Page 37 of Undercover Shadow

The way she looked at me when she said it made my paranoia flare. Was that a pointed comment?

From the corner of my eye, I saw Con quietly check his phone, then slip it back into his pocket. His expression didn’t change, but something shifted in his posture, making me think he’d also heard from Kestrel.

“Prima just landed in Glasgow,” Typhon said, glancing at his mobile. “She and Vanguard should arrive within the hour.”

I stood. “This would be a good time for a break, then. We can regroup once they’re here and discuss investigation strategies.”

Typhon nodded. “Agreed. Reconvene in one hour.”

As those in the room began to disperse, Tag moved toward me, but I was already gathering my laptop and heading for the door.

I needed to see what Kestrel had sent. And I needed to see it before anyone—especially Tag—could ask questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

I found Con in the corridor just outside the study, staring at his mobile.

“You got it too?” I whispered.

He looked up. “Let’s take this outside.”

After we’d walked several paces from the castle’s entrance, I pulled up the encrypted message.

It was brief—exactly Kestrel’s style.

PRIORITY INTEL:

Edinburgh: Gallery district financial transactions (Cyprus/Malta accounts)

Teesport: Shipping anomalies, container diversions

Northern Highlands: Thermal activity detected Inverness region

Mediterranean financial networks active.

Recommend immediate investigation.

Con stared at the screen, his expression shifting to recognition before he looked up at me. “Lex and I had eyes on a specific gallery in Edinburgh when we were tracking Orlov—the Imperial. We couldn’t prove anything then, but we suspected money laundering. The clientele didn’t match legitimate art collectors.”

“Kestrel’s intel confirms current activity,” I said, studying the details.

“There was a private members’ club by the same name involved. We were able to listen into one conversation before almost being discovered. We overheard things about a consortium, a developer, and integration timelines. We suspected they were discussing Orlov, but like the money laundering, we couldn’t confirm it then.” Con tapped the screen. “If Kestrel’s pointing us back to Edinburgh’s gallery district, my guess is that these locations are active again.”

“Which means the network didn’t collapse after Inverness.”

“No. It reorganized.”

I checked my watch. “We have approximately forty-five minutes to sift through this and craft a plan to address it.”

“Right. Library?”

I was about to follow him inside when Tag approached.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi.”

“Got a minute?” He motioned to the bench.

“Actually, I do not.”