Page 66 of The Lies We Believe

Montoya became my shadow as we melted into the night and made our way at a clipped pace to our meeting point, where we convened with the rest of our group. Beta team would enter the back of the property through the cellar entrance with the intention of liberating the children who were being held. A couple of clicks out, we had vans and an unmarked ambulance on standby to move them to a safe house and administer any required emergency first aid.

Alpha team would breach the property by the side entrances to the east and west of the mansion and lock down all entrances to the ballroom. If everything went according to plan, we’d walkout with Dahlia and her associates in cuffs. My eyes were on the prize. I’d leave every other sick fucker who was present to the rest of the team, but that bitch was mine. She’d made it personal, and I could be as vindictive as the next person. I wanted my face to be the last one she saw when she took the last breath of fresh air she’d ever get as a free woman.

“Split. Split. Split,” Bower ordered. The teams divided as we reached the property line. Things moved swiftly, and my heart thundered like a war drum. My blood whooshed in my ears as adrenaline flooded my veins, sharpening my senses and bringing the world into focus around me.

Once we were in position, we waited for the signal to breach the property. We had to time it perfectly, so each team entered the building at the same time, leaving no exit unmanned if anyone tried to run. Trepidation skittered across my skin, and it felt like time slowed as we waited with bated breath for the go sign.

“Go. Go. Go.” Alpha team moved as one as Montoya opened the unlocked door. The others swept in, making sure the coast was clear. I scoffed at the arrogance of the monsters who thought they were untouchable. A malicious smile lifted my lips behind my mask as I entered the building and closed the door behind me.

On silent feet, we followed the blueprints we’d memorized through reception rooms and libraries, then down the grand hallway that led to the ballroom where tonight’s activities would take place. We lined up, four agents on either side of the door, and waited for confirmation everyone was in place.

Focused on regulating my breathing, my fingers flexed around my grip. Someone tapped my shoulder. I glanced up to see Montoya waving her hand in front of her neck before tapping her ear. After a momentary confusion, I got what she was getting at, and strained my ears, trying to hear anything above thebreathing of our team, but the house was silent. Surely, if there was an auction going on, we’d have heard them by now.

Lead filled my feet as the truth set in. My jaw clenched, and I ground my molars while we waited for the signal to enact the final part of tonight’s plan. It took every single year of my training not to allow my growing disappointment to derail my focus.Lock it down, Bane. Focus on the now. You can’t fuck up.

“Abort. Abort. Montoya and Benson, remain there. I’m coming in. The rest of you, clear out.”

“What the fuck?” Henderson hissed as he turned to me, his eyes narrowing. “What’s going on?”

My shoulders slumped, and defeat washed over me. “I have no idea. Head out to the designated meeting point and wait for further instruction.”

Henderson stuck his middle finger up at me and followed the rest of the guys out the way we had come. After a few minutes, Davis’s voice filled my ear, and I cringed at his smug tone.

“Beta team found thirty men downstairs, all drivers who were hired to collect a Mr. Jacob Benson and his team. There is no one else in the property.”

“I’ve taken statements from all of them—it was a rush job that came through tonight. I’ll liaise with the company owners tomorrow, and once I’ve got my hands on the payment details, I’ll trace the sender and see what I can find out,” Jordan said next, sounding as deflated as I felt.

Montoya looked at me, confusion clear on her face. I kicked the wall and threw my mask on the floor. “FUCK!”

“What’s wrong? What do you know?”

“D-Davis.” Anger consumed me as his words played over and over in my head. “He said the drivers were all waiting to collect me and our team, and confirmed the building is empty.”

“Shit.”

“This is so fucked up. She used me. She fucking framed me, Montoya. There’s no way Bower will let me continue working on this case. W-what’s going to happen to River if I’m pulled from his protection?” Fear lanced through my heart like a bolt of lightning, turning it to dust.

“Don’t. Don’t go there.” She growled and yanked my head down to her level. “Don’t let that bitch get inside your head. Do not let her win.”

Before I could answer, the clacking of shoes echoed down the hallway from where Bower had entered through the unlocked front door. The flashlight in his hand swung wildly, the bright beam carving a blinding arc of light in our direction. My hand shot out to cover my eyes, and he was standing in front of me before I could even blink.

“What the fuck happened, Benson?”

“I-I don’t know, sir.” I hung my head, and focused on my booted feet. My hands balled into fists, then relaxed at my sides as I drew in a deep, calming breath. It took every ounce of self-control to swallow the vitriol on the tip of my tongue. Arguing over something beyond my control would accomplish nothing. But having my integrity questioned? That was dangerously close to crossing a line. I could only hope Bower would see reason before I reached my breaking point.

“You were played. Clearly, your turncoat is more manipulative than you thought. He. Fucking. Played. You. Do you understand how much this raid tonight cost? Our department can’t afford to keep blowing the budget on failures like this.”

“That’s not fair, sir. If you look at it logically?—”

“Do not question me, Benson. I have given you a hell of a lot of latitude in this case.” What he meant was he’d given me enough rope to hang myself if it failed, which it looked like it had. I couldn’t dispute that.

I cleared my throat, steeled my spine, and pulled my shoulders back. I looked Bower straight in the eye. “I’m certain it was Davis, sir.”

Bower eyed me. I felt the glacial weight of his gaze drag from my head to my feet before it returned to my face. “And what do you have to support that claim?”

“He was the only one on his phone during the briefing. There was a two hour window between it and when we left,” I explained. “He had plenty of time to notify his contact so they could change locations. That, and the drivers were waiting here to collect me and my team.”

His hand ran down the side of his face. I could see him weighing the odds of what I was saying, but he wasn’t willing to give me an inch and changed tack. “Have you at least scoped out the ballroom?”

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