Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“Well, then they’re assholes of the highest kind,” Aidan said. “I spend most of my weekends stitching up bullet wounds.”
She knew the toll it took on him. He’d lost his first patient to a GSW. Working the ER in the heart of the city could be soul crushing. She sat up slightly because she was getting drowsy and there was still a lot to do. “Is there any connection to Huisman?”
“Not that I’ve been able to find,” Tara replied. “He was paid in crypto, and the mercenaries were as well. It’s damn-near impossible to trace.”
“Yes, but communications aren’t as hard,” Adam said, sitting back. “I managed to find the leader of the merc group’s Dark Web page.”
“You did? I’ve been trying to find it for days,” Tara admitted.
“Papa is excellent at his job,” Tris said. “Though I probably would have found it if I hadn’t been distracted.”
“Sure you would, son.” Adam sighed but moved on. “Oddly enough, the leader of the merc group’s cell phone was one of the few things we found in the wreckage. It must have fallen out before the explosion, or I’m going to buy stock in the company who makes the case it was in. Nevertheless, I managed to crack it, and while he was careful, my team pulled enough data that I was able to figure out real names and therefore able to track down his laptop. It was sitting in a hotel room in Fort Worth. We’re going through all of it right now, but the important thing we’ve found is evidence our mercenary was recently paid from an account associated with Disrupt Asia.”
“The group Huisman’s foundation works with.” Carys frowned. “Damn it. I hope we get the grant before you shut the whole foundation down. We need those carts.”
Tristan kissed her nose. “I’ll make sure you get them, baby.” He sat back and looked at his father. “So we can connect it to Disrupt Asia, but I’m sure we’ll find while Huisman works with Disrupt North America, he doesn’t have ties to Asia.”
“He’s careful,” Zach replied. “My question is why. Why come after the wedding? If he was looking for The Jester, what would the point be? It’s too chaotic. Why not hire an assassin? Or someone to kidnap The Jester? I can’t see how what happened at the wedding helped him. If he’s looking for information about the bombmaker, killing a bunch of Taggarts is going to do nothing but piss them all off.”
“Or it could be about me.” TJ rubbed his cheek against Lou’s. “We know the intel put out about me being close to The Jester was false, but we also know not everyone is going to believe it wasn’t me.”
Lou sat up straighter. “But in a way it’s true. We just didn’t know until later. You are close to The Jester. He’s sitting right there.”
There was a chiming through the house, and Tara stood. “Maybe we should continue this in a moment. I think our CSIS contact is here. Should we stop all the… What do you call it? D/s stuff around the Canadian operative and try to look like we’re professionals? Is this what you and Zach do at that place... What’s it called?”
“The Court.” Zach sighed and sat up. “And, yes, we should go into professional mode.”
Tara nodded. “Thank you. I’ll go let him in. Or her. They didn’t give me a name. They were kind of rude. I was surprised because they’ve always been so nice.”
Tara went to answer the door.
Zach went into military mode, his shoulders flattening out and back ramrod straight. “Carys and Aidan, feel free to be the couple you are, but the rest of us are operatives working together on a team, and we’re giving this guy nothing. Though whoever it is has almost certainly gotten a report on us. Ben Parker would make sure of it.”
He was talking about the one who Kenzie was mad at.
The Court.
What the hell was The Court?
Is this what you and Zach do at that place… What’s it called?
A cold wash of revelation swept through her. The Court. It could only be one thing.
A club. Tristan had been going to a club for the last two years?
She sat up and stiffly allowed Aidan to help her to her feet. Everyone around her was standing and decoupling. Kala went to the door separating the great room from the kitchen. She knocked loudly. “Hey, perverts. We have incoming from Canada’s finest, and it’s probably that asshole.”
Tristan stood behind her. “Hey, are you okay?”
He’d played at a club. He’d topped subs.
Aunt Charlotte came out first, smoothing her hair back and giving her daughter a smile. “CSIS is here? Sorry, we were working out dinner plans.”
“Sure you were,” Tasha replied and gestured to the stairs. “You need to go make sure everything’s okay up there.”