“I need to go,” J.J. whispered as she leaned her head back against Dexter’s shoulder, giving him better access to her breast. Anything to get out of here, get to her commander, and blow this fucking case wide open.
“I bet she could take both of us. I’ll pay for her, like I did the others,” Dooley whispered and then reached over to stroke her other breast. She turned into Dexter’s arms, her hand on the switchblade.
“We’ll think about it. She’s ours tonight,” Dexter said as he held her tight.
“Wait, I’ve seen her somewhere before. It’s not from the show.”
J.J. panicked and pretended to gag as if she were about to puke. “Oh, shit. I have to get her to the ladies’ room. Go over there. It’s going to cost you for us to get rid of the body.”
“I’ll pay, just like I did for the others,” Congressman Dooley stated.
J.J. struggled to get away from Dexter and run to the bathroom, but he wouldn’t release her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Dooley in a dead stare at her. His eyes widened and he started to head toward Martin.
The door to the bathroom was straight ahead, and the exit right near there.
 
; Dexter rushed her ahead, and she made her move. She stomped on his foot, shoved her elbow into his stomach, and ran for the exit door. “Stop!” Dexter yelled as he followed, coughing from her elbow shot. She shoved open the door and an alarm blared, as Martin and Prentice came running out of the first room.
“Stop her, Dexter. She’s a fucking cop.”
She ran through the parking lot. No one was coming. She was on her own. Obviously the cameras didn’t work. There was only the one in the back of the building through the kitchen exit. She was nowhere near that side of the building. She lowered down near a set of cars, and tried to catch her breath. She pulled off the high heels and threw them underneath the car. She looked around, and didn’t hear a sound. She could hail a cab, if she could get through the parking lot and into the front of the building. She started to run when she felt a hand on her shoulder pull her back down. As she turned around, Dexter punched her in the face. She gripped the switchblade and held on as he continued to try and hurt her and stop her from going anywhere.
His hands were on her throat.
“You fucking bitch. You’re a fucking cop? I wanted you. We would have been great together. I’m going to kill you. But first, we’re going to show you what we do to cop bitches.”
She was kicking him and he shoved her against the hood of the car. She couldn’t breathe and with her only defense in hand, she stuck him in the side with the knife. He let go, she coughed and cried out, and then kicked him in the stomach. He was holding his side with one hand and used his other to reach out and grip the material of her dress. She slammed her knee up hard and fast, connecting with his chin and nose, splattering blood everywhere. He yelled out and she decked him in the face. He fell backward onto the ground.
She was panting for air, shaking with fury and fear.
She could hear yelling, and saw security running through the parking lot looking for her. There was no one to trust, just the three security guys placed there undercover, and she didn’t know who they were.
She scrambled to get out of there. She ran as fast as she could and down the Las Vegas strip, away from the killers and into the crowd of crazies. A glance over her shoulder and her peripheral vision caught sight of the entourage of black-tinted vehicles. The congressman’s private security team. She was in seriously heavy shit, and no one could be trusted. It was two o’clock in the morning. She needed to get to her commander.
Hailing a cab, she jumped in and gave the address of the safe house. She looked behind her and saw no indication that she was being followed. Her cheek throbbed something terrible, as well as her throat, her arms, and back. She would be covered in bruises, but it was better than being dead.
This was a major clusterfuck, and she was caught in the middle. As the cab driver drove her to the destination, she thought about the events that had unfolded and the situation as a whole. She’d nearly died tonight, and deep down she knew that things were going to get worse before they got better.
Congressman Dooley is a killer. He just killed Tara, and I heard him say he would pay for Martin and Dexter to get rid of her body just like he did for the others. He was at the heart of this. Everyone adored him. What would the FBI do when they found out? Are they going to believe me? Oh God, he killed her. I’m a witness to a murder, and the killer is Congressman Dooley.
Chapter 1
“This sounds like a bad fucking situation,” Sandman stated.
Commander Frank Reynolds ran his hand across his whiskers. He was speaking on a secure line. He couldn’t believe that this case had turned into this. There were few people to trust, and neither him nor J.J. felt confident about the witness protection program since her life had been threatened repeatedly, and he was asked to turn his back and let her get killed. He was sick with worry. He’d promised Anthony that he would take care of J.J. But this was beyond his means.
“I wouldn’t have called you like this if it wasn’t a last resort. It is a fucking bad situation. There are only a few individuals I can trust. They’re working on gathering evidence and making sure that the person responsible will not get off on some bullshit mistake. It’s going to take some time. She’s in serious danger. The threats are coming from more than capable sources. She’s survived three attempts already. She’s lucky to still be alive.”
“I understand. I do this thing on the down low, so I get that we need to keep it under the radar. Are we talking feds only?”
“Politics, too.”
“Fuck. That’s why I hate fucking politics. If people just got their heads out of their asses and did the right thing, we wouldn’t have half the fucking problems.”
“Hey, Sandman, you don’t need to tell me. I’ve learned that people aren’t always who they say they are. I trust you, because Anthony always did.”
“Anthony was a good man. So what can you tell me about this woman?” Sandman asked.