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‘That’s what I saw within the walls,’ Kate agreed. ‘The back part of the property is mostly forested, but I did see two sheds through the chain-link fence. One is normal-sized – for shovels and stuff – and the other is large, with a high ceiling, almost like a building you’d see at a state fair.’
‘Lots of places to hide one small woman,’ Scarlett muttered.
‘She’s likely being kept in the basement,’ Marcus said, ‘based on the video he sent us. The cage was on a concrete floor and the walls in the background were unfinished.’
‘And the sound echoed a little,’ Scarlett added. ‘I’d start looking there once we get in.’
‘Did you see any sign of people?’ Marcus asked. ‘Guards specifically?’
‘Not walking around,’ Kate said, ‘but there have been people there recently. There’s trash in the cans outside and one of the garage doors is up. I took some photos.’ She handed over her phone, and Scarlett and Marcus flipped through the pictures, confirming what she had described.
‘Any ideas of how we get in?’ Scarlett asked.
Marcus shook his head, his shoulders sagging. ‘No,’ he murmured.
Scarlett curled her hand around his forearm. ‘Then we wait for him to come out. If he hasn’t left yet, he’ll have to come through the front gate. We put Kate up in the tree and she can take him out with a head shot, assuming his vehicle isn’t fitted with bullet-resistant glass. If we can’t take him out, we disable the car and physically ambush him.’
Marcus lifted his head. Stared at her for a moment, hope in his eyes. ‘We have to get him before he knows we’re coming. Kate?’
Kate checked the time. ‘Deacon will be here soon, but the SWAT guys are still twenty minutes out. I really want the backup.’
‘But Sweeney might leave for the meet before they get here,’ Marcus protested.
‘Kate, let’s get as close to the front gate as we can without setting off the security, and find our positions,’ Scarlett bargained. ‘We won’t move in until backup arrives, unless Sweeney’s vehicle comes through the gate. Does that work?’
Kate considered it for a split second longer. ‘Yeah, that works.’
‘Then let’s go,’ Marcus said, his jaw clenched. ‘How do we avoid the cameras?’
‘I hid in the tree cover. I assume it worked because nobody shot at me. Follow me.’
Scarlett gave his arm another squeeze. ‘You heard the woman, soldier. Fall in.’
Cinci
Wednesday 5 August, 11.10 P.M.
Ken logged out of his bank account and closed his laptop before turning to look down at his son, who lay on the floor shivering, despite the heat in the garage. Bound hand and foot, Sean boasted fewer fingers and toes than he’d had before they’d started.
It only seemed fair. Ken had taken Demetrius’s fingers based on the belief that his old friend had betrayed him, when in reality it had been Sean setting his team up to mistrust each other. Sean fancied himself a grand puppet master, pulling the strings. Sean had been wrong.
‘I gotta hand it to you, son,’ Ken said. ‘You held out far longer than I expected before spilling your secrets.’ But he had spilled them. ‘You’ll be happy to know that I’ve reclaimed my money – and yours. But not to worry. You won’t be needing it anymore.’
Sean stared up at him, hatred and agony glazing his eyes. ‘You fucking bastard,’ he croaked hoarsely. He’d screamed long and loud, and his voice was mostly gone.
‘Watch your tone, boy,’ Ken said mildly. Swiping his shirtsleeve over his brow, he wiped away the sweat that dripped into his eyes. He’d opened the garage door to get a little fresh air after finishing with Sean, but the air outside was hot and muggy too. He needed a shower and a change of clothes. I reek, he thought. His clothing was smeared with Sean’s blood. Now that his money was safe, he needed to clean up and get in position to eliminate O’Ba
Ken had no plans to walk up and meet the man. There would be no exchange of pleasantries or threats. No face-to-face final confrontation. He didn’t need O’Ba
Because he did not want that man following him to the ends of the earth. Ken wanted the freedom to live where and as he pleased.
He reached down to grab Sean’s ankles so that he could drag him out of the garage, but hesitated. There were still a few things he needed to know. He met his son’s furious – and helpless – gaze. ‘So nobody was stealing money, Demetrius was loyal, and you really don’t know where Reuben is?’
‘Go to hell.’
He tapped Sean’s shot-out knee with the toe of his boot, making his son moan in pain. ‘I’ll kick it. You won’t like that, I promise. What about Reuben’s wife, Miriam? Was she really saved by an anonymous 911 call?’ He held his knife poised over the knee wound. ‘Don’t give me attitude.’
‘There was an anonymous 911 call,’ Sean gritted. ‘But Miriam was already dead. Nobody pumped her stomach or made her vomit. She died because you drugged her.’
Ken clenched his jaw. ‘So you lied about Burton double-crossing me, too.’
‘No. I didn’t lie.’ Sean’s baring of teeth was a gross parody of a smile. ‘You assumed.’
Ken’s rage roiled within him. ‘I ordered Burton’s death. Decker killed him and disposed of him.’
‘You have a conscience?’ Sean scoffed.
‘No. But you cost me a man I could have depended on later.’ And that pissed him off. Losing a loyal man who’d kill his friend’s wife on Ken’s command? Burton had been an asset. ‘What about your sister?’ he asked. ‘Was Alice in on this with you?’
Sean pursed his lips like he wasn’t going to answer until Ken pushed the blade further into his knee wound. Sean’s eyes rolled back and Ken slapped his face hard.
‘You will keep it together,’ Ken snarled. ‘You’ll die when I decide it’s time. Was your sister in on this with you?’
‘No!’ Sean cried out shrilly. ‘She was loyal.’ He panted, his face ashen. ‘She wanted to buy you out.’ His mouth twisted. ‘Pay you money.’
‘But you didn’t,’ Ken said quietly. ‘You wanted to steal it.’
‘I wanted you to die knowing you’d lost it all.’ Sean spat the words as tears ran down his face. ‘But she loves you,’ he sneered. ‘And I hate her for it.’
Ken blinked, momentarily stu
‘No. No. I couldn’t do that.’ Sean shook his head, sobs now shaking his body. ‘So I got her out of the way.’
Slowly Ken came to his feet, his mind numb, yet racing. Alice was out of the way. In custody. Because I sent her to take care of the tracker supplier. Because Sean had told him that the supplier was being brought to police headquarters. He grabbed his son by the collar of his blood-soaked shirt. ‘You set her up to go to prison?’
‘I was going to get her out!’ Sean shouted. ‘I was going to get her the best lawyer money could buy!’
Ken shook him hard. ‘When?’
‘After you were dead,’ Sean said flatly. ‘And I’d put you through the goddamn woodchipper.’
Ken twisted Sean’s collar with one hand as he drew his other back and backhanded his son so hard that his head hit the floor with an audible crack. ‘You little bastard,’ he said quietly. I want to kill him. Want to break his fucking neck. But that would be too quick. Too merciful. ‘Tell me, Sean,’ he continued, still quietly. ‘Had you pla
Sean blanched, able to see where this was going. The boy was smart that way. ‘I hadn’t thought about it,’ he replied, struggling for bravado.
Ken smiled. ‘I have. And I don’t.’ He had the satisfaction of watching his son’s bravado drain away, leaving Sean shaking in a pool of his own blood and tears.