So, here is another chapter. And after this one it gets a little more action-packed. I hope you'll like this chapter.

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I'm glad as my alarm clock finally goes off. I had a restless night.
Firstly, because I don't know what today's coming up to me and secondly because I slept alone in my bed again.
Unbelievable how two nights in company can change someone's habits.
I've finished my morning routine and am dressed in a blue jeans and a red tank top.
I pour myself a cup of coffee as someone knocks on my apartment door.
Either it's one of the T's who wants to put a bullet into my head after Frankie's outburst last night or maybe it's Maura, who misses me once again.
I personally prefer Maura.
Even though I know better, I open the door without looking through the peephole.
That could be fatal.
But it's already too late as I realize my mistake.
The door is already open.
It's neither one of the T's nor Maura.
It's my youngest brother Tommy.
He beams at me, "Hey, Janie."
I am naturally a skeptical person. Especially when it comes to Tommy, "What have you done now?"
He rolls his eyes and enters my apartment, "Can't I visit my own sister?"
Now, I roll my eyes, "No."
He snorts. "Ma is worried about you and Frankie. She says that you two are acting strange lately."
A growl rumbles from my chest and I walk back to my steaming cup of coffee, "And now you're her snitch?"
Tommy chuckled and went to my fridge, "Of course not. I fled from her." he sniffles at the open orange juice bottle and wrinkles his nose. "Where's your new girlfriend?"
I snatch the bottle from his grasp and put it back in the fridge, "I don't have a new girlfriend."
He smirks sleazy, "So you just get her laid?"
I sigh annoyed, "Tommy, what do you want?"
He walks to the kitchen counter and sits down on one of the high stools, "As I already said, Ma is worried."
"When is she not worried?"

"She told me that she don't see you in the Café anymore."
I groan and rub my face with both of my hands. "I have work to do when I'm in the headquarter and have no time for gossiping around."
He laughs and drinks from my coffee mug. "I told her that too. But you have to admit that Frankie and you do act strangely."

I stare at him.
I have two options.
I can tell him the truth and put his life in danger as well.
Or I can tell him to butt out to keep at least one if my mother's kids safe.
I know that Tommy will do what I tell him because he always does.
He's a good guy.
A little bit naive and goofy, but a good guy.
I sigh and put my hands on the surface of my kitchen counter, "It's work-related. It's all you need to know."
He nods his head and grins, "When do I get to know your new girl?"
As I said, he do what I tell him.
I scoff and throw a dish towel at his head.
"What," he asks with an high-pitched voice.
I open my mouth to answer his question as my phone starts to ring.
It's not my phone. It's the phone that Tory has given me last night.
I stare at the device and my heart speeds up.
I didn't thought that I should talk to Liam in the middle of the morning.

I take the phone in my hand and look at the display.
A number that says absolutely nothing to me shows up.
I lick my lips and accept the call, "Hello?"
"Jane?" asks a female voice back.
I furrow my eyebrows, "Yeah?"
The caller sighs, "Oh, thank goodness. Jane, it's me. Tanja."
A frown crawls up on my forehead, she sounds scared. "Hey, Tanja. What's up?"
"Jane, can we talk?"
I glance at Tommy, who nods with a smug smile.
I turn away from him and walk towards my bedroom, "Uh ... sure. Hit me."
She sighs again,"Not on the phone. Can we meet?"
I glance at my bedroom door and my frown deepens. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure. Where should we meet?"
"In Franklin Park. In an hour."
I look at my watch and nod to myself, "Okay."
"See you," Tanja says and hangs up.
I stare at the phone and blink.
What the hell just happened?
I could take advantage of that but I have to treat the whole situation with careful. It could be a set-up.
Just one step wrong and I can say goodbye to the world.
The phone call let me become suspicious cause Frankie and I haven't start our new strategy yet.
But I don't have the time to overthink that now.
At least, it's only me whose life I put at a risk.
I went back to my brother and look apologetically at him, "Sorry, Tommy. But I have to go."
Tommy is chewing at something. "It's okay. Hey, can I stay here for a while? Ma is driving me nuts."
I grab my keys and smile as I look at him, "Sure, but lock the door when you're leaving."
He sips his coffee, "All right. Bye, Jane."
I open my door and look at him once again. "Bye."
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During the ride to the Franklin Park I have a bad feeling.
The whole time this little nagging voice in the back of my head advices me to turn around and ignore Tanja's call.
But the young woman has sound scared and the cop in me would hate me and blame me for the rest of my life if something would happen to her.
So I push the annoying voice further in the back of my head and drive to the agreed meeting place.
The Franklin Park is a crowded place, especially at such a hot morning, and either Troy nor Toben would dare to do any harm to me or Tanja here.
I get out of my Mazda and blink against the hot summer sun.
It's barely ten o'clock in the morning and I could melt away.
I glance at my jacket that lies on the passenger's seat and decide against it to put it on.
I place my aviator sunglasses on the bridge of my nose.
My skin is already covered by a thin layer of sweat and I welcome each cooling breeze.
I walk into the park and look out for dollface aka Tanja.
We should have arranged a more precise meeting point.
The park is too big to search for a single person.
Someone grab me at my elbow and I feel the urge to jab my attacker.
"Relax," the person says. "It's just me, Tanja."
My muscles relaxes again, "Jeez, dollface. Are you tired of your life. You can't just creep up on me."
She releases my arm again, "Sorry."
I take a deep breath and hook my thumbs in the loops of my jeans. "You wanted to talk to me. Talk."
She pushes her Audrey Hepburn sunglasses on top of her head and glances with her light blue eyes at me, "You seem to be trustworthy."
"Thanks," I grumble. "I hear that a lot."
She links her arm with mine and smiles at a pedestrian.
I immediately tense up and resist the urge to growl.
"You can't go to Liam, "she says.
I furl my eyebrows, "Why? What's the problem?"
She hesitates for a moment, "He doesn't owe Troy any money."
"Okay. So why does he want that Toben and I go to him?"
She sighs and clings to my arm, "Because Terry wants so."
"But Terry is his number two."
"Now he is his number two."
I start to listen attentively, "What do you mean?"
She looks up to me, "Terry was once the number one but he became cocky and the head of Irish Freedom dethroned him. So Troy became the head of our group."

"And Troy dances to Terry's tune." I state.
"We all do," she says and swallows hard. "Troy may be the poster boy for this crew, but Terry is the strategic brain. He pulls the strings."
I am quiet for a moment.
Such new information I haven't expected.
This changes the whole situation.
It makes the whole operation more difficult, more dangerous.
When Tory is just Terry's puppet, we have to refocus our goal.
This can be time consuming and life-threatening.
I have to keep a stiff upper lip and I can't press Tanja with strange question that could lead to the presumption that I'm a cop.
I take a deep breath and went in the direction of a mobile concession stand, "But what did Liam do to piss Terry off?"
"He's friends with me," Tanja answers.
I take two bottles of water and hand the vender money, "Excuse me."
Tanja takes one of the bottles and start to walk again, "Liam and I are friends since high school. We are ... we were best friends."
I open my own bottle of water and sip the cool beverage. "What happened?"
She sighs and sits down on a bench, "Liam and I became friends in school. He has accepted me for who I really am. Unfortunately, in the same time my brother has embarked with the wrong people. And I've done the same."
I place my elbows on my knees and lean forward, "Terry and Troy."
"Yeah. Liam judged them correctly from the very first moment he met them, and he wanted to get me out of the vicious cycle. But if you once are the property of a Bennett, then you'll always remain their property. Come hell or high water."
I glance at her and furl my eyebrows, "Property? You're a god damn human being. How can you be a property of someone?"
She sighs again and shrugs her shoulders, "That's how it works when you are friends with the Bennett's. And when they get bored, then they pass their toy on the other. And currently I'm their toy."
"I thought you are in a relationship with Terry."
"No," she laughs bitterly and becomes serious again. "No, he isn't my ... type. I ... don't like men in that way."
"Oh," I say and then I raise my eyebrows after the words has sink in. "Oh! That's what you meant when you said that Liam accepted you for whom you really are. But ... does Terry ..."

"No," she interrupts me. "No, he never crossed the line. He just stares at me and fondles me. I don't have to like it, but so they leave me alone."
I sigh and frown, "What do you want me to do with Liam?"
She stares right ahead and lowers her chin, "Could you ... could you make sure that Toben won't go to hard for him? And could you make sure that Liam will be fine after your visit?"
I slowly nod my head and place a hand on her knee.
If this is a trick, then Tanja is a damn good actress.
Then this whole meeting is award-worthy.
"I can't promise too much, but I will do my best."
She smiles a little and put a hand over mine.
I feel the urge to pull my hand away, but I resist.
I smile at her and squeeze her knee.
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I come back to my apartment and am relieved that Tommy has listened to me and has locked the door.
I enter my apartment and slump down against the door.
In what did Frankie and I got ourselves into?
At the beginning, it seemed to be a good, solid plan to get into the sub-group of the Irish Freedom and do our jobs.

And now it starts to get complicated.
I groan and get up from the floor.
I should keep an clear mind but I really need a beer now.
I went to the fridge and open its door.
I grab a beer and walk to my couch and flop down on the seat.
I lean back and close my eyes.
A headache starts in the back of my head and I exhale loudly through my mouth.
The day hadn't really started yet and I curse myself for getting out of my bed.
I open the bottle and open a file on my coffee table.
It's Tanja Stiller's file.
Frost us right, she only has small previous convictions.
Shop theft, pickpocketing, inebriety, speeding.
Just trifles.
I can't see why she should give me a song and a dance about Troy and Terry?
What I can't understand is why Terry has a criminal record that is as harmless as Tanja's.
I stare at Tanja's photo and run my left middle finger thoughtfully over my left eyebrow.
Something reeks.
I grab my phone and dial a familiar number.

It rings four times.
"Korsak," he says.
I lean forward and inspect the content in the green bottle, "Korsak, it's me. Jane. You have to do me a favor."
"Sure."
"Can you find out for me who the cop was that arrested Terry Bennett?"
I can hear him typing on his keyboard, "Is there a particular reason?"
I sip my beer and frown. "I just had a revealing conversation with Tanja Stiller. She told me that Tory isn't the head of the group, but his brother Terry. I want to know why he has a criminal record only because of trifles."
He pauses and I can see him frowning. "When did you met her?"
I glance at my watch, "Uh, about thirty minutes ago."
"Did you took Frankie with you?"
"I hadn't had the time for calling him."
He sighs, "Terry Bennett was always arrested by a Officer Daniel Hewitt."
"No exceptions?"
"No exceptions."
I think for a moment and chew on my bottom lip.
I have to make a decision.
I lean back again and take a deep breath, "Can you and Frost bring the both of you closer to Hewitt?"
"Do you think he has something to do with the whole thing?"
"Yeah, I think he's dirty."
"Jane, that snarl the whole thing."
I nod to myself, "I know, Vince. But it is already complicated."
"Take care, Jane." he says and hangs up.
I take a deep breath and take another sip of my beer.
Suddenly, I feel like a tiger who is locked up in a narrow steel cage.
I hardly can breathe.
I close my eyes and scream through clenched teeth.
I abandon my beer and grab my motorcycle helmet and the keys.
I leave my apartment again and lock the door.
I take the stairs to the garage.
I need a little freedom, something that takes my brain off.
That's when usually I take a ride on my Triumph Thruxton from 2014.
I bought the bike for a good price from an old school friend after his pregnant wife had made a scene.
The bike itself is simple black but the engine mount is chromed.
Plain-Jane but still beautiful.
I put on my helmet and put the key into the ignition.
I turn the key and the engine comes to life.
I sigh heavily and speed out of the garage.
On my Triumph I'm normally not a speedster but today I have no feeling for the traffic law.
Tanja wanders like a ghost through my mind.
And there is Maura.
Maura who wants a committed relationship.
And then there is Hewitt.
And Tory.
And Terry.
And Tanja.
And that the Bennett's think that they own this poor girl.
And then there is this whole damn case.
And Frankie, who's life is threatened by Troy.
I speed up and maneuver the bike sharply into a curve.
So sharp that my knee almost touches the asphalt.
A car honks as I cut it but I don't give a damn.
I clench my teeth and accelerate the pace.
I haven't realized that I am driving along the ocean until I reach an abandoned place.
I breath hard as I turn off the engine and take off my helmet.
I still sit on the seat of my Triumph as the cool salty air of the sea hits my face and I close my eyes.
Maybe the case is too much for me.
Frankie is right. I am a cop and I never could harm an innocent man.
But Troy demands exactly that from me. To harm Liam Sullivan.
I could let arrest him to keep him safe.
But for what?
Fashion crime?
Last night I let him get checked by Frost.
The only crime he has committed was illegal parking.
Therefore he don't get life.
Jeez, he isn't a felon.
There is a bench with a direct view on the ocean. It's a beautiful view.
I get off the bike and went to the bench. In the same time I take my real phone out of my pocket and type a message.
I sit down and get mesmerized by the waves of the ocean.
I get lost in my own world of thoughts and wince when I feel a hand on my shoulder.
I haven't realized that so much time has already gone by.
I look to my right and see Maura smiling at me as she sits down.
I smile back at her and frown, "I hope I don't keep you from work."
She shakes her head, "It has its benefits to be my own boss and I've already performed the autopsy of today." she smoothes the worried lines on my forehead. "What keeps your mind so busy, Jane?"
I sigh and lean back. I look at her and realize that she doesn't wear much make-up and still looks beautiful. But that doesn't matter now, "I currently work on a very delicate case and there is a man I can't protect."
She crosses her legs and frowns slightly. "Why can't you protect him?"
I close my eyes and run my left eye, "Because he is friends with the wrong person."
"Take him into protective custody," she suggests.
I laugh briefly and shake my head. If we would do that, our cover would be busted.
I am pretty sure that Liam is a kind of dare.
Tory and Terry wants to test if they can trust me ... Trust us.
I lean forward and put my elbows on my knees. I stare over the sea into the endless horizon, "You know ... I sacrificed my life to protect the citizens of Boston. I never wanted to be something else than a cop. Once I thought I could save the whole world," I sigh heavily. "But now I am even not able to save one lousy soul."
She places her hand in my neck. It's a soothing touch and it makes me looking at her and I see nothing but kindness in her eyes.
"You never can save every soul, Jane." she says. "There will always be a soul that can't or don't want to be saved. The only thing you can do is to try."
I lean back and eye her, "How old is your soul?"
"Old," she laughs.
I take a deep breath and pull her closer. I kiss her gently, "Hi, by the way."
Maura smiles broadly at me, "Hi." she points at my bike. "Is that your Triumph?"
I frown and look down at my helmet. "No, I always carry a motorcycle helmet with me when I take a walk along the road."
She chuckled and gives me a nudge.
I decide to be honest, "I missed you this morning."
She looks in the distance, "It felt odd to not wake up next to you, yes."

I gather all my courage. It's all or absolutely nothing. "I love you." I whisper under my breath.
Maura glances at me and raises her sculpted eyebrows, "Pardon me?"
I clear my throat, "I ... Never mind."
It was the first time I was close to say those words again since Melanie.
With Melanie I thought I would spend the rest of my life.
And I needed two months to say those words to her.
I know Maura less than a week and I can swear that we are soul mates.
Maybe I'm stupid, maybe I'm naive. And maybe I'm scaring her away.
But no risk, no fun.
Maura places her hand on my back and rubs it with soothing circles, "It's not your job to save the whole world, Jane."
A sad smile suddenly plays around my lips.
It never came to me how predictable I must be for other people.
I lean back and take a deep breath.
Melanie said that to me too, and yet she gave me to understand that it was my job to protect her.
Maura sees that I am lost in my thoughts and places her hand on my cheek.
I blink against the sun and turn my head to her.
She leans in and kisses my lips again.
I never felt such soft lips before. Or maybe I just think that because it's her lips. I don't know.
She breaks the kiss but doesn't take distance, "You're not responsible for the whole world." she whispers against my lips.
I open my mouth to reply something when my other phone starts to vibrate in my pocket.
I exhale through my mouth and take the device from the pocket.
I look at the display and see a message from a unknown number.
I sigh and look apologetically at Maura as I read the message.
It's the instruction that Tory had promised me last night.
I lick my lips and clench my teeth, "I ... I have to go."
She smiles at me and kisses me once again.
I sigh again, grab my helmet and get up from the bench.
I can feel her worried gaze on my back but I pull my black helmet over my head and get on my bike.
I turn the key in the ignition and speed off.