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“Consider me a freelance do-gooder. I’ll go whichever way the wind blows,” Gwen said with a smile. “And right now, it’s blowing in Pennsylvania, because I need some space between myself and my clingy ex.”
“Oh no, I liked that guy,” Gray deadpanned, his attempt to joke failing, but it was still kind of funny to see him try. “Things didn’t last long with him.”
“Like I said, he was clingy. Still is, even though I ended things.” She showed her phone’s screen, and it was lit up with notifications, presumably from the racecar driver. “I’m not trying to play hard to get. I just am hard to get.”
“Need me to handle him?” Carter’s question didn’t sound like a joke. Probably wasn’t.
“Nah, I’m good.” Gwen set her phone down and reset her focus on the screens. “So, how’s Lucy?” she deflected, clearly not wanting to talk about Mr. Clingy. “I heard she’s traveling.”
“Yeah,” Charley said on a sigh. “Her detox from social media was short-lived, and she’s doing an adventure documentary thing in Thailand right now.” She dug her nails into her jeaned thighs. “I’m trying to be okay with it.”
“Not a dating show, right?” Gray asked, shooting her a nervous look.
“God, no. I think she’s done with that stuff,” Charley returned with a light laugh.
Carter stood and Dallas trotted over and jumped up on the couch, curling up next to Charley. A perfect distraction to keep her from worrying about her sister.
“She’ll be okay,” I promised, knowing my team (or even the Marines, considering the crush I was sure Mason was harboring for Lucy), would always be there for her sister.
Dallas rolled to his back, giving Charley his stomach to scratch.
“She’s like you. Strong,” I added in case she was still having doubts about not stopping Lucy from taking off. Lucy had been the one who wanted to stop running back in Brazil, and now ironically, she was the one doing it on purpose.
She smiled at me, then set her focus on Gray. “I never did ask, what happened to those five women who’d been living, um . . . well, you know.” Charley circled her free wrist in the air, as if unsure how to spit out the question in its totality. I couldn’t blame her. Brant had been “playing house” with women who looked like her and her mom, and it was sick.
“Pretty sure the Feds felt a little sorry for robbing them of the money promised for ‘services rendered,’ so they doled out a couple bucks to them from the Luthers’ account. Not a million, but it was something,” Gray let her know. The fact Erik had set it up so the women were willing participants and not forced to be there was some sort of consolation, I supposed. And based on the information Erik had provided, the woman from the first season was finally resting in peace where she was born in Milwaukee.
I let go of a deep breath, not wanting to think about that or Charley’s biological dad anymore. I wasn’t sure if we’d truly seen the last of him, but I hoped so. “Wellll, if you don’t think you’ll be needing us for tonight, we may head back to the hotel and wait for your call for next steps.” I pulled my arm away from her back and reached for her free hand and squeezed it.
“Wait, stop there,” Jesse rasped a second later, and I looked over at him leaning in toward one of the screens. “Enzo Costa’s twin sister. Shit, she . . . the cleaner must’ve . . .”
I didn’t recognize the name, but at the distressed look on his face, I released Charley’s hand to stand and go over to him.
“I have to tell Enzo about this. He needs to know the truth.” Jesse reached into his pocket for his phone, and he was a little pale, shaking his head as if he’d seen a ghost.
“The cleaner covered up a crime connected to your friend?” Gwen asked, looking as confused as I was.
“Don’t call the Costas,” Carter quickly ordered, then looked to Gray as if requesting to back him up on that. “They’ll want to interfere with our op. You can tell Enzo when our mission is complete.”
Jesse lowered his phone to his side. “It’s about his sister. I can’t not tell him right away.”
“And they can’t save her. It’s thirteen years too late,” Carter said in a deep voice. “The intel sharing can wait until we’ve completed our mission.”
“What if we work with the Costas on this? Combine forces and resources,” Jesse proposed, and I’d be looking up who in the hell the Costas were later.
Carter shook his head. “I can’t work with Enzo’s brother, Constantine. It wouldn’t . . . end well.” His gruff tone suggested the conversation that never really started was over.
Instead of pressing, Jesse cursed under his breath, then peered at Gwen, a silent request for something, before he started for the exit. “I need a minute,” he tossed out before leaving. I had a strong suspicion he’d be breaking orders and taking that minute wherever the hell Enzo Costa lived, regardless of Carter’s directive.
I looked over to see Charley approaching me, and she reached for my hand.
“What the hell was that all about?” Gray asked, deciding to do the opposite of Jesse and probe for details.
Carter shoved his hands in his pockets and focused on Gray. “Constantine Costa dated my wife before we were married, and he broke her heart.” His voice dropped lower when he added, “You put us in a room together, and one of us won’t be making it out alive.” With that, he whistled again, and Dallas came to his side. “Let me know when you have more information,” he said to Gwen. “I’ll be needing a minute, too.”
“Jesse’s going to tell Enzo,” Gray said just before Carter neared the tunnel to exit.
“Yeah,” Carter grumbled back, “I know.”
