CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting


    Joy


    1 flinched at the sound of my rm… I was unwilling to move, my mind still muddled from sleep, but I


    had to get up.


    With a groan, I pushed the covers back and stumbled out of bed. I scratched the bird’s nest on top of


    my head and rubbed the sleep from eyes, walking in a zigzag pattern to my. bathroom to take a


    shower.


    Last night, we had ate night meeting whichsted until the early hours of the morning.


    Dressed in ck tactical gear with a small ck backpack on my shoulders, I waited after all the lights


    in all the homes around the cul-de-sac were off before slipping out through the basement exit of my


    house. Before leaving, I located the tiny CCTV camera that Noah had installed on my shed door. I


    ced a drop of ck nail polish to obscure its vision and left. my house to head into town.


    Before I moved into town, Xavier showed me the path through the woods which led to the warehouse


    of his grocery store. Once there, I tapped the keycard he had given me and the door opened, allowing


    me to enter without any ha ssle..


    I removed my ck ski mask and walked to Xavier’s secret office. A beep sounded and the door


    opened. I found Cristos, Sebastian and Xavier huddled around a long white table in front of a


    whiteboard where different photos and papers were pinned up.


    I handed Cristos the antique desk clock I bought for the Sheriff. He took the clock and began to work


    his magic on Xavier’s desk.


    “How was your date with Jack?” Cristos asked as he began to unscrew the clock.


    “It was fun actually. He likes antiques,” I said, walking to the whiteboard and scanning through all the


    papers and photos on it. “Over dinner, he went through all the information. on that file you made like a


    checklist.”


    “Did he try anything funny?” Xavier asked.


    “Sadly no, he was the perfect gentleman,” I answered, looking at the blueprint of the Cohen mansion. “I


    kissed him on the cheek and he left my house wide-eyed and happy.”


    Xavier scoffed. Sebastian pped him on the arm with the back of his hand and gave him a


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    CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting


    dirty look.


    “Don’t worry, Bo,” I said in a sing-song voice. I sterilized my mouth with mouthwash.”


    “Kissing him on the cheek was a good call. Jack was acting like a lovesick puppy this morning looking


    for you,” Sebastian said. “Did he say anything about Abigail?”


    “They suspect she fell asleep while driving,” I answered, turning my attention to the blueprint of the


    town hall. “You guys did hear Abigail is in aa right?”


    “Yes, Nicole informed me,” Sebastian replied. “Was anyone else at the hospital when you


    visited?”


    “Cris and Lisa. Cris asked me to drop by his office at ten to discuss that promo Bo suggested. I n to


    spice it up and sponsor the Spring Formal as well.”


    “Good idea. That will secure you an invite to the Spring Formal at New Salem High,” Sebastian said.


    “Your gown and your necessary essories will be arriving with Bo’s men.


    When is their ETA, Bo?”


    “Tomorrow afternoon. Right now they are at a truck stop getting some sleep,” Xavier answered. “I


    spoke with the high school student body president the other day when she and her mom were


    shopping. It so happens the theme I suggested to her months ago has been approved. It seems


    everything is going as nned in that department.”


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    “Has the coroner confirmed for Friday?” Sebastian asked.


    “Yes, he did,” Cristos said without lifting his head from the clock.


    “Bo, have you found your entry point?” Sebastian asked.


    “Yep, through the woods. After Chip hacks into their security system and blocks all cameras, I’ll enter


    through the back and head to his office and the bedroom and clean the ce out, making it look like a


    robbery,” Xavier exined.


    “I still need a theme for this Sa


    while cing a tiny camera in the clock.


    party at the pub. Any suggestions?” Cristos asked


    “The Honey Bee Spring Parade still needs a Miss Honey Bee,” Sebastian replied. “I heard from Nicole


    that Miss North Dakota will be attending an event in New York and won’t be able to grace this year’s


    parade. Apany Virtue tomorrow and ask Cris if you can hold a small pageant. Sweeten the deal


    and say a percentage of the night’s sales will go to their


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    CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting


    campaign.”


    “A week’s time to have girls join a pageant? That’s not enough time, Cristosined.


    “Uhm, Chip, it won’t be hard if you give out a live thousand dor cash prize to the winner,” I said.


    “Make it a simple event. A casual attire and evening gown portion should be enough.”


    “Casual attire and evening gown? That won’t make the mene. I need the girls to wear a swimsuit if


    I’m going to shell out five grand,” Cristos said. I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t believe Cristos was being


    cheap. “Do you, by any chance, have swimsuitsing in, Virtue?”


    “No, but we can order them and have them flown in, right, Bo?” I asked Xavier.


    “Yep. The bikinis will get here two days… tops,” he answered.


    “Create a flyer, hand them out once Cris approves, then close the application process by Wednesday.


    We can order the swimsuits Wednesday evening and they’ll arrive just in time for Saturday’s event. For


    the meantime, have the girls give you a photo of themselves in their own swimsuits and make a poster


    using those pics to bring in the crowd,” I suggested. “Are you guys sure that whatever is going to


    happen is happening this Saturday?”


    “Yes. Leo and Benny have confirmed that the bi-weekly drop is happening this Saturday. It can’t be a


    coincidence,” Xavier said. “Lou has already discovered the meeting point at the other side of theke.


    He found various tire imprints that lead to theke’s shallow area. Anyway, my men will be there


    waiting just in case. If it does happen Friday night, I’ve ordered them to kill everyone and take the


    merchandise. It will be sl oppy unlike what we


    have


    ve nned for Saturday, but it will still have the same result.”


    “And what result is that?” I asked.


    “It will flush out whoever is in charge of this town’s illegal drug trade. We suspect it to be at woman, but


    we aren’t entirely sure,” Sebastian answered, shuffling through the papers.


    strewn in front of him.


    “A woman?”


    “I pinged on Theodore Cohen’s locationst night and was able to get some satellite images. from this


    morning,” Cristos said, clicking on hisptop and testing out the camera. “He met with a woman, but


    her face was hidden under a scarf and thick sunsses. Two trucks filled with boxes were unloaded


    and the boxes were ced in a structure near the cabin. I couldn’t see the structure though. Too many


    trees.” Satisfied the camera was working, Cristos began putting the clock back together again.


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    CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting


    “We can’t seem to find aboratory at Hillcrest. We’ve gone through all the houses and the clubhouse,


    but nothing. Sebastian said, frustrated.


    “What about the church?” Have you searched there?” Cristos said. “I saw people with ck sling bags


    this morning, giving w ads of cash during offertory.”


    “You went to church?” I asked, surprised.


    “With Dan,” he answered. “These people were mostly parents with college kids.”


    “So they’reundering money through church. That’s actually brilliant,” Sebastian murmured. “College


    kids huh? I’ve noticed somemunity college kids at the bus station every Friday afternoon with


    ck sling bags. It’s possible they’re dealers. Finally, we have gotten some rity. I’ll have some of my


    men tail these kids and see who they deal to.”


    “What about the diner? Many of them go there with the ck sling bags in tow. Anything from the bug


    Virtue nted, Chip?” Xavier asked.


    “Nothing. Just business as usual. I just don’t have the time to nt a CCTV camera at the diner,”


    Cristos said.


    “I’ll do it,” I said, volunteering. “Jack will be there for breakfast. Where do I need to put it?”


    “In the nt box along the booth in front of the counter nearest to the office,” Cristos mumbled while


    cleaning the clock up with a brush and wiping it with a piece of cloth.


    “It’ll be too obvious. They’ll know you nted it if they find it, Virtue,” Xavier said. “Wait until my men


    arrive with their deliveries. I’ll have them have lunch there when it’s busy. They’ll find a way to nt the


    camera.”


    “All done,” Cristos announced, pointing the antique desk clock in my direction and clicking on his


    laptop. “Beautiful.” He swung


    hisptop for me to see and I saw myself smiling back.


    “No need to see Jack at the diner. Go see him at work.”


    “Don’t forget about that bug, Virtue,” Xavier reminded me. “We need eyes and ears in that


    office.”


    “How about you? Have you bugged Cris’ office?” I asked.


    “Tomorrow. I was nning to bug his whole house,” Xavier said.


    “His office is at his house?” I asked. Sh it. I didn’t bother to look at Cris’ card..


    4/6


    CHAPTER STLate Night Meeting


    Temporary office. His office at town hall is under renovation.”


    “He’s going to be utterly disappointed when he sees Chip with you, Sebastian said, chuckling. He took


    out his phone and checked it A puzzled expression suddenly formed on


    “What is it, Dom?” I asked.


    I put a fracker on Dan’s car. After heading to Jack’s neighborhood, he’s now at Hignd Oaks. He was


    therest night before we all met at the hospital. Chip, do you know who he’s visiting there at this


    ungodly hour?”


    “Honestly, I don’t know.”


    “Check if there are CCTV cameras in the area. If not, Bo and I will need to wait for him to visit again,”


    Sebastian said. “There’s something about Dan. The spreadsheet, thete night meetings, the


    expensive clothing… he has ‘made man’ written all over himself. I want to know who he’s seeing.”


    “Have you ced a tracker on Noah’s car?” Xavier asked.


    “Not yet,” Sebastian answered. “I’ll do it at the pub on Saturday night. He’ll be there for sure.”


    I helped Cristos make a flyer before heading home. Now, I had to meet him at Cris’.


    Dressed in a camel colored pantsuit with a white silk blouse underneath and my hair in a ponytail, I


    drove to Cris’ house at Valley Ridge, a residential area which catered to the upper middle ss just


    beside town.


    As I nced through the rearview mirror, I saw Cristos’ car right behind mine. I was just in


    time.


    Cristos stepped out wearing a light gray pinstriped suit. I whistled knowing how expensive it was. He


    laughed, handing me the folder he was carrying.


    Cris’ secretary opened the door and stared admiringly at Cristos. She was a young brte,


    fresh out of college, and was wearing a tight ck pencil skirt and a white fitted blouse with a deep


    neckline. She ushered us in, standing close to Cristos who gave her an annoyed look.


    When we entered his office, Cris had his back towards us while speaking to someone on his phone.


    When he turned to greet us, I gasped.


    5/6


    CHAPTER ST Late Night Meeting


    He had one beautiful…shiner.


    Chapter Comments


    Mia


    Joy is going to kill Liam, period!


    Luna-Mom


    it’s getting messy


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