Now, I put my selfish wants to the side.
I’d seen the worst of humanity as my time as an intelligence agent. Abuse I’d sometimes had to ignore because it interfered with the bigger picture.
This, I didn’t have to nor could I ignore.
London was understandably brittle and was reluctant to explain her black eye when Silver asked her permission to confide in me.
“You can trust him,” Silver had promised.
Because she trusted me.
After everything … she trusted me.
I felt about ten feet tall.
London gave her the go-ahead, so Silver told me about London’s fiancé Nick. His abuse over the last few months. The control. Everything spoke to a very typical pattern in emotionally and physically abusive relationships. The abuser would systematically attempt to isolate their victim from the world. It made them easier to manipulate, control, and threaten by first creating the isolation and then insisting they were the only people who could be counted upon. That they were the only people who loved them.
I’d seen it many times, and it didn’t matter who you were, how strong you were, how independent, how fierce … it could happen to anyone. Staring into London’s eyes, I knew more than anything her struggle would be with herself and the irrational blame she laid at her own feet. Even once we got her free and clear, her path to freedom from her misplaced shame would not be an easy one.
As I took in the friends, it was only seeing them together in real life for the first time that I recognized how close they were. It was clear Silver hurt when London hurt. She’d taken on her friend’s troubles even while dealing with her own. I worried about her. Yet it made me more determined to win her back.
To be the person she could lean on. To be the person to shoulder the weight.
And I had broad shoulders.
I’d shoulder the world for her.
They laid out their plan to bring London back to Scotland but explained London’s passport was locked in Nick’s safe. My brain was already at work, figuring out our next move.
“Do you know what kind of safe it is?”
“Digital.” London shrugged wearily.
“Fingerprint, retinal, or code?”
London frowned. “Um, code. I think I know it. I’ve been waiting for him to open it again and watched him put some money in it the other night.”
Well, that made things easier.
“Nick isn’t … he’s a powerful stockbroker. His family are the Hustons. Old money. They made their fortune in railroads back in the day and then became one of the biggest financial investment groups on the East Coast. Their company is publicly traded now, but they still have a lot of influence and power. Not to mention, Nick is best friends with Hugh Inchcolm. Tierney’s ex. Heir to Pioneer Motors.”
I sneered. “I know who Hugh is. He’s not a problem. If your worry is Nick’s connections, we can deal with that.”
“How?”
I pulled out my phone. I didn’t want to take advantage of James, but this was a wee bit above Jay’s pay grade. It was Tuesday afternoon in London and James was probably at work where there were eyes and ears everywhere but, still, I called him.
A few rings later, my friend picked up. “Twice in as many months when I hadn’t heard from you in a year.”
“Sorry to call again.”
“I’m not sorry. How can I help? Is this about your lady friend? Again?” James’s tone was teasing.
“Actually … kind of.”
“I hope she’s not in trouble. Or anymore trouble. I’ve been following the case. Cole will see justice one way or another.”
“Thank you. I actually need a deep dive on someone. Nicholas Huston. A New York stockbroker.”
