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Rex slips his arm around her shoulders while still scanning the area. He’s our lookout. “Ben did always go to a lot of trouble for you.”
“You’re right,” she utters, resigned with a sharpness to her tone. “So, let’s play. Maybe this is the move when I get promoted to queen.”
That statement seems like it holds a deeper meaning. I’m assuming it’s about the chess stratagem her family holds. But she’s heading toward one of the stepping stones, so I’ll revisit that later. She struts right up to the one she deems the third. They’re bunched together, leading to both a small gazebo and some benches in a different direction, so the order wouldn’t have been clear-cut without that white spray paint.
The guys and I wordlessly move into action. The stones are large, awkward, and heavy, so naturally, Gage tosses that motherfucker like it’s a sack of potatoes. Once it’s out of the way, my shovel sinks into the soft ground with ease. We work in silence. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m with Celeste on the unearthing-her-brother feeling. This park gives the illusion of phantom spirits lurking.
The quiet has my thoughts spinning round and round about how valid this corruption will be after nearly eight fucking years, until my shovel jolts to a stop and a tinny ping blares out into the night. “I’ve got something.”
Rex continues keeping watch, but Gage kneels on all fours, his light streaming into the hole as his hands swipe the dirt away. And Celeste is squatted right there with him, eager as hell to get her fingers on whatever treasure her big brother left her.
It takes a few more minutes of wiggling the rectangular metal case out, but Gage finally emerges with it, passing it directly to Celeste.
She falls back on her luscious ass, straightens her legs out, and dusts her palms over the box, like it’s something precious. I drop down beside her but let her have her moment. The night is cloaking her face so I can’t read her expression. I hate not knowing where her head is at.
The latch unclasps easily, a small creak hushing us as she lifts the hinged lid. There’s a folded paper on top—sealed inside a clear bag—that she selects first. I steady my light on it so she can use both hands to pull it out and hold it.
And I read over her shoulder.
You did it, squirt. I knew you would, but that also means you may be in trouble. I had truly hoped that this would never touch you, which is why I didn’t spell it out for you—plausible deniability. But here you are. Regardless of what you’ve encountered and with whom, there’s enough ammo inside to protect yourself. But guard it too. Remember, overly aggressive moves can always backfire. This is the time for Ruy Lopez.
I’m short on time, so I can’t offer much more. I’m so sorry things turned out this way. I did the best I could to protect you from all of this, but I trust you’ll know best how to handle it.
Without question, you’re my favorite girl. Love you always.
Oh, and every cache has a prize. You do you.
I might not be able to see her face, but her trembling shoulders, the letter shaking in her grip, and her quiet sobs are enough.
Pulling her closer to me, I probe because some of that letter is fucking confusing. “Ruy Lopez?”
“It’s a chess opening.” She sniffs and swipes at her cheeks, collecting her tears with her gloves. “Aggressive, but not overly risky. It controls the center of the board and sets you up to attack. He’s telling me to be strategic, to take my time and put all the pieces in place before I use the information. Or maybe decide not to.”
He might not have been able to save himself, but he did one hell of a job in carefully setting Celeste up—her name isn’t on anything, and while the chess reference could be decoded, he essentially gave her instructions in shorthand.
After she folds the letter and slides it into her bra, she plucks out a chess piece, her thumb grazing over the intricacies. “A queen.” She giggles under her breath, uncurling a note tied to it.
You were always meant to be queen, squirt. Don’t let anyone treat you as their pawn.
“Your brother was a smart man,” I observe.
“He was the best,” she whispers, tucking the queen into her pocket before removing the black book and immediately flipping through it.
There’s a lot of information; it’s thick, and from what I can tell, every page is filled. As much as I want to scour every fucking name and violation within it, we don’t have time for that.
I kiss her temple and take the book from her, enclosing it in the metal box again. “You did so good, baby girl. Let’s look at this on the plane though. We have to get out of here.”
Gage inspected the hole and began refilling it while Celeste and I were exploring the contents of the box, so I place the box inside the duffel and move to help him.
We all work quickly to pack up and get going, like thieves in the night who were never detected. But that book feels like a ticking bomb, so before the wheels are even up on the plane, Celeste, Gage, and I are all gathered around it.
Rex wisely excuses himself. This isn’t his clearance level, and the information would only serve to put his life at risk. He hasn’t been tried by KORT, so his mere presence on this venture could be contentious. But I don’t plan to share the details of our excavation, so he should be good.
“Fucking hell,” Gage gasps as we peruse name after name that we’re familiar with.
Some are, of course, indiscretions of politicians no longer in office or no longer alive, but some of this shit could be the damnation of those at the height of their careers. This corrupt judge clearly had his nose in everything and was meticulous about detailing any impropriety he could possibly use to his advantage.
“Ivy is going to fucking lose it.” I chuckle. “High Society will be bringing down the house.”
