AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"You get that?" Barry asked.
I nodded, picked up the gun, ejected the shell out of the chamber, put the safety back on, considered what to do with the thing, and tucked it into the waistband of my skirt, against my lower back.
I stood. "What now?"
Only the answer was obvious. Because another member of Cole's security came in and I realized they were both dressed as EMTs. The second guy, who I didn't know by name, was guiding a rolling stretcher.
Judge Conway clearly thought this was a bad idea, because he twisted in Barry's grip and tried to get to his feet, apparently thinking that even bent over around himself, he could make it out the door and away before men half his age caught him.
He didn't make it any distance at all. The new guy stuck a syringe in his neck and the Judge looked at me, said, "You bitch," quite clearly, and collapsed.
I blinked at him. Cole's security picked him up and put him on the stretcher and covered him up to his chin.
"I'd offer you a ride, but best you go some other way," Barry said.
"I have my car." My voice sounded distant and strained. I'd never seen anything quite like this.
And then they were gone, pulling the stretcher between them. The judge had asked for fifteen minutes and they weren't up yet, but I was leaving with Cole's security, and I'd separate from them somewhere before we hit the security checkpoint between the courthouse and the outside world. Because I was not going to be there when Judge Conway's private security came looking.
I thought probably Barb had been sent away. Though she was part of it, without the judge I thought it probably ended. If I was wrong, hopefully somebody else would bring her to justice.
"What's going to –?"
Barry just looked at me. Right. I definitely didn't need to know that. If they killed the judge, that would be bad. I thought they wouldn't. St. Martin Pharma had locations all over the world. There were plenty of places Judge Conway could grow older without ever coming into contact with or threatening anyone ever again.
Fine by me. If he had family, they were better off without him.
The whole world was.
I knew the way back to the compound now. I'd head back and the fact that this wasn't an assignment for school, that there wasn't at this moment anything to connect me to the judge – definitely not Barb who wouldn't likely recognize me in real clothes – meant I just went on with my life.
The DEA still appealed, but the idea of doing something to fight human sex trafficking was starting to appeal too. I smiled a little grimly to myself and decided to treat myself to breakfast – extra bacon, please – before heading back to the compound.
I'd earned it.
30
Cole
She didn't come back when Barry and the other men did. They came back without Judge Conway. They'd called me from the "ambulance" and told me what they knew of what had happened, which included the position Annie had been found in, and also that she'd acquitted herself nicely in the following fracas.
"Where's the judge?" I asked.
Barry settled into one of the chairs beside the chief tech in the blue room. All the monitors produced an unhealthy glow in the room where my technological security did its stuff. He handed off the wires and equipment Annie had been wearing.
I glanced around again, expecting her to show up.
Barry said, "Plausible deniability, boss?" He was a big man, curly hair, bright blue eyes, enormous body. He had a law degree but had decided to do security and now he worked for me.
Sometimes the world is strange.
"I can't see where there's anything connecting me to Conway's disappearance. I'll take my chances." I settled on the edge of the nearest desk.
Barry didn't quibble. He nodded once. "He's headed for a safe house in Pennsylvania. If you're still interested in using some of the rainforest cures on him, be interesting to see if it cures him of whatever the fuck's wrong with him."
I thought what was wrong with him was pure sociopathy or the fact that he was a predator, through and through. A man with money and position in the community, a man nicely put together even if aging could find a woman who had similar attributes, maybe brought her own money to the union. He could find a wife and a mistress, or he could find a 25 year old bimbo like Annie had pretended to be who wanted a daddy to take care of her.
Instead, he'd enjoyed the hunt and probably made a lot more money selling the girls he'd already assaulted into the trafficking scene. He was the exact kind we raised money to fight with our billionaire dinners where the centerpiece might wear a butt plug and a ponytail.
