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CHAPTER FIFTY

J oseph was leaving his meeting with his parole officer when his burner rang.

“It’s done.”

“Both packages?” Joseph glanced at his brother who was driving. They’d been sure to be seen in Thibodaux, even hitting the coffeeshop and flirting with a pretty little creole barista and her friend.

“Not both.”

Fuck .

Virgil sent him a look and Joseph shook his head. “The deal was both.”

“I’m not the only one who has failed to live up to the deal , partner.”

They had to be careful what they said even on a burner phone. Neither trusted the other not to record it amongst other things.

Joseph growled at the censure. “A minor delay.”

“Perhaps. But the second package is of no consequence. The location was busy, and I had to get it done before they headed off into the sunset. You’re the one who initiated the timetable.”

“Fine. Whatever.” Joseph would deal with the motherfucker some other time. Maybe a couple of years down the line. When Preston Zimmerman had relaxed and forgotten all about Joseph and the fact he’d stolen his wife. He wondered if the guy would fight for custody of his stepdaughter. If he did, Preston was going to meet his maker a hell of a lot sooner.

“I saw him, you know.”

Scanlon froze. Questions tumbled through his brain, all too dangerous to ask.

“He was at the house before she left for the airport.”

The fuck ? “Did he see you?”

“No. I left as soon as they arrived.”

“They?”

“Some other agent. At first, I thought it was her…”

“She’s dead.” Even if he never got Demarco, killing that bitch had been satisfying as hell.

“Yeah. This one wasn’t as pretty.” His partner in crime huffed out a breath. “When will you fulfill your end of the bargain?”

“Soon.”

“When?”

“I said soon.” Motherfucker . He didn’t like to be questioned, but he couldn’t upset this person. He rubbed his hand over his face. “The law will be all over me for the next few days. You know that. As soon as they verify my alibi, I’ll plan the next move.”

“Maybe I’ll do it myself.”

“You do and you’ll be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life.” He wasn’t giving up Casta Demarco. He wanted to watch him bleed out. Spill every drop into the dirt where he belonged. Prove which one of them was the better sniper, the better SEAL, the better man. “I’ll live up to my part of the bargain. Now get off the phone and get rid of this burner. Switch to the next one. Can’t risk anyone connecting the two of us. Not now. Not ever.”

Joseph rolled down his window and tossed the cell into the depths of the bayou.