Page 31 of Thaddeus

“You’re right, I don’t.”

Declan held my stare and finally he sighed and said, “Maybe we should start over. This will go a lot easier if you—”

“Wait, me? If I what? Just spill my guts? Because that might make it easier for you to get what you want but that leaves me in the same place.”

“Easier for all of us,” he told me. “You want to leave to go do your shit. We want to track a bad guy. It’s a win-win. The faster we learn what we need, the faster you get to get on with it.”

I thought about the wisdom of his statement. He was correct—my cooperation would make it easier. However, there was still that pesky little issue of trust. Even if I removed Thaddeus from the equation, and that was easier said than done. Even if Max had shared, I didn’t want to talk about why I’d been with Jefferson or my future plans.

Declan’s phone rang and after he’d pulled it out of his pocket and checked the screen, he answered it on speaker.

“You got her?” A man’s voice came over the line and I froze.

“Yeah. She’s here,” Declan answered.

“Any issues?”

“No and you’re on speaker.”

“Emerson?” the voice called.

“Yeah?”

“I’m Zane Lewis. I had my team pick you up because we think you have some information that will help us track a man named Leon Brown. He was meeting with your boyfriend the night he was killed.”

I wanted to gag hearing this man, Zane Lewis, call Jefferson my boyfriend.

“Right, you mean, the night you killed Jefferson.”

“Considering I’m sitting in my office in Annapolis, I didn’t kill anybody. But the fact remains, he is dead and he was meeting with Leon Brown. What do you know about the meeting?”

“Nothing. As I’ve already told everyone, Jefferson didn’t discuss business with me. I’m afraid I’m of no help to you.”

“I’m sure you know more than you think,” he continued.

“I’m sure I don’t, Mr. Lewis, and I’m seriously over being kidnapped by your team.”

“Kidnapped. You mean, rescued. If we hadn’t secured your safety last night, you’d be on a slow boat to Europe to be auctioned off,” he reminded me. “And your stunt going back to the hotel was stupid at best and a death wish most likely. Paul Scott would be more than thrilled to have your sweet ass draped on his arm. Though, he blows through his women quickly and when he’s done with them, no one sees them again.”

Yeah, I didn’t need the reminder. I knew how Paul operated but I still wasn’t willing to give this man my gratitude.

“Be that as it may, I still can’t help you. Jefferson really didn’t talk to me about his meetings. As a matter of fact, I didn’t know the man’s name he was meeting with until you said it. All I knew was there was a meeting and I was to accompany him and keep my mouth shut, until he decided to dismiss me.”

“Just look over the intel the team has, maybe something will jog your memory. After that, we’ll get you on a plane back—”

“No. I’m not getting on any plane you provide. At this point, I feel like a parrot, but since no one is listening to me, I’ll repeat myself. I’m done. I’m not looking at any intel. I’m not answering anymore questions. I’m walking my sweet ass out of the door and leaving.”

“And if I could offer you something in return for your help?”

“There’s nothing—”

“Autumn?”

My world tilted hearing Zane Lewis say my sister’s name.

“What about her? Do you know where she is?”

“Take a look at what my team has and answer their questions. After that we’ll talk.”