Page 229 of Bossy Hero

No one speaks for several seconds.

Although I keep my back to my team, I feel their eyes on me. The heat of their stares warms the back of my head as they wordlessly request direction.

The pressure holds me down with the weight of a tank.

I’ve always been comfortable with the burden of crucial decisions. Even when lives are on the line. Normally, the steps form clearly in my mind within seconds. By the time I’m asked how I’d like to proceed, I’ve already run through various scenarios and can answer immediately. It’s part of why I’ve always been comfortable in high-stakes leadership positions.

The same way I saw the flower in the painting, I typically view the right path for my team.

Not this time.

We don’t have enough people to cover two ports. And the more law enforcement we call in, the greater the risk.

Klein’s the first to break the arduous silence. “Well, are we splitting up between Miami and Tampa? Calling in more law enforcement? What’s the plan?”

I pivot away from the window to face my team, my arms crossing at my chest. The urge to tell themI have no fucking ideaswells from the pit of my stomach. But I cut it off in my throat.

One thing is for certain. I need more intel before I can make a solid decision.

“We’re not changing our strategy until we have more information about the Tampa port. While I step out to contact Bigsby, the intel team will hand out assignments for the fuck ton of tasks needed. You’re gonna help us complete several weeks of prep work in one day.”

I point at Tomer. “Divvy up that list and anything else you think we need to do. I’ll be back after I talk to the chief.”

Lettie rises from Tomer’s lap, allowing him to ease toward the easel we used for brainstorming.

He clears his throat, preparing to address the team. “All right. Here’s what we need.”

While they start on that shit, I need to figure out how to tell a man his daughter is a traitor.

Chapter42

Cuddle party

Maddie

Is it weird to feel disappointed that the twins are sleeping so contentedly?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled my daughter can catch up on her rest, and I certainly don’t want the babies to have any discomfort that would make them cry. However, I’m bummed I haven’t been needed more the last two nights. I figured I’d be warming bottles and changing diapers until the wee hours.

Nope. No such luck.

They were only awake twice last night. And once tonight. How are they such heavy sleepers at one-month-old?

I suppose there’s always tomorrow. Unless the Redleg team can bust Lenkov and drive home from Miami all in the same day, I’ll be here another night. Fingers and toes crossed.

However, I won’t hold my breath. The last two days have been taxing without Alan and my boys.

Compared to how long they were gone on military deployments, this is barely a blip. Those were brutally long. But this is a different type of fear.

Alan, Leo, Sawyer, and the others don’t have an entire battalion backing them up on this mission. Not even a local SWAT team.

While some undercover law enforcement officers are going to the port, Redleg is largely doing this on their own. Which is by design, given how many dirty cops they’ve identified. Once they catch Lenkov off guard and bust up the operation, they’ll call the authorities to swoop in and make the arrests. Any sooner and Lenkov could be tipped off.

Over the last several months, Chief Bigsby systematically checked for moles at CPD and other agencies. Certain elected officials, investigators, and detectives were given conflicting information about Lenkov’s criminal activities. Then Bigsby and Patterson watched to see who turned up where and when.

It didn’t take long to realize Lenkov has abundant snakes in the grass.

There’s corruption in virtually every agency with jurisdiction over the bratva’s various crime rings. No wonder they’ve gotten away with these atrocious crimes for decades. Hard to see prison time when you’ve got a long line of judges, prosecutors, elected leaders, and law enforcement officers ready and willing to help you get away with murder. Sometimes literally.

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