Page 55

“Not Kaz?” Jac repeated.
“Rodney then,” supplied Levi.
“Better. I found his hacker Knight Armor. I can plant the information now. I have it all set up, so I’m going to release it. This guy is going down.”
Finley moved closer. “How long before it hits the target?”
“Oh, I’d say it will hit his radar in about fifteen minutes. I have disguised it pretty well and he’ll try to trace it for a while until he figures out it won’t matter what the originating IP address is because it’s the message that is the gold mine.”
Cash nodded as he pulled Finley in close. “Finally, the ball is in our court and I don’t intend to give it back.”
Garrett slapped Jac on the back. “Let’s practice our plan again this evening at Monroe’s place. I’ve got things to do before we meet up. I’m one of the party crashers, so I don’t have to be early.”
Monroe looked in Finley’s direction. “Callie and Finley are working with the ladies this afternoon. Good to practice with the guys again, as we are close. We can’t afford any missteps.”
“We’ll be ready to dry run tonight,” said Finley. “The Colonel has been working with Darcy about coming out in the open, but she’s still pretty skittish. She says Ace-Caleb Rodney, is a bad man. Why would you hire such a jerk, Jac?”
“I never saw that side of him until I fired him. Then he was gone so fast, I just figured he was pissed his operation was terminated.”
Finley nodded. “Do you think Jocelyn would talk to Darcy? It might help.”
Jac shrugged. “I don’t think Jocelyn would mind, but will Darcy allow it?”
“I’ll try to get her to call.”
“This reminds me of that case not long after I started with the foreign secretary of something. It was so exciting.”
Jac turned to stare at his wife, then he smiled. “I thought my follow up with you was pretty good too.”
Sharlee blushed. “I’m choosing to forget that part.”
“I imagine you are, but I consider it one of the highlights of that job.” He dropped a kiss on his wife’s lips. “I knew you were mine from that moment forward.” She smiled back.
Florent entered the room. “How many for dinner?” He looked expectantly around the room.
“Mallory said if I am late again tonight, she is going to eat every sweet thing in the house. She has a large stash I haven’t found yet, so I can’t risk it. I’m headed home.”
Levi laughed. “What about that famous rubber paddle?”
“I had to put it away when Mal got pregnant. It will reappear sometime in the future. If you want to borrow it, just give me a buzz. I hate for it to remain unused for so long.”
Finley gave Monroe a laser look. “You just keep your toys of torment to yourself.”
He grinned. “You might like it.”
Before Finley could respond, Monroe was laughing as he walked to the front of the house. She blushed. Jac turned to Ren.
“I have additional security here for tonight for the kids, as well as Mark, Jessica, and Shay. So, I think that’s five extra. Maybe six. And pull-out extra evening snacks. You know how guys eat.”
Florent laughed. “I do, indeed.”
That evening, after dinner was over, Levi left to meet Carter so they could enter Monroe’s house on their last dry run before tomorrow afternoon. Mark didn’t want to leave his family overnight, and no one blamed him.
“Becky and I can leave Friday as though we are going for the weekend. Then circle back and I can leave her with Sharlee. I’ll ride with Levi to Monroe’s.”
“That works,” said Garrett.
Jac had Cash’s extra security plus Florent and Spring, Anora and Shay, and Storm all go into the spacious “safe room” which was a labyrinth of homey, comfortable rooms in a second basement surrounded by stone, steel and concrete. Jac’s father figured the third world war could happen over their heads and nothing would touch them. Jac hoped he was right.