Temporary Pain

Chapter Sixteen

I held back a frustrated groan. Mayor Matthew Howser was not giving anything up.

We've been at this for three straight hours. "I do not know anything Agent Andrews," Mayor Howser repeated. "What about Quince Lupo? You know him?" I asked losing my patients.

Howser tensed and his eyes grew cold. "I'd like to speak with my lawyer."

"Do you have a family Howser?" I asked my grip tightening on the metal chair in front of me. "I'd like to speak with my lawyer," he repeated.

"You see I have a girlfriend. Wonderful woman, I love her. About a month ago some package shows up. She opens it and the brother she thought was dead turns out to be alive," I drawled. "I would like to speak to my lawyer."

I continued without acknowledging his request. "And in this package there were names. Let's say about twenty names. And you know what Howser? Your name was one of them!"

"I want to speak with my Lawyer."

"And I slowly began to realize that all these names happened to be connected to Quince Lupo!" I said sarcastically. "Hey! I know my rights! I want to talk to my lawyer!" Howser shouted.

"Oh don't preach to me about rights! That's rich coming from you! Running around selling drugs to gangs!" I shouted.

"I told you I don't know anything about Quince Lupo," Howser hissed. "Please. I'm begging you. Anything you have connected to Quince Lupo. My girlfriend's life could be at risk Howser. We'll put you in protective services," I pleaded.

"I'm sorry Agent Andrews," the man answered. I broke. I walked around the table and picked the bastard up by his collar before slamming him against the wall.

"Your the scum of this earth Howser. I can't wait to see you crash and burn you motherfucker," I spat like his name was venom. "I'm gonna nail your ass the the wall like a fucking trophy you piece of shit!" I shouted.

Arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me back. I let them because I couldn't make any promises that I wouldn't kill the bastard. "You calm," the police chief drawled angrily in his Mississippi accent. I held up my hands and nodded.

"I'm fine."

"You sure? Because you just assaulted the Mayor of Mississippi. I get that yer FBI but were a small police department and we ain't need that type of rep down here son," the fifty year old man said. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"It best not young man." I nodded and sighed. "So I hear yer from Chicago. Explains the funny accent."

During my time undercover I was ordered to kidnap this little boy. And I remember thinking why the hell did they want a little boy? It wasn't until later, when they were pulling off his finger nails, that his story came together.

His dad was part of Quince Lupo's crew. So when Quince ordered his father to be killed the little boy had gone to the police. And he remembered me.

I'd been at the police station that day to pick up some reports and I saw him. When the time came for his throat to be slit he begged me. He begged for me to save him. "¡Por favor, señor! No quiero morir! ¡Por favor, ayúdame!" He had cried over and over again.

I had nightmares about it for months. This is just one of the many things I haven't told Amy. As I sat in my hotel room I was slowly coming to the realization that I was keeping a lot of stuff from Amy.

She had to know. My past made me the man I am today and to know me she has to know my past. I swallowed painfully.

Fucking hell.

My phone dinged and I checked who it was. Well, speak of the devil.

How's Mississippi? Amy's message asked.

Warmer than Chicago.

I miss you.

Ditto baby. How'd your appointment go?

When she didn't answer right away I went into the kitchen and fixed a sandwich. Fifteen minutes later there was still no response. Probably in the shower or something.

Can we talk about it when you get home? My stomach sank. What's wrong?

It's nothing bad Carson. I just want to tell you in person.

Okay. I love you.

I love you too babe.

I woke up with an ache in my neck and a cramp in both my legs because of the way I fell asleep on the couch. And the coffee maker was busted. And there was no hot water for the shower. So to say this morning was fucked would be an understatement.

Oh and so far the highlight was my boss called to chew my ass out because of what went down with the Mayor yesterday. This morning was so fucking great.

I've never been more frustrated than I am now. I grabbed my car keys and headed out the door. On my way out the lobby a young man bumbed into my shoulder. "I'm sorry," he apologized wide eyed and frenzied. "It's fine. Hey you okay?"

He swallowed and nodded before turning away. I reached into my pocket for my phone. When I pulled it out a piece of paper fell out with it.

I opened and my heart stuttered. She's not safe was scrawled in messy loopy letters. My head snapped up and I searched the lobby. I turned in a one hundred eighty degree angle but no one was there except people at the front desk.

What the fuck?

"What are you doing here?" Howser asked with a panicked voice. I dropped into the chair across from him and sighed. He looked around the room confused. "Calm down," I mumbled defeated.

A cocky smile crossed his face. "Is this supposed to be your good cop routine? You're doing fairly well."

I sighed and clutched my aching head. "There's no damn routine Howser," I said pulling a bottle of advil out and taking a few.

"You don't look like a smoker," Howser said when I pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Haven't done it in years. This one will be first in seven years," I muttered around the cigarette in my mouth. "You did good why now? That shit will kill you."

I shrugged and breathed in the four thousand chemicals that were in the cancer stick. "Seemed like a good day to have one," I answered blowing smoke out the side of my mouth.

A calm settled over me that I haven't had in years. It felt good.

"What do you have in connection with Quince Lupo?" He bit his lip thoughtfully. "You said I'd get protection right?" I nodded and and took another draw of my cigarette.

"Benz. He's getting all the big people involved with it. A few weeks ago he came to me and told me that someone, a cop, had gotten into his business," Howser said nervously. I held up my hand and looked at him like he was crazy.

"Quince Lupo was arrested a little over a month ago so how did you see him a few weeks ago?"

"That's what I thought too until he showed up on my doorstep. Quince told me that his second had been arrested and because I'm a Mayor he thought I could tell him who the undercover cop was."

"Did you figure out the cops name Howser? I need to know if you told him the cops name," I said unable to hide my frustration. Howser shook his head no.

Thank Christ. I was pretty sure my undercover file was under a false name but I had to be sure.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Dobbs. "I need a transport arranged for Mayor Matthew Howser."