Maxwell called Bruno's number again for the fourth time that hour, drumming his fingers on the bed post; it rang and rang and rang but no answer.
He cursed under his breath but maintained the cool facade he had been working on. Bruno never let any of his calls ring more than twice before, meaning something had gone horribly wrong and he didn't know what.
His phone rang, vibrating on the desk, Maxwell picked the call.
"Bruno?"
The line was silent, Maxwell moved the phone away from his ear checking the number again.
"Bruno?" Absolute silence, Maxwell ended the call immediately, switching off the burner.
Maxwell threw the phone at the wall, his number one man had been captured, there was no way he would be able to get him out of whatever mess he had gotten himself into without further incriminating himself. "You had one fucking job." Bruno yelled at the shattered phone.
His plans were moving too fast, his wildcard wasn't ready and with Bruno gone he had to be the one to get his hands dirty with the secret he'd kept hidden all these years.
Maxwell paced around the cramped room, his beard and hair had grown out making him completely unrecognizable but he still kept to the shady part of town avoiding street cameras and empty streets.
His daughter and the bitch she was shagging were still alive, Bruno had most definitely been caught and he hasn't been able to access his offshore account but his account officer had assured him he was working on it and it would be ready before the end of the month.
Things were not looking up but he was grateful to have some money at the end of the month, he was tired of living in the dumpster he called home the past month.
If Bruno had been caught, he needed to move quick for his wildcard; if they could catch a man like Bruno then it wouldn't be long before they traced his movements and found his house.
Maxwell grabbed his old worn cap and wore his dirty shoes, thankfully Bruno had gotten him a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS; a classic beauty.
There was a safe house he acquired a while back incase anything went south but Maxwell shared no information about it; Bruno was in the enemy's lair now meaning he had the free will to strike a deal and save himself exposing all the people he'd worked with or keep his mouth shut and go to jail; any which way Maxwell needed to change his pattern, his hotel and unfortunately his beautiful Chevelle.
•
"Was that Maxwell?" Fletcher dropped Bruno's phone beside him, not out of sight but out of reach. "He didn't sound very happy."
"I didn't know you were a therapist too." Bruno's eyes were closed. "If I ever need your services, I'll give you a call."
"You can cut the big boy act and strike a deal Bruno, nobody is going to save you from this sinkhole and taking the bullet for everyone sounds very stupid."
"Like I said if I need your services I'll call for you."
"Suit yourself, the doctor said you're fit for transfer. By tomorrow you'll be spending your night in a cell and then you'll be begging me for my time."
Fletcher made herself comfortable on the chair, playing Garden scapes on her phone, she'd been chasing Bruno for the past two years and even though she had him strapped to a bed it still felt like a dream. He wasn't going to make transport easy and she wasn't going to send any of her men back in body bags.
"What are you thinking so hard about?"
Fletcher looked away from her phone and found Bruno staring right at her, for how long she didn't know and that made her more uncomfortable. "My stupid game, I can't pass a level."
Bruno closed his eyes, humming. "I guess we both have different things we worry about."
Fletcher closed the app and stood up. "You're bothering me so I'll take my fun time somewhere else."
"I bother a lot of people Detective, it's alright if you need a minute to catch your breath."
Fletcher didn't argue knocking once, the door opened immediately.
"I see you changed the pattern." Bruno looked amused even with his eyes closed.
"I knew you'd take note of it and I also know I risk my life everyday staying in this room with you. If you ever get out of those constraints and kill me, you will never make it out of this room."
"If I ever had the chance to kill you, it wouldn't be in this room or with my bare hands." Bruno fixed his angry cold eyes on her. "I'd take my time cutting you open, put honey on the wound and place ants on your skin. I wouldn't need to do much before you beg me to kill you."
Fletcher didn't hide her shiver. "See you later Bruno."
"Yes Fletcher, I will be seeing you." Bruno closed his eyes as the door closed behind her.
Fletcher fought the cold that had enveloped her, getting threatened was part of the job and this wasn't the first time someone she caught threatened her life.
In some way Bruno was different and Fletcher couldn't wait to hurl him down to his cell and be done with him, he was her last case. She'd spent her entire career and life chasing bad guys and for the most part catching them but she needed a normal schedule and a normal life.
Bruno's threat hung over her head as she left the hospital, walking down the block and around the corner to where she knew a nice cafe stood. No matter the time of day they served hot coffee and freshly baked donuts.
"I didn't peg you for a doughnut woman."
Fletcher stumbled and caught herself before she fell at Renee's feet. "I didn't peg you for a stalker."
"I'm the one standing by the wall." Renee raised her shoulders. "If anything I can say you're stalking me."
"I don't have the time or strength to play good guy bad guy." Fletcher walked by her, Renee fell in step. "Am I walking your way or do you actually want something from me?"
"Not you no." Renee wagged her fingers. "I need something from your prisoner."
"Bruno?" Fletcher frowned. "I'm sorry but you lost me."
"I need to talk to him for a few minutes."
Fletcher scoffed. "Hate to say it but no way in hell am I letting you into a room with a man I spent my valuable time chasing."
"It's a tiny favor, it'll be nice if you did it for me."
"I'll still say a no." Fletcher pushed the door open and walked in.
"Not much of a gentle woman." Renee commented behind her.
"I'm the one men open doors for, I don't play for your team." Fletcher replied over her shoulder.
"Thank God, we really don't need a brute on our small side of the house."
"Brute? Really?" Fletcher raised a brow, standing in line to make her order. "Whatever you want from me, the answer will be no so go away Heather."
Heather sighed and stepped in front of her, Fletcher hated that she had to look up. "I'll make this simple and clear, I came to you because you're the officer on ground but I can go higher up to get what I want and I doubt you'd like to take orders when you can just help me right now."
"I didn't come this far without getting bullied by men, I'll take my chances with you." Fletcher walked up to the counter, ordered two doughnuts with chocolate filling and one cappuccino to go."
Her phone buzzed and she snapped her head to where Renee was still standing, snatching the paper bag and muttering an apology; Fletcher wheeled in on Renee.
"What the fuck is this?!" She shoved her phone in Renee's face.
"It's what happens when I go over your head to get what I want." Renee stood unfazed by her outburst. "I came to you nicely, I thought woman you'd help me but you pushed my hand."
"Pushed your hand my fucking ass." Fletcher's boss had sent her message ordering her to allow Renee speak with Bruno. "I don't know about your connections but you have no idea how hard I worked to catch this bastard and you want me to give in to your criminal fantasies and leave you alone with a lunatic, you're fucking crazy if you think I'll do that."
"I've been called so many things in my life and crazy takes the most of it. I admire your work, catching Bruno must have been refreshing and surprising seeing as he's not an easy man to find but frankly Detective Fletcher I don't care about Bruno, he has information about a man I want and once I get that information he's all yours."
"How do I know you won't aid his escape or worse kill the bastard."
Renee grabbed her arm, walking them out of the cafe, Fletcher's attempts to release her arm failed. "What the hell? Do you chew iron for breakfast or something?"
Renee released her immediately, "Sorry about that, I didn't realize I was gripping too hard."
"Apology not fucking accepted." Fletcher grumbled.
"I don't have the time to baby you into having my way, I will have my way no matter how you feel but rest assured I won't kill Bruno and I won't aid in his escape but I will be the only one in the room."
"You find ways to say things and make it worse." Fletcher walked away, tossing her warm coffee in the trash can in front of the hospital.
"It's a sin to waste food."
"It's a sin to make me lose my fucking appetite." Fletcher retorted, increasing her step. Her gut instinct about Renee had been right and now she had an animal breathing down her neck with a request she'd been ordered to submit to.
"You can supervise the whole thing, I'll be in and out. You wouldn't even know I was there."
Fletcher stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the last floor. "I've been ordered to make your demands come true, whenever you're ready I'll leave the door wide open for you."
"I'm not sorry I went over your head but I do still want you to let me go in with your trust that I will not do anything to sabotage your big case."
"Trust is a big word, I can't give you that." They stepped out when the elevator dinged. "I can let you have your way and hope that you don't do anything stupid or it's your ass I'll be taking to jail."
"My favourite color is orange by the way." Renee joked, Fletcher didn't laugh. "It's alright if you don't find it funny."
"The men at the door will check you for weapons if you don't mind and you'll also have to drop your phone."
"I'm guessing because i can slit his throat with my pouch." Renee dropped her phone into a basket.
"Earrings, necklace, bangles, your fucking eye lashes if you could pluck them out." Fletcher gathered her jewelries and put them in her pocket. "You can have them when you walk out of there."
"If I don't please pawn them and donate the money to an orphanage or a hospital."
Fletcher rolled her eyes, nodding at the men guarding the door to let her through. "When you're done, knock thrice and the door will be opened, to quote my favorite show- 'the way back will come but once' - not applicable but it sounded great, don't do anything stupid."
Renee rolled her shoulders and nodded to the guard, he opened the door, she walked in, the door closed behind her.
"I didn't peg you as an attention seeker Fletcher, I already said I'm not striking a deal." Bruno yawned, his eyes were closed.
"It's not Fletcher."
Bruno's eyes snapped open, finding Renee still standing in front of the closed door. "Renee?"
"The one and only." Renee spread her hands. "We have a lot to catch up on Bruno, I told you to get out while you could the last time we spoke, you assured me you would, what changed?"
"Maxwell kept dumping job after job in my lap, I ended up liking the thrill of it." Bruno shrugged. "What brings you to this rough part of town? Don't tell me you came all the way here for me."
"You tried to kill my ex-wife asshole and Maxwell and I have a huge score to settle."
"I didn't think you'd mind since y'all were divorced and she dumped you for a blind chick." Bruno cackled. "That must have hurt your ego."
"This is the end of the line for you, I don't really care what happens to you but I want Maxwell."
"You know how information is passed Renee, it's a thing for a thing. I want to get out of here, you want Maxwell."
"I didn't know you pegged me for wonder woman, am I supposed to break the hand cuffs around your wrists?"
"You should have thought that through before you got here."
Renee removed her hand from her pocket and in it were several pills "I did actually." She punched his groin, Bruno yelped and Renee shoved the hand full of pills in his mouth holding it shut, Bruno struggled against the restraint, trying to move his head away from her, meanwhile Renee unscrewed the cap of the water bottle on the table and forced the open end into his mouth.
Landing another punch to his stomach, Bruno helplessly gulped the pills and the water. "You fucking bitch! What the hell did you give me?!" Bruno gasped and coughed, trying to reach for his mouth.
"Tylenol like I said before but given the amount, you have little time before it starts messing with your system."
"Help!" Bruno pulled on his cuffs, making as much noise as possible. "Get a fucking doctor in here and get rid of this lunatic!"
"They'll see that as a ruse and I've got all day." Renee pointed at the chair. "May I?"
"I don't know where Maxwell is alright, I only know he lives in run down motels and changes his identity every two weeks."
"That's not very helpful." Renee looked to the ceiling. "Time is ticking Bruno, think harder."
"I don't know anything about Maxwell's whereabouts but he's not straying far from the city, it's like he's drawn to this place. I swear that's all I know."
"I don't beli-"
The door crashed against the wall and several men armed to the teeth rushed in, some guns were pointed in her direction.
"I told you not to mess with my suspect." Fletcher ran in with a doctor. "What the hell did you give him."
"Antacid tablets." Renee stood, "It was a fluke and you just blew my entry and exit."
Bruno laughed like a maniac, coughing and choking on his own breath. "You have no idea what Maxwell has in store for you." He said after catching his breath. "Good one on the tablets, I actually thought I was going to die. I'll pay you back in kind bitch."
"Rot in hell Bruno, I will get Maxwell and the next day you see the sky is the day I allow it." Renee bodied her way out of the room.
"The boogeyman is coming for you Renee, his daughter and her blind bitch are extras but you will be one to lead him straight to his goal." Bruno spoke louder, pulling harder on his restraints. "You wanted information, well there it is, you will be the reason your loved ones die right in front of your eyes and you cannot stop it; the wheel is already in motion and when it's time you will rue today."
Renee turned on her heels, coming face to face with Bruno mindful of Fletcher closely watching their interaction. "Maxwell can bring it on, I have been waiting for years to get him and I will. Who did you think changed Shelby's room one too many times and dropped several obvious hints on your way up?"
She felt Fletcher stiffen but she wasn't done. "You got caught because I was bored and you had gotten sloppy, I own you now Bruno and I will come to collect when you're locked up and half out of your mind in a dark cage."
She walked out of the room without looking back.