Page 72 of Omega's Fever

The trafficking. He means the trafficking.

“The books they seized were cooked,” I say.

“Cooked, seasoned, and served with a side of bullshit.” Damon’s mouth twists. “The real books would show exactly who was running what. Would show you were just muscle.”

“Where are they?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” He shifts, and I catch the subtle adjustment of someone carrying concealed. Old habits. “But Haymore would know.”

“Who?”

“The asshole accountant who did Cobb’s books. I don’t think you ever met him. He came by during the day.”

“Any idea where I’d find him?”

They exchange another look. “I don’t know,” Penelope says. “He was high up though. He had that snooty look every time he came by. We were good enough to make money off of but never good enough to talk to.”

“There’s more,” Damon says. “The club had security cameras. Good ones. Digital storage, off-site backup. If those recordings still exist...”

“They’d be proof.”

“They’d show everything.” His expression is grim.

“Where’s the backup?”

“Sorry, I don’t know,” Damon spreads his hands. “Sorry. Iknow it’s not much.”

“It’s more than I had.”

We sit in silence for a moment. Penelope’s hand drifts to her stomach again, protective.

“When are you due?” I ask.

“September.” A smile flickers across her face. “It’s a girl.”

“That’s great. Really great.”

“You should go,” Damon says quietly. “The longer you stay...”

The more danger I put them in. I know.

At the door, Penelope hugs me again, fierce and quick.

“Be careful,” she whispers. “And Kellen? Good luck. You know we love you.”

“Love you both too.”

Damon offers his hand. “You need anything—anything that doesn’t put her at risk—you call.”

I’m about to leave when I realize I’ve forgotten something. “What was his first name? The accountant?”

Pen looks at Damon and wrinkles her nose. “Not sure. It was something like—”

“Kenneth. Kenneth Warren,” Damon says and my blood runs cold.

Suddenly, everything Milo’s uncle said before our claiming makes a different kind of sense.

Milo, if you stay with this man, you’re going to wind up dead.