Page 66 of Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries #6)

W hile paramedics worked on Jason, Olive made her way to the holding area where Simon was helping process the trafficking victims. She found Tevin being loaded onto a gurney.

“He’s still alive?” She rushed to him, glancing at the paramedics. She’d been so certain he was dead. But . . .

“He’s critical,” one of the paramedics said. “We need to get him to the hospital.”

She nodded, an ache forming her heart as she watched Tevin being wheeled away. At least he was still hanging in. She prayed he’d be okay.

As she stepped back and let the paramedics do their jobs, she felt movement behind her.

She turned to see Trick and Nova. Olive threw her arms around them, so grateful they were unharmed.

“We knew you’d find us,” Nova said with a weak smile. “You always do.”

“What happened?” Olive rushed. “How did they capture you?”

“One minute we were doing our stakeout,” Trick said. “The next moment, men surrounded us with guns. We couldn’t fight our way out of it.”

“I’m so happy to see you.” Olive gave them another hug.

She wasn’t usually a hugger, but maybe this situation had changed her.

Things continued to happen in a whirlwind.

Across the warehouse, Olive spotted a familiar figure in a police uniform talking with an FBI agent.

“Dean?” She approached Jason’s brother-in-law, noting his grim expression.

He turned toward her, relief washing over his features. “Olive. I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Jason’s being treated right now. He was shot, but he should be fine.”

“I know. I just talked to him.” He paused. “I wanted to let you know that my suspicions were correct. They had our police chief on their payroll. They were basically paying him to look the other way.”

“That’s a shame. But I’m glad it’s over, that he can deal with the consequences now.”

Dean paused, his jaw tight. “I also found out that Nancy Brennan—Lloyd’s girlfriend—has been cooperating with the FBI for months. I just talked to the agent in charge, and she filled me in. She’s been in FBI custody ever since she left the hospital that night.”

Olive squinted. “What do you mean she’s been cooperating with the feds for months?”

“When Lloyd started receiving those payments again, the FBI talked to her and asked her to monitor his activities.” Dean’s expression softened slightly. “She’s been trying to protect him while gathering evidence.”

“So Lloyd . . .”

“In a way, he’s a victim in this too. They’ve been using his medical skills under threat, forcing him to treat people injured in their operations.

They told him they’d kill his family if he didn’t cooperate—including Chelsea and the kids.

” Dean’s gaze narrowed in anger. “He didn’t feel like he had any choice but to do what they said.

Nancy’s been documenting everything. He’s not totally innocent, but he’s not totally guilty either, if that makes sense. ”

“So what will happen to him?”

“With his cooperation, I expect the charges against him will be dropped.”

Olive nodded. “Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?”

“I thought you knew. He was being kept in one of the rooms here. He’s okay.”

Another whoosh of relief swept over her.

At least there was some good news.

A lot of good news, actually. These people who’d been caught up in human trafficking had been freed. A crime ring had been stopped.

But Olive had almost lost it all.

As if summoned by their conversation, Nancy appeared from the warehouse with FBI agents, supporting a familiar silver-haired figure.

Lloyd Stewart looked older and frailer than when Olive had last seen him, but his eyes were clear and relieved.

They walked toward her and paused.

“I’m sorry, Olive.” Lloyd’s voice was so low and hoarse that Olive could hardly understand him. “For everything.”

“I understand,” Olive said.

And she did. Desperate people did desperate things.

As the warehouse continued to be scoured for evidence, Olive walked back to Jason’s stretcher.

“Is it over?” His voice sounded gruff.

Olive looked around at the aftermath—Sarah, Anton, and Elena in federal custody, Anton’s network dismantled, dozens of victims rescued, and her friends alive and safe.

“It’s over.” She took his uninjured hand in hers. “And when you’re feeling better, we need to finish that conversation we keep starting.”

Jason managed a smile despite his pallor. “About us?”

“About us. About trust. About not keeping secrets anymore.” She squeezed his hand. “About how I love you too.”

His eyes warmed. “That’s definitely a conversation I want to have.”

“You took a bullet for me, Jason.” Her voice cracked as emotions began to choke her.

“And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

As the ambulance doors closed to begin the journey to the hospital, Olive closed her eyes and thanked God for answered prayers.

As Olive stood in the chaos of the warehouse parking lot, she felt oddly detached from the swirl of activity around her.

FBI agents coordinated the processing of evidence and witnesses. Paramedics worked to stabilize the rescued trafficking victims before loading them into a convoy of ambulances. Local police officers secured the perimeter while federal agents led handcuffed suspects toward unmarked vehicles.

The scale of the operation was staggering—easily fifty law enforcement personnel, multiple agencies, and what looked like enough evidence to fill several trucks.

A familiar sedan pulled up to the outer perimeter, and Olive’s breath caught as she recognized the driver stepping out.

Tom Greer. His face was lined with worry and exhaustion. But when his eyes found Olive’s across the parking lot, his expression transformed into one of profound relief.

Olive slowly walked toward him, her emotions warring between gratitude and guilt.

When she was ten feet away, she stopped, uncertain.

Tom’s weathered face cracked into a gentle smile. “Ollie . . .”

That broke whatever restraint she’d been holding onto. Olive ran to him and threw her arms around him, burying her face against his shoulder the way she had so many times as a grieving teenager.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry I called you. I put you in danger.”

Tom’s arms tightened around her. “Shh. It’s okay. You did what you had to do.”

When she finally pulled away, tears stung her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me? About your suspicions, about what you’d figured out? All these years, you’ve been investigating on your own.”

Tom’s expression grew troubled. “Because they were just theories, Olive. Hunches based on inconsistencies that had bothered me for eight years. I didn’t want to cause you more pain than necessary, not unless I was certain.”

“You told me once that my father’s real name was Walter Wiggle. Was that a lie?”

His lips pulled down into a deeper frown. “No, that was the name he was born with. Apparently, your father’s parents were big fans of Zion National Park. There’s a hike there featuring a section with that name. But he covered up his background really well.”

“Are his parents really dead?” She swallowed hard as she waited for his answer.

“Yes, your grandparents on both sides are really dead. That wasn’t a lie. In fact, from what I’ve learned, both of your parents were in foster care. That’s how they met.”

“Desperate people do desperate things,” she murmured, the saying sticking in her head.

“Yes, they do.”

Olive shifted. “Did you know Sarah was my aunt?”

“I suspected she was your aunt. When you sent me that surveillance photo, it confirmed what I’d been afraid of.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, studying her face. “I’ve been following leads ever since your family’s murders, trying to piece together what really happened that night.”

Olive wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Sarah made me call you. She was going to kill you whether I cooperated or not.”

“I know,” Tom said gently. “The moment you said not to trust anyone else, I knew you were warning me. I’ve been in this business long enough to read between the lines.”

Around them, the operation continued. Olive watched as more suspects were led away in handcuffs, as evidence was catalogued and loaded into vehicles, as the rescued victims received medical attention.

“How many people do you think we saved tonight?” she asked.

Tom followed her gaze to where paramedics were treating a group of trafficking victims. “Forty-three victims from this location alone. But according to the FBI, this coordinated strike hit operations in four countries. We’re talking about hundreds of lives saved, maybe thousands.”

Olive stared at the scene, slowly bobbing her head as she tried to comprehend those numbers.

“You also managed to stop the distribution of that drug that was being developed and tested up in Maine. I’ve been in contact with Simon.

He really does work for the CIA, and I asked him to head to Maine when I heard that’s where you were going.

I feared Anton might be involved, and if Anton learned who you really were . . .”

“I wasn’t sure if I could trust him or not.”

“You know what I say—never trust a spook.” He offered a crooked smile.

“You were always full of good advice.”

Tom pulled her into another hug, and when he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. “You brought down a very powerful criminal organization tonight, Olive. One that’s been operating for over a decade. You should be proud of yourself.”

“I couldn’t have done it alone.”

“No, but you’re the one who had the courage to keep digging when it would have been easier to walk away.

You’re the one who risked everything to find the truth.

” Tom’s voice grew softer. “I’m proud of you.

So proud. You’ve always been like a daughter to me, and watching you tonight .

. . I know your parents would be proud too. ”

As if summoned by his words, one of the FBI agents approached them. “Ms. Sterling? We’re going to need a full debriefing, but that can wait until tomorrow. You’ve been through enough for one night.”

Tom nodded to the agent, then looked back at Olive. “Go get some rest. Check on Jason. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Olive said. “For everything. For letting me live with you, for never giving up on finding the truth, for coming tonight even though you knew it was dangerous.”

“That’s what family does,” Tom said simply. “We show up for each other.”

As he walked back toward his car, Olive stood watching the controlled chaos around her and realized that, despite everything she’d lost, she still had people who loved her unconditionally. People who would risk their lives for her just as she would for them.

The nightmare that had started eight years ago was finally over. And maybe, just maybe, the future could be something beautiful.