“What are they gonna do, Rip?” I question.
“Take them out starting from within their area and working their way out,” Rip states, kicking his feet up and placing them on the cooler. “They know that fuckwit that’s stalking Sutton is involved, but get this, they can now tie it to the grandfather as well.”
“The CEO of the hospital?” I ask, whistling. “If you think about it, he’s in the right position to find their next prey. He sees all of the intake paperwork and knows who has people out there that’d be looking for them and those who don’t.”
“They’re gonna need to set up safe houses for the girls that survived that twisted hunting game,” Slayer advises. “They’re loose ends who can identify those involved.”
“Only if they hear the hunters’ voices because any time they entered the shack where the girls were kept, they wore disguises,” Riptide tells us.
My eyes cross as the implication of what Gemini and his guys are dealing with hits home. Basically, the guys are up shit creek without a paddle. I hope to fuck they can swim without life preservers because if not, they’re going to drown. “So they kept them until they were ready to chase them?”
“Yep,” Rip answers, popping his P. “They gave them just enough food and water to keep them alive.”
“They kept them weak, easier to track and hunt,” Slayer muses. “That’s some sick shit right there.”
“They gave them hope knowing their chance of survival was slim,” I add.
“How are they going to take this group out?” Slayer inquires. “If it goes to the top, as you’ve said it does, who’s that leave to turn the information they’ve uncovered in to?”
“That’s the true question, isn’t it?” Riptide ponders.
“If it’s spread throughout the state, even the alphabet authorities are out,” I remark.
“If we get all the techies together they could probably figure out who’s dirty and who’s clean,” Slayer suggests. “If they work together in tandem, it shouldn’t take them long.”
“The problem is, it’s like a spider’s web. Sticky, thick, and ever-growing,” I say, sighing.
“What does Rio think about this?” Slayer asks Rip.
“Same as I do,” Rip announces. “This isn’t going to be an easy fix and it’s gonna take some time to unearth the entire conglomerate. This isn’t a new organization, they’re too coordinated for that to be true. The thing we need to figure out is how long has it been going on for and how far does it stretch.”
“I hope they’ve got good stamina because this could take years, if not decades, to unravel,” I say, commiserating with them. “They’ll need to cover their tracks, because if those fuckers find out they’re being looked into, they will retaliate.”
Two days pass before I hear from Britton again. When I see her name flash across the screen, a satisfied smile crosses my face. “Britton,” I answer.
“Hey,” she whispers. “Just calling and checking in like I promised I would.”
“Appreciate it. What have you been up to?” I ask, wanting to carry on with this call for as long as I can. I miss her, even if she’s pissed me off. I want to prove to her that no matter what, I’m here for her, she hasn’t had much of that in her lifetime and it’s something I can give her.
She sighs before confessing, “I have another secret. It’s one that only Jersey knows about me.”
That piques my interest, making my earlier inquisition about what she’s been up to flee from my mind. “What’s that?”
“If I trust you with this, do you promise to keep it to yourself? I’m only asking because I’m not ready for anyone to find out.”
“You can trust me, Britton. If you ask me to keep something a secret, then I will. As long as it doesn’t hurt the club or you,” I point out.
“Nobody will be hurt by this, I swear,” she avows. “It’s just something I’d like to keep between us, at least, for now.”
Walking out of the common room where prying ears are since there’s a card game going on between the brothers, I state, “Then tell me your secret, sweetheart.” I make it up the stairs, unlock my room, stroll inside, and sit on the edge of my mattress, getting as far away from my nosy ass brothers as I can.
“Have you ever wondered what I do for a living, LoneStar?”
“The thought crossed my mind a time or two, I just figured whatever it was you did remotely,” I answer. “I’ve seen you on Jersey’s porch with your laptop in hand. I didn’t want to pry, figured if it was something you wanted me to know, you’d tellme. I’m aware I need to earn your trust, Britton, you’ve been bitten by too many people so I’ve been biding my time until I’ve proven myself to you.”
“There are reasons I haven’t shouted from the rooftops what I do. Not because I’m embarrassed by it, but because I don’t want my parents to discover it,” she explains. “They aren’t just neglectful and abusive, they’re driven by money and if they know what I do, they’ll think I have plenty of it in abundance.”
“Now you’ve got me curious, darlin’,” I convey. “You gonna keep me in suspense?”
