But Trevor knew far more about Aisling than anyone else in this world, about what she was capable of.
And he knew how personally she would take exacting revenge.
Meaning nothing would deter her until she fulfilled her orders.
Or died trying.
Six Months Ago
He actually made it to Ireland, the bloody bastard.
Not that Aisling was naive enough to think Faegan Lewis drowned himself at sea. But her reckoning calculated he’d attempt coming ashore somewhere in Scotland, or commandeer a boat large enough to make the trip, not literally swim out to sea to be “rescued” by a fishing vessel that no doubt felt sorry for the oversized corgi they plucked from the water.
She also suspected he didn’t swim all that way. She imagined he stole a dinghy and rowed or motored out into fishing waters until he spotted a vessel he thought would pick him up.
Now she was ragin’ about him evading her these past couple of months. Not that he even knew who the hell she was in particular, only that she was one of the many people on his literal tail.
She’d come within minutes of capturing him several times, including one time when his scent was so warm it was likely less than ten minutes old. But each time, he’d eluded her.
He stayed shifted mostly, and probably used the kindness of strangers to take in a pitiful, wet stray corgi from whichever petrol station he ended up at, then ran off when he spotted the first opportunity.
She’d bribed attendants at each station to look at their CCTV footage, which slowed her down. She’d also stationed people at the various ferries to keep an eye out for him, as well as paid their crew members to alert her and her people immediately if anyone brought a corgi on board.
But swim?
As she sat in her room at a small inn just outside of Kilmarnock, Scotland, and stared at the latest video footage on her laptop, she realized that her assignment had just turned impossibly more difficult.
Bloody hell.
She once again picked up her mobile, which she’d dropped on the bed to open her laptop and look at the e-mail Trevor had forwarded to her. “What now, then?” she quietly asked.
“This isn’t a failure, Aisling,” Trevor said.
“Uh, respectfully sir, this is a massive failure on my part. I literally had one job, and the fuckin’ cunt has eluded me yet again.”
“I’ve deposited another sum into the account you’re using. Proceed to Belfast as soon as possible. You’ll have twenty more people there within twelve hours. They’re already en route and at your command. I’ll send you hotel and car info. We’ll handle the bookings for you.”
“I think we’re gonna need a few more Primes, sir,” she wearily said.
“Three of them are Primes, all wolves. Unfortunately, none have your battle and tactical experience.”
“For all the feckin’ good that’s done us,” she muttered.
“Aisling, Faegan Lewis is far older than you, meaning he’s had decades to cultivate contacts. Plus, he’s a terrified, cowardly little man. Of course he’s gone to ground. We will find him.”
In her mind she couldn’t quit hearing Maisie’s voice, or seeing the bubbles of blood on her lips. “How’s Tamsin gettin’ on, then?” she quietly asked.
He sighed. “She’s…existing. The people caring for her, I trust them. They’re doing the best they can for her under the circumstances. There’s been a positive breakthrough, however, and people who themselves have lost mates are working with her, including two Primes.”
“Are we certain we haven’t missed any connections somewhere?” she asked. “People who are indebted to him in some way? Perhaps blackmail?”
“We’re methodically examining every scrap of information we receive,” he said. “I even pulled strings to access mobile records. A friend of mine’s in MI6 and he’s working on this for me. So far, you’re the only one who’s stayed close on him.”
She fought the urge to throw her phone. “Well, if I’m the best we’ve got, then we’re bloody well fucked, ain’t we?”
Trevor sighed. “Aisling, if I, of all people, am not holding this against you, then you have no right to hold it against yourself. He’s wily, and even fifty years ago we could have blasted through the countryside looking for him. Now we have to protect ourselves, too. CCTV can work for us, but it can decidedly work against us. You of all people know that. He’s a dead man. The best we can do is keep him moving, keep pushing him, until he slips up or we catch up with him. And that will happen.”
“What if he makes it over to the Continent, eh? We’ll never find him then.”
