Page 76 of Like You Know
Without breaking eye contact with Jet, he pulled his cell out of his pocket and called someone. After two minutes of speaking in some kind of code to whoever was on the other line, he hung up and gave us an address.
* * *
As soon as Shady was gone, Jet called his superiors to report the “anonymous” tip regarding my mom’s whereabouts. Then he went into full boss mode, ordering the girls to go home and declaring I was coming with him “for my own safety.”
Of course, the girls wanted to come with me, but Jet wouldn’t budge. He insisted they get an Uber, then waited until they were safely on their way before walking me back to his car.
He took us to a squat building in Devilbend near the police station. With his hand on my lower back, he rushed me inside and up to a second-floor apartment. He’d told me on the drive over he was taking me to the base of operations for his task force, but I hadn’t really thought about what to expect.
At least a dozen people were bustling around the apartment when we walked in, and after a moment, another three walked out from a back room. Desks and computers had been set up everywhere, and a fraying couch sat near the dated kitchen.
Detective Hopkins spotted Jet, glanced at me, and marched over to us. “Burns, what the fuck are you thinking?”
“She needs protection.” Jet stood his ground against his boss. I did my best to look confident and not in the way. This was the closest we’d been to finding my mom—the closest I’d been to seeing BestLyf finally destroyed—and I didn’t want to miss it.
“You just compromised this entire operation, bringing a civilian here!”
A few of the other detectives turned curious glances our way, but no one stopped what they were doing to watch. An air of business, of urgency, permeated the air.
“With all due respect, sir, she already knew of the existence of this operation, mainly due to your contact with Harlow Mead recently. We are on the precipice of a major breakthrough here. She’s not going to get in the way of that.”
“I want her out of here. Immediately.” Hopkins put his hands on his hips, starting to go a little red in the face.
“Sir, please,” I blurted, sick of just standing there like a naughty child while the adults talked. They both turned reproachful expressions in my direction. I squared my shoulders and channeled the kind of confidence Donna had when putting someone in their place. “They have my mother. I won’t get in the way. I won’t jeopardize this in any way. I’ll just sit on that couch and be quiet until you tell me where to go.”
“We have good information that Vivian Ellis is being held in a BestLyf-owned property,” Jet said. “This could be what we need to get the rest. Amaya is the least of our worries right now.”
With one last death glare at us both, Hopkins walked off. Was that a yes? Jet must’ve thought so, because he led me to the couch.
“Take a seat here. Let me know if you need anything, OK?” He rubbed my shoulders. “I’m going to head out with the others to get your mom. I need you to promise to stay here. You’ll be safe.”
“By myself?” I frowned.
He shook his head. “The analysts will be here. They’re not trained to go in the field, but they’re trained enough to protect you.”
“OK.” I nodded and looked around, wide-eyed. The buzz of activity was ramping up as people leaned over monitors, strapped vests to their chest, and checked weapons.
This suddenly felt too real. There were a lot of guns in one room, a lot of very determined-looking police officers.
“Hey.” Jet caressed my cheek, drawing my attention back to him. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I whispered back as he gave me a kiss on the forehead. Then he rushed off to get ready.
I sat down heavily on the ugly couch and tried my best not to panic—or at least not to let it show. I must’ve done a good enough job, because no one paid me any attention as they rushed around.
In a matter of minutes, most of the people cleared out—on their way to save my mom. Only two officers remained. The man and woman sat at desks next to each other, each with three screens in front of them. They were across the room with their backs to me.
I updated the girls but was too nervous to read or even scroll social media. I kept glancing at the door, as if the police could have driven two towns over and returned with my mom in the ten minutes they’d been gone.
I sighed deeply as I realized I was in for an excruciating wait.
Unable to sit still, I got up and went to the window, moving the curtains aside to peer down at the street below. Everyone was just going about their business as if it was a normal afternoon. I supposed it was for them.
“Hey! Get away from the window!” the dude analyst barked, making me jump.
“Shit!” I pressed my hand to my chest. “Sorry. God.”
“Be a good little girl and stay away from the windows, OK?” He gave me the most patronizing look I’d ever been subjected to before turning back to his screens.