“The government did this to you?”
Everett shakes his head. “I said black ops. Private military. Though it might be somehow associated.”
We can’t fight the US government. “Ethan might know about them.”
“What might I know?” Ethan walks in along with Taylor.
“Who staffs this bunker?”
“No one.” Both Everett and Ethan say at the same time.
“Huh?”
“It emptied out about a year ago.” Ethan points to a spot on the board. “I was offered the job but recommended it to a friend. Why?”
“That’s where they kept me and killed my mom.”
“Knew I was right turning it down.”
“Can you touch base with that friend?”
Ethan shakes his head. “That guy won’t spill on a job. That’s why he’s good at what he does. Especially one paid for with government money.”
“Who contacted you?” I can go digging into government files with a name.
“Senator Blussmore. It’ll probably be a dead end, but you can try.”
“Talking about a dead end. One of the threads you were pulling on Plant and the money is literally dead.” Taylor sits down next to Everett.
Just what Vex isn’t going to want to hear. “How do you know?”
“Because I was at her funeral. I didn’t make the connection right away because my mind couldn’t believe the two were connected. Eva Gardener is dead and buried. You’re going to run into a dead end in Sweet Belle. Her daughter sold the house and everything in it. There weren’t any clues to be found. Except maybe with the boyfriend. But he’s in the state penitentiary serving a really long sentence.”
No way will Vex not want to have the boyfriend checked out. “Send me the name to add to the file.”
Taylor nods.
“The stealth helicopters make more sense now, but why send them for a kid when the bunker is gone?” Ethan turns to Everett. “Do you know something you shouldn’t?”
He shrugs. “Lots of things. But none from the bunker. They were cagey. Everything was air gapped behind armed guards. I was only able to get into the security stuff because that was networked. I don’t know anything except that it existed and that they killed my mother.”
That’s odd.
Why spend so much time or money to capture or kill a boy?
That makes no sense at all.
Vex stalks in. “We need to do this quickly. My family wants me home for lunch.”
Payne follows behind with a grin on his face.
We all know Vex just wanted to say his family. Those have to be some powerful words for him. What he hasn’t figured out yet is that we’re sort of related now.
I need to find the right time to mention that to him. Later. I stalk up to him and punch him with all my might in the gut. “Never steal my woman away again.”
“If that’s all you’re going to do…”
“Don’t even go there. I want to kill you, but I respect your wife and your sister.”
