AGENT HASSAN SAT across the wooden table from Machayla in the interrogation room and offered her a smile. She didn’t reciprocate it. Instead she glared and asked “What do you want to know?”
Agent Hassan’s brows shot up to her hairline in surprise. Machayla has never been anything but soft spoken the few times she’d met and spoken to her when Mason was around. But then again, Machayla didn’t know that she was working for the law at that time.
Maybe she’d finally grown a backbone since she’s been away from Mason, Leah thought as her mind went into investigator mode. It was obvious that that monster was beating the poor girl to a pulp every chance he’d gotten.
But whatever the reason for Machayla’s new attitude was, she had to interrogate her and find out what she knew. There was a chance that she’d sing like a canary and cut the agent’s work load in half. “I want to know what your fiancé is up to. I want to know why the officers in this precinct has never thought to interrogate you or question you when Mason’s been a number one suspect in several murder and drug cases. I want to know why you left him and I want to know why you’re so sure that he killed your friend Brandon. Also where does Jason fit in all of this? His name has come up several times in the past weeks and now you’re with him. What the hell is going on?”
She was trained in reading body language and Machayla’s screamed nervousness. “Relax, I’m not going to throw you in jail. I just need some answers,” she said calmly.
Machayla released the elastic band from her ponytail and put a hand through her dark mane. “It’s complicated.”
Leah cocked a brow. “I have time to spare.”
Machayla sighed. “My father, was killed.”
“Yes, I read that,” Leah answered as she thought about the death of Malcolm Daniels, one of the biggest drug lords in the East coast. It was why she first suspected Machayla of working alongside Mason.
“Of course you did,” Machayla continued with a tight smile. “Anyways, I’m sure you know about him being a drug lord.”
“He was the smartest drug lord on this side of America. He’d never been caught with his fingers dirty.”
“Yeah. He was good at hiding his secrets. So good that I just recently found out that my father wasn’t the man that I thought he was. He’d lie to me my whole life and thanks to him, I’m being hunted by another drug lord looking for money he thinks is rightfully his. Money that I inherited from my dear old dad,” she bit out.
Leah’s brows shot up at Machayla’s word. “You never knew?”
“No. I just found that out.”
Leah whistled. Malcolm Daniels desperately tried to protect his only child from the life that he’d led but still somehow managed to throw her to the wolves after his death. But even though her father was part of the drug cartel and trafficking drugs with other lords from different countries, she couldn’t see where Mason fitted into it. There were no connections to the two men. It didn’t make sense. “They caught the suspect who killed your father,” she stated. “One of the cops in this department caught him and was immediately promoted to lieutenant.”
“Right.”
“So, where does Mason Scott fit into this? Unless he was under your father’s thumb as a young drug dealer, there aren’t any connections. That boy grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth and I’m sure he wouldn’t have been caught dead selling drugs on the seedy street corners of Miami.”
“You’re probably not going to believe me if I tell you,” Machayla said with a scowl.
“And how would you know what I will and won’t believe Ms. Daniels?”
“You’re a cop. You all believe that none of y’all can do any wrong,” she snapped.
Leah remained calmed as she watched Machayla closely. “You’re very judgmental, aren’t you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe I am.”
The agent was beginning feel apprehensive as the wheels in her head started to turn. “Why do you hate cops?”
“Because the lot of you all are liars,” was her short and simple reply.
“Explain,” Agent Leah pushed. “If you don’t stop speaking in riddles, we’ll be here till one in the morning.”
“You said that you had time.”
“Not that much. I still have to locate your new friend, Jason. I have some questions for him.”
“He didn’t do anything!”
Agent Hassan cocked a brow at her outburst and a small smile threatened to show itself on her lips as realization dawn on her. We have a regular, old fashion love triangle on our hands.
“I didn’t say he did. But back to why you think all cops are liars? Did you have a run in with one?”
Machayla looked around the close to empty room that only consisted of a wooden table and two matching chairs and said nothing for a while. Then she looked straight and her gaze positioned itself on Agent Hassan. With her eyes filled with nothing but rage, she bit out the name agent Leah’s been suspicious of for a while. “Lieutenant Aiden Parks.”
“You killed him.” The phrase was more of a sure statement then an inquiring question.
Mason hesitated a while before answering with a nod. “I did. You said-”
His hand went up and Mason immediately stop speaking. “I know what I said.” He got up and rounded the desk, his steps slow like a prowling lion, ready to jump on its helpless prey. “And what I said and what you did, are two different things.” He shook his head very slowly from side to side, every movement punctuated. “You’ve disappointed me once again, Scott. You’ve lost sight of the bigger picture. This isn’t about you; none of it is.”
Mason straightened in his seat and looked up into cold blue eyes. Those same eyes he’d never seen flinch when putting a bullet in some unfortunate guy’s heart. Those same eyes that belonged to a cold blooded murderer.
“That was the fastest way I could get them to come to me instead of wasting my time hunting them down.”
“It’s also the fastest way for you to get caught. That bitch of a FBI agent has you exactly where she wanted you. I warned you. Your time is up,” he sneered. A telltale sign that he was losing his patience with Mason.
The cold muzzle of a 9 millimeter against the side of his head caused Mason to freeze as the air that was suddenly lodged in his throat threatened to suffocate him.
No, he couldn’t die now. Not yet. Not until he had Machayla back in his grasp and he’d killed that son of a bitch, Jason, for throwing off his plans. He’d kill him just like he killed his friend. Except where Jason is concerned, he’ll suffer a miserable and bloody death if he had anything to do with it.
“I know that I messed up but give me a chance to prove to you that I can do this. I’ve been playing by the rules for almost two years now. Who else you know would be this persistent and loyal? You may not need me but I’m one of the best at what I do.”
He cocked the gun and pressed it against the side of Mason’s face with a bit more force. “What can you possibly do to make sure that I get my money?”
“All I have to do is convince her to marry me and-”
“No! Santiago is getting restless and the longer it takes for him to get his part of the bargain, the less he’ll cooperate. Eleven months was long enough. I don’t like when people play with my money and that’s exactly what you’re doing.”
“Ok fine! I won’t marry her. I don’t need to. She’ll do whatever I tell her to do anyways,” Mason rushed out. He had no idea of how he was going to get Machayla to give him the money but…
Mason lips suddenly curved into a smirk. Maybe Jason sticking his nose where it didn’t belong was a good thing. “I have an idea that’ll get you your money quickly. If it doesn’t then you can blast my head off whenever you want.”
The lieutenant lowered his gun and cocked a brow. “You’re quite fucking confident. But you’ve peaked my interest. Talk.”
Jason had only one thing on his mind at the moment. It was the only way he was able to function. He’d decided that if he was going to play this game with Mason, he was going to play it strategically. He wouldn’t let Mason get an upper hand by controlling his emotions. Not like last time.
He’d already lost one person he cared about and he’d be damn if he lost another.
Forget the fact that he was annoyed with her for worrying him to death at the time being. Machayla was number one. She had to be number one. If she wasn’t, he’d lose her to Mason for good and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself then.
As he and the rest of the crew made their way into the police station, his thoughts started to wander off to the last time they were here just a few weeks back to bail Drake out of jail. Brandon was still alive and-
“Snap out of it Jason,” Drake bit out as they stood in front of the automatic door that led into the building. “We need you to be here right now, not in the past.”
Jason frowned as he realized that he’d dazed off. “Yeah… yeah, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”
“Are you sure you want to go in there and get her? I have a feeling that she’s not going to be too happy to see us,” Chico protested.
“Why do you get cold feet every time we get around a cop? You have a warrant out for your ass or something?” Dennis quipped.
“Don’t worry about me pendejo,” Chico shot back.
Dennis chuckled. “Life on the run must be hard.”
Jason ignored the two and took a second to ponder on what he would do once he walked into the station. He couldn’t walk in and demand to know where Machayla was, if she was even in there to begin with. They’d get locked up in record time for sure.
Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he walked into the air conditioned building and went straight to the front desk. The officer, who sat behind the desk playing with his phone, looked up and immediately sat up in his chair with suspicion when he noticed the crew.
“May I help you all?”
“Yeah, can you tell me where we can find agent Leah Hassan?” Victor asked.
The officer frowned. “She’s occupied at this moment. If you sign in and take a seat, she’ll see you when she’s finish.”
“We don’t have time to wait. I need to see her now,” Jason pressed.
The officer stood up with his hand on the holster at his hip, his gray eyes narrowing into slits. “Like I said before, sign in and take a seat. I’ll let agent Hassan know that she has visitors.
“What’s going on Officer Mark?”
Everyone turned to the voice and Jason felt the breath he’d been holding, since Drake told him about Machayla going with the mysterious agent, rush out of his lungs. I’m getting too attached, he thought the second he saw her unharmed.
Machayla approached them alongside the women Jason formerly knew as Isis and frowned. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Looking for you,” Jason quickly answered and took the initiative to show Machayla his displeasure of having to once again look for her by frowning.
Machayla was taken aback for a few seconds then she recovered and with concern one her face she asked “are you ok?”
A bit of guilt stung him for being annoyed with her at a time like this. Reaching out, he latched onto her wrist and tugged her close enough so he was able to wrapped his arms around her waist and crush her to him. “I’m sorry baby,” he whispered into her ears. “I’m fine. Are you ok?”
She pulled from him and nodded her head yes. “You have nothing to apologize for. You’ve had a long day.”
At that moment, standing in a police department surrounded by his friends with this beautiful lady in his arms, whose dark hair was in disarrayed, whose big brown eyes were full of worry for him and whose presence calmed down his nerves, Jason knew that he’d do anything to keep her at his side for as long as he could. Leaning in he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “God, I’ve wanted to do that for hours.”
Machayla smiled widely and before she could open her mouth to speak, someone cleared their throat. “Jason Mills,” the woman clad in a grey pants suit and white cotton blouse said with a quirk on the side of her lips. “I’ve been meaning to speak with you.”
Jason looked over Machayla’s shoulders. “Who? Isis or this so called agent I’ve been hearing about? Are cops really even supposed to break their cover? Isn’t that rule 101? ” Jason snapped and watched as the small smile that was on her lips die off.
“Officer Mark?” Agent Hassan called out to the overzealous front desk official with a deadly calm meanwhile starring Jason down with her striking eyes that made him want to shift in discomfort.
“Yes ma ’me?”
“Do me a favor and escort Mr. Mills here to one of the interrogation rooms. I have a couple of questions for him and when you’re done, call the precinct in D.C. and tell them that I have a lead on the case. Do not tell them anymore and do not tell them any less than that. Also, call the D.A.’s office and get in touch with Harvey Ward. We’re dealing with a corrupted badge, homicide, drug trafficking and fraud. Do you understand Officer Mark?”
“Corrupted badge?” He repeated with a frown as he wondered who the rogue cop was.
“That’s what I said,” Agent Hassan bit out. “Now can you handle my orders deputy or am I just wasting my time with an incompetent cop?”
With his spine as straight as a curtain rod, Officer Mark nodded. “I can handle your orders just fine Agent Hassan. I’ll get to it right away.” He then moved towards Jason. “Sir, can you please come with me?”
Jason ignored the officer and switched his gaze towards Machayla then back to the Agent. “Do I have a choice?”
“No. No, you do not. You just made my day a bit easier by showing up yourself. I didn’t have to hunt you down.” Agent Hassan stayed glued onto his face.
Jason cocked a brow. “You make it sound like you’re hunting down an animal.”
She shrugged. “Apparently, Miami has become a jungle. It’s only right.” She looked over to where Carter stood hand in hand with Sierra. “Carter, I forgot to mention to you that I have some questions for you too.”
Carter’s eyebrows shot into his hairline. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Your rap sheet is just about as long as Drake’s. Apparently I’m dealing with a crew of criminals.” When she said that her eyes flickered over to Tabitha who immediately switched her gaze towards the left.
Jason grunted and turned to the yellow belly cow, who looked to be a pathetic excuse for a cop with skinny arms and chicken legs which were covered in dark blue trousers. “Lead the way officer Mark.” He grabbed Machayla’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before following the officer’s lead.
Fifteen minutes later, Jason was sitting in one of the interrogation rooms when the door opened and in came the so called FBI agent. She eyed him and closed the door.
“I can tell what Machayla sees in you,” she started. “I saw the same when I approached you in the grocery store that day. You look like a protector, a risk taker and a lover balled into one. You’re what most women go after. The tall, dark and handsomely brooding.”
“And which one of you saw that? Isis or this agent that you’re calling yourself now?” Jason cued.
Leah took a seat across from him just like she did with Machayla earlier and studied him. “Honestly, the reason why I came onto you was simple.”
“Simple?” Jason sat straighter in his chair. “Simple how?”
“Attraction.”
He cocked a brow. “Attraction?”
She nodded her head.
“Not because I was a pawn in your case or you suspected me of being guilty for something and decided to track me down, but because of attraction?”
“Correct.”
“And you would’ve risked your job simply because you were attracted to me?”
She chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far but a couple of dates wouldn’t have been a big deal.”
“Right. So you blew your cover because of what?”
“I thought we were in here to interrogate you, not me,” she said as she placed a manila folder that Jason hadn't realized she’d brought in.
He looked down at the folder and looked up at her. “What’s that?”
“Your file. Funny how I can find out every single little thing about you just by snapping my fingers.” Her demeanor had become serious and immediately altered the atmosphere in the room. She opened the folder and his pictured ID was the first thing he saw.
With a sigh, he closed his eyes. “What do you want?”
“The truth for starters.”
Bringing his head up, he looked at her. “About what?”
“Mason Scott. Tell me everything you know and I’ll forget that you are part of these illegal underground drag races in Miami and that you work for the son of a bitch that I’ve been trying to lock up for the past few months.”
“Everything huh?” Jason asked while in thought of what would be the easiest choice to make sure that he was out of this damn station and “hunting” Mason down.
“Tell me your story and don’t leave a damn thing out!”