Incriminating Evidence (8 page)

“You’ll have to let me be the judge of how far to push the envelope. I’m a member of law enforcement, and you’re a member of the bar. We aren’t private investigators, so there are limits to what we can do. The last thing we would need is some sort of civil complaint filed by the Hernandez family against us.”

“I know that.”

The doorbell interrupted their conversation. Jessica looked over at Zach. “Were you expecting someone?”

“No, but it’s possible it could be a team member with updates. Stay here while I check it out.”

She waited patiently at the table, and before long she heard an additional male voice. Then Detective Will Lang entered the room.

“How are you doing, Jessica?” Will asked.

The detective had been kind to her from the start. “I’m okay. I’m assuming you have some sort of news for us?”

“Nothing groundbreaking, but we know that you two are working on the investigation into Ana Hernandez. The word on the street is that something is going to go down at some point as soon as this weekend.”

“Like what?” Zach asked.

“That’s the problem. I almost didn’t even tell you this because the tip was so vague, but in the interest of sharing information between agencies, I thought I would. I didn’t want you angry with me after the fact if something happened and you learned that I didn’t share the intel. So that’s why I’m here. Just trying to be fully transparent with you.”

“No location, no subject matter, nothing?” Jessica asked. It was almost worse to hear this and not be able to really act on it.

“No, I’m sorry. This is just chatter our guys are picking up off the street. So could it just be rumor or innuendo? Sure. But something else could be going on.”

All the more reason for them to be out there instead of locked up in the safe house. But she figured she would wait until Will left to continue that discussion with Zach.

“If you get any more intel, please let me know ASAP,” Zach said.

“Of course. Anything else that the Miami PD can do for you?”

“Anyone on your team have their eye on Luke Hernandez?”

Will shook his head. “We don’t investigate our own like that. Or at least not outside of internal affairs.”

“What’s your read on him?” Jessica asked.

“Personally, I think he’s a good guy that’s part of a bad family. But I know there are others who don’t share my views. I can tell you that the majority sees it like I do. Luke has a stellar reputation on the force, and he’s always the guy who lends a hand to others. He’s the first to answer if you call him for anything. In my book, that goes a long way to someone’s character.”

“Or it goes to someone who knows how to keep up a strong cover.”

Jessica shook her head. “Zach, you’re barking up the wrong tree again.”

Zach looked over at Will. “Back me up here, Will.”

“It’s your job to be suspicious of everyone. That’s how you’ve been able to keep Jessica safe. So I wouldn’t argue with your approach. We all have different roles to play here.”

“I’d agree with that,” Jessica said. “And my chief focus right now is on Ana Hernandez, not her brother Luke. And until some actual evidence turns up to convince me otherwise, then thinking about him is a waste of our time. We should be trying to get what we need to charge Ana.”

“If there’s anything else that comes up, I’ll let you guys know,” Will said.

Jessica nodded. “Thanks for coming over.”

Zach walked Will out, and she could hear them talking in low tones. About what she didn’t know, but she didn’t like being in the dark. This was as much her investigation as it was the FBI’s. Her office would be the one bringing charges against another member of the Hernandez family.

When Zach returned to the living room she was ready for some answers. “What were you discussing as Will left?”

“Just me trying to push him on that intel he gave us. I think he’s holding back on us, and I don’t know why.”

“Why would he do that? He didn’t even have to bring us the info to begin with.”

“Well, he kinda did. At least this way he can say that he shared information. But I think he knows more than he was letting on.”

She smiled. “Are you always this suspicious of everyone?”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t take anything at face value from anybody.”

“You heard Will. It’s my job to always be questioning. I learned that lesson the hard way at Quantico. We had this one simulation exercise, and I took a piece of information as it was given to me. I assumed the person who gave me the intel was forthright. And then I learned at the end of the exercise that he was a bad guy, and my actions would’ve gotten an innocent person killed. So the lesson that day for me was this—if you just go with the flow and blindly listen to what others say, that’s how people end up getting killed.”

A chill shot through her body as she listened to his words. “I guess I’m being a little narrow-minded. I live my life in a legal box that doesn’t always get to see the ins and outs of the practical on-the-ground investigation.”

His eyes widened. “Did you just concede a point, Counselor?”

“I guess I did. Whether you believe it or not, it’s not always about winning the argument for me.”

“I never said it was.”

Her phone rang, and she looked down and saw it was an unidentified number. She’d been given a special burner phone by the FBI, and very few people had the number. “Hello,” she said.

“Ms. Hughes,” a male voice said.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“It’s Mick Hernandez.”

She mouthed who it was to Zach and put the phone on Speaker. “How did you get this number, Mr. Hernandez?”

“I have my ways. That should be of no concern to you right now. I have much more pressing matters to discuss.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to meet with you.”

“For what purpose?” Her heartbeat sped up. She had no idea where he was going with this.

Zach was shaking his head no, but she wanted to hear what Mick had to say.

“I don’t want to discuss the particulars over the phone.”

“Surely you can’t expect after all that has happened that I would agree to this?”

“Ms. Hughes, I have no intention of hurting you right now. If I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead. Make no mistake about that. But to alleviate your concerns, we can meet in a public place. You can bring your security entourage with you, but when we talk, it just has to be you and me. I can guarantee it will be more than worth your time.”

“Let me think about it.” She wanted to buy herself some time.

“There’s only one real response here. You and I both know it.”

Zach made a hand motion indicating that she had to wrap up the call. He was probably worried about her phone being traced.

“I need some time.” She hung up the phone and realized her heart was still pounding.

“Wow. What was that all about?” she asked Zach.

“I don’t know, but I can tell you I don’t like it.” Zach stood and pulled out his phone. “I need to update Brodie about this latest development.”

“Aren’t you the slightest bit curious about what Mick wants? Why would he contact me and want to meet? What could he possibly want to share with me?”

He frowned. “What he wants is to get you out of the picture before you cause any more trouble for his family. I’m sure he realizes that Ana could be the next person on your list.”

“How do you know that? What if he wants to strike some sort of deal?”

Zach laughed loudly. “You can’t possibly believe that. You are grasping at straws here, Jess. This is a criminal mastermind we’re talking about. There’s no way he would do that, especially since he has the upper hand right now. His son was just acquitted. No, he’s on top of the world, and not a man in a position to give up any ground. This has to be something else, but I don’t know what.”

Jessica let Zach phone in the update to Brodie. But there was one thing she was certain of. She didn’t care what the FBI thought—she was going to take this meeting with Mick Hernandez.

EIGHT

“I
’m going to that meeting.” That was a statement of fact. As she looked first at Zach and then Brodie, she hoped that they realized she was serious. She’d talked to Ian last night, and he was in total agreement with her. The prosecutor’s office wasn’t in any position to turn down meetings with someone like Mick. Even if there was only a remote chance that something would come of it, she had to take it. Ian had told her that he would call Brodie if need be, but she wanted to be able to fight this battle for herself.

There was no doubt in her mind what she was going to do. The only question was whether the FBI was going to provide her security or not. But if she had to go it alone, she would.

“What do you expect to gain from a face-to-face?” Brodie asked.

“You’re looking at this all wrong. If Mick Hernandez wants to meet with me, it’s not to harm me. There’s something else going on here. And it’s my duty to figure out what it is. What if this will provide a break in the case?”

“I don’t see any scenario in which meeting with Mick will help the case against Ana,” Zach argued. “The last thing in the world he would do is turn against his own daughter. That’s just a cold, hard fact.”

“Even if it’s not related to Ana specifically, what if he has some sort of information he wants to share? It’s not every day that a crime boss wants to meet with a prosecutor. I’m telling you something is going on here. I have to find out what it is. And Ian feels the exact same way. One part of our job is to take meetings and interviews like this. Even if they are with notorious criminals—in fact, even more so if they are. The prosecutor’s office doesn’t turn away people who say they want to talk and have information.”

“She has a point, you know,” Brodie said. “This isn’t a social call.”

Zach blew out a big breath. “If this is an option that’s really on the table, then we’d want to control all the variables, including location and timing of the meet.”

“We may not be able to put all of those demands on him,” she said.

Zach shook his head. “If he wants to meet you that badly, then he’ll make certain concessions.”

Her phone rang, and she knew it was Mick wanting her answer. She was almost surprised that he’d given her overnight to think about it. “That’s got to be him.” She answered and put it on Speaker.

“Ms. Hughes,” Mick said.

“Yes. I’m here.”

“I assume you’ve thought about my proposal and given it your full attention?”

“Yes, I have. And if I’m going to seriously entertain it, then I get to pick the time and place.”

“I have no issue with that,” Mick replied.

She raised an eyebrow toward Zach and Brodie. Something strange was definitely going on.

“Two o’clock today at the Bay Café on Third Street,” she said.

“One condition.”

Here it comes.
“Yes?”

“You can’t wear a wire. That’s nonnegotiable. Our conversation is solely between you and me. Bring whatever security you want.”

“Fine.” She answered before the guys could weigh in.

“I’ll see you then.” The line went dead.

She set down the phone and looked at the two men in front of her. Their puzzled expressions let her know that everyone was trying to figure out what Mick’s play was here.

“Why in the world did you commit to not wearing a wire?” Brodie asked.

“Because I want him to be forthcoming with me. I have a feeling that this is going to be something big. I don’t know what, but I’m comfortable without a wire. You guys and other agents will be right there. Just not at the table with me and Mick.”

“You didn’t give us much time to prepare,” Zach said.

“We’ll be fine. The sooner we have this meeting, the better.”

“I’m signing off on this but only because you want to do it, Jessica,” Zach said. “But you can back out at any point if you feel uncomfortable.”

Yeah right
, she thought. “That’s not going to happen. Don’t worry about me having cold feet. I need to know what he’s going to say.”

“Fair enough. But whatever Mick tells you, remember who he is. His word isn’t any good. This man is a liar. Not to mention a cold-blooded murderer.”

She nodded. “I won’t let down my guard. And you guys will be right there watching my back.”

“I’m going to go and start figuring out the logistics for this meeting,” Brodie said. “I’ll be in touch over the next couple of hours.”

Once they were alone, Zach walked over to her and gently rested his hand on her shoulder. It was strange because she was getting used to his touch. She couldn’t say that about anyone else, but it actually brought her comfort. And she found herself longing for something more. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I’m worried about how this is going to go. I’m sorry if you think I’m being overprotective, but it’s my job and duty to worry about your well-being.”

“I appreciate that, but it’s also very strange that Mick Hernandez is insisting on this meeting. If you were in my shoes, you would definitely attend.”

He nodded and took a step closer to her. “Jess, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way...”

Where was he going with this? “Just say what you’re thinking. I’d like to think that we can be open with each other at this point.”

“It’s just that I care, that’s all.”

“Of course you care. You’re a hardworking, dedicated FBI agent. I wouldn’t expect anything else from you. If you would’ve just sent me off to go meet with Mick alone, then that would be crazy. You’re doing your job.”

“That’s true, but that’s not what I meant.”

Now she was really confused. “Okay, you’ve lost me, then. What are you saying?”

He took a deep breath and looked directly into her eyes. “I care about you.”

Instinctively, she took a step back from him. It hit her now exactly what he was talking about. Had he sensed her growing feelings for him? She didn’t know if she was ready to open up about that given that she wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to really act on them. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He stepped toward her.

And this time she didn’t back down. Because she wasn’t afraid of this man. Caught off guard, yes, but afraid? Definitely not. In fact, she’d never felt less afraid of someone. But her inexperience was showing. She hadn’t noticed the signs that he was interested in her.

“I didn’t walk into this looking to form any emotional connection to you, Jess. In fact, that was about the last thing on my mind when we started working together. But somewhere along the way...”

“So you’re saying you’ve developed feelings for me?” She wanted to make certain that she wasn’t misunderstanding what he was trying to say because that would be highly embarrassing if she was wrong.

“Yes. But it won’t impact my ability to do the job. I would never put your life at risk.”

“I never said that it would,” she said softly. “But I don’t want you to get the wrong idea from me. I’ve always been on my own. I get that it’s very odd for a twenty-five-year-old woman to never have been in a relationship, but there’s never been anyone who I felt like I could even begin to trust. As you know, my scars run deep.”

His eyes softened. “You can’t want to live your entire life that way.”

“It’s not a question of want, Zach. It’s more that it’s the only way I know how.” She heard her voice crack slightly as the pain of her past threatened to impact her present yet again. She desperately wanted to be able to live in the moment with Zach. But shaking off her fear was difficult. Although he made her want to try to break through her troubled past.

He took one more step toward her. Much closer than she would normally want anyone to be. But there wasn’t one hint of danger from this man. And that in and of itself scared her, because what if he was right? Would there be a chance of her having a normal relationship like most people?

“Now it’s my turn to ask you what you’re thinking?” His voice was low and he didn’t break eye contact with her.

As she stared up into his big brown eyes, she wanted to open up to him. Wanted to be close to him. Wanted to feel his tender touch. “Zach...” When he pressed his lips to hers, she heard herself let out a small gasp.

When his lips left hers, she didn’t say a word. But she knew one thing. She was in trouble now.

* * *

Zach had kissed Jessica before he’d really thought it through. As he was standing there looking at her, so vulnerable and strong at the same time, he reacted without weighing the pros and cons. It was unlike him to be so spontaneous, but it just felt right. He wanted to ask God if He had brought Jessica into his life for a purpose. Not just to make him a better agent and man, but to provide him with companionship. A woman who shared his beliefs and his passions in life.

Right now he was in overanalyzing mode. What did she really think about him? And even more than that, was it even appropriate for him to have kissed her while they were focusing on this big meeting with Mick?

He didn’t regret it. The kiss confirmed to him what he already felt in his gut. That Jessica was special. He realized that she had a lot of issues in her past that made it difficult for her to open up, or even receive affection of any kind, but he believed he could overcome that. Maybe he was foolish for thinking so, but he couldn’t help it.

Now as he sat with her in the SUV waiting to go inside the Bay Café, he wondered if he should act as though nothing happened or try to broach the subject. Other plainclothes FBI agents were scoping out the café and would provide security. It wasn’t time yet for Jessica to go inside.

“So do you want to talk about what happened back there?”

“What do you mean?”

Ah, so that’s how she was going to play it. Pure denial. “C’mon, Jess. The kiss.”

“Yeah,” she stuttered. “I wasn’t really expecting that.”

“Are we okay?” He hoped the answer would be a solid yes.

“Of course. Don’t you think our bigger problem right now is this meeting with Mick? Not a silly little kiss.”

“Ouch,” he said. “Way to slam the blade right into a guy’s heart.”

Her shoulders relaxed, and she looked at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m in unfamiliar territory right now. It’s not you.”

“But it’s not you, either, Jess.”

“I appreciate you saying that, but I think this was the first time you’ve been a bit dishonest with me.”

“What in the world do you mean?”

“You and I both know that I have some serious issues. A person doesn’t experience the things I did and come out on the other side perfectly fine. Yeah, I manage, and I know a lot of that is because I have my faith to get me through. But in the grand scheme of things, you’d be much better off if you just walked away and found a woman who didn’t flinch when you touched her. Who didn’t have nightmares all the time. Who didn’t constantly live on edge and ready to fight another battle. I don’t want to hold you back from true happiness.”

It killed him to hear her say those things. To him, she was perfect just the way she was. “Don’t you see, Jess? All of those things make you who you are today. A strong, amazing woman. I wouldn’t change a single thing about you. And as far as your past, we all have issues that shape who we are. But they don’t have to hold us back unless we let them. And I don’t think you’re a victim but a fighter. Just look at all you’ve accomplished and overcome. The past doesn’t have to keep a grip on you today.”

“That’s easier said than done, Zach. I can’t just shake it off.”

“And I wouldn’t ever ask you to. I don’t know how to exactly say this, but I think you’re your own harshest critic.”

She let out a breath. “I don’t know where any of that leaves us.”

“I don’t want to get you off your game here. We can talk about it later. Just know that it wasn’t just a little kiss to me. It meant a lot more than that.”

“Really?” Her bright green eyes studied him carefully.

He reached out and touched her hand. “Really.” He paused. “Now let’s get you inside and get this show on the road.”

* * *

Jessica was still reeling from the kiss. She was out of her comfort zone, and she felt torn because she did have feelings for Zach. But she also didn’t know if her heart could ever truly be open to a man—even if he was amazing like Zach.

She had to compartmentalize. Thankfully, it was a skill she had mastered years ago.

Right now she had a meeting with one of the most notorious crime bosses in the state. She’d played in her mind a million times all the things she’d like to ask him, but she wasn’t naive. She knew that this wasn’t a Q&A session or an interrogation. No, this was something else. Mick wanted an audience with the prosecutor—her specifically—but she wasn’t sure what that could mean. She was about to find out.

Jessica looked down at her watch and saw that it was one minute before two o’clock. She sat at a corner table near an exit that was protected by a plainclothes FBI agent. Zach was sitting at a high-top table nearby, keeping his eyes on her. Close but not too close.

Taking a few deep breaths, Jessica readied herself for whatever may come. She watched the door as Mick Hernandez walked in. He was alone, but she figured his men couldn’t be far.

He appeared just as he had in the pictures she’d seen. A tall man in his sixties, with a full head of gray hair, dressed in a white button-down, navy blazer and khakis. He looked more like a businessman going out for afternoon coffee—not a calculating criminal.

When he made eye contact with her, he broke into a sinister smile—one that made her question whether this was a good decision after all. But she wasn’t going to let this man intimidate or play mind games with her. She was prepared to deal with whatever he threw at her. It also helped that Zach was only a few feet away—not to mention all the other agents.

“Ms. Hughes, so nice to meet you in person.” He stretched out his hand.

She took it because it seemed awkward not to. He gave her a hearty shake and took a seat.

“I trust that you aren’t wearing a wire?”

“You’re just going to take my word for it?” she asked him.

“You’re an honest woman, Ms. Hughes. We had an agreement. So if you look me in the eyes and tell me that you’re not, then yes, I will believe you.”