"There's nothing we can do at the moment. It's not like we can get a warrant." I looked at Riley. "Are you willing to testify against him?"
She cringed. "Don't put me in that position. I'm really pissed at him right now. But I can't be the one who sends him away for the rest of his life. He's an accessory to murder, isn't he?"
I nodded.
"You and I both know he's not going to last long in jail this time. Vladimir has connections. He'll get shanked in the first week." She frowned and shook her head. "I can't do that to him. My testimony isn't going to get you anywhere either. I swear to you, I didn't know they were planning to rob the Vault. It was just something I said to him off the cuff that Vladimir was running a shady business and probably laundering money. Anybody with half a brain could figure out what Vladimir was doing. It’s not rocket science."
“What about the Eye of Destiny?”
She shifted uncomfortably, then admitted. “Yeah, I knew Vladimir came into possession of it. He was giddy about it. Even showed it to me.”
“And you mentioned that to Shane,” I said, annoyed.
“In passing. I didn’t think he’d get the idea to steal it. I’m not a criminal. I don’t think that way.”
The rain still poured outside. Mooring lines creaked and groaned, and the wind whipped around the boat.
"Where would he go?" I asked Riley.
She shrugged. "Back to Wade's house?"
I shook my head. "I don't think he will go anywhere that's known to Vladimir."
"He's got 48 hours to come up with 12 million bucks," Jack said. Unless he's got another heist planned, I don't think he's gonna make that deadline.”
My mouth tensed with a frown when I realized Shane’s only option at this point. "He's going to kill Vladimir. That's the only way to get him off his back. Then Shane will try to disappear."
"He might just go on the run," Riley said, hoping against hope.
I shook my head. "No. Shane will tie up loose ends first. Every step he takes for the rest of his life will be haunted if he doesn't kill Vladimir."
I looked at Jack, and we knew what we had to do.
He hesitated for a long moment. "Now, I'm just thinking out loud here. We all know Vladimir is a bad guy, doing bad things. No telling how many people he's put into the ground. We'vegot nothing on him. The kidnapping, all that stuff we’ve been through, we have nothing to connect him to it. That guy is going to walk away clean." Jack shrugged. "We could just sit back and let fate play its hand."
I gave him a look.
"Okay, Okay. It was just a thought."
My phone buzzed with a call from Shane.
“Where are you?” I growled.
“You’ve got every right to be pissed. I get it. I’m really sorry, but I can’t go back to jail. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’ll never be able to repay you. I’m aware of that.”
“Shane, don’t do anything stupid.”
“Riley’s always going to be in danger if I don’t do something. Just give me 24 hours. Then I’m gone. You’ll never see me again.”
“I can’t do that.”
“So, Vladimir just gets away with this?”
“No, but there is a procedure.”
“For you, maybe.”
“Shane, I’ll handle Vladimir.”
