Page 109 of Power of Shadow

Our exchange doesn’t calm me down at all. Now, I’m even more worried, even though I’m grateful that he’s alive and with us.

“I have news about Aisling,” Eli starts. “Although it doesn’t tell us much. We have a lead that she boarded a plane from Paris to New Orleans.”

All of a sudden, I regret being the one behind the wheel tonight. I care little about the street and what’s on it. Instead, all my attention is focused on his words. My eyes narrow and my heart races.

“Paris? What was she doing in Paris?” Staring at the passing surroundings, Theo asks the question that is also on my mind.

“How the fuck should I know?” Eli snaps.

I glance at the road before I add, “Better question: how did she get there with no money to her name? She must have had someone on her side. Someone was helping her. We don’t know who?”

“No, but you’re right that she couldn’t have gotten there on her own. It doesn’t make sense, because the most logical thing would be to hop on a plane in Madrid.”

Theo turns around. “She used commercial airlines? How do we even know that?”

“The birds told me. What do you think? Just as you say, she used commercial airlines. She used her own name too.”

Thoughts spin in my head. It really makes little sense. “Something doesn’t add up here. She’s an adult now and must realize how powerful James Elliot is. When was this?”

“Two months ago,” Eli replies.

“Exactly. Two months ago. She disappeared in Spain three years ago, only to board a commercial flight to the US two months ago using her own identity. Paperwork aside, she can’t be so naive as not to know her father would look for her. It’s a safe bet James is monitoring every damn airport.”

The car falls silent, and then Theo adds, “Unless she wanted him to know.”

I blink, trying to put the complete puzzle together in my head. “That’s possible. So what? You think she did it to throw him off and went the other way?”

He just shrugs. “I don’t know. We can only guess. One thing is certain: she wanted to send him a specific message.”

This news confirms she’s alive, or at least she was alive two months ago. It’s better than nothing.

The only annoying thing is that instead of finding answers, more questions arise.

There’s always one possibility that makes me break out in a cold sweat. Aisling could have fallen into James’s hands again. Father’s men could have been waiting for her at the New Orleans airport, and his advantage and threats are still valid.

Despite everything, I’m getting closer to her.

We arrive in silence. My thoughts return to the other woman in my life, the reason I’m here.

Before we get out, I glance at the boys. We all know what we have to do; it has already been decided.

A little later, pulling the mask over my face, I give Eli and Theo the signal to start. The mask itself is more for our amusement than to hide our identities, since I intend to reveal them anyway. Still, it’s like a role I slip into when I put it on.

“Let’s have some fun. Kill as many as you can.” My words are full of vengeance.

Standing to my right, Eli signals us to move with a wave of his hand. We’re three units acting as one.

It’s around four o’clock. Not too early for our target to still be up, and not too late for dawn to break.

Before we reach the house, we come across one of the security guards. Theo, who’s closest, approaches him from behind and slits his throat with the flick of a knife. He takes care of the right side of the house, and Eli takes care of the left. I, on the other hand, am going to go in through the front door.

I’m prepared to have to break the lock, but there’s no need. A slight chuckle escapes me as the knob turns effortlessly in my grasp. That’s it. That’s how overconfidence ends.

“One down,” I hear Eli’s voice in my earpiece. Apparently, the guys are having more fun than I am.

I go inside and close the door without a sound. This is too easy.

My ears are on high alert, searching for any auditory clue – the soft tread of feet, the low hum of voices, or the faint drone of a television. There’s nothing. Utter silence. Not even a buzzing fly.