Chapter 14

Several days had passed, and although Alex had checked the box faithfully, there was no contact from Devin. He had picked up the tracking device, and left the message in the box for Alex to dispose of. It was all up to Devin now. The only way to support him was to continue checking the box faithfully. It was his lifeline.

Bobby was still frustrated with his hand, but it wasn't hurting as much anymore, and for this they were both grateful. Alex smiled. He was getting very good at using his right hand, as far as she was concerned.

"Damn it!" She heard him say from the bedroom. Alex set her glass of wine down on the table and walked down the hall to see what was wrong.

He was standing, shirtless, with his hands against his head, as if he was ready to pull out his own hair.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked. She'd already seen this level of frustration many times in the last week.

"I'm just so… fucking tired of it!" He groaned. He turned to her. "I can't get the Goddamned button free," he said, gesturing to his pants.

She stepped closer and they both felt a surge as her fingers dipped into his waistband. She unfastened the button, but didn't step away. "You managed it all day, didn't you? I didn't hear Logan complaining about helping you in the bathroom or anything."

The joke could have rubbed him the wrong way, but he graced Alex with a weary smile. "I… I guess I'm just tired or something. Thanks." He fumbled with the zipper, and she helped him with that, too. Bobby stood stock still, barely breathing as he let her slip her hands into the denim and slowly slide them down. Her palms were heating up his skin, and he gasped when she suddenly kissed him, square in the middle of his chest.

She slid downward with the jeans and her cheek kept in contact with his skin until it rested against his boxers. Bobby's trembling hands moved to the crown of her head.

Alex moved against him, teasing him with her breath and the occasional nip. A moan escaped him.

Alex got to her feet again and met him with a deep kiss. "Still frustrated?" She asked, grinning.

"You have no idea," he breathed, and pawed her as he moved her to the bed.

Alex glanced over at Mike, who had just finished reading Devin's cryptic note. "Call Goren," she said.

He picked up the phone. "Bobby."

"Logan, everything okay?" He asked, too quickly.

"Sure, sure. Devin made a drop," he explained. "He says… 'Angel on the 44.' What the hell does that mean? Bus?"

"44th Street?" Alex asked.

"I'll look into it. I'll have something by the time you get back," Bobby promised.

They conferenced around Bobby's desk. He withdrew a photograph from his binder and slapped it down on the wood. "Angel Lozada. I saw him… maybe twice in the three weeks I was there."

"Yeah, I saw him once, too. The second night. He was waiting for Powers to meet with him."

Alex looked back and forth between the men. "Hit man?" Alex asked.

Bobby's shrug was non-committal. "Probably."

"Contracted?" She asked next.

He shook his head. "As far as I can tell, he's in the organization."

"He's pretty scarce. What the hell is he doing?"

Bobby glanced from Logan to Eames. "We know they're selling to terrorists. Maybe he's… their… international sales rep." Bobby said it with that sarcastic turn Alex was so accustomed to.

"All right," she said. "How about 'on the 44?'"

"Logan's right, could be bus. Could be Street, Avenue, or Circle. Could be day of the year. Could be—"

"All right, all right, I gotcha," Alex said. "Make me a list and I'll get us some help."

Another day passed, and no one had sighted Angel Lozada. Alex and Mike headed out to the parcel store, and Bobby put on his ball cap and headed out to the bus stop.

He saw Domingo exit, but he showed no signs of recognition as he got on the bus. Officers had been riding this bus steadily since yesterday, scouring the passengers for any sign of Lozada. Bobby walked slowly to the back and found a seat. He covered his face with his hand as the bus moved steadily toward Powers' neighborhood. At each stop, Goren's sharp eyes scrutinized the new passengers.

They were almost at the end of the line when a familiar figure boarded the bus. Bobby sat up. Without staring, he kept his eyes on Lozada as he pulled out his cell and texted Alex.

She was just leaving the shop when the phone buzzed. Alex read the message quickly and hurried across the street to the car.

"What is it?" Logan asked, sensing her urgency.

"Lozada's on the bus with Bobby." She pulled out into traffic, earning herself a horn blare for cutting someone off. They raced toward the end of the bus line, moving in and out of traffic as quickly as they could. Both knew Bobby had no means to take Lozada into custody, except for his words. They doubted words would do the job.

"How the hell we gonna play this?" Logan asked. "Bobby and I are dead, remember? We let him see us, and word'll get back to Powers, I guarantee it."

"I'll take him, then," Alex said.

"Then Devin's cut off again."

She spared him a glance out of the corner of her eye, and frowned.

"I'll do it," Mike said. "I'll tell Bobby to sit tight."

Alex parked sloppily in a loading zone and they both got out. Mike pulled his trilby down over his eyes and moved readily through the pedestrians toward the bus stop. As it pulled in, he rested his hand on the butt of his pistol. Alex stood by in the crowd, keeping one eye on him and one hand on her own gun.