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>Tell the Kellies to double down on locating any properties the director owns and cut his funding ASAP.
I had already begun my campaign ofeverything is A-okay at Black Hat, but this would prove me a liar as another city fell prey to Luca. We needed a win. The Kellies were recovering from their ordeal, yes, but we needed their skill and personal knowledge of the director now more than ever.
>>Will do.
Once I updated everyone, we all turned to Dad, waiting to see what he had gleaned from Colby’s spell.
“Clay isn’t in Charlotte.” He let his eyes go unfocused as he traced the threads of power. “He’s out west.”
“Out west,” I repeated. “As in, the same direction Luca just moved her operation?”
Chicken or the egg. Which came first? Had the director chosen Dallas? Or had she?
“I can’t be certain without a map and crystal to dowse for Clay.” He shook his head. “He’s too far away.”
“This can’t be a coincidence.” Asa thinned his lips. “Could Luca be tracking the director?”
“This whole hot mess is at the heart of her revenge plot,” Marita said, joining us, “so I would sayyes.”
“They were intimate for decades.” I fought not to gag on those words. “She could have a lock of his hair, nail clippings, or any number of other personal items collected over the years.”
“Or—” Derry butted in, “—maybeheis trackingher. She’s backed him into a corner. He has nothing left to lose. Either he spends the rest of his life on the run, or he faces her.”
“The way he left things,” Asa agreed, “he would have been a fool to break off contact with Luca without taking precautions.”
“He would have taken every precaution,” Dad agreed. “He doesn’t let enemies go without insurance.”
Thanks to Luca, he was exposed in a way he hadn’t been since before he built the compound to shield him from the consequences of his actions.Ifhe was hunting her, and that was a big if, it must have sunk in that he would never be safe as long as she was alive.
By taking everything away from him, she had struck a nerve. And, in the process, might have finally awoken a taste for vengeance within him to match hers.
“I’m telling you.” Marita spread her hands. “Woman scorned.”
“She cost him everything. His home, his legacy, his reputation. He has nothing left to lose.” Dad tucked a loose curl behind his ear, pitching his lot in with Derry. “If he’s set his sights on her, if he intends for her to pay for what she’s done, it will make him more dangerous than ever.”
“On the bright side,” I added to avoid choosing sides, “if Luca is hunting the director too, we might all catch up to one another.”
“In Texas,” Marita clarified. “Big state, Texas.”
“Lots of barbecue.” Derry nodded. “Tons of ribs. Pulled pork. Burnt ends. Chicken.”
“We should bring white sauce for the chicken.” Marita pursed her lips. “Theoriginalwhite sauce.”
The mayo-based sauce was invented in Decatur, Alabama, by Big Bob Gibson, and the Mayhews were addicted to his brand.
“We’re getting sidetracked.” They were also making me hungry. “Dad?”
“Clay is heading west.” He spread his hands. “Without proper tools, that’s the best I can do.”
With fresh resolve, Colby sailed over to perch on Asa’s shoulder. “Then let’s get you the tools.”
“We can print a map.” Asa angled toward me. “Do you have a crystal your dad can use?”
About to confess how I stomped mine in the sand in a fit of pique, Dad saved me by saying, “I have one.”
“Then let’s go to the nearest office supply store. I can pull up a map on your computer while I’m remote wiping my laptop, pair it with their printer, and make a few copies.” Colby caught me watching her and frowned. “What?”
The ache in my chest unspooled until I could breathe again. “It’s nice having you back.”
