“Lainey Harper,” the man replied as if he were explaining to a toddler. “She’s the face of the project, holds the permits. Make it uncomfortable for her.”
Travis swallowed hard. “She’s got a kid.”
The man gave him a sly smile. Travis’s stomach lurched. He suddenly knew exactly how prey felt when a snake started circling.
“And?”
“She doesn’t seem the type to scare. It’s going to get messy,” said Travis.
“Again, why is that my problem?”
Travis hesitated, then nodded. “It’s not. I’ll find a way to make it work.”
He hoped the man wouldn’t catch the tremble in his voice. Hurting women or kids had never been part of the job. It was just supposed to be causing havoc. Something he enjoyed. Besides, he actually liked Lainey. She was tough but fair to the crew. Treated them with respect.
“Good.” The man nodded, sliding an envelope across the bar. “Final payout. Spend it fast.”
Travis didn’t reach for it, just nodded.
He didn’t have to ask what that meant. Dean had gone dark a couple of days ago, vanishing without saying goodbye. Now it was his turn.
The man finished the drink, rubbed out his cigar, and stood. He clapped Travis on the shoulder. “Do what you were paid to do.”
Then he walked away smiling, leaving the smoke and Travis’s pounding pulse behind him.
CHAPTER 33
Finn and Dexpulled up to the site. There was still much to do to resolve the security issues—motion sensors to install, floodlights to mount and additional cameras to place. As planned, Caleb would take the first watch tonight.
Finn unlocked the gate. They drove through and parked near what used to be the edge of the shed. It didn’t look any better today. In fact, it looked worse—twisted metal, scorched earth, and charred wood. A reminder of how fast everything could burn. Change.
Finn grabbed a pair of gloves from the truck and handed Dex another set. “Let’s get to it.”
They worked quietly, separating what they could. The acrid scent of burnt wood still lingered in the air. Ash stuck to their boots and clogged their noses. Sweat poured down Finn’s back in the Florida heat.
Dex grunted as he pried up a half-buried sheet of metal. He froze. “Finn.”
Finn looked over and stepped in to see what he’d found. Dex tilted the panel just enough to reveal an X burned into the lower corner.
Sharp, not some random scorch.
Not paint. Not part of the damage. Had it been there before and they missed it or added after? The cameras hadn’t shown anyone near the shed since it burned, which meant it had to have been there before.
How the hell had they missed it?
Finn stared at it, his heart thudding. “Shit. That’s two now. This and the one at the bakery.”
“What d’you think it means?” asked Dex.
“Don’t know.” Finn pulled out his phone and took a picture. “Damn.” He sighed. “We can check this later. Let’s get this mess cleaned up.”
But the questions in his mind didn’t go away. Two marks. Same symbol. It wasn’t random anymore.
A while later, Dex wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. “We’re gonna need a dumpster.”
“Yeah,” Finn muttered. “I was hoping we could fit this all in the truck, but there’s too much.”
He pulled out his phone and made a call. “Okay. Good. Thanks.” He hung up. “It’s gonna cost about five hundred dollars. Extra to deliver it tomorrow. I thought we could save Lainey money by doing it ourselves.”
