Dirty Rotten Scoundrel (16 page)

“Grimm, Lassiter, and Tydell are all gang territory leaders in their cities. This competition likely means there is a position open for a new general, and they’re fighting for it. They won’t take
each other out, because there’s honor involved here. It’s the law enforcement and military background that makes them want to win above board.”

“That is completely fucked up,” Carver said.

I was a visual learner so I drew a pyramid on my white board and divided it into three sections. At the bottom of the pyramid I put Tydell, Grimm, and Lassiter along with the men they’d killed thus far. In the middle slot of the pyramid I put Caine’s name and mystery woman. At the top of the pyramid I put “Money Man.” Whoever controlled the money was the one we weren’t having any luck finding.

Greer’s phone rang and he frowned as he looked at the caller ID. “Greer,” he said, and then immediately came to his feet. “We’re on our way.” He motioned for his agents to follow him.

“We’ve lost sight of Jesse Tydell,” he said, explaining. “We watched him go into his motel room last night and lock in, but that was the last sighting. The two agents who were watching him are dead and Tydell’s disappeared. Jack, I want you and Wolfe to stay locked up tight here.” Greer followed his agents out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

Fear curdled in my belly and I moved beside Jack, just to be close to him. Too many people had died at the hands of these men, and I was terrified there would be more before it was over. I was starting to think leaving the country for a little while might not be a bad idea. My second thought was even worse.
That maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to ask for my dad’s help.

Jack took my hand and squeezed it.
“They’re going to be busy for a while. The least we can do is wade through all the paperwork. Let’s talk financials, Carver.”

Carver nodded and moved to his computer, taking a little time to set it up so it projected on the wall for everyone to see.
“After speaking with Mrs. Lieber yesterday I started doing some research into that support group she told us about. Wives and Mothers of the Fallen—WMF. It’s a protected organization, similar to abuse shelters, so that names or donors are all considered anonymous. There’s a database, but we’d need a warrant to go through the listing.”

“You’ve got to get me something concrete before I can request a warrant for those names,” Lauren said. “WMF isn’t under suspicion for anything.”

“No, but we know that the Liebers have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to this organization, and they’re under suspicion.”

“It still won’t be enough for me to violate the privacy of all those other women. Keep looking and come up with more and I’ll be happy to take it to a judge.”

Carver sighed and muttered under his breath, “Lawyers.” He moved to a different screen. “See if this does anything for you. Paris Spencer is a member of the same organization. She also makes significant donations, though she’s never attended a meeting or a charity function since they all take place stateside. I need a list of all the members. That’s going to be where we find the connection between friends and family of the victims. WMF’s donations are open records, though they don’t have names listed next to the amounts. This is a billion dollar charity.”

“From what I understand, the money is allocated to those women who were not left with life insurance policies or were denied benefits for some reason or another. Or if they lose their jobs
, they can make a claim through the charity like they would for unemployment. Right now I’m having to go through individual financial records of every relative and friend of all of these victims to see if there are similar donations. I need that warrant.”

“With both
Spencer and Mrs. Lieber making considerable contributions I could probably spin it in our favor. Let me see what I can do.” Lauren took out her cell phone and left the room, leaving me, Carver, Jack, and Wolfe to look at the murder boards.

“Let’s check phone records and email from both Mrs. Lieber and
Spencer,” Carver said. “We’ll see if they’ve had any contact for the last six years.”

“How the hell did all this happen, Jack?” Wolfe asked. “It was a mission just like any other. No more dangerous than any other job we did. Now I find out Elliott was dirty and he’s the one who shot you? It just doesn’t make sense.”

Wolfe slouched back on the sofa, the white bandage covering his wound peeking out from his T-shirt. Confusion and anger and sadness marred his features.

“He had his reasons,” Jack said. “His actions were understandable, even though there had to be a better way. His child was going to di
e, Sam. I’m not sure there’s anything he wouldn’t have done to keep her alive.”

Jack paced back and forth in front of the boards and got a look in his eyes I was all too familiar with. H
e loved the thrill of the chase and the adrenaline that pumped through his veins as the puzzle pieces began to fit together.

“Dig
deeper into that charity that Jane Elliott mentioned to us. The one that funded her daughter’s surgery. That money had to come from somewhere. Who’s on the board of directors? Is it private or a public funded organization?”

“On it,” Carver said, heading to his laptop, his fingers flying over the keys.
“There are layers here that are going to take some time.”

“Well
, we’ve got good news and bad news,” Lauren said, her heels clicking on the hardwood as she came back in. “Wives and Mothers of the Fallen has top notch lawyers. I got a judge to grant a warrant, but they’re blocking it based on privacy laws. We need more information. What we know for certain is that a gang is responsible for the deaths of nine men. We don’t have a suspect for anyone controlling the purse strings, even though we know that’s what’s happening. And the WMF attorneys are using that to block the warrant. We can’t invade the lives of hundreds of women who are basically victims without probable cause. So get me probable cause and I can bury them and all the paper they’re generating while trying to stall.”

“I hope that’s the bad news,” Jack said.

“It was,” Lauren nodded. “The good news is we had an agent on personal leave in France, and he’s going to go back on active duty and escort Paris Spencer back to the United States for questioning.”

“I’m glad it’s not only my vacations that get interrupted,” Jack said.

Lauren smiled but it reminded me of a shark just before biting into its prey. “She’ll be here in a few hours. Greer will want to question her. I’d like to hear what she has to say myself, but I need to stay here.”

“Because the Vagos are
your priority?” Jack asked.

“Don’t get on your high and mighty pedestal, Jack. These men will be an asset to have in our pockets.”

“Because it’s always good to let murderers, especially murderers of cops, go free so the Justice Department can think they’re in control. Let me guess, you guys are in bed with Homeland Security on this one?”

“There are facets to this job. You know that.” The frustration in her voice was evident, and I had a feeling this was an argument they’d had before. “You see everything in
black and white. But that’s not the way the world works.”

“Mostly because politicians, lawyers, and bureaucrats tie up the system with red tape and bullshit so they
can one up each other. What if Tydell or the others fire on more officers and we have a shot? Are we just supposed to walk away and let it happen?”

“Shoot to incapacitate. Not to kill. Those are your orders.”

“It’s a lot easier giving orders having never stood in the line of fire, sweetheart,” Wolfe said. “I say we give you a vest and put you out there to defend your life and the lives of others and see if you shoot to incapacitate.”

“You’re trying to make me out as the monster here, when you know having men like this under our thumb will save countless lives in the long run. I am on your side. But I have a job to do and I’m going to make sure it gets done.” 

“I hope you never have to experience standing over the graves of the people whose lives you and the Justice Department are playing with.
” Jack turned his back to Lauren so he stared at the faces of each of his men on the white board. “It’s not good for the soul. Believe me on that.”

Everyone settled down at their tables with a stack of files to wade through, and I slipped out of the room to get more coffee now that things had settled down a bit. I looked out the kitchen window in the trees and wondered if there was anyone out there. If Tydell was waiting and watching for his moment. I didn’t have a lot of faith in the FBI to protect us, my past experience with my parents withstanding.

I turned when I heard the familiar click of heels come into the room. “I just came in for more coffee,” she said, going to the pot. “Jack always did make really good coffee.”

I didn’t know what to say so I stayed silent and turned to face her completely, leaning back against the counter.

“I don’t want to make things awkward, but I’m assuming you know that Jack and I have a bit of a past.”

“He told me.” My lips twitched as I looked her in the eye. “Jack has had a lot of pasts.”

She smiled and tipped her cup to me. “That he has. I wasn’t sure when I saw the two of you together that you were a good fit for him. He’s a good man and he deserves to be happy. To have someone who can give him that and understand him at the same time. Jack’s more complicated than he seems to most people.”

“He certainly is.” I had no idea where this was going. I didn’t know if Lauren was about to make her pitch for why she would be better suited or suggest that I do what was best for Jack and bow out of the picture. I only knew that I really liked the kitchen and would hate to get blood on anything if I had to kill her.

“He talked about you, you know? Back when we were together.”

My eyebrows raised at that bit of information. Jack had never mentioned Lauren to me. Hadn’t even told me he was living with someone, and we’d been just as close then as we’d always been. Though our conversations had mostly been through email and phone calls. We’d been too busy to see each other much.

“I was jealous if you want to know the truth. He always had stories about Jaye,” she said, smiling. “The things you did together or the practical jokes you played on each other. He worried about you living in the city alone and in the part of town where your apartment was. I heard the love in his voice every time he mentioned your name. I wanted that, and I hated you for it even though I’d never met you.”

“I’m sorry,” I said softly. I could empathize with her. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if it were the other way around.

She shrugged it away. “I realized after we moved in together that it wouldn’t work between us. Don’t get me wrong,” she grinned. “We were very compatible in certain ways. Jack is very—talented.”

“You probably don’t want to go there.” I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. I knew
exactly
what she was talking about. Talented was an understatement.

“But we were both too head
strong, and as you saw back there, we see things very differently. My career will always come first, and Jack may not realize it, but he needs the kind of person who will always put him first. And he’ll need to do the same to whoever he ends up with.”

“Are you trying to scare me away or encourage me to stay?” I asked curiously.

“I don’t know. Maybe a little of both. Like I said, I wasn’t sure you were the one for him yesterday when I first saw you together. There was tension and something else standing between you. But I’ve been watching you together. I don’t even think you realize what you have. It’s like watching a dance whenever you’re in the same room together. You know what he wants and are able to give it to him before he does and vice versa. You have this unspoken communication and your bodies are in sync. You’re his world. I can see that now. The little touches or the looks he gives you when you don’t realize he’s watching. It’s a beautiful thing to see. And I find myself just as jealous of what you have now as what you had then. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. I truly hope you’re very happy.”

The lump in my throat made it difficult to speak. I wasn’t sure I could have shown the same generosity and kindness if our positions had been reversed. “Thank you. I appreciate that very much. If it makes you feel better
, I’m extremely jealous of your shoes.”

She laughed and stuck out her leg so the icepick heel she seemed to prefer—this
one in vivid red—could be seen. “They are pretty fabulous. And unlike men, shoes are never a disappointment. I actually came in here to talk about something else, though I guess I needed to get the other off my chest first.”

“What is it?”

“Jack is wasted here, you must know that.”

“I do, but it’s Jack’s decision. He’ll make a change if he wants to and if he’s ready.”

“The FBI has wanted him for years. There’s a reason he and Carver are such good buddies. They’ve been trying to recruit him for almost a decade. He’s been through several special training sessions at Quantico. His intelligence is very high and he has the physical skills as well.”

“I thought he had issues with authority. Isn’t that bad in the FBI? No offense, but with the exception of Carver all these other agents seem like drones.”