Liam chimed in. “I’m actually comparing analytics from what we’ve gathered from each crime scene with the data from Carter and finding inconsistencies in the government stockpile of seized property. In short…this is our new angle for now because the dots connect.”
“Makes sense. Someone is padding their pockets and putting the public at risk at the same time. We bust them, take away their toys, and whoever this is just gives it all back to them later.” Dace chuckled.
“Pretty much,” Carter agreed, then looked at Eli. “I can’t link your theory at the moment. Ivy’s dad doesn’t show up on any personnel records. He’s a missing florist from Portland as far as we can tell.”
“I don’t blame you for being wrong – you only know what you know, and he’s been a step ahead of you for years. I assure you, however, he’s our guy, and it will come out in the end. He’ll falter, and I’ll get to say, I told you so.”
“Fair enough.” Carter rolled his eyes. “What else do we have?”
“I also connected one of the men at the second murder scene to the little shindig over on the coast a few weeks back. He was there, which means the two are connected.”
“And somehow connected to Ivy since he was one of her attackers,” Dace added.
“That means the cartel is officially in town. Portland has graduated from the average dealer. We’re big time now,” C.T. said sarcastically.
“Exactly. This thing goes from Moss Bridge, Mississippi, to the Oregon Coast and Washington, DC, filters in somehow,” Liam said. “My guess is the cartel is running drugs and weapons into new territories to rebuild their brand if you will, and DC resources are helping to facilitate that with technology and getting intelligence to look the other way.”
“Why, though?” Dace questioned. “That’s what I can’t figure out.”
“Money. Power. Favors. Undetectable mercenaries in your back pocket. Someone is getting paid off. We just need to decide who and what’s in it for them,” Carter said. “Given the eyes we have on other cells, I have a feeling we’re opening a huge can of worms. Can we handle it?”
“Don’t we always?” Dace asked. “We must be getting close because someone is nervous and killing off a lot of their people. That’s too risky not to be fear-driven.”
“These murders were loose ends. Nothing more and nothing less. Smoke and mirrors may be to draw our attention to small street trade,” Eli chimed in. “Let’s not get too distracted by it. We have the cartel, and your government, doing deals on your beaches. That’s what they’re trying to cover up.”
“That doesn’t explain why Ivy was targeted and our son was taken,” Dace added. “How does that piece fit?”
Eli let out a deep sigh. “Leverage. We’ve had this conversation. Her father needed them as leverage in the event you get too close, and he needed something to threaten you with. Am I the only one who sees this?”
“The theory works, Eli, but the players don’t. Not until we learn more about her father,” Liam added. “Who else would use them as leverage against us – Dace specifically?”
“Who else? Are you serious right now? Anyone who knows you and hates you. At the very least…cartel. If you’ve been their undoing, I’m certain they’re a little pissed. Especially if your actions sent them right into the hands of their enemy, dirty Uncle Sam, for help.”
“Again, viable theory. But it’s just that…a theory,” Dace said. “Help us see what you do, and maybe we package this thing up better. For starters, years of working for this man, and you just became suspicious?”
“Hardly. As I said before, I stayed to protect Ivy and the boy – and to watch him,” Eli said. “In the beginning, it was easy. Hung out with a beautiful woman, cute baby I got to watch grow up, and made sure they stayed safe.”
Eli paused to watch Dace take a subliminal punch to the gut – another man watched his son grow up while hanging out with his fiancée. But Dace didn’t flinch. Dace was taking blows, and Eli decided two could play that game.
“My bank account got a lot fatter each month, and life was easy.”
“Until?” Dace asked.
“Until the moves became more frequent, her dad showed up more, his security detail grew and looked less than official, and we were being watched by some asshole who kept showing up everywhere we went.”
“I’m the asshole?” Dace said with a smile.
“As it turns out, yes. I knew you were there, and her father made you out to be the terror threat he had us all hiding from while he saved the world.”
“I was that close, huh?”
“Many times. Now I know you weren’t the threat he said you were – you were just a threat to him because you came with all this behind your name.” Eli pointed around the room.
“Why do you suspect him? The real reason, not the bullshit you’ve been telling us.”
“I figured out who he was. I knew he was government – he let it slip once – but didn’t know what branch. If I had to guess, CIA. Then the communicating increased, he was around or calling more often. It was like he was grooming Ivy for something. The cartel thug muscle making up his detail gave away that he was dirty. The US Government didn’t comingle with international outlaws. He would just show up, playing the doting dad and grandfather. It was strange. She bought it, but I didn’t. When you confirmed the cartel details, I knew I was right about the rest.”
“Why the CIA?”
“When he hired me, it was as a rich tech mogul, and he needed protection for his family because he was working on something for the government and didn’t trust their protection. When he let it slip that he worked for the government, I assumed CIA. They tend to have the most freedom and least supervision. Double agents and all that. He told me then that he was really hiding Cash, but Ivy was never to know.”
“Hiding Cash from who?”
“His father.”
Dace laughed. “And you believed all of this?”
“From that point on, no. Ivy spoke of the boy's father often, and when I did my own research and put it all together, I knew you weren’t a threat to the boy. You were a threat to the grandfather. I didn’t get them here sooner because I didn’t know his endgame or how far I could get them – we were being watched too closely. I was going to let you find us. When things began to escalate, I put in a contingency plan for Ivy to follow in the event that something happened. It was always to come to find you as I said before.”
“You wanted to run.”
“Like hell.” Eli nodded. “Before one of them was killed—”
“David Kimble,” Liam interrupted with a big smile. “Look at the screen, boys. We just got our break.”
“That’s him,” Dace said as a man’s headshot and list of credentials populated the screen. “David Kimble. Daughter, Ivy Kimble. Owner, Sammy’s Flowers in the Pearl. Field office, Portland, Oregon, USA. Specialty, foreign affairs. What’s the rest say, Liam? Scroll up.”
Eli smirked and read the final piece to the puzzle. “Operative. CIA.”