“I don’t want to leave you here with this mess going on.”
Oh, that was the problem.
“But Lionel promised he’ll have you covered.”
Jane scowled. “I don’t need to be covered. If I do need help, I have Raine as a last resort. But I’m good. My squad is tight. Detective Ryan is a great guy. Dependable, strong. We’re solid. We have a handle on this. Diego helped bait our target.” She clued them in to her plan.
“That’s pretty smart.” Lionel turned to Chris. “Don’t you agree?”
“Well, yes. But she’s tugging the tiger’s tail, Lionel. And we’re talking about the Bednareks. It’s not just August Kaminski.”
She shook her head. “August wants them gone. I think he’ll leave me alone to take out his problem conspirators.”
“She has a point,” Lionel agreed. “And like I said, I’ll watch out for her.”
Jane gritted her teeth then said clearly, “I don’t need your help.”
Lionel shot her a look, and she stopped arguing. “Trust me,” he said to her uncle, who studied him before swearing up a storm.
It took a few seconds for him to wind down. Then her uncle closed in and hugged her. “Okay. You listen to Lionel. Be good. I’ll be back in a few months. That’s if Rafi hasn’t poisoned me and Hondo hasn’t blown me to kingdom come.”
“Wait. You’re leavingnow?Does Raine know?”
Her uncle smirked. “Who do you think’s driving me to the airport?” He shook Lionel’s hand and slapped him on the back so hard the older man nearly tipped over. “She’s in one piece when I get back or we’ll havewords.”
Then Chris was gone.
She and Lionel studied each other.
“Are you going to be a problem?” she asked him.
After a pause, he started laughing. “You are so like your uncle it’s uncanny. Jane, I’m a problem to anyone who’s ever met me. Why should you be special?”
She sighed. “Fine. Just stay out of my way. I mean that with all due respect, sir. But I have a plan.”
“Don’t we all?” He rubbed his hands together with glee. “I like what you’ve done. But you’re unaware of a few other issues you’ll need to keep contained.”
“Like?”
“Alvin Richert. He’s new and doesn’t quite belong.”
“Who? Oh, you mean Nelson Rupert’s driver?”
“That’s the man.”
“Looked like a mercenary to me.” She’d lived with ten of them for years. She knew the type, that look in the eye.
“Yes, and we don’t know for sure whose team he’s playing for.”
“Nelson Rupert,” she said, suddenly understanding that might not be the whole truth. “Do you know who Nelson is playing for?”
“Himself, if I had to guess. That man’s loyalty is all over the place but always comes back to himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had his own grandson killed.”
Jane stared. “Really?”
Lionel looked grim. “Really.”
She considered taking a risk, buttering the guy up with empty promises and platitudes. Nope. That would be like enjoying a dinner with Hannibal Lecter. Beyond stupid. Instead, she said, “Sir. I need you to let me run with this. I have a good feeling.”
