Page 171 of Hidden Ties

Kent worked steadily on his cases all morning. He only stopped working twice to take two phone calls. The conversation with DA Fisher didn’t last long. He was satisfied after talking with him that Garrett had done what he’d asked him to do.

After finishing the lunch that Mrs. Boward had gone out to get him, he was throwing the bag away when Jackal called on his burner phone.

“No luck finding out who accepted the hit on Sage. Still working on it.”

“Then why did you call?” Kent asked him impatiently, looking at the mound of paperwork on his desk.

“I might not have found who accepted the contract on Sage, but I found out something else you should know.”

As he listened to the information Jackal had found, the work piled on his desk took on less importance, and he started fully listening to what he was saying.

“Are you one hundred percent positive?” Kent asked placidly when Jackal finished. He wanted to shout out a litany of profanity, but he had to remember Mrs. Boward would be able to hear him.

“Put it this motherfucking way.” Jackal, on the other hand, didn’t have the same problem; he could release his anger without any qualms. “I had Shade look at the reports I managed to get a hold of, and he agreed with me.”

“When do you and Ice plan to go back to Queen City?

“Tomorrow,” Jackal snapped, his anger still evident.

“I need you and Ice to stay a few days longer. Where are you staying?”

“We were crashing at the Best Western.”

“Check out of there. I’ll reserve two rooms for you and Ice at the Casino Hotel. The rooms will be in my name. Just stop by the desk when you get there, and the keycards will be ready for you.”

“We can’t afford to stay there.” Jackal’s anger had subsided.

“Don’t worry about the cost,” Kent assured him. “It will be my treat.”

Disconnecting the call, he worked on getting Thad Wilson’s case dismissed. He had spent numerous hours studying the case documents and transcripts of testimonies given to the grand jury. An hour ago, he had found a way to get the case dismissed. He was going to need the continuance for Thad to come back to the United States without facing legal charges.

Flipping the folder closed, he called Mrs. Boward into his office.

“Yes, sir?”

Kent gestured toward the stack of files on his desk. “You can return those back to the file room.”

“I’ll take care of them now. I was on my way in to see you when you called. I just received an email from Mr. Hollingsworth’s office. There will be a mandatory meeting in an hour.Allthe firm’s employees are expected to attend.”

“Thank you. I’ll make sure I’ll be there.”

Mrs. Boward gathered the files then left his office.

He wondered who Garrett had chosen to take over the firm. He really didn’t care one way or the other who it would be. Regardless of whether he was chosen or not to head Hollingsworth, he wouldn’t be leaving for Queen City anytime soon. Too many people needed him here, regardless if they wanted him.

He was used to being a villain. Heros were given all the fame and glory for catching villains, while villains were hated if they won a battle. Luckily, he had thick skin. What people didn’t get was that sometimes, despite all the hero’s strength and courage, a villain could still get away to create havoc. Sometimes, it took another villain to destroy them … or like what gamers liked to call them—anti-heroes.

Givingup finding a seat in the overcrowded conference room, Kent spied Sage standing next to Mrs. Boward on the opposite side of the room.

Assuming Garrett had fired her already, he found it curious she had come to the meeting.

He found a space to stand between Jeffrey and his assistant, when Kent saw Garrett walk into the room from the doorway near where Sage was standing.

Striding confidently toward the front of the conference table, instead of sitting down, Garrett raised his hand to draw everyone’s attention.

“I want to apologize for the late notice on this meeting, but as my employees, I’ve always thought of you as my extended family. I felt it imperative to make an announcement concerning Hollingsworth before you hear the news from another source.”

Bullshit, Kent thought, his mind more on Sage than the crap Garrett was about to spew.