The Drazen World: Torn (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Torn #1) (11 page)

              
Faith

             
—I’ve landed.  I’ll see you tonight!—

—The roof.  Wine.  And me. —

              —Sounds perfect—

              I turn off my phone, grinning like a fool.  I can hardly wait to see Tony.  I’ve been gone for almost a week dealing with bookwork in L.A.  A slight blush creeps across my face.  Last night Johnathan and I had a wonderful dinner.  I have to admit, these past five days I’ve gotten to see a different side of Johnathan Drazen, a side I like a lot.

              As I walk through the metal detectors, my smile slides off my face.  I got a call from Roy as we were landing, they needed me at FBI headquarters in Des Moines asap.  When I figured out that Roy was in town, I knew something was up. 
Please don’t let Johnathan be smuggling drugs.
  My chest tightens just at the thought.

              I slip my badge over my head and make my way toward the elevator.  I was relieved when Roy told me we were meeting at FBI headquarters, and not at the Des Moines Police Department.  This building is a lot different than theirs.  Theirs is falling apart and wood, this is concrete and bulletproof glass.  Their building has minimal security, this building you can’t get in unless you have a badge.

              Tucking a lose curl behind my ear, I step into the elevator and hit the button that will take me to the fifteenth floor.  I watch as the button flickers on and off, shorting out and then going dark. 
Well maybe I overstated how nice this building was. 

              I feel the elevator slow, gravity making my body feel heavier for a split second. The loud ding of the elevator ricochets off the clinically clean hallways, announcing my arrival to everyone in ear shot. 

              I take a right off the elevator, picking up the pace.  Roy sounded anxious, which is uncharacteristic.  Usually he’s calm and laid back, nothing gets under his skin.  Butterflies hammer against my stomach, I wonder if they found something important.  I slow my pace,
what if something I copied lead them directly to Johnathan
.  Dread creeps into my chest, coiling itself tight and nestling in like a snake.  I just pray it isn’t Johnathan,
I don’t know if I could handle that
.  I just can’t see him dealing drugs. 

             
The innocent looking ones are usually the guilty ones.
  My subconscious reminds me. 

              I’m ashamed to say, I broke my number one rule.  Over the past few months I’d fallen for Johnathan Drazen – was it love?  No.  It was too early to be love, but it certainly was something. 
What about Tony?
  A snarky voice echoes through my subconscious.  God help me, I’ve fallen for him too. 
How is that even possible?
  I’m not a slut.  Christ, I’ve never dated more than one person at a time before in my life.  I vowed after Xander cheated on me, I’d never treat a human being like that
—
ever.

              As I approach the end of the hall, I see the door to Special Agent Oliver’s office is open.  I automatically straighten my appearance, the man’s a stickler for going by the book.  He’s been my commanding officer since I graduated the academy. 

              I stop outside the door, inhaling and exhaling deep, calming my nerves. I hear Roy’s familiar voice, which sends waves of contentment surging through my system.  It’ll be nice to see him again, though it baffles me why they would bring him into the case this late in the game.

              I tap lightly, waiting for the abrupt bark that is Agent Oliver’s calling card.

              “Enter!”  His hoarse voice grates through the air.  I chuckle to myself, the only time his voice is hoarse is when he’s training new recruits. 

              I step into the office, my eyes scanning the room.  I recognize all the parties present.  Suzie, Agent Oliver’s secretory, Roy and Xander. 
What the fuck is he doing here?
  I grin as I notice the bluish-yellow bruising under both of his eyes.  That’ll teach the asshole to keep his hands to himself.

              “Agent Nichols.”  Agent Oliver’s voice has my spine snapping to attention. “You know everyone I assume?”

              “Yes Sir, I do.”  I want to ask him what the fuck Xanders doing here, he’s had nothing to do with this case in the past, why now. 

              “Have a seat.”  He jabs a finger toward the uncomfortable looking wooden chair placed in front of his desk.

              As I slide into the chair, I throw Roy a wink.  I’m glad to have my partner back by my side.  Roy slides into the chair next to mine, leaving Xander standing off to the side observing.

              “Well, let’s get right to business.”  Agent Oliver, settles into his overstuffed leather chair and pulls out a pile of folders.  “You did well Agent Nichols.”  He flashes me an approving smile.  “The pictures you took of Mr. Drazen’s paperwork proved to be most enlightening.”

              My stomach drops,
that means they found something
—
damn.

             
“U.S. customs is tracking a number of shipments that are suspicious.  Some of the invoices you copied match up with actual shipments, so do not.”  Do we know what’s in these shipments
—
no.  Do we know which shipments to intercept and when
—
no.  Nothings consistent.”  I watch Agent Oliver as he taps his jawline erratically. 

              “Could that be a coincidence?”  Roy mumbles, as he thumbs through some of the documentation.

              “Coincidence?”  Agent Oliver’s eyes dance with humor.  “We don’t believe in coincidences.”

              “Then why can’t customs catch them.  They’re either lucky bastards, or...”

              “They have someone, in U.S. Customs on their payroll.”  We all three say in unison.

              Agent Oliver pulls out another pile of papers and spreads them out.  “His hotel in China went up fast
—
too fast.  He had to have an inside track with the Chinese government.”

              “He had to pay someone off.”  Roy interjects.

              “Let me guess.  No paper trail.”  Xander chimes in.  I had forgotten he was even in the room.

              “Well, it’s not unusual for business developers, and owners, to grease the palms of the local officials, zoning commissioners, inspection officers – excreta.  Hell that’s done in the U.S. all the time.”  I try to sound impartial.

              “Be that as it may, Mr. Drazen, and an unknown party, have been moving a lot of cash through the hotel accounts.”  Agent Oliver points to the enormously obscene amount of cash that’s appeared, and disapproved from the hotels bank accounts.

              “Are you thinking money laundering?”  Roy interjects, before I can deny that Johnathan would do such a thing.

              “I’m implying real estate fraud, money laundering and drug smuggling.”  Agent Oliver’s lip twitches, and knowing him as good as I do – the only time the man’s lip twitches is when he’s about to bring down a major player.

             
How could I have misjudged Johnathan that much?
  “Johnathan Drazen is trafficking opium?”  The bile stings at the back of my throat.  To think someone I let get that close, could be responsible for the death of thousands of people including my sister and parents. 
I feel ill.

              “It may not be Mr. Drazen.”  Agent Oliver comments.

              “What?” 
Thank God. 
I try to hide the relief in my voice.

             
I watch as Agent Oliver grabs another folder off the top of the pile, and tosses it in my direction.  Given its size, it lands with a thud and slides only a hair in my direction. 

              I reach for the folder and flip it open.  There, staring back at me is a wallet sized picture of J. Declan Drazen.  “His father?”  My voice is laced with confusion.  “I thought that Johnathan Drazen hated his father?”  Anytime I brought up his family, his father was often not mentioned.  When I did mention his father, Johnathan’s whole demeanor would change.  “There’s no way that Johnathan would go into business with his father.  He doesn’t trust him.”  My voice is full of conviction.

              “Has he told you this?”  Agent Oliver arches a doubting eyebrow in my direction.

              “Yes, well, not in so many words.  But he has warned me to watch him.”

              “Well, either Johnathan Drazen is lying to you, or his father had something that Johnathan desperately needed to get his hotel started in China.”  Agent Oliver shrugs his shoulders.

              “But what?”  Xander and I say at the same time. 

              My eyes snap to Xander and I throw him a dirty look.  He on the other hand, winks and flirts.

              “That’s the million dollar question.”  Agent Oliver sits silently, drumming his fingers rhythmically against the desk. 

              My eyes scan the folder, staring at the picture of Johnathan’s father.  The resemblance is uncanny.  Father, and son, both have the same strong angular chin.  Declan Drazen’s eyes are a brilliant turquoise with a dark undertone swirling just beneath the surface.  They are not the same brilliant green like his sons. 

              My eyes scan the top page, locating the usual information.

             
Height: Six feet four.

              Age: 66 years of age
.  I do the quick math,
that would make Johnathan thirty.
 

              My eyes snap back to the photograph, time has been kind to Declan Drazen, he’s aged well.  Even though his hair is white, he still is handsome.

              “For years, Declan Drazen has been suspected of leading, or at the least, being a high ranking member of the L.A. syndicate.  He’s also a suspect in a young man’s death in Santa Barbara, about twenty years ago.  We’ve just never been able to make anything stick - believe me we’ve tried fucking everything.” 

              “So you think Johnathan’s working with his father?”  Xander comments from the back of the room.

              “Either that, or the old man is screwing over his son.”  Roy makes a good point.

              Suddenly Agent Oliver snaps his fingers, thumbing through another folder.  “Here, look at this.”

              He slides an invoice in front of me, pointing to the signatures at the bottom.  One signature is Declan Drazen’s, the other a simple set of initials. “J.W.?”  My voice is loaded with confusion.

              “Got any idea who that is?”  Roy studies my face.

              “Not a clue.”  I shake my head, bewildered.

              “So you’ve never run across those initials on any other paperwork, for any of the properties?”  Agent Oliver pushes me to think.

              My eyes flick to the right, staring blankly as my mind churns. 
Nothing. 
“No.  I don’t recall seeing those initials on any other paperwork.” 
Damn.  I thought we had a lead.

              Agent Oliver’s knuckles knock loudly on the table.  “Well, this J.W. could be working with Declan, and they could
both
be screwing his son.”

              “This J.W.”  Roy interjects.  “Any chance he’s associated with the Syndicate?” 

              “Nothing so far, but we’re working on it.”  Agent Oliver rubs his face in frustration.

              “Nichols.”  Agent Oliver’s ice blue eyes lock on me.  “Get close to this bastard.”  He taps the picture of Johnathan laying on the table.  “Get close enough that he’ll introduce you to the old man.”

              “Sir, do you think that’s a good idea?”  Roy interjects protectively.  “Maybe I should…”

              “No this is a job for Nichols.”  His eyes roam from my face to my chest and back.  A smirk curls at his lips. “Both Drazen men have a weakness when it comes to beautiful women.”

              I swear I hear Roy growl protectively.  “Well I’m sticking close.”

              “What?”  My head snaps in his direction.

              “Yea, there moving me into the apartment above you.”  Roy smiles warmly.

              “Why?”  My eyes flicker between the two men.

              My eyes snap back to Agent Oliver, as he reaches into the last file and pulls out a picture.  “Who’s this?  And when was it taken?”  He slides the picture in front of me, tapping on it softly.

              My eyes instantly snap to Tony’s face.  My face heats, as my whole body turns red. “Sorry, I forgot to download it from my phone.”

              “Interpol is fucking thrilled you didn’t.”  Agent Oliver chuckles happily.  “Who is it, and who is he to you?”  He presses.