Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
“Fucking Levi Green killed his father,” Big Tag said in a low growl, mentioning the unalived CIA operative who’d haunted them for years. “But what we learned recently is he blames me. Huisman believes if I hadn’t protected the Lost Boys, his father would be alive and all the dominoes that fell after wouldn’t have and his life would be sunshine and puppies and roses. It’s ridiculous but he believes it.”
“I have Lena working on a profile of him,” Drake replied. “And, Ian, you couldn’t have known that twenty years later some kid you’ve never met would decide you’re the devil and he needs to take you out. This isn’t on you.”
“It’s not. I was just joking about the fact that when you take down as many assholes as my parents have, you should expect someone’s going to come after you,” Kala said, her tone flat. “I believe he said he would visit the sins of the father on his children. Or some bullshit like that. He’s an overly dramatic motherfucker.”
“Yeah, he was definitely overly dramatic when he was using my daughter as a test subject,” her mother said, her tone dark. It was a good reminder that there were two Charlotte Taggarts. Or at least two versions of the same woman. One was the loving wife and mother, the mom every kid adored. One had been a Russian mob assassin, and she never forgot how to kill.
Kala had been given an experimental paralytic, and despite the fact that all the doctors said she was fine, he still wasn’t sure what the long-term effects could be. Huisman had made her vulnerable and then poured fire into her veins.
He really wanted to kill Emmanuel Huisman.
“Do we have any idea where he is?” Tristan asked.
No one needed to ask who he was talking about.
“Who?” Except TJ.
Drake simply ignored him. “The last location we have for Huisman is three days ago in Algeria. He met with a group of mercenaries. We have to think he’s hiring. We believe he’s no longer in Africa. I’ve got some intelligence that has him traveling to Asia, though we’re not sure where. The Canadians are going to announce an investigation into the Huisman Foundation in a couple of days.”
“Are we worried that could set him off?” Charlotte asked.
“I would have to ask Lena,” Drake replied. “We’re considering her the subject matter expert. She’s spent the last couple of months diving into his history.”
“Eve thinks yes,” Big Tag said, sitting back. “You have your experts and I have mine. I think we should authorize protection for the families of the Lost Boys. In particular Owen and Rebecca Shaw. They’re in Sweden right now. I think we should bring them in.”
“I can’t authorize anything without Lena’s go-ahead, but I will talk to her,” Drake offered, closing his folder. “And I’d love to read anything Eve has on Huisman. As for Zach, he’s disappeared off the face of the earth. I’ve gone over his file about three thousand times, and there’s not a hint of a lie there.”
“Sometimes you don’t have to lie. You just have to keep your mouth shut,” Big Tag replied. “We know his mother spent time in jail for cooking meth. We know she had some very sketchy contacts, but we’re talking almost twenty years ago.”
“Where is she?” Cooper was curious. “According to Zach, she drifted out of his life when he was a teen and never returned. He thought she was back to making designer drugs.”
“She’s gone, too,” Drake replied. “We do know she was connected to a couple of cartels back ten years ago. The last known location we have on her is El Salvador. From there she disappears, and nothing I’ve found connects her back to Zach after she split. We have to consider the idea that Zach’s mom is in some way connected to the arms community and knows something. I would love to talk to Zach’s aunt. If I could fucking find her. Disappearing is a way of life for this family.”
“Joyce lives a nomadic life,” Big Tag explained. “After Zach left home, she built out a van and took to the road. I can find her. I just need some time. She’s…a character.”
“She also might be working with her nephew, so be careful. We have no idea why Zach killed The Jester in the first place. I think the likeliest scenario is he wanted to become The Jester,” Drake replied.
“Then why not kill Tris?” Kala pointed out. “He could easily have done it.”
“I wouldn’t say easily.” Tris looked slightly offended, but he carried on. “But Kala’s right. He could have taken me out but he didn’t, and not once did he try to manipulate me in a way I would say would bring him some monetary gain.”
“This isn’t about money.” Cooper felt like he knew the guy. “This is something else.”