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“Hunting you,” Savage says. “Until a few days ago, you were in New York. How do we know he’s not there, instead of here?”
“He’s too smart to come to my territory,” I say. “He wanted me to come to him.”
“And here you are,” Adam says. “Now what?”
A flash of Pri’s pretty blue eyes drowning in fear flashes through my mind. “We need the list of witnesses. We follow that trail.”
“What about Agent Pitt?” Savage asks, already reaching for another slice of pizza. “Ask him.”
“The US Marshals handle witness protection,” I say. “I need Pri to give us that list.”
Adam arches a brow at me from across the table. “You’re going to ask her for the list, Rafael?”
“What does his brother have to do with this?” Savage asks.
“He told her his name was Rafael,” Lucifer offers.
“Oh shit,” Savage murmurs. “She’s going to be pissed when she finds out who you are.”
“It was necessary,” I say, tipping back my beer and taking a slug before I add, “I told her I’m with Walker. I told her we can help. If she calls, we know she’s not only legit, but not being bribed or threatened to turn over witnesses to Deleon, which includes me.”
“And if she doesn’t call?” Adam asks.
“We figure out if she’s dirty or in trouble, and act accordingly.”
“Any chance Pitt has the list and you don’t know it?” Lucifer asks.
“Doubtful,” I say, pulling my phone from my pocket, “but worth trying.” I punch in Pitt’s autodial on speakerphone, because unlike anyone in my FBI days, at least my latter days, I trust these assholes. The question is, will they trust me when they discover all that went down with me and Waters?
Pitt answers on the second ring. “Hola,” he answers. “What’s cooking, man? You ready to come forward? Or at least meet the ADA?”
Considering Pri and I together make a bigger target, that’s not something I’m willing to go on record with just yet. “I need to know who’s on the witness list outside of me of course.”
“I don’t have that list,” he says. “You know that. The DA’s office is guarding the list, but there must not be anyone overly hot, or she wouldn’t want you so damn badly. Come in. Meet her.”
“Not yet,” I say. “Get me the list and then we’ll talk. Gotta run.” I disconnect, thankful as fuck that Blake scrambles our phone location with whatever magic he works.
“You didn’t tell him you’re here,” Adam says. “Interesting.”
“He’s dirty,” Lucifer says. “I feel it straight to my fucking bones.”
My mind is back on Pri and her distrust of law enforcement that clearly has a valid place in this story.
“Ditto,” Savage says. “Pitt’s dirty. I wonder if he’s a bleeder. Wanna find out?”
“I do,” Lucifer says. “I wanna find out.”
“He’s not dirty,” I say. “He wants Waters to go down. He gave up years of his life setting him up, even if not as directly involved as I was.”
“Does Blake know about him?” Adam asks simply, a man of few words, but what he says has a purpose.
“Of course he does,” I say. “He’s Blake.”
As if Blake heard us speak his name, my cellphone rings with him on caller ID. I answer. “You’re on speaker with all of us.”
“Let’s talk about Priscilla Miller, Adrian,” he says.
He has my attention. “What about her?”
“I can never be a hundred percent certain, but I’ve spent the last hour checking and double-checking the research I’d done a few days ago. Her electronic fingerprint, including her bank accounts, read clean. I can’t find any proof she’s dirty, but—”
“Cash deals happen,” I say. “It’s the only way Waters deals. And he wouldn’t leave a phone record. He’s good, which is why we can’t fuck up and let him get away.” I glance around the room. “He’s a monster, the likes of which we’ve rarely seen. He has to pay.”
“And he will,” Adam says.
“A-fucking-men,” Lucifer murmurs.
“A-fucking-men,” Savage agrees. “And we bury Deleon with him. Blake,” he adds, “he’s ghosting. I need more to grab him.”
“I’m working on it,” Blake assures him, shifting back to me, “Adrian, we need the witness protection list. I’m trying to pull strings, but we need Pri or the DA to give the okay. I say we give Pri twenty-four hours. If she doesn’t come to us, I’ll go to the DA and offer our services for free if that’s what it takes.”
For free.
For me.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
“You’re one of us now,” Blake says. “This is personal. Twenty-four hours. Do we agree?”
“Yes,” I say, hoping like hell Pri makes that call to us on her own.
“Then we have a plan,” Blake says. “What else?”
“Check out Agent Pitt,” Savage chimes in.
I scowl his direction. “He’s not dirty.”
“I’ve given him a looksee,” Blake confirms. “Nothing stands out.”
I arch a brow at Savage who shrugs.
