Love and Lies: A second chance romance by Kelly Nelson

Author:Kelly Nelson [Nelson, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Nineteen

Zach tucked his phone into his pocket and covered his head with his hoody before exiting his truck. “Going in now,” he said for the sake of the cover team. He pulled the wrapped package of drugs from beneath his seat and locked the door. While the snow had turned Billings into a winter wonderland, it made for miserable drug running conditions. Zach and his SSA never would have foreseen an opportunity like this. With Joey gone, Chen had taken Zach under his wing. He credited Zach with saving his life that night and wanted to repay him with extra work.

Zach’s boss at the DEA had them building a case against Chen Yong while looking for an opportunity to identify the person in the drug chain above him. Chen had officially become his employer for the illicit nighttime activities that would procure the evidence needed to bust open this drug ring.

Zach slipped the package beneath his coat and trudged through the snow toward the park. Skeletal trees trimmed in ice crystals lined the snowy pathway. With the moon towering overhead and the snow reflecting the light, he easily found where Chen had directed him to make the exchange. He waited, listening for anything out of the ordinary in the muffled stillness that accompanied a blanket of snow. Cupping his chilled hands, he blew into them, his breath billowing like his grandpa’s pipe smoke.

The subtle crunch of snow signaled an arrival. Zach faced the man. His youthful swagger and the low-riding jeans matched Chen’s description of the contact, Billy. “Hey man, you lookin’ for Joey?”

The guy stopped and looked around like he might bolt. Zach opened his coat and showed him the goods. “Billy, right? It’s cool, dude, I got your stuff.”

The guy took a hesitant step forward. “Where’s Joey? He didn’t tell me he was sendin’ nobody else.”

“He’s dead. Shot, night before Thanksgiving.”

A slew of foul words dirtied the night air as Billy slapped his hand against his thigh. He took a step back. “No—you ain’t a cop, are you?”

Inside Zach’s mind, every cylinder fired at full capacity. Beneath his coat, a nervous sweat chased away the chill, leaving his skin damp. But on the outside, Zach laughed, focusing his mental energy on his undercover persona. “Me? Heck no, you think I look like a cop? That’s the craziest load of crap I’ve ever heard.” He stepped closer, showing Billy the drugs. “You think a cop would be carrying this stuff around? I’m trying to make a deal here. You want the goods, or not? ‘Cause I’m outta here if you don’t. I ain’t gonna stand around gettin’ accused of bein’ no cop.” Acting pissed, Zach started walking away.

Billy followed him. “Hold up, man, you can’t blame me for being careful. I had to make sure, you know? I never seen you before.”

With a wave of relief at the guy’s words, Zach stopped. He had known one day his identity would be challenged. He just hadn’t expected it tonight from a low-life dealer like Billy.

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