Chapter 14 - Caught

After responding to Derek, I went back to the lounge to retrieve the duffel bag and my uniform from the twins. Crystal had kindly packed me everything I needed, from new panties to a new toothbrush. Thankfully, Crystal understood my style and packed nothing revealing. I said my goodbyes to the girls and headed back to the room. However, before Sam left, she encouraged me to consider Zach’s offer. She even said if I wanted to do it with no association with their company, they would support me.
Sam and Crystal had done so much for me. They took me in when I had nothing and nowhere to go. Did I really want to venture out on my own and work for Zach? Just the thought of working for Zach made my skin itchy like it was being pricked by needles.
I quickly hung up the clothes Crystal brought and headed into the bathroom to have a shower. Zach said I could access my apartment after midday.
Maybe I could head to the apartment straight after meeting Derek?
Was it even safe for me to return to the apartment? From our conversation this morning, it sounded like someone was definitely monitoring my place.
Perhaps I could take Derek with me just in case something went wrong.
Once I was done showering, I got dressed and headed toward the lift. It was already 10:30 am, giving me 30 minutes to get to the diner Derek, and I usually met at.
I walked through the empty penthouse heading for the lift.
Suddenly, Zach’s conversation with Keiran replayed in my head.
“*I need eyes on her at all times.*”
Was I meant to tell Zach before heading out? If I told him where I was going, would he have me followed? Or did he already have someone watching me?
No, I couldn’t take the chance. No one knew about Derek and my association, and with all the chaos my life was in already, the last thing I needed was Zach to find out.
I gave the penthouse one last glance and got into the lift. I didn’t know if Zach had arranged for my fingerprints to be put into the system, but I was about to find out if I would be coming back.
The diner was in a Victorian building on Mercer Island, about 20 minutes away. Even though it was an old and rusty place, they served the best apple pie, and it was the only thing on their menu I liked.
Derek and I met at this diner once a week. He insisted on checking up on me and claimed it was procedure, but I knew it was because he felt guilty.
No matter how many times I told him it wasn’t his fault, he still carried the guilt over what happened. If it hadn’t been for Derek, I wouldn’t have met the demon of my past, and there was no way Derek would let that go.
I walked into the diner to find Derek sitting in our usual booth. The sweet waitress who usually served us glimpsed at me from behind the counter.
“Welcome back, sweetheart. Shall I get you the usual?” she gave me a big smile.
“Hi, Darla. Yes, please. Could I please have a strong coffee as well? It’s been a rough morning,” I smiled back.
In my haste this morning, I didn’t have time to finish my coffee.
“Sure thing, sweetheart. Coming right up.”
I gave her one last smile before walking over to Derek.
He was nestling a cup in his hands, deep in thought.
“Okay, I’m here. How bad is it?” I muttered, sliding into the booth.
Derek looked up at me. His brown eyes were sunken and tired.
My chest tightened as a wave of acid welled up in my stomach.
“We don’t know if it was him. All the signs are there, but there is no proof it was him. I had a superior look into the Seattle PD’s investigation. However, if people find out that the FBI has been snooping, it will raise suspicions. There is only so much we can do. And with no proof it was him, I can’t move you.” Derek sighed. His eyes were full of regret and defeat.
“Who else would break into my apartment and trash it like that, Derek?! I only have one enemy, one. Since being in Seattle, I’ve kept such a low profile. I’m sure people don’t even know I exist. It has to be him, Derek. It has too!” I insisted.
My heart was beating so hard and fast that I thought it would tear out of my chest.
“I’m sorry, Zads, but with no evidence, my hands are tied. Chief said if Knox really was behind all this, moving you is the last thing we should do. Instead, we should use this opportunity to lure him out.”
There was that name. The name that had haunted my dreams for the past two years. The name that made every hair on my body stand. The name that left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“*Lure him out?!* Are you fucking crazy?! So what, suddenly, I’m bait? What happened to being the state’s witness and testifying?! You can not use my life to lure out a notorious drug lord, Derek!” I snapped. My voice rose by the second.
Thankfully, besides the waitress, who was still in the kitchen, there was no one else in the diner.
I wasn’t going to let the FBI use me as some sort of offering to hunt down their prey.
“Zadie, I really can’t do anything. I’m sorry. I’ve been given my orders, and I have to follow them. Trust me when I say I wish I could take you away to the safest place I know. But if I disobey direct orders, there will be no one to save us. I have to keep this job so that we can at least have the FBI’s protection.” Derek reached over and grabbed my hand. He gently stroked my hand with his slender fingers.
“I’m not going to sit around waiting for him to make his next move. Your hands may be tied up with orders, but mine aren’t. I chose to be a witness, and nothing is stopping me from walking away. I’m not risking my life just because the FBI doesn’t have any evidence.” I hissed, yanking my hand out of Derek’s grasp.
Just then, Darla showed up with my usual apple pie with cream on the side and a cup of coffee. She looked between Derek and me before placing my order on the table and walking away. I was sure she could feel the tension in the air.
“I totally understand, Zad’s. I have come up with a Plan B, actually” Derek pulled out a folder from his bag.
He put the folder on the table in front of me.
The name “Zachary Theodore Masters” stared at me in big, bold letters.
“What is that?” I questioned.
“It’s your new friend’s bio-data. Everything we need to know about your savior.”
“How the hell do you have that?” I couldn’t hide my shock.
Derek had only met Zach less than 24 hours ago. How the hell did he already have Zach’s bio-data?
“I work for the FBI, Zads. Besides, I had his files pulled before I showed up yesterday.” he shrugged.
“Anyway, I brought Zach’s file to see just how helpful he can be. And honestly, from what I read, befriending him is very beneficial. Although, from what I saw last night, I think you have him wrapped around your fingers very tightly.” Derek smirked.
“That’s not true. Zach is just very sweet and considerate,” I snapped.
“Yeah, I’m sure he is. World’s seventh youngest billionaire lets a stranger stay in his house out of the goodness of his heart.” Derek rolled his eyes.
Why was Derek being so snarky?
I knew Zach’s desire to help me was because I saved his life. Or was it something else?
“Get to the fucking point, Derek. What does this situation have to do with Zach?”
“Zach wasn’t lying when he said his place is the most secure place in Seattle. The man is protected by so many organizations; being glued to him is your best bet.”
“Yes, I’m aware. Zach has mentioned the protection he receives because of his work. That’s your Plan B? Make me stay in a strange man’s house and abuse his kindness because he is wealthy and protected? Is this the FBI’s way of protecting their witnesses?!” I growled.
I was seething. If I had known that the FBI would leave me hanging like this, I would never have agreed to be a state witness. But then again, if I wasn’t a witness, they wouldn’t have put me on the program.
“Zads, try to understand my situation. I want to help, but to get you re-homed, I have to find evidence Knox was in your apartment. Right now, I have nothing. As soon as I can find the smallest piece of evidence, we can move you. Until then, staying with Zach is your safest option. It’s only temporary. Please,” Derek begged.
I clenched my jaws, trying to control my anger.
How could they do this to me?! Even though they didn’t have evidence, they could at least provide me with some sort of protection.
As happy as Zach was to keep me in his penthouse, his unusual possessive behavior was freaking me out a little.
“I can’t believe this. This is how you assholes treat people, putting their lives at risk to help you catch notorious criminals?! If I had known this would happen, I would have just caught a flight and disappeared instead of coming to you.” I grabbed my bag and got up.
“There’s Zach who’s putting his life at risk to keep me safe. And then there’s the FBI who don’t care about my safety.” I spat before storming out.
My logic was telling me that Derek was right. Zach was my best bet to stay alive. However, if Knox was in my apartment looking for me, I knew my time was up.
I caught a taxi and headed for the Golden Gate lookout. Whenever I needed a break or fresh air, I went up to the lookout and sat on the hills watching the sea.
It was peaceful and watching the crashing waves always calmed me down.
There was so much to consider and so much at risk.
Zach may help me, but Zach’s behavior told me he had an underlying agenda for helping me. His possessiveness was scary but cute.
Why was he so possessive of me, though? I mean, how could someone feel this way after only three meetings?
I don’t know how long I had sat out there, but the sun had set, and it was getting dark. I finally gave up and booked an Uber to take me back to Zach’s.
Once I got back to the Golden IT building, the security officer at the reception opened the door for me and held out an iPad.
“Mr. Masters asked me to get your fingerprints on the system. Once I submit it, you’ll be able to get up to the penthouse.”
I nodded and did what the security instructed. After ten minutes, security escorted me to the lift and said it should all work.
I got into the open lift and presented the 20th-floor button, holding it down as Zach had.
The speaker beeped. “Miss Stacey Rover confirmed.” And soon after, the lift moved.
I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves.
I assured myself that this was the only way to stay alive right now.
Within minutes, the lift had reached the 20th-floor, and the doors dinged open.
I silently prayed that Zach had gone to bed and wouldn’t bump into me until the morning. Unfortunately, I didn’t have answers for him right now, and honestly, I was too exhausted to deal with him.
I walked through the foyer and headed to the kitchen to get some water. My stomach growled at the thought of water. I hadn’t eaten all day, and food had definitely been the last thing on my mind.
“There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry. I wasn’t sure if you’d be back tonight, so I had Terence leave something for you in the fridge.” Zach’s voice echoed through the open living area.
I turned to find him sitting on the couch, flipping through a folder. He held a glass in his free hand, half filled with a golden liquid. Zach had an expression on his face that was a cross between anger and annoyance.
*Shit!*
“Damn, you gave me a fright! What are you still doing up?” I asked, placing my bag on the counter and leaning against it.
“Well, when your house guest who is being hunted by God knows who leaves the house without informing anyone, it keeps you up.” Zach looked up at me, closing the folder and sipping on his drink. His eyes burned with an emotion I couldn’t decipher.
He was up because he was worried about me?
“Zach, I’m so sorry. When I left, there was no one here, and I was in a rush. I didn’t have your number either. I didn’t know I would be gone this long,” I explained, embarrassed.
“Clint was waiting at your apartment to let you in. We all were. What was so important that you didn’t remember you had asked for access into your apartment?” Zach arched his eyebrow. His handsome features were laced with annoyance.
“I-... umm-... I went to see Sam. We had a chat about the job offer you’ve made.” I lied, hoping he wouldn’t catch on.
“Really? You went all the way to Mercer Island to see Sam?”
How the hell did he know I went to Mercer Island?!
“Yeah. Umm-... Sam-... she likes the apple pie at a diner there,” I stuttered.
“Interesting. Sam was here in the building doing all the jobs you normally do. She even came to ask me what time you were going back to your apartment to get your belongings. So how did you and her go to Mercer Island together?” Zach sipped his drink while glaring at me.
“I-... Umm-...” I stuttered, trying to come up with another lie.
“How’s Derek? Did you have lots to talk about? You know what I don’t understand? You claim he’s your friend, but why would you have to sneak around and lie about seeing a friend?” Zach looked down at his glass, twirling the golden liquid around.
*Fuck, Zach was keeping an eye on me…..*