Page 62 of It's Going to Be a Chrome Christmas
“Read the letter.”
Trixie looked down into the box. She put the badge onto the table next to the key. Reaching in, she pulled out a small handwritten note. Small in paper size as well as length.
Her face scrunched. She must have read it multiple times, because it shouldn’t have taken that long to read such a short letter.
Without prompting, she passed it to Cayden. It was only then that he realized they were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Had they done that on purpose? He took the letter but didn’t move closer to her.
Abeja,
If you’re reading this then something has happened to me. I’m sorry for leaving you alone but I don’t regret my actions. I had to try. I couldn’t let Massey get away with killing Marco. Go to Holloway at the fifth. He’ll explain everything.
That was it. The man hadn’t said he loved her or even signed the letter. Two things stuck out to him. Cayden didn’t know whatabejameant in Spanish, but he knew the name Massey. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
Cayden passed the letter back to Trixie, but his eyes were on her brother. “Gavin Massey?” Lee nodded once. “He’s the biggest crime lord in the city. He runs everything from drugs to sex trafficking to coyoting. He’s responsible for Marco’s death? He’s the reason Marco went into WITSEC?”
Lee didn’t look surprised that Cayden knew the name as well as the circumstances of Marco’s murder. “There was a small Italian restaurant Marco and Lindsey used to go to. It was their place for any sort of celebration. Five years ago, they were there for his birthday when they saw Massey walk in and shoot the owner. Massey hadn’t seen them sitting in the back corner. He probably thought the restaurant was empty, or he just didn’t care about witnesses. They did the right thing and came forward to tell the cops what they saw. They were immediately moved into WITSEC with their toddler son. Three years later, they decided to come back.” A flash of anger crossed Lee’s face before he squashed it. “Marco was kidnapped and held for a week before Massey dropped his beaten and mangled body onLindsey’s doorstep. He died the next day in the hospital. Lindsey and Bobby have been in WITSEC ever since.”
Cayden knew all of that, except for Massey’s involvement. “I don’t understand. If they had a witness, why wasn’t Massey arrested for the murder?”
“Because unlike you, Mr. Russo, Gavin Massey has an army of lawyers who can get him out of anything using the smallest of loopholes. Massey was arrested, but he was never charged. Nothing sticks to him. He has witnesses killed, he has people lie to create alibis, he even pays people to take a fall for him…”
Trixie set the box on the table. “And you went after him? Why?”
“Because he killed ourhermano!” The words were said evenly but no less a shout. “I could not let that stand. I’ve been after Massey for two years. I infiltrated his crew, and I worked my way up the ladder.”
“You’re an undercover cop,” Cayden said, putting the pieces together.
Lee hesitated. “Not officially. I’m a narcotics detective. I’m not allowed to work my brother’s case due to my personal involvement. I’ve been going after Massey off the books. Officially, all I can do is go after the people who do business with Massey. I’m currently working on shutting down a local car ring who helps him transport his drugs,” he said pointedly to Cayden. “I had planned to come to you sooner, but something came up. I took a few days off to follow a lead on Massey. You’re aware of the results of that excursion.” He touched his left shoulder.
The cop had gone rogue. That perked Cayden’s interest. The man seemed to have a strong sense of honor. But it did make sense now why Lee had begged Trixie not to call the cops. He didn’t want his brothers in blue knowing what he’d been doing behind their backs. It still upset Cayden that he’d involved Trixie, but in the man’s defense, it didn’t seem like he had knownhis sister was spending the weekend at their grandfather’s house or had been making plans to move into it permanently.
“What went wrong?” Cayden asked. “Something happened that caused you to get shot, and since Massey’s crew didn’t take care of your wound, I’m assuming you’re on the outs.”
“For the past couple of years, my precinct has been receiving anonymous tips regarding Massey’s operation. I know it’s not legal, but I had to pass along the information I was gathering. If I couldn’t do something with the information, at least they could.” He took another sip of coffee. “Last week, I passed along bait information.”
Cayden nodded once but Trixie said, “I don’t know what that means.”
“He passed along planted information,” Cayden explained when Lee didn’t. “He set the cops up to fail.”
“I set them up to be ambushed,” Lee clarified. While his face was blank, his voice showed his anger. “Thankfully, a SWAT officer saw the tripwires, and they were able to get out with only minimal injuries.”
Cayden had never rooted for the cops before, but he did find himself feeling grateful that no lives were lost. “So you fucked up. Massey knew there was a rat in his midst and he set you up.”
Lee nodded. “He didn’t know it was me though. There were three of us outside of Massey’s inner circle who knew about the warehouse. I passed it along, thinking it would be a routine bust. I didn’t know it was bait and I nearly led those boys into that warehouse like lambs to the slaughter.”
Cayden’s eyes narrowed. “What happened to the other two? You said there were three of you outside Massey’s inner circle.”
“They weren’t as lucky as me.” The man didn’t blink or hesitate to reply.
Trixie gasped, “They’re dead?”
Lee nodded once. “I assume so. I didn’t stick around to find out.” He took a sip of his coffee. “After the ambush failed, Massey was pissed. Told his men to take the three of us down to the docks and get rid of us. We were tied up with cinderblocks attached to our feet. The other two were pleading, saying the rat wasn’t them. I didn’t waste my breath with pleas. When the men were distracted with trying to get the other two to shut up, I kicked my cinderblock into the water and jumped in after it.”
“Lee!” Trixie covered her mouth.
The man shrugged like intentionally drowning was no big deal. “It was the best way to buy the time I needed to escape.”
“If you went down into the water, how’d you get shot?” Cayden asked.
