DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR ANY OF

S. MEYER'S CHARACTERS… UNFORTUNATELY.

I JUST PLAY WITH THEM.

Blood In The Snow Chapter 23

Previously:

"I'll get right on it" James got up and headed out. "Be good to get this leak shut down, right, Charlie" He stopped in the doorway and grinned at me.

"Just take care of it, James."

JHPOV

I couldn't help but snigger as I walked down the hall. Swan was so easy. I'll get Paul out of the way and let him take the fall and then I can get the right information to Demetri. And that ten grand will come in handy.

The day shift is starting to filter in. Paul steps off the elevator as I walk past.

"Paul. Come have a cup of coffee. I have some more information on the Whitlock case for you."

Throwing my arm across his shoulder, we walk down the hallway to the break room, grab coffee and sit at a table by the window, away from the rest of them.

"Charlie tells me that Whitlock has been talking to that detective in Chicago and has come up with more evidence against the Volturi. Not sure exactly what, but Charlie says they're pretty excited about it. Apparently, it's enough to shut their operation down and put Aro Volturi away forever."

"Great!" You could almost see the dollar signs in Paul's eyes. I know he will run straight to Demetri with the new information.

"Charlie wants us to keep investigating that house fire that killed Whitlock's parents." Paul nods. "He wants to tie that to the Volturi and try to get them out of Seattle."

"No problem."

"Oh… one ore thing. Don't tell anyone about the Chicago information."

"Why's that?"

"Charlie thinks we have a mole in the department and he doesn't want that information getting back to the Volturi. We need Whitlock alive and ready to testify."

Paul looks uncomfortable and glances around the room. "Does he have any idea who it is?"

"Not yet, but he's got some surveillance set up and has a team monitoring calls." Paul glances at his cell phone. "Don't worry, we'll catch whoever it is. But keep this just between us."

"It's not one of our team is it?" He looks nervous.

"No, Charlie thinks it's one of the uniforms."

The relief on Paul's face is almost laughable. I have to fight back a big grin. He's buying this. So easy.

"Yeah, well… I never discuss anything with them anyway." He shrugs. "Well, I better get to work." Paul grabs his empty paper cup, gets up, tosses the cup in the trash and heads out the door. He stops and turns back. "James… let me know if Charlie and you need any help catching the mole." He walks through the doorway and down the hall.

I sit at the table for a few more minutes, finishing off my coffee. This is gonna be just too easy. Pulling my cell out of my jacket pocket, I pull up the GPS signal from Paul's phone. He's still in the building.

I decide to get one more cup of coffee while I wait for Paul to make his move. Since I planted the idea that even his phone might be tapped, I'm sure he'll go for a person-to-person meeting with Demetri or Felix. As I head back to my table, Embry walks in, nodding to me as he gets himself a cup of coffee.

"Hey, James."

"Embry."

"Say… I haven't been able to find anything on the Whitlock guy that's supposed to be in Phoenix. Anything else come up about him?" Embry sipped his coffee as he waited.

"Nothing else yet. Were you able to find that trucker he hitched a ride with?"

"Not yet. Still working on it."

I glance down at my phone and see that Paul has left the station. Standing, I grab the phone, putting it back in my pocket. "Well, duty calls. Keep digging."

Embry grinned at me. "Will do. Have a good one, James."

"Yeah, you, too."

I stop by my office to get my overcoat. It's a typical Seattle day… rainy. I pass Charlie in the hall on my way to the elevator. "He's on the move… I'm gonna tail him."

Charlie nods at me. "Call if you need back up."

The elevator doors open and I step in, pressing the button for the first floor. "Will do." The doors close and the car moves downward.

Stepping out the door, I pull my collar high around my ears. The rain isn't all that hard, but it's steady. Looking out over a sea of umbrellas, I can't see Paul, but that's okay. I know most of the places where Demetri likes to meet… out of the way and private. I need to stop by my place and pick up my 'other' gun. Every cop has one… he has the 'official' weapon and then at least one or two 'unofficial' ones. Sometimes you just don't want something traced back to you. Sometimes you simply have to take justice into your own hands.

Unlocking my car, I climb in, start it up and head to my apartment. This car is simply for show, my baby stays locked up in a private garage out in the suburbs. I only drive my '57 corvette on special occasions. For everyday use, this old Chevy Camaro works just fine. One of the old 60's muscle cars, it's just flashy enough to fit my 'persona' at the station, but not out of my salary range like my corvette. It's a classic.

Amazing. A parking spot right in front of my building. Must be my day. Sliding into the empty spot, I cut the engine, climb out, lock it and hurry into the building. My apartment isn't anything special… a second floor walk up, two bedrooms, but, once again, it fits the persona.

On the top shelf in the back of the walk-in closet, is the metal lock box that holds my private weapons. I reach up and pull it down, moving to sit on the bed as I open it. I pull out my 9mm Glock and a couple of extra clips, checking to see they are full. Sliding it into my belt at the small of my back, I close and lock up the box, replacing it on the shelf. I took this one off a drug dealer in Chicago. No one saw me get it, so it's not traceable back to me.

I check Paul's location as I head out of the apartment. Smiling, I see that he is headed to the Volturi warehouse down by the docks. Jeez, he's making this so easy. Far enough away from everything else I shouldn't have to worry about any witnesses. I should probably let Demetri know I will be showing up down there. Don't want him shooting me.

His phone rings three times before he picks up. "Yeah?"

"Hey man, Paul is on his way to see you."

"I know."

"I'm headed that way. I need to take him out. Charlie suspects that he's the one passing you information and I want Charlie to think that the mole is dead and no longer a problem."

"You gonna come in with guns blazing?" Demetri didn't sound too happy about that idea.

"No, I want to sneak in and catch him on his way out. I need to make it look like self defense."

Demetri started laughing. "Dude… you gonna shoot yourself with his gun?"

"'Fraid so. Damn. I hate that, but it's the safest way to cover my ass." I listen to him laugh some more. "Man, it's not funny. I hate hospitals."

Demetri laughs for another minute or so. "Tell you what, James… I'll make sure to send over dome flowers for you. Maybe I'll even have Heidi deliver them personally, with orders to do whatever she can to make you forget your pain." He snickered.

Heidi is Demetri's personal sex slave. She's tall, slender and built like every man's dream. Long blond hair and crystal blue eyes. He's had her for long enough that she never, ever questions an order from him. If he tells her to blow me, she will… no matter where we are… and never even think twice about it.

"That would help." I chuckle.

"Text me when you get here. I'll keep him here until you do."

"Will do. Thanks."

"Paul just pulled up. Want me to leave as soon as our meeting is over or hang around a bit?"

"Go ahead and leave. Just be sure to go before he does. Let him be the last to leave. No need for you to be there for this."

"No problem" He disconnected.

I check the GPS on last time as I get into the car. Yup, he's at the warehouse. Easing into traffic I head down to the docks and the Volturi warehouse. Should only take about fifteen minutes to get there. Just enough time for Paul to tell Demetri what he thinks knows.

As I pull up to the warehouse, I see Paul's car parked around the side. I pull around to the back and park. Pulling out my phone I send Demetri a simple text, letting him know I am here and moving into the building.

I slip into the building through the side door. I can hear the murmur of voices in the distance. Peering around a large crate, I can see Paul, Demetri, Felix and a couple of their goons standing several feet from the main door. Paul appears to be arguing with Demetri, while Felix looks on with a smirk on his face.

Moving closer, I can hear their conversation.

"I'm telling you, Demetri… Charlie says that Whitlock has more evidence and he's willing to testify!"

"We haven't found anything to suggest that he's even back in the Chicago area. His apartment is still deserted. No sign that he's been back." He looks over at Felix, giving him a small nod. "I think you're trying to set us up." He reaches out and grabs Paul by the collar, yanking him closer. "Now, why would you want to do that?"

I can see the sweat running down Paul's forehead, dripping into his eyes.

"No! No, man. I wouldn't try anything against you. You know that." Paul is desperate. "I'm just telling you what James told me this morning. I thought you'd want to know."

Demetri looks at him for a minute, then releases him, pushing him backwards. "If I find that you've been lying to me… I'll kill you. Slowly."

Paul puts both hands up, palms out. "No, Man. I've never lied to you. I swear."

"We'll see. You got anything else for me?"

"That's all he had to say. Oh! He did say that they think the mole is a uniform."

"Good." He turns to Felix. "Let's get out of here. I have other things to do." Paul starts to follow them out, but Demetri turns to him, stopping him. "Stupid. You wait until we're gone… then you leave. I don't need to risk being seen with you." He pokes Paul in the chest with his finger, making his point.

"Sure, sure. You're right, of course." He steps back from the door.

I wait, behind the crate, until Demetri and his crew have time to load up and leave, keeping a close eye on Paul. I want to do this inside the warehouse… don't need any witnesses. Stepping around the crates, I call out. "Paul." He jumps, whirling around, pulling out his gun. My Glock is already in my hand. "So, it's been you all this time."

He stares, his gun pointing at me. I keep moving toward him, the Glock aimed at his chest. "Put it down, Paul. Charlie's already heard everything." I hold my phone up. "Had an open line to him. It's over."

He lowered his gun. "Man, it's not what it looked like. I was trying to set him up. You know me." He is getting desperate, now.

Without warning, I unload the full clip into his chest. The look of surprise on his face before he falls is laughable. He crumples to the floor, eyes glazed over. I walk over, nudging his gun away from his hand just in case he isn't dead yet. I want to control where 'he' shoots me. Pressing my fingers against the side of his neck, I feel for a pulse. Nothing.

I pull out a handkerchief and use it to pick up his gun. Slipping it into his hand, I guide his hand to aim for my leg. Damn… this is gonna hurt. I slide my leg back a bit, don't want it too close, and press his finger against the trigger. The gun spits out its bullet, right into my left thigh.

"Awwww…shit!" I hollered. I drop his hand to the ground and manage to hop a little way away from him. I ease myself to the floor. Blood is running out of the hole in my leg and I'm getting a bit lightheaded. Pulling out my phone, I hit the emergency button. The police operator answers and my performance begins.

"Officer down! I've been shot." I lay back and let the phone roll from my hand onto the concrete floor. I know the GPS in the phone will get them to me quickly.

AN: Apparently, FF has been pulling a lot of stories off the site. If this one should disappear, you can find it over on The Writers Coffee Shop. www (dot) thewriterscoffeshop (dot) com (slash) library I am shewoolf over there, too.