Levels Of Exposure (Distortion Series Book 2) Read online

“What’s this?” Teddy asked, pointing at the woman.

  Max looked up at the screen with a smile. “Room 404.” He wiggled his brows. “She’s got sweet tits.”

  “I can see that. Why is her shower under your surveillance?” Teddy asked, trying to avoid looking at the naked woman who had no idea she was being watched as she washed herself.

  “I like to know what’s going on in the building. Did you bring the cash?” Max asked Jackson.

  Jackson slipped the bag off his shoulder and set it on Max’s desk. “Ten for our previous arrangement and five for today, just like we agreed,” Jackson said as he pulled the zipper open and revealed the cash.

  “Do I even want to know about this previous arrangement?” Teddy asked with raised brows.

  “No,” Jackson and Max said in unison.

  Teddy shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly before he pressed the power button on the monitor with the woman in the shower. “I feel like a rapist watching that shit, man. It’s fucking wrong.”

  “Your little cop friend isn’t gonna get all righteous on me and start wielding his badge, is he?” Max narrowed his eyes on Teddy.

  “No man, relax,” Jackson assured him. “We don’t have a problem as long as you keep your hands off.”

  “No problem. I get my thrills from watching,” Max said, flipping the screen back on and observing the woman without shame as she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel before he turned back to Jackson and Teddy. “My rates will be going up if you have me running all the way to little shit towns like Freyview. That place is too small to show up on a fucking map.”

  “When this is all over I won’t have a reason to go back,” Jackson assured him. “What do you have for me?”

  Max grabbed a piece of paper off his desk. “Word on the street is that Stodden’s had a hotel owner in Sugar Hill stretched over the coals about owing him money and then all of a sudden the problem seemed to go away. Based on my source, no money exchanged hands because the hotel is going under massive renovations and there’s no cash to pay off such a hefty dept.”

  “They must have reached some kind of agreement,” Jackson said with a thoughtful frown.

  “Yeah, there’s also word that Stodden partnered with a man named Brian Crothers. They’re building a private club called “Bitter Sweet.” It’s due to open in a month. It might also be a place to hide something you don’t want found. That’s all I could find. That man’s shit is locked up tighter than a fucking bank.”

  “Okay, we can work with that. What about the guns?’

  “Yeah.” Max picked up a stack of cards sitting on his desk and shuffled through them. “Here it is.” Max passed Jackson a card for an Italian eatery a few blocks away.

  “Bella Italia?” Jackson questioned.

  “That, my friend, is your weapon supply. Anything you need these guys can hook you up, no questions asked. I’ve a few references that swear by them.”

  “Who’s their supplier?”

  “The guns come in the fucking shipyard with their bread, pasta, and whatever the fuck else they serve at Italian restaurants. The supervisor who oversees the merchandise is Macario Aiello’s son-in-law, the owner of the restaurant. It’s a pretty tight operation. They haven’t had anyone sniff around on their tail yet. On the back of the card is the name of the guy who will set up the meeting. He deals with Aiello on a regular basis and he owes me a favor.”

  Jackson flipped the card over. The name “Steven” was written next to a number.

  Max pulled open his desk drawer and picked up a manila envelope. “Here you are,” Max said, passing Jackson the envelope. Jackson opened it up to reveal three fake IDs for him, Teddy, and Dane.

  “Aiello is pretty thorough, just be sure you leave your badges at home. The IDs should be good enough to make the exchange. He’ll want some credentials before he makes the sale to make sure you ain’t cops.” Max chuckled. “Your cop friends better not tear this shit down on me. If anyone finds out I lead cops into this place, I’m as good as dead.”

  “It won’t come back on you, Max. I’ll make sure of it,” Jackson assured.

  “Steven’s word should be enough of a resume. He’s been in a working relationship with Aiello for a few years now. Once you stack your armory, what’s the plan with Stodden?” Max asked curiously.

  “We’re going to blow him the fuck up,” Jackson said confidently.

  “Oh shit.” Max smiled. “I always liked your style, Jackson. “Steven already has your names. Just call him up and he’ll take care of the arrangements.”

  Jackson nodded. “Thanks, man.”

  “You know Stodden’s got a hit out on you?” Max asked.

  “I know.” Jackson held out his hand to Max. “See you later, Max.”

  Max took his hand in a firm shake. “Good luck, old friend.”

  “Leave that woman alone,” Teddy warned over his shoulder as he headed toward the door, leaving Max in front of his computers.

  As soon as the elevator doors closed, Teddy turned toward Jackson. “You know if I had a conscience, I would try to talk you out of all this shit. We keep digging deeper and deeper, eventually the walls will cave in on us. You know that, right?”

  “Yes,” Jackson replied.

  Teddy hit number four on the elevator.

  “Really?” Jackson threw Teddy a look. “We don’t have time.”

  “I’ll only be a minute. You know I can’t leave that shit alone,” Teddy said, searching Jackson’s expression for understanding.

  “Hurry up. I’ll hold the elevator.”

  “Thanks, man,” Teddy said as he darted out the opening doors. Jackson leaned against the door to keep the elevator open. He watched Teddy walk a few doors down until he reached number 404. Jackson sighed and pulled out his phone. He brought up his favorite picture of Lexie. She was wearing only her lacy white underwear as the late afternoon sun cast its glow on her skin. The look in her eyes and the smile upon her face made his chest ache. It was the moment before she dove into the water, the moment he realized she was about to turn him inside out and he couldn’t do anything to stop it.

  He wondered when everything had shifted and his sole focus became saving Lexie. The case that had haunted him for years had taken a backseat to her safety. Looking at her image, it pained him to think that something happened to her while he was trying to be smart about playing his cards. He couldn’t afford to be reckless when approaching John Stodden or he could cost all of them their lives.

  If he closed his eyes tight and thought of her, he could almost smell her soft floral scent, taste her strawberry flavored lips and feel her soft skin beneath his fingertips. He wondered if she affected him so much because she represented a beauty he had been denied his entire life. She made him desperate to be capable of love, he wanted to give her everything but he was a shadow next to her bright light.

  Jackson’s attention snapped back into focus when he heard a door close. He looked up to see Teddy heading back toward him. His seemed a little rattled as he stalked toward the elevator. “What’s up?” Jackson called.

  “Nothing, all good,” Teddy said, opening his hand to reveal a small, black camera.

  “It took you long enough. What’d you say to convince her to let you in, anyway?”

  Teddy flashed him a smile. “You doubt my skills. I’m offended.” Teddy placed his hand against his heart.

  Jackson put it from mind. “Let’s get going.” He pressed the ground floor button and they watched the doors close.

  “Did you know that after my sister was found, a witness came forward and placed her at the park the afternoon she went missing?” Teddy said thoughtfully. Jackson shook his head when Jackson looked at him. “The witness said a man approached her and it wasn’t long before she walked off with him. I think about that all the time…” Teddy wiped his hands down his face. “What the fuck could he have said to her to make her leave with him?” Teddy sighed. “The description of the man and his vehicle brought the co
ps to the doorstep of a man named Peter Wilson. Despite the evidence, he was dismissed as a suspect because he had a solid alibi. The man who gave him his free pass was none other than John Stodden, who confirmed that Peter could not have been at the park that day. The case against Wilson was dropped immediately and the other man was suddenly accused. He didn’t fit the description of the suspect, but it didn’t matter. The case was closed and filed away and we were all supposed to move on.”

  “I didn’t know, man,” Jackson said, understanding the sorrow seeping from his friend.

  “Do you think that Giles let us off the leash because he knows that this is exactly what we would do? I know he doesn’t believe for one second that we wouldn’t cross the line to take this fucker down.”

  “Makes sense,” Jackson said thoughtfully.

  “If we get caught he won’t be able to let us get away with it, though. He’s too good of a cop for that.”

  “I know, but I won’t let you go down for this shit. I promise, Ted.”

  “I’m not scared of getting caught, Jackson. I’m scared our plan won’t work,” Teddy said solemnly.

  “It’ll work.”

  The elevator doors opened and Jackson saw Dane across the lobby, sitting on an old torn sofa. He was leaning back with his hands behind his head. The two women that had been lingering in the entrance were sitting on either side, leaned over his lap as they kissed and fondled each other.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Stephanie

  Stephanie heard soft humming, but when she tried to concentrate on the sound to determine where it was coming from it seemed to fade away like a distant memory. She didn’t know if it was her imagination or if she had fallen asleep and hadn’t realized it. He lifted her head off the thin pillow and looked around the dark room, confirming she was still alone and surrounded by the thick smell of death.

  Stephanie tried to hold onto the hope that she would be free of this place, but the long stretches of time picked away at her and she couldn’t help but feel desolated at her situation. She could hear the whispers of defeat when she closed her eyes and see the faces of all the people she loved become blurred behind the fear that was her constant companion.

  Stephanie pulled the thin blanket tighter around her shoulders and tried to stay the chill that pulled at her bones. She tried to imagine being anywhere else, but reality would not let her escape the truth. She flipped on her back and looked up at the ceiling. If she stared long enough, the shadows seemed to shift and move around the ceiling as if spectators were watching her. Stephanie strained to envision the feeling of the sun against her skin, warming her.

  The sound of humming found her again. It was a soft feminine voice that seemed out of place in these dark walls. The sound stopped suddenly when Stephanie opened her eyes to realize it was her voice. The tune seemed so familiar, like an old memory she was trying to recall, but it remained just out of reach.

  Stephanie turned on her side and grabbed a hold of the side of the mattress to keep herself grounded. Her mind played so many tricks on her and she was having a hard time distinguishing between her dreams and reality as she drifted in and out of sleep. Her fingers dipped into the side of the mattress as the material gave way. She sat up and looked over the edge to see a hole in the side. Stephanie slipped her fingers inside to feel the soft material that made the core of the mattress until her fingers brushed against something hard. She dug in further until she could grasp a small, hard object.

  Stephanie held it up to the dim light. It was a ring, and from the look of the size and style, it was a woman’s wedding band. She slipped it on her ring finger and felt a tear escape her. She knew she was not the first to be locked in these walls, but finding a belonging of another that had gone through this same fate brought her so much sadness. She wondered if the husband of this woman was still searching for her somewhere or maybe he thought she had left him without a word.

  Stephanie slipped the ring from her finger and tucked it back deep inside the mattress so he would not find it. She knew it was probably the one thing of hers he did not destroy and she wanted to make sure it remained safe. Strangely, it made her feel a little less alone.

  Her teeth chattered uncontrollably as she curled herself up in a tight ball, wondering if she would lose her sanity or her life first. She placed her hand over the mattress where the ring was tucked safely away and wept for herself and the others she feared never made it out of this hell.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Jackson

  “What’d we find out?” Dane asked as he crawled into the back of Jackson’s car with a groan of discomfort.

  “We confirmed Max is a sick motherfucker,” Teddy said through clenched teeth. He pushed his seat back once Dane was in back and slid into the front. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. Teddy was sensitive to the mistreatment of women. It was the one thing that turned his usually playful mood upside down. Jackson knew Teddy would not be able to shake off what he saw. “Evan’s not answering.” Teddy ended the call.

  “He’s probably sleeping or crying,” Jackson said without concern. Evan had been trying to wean himself off the drugs, making him a complete head case. It had been a painful week and Jackson’s patience was thin. “He needs a fucking rehab facility.”

  “I get shot and you guys try to fucking replace me with a junkie,” Dane said with a shake of his head.

  “And now we’re stuck with two whiny invalids.” Teddy rolled his eyes.

  “Serves you right,” Dane said.

  This protective side of Teddy surprised most people because Teddy cycled through women like he did clothes. Teddy always made sure his intentions were clear before he took a woman to bed. He never led them to believe that it was more than just sex, but even spelling it out never stopped the few wishful believers that they had the power to change his outlook on relationships.

  “How much did you have to pay for that little show we walked in on?” Jackson asked, looking at Dane in the rear view mirror as he pulled out of the parking lot.

  A smile swallowed Dane’s face, the lingering look of pain vanished. “Ten bucks,” he said proudly. “It’s all I had on me and they didn’t complain. I was a little weary at first, those girls have been ridden hard and put away wet, but when they started kissing…I wasn’t complaining. Best ten dollars I ever spent.” Dane leaned back, stretching out his big frame in the small backseat. “Max give you the info we need?”

  “Yeah, we have a couple of good leads for his whereabouts and the contact to set up the hardware hookup.”

  “Fuck yeah.” Dane rubbed his hands together excitedly. “I can’t wait to start blowing shit up. Hear from Giles yet or is he still giving you breathing room?”

  “He checked in. I told him we’re finishing up some loose ends in Belhaven and then we needed a few personal days to burn off some steam,” Jackson said, tapping his steering wheel mindlessly.

  “Did he seem to buy it?” Dane asked.

  “He didn’t ask any questions.” Jackson frowned.

  “Giles didn’t ask any questions? That in itself is a red flag. I think he knows exactly what we’re up to,” Teddy added.

  “Did you tell Giles about what Mary said about Rosh?” Dane questioned. The very accusation was hard to swallow that Rosh was behind his father’s murder, but the more Jackson thought about it, the more he realized he could not deny the possibility. Before he could bring this to Giles, he needed irrefutable evidence because Rosh and Giles were close personally and professionally. He couldn’t swing that accusation around without weight behind it.

  “I need evidence first.” Jackson shook his head.

  “It’s hard to believe,” Teddy said. “Rosh has a lot of credence in both Oxford and Belhaven districts. If he’s in bed with Stodden…”

  “We have company,” Jackson said when he noticed a black car on their tail.

  Both Teddy and Dane turned in their seats. “Stodden really wants us out of the picture, doesn’t h
e?” Teddy said, pulling his piece from his holster.

  “I’m gonna lose him. Hold on back there, Dane,” Jackson said as he stepped on the gas.

  “Go for it,” Dane said, his gun already in hand. Jackson took a sharp right and headed down a less populated street. He could hear Dane groan in pain from the abrupt turns but it couldn’t be helped. The price John put on their heads brought out the big guns and these men would not think twice before putting a bullet in their heads.

  “We need to find a new ride, Jackson. There aren’t that many BMW M4s on the street with the fucking side ripped off them,” Teddy said, looking in the side view mirror.

  “Yeah, yeah. I changed the plates at least,” Jackson said distractedly. He knew this city well enough to know which area he would be able to get an advantage in a chase. He also needed to avoid the police. Their plan would only work if they stayed off the radar, they needed to remain invisible. He sped up and ramped off the main road to an underpass. The pursuing car was quick on their heels as it followed them to an industrial part of the city.

  “Shit.” Jackson slammed on the brakes when he turned the corner and narrowly missed the barricade in a construction area, coming dangerously close to a few workers directing traffic. Dane hit the back of Teddy’s seat.

  “Fuck me,” Dane whimpered as he tried to right himself back on the seat.

  “Put your fucking belt on!” Teddy shook his head.

  Once the man holding the stop sign thawed from the shock, he started yelling profanities and waving his hands at their vehicle. Teddy gave the angry worker a friendly wave as Jackson threw the car into reverse and swerved around the black car that came barreling around the corner. The workers ran out of the way and Jackson avoided the other car as he took off in the opposite direction.

  Jackson headed toward a few abandoned building by the shipyards. The approaching car released a few rounds, clipping the side of Jackson’s car.

  “Jesus Christ.” Jackson swerved before he sped through a parking lot and headed around back of a large metal building. “I’m gonna need some fancy gun work, Dane. I need this fucker off my ass,” Jackson said as the black sedan appeared in his rear view mirror again.