Page 27 of Sly Like a Fox (Romance Expected Dating Service #3)
Fenton
The day after our decision to abandon the retreat plan, having spent most of the day organizing the evidence between moments of making love, Jenna and I work together to securely distribute the evidence we’ve gathered against Anklor’s corruption network.
Organizing this information for maximum impact required calculated thinking.
We couldn’t just dump everything on law enforcement and hope for the best. Anklor’s corruption network includes contacts throughout local police departments, the district attorney’s office, and even federal agencies.
Presenting evidence through the wrong channels could result in suppression, destruction, or advanced warning that would allow targets to flee or eliminate witnesses.
“We need to ensure this reaches the right people simultaneously,” I say while creating encrypted files on multiple secure servers, all grouped by the relevant crime or person of interest. “If Anklor gets advanced warning about the investigation, he’ll use his remaining contacts to suppress evidence or eliminate witnesses. ”
Jenna sits beside me at the computer, helping identify key recipients who can act on the intelligence without compromising our safety.
After uploading our backups onto a set of servers, I lean back in my chair and look at her.
“What about your ex-sister-in-law? The detective? She seemed intense when she was warning you about me in front of me.” I laugh softly, though thinking of the woman does make me a bit apprehensive, probably because I’ve broken several laws.
She slowly nods. “Maria works white-collar crime, which makes her perfect for this kind of evidence.”
I pause in my typing, considering the implications. “Contacting her means revealing that we’ve been conducting an illegal investigation.”
“She already suspects something about your identity. Better to control the narrative by approaching her directly than waiting for her to figure it out on her own.”
I nod. Maria’s already digging into my background, which means uncomfortable questions are coming whether we like it or not. Better to get ahead of it and direct how this plays out.
The tricky part is making her want to work with us instead of slapping cuffs on us immediately.
Sure, we broke a few federal laws gathering this evidence, but the intel itself is solid and will hold up in court.
We just need to position ourselves as the solution to her problems, not more headaches to deal with.
I write a message asking for an urgent meeting, making it clear we have something big on her corruption cases without spelling out details over email. I keep it professional but urgent, being cooperative not desperate.
She gets back to me within an hour, agreeing to meet at a downtown coffee shop this afternoon. The fast response tells me she’s genuinely interested, not just going through the motions. That’s a good sign.
“Nervous about seeing her again?” Jenna asks as we prepare to leave for the meeting.
I shrug. “I’m more concerned about her reaction to learning that her suspicions about my identity were completely justified.”
She laughs for a second. “She’s a professional. Once she sees the evidence, she’ll focus on the prosecutorial value rather than our methods.”
“I hope you’re right because if this goes wrong, we could both end up in federal custody while Anklor’s associates have time to destroy evidence and eliminate witnesses.” I try to hide any concern about that outcome, but it haunts me.
The drive to the coffee shop gives us time to rehearse our approach and prepare for various scenarios.
Best case is Maria recognizes the value of our intelligence and coordinates with federal agencies for immediate arrests.
Worst case, she treats us as suspects rather than assets and attempts to detain us pending further investigation.
The coffee shop Maria chose is busy enough to provide cover for sensitive conversation but quiet enough for privacy. She’s already waiting when we arrive, wearing a professional outfit that indicates she’s treating this as official business.
She stands when she sees us approaching, her body language cautious but not hostile. “Fenton. Jenna. Thank you for reaching out.”
“Detective Ortiz, I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us.” I settle into the chair across from her while Jenna takes the seat that provides the best view of potential exits. “I have information that I think will interest you.”
“Before we begin, I should mention that I’ve been investigating your background more thoroughly since our last conversation. The identity you’re using is sophisticated but not perfect.”
Her directness doesn’t surprise me, but it does confirm that honesty is our best strategy. “You’re right. Fenton Nielsen is a constructed identity I created three years ago for a specific purpose.”
Her eyes narrow. “Which was?”
“Gathering evidence against Garret Anklor and his criminal network.” I slide an encrypted tablet across the table. “Everything is on there. Financial records, communication logs, recorded confessions, and enough evidence to prosecute him and at least a dozen co-conspirators.”
Maria’s expression shifts from professional skepticism to genuine surprise as she reviews the tablet’s contents.
The scope of evidence clearly exceeds her expectations.
She scrolls through financial records that detail money laundering operations spanning multiple states.
“This is incredible. How did you gather all of this?”
“It took three years of infiltration and intelligence gathering. Anklor destroyed my family’s construction business through illegal bid rigging. My father died from the stress, and my mother followed eighteen months later.”
“So this is personal revenge?” She sounds faintly disapproving.
I hold her gaze, letting her see the truth when I speak. “It started as personal revenge but became about justice when I realized how many other families he’s destroyed over the years.”
She continues reviewing the evidence while asking pointed questions about our methods and the legality of our intelligence gathering. Some of our activities clearly violate federal law, but the evidence itself is legitimate and admissible in court.
After a while spent reviewing it all, Maria sets down the tablet and fixes me with a direct stare. “I’m prepared to move with this on one condition. You both need to cooperate fully with the official investigation. That means testimony, depositions, and whatever else prosecutors require.”
Jenna and I exchange glances. Cooperation with law enforcement means exposure of our methods, but it also ensures Anklor faces the full consequences of his actions. “We’re prepared to cooperate completely,” I say confidently.
“Good. I’ll need to coordinate with the FBI’s financial crimes unit and the district attorney’s office. How quickly can this evidence be distributed?”
I shift slightly, unconsciously tapping the tablet she’s holding. “We’re already prepared for simultaneous distribution to multiple agencies and media outlets. The goal is to make the information too widespread for suppression or cover-up.”
Maria nods approvingly. “Smart approach. Anklor still has contacts throughout local law enforcement, but he can’t own everyone.”
Over the next hour, we develop a comprehensive distribution strategy that accounts for both the criminal network’s influence and the jurisdictional complexities of federal prosecution.
Additional copies of evidence go to investigative journalists at three major newspapers, each specializing in corruption investigations with track records of protecting sources and resisting pressure from powerful interests.
The FBI’s financial crimes unit receives complete packages through secure channels that bypass local law enforcement entirely.
Select members of city council who haven’t been compromised by Anklor’s corruption get targeted information relevant to municipal contracts and zoning decisions.
My systematic approach ensures that even if Anklor tries to suppress the investigation through his remaining contacts, too many people have the information for a complete cover-up.
“The key is coordination,” Maria says as we finalize the timeline. “If arrests happen simultaneously across multiple jurisdictions, it prevents targets from warning each other or destroying evidence.”
“How many people are we talking about?” asks Jenna.
“Based on this evidence? At least fifteen primary targets, plus another twenty or thirty who could face lesser charges for accepting bribes or facilitating criminal activity.”
“When do you want to move forward?” Maria asks.
Jenna and I trade another look, and she gives a subtle nod. “Today. The longer we wait, the more opportunity Anklor has to realize what’s happening and take countermeasures.”
The detective nods decisively. “Agreed. I’ll coordinate with my partner and the federal agencies. We should be ready to make arrests by this afternoon.”
After Maria leaves to begin coordinating the official response, Jenna and I return to my apartment to monitor the situation and prepare for whatever consequences our actions might bring.
The evidence packages go out simultaneously to all designated recipients, ensuring that by noon, dozens of law enforcement officials, journalists, and government officials have access to comprehensive documentation of Anklor’s criminal empire.
The next few days pass with excruciating slowness as we monitor news feeds and secure communication channels for signs that our intelligence is being acted upon.
Federal agencies move more slowly than I’d hoped, needing additional verification and people to coordinate between jurisdictions, but the signs of progress are encouraging.
Journalists begin making verification calls to confirm details in the leaked documents. Federal prosecutors convene emergency sessions to review evidence and prepare arrest warrants.