AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I thought something was going on last time we saw you. I see I wasn’t wrong.” Julius smacked Clay on the shoulder. “You did real good for yourself, man.”
He processed the good tidings and felt himself relax with the knowledge that the Abel brother wasn’t out to get Lark for himself.
“Thanks,” he grated out.
“Come in, guys. Does anybody want some sweet tea? I made it myself.”
“She makes a good pitcher of tea,” Clay agreed, and she beamed at his compliment.
Later, he’d find that bottle of honey she used to sweeten the drink and drizzle it all over her beautiful body…then slowly lick it off.
“I’ll take a glass,” Jennings said as he followed Quaide and Clay into the garage. Julius brought up the rear. They all claimed the chairs for the impromptu meeting.
A minute later, Lark bustled out carrying a tray full of drinks. “The conference table is arriving on Wednesday. You’ll just have to hold your glasses.”
They each accepted one and sipped. Clay didn’t take a drink yet, just looked at the group.
“What news do you have to share?” he asked.
Julius lowered his glass from his lips. “First, you should know that we handed over the phone that was attached to the bomb as evidence. The FBI has already matched it to half a dozen other phones attached to similar bombs that were located throughout Colorado.”
Quaide nodded as though this wasn’t news to him. Of course, he’d just turned in his resignation. He had access to whatever intel had dropped before that paper crossed his supervisor’s desk.
Jennings gulped half his glass and gave Lark a nod of approval. She returned it with a happy smile.
“It looks like the bombs all originated with blackwillow73. He made a lot of friends with similar views,” Jennings said.
“There were several churches targeted. The bombs were distributed by guys like the one who contracted your services on Quick Bunny,” Julius told Lark.
She sat back in her seat, fingers locked around her glass. Clay reached over and settled a hand on her knee. He didn’t want her to be afraid anymore. As long as he was around, he’d keep her safe.
“And the bomb units getting waylaid? The kid being broken out of the prison transport?” Clay probed for more intel.
“One of the associates of blackwillow73 did have a link to the FBI. Money was traced—it changed hands.”
Quaide blew out a breath. “Damn, I knew something like that had to be going down.”
Jennings nodded. “They paid the guy off to redirect the bomb units since they couldn’t exactly stage attacks on them after that first one.”
Clay digested all this information. “The churches they wanted to bomb…”
“Were all very open and progressive. Which points to this being a hate crime.”
“But the church where the recovery meeting was held wasn’t on the list, was it?” Clay looked between Jennings and Julius.
They both shook their heads.
Quaide exchanged a look with Clay. They’d both suspected that something dark was taking place at that particular church. If he had to make a guess, that funeral had been a cover for some other event going down. Only Lark got in the way.
They still had questions about why there was a hearse and an empty coffin, but he and Quaide had made stabs at why that might be, too. Drugs, weapons and illegals all remained on the table as things that could be transported by way of an empty coffin and inside a hearse that would never be stopped by authorities.
“We’re looking into a lot of the local activities,” he said to the group. Then he redirected his attention to Julius and Jennings. “You’ve proved yourselves by bringing us this information. That’s exactly the type of work ethic I’ve come to expect from your family name.”
Jennings gave him a solemn nod. Julius scraped a finger along his jaw as his only way of accepting Clay’s praise.
“I want to officially offer you both positions on the Sentry team.”
Silence followed his statement. Lark’s fingers covered Clay’s on her thigh, and she squeezed his hand.
