Page 3 of Until Ace

“We’ll figure it out.” The words are said behind me, and when I turn around, I see Cobi Mayson standing with his hands on his hips and glaring at me, a murderous look on his face. If I didn’t know the man, I would be sure I was down to the last few minutes of my life.

All the frustration that subsided when I saw the message from Beverly returns tenfold.

“I can’t believe this happened.” I shake my head.

“It is unbelievable, and that’s why Frank and I got the investigation.”

“You’re going in?” I can’t hide my surprise.

“No,” Cobi says, but there’s a glint in his eye that tells me he likes the idea of going after Gorskiy and his organization. “We’re going to find out who let slip where this fuckwad was staying and who the fuck got one of our own hurt.”

“Fifteen minutes,” I repeat for what feels like the hundredth time today.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Cobi assures me again.

“A year out of my life rendered to nothing in fifteen fucking minutes.”

“Ace, you hear what I said?” He takes a step toward me, grabs me by the side of my neck, and squeezes to get my attention. When he’s sure he has it, he whispers, “You have my word, man. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“Yeah.” I sigh. I have no doubt Cobi will stop at nothing to get the person behind this. “We will.”

* * *

Coming to a stop, I knock lightly on the door. I’m not up for this right now, but I promised Beverly I would come over, and since I’ll do just about anything for her, here I am.

This afternoon, after everyone left, the captain called me back into his office.

“Ace, I have another case for you,” he said, clearly still pissed off but, like me, unable to do anything about it. “It’s another undercover assignment.”

“Cap, I just got back.” I wasn’t ready to lose God only knows how much more time out of my life just yet. In light of what happened, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do it again at all.

That’s not true.

Even while I was working on the Gorskiy case, I started to have second thoughts. It was good for a while, and the adrenaline rush was a high that was unbelievable, but I’ve seen my fair share of fucked-up situations. Hell, I even lived through my own. But I found myself wanting to go home and lie down in my own bed. To have the freedom to go about my business without having to constantly look over my shoulder, without having to be afraid my cover was blown and wondering if Beverly was in danger because of my work.

Also, it’s a sad fact, but over the course of my career, I purposely stayed alone. Barely had any friends left, thanks to sporadic contact while working a case. I also reduced myself to only having the occasional one-night stand, nothing more. But now that I’m getting older, life is starting to have a new meaning. I’m itching to change it all. The work I’m doing—and the company I keep because of said work—aren’t as appealing anymore.

But right then in my captain’s office was not the time to be thinking about my life’s choices or where I would go next.

I looked to the captain, seeing he was staring at me, something working behind his eyes. Something I could guess was similar to what was going on behind mine.

As usual, he didn’t comment on any of his musings. Just nodded, almost as if he knew the answer before he even spoke the question out loud, and took a folder from the top of his desk.

“As always, the choice is all yours.” He extended a file to me. “Just look it over and give me your answer by tomorrow.”

I took the file, gave him a chin lift, and without another word, I turned and walked out of his office. I didn’t look at the file. I just tossed it on my desk and left.

Fuck, I have no idea what I’m going to do.

“You’re here, boy!” the tiny woman standing inside the now open door exclaims, pulling me out of my troubled mind and back into the present.

Beverly Walker.

The woman I owe everything to.

Not just materialistic but everything I am.

After my mom completely lost it, Beverly took me in. There were protests from every person involved in my case, from every remaining family member—none of who were offering to take me in, they were all just against Beverly doing so. That is how fucked-up everything was—but Beverly didn’t listen. She packed up my bags, took my hand, and walked me out of that hellhole.