Page 39 of Kane (Ghost Ops #4)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kane was jumpy as shit. He paced around the small room where Seth was currently working his magic on the computer. The answers weren’t as quick as Kane wanted, though.

They’d moved her computer to a small storeroom off the hallway so she could work undisturbed and out of site of the public entering and exiting the range.

Kane had frowned at the size of it, but Daphne had said she was happy.

The room was little more than a closet, but after they’d moved out some of the supplies they kept inside it, there was just enough room for a desk and a chair.

She’d seemed surprised they were going to let her keep working, but Ghost had told her with a smirk that if he’d known they’d had a real accountant on the premises, he’d have given her all the financials in the first place instead of only some of it.

She’d managed a smile after that and then immersed herself in the things she did best, like updating the spreadsheet, fielding calls, and booking appointments.

The rest of them were taking turns in the front of the building when it was busy, but otherwise they knew when someone entered and could go up front to greet them. After business hours, someone would be with Daphne at all times.

Him, because he wasn’t letting anyone else do it.

Seth had offered to let Luna, the Belgian Malinois he and Callie had rescued, stay with them—if Callie agreed—but Kane thanked him and said he didn’t think they’d need her.

Still, he was touched that his friend had offered.

Daphne had been, too. She sometimes dog-sat for Seth and Callie and she loved Luna.

But Luna, though a Malinois, wasn’t a trained guard dog and Kane didn’t feel right taking her from her new family.

She’d done a good job when Dima Smirnov had grabbed Nikki, but Kane wasn’t going to take the chance Luna could get hurt this time around.

Fortunately, Daphne had agreed. If anything, she’d been more insistent than he had that she didn’t want Luna in the path of danger.

“Josephine Daphne O’Malley,” Seth said. “Twenty-eight-years old, five seven, blond hair, green eyes. Wow.”

The sound of that wow had Kane walking around the desk to look at the screen. The woman staring back at him was stunning—and not his Daphne. This woman had a mane of blond hair, emerald green eyes, and artfully applied makeup. She definitely looked older than the makeup-free redhead he knew.

“You wouldn’t know it’s the same woman at first look, except you can see it in the face shape.”

“I like her better the way she is now,” Seth said. “This woman looks like somebody who could shoot a pea off a fencepost at twenty-five yards.”

Which they both knew she could do, looking like that or not.

“She’s pretty either way,” Kane said, needing to defend her. Didn’t matter if a woman wore makeup or not so long as she was happy.

“She is. Just saying I wouldn’t make small talk with that one. Our Daphne is friendly and approachable.”

Our Daphne. He liked the way that sounded coming from Seth, the man who’d always been lauded for his robotic ability to focus on the facts and not let emotion get in the way.

“She is. How did she get past the security check you did on her originally?”

“Whoever made her fake ID is good. They made an entire background for her that stood up to digital scrutiny. Not that I tried too hard. Have to admit that I accepted what I found and went on with life.”

“Why wouldn’t you? We were hiring a down-on-her-luck woman we found squatting in an apartment building. It all checked out.”

Seth nodded. “It did.”

Ghost walked into the room. “What’s that memory card looking like?”

“I copied it over and pulled up the files. When Daphne said she took everything, she took everything. There are financial records, documents, and two sets of books for the accounting, one for the legit Crescent City Armory and another for O’Malley’s illegal businesses.

The second set of books is coded, but Daphne provided the code to read it.

Her father’s involved in a lot of underworld shit.

Drugs, money laundering, protection rackets, prostitution, and gun running.

Most of it’s funneled through legit businesses like The Diamond Queen, which Daphne ran.

The gun business is the biggie. Like she said, they take delivery at various warehouses that O’Malley either rents or owns.

He then sells them on, with or without modifications, to the mafia, drug lords, and fringe groups.

The Dashevsky Group is on here, and Smirnov’s gun came from that lot.

The interesting thing is that I found a name from Huntsville, too.

Colonel Brent Gannon. Retired U.S. Air Force.

He works at the MDA facility on Redstone Arsenal as a contractor.

He was asked to retire from active duty two years ago after being accused of harassing a female airman under his command.

That’s all I know at the moment, but I’m searching for more. ”

Ghost looked thoughtful. “Diana might know something about Gannon. If he’s buying illegal weapons, he might have pinged her radar. We got enough to call her in?”

Seth nodded. “Think so, boss.”

“And the human trafficking?”

“It’s here. Not part of the financials that Daphne was responsible for, but it’s in the documents.

Her brother isn’t all that subtle, and he’s arrogant.

He kept records, and he didn’t code them.

He targets vulnerable women and teens, like she said.

He’s been at it for a few months, so no telling how many women and kids are affected. ”

“I fucking hate people sometimes.”

“Amen,” Kane added.

When you’d seen the worst people could do to each other, it scarred you for life whether you admitted it or not. Didn’t mean you couldn’t have hope in humankind, but you always expected the worst. That way you weren’t surprised.

Ghost rubbed his forehead. “Okay. I’ll call Agent Corbin. See what I can get out of her.”

Ethan strode in. “Been looking at the camera footage from the hallway of the Sutton building. There was a man who emerged from the open apartment beside Daphne’s, went to her door, bent down like he was sliding something under it, and returned to the apartment.

Looked to be one of the construction workers.

I asked Blaze who was doing the work yesterday but he didn’t know.

He’s calling Emma to find out. Figured we could get a list of who was onsite yesterday. ”

“Fader could have paid this guy to slip the card under,” Kane said. “Or it could be her brother. He might be nearby but lying low.”

“Got a photo of Jackson O’Malley?” Ghost said.

“Right here.”

Seth turned the screen so they could see.

The guy was good-looking, young, with red hair and a red goatee.

His eyes were blue. Empty. He looked like the kind of person who tortured small animals for fun.

Kane couldn’t imagine Daphne and this fucker sharing genes, but the resemblance was too strong to ignore.

“Need to see if anyone’s seen him in town,” Kane said. Growled, really. “And if anybody’s with him.”

“Blaze and Chance can go, ask Rory and Theo, then maybe the shop owners on main street,” Ghost said.

“He might have ordered coffee at Wendy Cochran’s, or eaten at Miss Mary’s, or even the Dawg.

Hell, maybe he bought crystals from Colleen for all we know.

But I’d think if someone was asking around for Daphne, we’d know about it. ”

“We should see if he’s at the Wheeler Inn,” Kane added. “Might be staying there, waiting for something before he makes a move.”

“I’m not talking to Celia Lincoln,” Seth said. “She annoys the shit out of me.”

“I’ll take her,” Ethan said. “She’s a snooty old bag, but she likes my accent. Thinks it’s exotic.”

Seth snorted. “Exotic? It’s fucking Jersey Shore.”

“I’m from Brooklyn, asshole.”

“Same difference.”

Ethan let out a long-suffering sigh. “Hardly. But then you think pizza’s pizza and what’s the difference, right?”

“Believe me, I know New York pizza is superior because it’s all you talk about. Especially when our asses were stuck somewhere on overwatch duty and I was fucking starving to death. You and the pizza. Always the pizza.”

“Fuck yeah,” Ethan said. “You want me to talk to that old lady or what?”

“Yes, I do. Thanks.”

“Then tell me New York pizza is the best.”

Seth groaned. “Dude, it’s the best. I’d sell my soul for one slice if it makes you happy.”

Ethan nodded. “Happy enough. I’ll go see Ms. Lincoln.”

The bell for the front door alerted them to a customer.

“I got it,” Kane said. Blaze and Chance were inside the range, working on one of the target pulls that’d gotten stuck, and Kane was just restless enough to want to make the trip.

When he reached the front of the building, a man stood at the counter, looking mildly annoyed. Kane’s insides tightened at the sight of Nathan Fader. He wanted to throttle the dude, ask if he’d been the one to break into Daphne’s apartment. If he’d informed her father she was in Sutton’s Creek.

He could do none of it.

“Hey, man. What can I help you with? Want a lane for an hour?”

“No. No lane.” Fader studied him, piggy eyes narrowed and cold. “Where’s your fiancée?”

He said the word with a sneer. Kane nearly crossed the counter, but told himself it wasn’t a good idea. Not yet anyway.

“Not here. What do you want?”

“Just wanted to give her a message.”

“Yeah? What message is that? And careful what you say, asshole, or I’ll punch your face in.”

Fader shook his head. “You even know who she is, or you just a clueless dick she’s shacking up with?”

“Man, I’m telling you,” Kane said, ice filling his veins.

“You do not want to fuck with me. You see an Alabama country boy standing here, think he’s stupid or something?

My man, you have no idea where I come from or what I’ve done.

I can make a body disappear just as well as you and the dick holding your leash can. ”

“You don’t know a damned thing about me either. Just sayin’. You tell Josie to get the fuck out of town. Now. Before reinforcements get here, because they are surely coming for her.”

“Who the fuck is Josie?” Kane asked, because he couldn’t admit the dude was right. What if that was the objective? But damn, he was shocked at the idea this guy wanted to warn her. Unless he wasn’t being truthful. Unless it was all a ploy to positively identify her.

Fader looked disgusted. “I got no beef with her. None. But I’m not the only person on this here earth knows she left town with a boatload of secrets. Her daddy wants them back. Her brother does too. They know she’s here. Saw fucking Jackson myself yesterday, right here in this town.”

Daphne emerged from the hallway before Kane had any idea she’d do something so fucking harebrained. He wanted to shove her back the way she’d come but it was too late. Fader had already seen her.

“Jackson’s in town?”

Fader smirked at Kane, then turned his attention to Daphne. “Yeah, doll, he is. And he’s looking for you.”

She managed to look queenly and frightened at the same time. He was going to murder her later, but right now he admired her balls. “You told him I was here.”

“Not me. This is a fucking gun range. Didn’t you think somebody might recognize you? John O’Malley’s fucking daughter in the middle of a gun operation?”

She sniffed and frowned. Hard. “I thought about it, yeah. But sometimes hiding in plain sight is the best idea because nobody thinks to look for you there.”

“Yeah, well they didn’t look for you here, did they? But they damn sure found you. Somebody spotted you and they went running to your daddy about it.”

“Why are you telling me this? You’re working for my father, aren’t you? Why would you warn me?”

Fader’s expression grew troubled. “You helped a friend out of a bad situation. This is payback for it.”

“Kenny’s sister,” Daphne said, her eyes widening.

“Yeah. Louanne.” His voice cracked on the name. “Good woman. Sweet. Didn’t deserve that shit.”

Daphne had moved closer. Kane stepped to the side to intercept her. He didn’t block her, but he put himself between her and Fader. Just in case.

“You love her.”

Kane didn’t know how she jumped to that wild ass conclusion based on one moment of Fader saying Louanne’s name, but his hard look crumbled. Direct hit.

“Nah,” he said gruffly. “Kenny’s my bud. Louanne is like a sister to me.”

Daphne smiled at him, the softest smile Kane had seen. “Listen to me, Mr. Fader. If you love her, tell her. For all you know, she feels the same. Don’t waste time pretending or pushing her away. If the Universe says you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be.”

Fader cleared his throat. “Don’t know about that. Anyway, just wanted you to know. Maybe get the fuck out before he catches you.”

“Did you slip a queen of diamonds playing card under her door?” Kane asked.

“I paid one of the construction workers to do it. Thought it’d scare her into getting lost again. Looks like I was wrong.”

“Fair enough. Did you break into her place a few days ago?”

“No. I came here to warn her, but I didn’t do that shit. That’s Jackson’s doing.” He pulled in a breath, his lips flattening. “I’ve done my part, time for you to do yours, Josie.”

Kane didn’t like the look in Daphne’s eyes. It was a hunted look, scared. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “She’s safe here.”

Fader shook his head. “Up to you, but if you love her, get her out of here. Don’t let them find her. That’s all I came to say.”