AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s happening?” Kyle asked once Spencer got back on the line.
“Police search. New checkpoint at the city entrance. Do we have any more intel on the SHEEPSKIN network’s motivation this time? Killing kids isn’t their usual MO.”
“No. But from the way the explosives were laid out, it looks like a deliberate attempt to kill Arrieta. The kids weren’t the target, but I’m guessing they weren’t too much of a deterrent either. The authorities found evidence of a terrorist lair in the school basement.” Kyle gave a derisive snort. “Using little kids as cover for his sick operations, all to topple the US from its superpower status. God, I can’t believe he was one of us.” Kyle exhaled sharply. Arrieta had worked under their noses as a CIA operative for years before deserting. “Jesus. It’s like tracking a ghost, with his training and contacts.”
A ghost Spencer had all but escorted out the door. The same old recriminations weighed heavy on Spencer’s mind. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Just one trigger pull, one sniper shot, and the world would be a safer place today. Those kids who had died in the explosion would be alive and well.
But he hadn’t known. How could any of them have known that Arrieta and his band of malcontents would grow into an international menace? Now Spencer owed it to Kyle, owed it to Nick, owed it to those kids and many others, to do what was necessary. “What do you want me to do?”
“You focus on nailing down a location on Coran Williams. We still need to find out what he knows and how he’s connected to SHEEPSKIN. I’ll handle Arrieta. Got it?”
“Yes.” Sitting on his ass wasn’t Spencer’s forte, but he was on thin enough ice where Kyle was concerned. Best not to piss the guy off any more. “I’ll wait to hear from you.”
Kyle ended the call without another word, and Spencer sighed.
“That didn’t sound like it went well.” Toni stared down at her phone, not looking at him, her thumbs flying across her keyboard. “Problems with your team?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” He’d already told her far more about what was going on than was prudent. She didn’t need to know anything else for now. “It’s fine. Talking to Daddy?”
“Funny. No.” She frowned. “I haven’t heard from him in months.”
“What about the attacks? Wouldn’t he at least want to make sure you’re okay?”
“I doubt he even knows I’m here.”
Spencer didn’t believe that. Coran Williams was a billionaire with a newsroom at his beck and call. Spencer was certain there was very little he couldn’t find out if he wanted to. And in this case, why wouldn’t he want to? “C’mon. Seriously? You expect me to believe that your father would let one of his most vulnerable assets travel without keeping tabs on you?”
Toni crossed her arms and stared out the window. “I told you we’re not close.”
“You’re his only child, Toni, close or not. And a link to him, a way to get under his skin.” Coran Williams might keep his physical and emotional distance from his only daughter, but a man like that, used to being in command? He wouldn’t just let her wander off unmonitored. “Let me see your phone.”
Her gaze darted to his, wary. “Why?”
“I want to check the SIM card. If your father’s tracking you, I can have Hayley check the ID number and trace back the signal to find your father’s current location.” He reached for the device, and she pulled it away. But not before he saw the “from” line in the text on her screen.
Coran Williams Publishing.
His blood froze. “Why are you lying to me, Toni?”
“I’m not lying.” She clicked off the message. “I was texting a woman at the publishing house about the possibility of them donating some signed special editions for the auction. There wouldn’t be time to ship them here before the actual auction, but we could have a listing for them, and the winners could have them shipped straight to their homes.”
He gave her an incredulous look, and she turned away.
“You know what? I don’t care if you believe me or not. I don’t have to prove anything to you. I get enough of that with my father, thanks.” She scowled at her phone as she punched in a number, then stared out the window. “Yes, Red Crescent, do you speak English? Great. This is Toni Williams from Williams Wishes. I’m in Jubail for the week for a distribution event, and I’d like to help in the disaster relief efforts for the village attack.”
Spencer fought the urge to groan. He wasn’t surprised that she wanted to help, but doing any volunteer work at the village would put her way too close to Arrieta. Her bleeding heart mightliterallyend up being the death of her.
It just went to show that Kyle, as usual, had been right. Getting emotionally involved was a terrible idea. It led to unnecessary complications and more danger—for yourself and for those you were trying to protect.
* * *
Back at the hotel, Toni threw herself into contacting everyone she knew in the relief community to find ways that she could help the attack victims. The way she saw it, people were hurt and scared, and she was right there, ready and willing to give whatever aid she could. To do nothing would be unforgivable.
As an added benefit, focusing on others distracted her from the guilt she felt over the way she’d lied to Spencer in the limo. Shehadgotten a message from her father—and she’d chosen to keep it to herself.
Lying to the man sworn to protect her wasn’t a great idea, but her father had asked her not to say anything to anyone. No matter what accusations Spencer might hurl in her father’s direction, she couldn’t just turn off a lifetime of loyalty. Especially when she still hadn’t seen any actual evidence against him.
“Mind telling me what the hell you’re doing?” Spencer asked from the doorway to the dining room. Since their return, she’d turned the space into a makeshift staging area, storing the many donations of bottled water, medicine, and blankets people had sent to the hotel in response to her request until the delivery truck came to take it all to the village.
