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“We’re workin’ with Relay to review bank accounts of anyone who had contact with Rainy and working our way out from there,” Hen said. “Someone talked. There’s no way Rainy could have been found otherwise. Even the most decent people can be bought or blackmailed if the price is right.”
“Yeah, we kept that circle of care tight, and it was overseen by our own people. Even hid her and the babies under aliases to prevent something like this,” Killion said.
“We already cleared our own,” Wit confirmed. “That was a relief. My guess is someone has a bad habit or big secret being held over them, but we’ll see.”
“Can we just circle back a moment… How is Omar Lindstrom out of jail? Hospice or not, final days or not… this guy should be in a super max still,” Killion asked. “Instead, he’s likely already here, behind last night’s events.”
“Lindstrom is dead,” Carter Landry said, entering the Lair. “His body was found about an hour ago about a mile from here.”
“Old guy finally kicked the bucket, huh?” Wit crassly asked. “That mean we’re out of the woods, then?”
“He didn’t succumb to his illness. He was murdered,” Carter countered. “I’d say you’re not anywhere near the end of this shit show, and last night was just the beginning.”
“Shit. So Lindstrom started it, and someone else is stepping in to finish?” Brody asked.
“Or worse. Someone else was responsible for last night, and Lindstrom just got in the way,” Killion added. “Either way, we’re back to square one. His entire regime was released along with him, but they’re nothing more than muscle at this point. I don’t recall any of them having the brains to pull something like this off.”
“We still aren’t safe then.” Rainy’s voice quaked. “There could be more of what happened last night?”
“No. Not a chance,” Killion insisted. “Not if I can help it. They can’t get to you or the twins here. You’re safe.”
Rainy shook her head with a look of disappointment. “As long as I stay inside. I thought we’d finally have our freedom back after everything that went down before. This is starting to feel like an endless cycle.”
Killion looked over at the twins, quietly sleeping in their stroller, then at Rainy as the pain in her expression registered. This wasn’t the life he wanted for them, and it killed him that there wasn’t anything immediate he could do to make it any better.
“We’ll get them all, Rainy,” Brody said. “You’re going to be free of this, kid. I promise.”
Brody and Rainy had a long trying relationship as he was charged with her protection and as her handler when she went into hiding, waiting to testify against a lengthy list of some of the most heinous criminals to date. They’d run a human trafficking ring, and she was their star for a large part of her life. When she was rescued, Brody kept her safe, took her under his wing, and mentored her while they were in hiding, turning her into quite the tech-savvy operative. Their relationship was special and totally platonic –– something of a brother-sister connection.
“If Lindstrom is dead, we need to search out leads. Who took him out and why?” Killion said. “Getting Lindstrom’s crew back in cages doesn’t solve the problem.”
“We have another player,” Carter added. “Whoever got Lindstrom’s crew out and who took him out once on the other side of the fence. Odds are it’s the same person responsible for both.”
“Based on what?” Killion questioned. “Without looking at actual data and running probabilities to determine the actual odds, I’d say it’s fifty-fifty here.”
“Okay. Say it is. Doesn’t change the fact that we need to get out of here and out on the street looking for shit,” Cane said. “This isn’t a numbers game, Killion. Not this time. It’s loose ends that came unraveled, and we need to tie them back up.”
“Are you serious right now?” Killion hollered. “Loose ends? You think my children and their mother are loose ends?”
“That’s not what I—” Cane defended.
Killion cut him off before he could finish as rage filled his words and took over, startling even the babies. “They’re the targets. At least Rainy is, but who knows who else. Do you not see the bigger picture here? It never fucking ends. It’s a vicious cycle of violence and greed threatening not only the greater good but our family. My family. Chalice rises from the dead once again, and those damn ledgers are the life source.”
“It has been a long-drawn-out game of cat and mouse,” Wit began. “I won’t deny you that, but we’ve come a long way and isolated most of the threats. Lindstrom still had a little influence. Okay, find it and neutralize it. Same old rodeo, partner. We’ve done it before, we’ll do it again, and you damn well know we’ll burn shit to the ground until it stays dead.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Killion asked with a raised brow.
Wit shrugged. “We’ll just have to make sure it does.”
“How do we get to the root of Chalice?” Rainy asked. “I know I’m new to this side of things, but it seems to be the common denominator.”
“It is,” Killion replied shortly.
“Then how do we take away its power completely?” Rainy asked as if the answer and solution were so simple.
“The ledgers,” Killion said. “They’re the keys to the kingdom.”
“But… don’t you have all the ledgers? That’s what all of that was back with Langley that landed Ayelish and me in hospital beds and the babies coming early, right?” Confusion laced her words as the truth hadn’t yet settled in.
