Page 63 of Castling the Rook (Checkmate 3)

As a group, we repeat, “Yes, Chief.”

Nodding, he taps Abel’s picture. “Dead or alive, I don’t give a fuck anymore. Abel Hayes needs to be removed from society.” He speaks to us all, despite the fact neither Libby nor I will be with him. “Work your way down the chain of command; Abel first, Bishop second, Flynn third. Special Agent Banks wants in, but I’ve been giving him the run around. He’s not one of us, I don’t trust him.” His eyes meet mine with so much power, my stomach drops out of my ass. “He’s shifty. I dunno what it is, but I don’t like it, so if he calls up while we’re gone, play dumb, tell him we’re out playing cornhole or some shit.” His eyes go back to Oz. “If Abel sends more soldiers to the drop, I need to trust you’ll make the right decision. If they’re armed and dangerous, we disable however we have to. Officer safety is the only thing I care about.”

“Yes, Chief.”

He checks his watch and glances up. “Tate, you’re early.”

Not the wild woman who tore me apart for my lunch eating accusations so recently, Libby Tate’s spine straightens. “I wanted to be here, Chief. I had four hours down, then I was up wasting time till shift. I didn’t feel right wasting time.”

“Four solid hours down?”

She nods.

“Good enough. We have a little over an hour until we move out. Go to the cot and see if you can catch a few, but if you can’t, don’t sweat it. You’ll be off shift and home again just as soon as we have them in a cage.”

Or body bags.

He doesn’t say it out loud, but I hear what he’s left unspoken. Alex is going to finish this tonight, and if Kane Bishop ends up laid out in a black bag during the rush, Alex wouldn’t feel a lick of remorse. Clammy palmed and heart racing, I stand in place and stare at the images on the board as the rest of my squad file out of the room.

Is it time to share what I know with my chief?

Do I call Bishop and tell him to run?

Do I call Eric and tell him to pull his men back?

Fuck, I don’t know.

Swinging back into the office with my cell in hand, I pass Alex and try to ignore the high powered rifles they have laid out. “I’ll be out on the dock making a personal call. That okay?”

“No problem.” Distracted, Alex doesn’t spare me a single glance. “You don’t have to worry, Rook. You’re safe here, so make your call, but don’t worry her.”

Oz’s eyes snap up when he catches on to Alex’s words. “You calling Andi? Are you guys serious like that?”

“Not calling Andi.” She’s a problem for another day. Not today. Not even this week. “She doesn’t live here, Oz. You’ll know before I do when she’s coming back.”

“You calling another girl?” It’s like he doesn’t know what he should feel. Relief, because Andi and I aren’t together, or anger, because I’m calling someone other than her. “You break her heart, I break your neck. I feel like my terms are pretty fucking clear.”

I roll my eyes and push through the kitchen door. “Not calling another girl either. Just mind your own business.” The door swings closed behind me. Moving through the back door, I step out onto the dock and dial.

Kane Bishop answers with a huff. “I’m kinda busy right now, Cruz. Is it important?”

“My chief’s coming for you, and he’s laid down orders to take you out however it has to be done.”

He lets out an obnoxious whistle that sets my teeth on edge. “He on the rag or something? Jesus, what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

“In his eyes, you are guilty. I don’t know what you gotta do, Bish, but you need to know you’re walking into an ambush.”

“I won’t give him reason to shoot me, so don’t worry so much. If I’m brought in, I’m gonna need you to let me out again.”

“Let you out again?” I throw my hand up and move toward the open garage door. Stepping onto the dark street, I look up at the stars and sigh. “I’m gonna be unemployed after tonight, Kane. You don’t care about that?”

“You have clearance, Cruz. We have a paper trail going back for a long ass time. You’ve been under orders.”

“There’s dismissal because of breaking rules, Bish. Then there’s dismissal for breaking X’s trust. I’m out as soon as this comes to light. There’s no second chances for this.”

“If you wanna stay there, then we’ll help you stay there. You have clearance for this, so stop being a whiny bitch. If youdon’twanna stay there, I’ll talk to someone up here and help you transfer out. How do you feel about the private sector?”

My brows draw tight. “What about it?”

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