Tracking Shadows (Shadows of Justice 4) (21 page)

Resigned, he helped himself to her ion shower and felt a kick of hope just under his sternum when he found the fresh pot of coffee in her kitchen. It was better than any note and twice as
thoughtful after their very late night. And their early morning. He smiled, remembering every vivid detail.

Pouring the hot brew into the mug she'd set out, he inhaled deeply and thought about the next step. He wanted her to stay, but more, he wanted her to want to stay.
With him. Thoughts of together, of how his life would improve with her by his side, perked him up more than his famous full-caff coffee.

He knew himself well enough to understand it was more than physical desire, bigger than gallantry. Sure he recognized the deep-seated need to keep her safe from the military investigation as well as whoever had hired her to mess with his business, but with Trina his feelings had always been more complex.

He let the caffeine work on his system, wondering what called her away. Was it business? And why hadn't she opened up about that yet? He refilled his mug. Probably for the same reason he hadn't told her serious people were looking for Atlas's killer. For her.

Talking hadn't been a priority last night, which made it such a shock to realize that's what he'd anticipated this morning. Sure he'd hoped for at least a quick tumble before they started the day, but he'd anticipated conversation.
Acknowledgment of the mutual attraction. Hell, at least an exchange of information to underscore the exchange of body fluids.

Good grief. If she'd sensed
that
it was no wonder he was alone. Last night had not been about seduction for secrets. Hell, last night hadn't even been about sex.

Not for him anyway. What had it been about for her?

Damned if he knew, since she wasn't here to
talk
about it. And damned if he wasn't going to throw himself into his job to avoid any more screwed up introspection. He couldn't waste more time on the wistful scenes of her sticking around, maybe her helping him here. It was all a pointless fantasy until he knew what brought her back to Chicago, back into his life and what it would take to keep her by his side.

He shook his head. He was a grown man, capable and intelligent. If it was only sex to her, he'd deal with it. And deal with changing her mind, when he found her.

Chapter Twenty-one

He'd barely put his butt in his chair when Jim stuck his head through the office door. "Ben sent details on the latest cigarette delivery."

Micky
waved him in. Within moments, both men were gawking at the combined audacity of Ben and Darlene.

"Hell. They took a page out of Trina's tactical book."

"Looks like," Jim agreed. "It worked too."

Micky
nodded, chuckling as he re-read the lively report. "That poor ferry captain."

"You got proof of your coincidence anyway."

"For now. Any word on the supplier of that packing material?"

"The ownership is a freaking mess of dummy corporate fronts, but I tied it to one of
Montalbano's defense contracts."

Micky
perked up even as dread settled in his gut.

"
Which means you were right about the access. Kyle hacked their employee records and found Crayland coming and going just before the labor dispute settled. I've got no idea how he's doing it. Must be dusting the material before it's bagged."

"And it settles in shipment."

"Yup. And the workers on the other end get affected as they go about their business," Micky finished. "Must be some powerful stuff."

"According to the doc's report it is."

Micky brought the report up, keyed in a search for various theories. "Ah. There we go." He highlighted the passage. "It is less effective when smoked."

Jim snorted. "Sure keeps
Chole under control."

"True. Where is she?"

"She ran her customer routes yesterday. Left again first thing this morning."

"She brought back money?"

Jim nodded. "Situation normal, aside from the pleasant attitude."

"And where did Trina get off to when she left yesterday?"

Jim shifted in his seat. Settling, he gave Micky a direct look. "We lost her. My fault," Jim stated. "I issued the assignment, but he wasn't prepared enough for disguises."

Micky
leaned back and drummed his fingers against his knee. "Disguises. Plural?"

"Had to be.
He tells me he had her through the first two stops. Says she was there one second and gone the next."

Shit. She must have picked up the tail and applied an illusion to lose him.

"You okay boss?"

He couldn't answer that honestly. History and teamwork aside, Jim would never believe what Trina was truly capable of. "You bother to put anyone on her today?"

"She hasn't left today."

Oh, she was gone.
Micky pushed the keyboard across his desk. "Pull up her keycard."

"I put an alert on her damn keycard," Jim admitted while his fingers worked. "I'm not relying on video no matter what Kyle says.
See, right here. She's in the gym."

"Good." But he didn't believe it.
"Got video in there?"

"Working on it," Jim muttered. A few keystrokes later and Jim swore, shoving the keyboard back across the desk.
"Looks like she switched cards with April."

"Makes sense."

"Does it? So why didn't you say something?"

"Because she's long gone.
If someone like her doesn't want to be followed they won't be."

"Who is she, really?"

How much to give away? He trusted Jim with his life, the man was a dedicated and loyal bulldog. If he said Trina was part of the program, she'd fall within Jim's protection as well, though she'd probably fight that new reality as hard as she'd fought everything else. At the moment, with her out there on the street and the military surely closing in on her, she didn't have the luxury of privacy or pride.

"I went to school with her. We lost touch when the old Slick
Micky tried to kill me for dealing sugar in school. Best I can tell she became an assassin."

Jim paled. "You slept with a woman bent on killing you?"

Of course Jim had known where he'd spent the night. Micky hated the heat of embarrassment creeping up his neck. "We can't be sure she –"

Jim coughed.

"Fine. 'Slick Micky' was probably her target. If she came to town on that kind of job. I like to think she's changed her mind since she learned I'm the man behind the operation."

"You think that before or after you bedded her?"

Micky leaned forward. "You need to be very careful here."

"Someone needs to be more careful than you. She kidnapped Ben and Darlene, she's got serious street skills and now you tell me she's a hired gun. Out.
For. You."

"Not
me
. She was hired to take out the title."

"You
are
the title." Jim shoved to his feet and paced like a caged lion. "What the hell is up with this persistent death wish of yours? She's got to be the mole, hell she probably took out Sis."

"Not true. I have it on good authority she took out the grinder who killed Sis."

"My God." Jim froze. "What would a grinder want with Sis?"

"Me?"
Micky shrugged. Trina had said Dakota hired Atlas, but assassins weren't the criminal banker's style. This reeked of Montalbano's interference. Micky watched his friend and security chief as the connections slammed together, molding into fresh and terrible conclusions. Likely the same conclusions he'd come to recently.

"
Montalbano is tired of waiting for you to abdicate," Jim whispered.

* * *

Trina fought another wave of guilt. It was tough not to blame the whole damned city for her new feelings and rediscovered conscience.

There was her content life as an assassin before Chicago and her complicated life since taking
Montalbano's contract. She felt a little ugly and a lot lonely, first sneaking out of Micky's bed, then his warehouse. Her incredible, lovely afterglow had tarnished so quickly. Right about the time she remembered who she was and what she'd done with her life.

She slowly made her way to the financial district, waffling between extremes of completely foreign emotions. From the high of being with
Micky, the man with the heart of the boy she'd loved, to the low of knowing any forever sort of future was simply a familiar, impossible fantasy.

Micky
did good work under the guise of a deadly reputation. She did deadly work and had the best rep in the business.

She shook her head, hoping to shake off the hopeless and sad that threatened to break her heart.

The real man behind the Slick Micky rumors that he'd allowed her to see was the one she was out here helping. That man needed her best effort. It wouldn't do Micky or his family any good if she let Montalbano win his deadly power play.

Picking up her pace, she let emotion fall away, girding herself with logic as she approached the confrontation. Her brief time with
Micky had taught her the value of a loyal team and helped her evaluate Dakota's set up.

She'd asked Walker to keep her posted so she could make a stand for Dakota's crew.
Risky, but necessary. They might not realize they needed her protection, might not believe a woman could offer said protection, but she was about to prove herself invaluable.

Taking out
Crayland would be sweet, but she hoped for a glimpse of Montalbano's reaction.
That
might be reward enough for leaving a warm bed full of a hot Micky. Her pulse kicked, an instant, hopeful reaction. Nope. No one's reaction equaled an even trade, but it was fun to consider nonetheless.

"Damn if you're not temptation on two legs," Walker said with a knowing grin from his seat at a little sidewalk bistro.

Trina owned it, putting an extra strut in her stride as she joined him. "Good morning to you too." She took the chair next to his and ordered tea. "How's business?"

"Up and down."
Walker shrugged, his eyes darting to the alley across the street. "You made good time."

"Michigan Avenue isn't so far away." She smiled for the waiter as he set up her tea service. "Nice place."

The waiter left and Walker leaned closer. "We both know you're not staying on Michigan."

Of course she'd expected him to tail her last night, and she'd lost the poor man without even resorting to illusion. "We both know where I stay is not your concern. Have
me followed again and I'll leave you to deal with Montalbano's wolves on your own."

Walker leaned back and crossed his arms. "I'll figure you out."

"You'd be the first." Her recent actions proved even she didn't have a clue to her real self. She sipped her tea, watching the alley and considering her options. "Give me the update."

"You know Dakota didn't just deal, he dealt with very specific amounts and more specific customers."

She nodded, urging him to get to the point.

"Last night a couple of
Montalbano's boys came nosing around, getting chatty with our A-listers. Offering them something new."

"What is it?"

"Dunno." Walker grunted. "The sample knocked one of the ladies flat on her ass. I thought they'd take advantage of that, y'know? But they helped her to her car is all. She returned just twenty minutes ago."

Trina remembered the only female named in Walker's report so far was a daddy's-money socialite who liked to promote new artists in the area.

"She's still back there?"

He nodded. Like any man who made a living off the weaknesses of others, he sensed her interest. "Want me to bring her by
Dak– your office?"

"No."

"Then why the hell am I watching?"

"I'll let you know." Trina was pretty sure the socialite, a senator's daughter, was the right mark, but she wanted to confirm a few details before moving in. "Just keep me posted."

"You can't leave me hanging on this. I'm losing money every day Montalbano interferes with any part of my business."

"So you want me to move them out right now?"

"Hell yeah! Before I lose my customers to whatever this new stuff is."

She stared at him. The guy was a stroke waiting to happen. "I'll go take care of this right now if you'll tell me why Dakota really sent Atlas after Sis."

"Asked and answered sweetheart. I already told you everything I know about that."

She finished her tea and blotted her lips. "Great. I'll be up in the office. Keep me posted on that." She tilted her head toward the alley where another long black sedan rolled to a stop. The man who exited wore a rumpled tuxedo jacket and she saw his shirt was unbuttoned when he turned to speak to whoever waited in the car.

"Another return customer?"

Walker swore. "I hate you."

"Understood." She reached for her purse.

He swiped at the sweat beading his upper lip. "Dakota gave me the contact info for the Sis job. I just followed his orders."

A real leader, she thought. Micky could claim control of this operation in a matter of months. "Why that woman, that way?"

"The target and timing were all on Dakota. Even the words he told me to pass on. '
Make an impact'," he said, putting air quotes around the phrase. "I didn't know he'd go and, y'know, take it literal and push her out the window."

Trina shook her head.

"Really. God's truth. No one knows what Slick Micky looks like, but a few of us know Sis because she helps – helped – get girls off the street. She was really the public face of the operation, y'know?"

"Sis didn't know Dakota? They had no history?"

"Nothing specific. She never poached any of my crew. I figured my boss was after the prime territory and sweet connections the Slick Micky's been working all these years. I mean my God. Anything –"

"Anytime, anywhere.
Yeah, I know." Again the facts pointed to Montalbano's personal vendetta against Micky, but what made him think he could get away with it?

"This year's summit there was talk she
was
the Slick Micky, but I don't buy it. She reported to someone. And there's still plenty of chatter on the street about what he looks like and crap."

Summit?
Hard to imagine a crime boss conference. Clearly it mattered to those involved. Something new to research when returned to Dakota's office. Besides, Montalbano definitely knew Micky existed. Though he'd hired her to kill the man, he'd provided details and ideas of where to find him, including the route she'd been combing when Atlas murdered Sis.

She said, "You still think your boss wanted Sis gone to drive
Micky out of business?"

Walker shrugged.

She glared.

"Come on, lady. That's all I know. You
gotta do your part."

She shot him a look that made him cower. He wasn't patient, but he was afraid of her. She'd triumphed in less favorable situations. She'd just take out the trash and put herself one step closer to removing
Montalbano from Micky's future.