Hello my friends. I have some great news. I’ve figured out the ending to my novel. Don’t worry, this isn’t the last chapter. However, it is the second last chapter. Next week I will post the final chapter and I really hope it wows you. So, let’s dive into Chapter 28 – Keep Your Friends Close.
Keep Your Friends Close
Adam woke up to the sound of birds singing outside his window. Blinking as the sun shone through his window he looked around, taking in his new surroundings. The door opened and Odette walked in. She smiled when she saw that he was awake.
“Hey sleepy head. We were starting to wonder if you were going to sleep all day. How are you feeling?” Adam sat up and hissed as pain shot through his ankle after falling off the pillow it had been propped on. The detective nodded and walked over, helping him settle against some pillows and propping up his foot. “I figured as much. Stay put. I’ll get some ice for your ankle and some food for you.” Turning and heading out, she moved to the side so that Drew could come in. Adam looked relieved to see him.
“Hey kid. Glad to see you awake. Detective Mathers getting you something to eat?” Adam nodded his head. His throat felt raw and he wasn’t sure he would be able to speak clearly. Drew headed to the side table and poured him a glass of water, passing him the glass as he parked himself on the edge of Adam’s bed. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions. Would you rather eat and rest some more first?” Adam chugged the water, the cold liquid soothing his throat.
“No, I want answers now. What’s going on?” His voice was still raspy and he wondered how long he had been asleep. After finishing the rest of his water he looked Drew in the eye. “Please tell me what is going on.”
*
Detective Allan Richards hung up his cell phone as his partner walked into the room. Her smile faded when she saw the look on his face.
“Bad news?” He nodded, sitting down at the small kitchen table. The cabin was an FBI safe house and they had permission to use it.
“Afraid so. Elijah shook the feds that were tailing him. They have no idea where he is now. I’m thinking of joining the search. You should stay here and provide backup for Drew if he needs it. Right now we need to keep our friends close. If Elijah knows that the FBI is closing in on him, he could do something dangerous.” Odette shook her head.
“No way am I letting you go after that monster alone. This place is completely off the grid. Drew is perfectly capable of taking care of Adam. They won’t be going anywhere with the kid’s ankle still busted. I’m starting to wonder if it’s broken. The swelling seems to be getting worse. The sooner we get all the players behind bars, the sooner we can get Adam to a hospital.” Allan sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes.
“Okay, we will leave tonight. We both need some sleep before going after any of these criminals.”
Keep Your Friends Close
Drew sighed and looked out the window. Adam could see in his expression that he was wrestling with what to tell him.
“Drew, after everything that’s gone down in the last few days, I think I can handle anything you have to tell me.” Smiling, Drew turned back to Adam.
“I guess you should know. After all, you have been lied to your entire life. Alright, I’ll tell you. I’m an undercover cop. I’ve known Detectives Richards and Mathers for a number of years. I worked in the same department with them before moving to a special task force. I’ve been undercover in Wallace Vanderboon’s organisation for about six months.” Adam frowned.
“Why would you be undercover in his organisation? I thought they were the good guys?” Drew shook his head.
“That’s just what they want everyone to think. Under the radar Vanderboon and his followers have been competing against Elijah’s circle, stealing business from them, sabotaging their operations and even killing some of his people. In return, Elijah and his people have started a war with Vanderboon. Too many innocent people are getting caught up in it.”
“Like my mom?” Nodding, the cop’s gaze softened. “Is Elijah really my dad?”
“Biologically, yes. The story you were told about what happened to your mother was true, mostly. One small detail was left out.” Adam gave him a confused look. “The Ness couple was supposed to kill you too!”
*
Adam stared at him in disbelief.
“Me? I was a baby. Why would Elijah order them to kill me?” Drew shook his head.
“We don’t think the order came from Elijah. Honestly, we have no idea where the Ness couple got the order, or why. There were rumours that the order came through a hack that Vanderboon ordered, but there is nothing to prove that. At least nothing that I uncovered. I always suspected that Vanderboon had his doubts about me. He always kept me at arms length and never let me have any real details. Those details always went to Valerie and Mick.” Odette softly knocked on the door, coming in with a bag of ice. Allan followed with a tray of some food.
“Sorry to interrupt. There’s some pain killers on the tray as well, but only take them after you’re finished eating. They’re not something you want to take on an empty stomach.” The two detectives turned to Drew.
“Can we speak to you for a moment?” He nodded and followed them out, promising Adam he would be right back to continue his story. They closed the door behind them leaving Adam alone with his food and his thoughts. He still couldn’t believe that Daniel and Nancy Ness, the people who had raised him, were the ones who killed his mom and also had orders to kill him. Why did they disobey? Turning to his food, his stomach growled and he sighed as he grabbed a strip of bacon. Maybe there were some answers he was never going to get.
*
“Are you two crazy? Our orders were to stay and protect the kid, and now you want to go and hunt the guy who is hunting us?” Drew shook his head in disbelief. Allan glanced back at Adam’s room.
“Keep your voice down. Look, we don’t know where our FBI contact is and there isn’t much to do here with Adam being laid up in bed. We can’t just sit here and wait to be found by Elijah’s people and we can’t move Adam right now. So, the best thing is to be proactive and help find him. Keep your cell phone turned off so Vanderboon’s people can’t track you. We know they are out looking for you.” The undercover cop sighed as he saw the determination on his two friend’s faces.
“I don’t like it, but I know better than to try and stop the two of you from doing something you’ve already set your mind to. Just be careful out there, okay?”
*
Adam looked up as Drew walked back in. His face told him that Drew had not enjoyed that conversation.
“Is everything okay?” Drew shrugged.
“Depends on your definition of okay. Allan and Odette are going to get some rest and leave tonight. They’re going to join the hunt for Elijah. We will stay here so that you can heal up.” Pulling up a chair, he sank into it, not wanting to jostle Adam’s ankle by sitting on the bed again. Adam could tell that Drew was exhausted, but he had to know.
“Drew?” The man looked at him. “I get that I was in danger with Vanderboon being at the house, but do you really think that leaving Valerie there was smart? I mean, she was my mother’s sister, wasn’t she?” Drew sighed.
“Yes, but she is Vanderboon’s right hand. She might be blood, Adam, but she’s not a good person. She’s done some horrible things too. I know. I’ve seen the aftermath.” Adam shook his head in disbelief. “You know that saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer?” Adam nodded. “That’s how I stayed alive so long.”
*
Night fell and Allan gave Drew some final instructions before he left with Odette. Their friend still didn’t like the plan. He could almost feel like something bad was going to come out of this. As he locked the door he reflected on what he had shared with Adam, that he thought Valerie killed Mick. Keep your friends close. That was one of the first things he had learned as an undercover cop. Sighing, his thoughts went back to his theory. Mick had been a close friend, helping him get into the organisation. Valerie didn’t like him much, but Wallace did. So, when Mick told him that Drew would be a good fit, he didn’t question it. Valerie did. As much as Drew thought he had been careful to play the part, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had slipped up somewhere.
A knock sounded at the door and Drew reached for his gun, wishing the door had a peephole. Slowly he approached the door and opened it enough to see who was there. Before he could slam the door shut, the person shoved the door open, knocking him down, his gun slipping from his hand. Valerie walked in, her gun aimed at Drew’s head.
“Hey Drew.”
Keep your friends close, your enemies closer
Oh man, will they ever catch a break? I decided to give you all a bit of a longer chapter with Keep Your Friends Close, and next week will most likely be a longer chapter as well, while I work to wrap the story up. I hope you enjoyed this one and I will get the next chapter ready for next week. Then I will need to plan the next story. So much to do, so little time. Have a great weekend everyone.
