The Streets Higher Stakes

18. That's Not The Plan

Cole's POV

"So we're going to force her to tell us any dirt she has on her husband?" I asked for clarification. The plan was to follow Wiz's wife, Amber, from work until she was out of public before cornering her, blindfolding her and questioning her. 

"Yes." Trish replied, tying her brown hair into a ponytail. I could see see all of her face this way, making me smile and enjoy the view. Her phone buzzed, signalling that it was time for us to go and meet the others. I grabbed her hand on the way down, an unconscious action.

It was warm out as usual, despite it being dark out. Dakotas windows were down and had a Kanye West song blaring from inside. I could see the faint outline of Thayer in the front and Theo in the back. I gave the top of Trish's hand a kiss, since she was riding with Paul and got in.

Dakota sped off, not waiting for me to get my seat belt on. The city whipped by us quickly, buildings blending in together and before I knew it, we were parked at our stakeout spot. Amber Khalifa worked at the Bank of America from 10 am to 5 pm and she loved her job, according to her Facebook page. We waited, watching the building and the people walking up and down the sidewalks. I could see Trish and Paul up the road, acting casual to fit in.

"Is that her?" Theo asked nodding his head towards a woman coming out of the building. She was average height for a woman, her skin was tanned just like most people were in California. She had a tight green dress on and tall heels to go with it.

"I'll give it to Wiz, she's hot. I mean look at the rack on her." Thayer said watching her walk by. Dakota smacked him in the back of the head, which made Theo laugh and me grin.

Dakota started the engine up again, rolling out of the spot we had been parked in. We stayed a few cars behind Amber, all of us making sure we didn't lose her. We watched as she continued walking before turning up a side street.

"Are you guys ready?" Trish's voice came through the walkie talkie. I looked in the rear view mirror, seeing that she was looking at us, as people walked by not realizing what was going to happen.

"Of course." Dakota said into it before putting it down and following Amber onto the road. She was about a halfway up the road and I noticed that there was a car parked on the right side of the road. She would have to walk right past it to get close to her home. I put my head against the window, looking up to see any windows on the side of the building. Why would someone park here if there was enough parking along the main road?

Dakota sped up, trying to get closer to Amber so we could grab her. It would be a tight fit trying to get passed the other car.

But we never got the chance to try. As Amber approached the front end of the car, the passenger window rolled down. A hand shot out, a clear illuminated shape of what the passenger was holding in his hand. The passenger pulled the trigger, the noise echoed in the narrow street. Amber fell to the floor, not seeing it coming.

My blood ran cold, everything happening too quickly.

"Reverse! Now!" Thayer yelled at Dakota who seemed to be frozen like me. She stilled for a second but then compiled, reversing quickly and then speeding off quickly.

"Cole? Tell Trish what happened." Thayer said, tossing me the walkie talkie. I caught it, reflexively but stared at it in my hand. Did that just happen? Did what I think just happen, actually happen?

Theo grabbed the walkie out of my hand, doing it himself.

The rest of the drive was a blur of lights, buildings and darkness. When the car stopped, I opened my door feeling light headed and in disbelief. I sat down on the curb, trying to stop the feeling.

I heard two engines come close by to me, signalling that Trish and the Twins had come back. I also faintly heard someone say, "what the fuck happened?"Thayer answered, as the sound of heels came closer to me and the pass me before I heard a retching sound. I looked up briefly, seeing that Dakota had been sick on the sidewalk.

Around us, cars and people kept moving. A few of them gave Dakota disgusted glanced and others sympathetic. I knew that if the people with disgusted knew the reason behind her being sick, they would feel like doing the same thing.

"Cole? Are you okay?" I heard Trish say. I looked up at her, the lightheaded feeling still present. She sat down beside me, grabbing my hand in hers. She didn't say anything but  sat there holding my hand and looking back into the parking lot.

The others were checking up on Dakota and talking about what happened. I didn't know how they could act like everything was okay, considering we just saw someone get murdered.

"How are you okay?" I asked her, my head feeling better.

She looked at me, her blue grey eyes that I adore looking more sad then I had ever seen them. "It's not the first time that we've seen death. But it never gets any easier." She said, her eyes going over to her shoulder to best friend.

"What's happened before?" I asked. I was always learning new stuff about them. 

"Taze. You know we're going to have to strategize." Thayer interrupted before us before she could answer my question.

"There's no need to. We already know who was in the car."