Chapter 14

Thousands of miles away, Danny looked around the gray and black room. Taking a deep breath, he drummed his fingers on the metal table. They had had him waiting for almost twenty minutes. This was such a waste of his time. Just then the door opened and in walked two people.

The first was a tall brunette woman. Danny looked at her with a small smile. She was pretty attractive. Her hair was pulled back tight in a bun and the police uniform didn't compliment her figure the best, but Danny was willing to bet she looked great naked. He could have fun with her.

His eyes trailed to the next person and he felt himself stiffen. Him. Damn it.

"Danny, we have asked you to be here just to answer some question," the lady officer said. "You aren't under arrest. We just were wondering about some things. This is here is Officer Conri Jᴔnsa of the Gardaí of Alᵫmdaun."

"Conri? Really? I was under the impression your name was Bal."

"I was undercover and it's Officer Jᴔnsa to you," Conri Jᴔnsa, alias Bal, snapped with narrow eyes.

Conri Jᴔnsa looked at Danny with a cold expression. He hadn't seen Danny since the night Alessandra had disappeared. At the thought of Aless, guilt racked Conri and he felt sick. How could he have just left her that night! He knew something was going on, yet he hadn't known for sure. Now she was missing.

"You already know each other?" the female officer asked.

"We met briefly while I was undercover."

"Ha! You tried to steal my girlfriend."

"What? What is he talking about, Officer Jᴔnsa?"

"Nothing. He was just insecure about his relationship with the missing girl."

"If you are too involved in this case, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Officer Jᴔnsa."

Grinding his teeth, Conri turned to look at the pretty officer. She was pretty, though not as pretty as Aless. Nodding, he looked at her seriously.

"Officer Minerva, do I look like I am uncontrolled?"

"No, sir."

"Then can we please continue?"

"Of course."

Taking a deep breath, Officer Minerva felt as if this was going to go very bad. Smiling pleasantly, she looked at Danny and took a seat across from him. Officer Jᴔnsa stayed standing.

"Danny, I need to know what you know about Alessandra's disappearance."

"I've already told the police! I don't know! I'm the one who called them the night she disappeared!"

Danny got himself very worked up, eyes watering.

"I know, Danny. Just please go over it again."

"We had a fight earlier that night. I was upset because Officer Jᴔnsa here kissed her."

Officer Minerva stiffened, but didn't look at her fellow officer.

"Go on."

"I went out with my guy friends. I guess she went home. I was drinking with my friends and it was really late. My phone started ringing and it was her. I didn't want to answer, but my friend DJ made me. I picked up and I was like what do you want….then I heard her crying and begging for help…she said they had Kayla and that they were coming after her…she said she was hiding and scared…I…I begged her to run…she said that she couldn't…she said they were coming and then she was quiet…then…"

His voice caught and put his face in hands. Officer Minerva placed a hand on his shoulder. Conri felt irritation grow in him as he watched the theatrical display.

"Then she screamed and I heard some guy laughing…she was calling my name at the top of her lungs…I called hers but…but I couldn't do anything…DJ was looking at me and I just couldn't hang up…I heard her screaming and then struggling…I heard the man yelling at her and her cry out in pain…I felt so useless…she was my girlfriend and I loved her…I couldn't protect her! Deity! If I had only not left her that night! If my pride hadn't been so important!"

A single tear slipped down his cheek as he looked up into the face of Officer Minerva. She felt bad for the poor boy. He was hurting, she could tell. Upper lip curling, Conri Jᴔnsa thought that this boy may actually have some regret mixed in with all the bullshit he was spewing.

"Really?" Conri laughed coldly. "Then why did it only take you three weeks to get another date?"

Both Danny and Officer Minerva looked at Conri in surprise.

"How did you know that?" Danny asked slowly.

"I felt the need to follow up on you after Alessandra and Kayla's sudden disappearance, since it did occur on the night you became angry with Aless."

"Why?"

"Officer Jᴔnsa came to Mᴔjin to investigate the movements of a very dangerous member of an Alᵫmdaun crime family. We believe he is connected to the girls' disappearance. We think that the girls were taken for a slave ring."

"I'm hearing a lot of 'believes' and 'thinks.' What does this have to do with me?"

"Unfortunately due to your…past, Danny, we cannot help but wonder about your real involvement."

"I loved Aless!"

"Then why did you date someone so soon after her disappearance!" Conri snarled leaning on the table.

"I'm not stupid! Okay! I know the statics of people coming home after they disappear! I was moving on!"

"What does that mean, Danny-boy?"

"She's dead! Isn't it obvious?"

"She isn't dead!"

Getting in Danny's face, Conri was shaking with rage. Officer Minerva pulled him back quickly.

"Officer Jᴔnsa! I will have you leave!"

"I am sorry, Minerva. It won't happen again."

Shaking his head, Danny leaned back in his chair smiling bitterly.

"I told you he tried to steal my girlfriend. He's a pedophile."

Snarling Conri held himself back, but this time even Minerva said something.

"Danny! You will not speak to an officer that way!"

"She was eighteen anyways," Conri murmured softly, looking at his feet.

Minerva couldn't help seeing Officer Jᴔnsa was blushing just a little.

"I'm just saying the way it is! It is highly unlikely Alessandra is alive. It's just statistically improbable. This asshole is just jealous that I was with her and he wasn't! If he was on the case, maybe he should have done a better job and Aless never would have been taken!"

Minerva knew Officer Jᴔnsa was going to move before he did. She was between him and Danny in seconds as he launched himself at Danny. Struggling to hold him back, Officer Minerva grunted as Danny slid his car back away from the table

"Officer Jᴔnsa, control yourself!" she barked, shoving Conri back.

"You little monster! You sold your own girlfriend. I know you did!"

"Officer Jᴔnsa, get out! Now!"

Her hand went to her kahō and Minerva stared hard at Conri Jᴔnsa. He was panting, curling and uncurling his fists. That little jerk was lying and he knew it. Everyone else may believe him, but Conri could see through his bullshit.

"Fine…I'll go…I just need to cool off. I'm sorry, Officer Minerva. It was very unprofessional of me."

"Yes, it was. You have been under a lot of stress with this case. I will catch you up on the interview later."

He nodded and left the interview room, fighting the urge to knock the smug smile off Danny's face. The door shut with a snap and Officer Minerva took a deep breath. Turning, she briefly saw a smug look on Danny's face before he quickly covered it up.

"Danny, the reason we had you come back down is because we found some recent evidence has led us back to you."

"What?"

"Some phone calls. A recent influx of your spending. And some other things I am not allowed to talk about."

"Where did this evidence come from? Officer Jᴔnsa?"

"Yes."

"Look the guy has something against me. I am not involved."

"Yeah, well, I'd keep your nose clean for a while, Danny. You may…"

There was a crackling sound and a voice came over the intercom.

"Officer Minerva, there is a federal agent here to talk to the suspect."

"What?" Minerva said. No one responded.

She hated the feds. They were always sticking their noses into things and making it more complicated. Standing up, Officer Minerva looked up as the door opened. A man wearing a million-dollar suit and dark sunglasses. He looked like a movie agent. Maybe she should transfer to the feds.

"Officer Minerva," the man said.

Taking off his sunglasses and putting them in his coat pocket, the man offered a hand to her. After releasing her hand, the man pulled out an id.

"I am Agent Jensen. I need to talk to this young man."

"He has not been charged and this is my case."

"Ma'am, this has to do with a kidnapping, which you should know is a federal crime."

"Yes, but…"

"I need to talk to him alone, Officer Minerva. Please leave us."

Officer Minerva opened to mouth to argue, but Agent Jensen looked at her with such hard eyes, she couldn't help but shut her mouth right away. He looked familiar. Minerva just couldn't put her finger on who he looked like.

"Fine!" she growled, leaving the room.

Danny watched Agent Jensen, his body a little tense. Agent Jensen sat down and unloaded a pad of paper, a pen and a little recording device. He looked up and smiled crookedly at Danny. Pressing a blue button on the recording device, the agent sighed.

"There we go," he said in an Alᵫmdaun accent, which had not been there moments ago.

"What are you doing here?" Danny hissed.

Danny leaned forward, looking around nervous.

"I heard you were being questioned. I thought I'd stop by and ask a few myself."

"Won't they notice you aren't interrogating me?"

"Don't worry about it. They won't hear or notice a thing."

Agent Jensen tapped the recorder with a knowing smiling.

"Oh…oh."

Danny smiled too. He leaned back in his chair, suddenly relaxed.

"So since when are you a federal agent?"

"I always wanted to be one so seemed like a good opportunity."

"But how…"

"Danny-boy, it's me. I can do whatever the hell I want. I'm just that good."

The Alᵫmdaun winked at Danny and Danny couldn't help but feel irritation at the man's arrogance.

"So, what are you doing here? Didn't the race start? Won't they notice you're missing?"

"Naw, the idiot Dúcái drugged me. He didn't use enough though, so I just slept it off on the plane. I will get back a little after the hunters leave. I'm not worried. I have already made plans to have my slaves detained."

"Oh…is…is my Aless among them?"

"Your Aless? Are you serious? You sold her to Dominic, Danny. You have no right to her. Thought honestly, I was surprised to hear she even dated someone like you."

"I…I didn't sell her! I just mentioned her to Celso. I thought she would be a good candidate."

"Uh huh. Whatever the case, she is fine. She's a real bitch."

"Yeah, that's my Aless."

Danny's smile faded a little and he felt an unusual guilt. His Aless. Scowling, the fake officer didn't like the sound of Alessandra's name on Danny's lips. It made his skin crawl.

"Don't tell me you really fell for her?"

"No…no…it's just…she's hard to forget."

"I have noticed."

"How did you know where to find me?"

"Danny, I always know where you are. Imagine my surprise to learn you were working with Dominic. You really should be careful. He's not as nice of a guy as I am."

Swallowing, Danny said nothing. He looked at his hands and the faint scars that ran across his knuckles.

"You remember what I'm like when I'm upset then?"

"Yes."

"Then you will help me."

"With what?"

"If Alessandra and her obnoxious friend get back here, I want you to call me. To keep an eye on them."

"She is of interest to you?"

"A little. She intrigues me, and you know I just hate to lose. Do we have an understanding?"

Gulping, Danny saw Aless's innocent face in his mind. What was going to happen to her?

"Yes, I understand."

"Good. Keep your nose a little cleaner this time. I don't want to waste my time coming here and making you look innocent."

"Yes, sir."

"And stay away from Dominic. He's a nut."

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Danny thought to himself, but aloud he just said, "Yes, sir."

The man disguised as Agent Jensen rose and turned his back on Danny, heading for the door. Danny hesitated, but could not stop himself from asking.

"She's okay, right? You aren't going to hurt her? She'll be okay…right?"

Pausing, the lying man turned around.

"Of course, Danny-boy."

"You promise?"

"I promise or my name isn't Cahan Jensen."

"But your name is Jᴔnsa!"

Jᴔnsa had already turned away and had his hand on the door.

"What's your point?" he asked in rough voice.

Cahan threw the door open and put on his sunglass.

"And if you have a problem with it, Danny-boy, maybe you shouldn't have played with the Three-Eyed Cąȶ."