Page 37 of Complicated Past
That worked.
“Keep that face on, J-man, and let Miss Kendra talk.”
Kendra wrapped her arms protectively around Jalen and projected the perfect terrified expression.
He pressed record and gave her the go signal.
“Bri, we know what they want you to do, and that you don’t want to.” Kendra’s voice shook convincingly, and she touched Linc’s half of the heart necklace. “If you do it, then we’ll be all right, and you will too. Youneedto do what they want.”
“I miss you, Mommy. Come home soon,” Jalen piped in with the perfect timing.
“Give me a minute,” he stepped out and replayed the video for Clara.
“You couldn’t ask for anything better. Let’s keep them here while you send that to Tawnya in case she wants more.”
In a perfect world, he could send the video without using the program to impersonate Malloy, but he didn’t bank on that happening as he typed out a message.
Mission accomplished.
He didn’t expect an immediate response, but one minute turned to two to three.
Inside the bedroom, Kendra played a game on her phone with Jalen while Linc continued to stare at Malloy’s phone in his hand. When it finally rang, he startled. Seeing it wasn’t a video like he’d feared, he activated the voice filter before answering. “That work?”
“It did. Just in time.”
“Good. I’m taking a lot of risk here.”
“She’s definitely a one-and-done. I’ll take her with me to the delivery. We won’t have to worry about her after that.”
Linc’s blood froze in his veins. Malloy would know what that meant. Linc could only guess—and he sure as hell didn’t like his guess. “And these three?”
“We need them for now. She wants them at the airport before turning over the suitcase.”
“I’m not bringing three people to the airport.”
“Just bring the kid. Do whatever you want with the other two. He’s the one that matters. We’ll move to our next location early. You and I can get set up, and Randy can come when he’s done with his next delivery. We’re almost there.” She ended the call.
“You got that, right?” he asked Clara through gritted teeth.
“I did.”
“We can’t let Bri leave the airport with Tawnya.”
“I’ll reach out to my contact at HSI. We’ll come up with a plan. And it’s not ‘we.’Youcannot be at the airport. Tawnya knows Bri has a brother. If she knows what you look like and spots you, you’ll blow the op.”
“But if they’re in the airport, Tawnya won’t be armed.”
“She’s just one piece of this. Who knows how many people like her and Randy are running the same play, possibly targeting single moms. We need to aim higher if we’re going to make a difference and get the major players.”
“I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not offering up my sister as a sacrifice for the greater good.”
“That is not my intention. I’m asking you to let us come up with a plan that protects Bri but gives us enough solid evidence that Tawnya can’t walk away with a deal. I want her doing serious time.”
“Agreed.” The bitch deserved every bit of bad karma coming her way.
“Until we learn if Spivey is here or out of the country, I need you watching over Jalen and Kendra, not locked up forinterfering with a police investigation. Why don’t you take Jalen to the hospital to see his great-grandmother?”
He’d experienced getting the brush off enough over the years to know now wasn’t the time to push. While he doubted she’d really lock him up, he needed to show he could be a team player if he wanted her to share their plan for protecting Bri so he could evaluate any action he might need to take. “I’m trusting you,” he warned before opening the bedroom door. He motioned to Kendra and Jalen.