Roy nods, bowing his head."Aye, son.I do know that."
A heavy silence falls over the room.I reach for Kirk's hand instinctively, threading my fingers through his.He squeezes back, his palm warm in mine.
For an hour, we brainstorm ideas but come up with nothing useful.Kirk offers to ask some of his friends for help, but I remind him we can't risk angering Dougal until we know what his real game is.
For now, all we can do is wait.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Kirk
One hour and thirty-two minutes after Gretchen and I returned to my flat---our flat, as it's become---we finally hear from Archie.But not in the manner we expected.When someone knocks on the door, I open it cautiously since I cannae tell who or what might be on the other side.One of Dougal's men?Or maybe a threatening note pushed under the door?But neither Gretchen nor I expect to hear a familiar voice.
"Are ye there, Kirk?Let me in, would ye?I dinnae like empty hallways, especially since you-know-who has the master key to your entire life."
I rush to the door, swinging it open just enough to make sure our guest is who I think it is."Archie?"
"Aye.And I didnae come here for a blether."He rubs his arms."The weather's bloody dreich out there today."
"Come in, Archie."
The lad steps inside, carrying a backpack that looks like it weighs more than he does.Archie MacIver is exactly as I remember him---sandy hair perpetually mussed as if he's been running his hands through it for hours, bright eyes that never seem to stop scanning his surroundings, and the constant nervous energy of someone who's had too much caffeine.
"You must be Gretchen," Archie says, extending a hand to her."I've heard a lot about ye."
"Only good rumors, I hope," she says, shaking his hand.
"The best," Archie assures her with a smile that quickly fades as he turns back to me."I didnae want to talk about this over the phone.Walls have ears and all that shite, especially digital ones."
"What did ye find?"I ask, leading him to the living room where we all can sit comfortably.
Gretchen settles beside me on the sofa while Archie perches on the edge of the armchair, already unzipping his backpack.
"I found something massive."Archie pulls out a laptop that looks like it's been modified far beyond its original specifications."Really massive.And extremely bad."
I grasp Gretchen's hand."Is it about Kenny?"
Archie nods grimly, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he boots up his system."Aye, but it's more than that.MacWraith's been planning something for months, maybe even years.Kenny was only the first move in a much larger game."
Gretchen clutches my hand tightly while staring straight at Archie."What kind of game?And by the way, what is 'dreich'?"
"It means dreary, which the weather is today for dead sure.Now, to the issue at hand..."He pauses---for dramatic purposes, no doubt."Dougal's 3-D chess match is the kind that ends with MacWraith controlling not only every underground casino and gentleman's club in the Highlands."Archie turns his laptop so we can see the screen."By the time he's done, he'll also control the local government and probably half the police force too."
"How deep does this conspiracy go?"
"Deep enough that I'm risking my neck just being here," Archie explains."MacWraith's been building a network of corrupt officials and businessmen across Scotland.He's got blackmail material on at least three members of the Highland Council and two high-ranking police officers."
I lift my brows."Dinnae tell me our favorite Loch Fairbairn constables are in on it."
"No, they're clean."
"Thank heavens for that."
Gretchen glances at me and then Archie, squeezing my hand tightly."What does this have to do with Kenny?"
Archie's fingers dance across the keyboard as he pulls up a series of documents and photographs."Kenny was investigating MacWraith's operation.He had been for months, though even I had no idea that was his real plan.I assumed he'd gotten deep in debt to Dougal in MacWraith's casino.But it turns out he was gathering evidence."
I thrust my hands into my hair."Why didnae he never tell me?I could've helped."
