Page 98 of Rafe’s Future

“They made one mistake.” The man on the phone paused. “They reused an attorney.”

Rafe’s eyes narrowed. “Keep going.”

“The same legal firm represented three supposedly unrelated companies. Different names, different registered addresses, different directors . . . you get the idea. But the incorporation documents were all filed by the same attorney.” West’s voice hardened. “On a hunch, I kept digging and cross-referenced the financial records with the old CIA personnel files.”

Something shifted inside Rafe’s gut.

“Who is it?” he nearly growled.

“Henry Stanton.”

Rafe looked to Alice, whose gaze had swung straight to his. Pretty blue eyes matching her mother’s grew wide.

“I’m sorry, Derek.” She clarified, “Did you say ‘Stanton’?”

West was silent for a beat and then, “Henry Stanton is Michael Stanton’s son.”

The entire room went still.

Rafe stared at his daughter while the men around them ceased to move. Everyone there knew that name all too well.

“Stanton’s son is the one behind the money.” West went on to explain. “Now, I’m sure his father played a hand in it, but from what I can tell, Henry pooled his resources with Kozlova, and somehow got the guy to help him go after those who were on the op with you and Lena in Syria.”

His heart squeezed at the sound of her name.

“Are you certain?” Rafe demanded.

This was too important not to be sure.

“As certain as I can be without putting the man in a room and asking him directly. The shell companies ultimately trace back to a trust established before Michael Stanton went to prison. The trust had several beneficiaries, but the financial control was transferred to Henry.”

Rafe thought of his late wife, Amanda. Of how everything had recently gone down with the eldest Stanton. He thought about Alexei Kozlova and how it had all come together after nearly thirty years of hatred.

He considered all West had shared and how Michael Stanton’s and Kozlova’s fortunes had both been built from piles of dirty money. And how Henry Stanton was clearly a son seeking revenge for all his family had lost.

Rafe closed his eyes briefly. Henry—a man who hadn’t been so much as a spec on their radar—was the actual head of the snake.

I can’t wait to cut it off for good.

He opened his eyes and put himself in mission-mode.

“Where is he?” It was the most important answer he needed to hear. “Where is Henry Stanton now?”

The pause that followed sent a heaviness into his chest.

“That’s the bad news.” West’s tone was thick with regret. “I haven’t been able to locate him.”

“Derek—”

“I know, Rafe.” He sounded as if he truly did. “Trust me, I know. I can prove Henry is connected to the financial network. I can prove the money funded the hits on you and the others. I can even show the transfers that went through the third parties that are solidly connected to Kozlova.” West blew out a breath. “But I don’t know where Stanton would take Lena.”

Alice looked to him as her face grew pale.

Rafe knew exactly what she was thinking. She blamed herself for being the one to prove Michael Stanton killed her mother.

If she hadn’t done that, Henry wouldn’t be out for blood. That’s what she is thinking.

But he shook his head. No. He would not let her carry the weight of this on her shoulders.