Moth(16)

“It was nice meeting you, Moth.”

I should leave it at that, but I’m not one to back down. “Why don’t you let me take you out to repay you? My treat.”

“You said it yourself, we’re just strangers. You’re probably a nice guy, but I have terrible luck with men. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

“I was asking to share a meal, not plan a future with a minivan and two kids.” I smirk as if she’s crazy for assuming.

“I’m going to still decline. Good luck with your classes, Moth. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

I wave as she pulls away. I’ve never been turned down like this. It’s a blow to my ego that only forces me to push harder. If she won’t let me into her life voluntarily, I’ll make it happen.

First I’m going to need a cold shower.





Chapter 6


I spend the next three days looking into Windy Lewis. While she's at work I break into her apartment and begin searching for anything that can connect her to the drugs. Just as I'm about to render her living space clean, I stumble upon a piece of evidence that will set what happens next into motion.

I've discovered a journal under a chair pad in her bedroom. I've been doing my job long enough that I have pretty much uncovered every place something can be hidden.

I sit down on the bed and start taking pictures of each page so I'm able to read them later. The last thing I need is someone showing up while I'm still here.

The one page that catches my eye leads me to my next conclusion.

I read it twice to be sure.



I've done everything he's asked of me. I'm living the life of someone else for him. I'm doing things that will for sure send me to Hell. ?I've proven myself to be faithful. Only time will tell if he'll give me what he's promised. I feel like I've sold my soul to the devil.

The only way out of this is death. I'll do anything for him. He gave me this life – this second chance at redemption.



She's drawn? the logo on the heroin packages under her entry. My stomach curls imagining being so close to the person who may have killed my flesh and blood. I'm outraged and disgusted, but more determined to get to the bottom of this.

If she's referring to a he it might be Alizar, which could also mean he ordered a hit on my brother. Nothing will keep me from this.




I shoot a message to Renner that I'm going to need him and House to bring equipment. This chick holds the answers, at least some of what I’m looking for. If I can’t get to Alizar in Guatemala, maybe I can find another route through this operation. As farfetched as it may be, I can’t back down. My gut is telling me I have to stay on it.

It takes several days for part of my team to show up. My director has arranged for us to take up residence in a foreclosed home near the campus. I’m not surprised when House and Renner arrive in a piece of shit Nissan that had been seized a while back. The backseat and trunk is filled with enough surveillance equipment for the entire neighborhood, not to mention enough of the guy’s belongings for them to get settled for a while. House even stopped by my apartment and grabbed me some more of my things since I hadn’t been prepared to stay long.

I’m the topic of all jokes for the next several hours. They can’t get over the change in my appearance. They continue to call me sunshine, because they claim I brighten their day. I’m about to bitch slap both of them simultaneously.

It takes us the entire evening to set up shop. I connect to the wireless bugs I already have scattered around Windy’s home before we head out for dinner. Since I’ve cloned the spare phone, I’m able to track her whereabouts and know she’s not in the same vicinity as we’re headed. I can’t let her spot me with these two fools who still look as if they haven’t showered in weeks.

Once we’re done consuming more food any human possibly should in one sitting, we go over all the evidence I’ve collected thus far. Renner is spot on when it comes to profiling, so he starts batting off ideas as to how this woman could be involved in my brother’s homicide, all of which don’t leave a lot of hope she could be innocent. We know she’s involved, just not how much.

House is my right hand man as far as investigation goes. He can track down anyone and anything given a short amount of leeway. He’s excellent at figuring out details with little to go on. I turn to him to look into Windy Lewis’ past. I want to know who she’s related to, and what the police might not have been able to uncover yet.

While they’re digging, I’m going to take a different approach. Nothing is going to keep me from getting my post back, so I’m determined to take extreme measures to ensure it happens.

I plan to pose as a college student, renting out the vacant room my brother used to spend most of his time in. It’s not just for the case though. I have ulterior motives for wanting to do it this way. I need to know the man who shared my blood. It’s too late to change our relationship, but guilt has left me with a ton of regrets.

It’s easy to convince the roommates to rent me the space. Ever since word got around campus that the last tenant passed away, no one wants to go near it. Not one of them gives me a second look as to my identity. I use the alias I gave to Windy. It’s easier if I stick to one and go with it. The background has already been compiled in the national database. If you look me up I came from a family of Mormons from Indiana. I played little league baseball and became an eagle scout like my dad. My mom was the singer of a religious band and we traveled around a lot when I was younger. It gives me the advantage to justify any slips in my stories. This identity is catered to my real life experiences, so it’s harder for someone to catch me in a lie, because for the most part it’s all somewhat true.