Page 47 of Protecting Lainey (Broterhood Alliance #7)

The silence in the cab of the truck was welcome as Finn drove back to command central. Chase and whoever else was around needed information and they needed a plan of attack.

His grip on the wheel tightened. He should have seen this coming. He should have trusted his gut about Travis. Anger, fear and relief played ping-pong with his emotions and consumed him as the miles passed.

Anger at Travis and also at himself. The bastard had been in his sights, and he didn’t act. Lainey’s kidnapping was his fault.

The fear she was experiencing would be almost paralyzing. He’d been in battle, lived in fear, but as a woman and the mother of his child, she shouldn’t. God, what if she was hurt? What if she thought no one was coming for her?

No, that was just dumb. Lainey knew and trusted that he would find her.

And finding Luke unharmed was a miracle. When his little head popped up behind that fallen tree, Finn’s heart swelled. He looked so small. So brave.

Only a couple more miles to command central, and Dex would be able to flip through traffic cams and hopefully narrow down where Lainey was.

The building came into view, and he recognized several vehicles there.

Ryker promised to stay close to Dani and the boys, so that was one less thing he didn’t have to worry about.

Chase and Titus were already here. Maybe Zach Rodgers.

He lived on campus and if he was home, maybe.

But he didn’t go out on rescues. They weren’t his thing right now.

Will, Colt and Ford were on a security detail for another week.

He parked the truck and took a deep breath.

Then another. No sense in falling apart. Not until Lainey was back.

“We’re gonna find her,” said Dex. “Promise.”

Finn nodded. They had to. There was no other option.

Caleb pulled in behind them, and they all walked back to the library. The others were already there.

“Sitrep,” said Chase.

Dex sat at his computer, which was already set up.

Finn described finding Luke safe and Travis’s part in the abduction.

Dex’s fingers were already flying across the keyboard. His brow furrowed. “Fuck. I caught the truck on a feed coming off one of the feeder roads into town. But I lost them.”

“We need to know the players in this,” said Chase. “I called Tex earlier to see if he could pull additional information that could help us.”

Dex got up and pulled down a screen behind Chase. “I’m going to pull up a map of where I last saw Travis’s truck.”

Finn nervously tapped the table. Would Tex call back with new information? When? They needed it like yesterday.

As if he had heard them, the phone rang. Chase answered it and put it on speakerphone.

“Scorpion, I’m sorry to hear about your woman.”

“Do you have anything for us?” Finn asked. Then realized how abrupt that was. “Sorry, just worried.”

“No problem. This time,” said Tex, “I did some more digging. I already told you about Hartwell Redevelopment Group being a shell company. I’m sending you more information, but I can tell you this is dangerous.

Let me introduce you to Greenleaf Development, Wade Equity, and Jameson Civic Partners.

They look like real estate investors on paper.

But the money trail? Dirty as they come. ”

“What are you saying?” asked Finn.

“They’re all shell companies,” Tex replied. “Set up to buy, hold and hide property ownership. They all trace back to the same PO Box in Atlanta.”

Caleb frowned. “Who’s on the paperwork?”

Tex hesitated. “Okay, here it is. Finn, you asked me about a Richard Cummings last we spoke.”

“Yeah?”

“His name just came up as the authorized agent for Wade Equity. Plus, he’s got indirect holdings in the other two with a trust based in the Caymans.”

“Fuck. How many firewalls did you have to go through to get that information?” asked Dex.

“You don’t want to know. And it gets worse.”

Finn’s stomach dropped.

As if it could get worse.

“How?” asked Chase.

“Cummings isn’t working alone. The money came from a flagged account on the Treasury watch list and is tied to syndicate activity.”

Dex let out a low whistle.

“Okay, boys and girls. Here’s the cherry on top. Greenleaf owns a block of warehouses just outside town on Mill Pond Road. It was bought six months ago, paid in full. No inspections. No utilities.” He paused. “You know what that means.”

Caleb muttered, “It’s not for storage.”

“Bingo,” Tex said.

“Lainey has to be there,” said Finn. She had to be. He needed to hold her, kiss her, and tell her this nightmare was over.

“I believe she is or was. But you’re running out of time. Cummings and the syndicate are getting sloppy. Sloppy means desperate. And desperate gets people killed.”

“Do you have site plans?” asked Chase.

“Already sent. One more thing, Cummings has been making inquiries near Lainey’s site. I’m betting he’s trying to tank it and buy it dirt cheap through one of the shells.”

Titus swore. “Lainey is in deeper trouble than any of us imagined.”

“You all better get your act together and get over there,” said Tex. “This is going down and fast.”