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“And how do you know that?”
“Because he’s at the station being grilled by a very persuasive colleague of mine. One I trust to get the answers we need. Unfortunately, our little millionaire friend as no clue about Rendezvous or where JJ and Max are.”
“Hang on a second, how do you know about Rendezvous? How is it you’re always one step ahead, huh, Roxy? I’d be forgiven for thinking that you’re inv—”
“I would choose your next words very fucking carefully, Sullivan,” she warns, pointing her finger at me. “This is my city. It’s where I grew up, where I live and where I fucking work. I make it my business to know everything, and if you’re a criminal in London, then you can’t take a shit without me knowing about it.” She then turns her attention to Jay. “Jay Michaels, teen delinquent turned tattooist come hacker, father unknown, mother, Theresa Michaels deceased, long-time friend of Sebastian Roberts and currently employed by Triple R security.”
“Holy shit,” Jay exclaims.
“Do not underestimate me, Sullivan. Do not assume because I know everything that I’m a corrupt arsehole like so many others. I may walk the line, push the boundaries, but I never do anything without good reason. Now, you want to tell me what you have on Rendezvous, Jay, and you, Sullivan, can tell me how the fuck Major Richard Cole ended up dead on your doorstep.”
We follow Roxy to a nearby cafe and fill her in on Alicia Masters and the dark web back door. While her and Jay talk, I check my phone and notice the earlier email.
I hopeyou enjoyed my little gift. I had planned for it to be someone a little smaller and of the same blood, but it appears that I’ve been fucked over again. You and I have a common enemy, and both of you will get your reckoning where you’ll pay for your sins. Until then, enjoy hunting for your son and the whore you’re fucking.
There are several photos attached,and each one worse than the last. My son, Jess, even one of Ryder, Seb and Jamie, one of Kuffs, one of Richard and the final one is of Archie Collins. There isn’t one of my parents, and that’s reassuring and confirms the fire report findings of a gas leak and not a bomb.
“It’s Collins. He has Jess and Max.” I shove the phone at Roxy and turn away as my mind spins with how the fuck I’m meant to get them back now.
“Okay, this is good.”
Spinning back round, I say, “Good? How is this fucking good, Roxy? The man is a fucking judge looking to climb the ladder. He has a reach way above my pay grade, and even above yours given who your father is.”
She scowls at me for my comment about her father. “What I meant was, we can connect the dots, Rick. And yes, it does make it difficult because of who he is but not impossible.”
I let out a sigh, but I understand what she’s saying. “This is Garcia. He wants revenge for Luca, but why now? Why wait almost six years to seek revenge?”
“What’s the connection with Garcia and Collins? When you were being held with Christian what were they looking for?”
I rub my hand over my face and send my thoughts back to a place I’d rather forget. “They received a large delivery of military grade weapons before they caught us. We thought we were there to gain intel on insurgents or Taliban not fucking gun running. They knew who we were after the first three days, Roxy, and it didn’t come from either of us.”
“You’re sure? Christian wasn’t trained in special ops missions, Rick. It was one of your arguments for not wanting him assigned.”
I narrow my eyes at her. Is there anything that this woman doesn’t know? “The first time they questioned us, they already knew who we were, so no, Christian didn’t fucking snitch.”
“Wait, wait,” Jay says, holding up his hands. “Are you saying that Christian was not the first choice for the surveillance op?” I nod. “And Garcia, not this guy—” He points to my phone in Roxy’s hand. “The other one, Luca, was asking you about The Archer, right?” I nod again. “So, what’s a quick way to make some fast cash when you’re desperate to climb the political ladder as a judge, who is clearly corrupt, and buy yourself some much needed support from other officials?”
“Okay, say that’s true, why would they kill Kuffs, Jay?”
“Because Garcia thinks Collins fucked him over. He said so himself.” He points to my phone again. “Think about it. You and Christian were sent on a recon mission and captured, and they knew who you were, so what if someone sent you there to discover the gun running and expose it?”
I pick up on Jay’s thread of reason. “But Kuffs was never meant to be there, and so they thought Collins sold them out.” I look at Roxy, then Jay. “The Salcido cartel all but collapsed after that op, so baby Garcia would want revenge on me for the death of his brother and on whoever cost them their, no doubt, very lucrative business.”
“Exactly. I mean it’s not perfect and doesn’t explain Marcus’ part in all of this, but it’s a start. At least we know where Jess and Max are. Kind of,” he finishes with a shrug.
I turn it all over in my head, and it makes perfect sense. But it still leaves the Marcus question unanswered, and also why now and not earlier.
Then the fucking light bulb goes off in my head like a damn firework. “Trafficking. Alongside drugs and guns, trafficking is one of the most profitable organised crimes in the world. Donovan, Blackwood and Garcia, so what’s to say that Collins wasn’t involved too.” My phone rings before I can say anymore.
“Ryder,”
“Sully, I just got off the phone with Ray, and he told me that Travis is dead. Someone shanked him. It looks like someone is tying up loose ends and covering their tracks.”
“Shit. Did he give you anything on the Tempest members, anything on The Archer, any fucking thing at all that we can use?” My voice rises along with my temper. This staying calm crap is starting to wear very thin. The fact that it’s looking as though Archie has them has not settled my nerves at all. People who have as much to lose as he does are unpredictable and dangerous. If he’s the reason Kuffs died, the favourite blue-eyed boy, then getting rid of Jess will be a walk in the park, and Max will just be collateral damage.
“No, nothing good. He’s heard of him, but they have no leads and none of the members appear to have a connection to him. I’m sorry, man.”
I try to focus on the positive things. Not too sure what they are right now, but I’m sure there are some. I give Ryder a quick run down of what we know and who we think has Jess and Max. He’s driving, and I know he’s on his way here, even though he hasn’t said so.
