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Chapter 8
Looking out the window, she saw that the car was still parked across the street. "That woman just doesn't give up."
Sam had to give Veronica props, the woman was tenacious. She has been sitting out there for hours now waiting for her to come out. Sam had a lot to do before she could leave. She didn't know when she would be back here again. It was important that she had everything she needed with her.
There's a chance that the FBI will decide to come here and look for her. It's very possible that they will find out that she's Samantha Midnight. And she will have to create a new identity completely. If that's the case, she will need plenty of money and her ID's with her. At least the ones she hasn't used.
Sam looked through the stack of ID's in her hand. She needs to be selective about what she brings with her. She's used several of these as her Samantha Midnight persona. It would be better to not take them with her.
"Time to leave Samantha Midnight behind," she said sadly. She was going to miss her. Sam liked that version of herself.
Bending over she sorted through the ID's and put the ones she's used back in the hole in the floor. Might as well leave them something worth finding. Putting a few diamonds and sapphires in there and a stack of hundreds she knew Knox would put it together.
Sam put the floorboard back down and stepped on it to snap it into place. She walked over it a couple of times. Listening to the difference between the other floorboards and the hallowed out one she had made for her stash of items she needed to hide.
Knox will hear the difference. He's smart enough to find this. And when he opens it, he'll know who she is. He'll know she fooled him and he'll hate her for it. It will destroy any feelings he might have had for her. But he will know she had feelings too and she knew he was smart enough to figure it out first.
Veronica, not so much. She will try and fail because she wants to beat Knox. That's her goal. And because Sam is sure it will be Knox finding this, Sam quickly wrote a note and wrapped it around the cash. He'll figure it out.
It was enough to send him going the wrong direction. He won't find her fast enough to catch her. She'll send them on a wild goose chase first. Let them think they have her. And then they'll be going one way, while she goes another.
Veronica would fall for that. She is the type who falls for the easy trail. Sam smiles looking out the window watching the woman as she pulls out binoculars to look her way. Instead of looking away or dodging the woman, Sam waves at her, acknowledging that she's being watched.
"You don't scare me, lady. You're too in my face. And too direct. I'm going to lose you tonight and you are going to look like the idiot that you are," Sam turns and picks up her drink and sips. "I wonder what she does when she has to pee? She doesn't have a partner and Knox said no one likes her."
Huh! It was something to think about. Knox knows her well. He doesn't like her either. Which begs to reason, why is she on this case? Was Knox taken off her case? He was put on vacation immediately after a job and right before another one? That's not normal.
The more Sam thought about it, the more she felt like something was wrong with this puzzle. Knox hasn't taken a single break since he started on this assignment two years ago. He's tracked her across the country. And he's been the closest player in this game to catching her. So why change the players now? Why, when Knox was literally within seconds of catching her on the last job?
Because he was closer to something bigger that someone didn't want him to find out about? Who would that be? Someone bigger than Knox? A boss? Who would replace him with this woman?
Why Veronica? She's ballsy. And not a team player. And she doesn't play by the rules. "Which is what someone wants. Knox follows the rules. He dots every I, and crosses every T. Veronica skips the letter completely. Is that why you're watching me?"
Sam is good at puzzles. It comes with the territory. She's used to putting things together and these puzzles just don't make sense. Knox has to have stumbled on to something that he shouldn't have.
Maybe the best thing she can do for herself and for Knox is to get out of the situation before it really goes bad. She doesn't want things to turn around on Knox and one of them really gets hurt. From everything she knows about him he's a good man. And she doesn't want to go to prison.
"Time to cut ties," She whispers to herself and makes her choice.
Sam hated leaving so fast but there was no choice. Veronica had followed her to the restaurant and to her home. While she packed her bags, Veronica was sitting outside her home watching her. She would never be able to go home again.
She would have to start over somewhere else. A new base. Definitely not in the west. This woman has gotten too close for comfort. Getting her bags, she checked her flight on her phone and made sure it was on time. She couldn't afford to miss her flight.
Hurrying to the garage she put her bags into her car and got in. She'd send a letter after she landed. She'd let her aunts know it was a long term job overseas. A good one that would give her benefits she had only dreamed of. They would be disappointed but happy for her. And she would make sure they were taken care of for the rest of their lives.
She would send Knox a text after the plane took off and tell him she had to go away for work. She wouldn't make any promises. She couldn't. It was better to not plan on seeing him again. She would see him again just not as herself. He could never know about that.
He would continue to chase Samantha Midnight and she would continue to do her job.
It was for the best.
Leaving her house Sam drove past Veronica in her car, watching the house and waved. Knowing the FBI agent was too conspicuous sitting right out front, Sam made no secret of leaving. She raced down the street and was gone before Veronica could get the car turned around.
Sam took the freeway to the airport and hurried to her gate. She barely got to the gate and checked in before she boarded the plane. Taking her seat. She sat back and waited. She wouldn't relax until she knew that she was gone and the FBI were behind her.
The Midnight Flight out of San Diego turned down the runway and began to gain speed. Faster and faster, before the front of the plane lifted off the ground and with a jolt, the plane was airborne and they were off. Sam closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. She was almost in the clear.
When the seatbelt light blinked off, Sam sent the first text message.
On my way be ready for pick up
When she got her confirmation, she sent the next text.
Knox, I'm sorry to do this but I had to leave town. I don't know when I'll be back. Work takes me away and I don't have control sometimes. I'll think of you.
She didn't get a response. She didn't expect one. It's better this way. How could it really work out between them anyway? The FBI agent and his prey. It was doomed from the start.
"Would you like a drink?" The flight attendant asked her.
"Whiskey straight please," Sam ordered her drink and looked out the window. It would be a long flight.
"She did what?" Knot didn't like what was going on. This wasn't the time for him to be taking a vacation.
"I got her off Saminas ass but Veronica is a dog with a bone, you know that. She's not going to stop until she knows that you have no interest in her or the girl is behind bars, probably both," Marcus isn't wrong. Knox knew that too.
"I'm leaving now, I'll be on the next ferry and I'm going to be there in the next hour," Knox looked at his watch to calculate how much time it would take to get across the ocean to the mainland and back to where Marcus was watching Veronica.
"It won't do you any good. Samina is packing up. I want to say she's going on a long trip. From what I can see she's got two big bags. Knox, I think we were right the first time. She is Samantha Midnight," Marcus gives him the news.
"You said that she was cleared. And she was with me the entire night. She didn't take the last one. I know that. I had my hands on her the whole time!" Boy, that didn't come out right, but he knew what Knox meant.
"Why is she packing up? Give me a good reason, Knox. Explain it to me," Marcus wanted to believe in her for his friend.
"I don't know. But I know she didn't steal the last diamond," Knox was positive about that.
It was enough for Marcus, "Then we prove it."
Knox packed his bag and was off the island within the hour. He took the first ferry available and paced the boat for the hour ride to the mainland. Once they hit land, Knox was on the road and searching for Samina.
By the time he caught up with Marcus outside her home, it was too late. "She left ten minutes ago. Veronica was tailing her. From what I hear on the radio, she lost Sam on I-5. I think she headed for the airport."
Knox cursed, they were always one step behind. "Then why are we here?"
Marcus held up the court order for search and seizure. He had the ability to search Samina's home legally where Veronica didn't. They could get the information they needed to find out who she is.
Knox nodded his head and the two men walked to the front door. Knocking first announcing themselves as FBI before they kicked in the door, Knox and Marcus went in to find the truth.
Turning on the lights, the house was clean. If he didn't know that someone actually lived there, he would think it was a vacant house. It was furnished nicely, but it looked like a model home that was used for show, not one that someone actually lived in.
They each took different rooms. Marcus took the kitchen and Knox the bedroom. He walked in and looked around, the bed was made, everything was in its place. Again as if no one slept there.
Knox began opening drawers. A few things were left behind, a see through bra, a pair of socks, and a pair of black panties. But nothing that said "thief". He checked behind pictures, under drawers, the back of the closet. No secret hiding spots, no envelopes of cash, no flash drives.
Knox wondered if they had made a huge mistake. Why the hell would she just take off this way? She said she had a client she had to finish up some work for. Could that client be out of town? It's possible.
Knox thought about it and paced in front of the bed. As he did, the floorboards creaked and the sound got his attention. Listening carefully, he stepped back and forth again and heard the noise again. Hearing the same sound, Knox got down on his hands and knees and began feeling for the release.
When he felt the give, he pressed the board and the board gave way and popped up. Lifting it carefully, he opened the secret compartment and found Samina's hidey-hole. Inside he found cash, fake ID's, passports, and gems.
Inside the hole he found Samantha Midnight and the note she left for him.
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