I blinked. “I don’t understand.”
“No client. This has been a set-up the whole time. We are the job. My ATF SRT unit.” He started making notations. “Barensky has changed strategies. He’s changed the chessboard and become the King.” He scribbled notes. “The rooks are the governmental agencies, and the pawns are the two dupes who ended up dead as well as the Lordes members in general.
I tried to remember what Aiden had told me about Barensky. “The explosives are the knights.”
“Yeah.” Aiden scribbled some more, making diagrams.
“Okay, so then the Queen would be the SRT unit, and the bishops are unknowns.”
Aiden stood back and studied his scribbles. “Not this time. He really did change strategies. The SRT unit would be the bishops because we are unknowns but identifiable. He knows our moves, and he has an idea of what we’re doing. Not once did he believe the cover of the Lordes. This has all been the entire game—from the beginning.”
It was impressive how much Aiden had been able to get into Barensky’s head. “So the Queen is, whom?”
Aiden turned, his gaze dark. “You. You’re the Queen in his game, Anna.”
I swallowed. It made a really bizarre and kind of creepy kind of sense. “Isn’t the Queen often sacrificed in the end?”
“Yes.”
Chapter 36
Iignored my very cranky boyfriend and carried the flowers into the hospital before work on Friday. Aiden had really wanted me to stay at his place, but I wasn’t going to let down my clients. Plus, he was guarding my body for now, and then Bud would be back on duty at my office. I couldn’t be safer, really.
We walked to the correct room, and Aiden drew me aside. “Good luck with this. It is a good idea, even if I don’t like it.”
Yeah, it was a good idea, even if it made me late for work. I didn’t have to be in court until ten, so there was time. “Trust me.” Without waiting for his answer, I turned and walked into the ex-Lordes old lady’s room, leaving him with the officer guarding her door.
Kay lay in the bed with her leg elevated. Her hair was in wild curls around her head, which kind of looked cool. Her eyes widened and her pupils were dilated. “What are you doing here?”
“I snuck in early,” I admitted, setting the vase on the counter where she could see it. Actually, Aiden’s badge had gotten us in early, and the nurse had assured us that Kay was awake. “I wanted to bring you flowers. I’m sorry about Carbine.”
Her eyes watered. “He was an idiot.”
Yeah, that seemed to be the consensus. “He still didn’t deserve to die like that. I’m sorry.”
Her eyes flashed and she looked at the flowers. “Why are you sorry? I held a gun on you and kidnapped you. We aren’t friends.”
“I know.” I pulled a guest chair over and sat anyway. Aiden had confirmed with the police that nobody had visited Kay, and I couldn’t imagine being in the hospital and having no one check in on me. “I know that Carbine meant something to you, and I’m sorry he’s dead. Aiden and the Lordes are going to have a burial for him, and maybe you can help plan it?”
She slumped in the bed. “I’m going away for a hit and run as well as an aggravated kidnapping. Both against you.”
I leaned toward her. “Maybe not.”
A tiny sliver of interest lit in her eyes. “What do you mean?”
Oddly enough, I really did want to help her. She’d held me at gunpoint, but I felt sorry for her. Not enough to let her off the hook. But still. The woman didn’t have anybody, and that would suck. “If you have information, maybe we can get you a deal.”
“What kind of information?” she asked.
“Anything,” I said. “Like who told Carbine to have you crash into my car and why.”
She frowned. “Why would you want to get me a deal?”
“Aiden really is an ATF Agent and not a Lorde’s member,” I said. The shock on her face showed she hadn’t believed me before. “The truth is out and he’s no longer undercover. He is in a position to help you, and you’re going to want to take advantage of the moment.”
She pushed a button and the bed sat her up. It looked like Kay had a lot more brains than Carbine had. “I’ll take any deal. This sucks. All of a sudden, Carbine had extra cash. A lot of it. Then he told me what to do, and I did it. I figured Devlin wanted you hurt, but Carbine didn’t say that. I just assumed it.”
I sat back. “Somebody obviously bribed Carbine.” That didn’t sound like Barensky, but if he was moving pieces around on his imaginary board, maybe the King had a bishop of his own. Or knight. Or whatever. “Think hard. Did Carbine say anything about where he got the money? Anything at all—no matter how small.”
