Page 58 of Main Event

“I know why you did it,” I say. “We can revisit the reasoning later. Right now, there’s work to do.”

He nods.

My phone buzzes on the desk. I look at it—Bill’s number.

I pick up.

“There’s been another death,” Bill says. “A former associate of Strategic Crisis Consulting—someone Daniel identified as a potential corroborating witness. Found in his apartment this morning. The preliminary cause is a drug overdose.” Nothing on the line but the room he’s calling from. “He had no documented history of drug use.”

I look at Luke across the desk. He reads it in my face.

“When?” I ask.

“Medical examiner’s estimate is sometime last night.” Bill’s voice is careful. “Brandon. The timing suggests they moved on him within twenty-four hours of Daniel’s attorney making contact. Which means either there’s a leak somewhere in Daniel’s communication chain, or they’re running surveillance on anyone they’ve identified as a potential witness.”

“Or both,” I say.

“Or both,” Bill agrees. “I’m calling Andi next. I wanted you to have it first.”

He hangs up. I set the phone down on the desk. Luke is watching me intently. He’s my brother, he knows my tells, my expressions, and my moods better than anyone.

“Fourth death,” I say.

“Go on.”

“They moved on him within a day of contact.” I look at the file between us. “She’s not doing general containment anymore. She’s running active interdiction. Anyone who surfaces as a potential witness gets eliminated before we can reach them.”

“Which means we stop trying to reach people through Daniel’s network,” Luke says. “We work with what we have, and we move on the documentation in front of us.”

“Bill needs to know that.”

“Bill already knows that.” Luke stands. “End of day on the files.”

“End of day,” I confirm.

He picks up his jacket. At the door, he stops.

“Mom and Dad,” he says. “Kelly. I’m going to tell them tonight. About what we found on the center’s server. About the adoption.” He looks at me. “I wanted you to know before I said anything.”

I think about my parents’ kitchen. My mother’s hand on Kelly’s shoulder. It’ll happen. My father’s quiet certainty.

“Tell them carefully,” I say. “Tell them enough to make them safe without making them afraid.”

“I know how to do that.”

“I know you do.” I look at my desk. At the file he left. At everything we know and everything we’re about to do with it. “Luke.”

He looks back.

“Make them pay for every single person on that list.”

He holds my eyes for a moment.

“Count on it,” he says.

He walks out.

I open the file, and I get to work.