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Killion nodded. “What is it, Landry. Briefing for what?”
Carter opened his mouth, but the words escaped him. He was still, and the concern coursing through him seemed to hinge on something more. Panic maybe, mixed with a fair amount of anger and perhaps defeat. He was hard to read, but what seemed obvious was that it wasn’t good news he was about to drop as he looked on to Wit and Hen, then back to Killion and the babies.
“It’s Rainy, isn’t it?” Killion asked. “Something’s happened.”
“Nah, nah, nah…” Wit said, approaching. “Don’t. Don’t you say it. We just got her back.”
Hens hand went to his weapon like he was about to shoot the messenger while his expression filled with menace. “Start talkin’, man. If this is about our sister…”
Carter closed his eyes and held up his hands. “Just… calm down. Let me talk. Honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
They all grew quiet, including Carter who still wasn’t speaking.
Sheridan O’Reilly approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder, somehow visibly relieving the tension he’d been holding in his shoulders. “Carter? Tell us what happened.”
He looked at her with fire in his eyes. “She’s safe. Right now, she’s safe, but it isn’t good.”
Carter ran his hands through his hair, trying to meet Killion’s stare, but all he could do was look at the babies. Rainy’s babies with Killion.
“She’s back under federal protection as of about an hour ago. My orders,” he said.
“I can protect her,” Killion fired back through gritted teeth while his increased pulse rate could be seen through the thick protruding veins in his neck.
“I know you can, and you have the contract.” Carter paced. “I mean, BK Security has it.”
“I don’t need a contract,” Killion said and began to walk off.
Carter stopped him. “I know you don’t, but you have one. It’s a formality at this point –– one I insisted on. Listen, by the book with this, you hear me? For her safety and everyone else’s, we are doing this by the book and can’t afford any mistakes, or we’re screwed. There’s been a change in the cases she’s scheduled to testify in, and you need to ramp up her security now.”
Killion nodded to Hen, who read him like a book and pulled out his phone. “I’m on it.”
He turned his attention back to Carter. “What the hell happened, and why are we still here? Let’s go get her. She’s supposed to come home today anyway.”
Carter’s brow rose. “Home being?”
“Here. At Watermark,” Killion answered. “She can miss her discharge appointments and handle anything she needs from here.”
“It’ll definitely be easier to manage from here,” Carter said under his breath as he looked around. “The wedding…”
“Will be postponed,” Ayelish said, taking Wit by surprise. “Granted you showing up like this warrants it?”
“Shit.” Carter continued to pace a moment before turning back to the group. “None of this makes sense, and I’m being stonewalled. I don’t know who’s at risk yet, but she’s my priority. We need to keep her safe and alive if I’m going to fight to get all the pending charges against the assholes she’s helped us put away to stick. I-I’m going to need time to dissect this and rework the cases. I’m going to need resources, private resources, to monitor the comings and goings of these bastards.”
“You know you have whatever you need here,” Killion said. “Now, you mind sharing some details? Or are you going to leave us all hanging in suspense a bit longer, which I don’t advise.”
“I’m sorry, man. Yeah. I’m not easily frazzled by the shit that I see come through my office –– the damn US Attorney’s office, no less –– but this one has me in a chokehold,” Carter admitted. “I thought I was going to be briefed on the upcoming cases we’ve been building against the trafficking ring Rainy was a victim of and eyewitness to as well as the mounds of evidence collected.”
“She’d already help put most of those bastards away before,” Wit added.
“Yes, until Pete Langley let them out as a distraction and to take the fall when he made his move on the Chalice ledgers and money,” Killion confirmed. “Bartell. He was the ringleader’s right-hand man who was trying to revive the ring and held Rainy as leverage to get those damn ledgers.”
Chalice was a dirty club of greedy dignitaries, politicians, organized crime syndicates, and anyone with money who wanted more. They abused their places of power, economic reach, and pooled resources to pull off some of the most heinous international crimes to date. These individuals spanned from cartels to the White House and included everyone between. When the Keepers shook things up and began to take down Chalice, Washington, DC, was in an uproar as some of the country’s top officials were tried and found guilty of their crimes. Even some of the most dangerous cartel ring leaders –– untouchables –– were finally taken in on crimes under the banner of Chalice. Chalice was the playground of monsters and greed, and the ledgers were like tickets to power.
“Precisely. We had all the known players back in custody and then some,” Carter added.
“Had?” Killion’s jaw tightened. “What do you mean, had?”
“They were let out. They’ve all been released due to insufficient evidence and collusion just to name a few reasons given.”
