“Did you get the file?” Mallory quizzed Jenner, clearly ignoring Reid.
“I’m having it authenticated to make sure it’s not a fake,” he retorted.
“How can you prove Isaiah isn’t a child predator? Are you going to go hunt those kids down?” Mallory asked.
“I am,” he said.
“They’re dead,” Mallory told him. “Check out the case numbers. Your sister did her job.”
“I’ve already pulled the files,” Reid admitted. “She’s right. The other man in the video is someone we can hunt, as you know.”
“I didn’t see the sources she used,” Jenner said.
Mallory shrugged. “I gave you the good faith tidbit I promised. Now, what do you want?”
“I want to know who was with Carleigh when she died. I want to thank them.”
“Probably investigate is a better word,” Mallory muttered. “I’m not putting her in a position to become a victim since you have a poor record of protecting victims.”
He threw Cordelia a look. “Where is Larue by the way?”
“How would I know?” Cordelia retorted from behind Mica.
“You did threaten her life,” he growled.
“I threatened to kill you, too, but here you are.”
“Enough, Cordi,” Mallory snapped. “Last time, what do you want?”
“I want the person behind the attack,” Jenner retorted. “No, I don’t think it was your girl unless she’s nothing you think she is. It could happen, but I doubt it.”
Mallory growled, and Cordelia snapped her mouth closed though she’d been planning to speak. Her father had been a stickler for a beta’s obedience.
“And you want us to do what about it?” Sam demanded. “You’re the police, you take care of it.”
“Our dealings have been nothing but mostly fair in the past,” Jenner said. “If you tell me you weren’t behind the attack, that you didn’t have Carleigh killed, I’ll accept your word.”
“We didn’t,” Sam told him.
“Then, someone set us up to knock each other down,” Jenner said. “I want them, and I want the name of my sister’s murderer. If the dancer doesn’t know his name, then I’d like her to sit with an artist.”
“I can’t tell you his name,” Mallory said. “Just know he won’t live much longer and when he comes up missing, let it go.”
Jenner studied her for a long moment and then nodded. “Did she say why he was going to kill her?”
“To get you to go after us,” Mallory said. “Me, specifically. Jerry was involved in this little game, but his death didn’t end it.”
“I’ll take care of Isaiah,” he said. “Is he connected?”
“When you pick him up, ask him if he was working with Jerry to kill us off to get Gray Tail lands for his resort project,” Sam growled.
“This is about money and a resort? My sister was killed for nothing?” he exclaimed.
“Her killer is a serial killer, part of Jerry’s killer club,” Mallory told him. “If you’d done your job—”
“She wouldn’t be dead,” he muttered bleakly.
“No, she’d be dead, but he’d have killed her to get to you,” Mallory said. “Because she did find something, what we gave you just wasn’t it. Her killer had that information I sent you copies of.”
“Where’d you get it?”
“Our secret for now,” Sam said. “Truce?”
“When it comes down to the wire, I want in,” he said. “Don’t leave me hanging with more questions than answers. I’ve already got the FBI breathing down my neck about the deaths of those agent friends of Kamari’s.”
“We’ll let you know when we have a clear picture to share,” Mallory told him.
“Don’t disappoint me, or we will have a problem,” Jenner promised. “I also want to speak to that witness soon. No arrests. I just want to know if my sister was dead when she left or if she left her alone just because she didn’t want to get involved.”
“She stayed with her, Jen,” Mallory said. “Right up to the end.”
“Tell her I’ll never forget it,” Jenner said.
“She’ll get the message,” Mallory assured him.
Once he was gone Cordelia exhaled roughly. “I couldn’t have left her alone just to avoid the police.”
Mallory rounded the bar and came to her as she wiped away tears.
“It’s okay.” Mallory pulled her into a hug.
“I’m okay. The image is still fresh, that’s all.”
“We’re going to work with him?” Mica asked.
“Superficially,” Sam replied softly. “Is everything in place?”
“Yeah,” Mallory answered. “I’m all set.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Over the next three days the sun came out, slowly melting the snow and ice. Bradley was back to business as usual, though he was taking more care. Jenner hadn’t asked for his help as had been expected which bothered him.
“The meeting with the Coalition will take care of some of our problems,” Bradley told his partner. “After that I’ll be able to get the permits as well as have the land surveyed.”
“What the preliminary report on the land?”
“I received it last night along with some pictures of a few key points,” Bradley said. “The land sits right on the ocean. We’ll be able to build a dock out there. Construction can begin for that as soon as I take possession.”
“We,” he said darkly from the other end of the line. “What about Isaiah?”
“I didn’t get him into this mess, but there’s nothing to worry about,” Bradley replied. Isaiah would be dead soon. He’d already arranged that.
He had no intentions of allowing the man to become a thorn in his side because he’d slipped up.
“Make sure of it, I don’t want any leaks,” his partner said. “I certain don’t want to have the police beating down my door.”
“I’m positive, and I’m certain the Coalition will see things my way,” Bradley assured him. “Sam will be asked to step down tonight. If she refuses, then the Coalition will take action against her.”
“I’ll have teams at the ready along with weapons,” he said. “I want this done quickly.”
“We both do,” Bradley answered. “I’ll talk to you when the meeting is over.”
“I’ll be waiting,” he said.
Bradley ended the call with a sigh. This project was going to be well worth it and not just for the money it would bring in. This project would give him control over the small town and the power he needed to insulate himself a little more.
This would also make his hunting ground a little more fertile.
****
After three days of tracking, Cordelia printed out a few pages with a smile on her face. Mallory had asked her to take a short leave from dancing until this was more settled, and Sam had put her to work for her.
Cordelia was happier working behind a desk than taking off her clothes, but she missed the look in Mallory’s eyes as she watched her dance. Every move of her body had been to entice the one woman she’d never thought she could have.
Now, Mallory was hers and Cordelia was certain she didn’t want to leave. despite the brewing storm between the packs.
“Do you have those files ironed out?” Sam asked from the doorway.
“Yes.” She glanced at her. She liked the light and the windows, too. Mallory had promised they could move back to the first cabin she’d taken her to today since living underground was starting to get to her.
“Okay, I’m going to pair you with a client next week and see how you do,” Sam informed her. “Do you have an actual degree in accounting?”
“Yes.” She smiled.
“Are you a CPA with experience?” Sam demanded.
“I know what I’m doing, Sam.”
“What are you hiding from then? Why strip when you can do something else?”
Cordelia sighed and sat back in her chair. “My choices were slim, especially
for this kind of work. You can’t travel and hold down a steady job doing this, but stripping is easy work to find.”
“Your life—Mallory doesn’t know much to tell me, and I want to know what I’m exposing Adalyn to.”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“I didn’t kill anyone,” Cordelia said. “I didn’t break any laws, but I was in the witness protection program until someone helped a mobster get to me.”
“You worked for a mobster?” Sam asked.
“My father did actually, and that turned into a nightmare for all of us.”
“The government wants you to testify against this guy for the murder of your parents?”
“A little more than that,” she said with a bitter laugh. “They realized I knew as much as my mother did about some of his holdings and they wanted me to testify. The murders would get him life.”
“There’s no statute on murder,” Sam murmured. “They might hunt you forever.”
“I know. I could just go back there and testify and have it over, but I don’t trust the FBI to protect me during the trial. Three times they failed my family. The last time, well, they thought I was dead, but I’m sure they don’t now.”
“Well, if you want to put this behind you, hire your own protection,” Sam advised. “Or let speculation and rumor abound. The man will die off and his people won’t have a reason to look for you.”
“That’s my plan.”
“I think you should go back, though. Stick it to the bastard,” Sam said. “I would.”
“That won’t bring my parents back or give me back the life they stole from me,” Cordelia said softly. “This way I get to live my life in peace.”
“Running and hiding isn’t peace,” Sam told her. “Cambrie knows this and so does Adalyn. The past always comes home to roost, but Mallory has your back and I have hers.”
“I don’t want to put her in danger.”
“Then don’t run,” Sam told her. “Making her look for you will leave her vulnerable to attack she won’t know to look out for. Here, we’ll see the threat and neutralize it before it has time to fester.”
She’d said she’d stay. However, her fears were already prodding her to run.
“If you care for her at all, you’ll consider what I just said,” Sam told her. “Next week. New client.”
“Okay.”
She didn’t just care about Mallory, she was falling for her.
“Mallory’s a big girl, and she can definitely handle herself,” Sam said as if reading her mind. “But don’t hurt her or you’ll have one more person to worry about tracking you down.” Sam gave her a nod and backed out of the office.
She rolled her eyes, but appreciated the depth of Sam’s feelings for Mallory. However, Cordelia wasn’t afraid of going head-to-head with her. She’d merely freeze her and have done with it as she’d do to Yamamoto should they ever cross paths again.
On the other hand, if she could avoid the messy situation, she would.
“Mallory, I didn’t expect to see you,” Sam said from in the corridor. “Something wrong?”
“Not really, I just need to talk to Cordi,” she said. “Do you think you have a place here for her?”
“If she proves herself as capable as she seems, I’ll have no problems with keeping her on. I would like to know what her intentions are though.”
“What do you mean?”
“Toward you,” Sam said.
“Sam.” Mallory’s tone was sharp with warning.
“Anything new on Bradley’s partner?”
“I think Delaney might have found something that we aren’t going to like,” Mallory told her. “I’m hoping Cordi was able to find the money.”
“Let’s ask her.”
Cordelia already had the pages on her desk when they came in.
“Hi, gorgeous,” Mallory said with a warm smile that made Cordelia’s heart beat faster.
“Hey.” She returned her smile and the cat purred.
Mallory grinned as she moved around the desk to kiss her, and Sam gave her a startled look making Cordelia blush.
“Now that is true happiness to see me,” Mallory murmured, stroking her cheek.
“Mallory,” she admonished.
“I’ll really pet you later,” Mallory teased.
Sam cleared her throat. “You do that, Casanova,” she said in an amused tone. “But for now, can we cut to the chase?”
“Killjoy,” Mallory muttered, throwing her a look of mock consternation. “Have you been able to pick up any kind of paper trail on Bradley?”
“I have.” Cordelia beamed. “One loose thread is all it took.”
“What was it?” Sam asked.
“Something quite innocuous,” Cordelia said.
“Such as?” Mallory pressed.
“A receipt. He’s been careful with a lot of things business wise lately including where he stays during business trips. I got to looking through local papers, and I noticed some disappearances during the times he was on his trips.”
“We’re not actually looking for women he might have killed,” Mallory informed her.
“No. I know, but that’s just how I was able to track him,” she said. “The receipt is from the Foxworth in North Stonington. He’s also been up to the casino.”
“So?”
“So, there is a shell company called FoxFire that owns a business in Norwich as well as in North Stonington.”
“Okay?” Sam said with raised brows.
“The owner of that company isn’t an owner, but two. One of them is a woman named Clare-Anne Moss and the other is a man named Bennet Holcombe,” Cordelia said. “Moss is a coyote and Holcombe is a wolf.”
“How do you know?” Mallory asked.
“Moss runs a mercenary organization that has offices down in Mississippi. Most of the coyotes that work for her are mixed with black jackal. The ones that live up here are mixed with white wolf.”
“And you know this from research?” Sam asked carefully.
“My father was an accountant, Sam. He dealt with her organization. There was some talk of Moss and Holcombe breaking seven years ago over a business dispute. Holcombe was a cold son of a bitch who would have killed his own mother.”
“So, which one of them is our target?” Sam asked.
“Holcombe. I was able to find a link to a joint business venture between Jericho and Holcombe in Norwich. Jericho left his shares of that business to Bradley. It’s a small hotel. The money links back to a shell company called CW. Coyote Wolf. Jericho had the majority shares in the hotel.”
“Whoa,” Mallory murmured.
“And money from that company was used to buy up some land right next to Gray Tail and in Mystic,” Cordelia told her.
“Land for the resort,” Mallory said.
“They want to turn it into a gated condo complex, though there was originally talk of turning it into a resort hotel. There are two sets of plans and both include a beautiful golf course.”
“Why the change, I wonder,” Sam murmured.
“One of them probably plans to cut the other out,” Cordelia said. “The plans I have I got from Bradley’s office.”
“How?”
“I can’t tell you,” she said, thinking of Kyra who’d gotten the pictures for her.
“Why not?” Mallory demanded.
“Because a friend got them for me as a favor,” Cordelia answered. “I’m not implicating her.” She had agreed to help though. Kyra wasn’t just a pretty face any more than she was.
“Are we going to regret this?” Sam asked.
“Me or my friend?” Cordelia asked coldly looking up at her.
“Both,” Sam muttered.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m the one who owes the debt not you.”
“We’ll talk about that later,” Mallory said. “But how did this person get the plans without being seen?”
She chuckled. “I don’t know. Magick is awesome
.”
“Okay, so Bradley is planning to cut Holcombe out,” Mallory said. “But with Bradley gone the deal will still be on.”
“We need a way to get him to turn his half of the deal over or end it,” Sam said.
“Even if he decides he wants out, that might not stop Holcombe after Bradley’s dead,” Mallory replied with a frown.
“So, we’ll deal with him next,” Sam answered. “Let’s not make him an issue here. He’s a problem for another day.”
“We also have Isaiah’s shares and Pike to deal with,” Mallory said. “Bradley’s recently cut her in.”
“I can take care of the paperwork,” Cordelia said. “It’s a simple matter of refiling, and I can get that done two days before you take him out without him ever knowing.”
“How?” Sam asked.
“File on behalf of the company,” she said. “The paperwork copies will be sent to wherever they’re directed by the company.”
“How long before they realize?”
Cordelia shrugged. “Bradley will be dead, and Holcombe will be notified when we want. Bradley’s been quite secretive according to some documents my friend found. He’s already been working on getting Holcombe’s name off the project.”
“Is this going to be a problem for you?” Mallory asked, reaching down to stroke Cordelia’s nape.
“I don’t see why it should,” she said. She’d never come into direct contact with Moss and neither Moss or Yamamoto had any idea just how good she’d been at her job.
“Then do it, but be careful.”
“I will,” Cordelia said with a smile. “It’s all just a matter of using the trail already laid.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
For lunch, Mallory took Cordelia to Coffee Crossing despite what had happened the last time they were there. She’d wanted to take her back to the pier, but she feared it might spur memories of Carleigh’s death since it was so close to the cannery.
“I’ve told Delaney to stop looking for information about you,” Mallory said after they’d ordered.
“Thank you.”
Mallory covered Cordelia’s hand with hers. “I don’t want to lose you,” she said softly. “And I know enough for now, but I trust you to share the rest when you’re ready.”
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