“Good. I also need you to catch the first flight you can book to London to hook up with him. Rent a car when you arrive and drive to his place. Don’t get a driver—I want you to drive yourself.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Pay with the pack card, whatever it takes.”
“Peyton—”
“I don’t have time, Ken! Listen! I’ll explain it all later. Are you still in Idaho?”
“Yes.”
“I’m guessing Badger is now acting Pack Alpha?”
“Yes.”
“Good. In the information on the thumb drive I left for you is a password-protected folder with info for a safe deposit box, including where one of the keys is. Trent has the other, but doesn’t know the bank or box number. You should know the password to that folder now. Take everything except the cash, guns, and ammo. Leave those locked in the box. Then overnight the rest of the contents to Trevor Clarke’s home immediately. All of it. Understand?”
“Yes.” Ken punched in notes on his personal phone as Peyton talked and knew which folder he meant because he’d thought it was odd, at the time, that he couldn’t open it with the same password Peyton had given him for the other stuff.
“Is Dewi still at the pack compound?” Peyton asked.
“Yeah.”
“Whatever you do, do not let Dewi leave the States to come look for me. In fact, do not let her leave the pack compound. Put her passport in that safe deposit box and tell no one where it is. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Tell Da and Badger you’re leaving if you have to, but do not tell them where or why. Say it’s an emergency and it’s Pack Alpha business. Tell them it’s safe, but it has to remain secret for now. Try to get out of there without Dewi knowing. If you can’t just leave, tell Da and Badger first and ask them to Prime Dewi if necessary. But if possible, wait until you’re already at the airport and about to get on the plane to let them know.”
“Okay.” Ken’s stomach, which had unclenched for the first time in days at the sound of Peyton’s voice, had once again tightly knotted. He wasn’t altogether certain he might not puke.
Glad I’m already in the bathroom.
“I will meet you within three nights at Trevor Clarke’s. Local time, I mean. If I don’t show up, only then can you tell Trent and Badger and Da—and Trevor—that I was in touch with you. Don’t tell Trevor I’m coming either, just tell him to be at home and awaiting your arrival, and the package from you, and not to open it.”
“What about Gillian? I can’t tell her? She’s sick with worry.”
“Not even her. I’m serious, Ken. I’ll tell you everything in person. I think I know who’s behind all this bullshit, and that it’s absolutely tied to Faegan Lewis.”
Ken’s blood ran cold. “Is it someone in our pack?”
“No, I don’t think so, thank christ. But, for now, everyone needs to think I’m still missing. I mean everyone. Otherwise, it’ll make it harder to unwind everything and stop these assholes for good.”
“Well, it’ll be hard for me to lie to Badger and Da about that, won’t it?”
“Tell them it’s secret instructions I left for you. Pack Alpha business. Repeat those three words as necessary—Pack Alpha business. They’ll understand.”
He thought about the murdered family. “How do I know you’re not under duress right now, or it’s not a trap?”
“Besides the fact that I just gave you the keyword to remember stuff?”
“Uh…” That was true. Still… “Yeah. Humor me.”
“First time we met in person, I flew to Florida. When I arrived at the house, I asked Dewi to make me one of her appletinis.” Peyton sighed, sounding weighty and weary, but it was nearly the best damned sound Ken could imagine hearing at that moment. “I could sure as fuck use one right about now.”
Ken felt like crying with relief. “Why the delay? And what do I tell Trevor Clarke when he asks?”
“Again, Pack Alpha business. His ears only, and in person. You can tell him you’re coming and to be at home waiting for you. Tell him not to open the package you’re sending him. If I beat you there, I’ll grab it. Send that today. Still morning there?”
