“Maybe. It would fit with the numbers, the theft. Your uncle liked to do things on his own. He would say ‘ignorance is safety.’”
“Do you think…” A knot grips my throat, and I take a breath. “Do you think they killed him?”
“I don’t know. I hope not.”
A sob hiccups in my chest, and Hutch closes the space between us, crushing me in his embrace. I grip his arm, surrounded by sage and citrus and the warmth of his body.
“I can’t lose another person I love.” My voice is small, and pain like knives stabs my stomach.
I feel pressure at the top of my head, and I hear him inhale deeply before answering. “I won’t stop until I find him, and I won’t let anyone get away with hurting him. That’s my promise to you.”
Closing my eyes, I nod, doing my best to collect myself. Clearing my throat, I step back and wipe my eyes with my fingertips. “I’ll help you. I think that must be why he wanted us here.”
“I know why he wanted you here.”
I look around the office, unsure if we know anything. “Why?”
“I told you. He wanted me to keep you safe, and most of these guys are located in New York City. It was the worst place you and Hana could be if something went down. They could use you as leverage.”
“So what now?”
“Now it’s our turn to follow the money, and the good news is we’re some badass mother fuckers.”
My lips press into a tentative smile. “That’s something.”
He slides his hand along my arm. “It’s more than that. Now let’s find your uncle.”
7
Hutch
“You were right.” Dirk turns his laptop screen where I can see it, sliding a finger down each of the names in the ledger. “They’re all partners in the investment group.”
“Track them down. I want to know where all of them were the night Hugh disappeared.”
“You think these guys do their own dirty work?”
“Probably not, but we’ll start at the top and work our way down.”
It’s after dinner, and Hana and Pepper are in the living room playing Mancala. The noise of glass beads tapping on wood mixes with their soft squeals and laughter.
Scar stands with his back to the archway watching them, and Blake said goodnight, going upstairs to shower. I’ve done my best not to imagine that scene since she left us, her naked body under the spray.
“Feels like a real breakthrough.” Dirk shakes his head. “But I can’t believe it would be this easy.”
“One of us needs to go to New York.” I look from my brother to our silent partner in the doorway.
Seconds tick past, and Dirk exhales a laugh. “I guess you mean me, since I’m the only one not completely whipped around here.”
“It’s not like that. Hugh asked me to keep an eye on his nieces.”
“Which Scar and I are fully capable of doing.”
Standing to my full height, I look down at my little brother. “I also have another commitment. It seems you told Pepper she had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting me to throw the first pitch at her softball game?”
Dirk holds up both hands. “Hang on, that’s not what I said.”
“It’s pretty close.”
“Fine.” He shakes his head. “I’ll go to New York. A visit to dear old Dad might be the perfect excuse for poking around a shady Russian investment group.”
“Hell, he probably does business with them.”
“Nice.” Dirk slides his laptop into a slim case and punches Scar’s shoulder. “You ready?”
The big guy pulls his lip ring between his teeth and nods, glancing back once more to the girls sitting on the floor. Hana’s in white sweatpants and a red cropped sweatshirt that looks like it’s been washed too many times.
When she sees them leaving, she hops up, and the shirt rises to show off a tiny gold hoop piercing her navel. I’ve never seen a wolf salivate… til now.
“Pepper, time for bed.” I step to the door, giving the low order.
Pepper runs to me, and I catch her in a jump. Hana lingers behind a moment, watching us do our usual, loud grunts as we squeeze each other good night.
“Night, Uncle Duke!” Pepper cries over my shoulder, and Dirk gives her a high five.
Then he punches Scar’s shoulder again. “Come on, bro. Looks like I’m pulling an all-nighter.”
“Goodnight, Hana.” Scar’s voice is smooth, almost civilized, and Hana’s cheeks lift with the ghost of a smile.
“Remember to think about those photos.” She walks slowly to where he’s standing. She’s so delicate next to him. “It’ll be fun. Not nearly as painful as all those tattoos.”
He looks down. “I don’t do photos.”
Her voice is soft but unexpectedly strong. “Try something new.”
He straightens, and follows my brother out the door without another word. Hana watches him go before walking slowly to the stairs, not looking back.
I’m not sure if I’m happy or annoyed by this development. From what I know, she’s an addict and a loose cannon, and the last thing I need is my best tracker distracted by whatever bad shit follows her around. I need his head in the game.
Still, if he’s keeping his eye on her, that’s one less person I have to worry about.
Exhaling deeply, I look up the stairs. And I’m a fucking hypocrite to talk about being distracted. Blake has my brain all twisted, but at least she’ll cooperate with me. In her way.
Turning I head to my bedroom, thinking about our next steps. My mind hasn’t shut off since the day Hugh disappeared. Hell, it’s been running like a computer in the background since the night I discovered that dead body in his trunk.
I feel more certain than ever this shit is connected. The question is how.
Stripping down, I step into the shower. Tonight I’m not as tense thinking about her, and I hope some of these pieces will come together under the hot spray.
My hair’s wet, and I’m standing at the desk in my bedroom in only my gray sweatpants. As I expected, halfway through my shower, I got an idea and needed to sketch it out. I’ve drawn a triangle on a blank sheet of paper. Petrova, the RDIF, and the van Hamilton estate are at each point with Hugh in the center. My bet is on money laundering, and Hugh was building a case.
Snatching up my phone, I text Dirk what I’m thinking and what I know from my conversation with Blake last night. He agrees it appears to be about Victor and the embezzled funds.
Is it possible Hugh went to New York to confront them himself? Dirk’s question pulls me up short.
No. He was in too poor health for that. Still, we haven’t found his cell phone, either online or in the house, which leads me to believe he didn’t want to be tracked. It would be my last guess. But keep your eyes open.
I put my phone down feeling good, like we’re making progress, when I hear a light tap on the door.
“Hutch?” Blake’s soft voice stirs in my stomach, creating a warm brew.
I cross the room and open it to see her standing in those gray short shorts again. She’s in that black tank with her hair up on her head, and her eyes blink quickly from my bare chest to the bulge in my sweats and quickly up to my eyes.