His Secret [Completed]

Chapter Forty-Eight

"This better work," Kelly whispered. She was sitting next to her brother in the passenger's seat of his car and she was nervous. "My hands are shaking."

"You didn't have to do this," he told her.

"I know."

He reached over and gripped her hand. "Please be careful."

"Always," she smiled at him, squeezed his hand back and stepped out of the car. Lia was sat in the back seat and she scooted forward, wrapping her arms around her friend's tense body. The two watched as Kelly walked a little way down the road and hopped into her car. She then turned it around and waited for confirmation to go. "Can you hear me?" Kelly's voice was loud and clear in both Noah and Lia's ears, (they were wearing earpieces). Lia pressed the button on her shirt and said yes.

The microphones and recorders were Lia's idea, they were 'top of the range' police gadgets, and had been signed out by the station's tech department in full working order, which meant that any evidence and proof gathered would be justifiable when it came to trial.

The operation had taken over a month to plan and Noah was aware there were loop holes and inconsistencies, but they were running out of time. Brad was growing closer and closer to finding Sophia; each date Lia went on with him solidified that. She'd put herself through so much already and as a police officer - she told Noah over and over that it was her job - yet he still felt guilty dragging her into his mess. The time had come: it was make or break now.

"Let's run through this one more time," Lia said to both Noah, Kelly and the other officers that were trusted to help. "Brad will be here at eleven-thirty, he'll rock up in a different car so keep an eye out. We don't know what the car will be and who will be in it. Terry, you in position?" Lia asked a colleague who was situated at the top of a hill with a sniper rifle.

"Affirmative."

"Kelly, at just before half past, drive down and wait by the large container, it'll be on your left. If anything goes wrong, that's where you need to hide. Brad will more than likely be on time, so when he gets there you make as little conversation as possible and hand over the money. As soon as you do, he'll realise you didn't give him enough money and you say the rest is in your bag. He'll let you get it because he won't see you as a threat. When you do, that's when we'll interfere. As soon as I'm there, you get in your car and get out, okay Kelly?"

"Okay..." her voice was quiet.

"Noah, you'll stay in the car. We can't risk him seeing you, we don't know if he has a gun and he's seen your face before."

Noah gave a curt nod and Lia left the car to scope the area. She had backup ready and a couple of her trusted colleagues ready to jump in on the action when called. Terry, who was an excellent shot, was in position around one hundred metres away and had a clear view of the action. "I'm shitting myself..." Kelly whispered under her breath, as if it were meant for herself. Noah wanted to reply but stopped himself, knowing it would only make things worse. His words of encouragement and comfort were pointless because no words could calm their nerves at that stage in the plan. It was a risk they were taking. If things went wrong, Noah was aware Lia could lose her job and Kelly would lose her shot at becoming a lawyer. As for Noah, if the plan failed he'd not only lose his family, but he'd lose the love of his life forever.

Having Kelly involved wasn't ideal, but it was necessary; Brad didn't know her face, so she made the perfect decoy. Kelly had one simple task, she would act as though she was buying drugs from Brad and as soon as Lia reached them, she would hold him at gunpoint and Kelly would get the hell out. Noah knew it was risky, but they needed the help, and if there was one thing he learnt from Sophia in the year that he'd known her, it was that there are somethings you can't do alone.