Teased(45)

“Don’t be afraid of me, Vida. I’m here to help you.” The self-assured voice trying to calm her was a far cry from the diffident tone she usually heard from him.

“How can you help me, Seth?” Vida tried to loosen her tight grip on her cup, afraid she was going to burn herself if she wasn’t careful.

“I’m an undercover agent, working to get back Sawyer and several other women like her that have been taken against their will.” Seth reached into his pocket and as best he could, without drawing attention to what he was doing, showed her his badge.

“You’re with the FBI?” Vida stared at him in disbelief.

Vida couldn’t believe that Seth was a FBI agent. He looked like he was still in high school.

“The FBI has been trying to shut down Digger for years. Every time we get close, he manages to wiggle his way out of it or get information he’s about to be arrested, and moves the women to another location. He’s responsible for a pipeline, not only of illegal drugs, but he also uses that same route to sell women.”

Vida was sick to her stomach that she was ever in the vicinity of the man that Seth was discussing, becoming even more thankful to Colton and the Predators for saving her.

Seth leaned closer, lowering his voice. “We’re getting closer. We managed to shut down his informant on the force so, if we could find the location where he’s keeping the woman, we can get a conviction this time.”

“Thank God.”

“That’s why they wanted me to make friends with you. To find out what you and King know. The day in your shop, I recognized the friend of Colton’s that came in. I think I got out of there before he recognized me, but I don’t know. Max is a hard ass and not much gets by him. After I talked to the task force, we decided it was worth letting you know about the operation so that we could ask for your help in finding the women.”

“Me? How can I find out where the women are? I really, really don’t want to play bait and have you following me. I don’t think those scenarios turn out too well.”

Seth laughed while still retaining his serious expression. That convinced Vida more than his badge that he was telling her the truth.

“You’ve been watching too much television. I wouldn’t place your safety in danger to that extent. What we need from you is to do what you have been doing until recently, go to King’s and try to get what we need out of Briggs.”

“How do you know what I’ve been doing with Brigg’s?” Vida’s asked.

Seth remained quiet, taking a drink from his coffee.

Realization dawned on Vida.

“You have King’s place bugged?”

“I can’t reveal how we know what you’ve been up to, only that we know. It’s because of your prying that we’ve learned as much as we have.”

“I was scheduled to dance tonight, but Colton cancelled with King.”

“We know. That’s why we want you to call King and tell him that you want to work tonight. Briggs is expecting you there, and after they kidnapped you, he’s going to try to convince you to trust him. We’re hoping he tries to convince you by letting a little too much slip with your probing,” Seth said tactfully. Vida understood that his tact with using “probing” actually meant “while you’re grinding your ass on his lap”.

“I’ll tell Colton…”

Seth shook his head. “No, he has several connections that aren’t trustworthy. If he isn’t careful, he could let information out that leaks back to Digger. Digger has a few friends left in the Predators, not many, but a few that would warn him. You’ve managed, hopefully, to get Sawyer back, but you don’t know for sure. This gets us closer and will help those women that aren’t ever going to get found without your help.”

Vida only had one recourse, and that was to do as he asked. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if Sawyer wasn’t returned, and she had an opportunity to help other women in the same horrific situation.

“I’ll help, but I don’t know what I’ll tell King or Colton,” Vida agreed.

“Think of something, anything, but keep the focus off Briggs,” Seth told her.

“All right, I’ll do my best. I better get back,” Vida said, standing up.

“Thanks, Vida. You have my number if anything happens, and if you need my help, just call. Be careful. Don’t underestimate, Briggs. He’s as dangerous as Digger.” His warning had her pausing at the concerned look on his face.

“I know.” Vida still remembered Briggs’s reaction when Digger had told him to take her to his bedroom. He had planned to use her also.