blush (Westbrook Series) by Mitzi Vaughn Page A

rehabs. 
She always did great at first, but eventually her demons always take over. 
"And?"
    "And what?"
    "And...I know he checked out my dad too."
    "Yeah.  He is remarried and living in Chicago. 
He did some time for possession of meth.  That seems to be his drug of
choice."
    Tears began to well up in Missy's eyes, "Some
family huh?  A far cry from the loving embrace of Brenda Westbrook." 
    "Missy, we are your family.  You are my
family."
    Missy gave him the most sincere smile that she could
muster.  "Sorry, guess I'm just having a small pity party."
    "I think you are entitled to a pity party, but
I will take care of you so you only get to have a tiny one."

Chapter 22
    Missy stared at the unknown note on her desk.  It
had her name on the front cut out of letters from a magazine.  Kind of
conventional .  She hadn't opened it yet.  She was waiting on Brandon to
come to her office. 
    Chloe looked at her with worry, "How do you
think he managed to get that in here?"
    "Most of the team was at lunch.  It probably
wasn't near as tough as you would think."
    Brandon called Mark to let him know what was going
on and then went to Missy's office.  His blood pressure was boiling.  He walked
over to her desk and read the note.  "This piece of shit better hope I
never find him!"  Brandon's lips were pressed tightly together and his
fists were in a ball.  He didn't even notice he was crumpling the note. 
    "What does it say?"  Chloe asked.
    Missy went over to Brandon and lightly rubbed his
arm.  She took the note from his hand and read, "Tell your boyfriend I'm
not playing.  Get me my money or I will bash your head in again.  This time I
will do it myself. He has twenty-four hours."  Missy started to cry.  This
was all too overwhelming. 
    Mark came in wearing street clothes.  He didn't want
anyone who might be watching to suspect he was a cop.  He studied the note, put
it into an evidence bag, and then went to Brandon's office to start the phone
tap. 
    "Next time he calls, get a drop off location. 
Maybe we can catch him in the act."
    Brandon paced with worry, "Do you really think
this guy is going to fall for that?  I mean that is the way they do it in every
action movie you watch." 
    "It might get a plan out of him.  He has to
have an arrangement for getting the money."
    "Alright.  I will see what I can do." 
    The next day Missy and Brandon tried to work.  Neither
of them were able to accomplish anything, so they congregated in Brandon's
office waiting for the call.  By ten both Chloe and Mark had joined them. 
    "What do we do if he gives a drop
location?"  Missy asked, a bit out of curiosity and trying to pass the
time. 
    "Have you arranged the money Brandon?"
    "Yes, it's right here."  He pointed to a
briefcase in the corner of the room.
    "I thought we agreed no money!"
    "Missy it is just in case he looks inside of
the case.  We don't want him to get irate and hurt anyone.  It is mainly ones
wrapped in hundreds."
    Missy still seemed agitated so Mark went on, "I
don't plan on letting him get away with any of it anyway."
    That seemed to do the trick.  She convinced herself
it was just part of the plan.  Mark really appeared to care about his job.  She
could tell he knew what he was doing and knew she shouldn't question him.
    At exactly noon, the phone in Brandon's office
rang.  They all exchanged a glance and Brandon picked up the phone. 
"Brandon Westbrook."  This was the way he always answered his phone.
    "Do you have my money?"  The voice was
gruff and the man on the other end was obviously trying to disguise himself.
    Brandon quickly put it on speaker so that the others
could hear the conversation.  "I do.  Where would you like for me to meet
you with it?"
    "No; not you.  I want Little Miss to bring it
to Ninth Avenue, in front of her old building.  Tell her not to pull any bullshit
or I will kill her mother."
    "What time?"  Brandon was doing everything
he could not to lose his