“I’ll do it for you.” He stood. “Any preferences or can I choose your clothes myself?”
Sejal sucked her teeth. “By all means, dress me, too.” She nodded at the door next to her bed. “Closet’s in there.”
He walked to her closet and stepped inside, turning on the light. The girl was ruthlessly organized, something he appreciated.Her pants were hung on one side, shirts next to them, and what he assumed were her con clothes—miniskirts and crop tops—at the end. Everything was in neutral shades, black, gray, white, or tan. Mostly black.
It was a good thing she didn’t have much, because he wasn’t planning on taking much with them. The lighter they traveled the better. He took the smaller duffel and opened it up, then paused. The closet light was dim, and she couldn’t see him from the bed. He closed his eyes and allowed his shoulders to slump, the world weighing heavily on him.
For the first time since Avi had disappeared and he’d immersed himself in his brother’s research, Krish breathed. Finally.
Don’t celebrate yet.
Right. He’d fully exhale when he finally got his sibling back.
He’d only discovered that his brother was missing a week ago, but it felt much longer than that. Avi’s partner Peter had shown up at his door to grill him about where his brother could be. He had sat Krish down and gently explained that Avi had been put on administrative leave the month prior. The department had been quietly investigating him for a while for allegedly taking bribes from Cobra to look the other way. Quietly because the last thing they wanted was more negative press about corrupt officials.
The FBI, including a semi-reluctant Peter, believed that Avi had split because he was guilty, but Krish knew that couldn’t possibly be the case. Krish had taken a leave of absence from work and flown from DC to LA immediately.
He could tell that the agency had already searched his brother’s house, but they didn’t know all the hidey-holes he and his brother had come up with growing up. In an empty Spam container inthe pantry, Krish had found a letter from Avi. The letter had made it clear that Cobra had framed him, and he was going to prove it.
It ended with the words:
If anything happens to me, please know they did this to shut me up.
If anything happens.
Such a mundane way to hint at something nefarious. Krish had gotten down to business, utilizing his own superpower: research. Luckily, his brother had helped him out by leaving incredibly detailed notes and files on Cobra and the Chaudharys in a cardboard box under one of the floorboards. After a couple of sleepless nights, he’d stared at the scrawled list he’d made of his options.
Believe that Avi did what he was accused of and ran off.
Impossible.
Go to the authorities.
Can’t trust that they’re not working for Cobra or that they’ll believe Av3.
Somehow find Rhea yourself.
