Maeve O’Connor-Boyle arrived forty minutes ago, her laptop bag slung over one shoulder and a diaper bag over the other.Tommy followed with baby Patrick, who’s currently sleeping in a portable crib in the corner of the living room.The presence of an infant in the midst of our criminal conspiracy should feel absurd, but somehow it doesn’t.This is what family looks like in our world.Beautiful and brutal, existing side by side.
“I’ve been running traces on your father’s shell companies since yesterday.”Maeve’s fingers fly across her keyboard.“The man’s paranoid as hell.Multiple layers of corporate obfuscation, offshore accounts in countries that don’t exactly cooperate with international inquiries.”
“He learned from the best.”I settle into the chair beside her, pulling my own laptop from my bag.“My grandfather built the family’s criminal empire using similar techniques.Father just expanded the application.”
“To human trafficking.”Maeve’s voice goes flat with disgust.
“Among other things.”
We work in tandem, two women from opposite sides of the same mafia underworld, united by our shared determination to burn down the evil hiding in the shadows.I handle the network security aspects, while Maeve focuses on financial forensics.Between us, there’s no system we can’t penetrate, no firewall we can’t breach.
Tommy keeps watch by the window, his eyes scanning the street with the casual alertness of a man who’s never truly off duty.Shelby’s in the kitchen on a call with Dave.
“Got something.”Maeve’s voice pulls my attention back to her screen.“Property records for a company called Arrowhead Holdings LLC.Ring any bells?”
I frown, scrolling through my own database of Giovanni’s known assets.“No.That’s new.”
“It shouldn’t be.According to the incorporation documents, your father’s been a silent partner since 2019.”She pulls up a map, zooming in on a location that makes my heart stutter.“They own a compound in Lake Arrowhead.Only eighty miles from Los Angeles.”
“That’s Connelly territory, Nora Connelly’s another Syndicate founder,” I whisper.
“Exactly.”Maeve highlights several points on the satellite image.“Multiple structures.Private dock.Helicopter pad.And, this is interesting, the property records have been sealed by court order.Someone didn’t want anyone looking too closely.”
“Dad plays poker regularly with a federal judge; they go back decades,” I comment, leaning forward, studying the layout.
It’s exactly the kind of isolated, well-fortified location where you’d stage trafficking victims before transport.Close enough to LAX for international shipping, remote enough that no one would hear screams.
“Can you unseal those documents?”
Maeve shoots me a look that sayswho do you think you’re talking to?Her fingers dance across the keyboard, and within seconds, restricted files begin populating her screen.
“Property specifications, security system schematics, utility records...”She trails off, her expression darkening.“And shipping manifests.Jesus Christ.”
I don’t want to look.I force myself to, anyway.
The manifests are similar to the ones I found during my initial investigation—clinical, businesslike documentation of human cargo.Estimated values.Physical descriptions.Preferred uses.But these are more recent, some dated within the week.
“He’s still operating,” I breathe.“Even with everything that’s happened, even knowing we’re hunting him, he’s still moving victims through this location.”
“Arrogant bastard.”Tommy’s voice comes from behind us.I didn’t hear him approach.“Or desperate.Either way, he’s making mistakes.”
Shelby appears in the doorway, his call apparently finished.His gaze finds mine.Reading the tension in my posture, he asks, “What did you find?”
I gesture at Maeve’s screen.“A compound in Lake Arrowhead.California.Sealed property records, recent shipping manifests, and enough circumstantial evidence to suggest it’s an active staging point for the trafficking operation.”
“California.”Shelby’s expression shifts, calculating.“That’s the Connellys’ territory.And Ray’s already on the ground in San Francisco.He can coordinate local assets, get us surveillance before we move in.”
“We should bring the Connellys up to speed,” I say, the plan crystallizing in my mind.“If we’re operating in their territory, they need to know.They’re part of the Syndicate.Professional courtesy, right?”
“More than that.”Shelby moves to stand beside me, a reassuring hand resting on my shoulder.“We might need their firepower.Giovanni won’t go down without a fight.”His grip tightens briefly.“And Cesare needs to be put down like the rabid vermin he is.”
The cold fury in his voice matches the ice in my veins.“Make the call,” I tell Shelby.“Let’s finish this.”
He pulls out his phone, scrolling to Ray’s contact.Before he dials, he leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead.
“I’m proud of you,” he murmurs.“This can’t be easy.”
“Nothing about this has been easy.”I reach up, touching his cheek briefly.“But I’ve got the right partner.”
