Page 25

A few minutes later, I’m in the back of the SUV, and the instant I connect with Tic Tac, he’s at me again. “Enrique is holding a gun on Lucas. You know that, right?”

“He deserves it. He kidnapped Pocher’s head of security. Apparently, he wants to die, and it might be me who kills him, so you can’t hold that against me. It’s easy to see he deserves it. You do not. We’re bringing you here with us. You’ll be as safe as a baby kangaroo in her mommy’s belly.”

“To stay where?”

“With Lucas and Enrique and a team of Kane’s people.”

“You mean a team of cartel members?”

I bristle at that. Kane is not the cartel, and I don’t have to look at Kane to feel his agitation. “Are you putting in a special request for cartel members? Should I tell Kane you want the nastiest cartel members possible to guard you?”

There’s a moment of silence in which I can feel Tic Tac’s panic before he bursts out with, “No. No. No. Stop it, Lilah. And don’t go telling Kane I said something I didn’t say.”

“You said—”

“I didn’t . I didn’t. I’m fine with Lucas and Enrique. And now for a poorly timed request. Can Jack come? He’s been here with me all this time, diving through the files.”

“You need me, Lilah,” Jack calls out. “I’m your secret weapon.”

That makes me feel like I’m being stabbed in the eye over and over. “Tell him to shut up or I’ll say no.”

“Quiet, Jack,” Tic Tac whispers, a plea in his voice that drives home how rare his earlier outburst was with me. “He’ll behave. And he’s helpful.”

“How?”

“You know what, Lilah, I need for once. Can you not give me what I need ?”

“ I need to know where every one of the six people on my list, outside of the VP, is right now.”

“I texted you that hours ago. The two that are not the VP and not going to the party were highlighted.”

“Just tell me.”

“Congressman Stevens is in her home state of California. Senator Soto is in her home state of Texas. Soto has a husband who’s a retired Navy SEAL and two brothers in the Army. She’s well-known for her love of guns.”

“I like her already, but she’s a hard target. Elsa won’t go after her first. Stevens is another story.”

“I can ask Rich to go look after her.”

Rich is such a pain in my ass—a crazy stalker, worse than Ghost in some ways. Because he does want me. Because he would hurt Kane if he had the chance and end up dead trying. I skip the Rich question. “You made sure the targets are all aware of what’s going on?”

“Yes. Of course I did, and so you know, Ellis had already called them. And no, his phone hasn’t moved.”

He called them, but he’s MIA. Either he’s dead or he set things up to look like he became Elsa’s victim. “What about diner girl?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell Jack if he wants to win me over, find her. Yes, this is a test.”

“Does that mean Jack can come with me to the Hamptons?”

My phone buzzes with a call. “Yes,” I confirm, the word choked from me. “I have to go. I’m holding a press conference on the Mark Walker murder. Kane’s team will get you here, and as long as you’re nice to them, they won’t cut your fingers off or otherwise torture you.”

I don’t even look at Kane. He’s amused. Of course he’s amused. I glance at the caller ID, find Lucas on the line, and answer, “How badly are you hurt?”

“He’s holding a flipping gun on me. I was already working, but Tic Tac is distracting.”

“I told you to calm him down. You did not.”

“You told me to do my job, and I did. Ellis has a connection to Elsa outside of what you already know.”

Now he has my attention. “Which is what?”

“His daughter went to school with Elsa.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?”

Kane’s gaze rockets to mine, and I tell him. “Elsa went to school with Ellis’ daughter.”

“That’s not good.”

He’s right. It’s not. I return my attention to Lucas. “What else?”

“Get the gun off of me and tell him to stop pinching my damn leg, and I’ll work on finding Elsa and Ghost.”

“Not even you can find Ghost. Elsa’s coming into town. Find her when she gets here. And I need to know if Adams is dirty.”

“Like I said—”

“Put Enrique on.”

“Hold on.”

“Lilah,” Enrique greets.

“Back off, but remind him you’re there, and often.”

“Copy that.”

I disconnect as Kit pulls into the courthouse, a white structure with tall pillars and I can already see the press everywhere. “There’s a staff parking lot around back.” I say, and once he nods his understanding, and I use every moment I have until I’m in front of the press. I punch in Adams’ number, but I don’t expect him to answer, as he never has in the past, and especially not with a flight from California to Maryland likely in progress. To my surprise he answers. “Well timed,” he greets. “I just landed in Charlotte. I’m flying private from here. It’s the only way I get there tonight.”

“Any word from Ellis?”

“No. None. I have a team watching Elsa’s place, but the only movement is what appears to be a maintenance crew. I made the call to have them hold back until I get there and assess the situation. I don’t work with those guys daily. I won’t risk Ellis’ blind devotion.”

You hold on action, and if Ellis is captive, time is not on his side, and he could die. You go in prematurely, he dies. Or he helps kill your team. It's a hard call, but holding back is probably a smart one. Refocusing on the point of this call, I ask, “Do you know?”

“Know what?”

“Well, for starters, anything ? Did Ellis tell you about Clyde, Elsa, Mark, and the hit list?”

“Yes.”

“Mark’s dead. Long story I don’t have time to tell. I’m at the courthouse for a press conference related to Mark’s death. I’m betting that Elsa is about to lose her shit when she finds out and comes here.”

“Who killed Mark?”

I explain the whole Ghost thing before I circle back to him. “Do you know about the link between Ellis and Elsa? Did he tell you?”

“He did not. What fucking link? What am I walking into?”

My gut tells me I have to tell him. It’s necessary knowledge that helps him stay alive. If he’s dirty, he’ll pay. I’ll make sure of it. “Elsa went to school with the director’s daughter.”

“Holy hell,” he breathes out. “You think Ellis is dirty and working with her?”

“Or playing bleeding heart, trying to save her, which might well have gotten him killed. If Ellis is with Elsa, I’m not sure how she will react to Mark’s death. She lost her mother tragically a few years back. Then her father. Now her brother.”

“In other words, she’s armed and emotional. The worst kind of opponent.”

“Exactly. And for the record, I have questions about why Ellis would trust you when he supposedly does not know you well. Expect me to ask them if you live.” A knock sounds on my window, which will of course be my brother, since he has the timing of a two-year-old at all times. “I have to go.”

“I have a good answer,” he says.

“Doubtful, but I’ll hear it before I kill you.”

“You know your job is to arrest people. We’re going to work on that, Special Agent Love-Mendez.”

He hangs up on me.

And I can’t help but wonder if him using Love-Mendez is meant to suggest my name, and my marriage is why I leave a trail of bodies behind me. If so, he has no idea how wrong he is with that premise. The bloodbath that is my life is all me.