He nodded, one hand in his pocket. “I know, but we can only deal with one problem at a time. Blaze has his girl looking into where Matteo is right now, and if we’re lucky, your marshal friend will have a bead on his location for us.”
“And then we’ll go after him?”
Her face was pale, and he could see the determination mixed with fear on her face. “That’s the plan.”
She exhaled through her nose, a sound that told him she had made peace with her decision, which was good, because it was too late to take it back.
“I want to be there when we take him down,” she said, standing taller.
He stared at her for a moment, his lips pressed into a determined line. “We’ll talk about that when the time comes.”
“Don’t manage me.”
“I’d never dream of it.” He pushed off the doorframe and crossed toward her, stopping when he was close enough that she had to tilt her chin to hold his gaze. “All I’m doing is asking for the same thing you asked me back at the cabin. Trust the process. Going after people like Matteo is my world, not yours.”
She worked her jaw like she wanted to argue with him, and then he saw her shoulders relax just a fraction. “All right, I’ll wait until then. But know that my mind’s made up.”
He smiled at her as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”
Then they heard the front gate creak.
Elvis’s hand moved before conscious thought completed, his palm going to the grip of the weapon at his hip, body shifting to put himself between Delaney and the door.
Then Donovan’s voice reached them from just outside. “How about opening the door? This shit your friend has me lugging in is heavy.”
Elvis exhaled and dropped his hand before moving to open the door.
Delaney let out a breath as well, which told him she’d been holding it. He didn’t blame her. He’d been holding his as well.
Donovan came in first, eyes moving through the room the same way Elvis had on arrival. Elvis was glad to see the man had the same instincts and habits, even if it was from a different training. Donovan then moved over to the wall and set down the storage tub he had carried in.
Blaze followed the marshal, laptop bag over one shoulder, a tablet already lit in his other hand as he moved to the kitchen table. “What? You haven’t made coffee yet?”
Elvis rolled his eyes, but Delaney simply giggled. “I’ll get a pot started,” she said.
“Thanks,” Blaze said as he set his stuff on the table. He then turned to Elvis. “Looks like our boy made a stop.” He dropped into the chair closest to the window.
Elvis straightened. “Where?”
“Some cheap motel off I-16. He’s about thirty-two minutes out.” He turned the tablet toward them, showing some data Elvis couldn’t make out. “He made two calls, both of which were to someone in Nassau County, which is in Florida. Burner phone, so probably disposed of already.” He looked at Delaney. “Looks like the second layer of your plan is live. Julia Moretti just got her first email inquiry.”
The name hung in the air for a moment, Elvis cutting a quick glance to Delaney. Her expression didn’t change, though, as her hand found the edge of the counter behind her.
“From whom?” she asked.
“Some shell entity we’ve seen before,” Blaze told her. “Savannah-registered, but recent. Seems to be tied to three other companies that trace back to a law firm in Nassau County.”
Donovan’s jaw tightened as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Serrano’s legal infrastructure.”
Blaze nodded. “Matteo didn’t ping directly. The man’s too careful for that it seems. However, he did send someone to knock on the door, which tells me he believes you’re real and finally out of hiding.”
Donovan nodded. “He may think you figured enough time had passed. It wouldn’t track with how we run things, but he might think you got fed up with hiding, which is exactly what we want him to think.”
She glanced at the marshal for a moment, and Elvis could see her contemplating his words. She then looked at Blaze. “So the hook is in.”
The younger man gave a curt nod as he leaned back in his chair, grinning widely. “The hook is in.”
Elvis watched her absorb it, noticing the moment the thing she set in motion had become undeniable. This wasn’t theory anymore or anything they could take back. The predator had responded, and the trap was open.
