“I see someone.” Jax’s voice crackled over the open comms line.
Thank You.Hopefully, they would discover who had hired the man for the job MSI had intercepted. Even if he hadn’tcompleted it, they had surmised that the first payment was sent. The second would’ve been made after the job was completed, but that didn’t happen. Had he tried to contact the buyer to explain?
Car headlights split the darkness on the far left side of this parking lot. No one else would be out here tonight in this derelict spot with cracked asphalt and rundown buildings. Businesses that had closed years ago when the economy leaned away from manufacturing and toward more white-collar jobs in downtown high-rise buildings.
“How will we know if it’s him?” Maizie asked.
“We’ll see if he goes near Jax,” Kenna said. “And then we’ll know from what he does next.”
Which was why she’d insisted her husband wear a bulletproof vest, while she and Maizie sat in the armored car.
With Zeyla gone and Preston busy, she needed to call Stairns and see how he felt about coming here to lend a hand with protection.
The team was far too scattered, and she didn’t like it.
Across the lot, the car turned in a half circle and parked where she could see the headlights. Too far away from her for the occupant to know she and Maizie were sitting over here, but their vehicle would be visible. Thankfully, the tinted windows would disguise their presence.
Kenna worried her lip between her teeth. She wanted to distract herself with a drink of her water, but then she would only need to pee, and she would be the one derailing this operation. She needed to continually give her worries to the Lord. Trust that they were doing the right thing.
A single occupant got out of the driver’s side of the car. Male. Not quite as tall as Jax, he had stocky shoulders and short legs but a longer upper body, which gave him a squat appearance.
He approached Jax, his stride not so much slow but definitely measured. Hands in sight. Probably a gun on hisperson somewhere—maybe more than one. A guy who lived with caution, not knowing if a bullet would be around the next corner.
“You’re the one?” Jax asked.
“If you have the money.”
Jax motioned to the duffel by his foot. For the sake of the ruse, they’d filled it with stacks of junk mail they’d retrieved from a recycling center before it could be processed. Bundled pieces of paper that would look enough like money the guy would be convinced they’d brought the cash. Until he unzipped the bag and saw the truth.
He would know this wasn’t about purchasing his services by then.
“If I’m gonna hire you, I’ll need to know you are who you say you are.” Jax still looked relaxed.
She took a moment to admire how good her husband was at undercover work. And all the other things that made him so innatelyJax. He would pass a whole lot of great qualities to their child.
“You wanna see my resume?” The guy had a low voice with a gravelly edge to it. At least, it sounded like that through the comms channel.
Kenna had asked Maizie about analyzing his voice and putting it through a program that might be able to find a match from the internet and social media. But without a better recording of his voice, they wouldn’t be able to get a definitive answer.
“You say you’re legit.” Jax shrugged. “How do I know you aren’t just some guy on the dark web taking money and screwing people over?”
“Fine, you want proof I’ve done this before?” The guy dragged a cell phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen before holding it out. “That enough for you?”
Jax didn’t move.
“Swipe the screen.”
Jax pushed off the light pole and moved closer. The guy was fast, but Jax had been expecting something to happen. As he reached out his hand, the contract killer grabbed his forearm and punched Jax in the side with the cell phone hand.
He probably hadn’t expected the thickness of the vest to meet his fist. But then, Jax had injured ribs.
Kenna’s stomach clenched, even though she knew what Jax was going to allow to happen. She watched her husband twist his hips and land a punch of his own. The two grappled, hitting at each other in close quarters.
Jax got his leg hooked around the other guy’s, but the contract killer forced it and got control as they tumbled to the ground. Using barely a second to get the upper hand, the killer ended up on top.
Kenna winced, trying to keep her thoughts to herself.That looked like it hurt.He was already injured from the explosion at the hospital. She gasped.
The guy had Jax pinned now. Not exactly the plan, but then none of them had anticipated the speed with which he’d gained control.
