“Dewi, we can toss around all the accusations we want, but the bottom line is he’s confirmed dead.It’s definitely him, no doubt about it.So that, at least, is done.”
“Well, that’s one relief,” Trent said.“People will love hearing that.”
“Um…”
“Um,what, Peyton?”Dewi snapped.
“We’re not telling anyone yet.”
“Whut?”she asked.“Why the fuck not?”
“For the same reasons we haven’t told people I’m alive.Because I want people to think he’s still alive, so his accomplices don’t disappear before we can track them down.Ray Dorland will never fly over if he thinks Faegan’s dead.Think about it.If he knows Faegan’s dead, he won’t know what info he gave up.Would you willingly put yourself in danger of walking into an enemy’s lair if you have no idea what they’ve got on you?”
“I don’t understand why that’s not already an issue,” Ken commented.
“Because if they are, or were, working together, Dorland will fly over thinking he can gather intel on the latest progress in the hunt.And it’ll look weird if he’s the only Pack Alpha not coming.This is supposed to be a huge Pack Alpha meeting.All-hands.That’s how we spin it.If nothing else, his ego won’t allow him to miss it because he’ll worry about what people say behind his back, or gossiping that he’s not there.”
“Oh.True,” Trent said.
Dewi chimed in.“But if Dorland is in cahoots with the lab people, I mean, won’t they have told him they don’t have you?”
“Maybe.For all we know, the lab might think the merc team never got me.Or that I was killed in that firefight and they’re denying it because they’re terrified of what failure means.Or any number of possibilities.The lab might not realize who they had.I wasn’t carrying ID, remember?We could be dealing with two completely different entities—the lab and the merc teams hired by the lab.Since the mercs apparently don’t know about Prime Alphas, it’s likely they didn’t tell the lab they had possession of me.And if I’m still ‘missing’ then I’m not there to rip Ray’s sac off and feed it to him in the middle of the Spokane airport, am I?”
“Ooh!Ooh!Pick meee!”Dewi snarked.“Let me do that!”
Peyton snorted.“The other reason I don’t want it known Faegan’s dead is that it might end the fake tips.We haven’t had any since the one from Italy, and that one didn’t pan out.They might be on to us, but if not, they’re our only solid leads to the people arranging the abductions.”
She groaned.“You’re right.Dammit, note this day in history, that I’m admitting you’re right.”
Peyton laughed.“Duly noted, Dewster.”
Badger finally spoke.“So what’re they doin’ now?Trevor and Elizabeth, I mean?Are they copin’ all right?”
“Last I looked, they were out back with assorted garden tools, including an axe, and venting some anger.”
Ken winced.“Don’t need the deets, thanks.”
“Speak for yourself,” Dewi snickered, then caught a glimpse of Ken’s queasy face.“Sorry, honey,” she said, immediately sobering and remembering that it wasn’t a bad thing Faegan was dead, but it also wasn’t good because of the reason he was now dead.
Because of his evil deeds.
“Who do you want to tell Tamsin?”Duncan asked.
“Your call,” Peyton said after a moment.“Should be a Prime, though.I’ll text Badger the pics proving he’s dead.Just make her keep the secret, and no one else gets told yet outside of you guys and her.Not even Gillian.Don’t tell Hamish or Donnel and Hyacinth, either.”
“What about Aisling?”Ken asked.
“Trevor said he’ll call her personally once they’re, eh, done.”
Even Dewi’s stomach rolled over that, and she didn’t think it was morning sickness, either.
Maybe I’m going soft?
Only the inner circle knew she and Gillian were pregnant again.They weren’t telling Asia’s kids, but Asia knew.
Now I really can’t ride any scooters or Beck’ll kill me if Ken doesn’t beat him to it.
“Ironic that Faegan sort ofFinal Destination-ed himself, isn’t it?”Trent noted, promoting snickers from Ken and Peyton.
