“I know that, but I have a plan.”
“Let’s hear it,” Theo says, closing the cover on his tablet and folding his arms.
“Get up.” I grab the back of Galen’s shirt. “This involves you too, so get back to your seat.”
Saint helps Galen stand, propping him up as he hobbles back to his chair. His skin is flushed and his eyes full of rage as he sinks into the chair with pain contorting his face.
“Sinner thinks I have the evidence that proves he and other board members killed Daphne Leydon, but I don’t. I’m sure my father didn’t have it either, because he would’ve used it if he had.”
“But someone stole it,” Caz says.
“Exactly. But think about it. Who would have access and opportunity to steal it?”
“It has to be someone from within,” Saint says.
I nod.
“The rat,” Theo says.
“Maybe, maybe not, but I think the mole is our best starting place because this person is already snooping around, and it could give us a head start.” I smooth a hand over my hair. “We need to find this person.”
“There are hundreds of members in the state,” Theo says.
“This person has fed intel to The Arrows, so they’ve got to be local,” I say. “I suggest we start with the Prestwick and Lowell members.”
“There are almost one hundred members between both chapters,” Saint says. “It could be any of them. I’ve some ideas on how we might narrow it down, but I’d like to hear your suggestions.”
“What about background checks? And checking camera footage? The Sainthood HQ building in downtown Prestwick is where all official business takes place, right?” I ask, and Saint nods. “Then we tap into those cameras. We might spot something that leads us to the identity of the rat. And you guys know these members. Can’t you come up with a short list of likely culprits? Maybe, some newer Lowell members are behind it?”
“Those are good suggestions, but it’ll take time,” Saint says.
“I have another idea, and this one might generate quicker results,” I say, fixing my stare on Galen. “As far as Darrow is aware, Galen still wants me dead.”
“Darrow is a dead man walking,” Saint hisses. “You leave him to me.”
I shake my head. “Don’t interrupt. I’m not finished, and no one will touch Darrow until I say so.”
Saint’s hands ball into fists on top of the table, and Caz winks at me.
“Darrow expects retaliation, but we can’t go after him without risking Sinner discovering the truth that his nephew is a lame-ass double-crossing back-stabbing enemy-loving asshole.” Plus, I need him alive so I can drip feed him intel and wreak a little havoc of my own.
Galen clenches his jaw, gripping the armrests of his chair tightly, but he says nothing, and I’m liking this more obedient version of him.
“But if we do nothing, it makes us look weak, and it’ll set alarm bells ringing in Arrow circles which is not something we want with a mole in their midst,” I continue. “So, I think we can play this to our advantage.”
I stand, needing to stretch my muscles. I walk the length of the table, stopping in front of Galen. “You will reach out to Darrow. Act furious that I escaped.” My mouth pulls into a sneer. “Or not act, I guess.” He stares at me, helplessness mixing with frustration in his gaze. “Tell him you still want me dead, but you have to bide your time because the guys are pissed at you. Tell him the deal is still on, but the terms are altered. You’ll give me to him, and the cut he was after, when the time is right, provided he hands over the rat. You can say you need that to get back into the guys’ good graces and it’s the only thing you had to bargain with, the only reason they’re not gunning for him. Explain that once things are smoothed over he can take me out.”
“What if he won’t agree?” Galen says.
“He will. He’s in hot water with Archer Quinn, and he’s already pinned the blame for the ambush on my betrayal. And his pride is wounded now. I got away. That makes him look weak in your eyes. He’ll welcome the opportunity to prove he’s got balls.”
They don’t know I have my own deal with the devil, and that is how I know Darrow will go for this. He isn’t trustworthy. I know the only thing that’ll keep him on my side is if I hand over decent intel that will justify keeping me alive. However, even I know there is an expiration date. There will come a time when he’ll want me dead, when I no longer serve a purpose. Galen’s new deal will give him a legit reason not to come after me immediately, so our deal can play out. And when Darrow decides he wants to kill me, Galen will be privy to the details, and that’s when we take Darrow out.
I’m not worried about Galen betraying me, because he’s seen what’ll happen if he tries anything again. The guys are barely tolerating his presence right now. They won’t give him a second chance. If Galen conspires with Darrow behind our backs, he is writing his own death sentence. It’s against crew rules to take out a member, because they vote on such shit, pretending they’re democratic and fair.
Ultimately, Galen’s too selfish to risk his life, and there’s his mom to consider too.
“That could work,” Saint says, bobbing his head. “It’s worth trying.”
“You can put the wheels in motion while I’m in training.” I prop my butt against the table.
“I don’t like it,” Saint says.
“Get over it. That’s how it’s going down. I need to keep Sinner appeased while we put all this in play. Where does he think I am?” He would have expected me at the training facility by now.
“I told him we stopped to eat en route and all picked up food poisoning. I said we’d camped out in a hotel and we’d deliver you to the training facility sometime tomorrow.”
“And he bought that?” It’s a flimsy excuse. One I wouldn’t expect him to believe.
“He’ll rip me a new one when he sees me. But it worked for now. He’s distracted doing wedding shit with your mom this weekend.”
“Where does my mom think I am?”
Saint shrugs. “Don’t know. I’m sure he’s told her some bullshit.”
“You need to watch her while I’m gone.”
“That’s a given,” Theo says. “We all heard his threat. We won’t let anything happen to her.”
“And I need you to check in on Sariah.” I messaged Sean before I left the cabin, but I want someone to have eyeballs on her while I’m away. My bestie is in a coma, thanks to Parker and her bitches. I have dealt with Parker, but we still need to make Beth and the other girls pay for what they did. I add it to the mental checklist in my head.
“Consider it done,” Saint says. “We’ll update you daily.”
“How long does this training take anyway?” I inquire.
“It depends on how skilled you are. They’ll put you through several physical tests as soon as you get there to determine your skill level. Then, they’ll pit you against other members in a series of challenges. Once you pass all stages, they’ll approve you to move into the initiation phase,” Saint says.