I narrowed my eyes at him while reaching for the car keys on the table. They had a duplicate made so that Lee wouldn't suspect anything.

"I'll keep in touch, boys," I said before getting back into the car.

I started the engine and slowly reversed out of the warehouse as the entrance opened. I drove away, heading to the next destination where Lee would be.

That's where the real fun would begin.