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I gave Bailey a tap on her knee to let her know it was time.
* * *
Bailey
The alphas were still goingon about their misogynist views, so I excused myself. I barely got a reaction since the alphas were too busy, with their omegas egging them on.
“You think omegas aren’t capable at all?” Crystal challenged, and off they went. The sound of their voices drifted away as I made my way down the hall. I quickly found the bathroom, but I shut the door and continued down the hallway, heading further into their mansion.
The office took me a while to find, but when I did, I knew I was in the right spot. The inside looked organized and barely touched, which was Burke’s style. Thanks to the device in my pocket I didn’t have to worry about a camera feed. Weston had all kinds of goodies.
Burke had already proven that he was good at hiding information. Crouching behind the desk, I pulled open the drawers, searching for false bottoms. That failed fairly quickly, and I didn’t have the time to look further.
The computer was easy. I just had to plug in Hayes’ USB, and it handled the rest. The transfer took five minutes, which felt like an eternity when sneaking around.
After I finished searching the desk, I looked around, starting to worry. We’d never get a chance like this again. Then I saw the art on the wall—three identical paintings, a set of landscapes, but the middle had a thicker frame.
It looked like any other frame, but it was too heavy to pull away from the wall to see if anything was behind it. My fingers danced over the carved golden frame to check for any sort of trigger, and I nearly cheered when my finger pressed into the frame. Something clicked, then the whole thing swung forward.
There was a safe behind it, but of course it was locked up tight with a keypad. I tried basic information, like Burke’s birthday, but nothing worked.
He’s a narcissist. What would stand out as important to him?
Election day. I pulled out my phone and searched when he was first elected into his role. The safe swung open when I typed in those numbers, and I froze, listening for footsteps. I knew I was already taking too long.
Most of the contents were basic, like birth certificates, important documents and deeds. Then I saw a transaction report. It might have seemed inconsequential, but then I remembered the Syndicate’s hint and saw something that gave me goosebumps.
Sadie Gomez.
I wrote the name down and took a few pictures before closing it tight and grabbing the drive from the computer. With a click glance around to check that nothing was out of place, I listened again and snuck out of the hall. Footsteps sounded, and I stepped up to a window, gazing out at the grounds. The lights in his garden were strong enough that I could make out the view.
“Ah, you found my second pride and joy outside of the garage,” Burke said as he came up behind me, stepping in a bit too closely. “I was afraid you might have gotten lost. It’s a big house. Crystal insisted on it.”
“It’s beautiful. I see why she chose it,” I praised, smiling at him in the reflection. “I bet it’s prettier out there in the daylight.”
“Oh, it is. And spring is even better,” he agreed.
He didn’t move away, and I hated the feeling of him pressed against me. “Sorry for taking so long, I got a bit turned around, then this caught my eye. I’m a sucker for a garden. But I guess we should get back.”
“We should,” he said, stepping even closer so he could run his nose along my neck. “But it’s not every day I get you alone.”
“The election became a bit more dangerous than we thought,” I said, accompanying it with a quiet chuckle.
“Henry.” The cold sound of his wife’s voice had him stepping back and letting me go. I rushed away, leaving the couple alone. Weston and the others were talking, but when I walked in, the conversation lulled for a moment.
“Did you get lost?” Corrine asked. “I get turned around every time.”
I laughed it off. “We need a map next time.”
Weston topped off my wine and handed it to me with a smile. “They were just telling me about their vacation home. You have to hear this.”
Just like that, the evening was back to normal. Burke and Crystal joined us again, but I couldn’t feel anything but excitement.
I’d found the name, and we had his computer’s contents. The war was just about won, and they were oblivious to the coming bombs.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Bailey
