“I understand that he’s no longer employed by Rogan-Caruso-Kincaid Protective Services.”
“That is correct.”
“But he was a principal in the company. How did that work? Can he just walk away?”
“I don’t believe that is of concern to the FBI. Why specifically do you want to find Sean?”
“Do you know Sean’s associate Colton Thayer?”
Dammit, Duke had known Sean was in over his head from the minute he learned that Sean had hacked into a pharmaceutical company for Thayer. Sean thought he could manage anything that came up, but Colton Thayer was dangerous because he was an ideologue. His causes might be just, but his methods were criminal.
“Yes.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“Special Agent Brighton,” Duke said, “I’m not answering questions unless I know why they are being asked.”
“I’m not at liberty to say,” she repeated. “Generally, when someone doesn’t speak to the FBI it’s because they are hiding something. Where is your brother? Are you protecting him?”
There was an RCK file on Brighton. That meant either they had worked with her or she’d come up in one of their investigations. Duke opened it. He didn’t need to read more than the first note to know exactly who Deanna Brighton was. It was dated twelve years ago:
Deanna Brighton, FBI special agent out of the San Francisco office, arrested Sean for illegal computer hacking and hindering a federal investigation.
She’d been the agent Sean embarrassed when he exposed his professor at Stanford. Brighton had been furious, and justifiably so. Sean had enjoyed big, public exposures. But that time he’d gone too far. It didn’t matter that he’d been party to stopping a sex offender who had a penchant for prepubescent girls; Sean had embarrassed Stanford, the FBI, and Deanna personally when he remotely took over her cybercrime symposium.
“I don’t know where Sean is,” Duke said.
“You’re telling me you don’t know where your brother is living? Where he is working? I’m having a hard time believing you.”
Duke bristled. He didn’t say anything, ready to terminate the conversation.
Deanna asked, “Do you have a current phone number for him?”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
Duke didn’t like anyone accusing him of lying. “I have work to do.”
And a flight to catch.
“Your brother is in trouble, Mr. Rogan. It’ll help both you and him if you come clean.”
Duke rose from his chair. “Is that a threat?”
“I’m stating a fact. I’ll find him, and this time I will put him in prison for the rest of his life.”
She slammed down the phone.
Vendetta. Duke heard her rage through the phone lines.
“Sean,” he muttered, “what are you mixed up in?”
He called JT. “Agent Deanna Brighton in the New York FBI office called me. She knows Sean is working with Colton Thayer. She’s investigating them.”
“Shit, Duke. You’ve got to get your brother in line.”
“Maybe it’s time to bring in Rick.”
“If Sean is back in the game, Rick won’t do anything to protect him. Your brother is exposing us big-time right now.”
Duke rubbed his eyes. “I’m going to New York to find Sean. I’ll bring him back.”
“I don’t want him back. I’ll call Rick, but not to ask him to cover for Sean’s crimes. I need to protect RCK above all else. I’m sorry, Duke. I really thought Sean had changed. He’s been a valuable part of our team for a long time. More valuable than I realized until he was gone. But I can’t condone jumping ship like this and risking everything we’ve built. You, me, Kane—this is our life, and he obviously doesn’t care. I’m telling Rick that Sean is off the rails and disavowing any knowledge of what he is doing. I’m sorry.”
“So am I.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “Do what you have to. I’ll do everything I can to protect the company.” And Sean.
Sean was his brother. Duke had to give him another chance, or he would never forgive himself if Sean ended up in prison. Or worse.
* * *
“Let me know what she does next,” Senator Jonathan Paxton told his informant. “But we’re running out of time.”
“I’m working on it! It’s not as easy as you think—”
“Then work smarter. I want Sean Rogan detained before Thursday. It’s not just my ass on the line.” Jonathan slammed down his phone and immediately began packing a bag. Though it was congressional recess, he’d stayed in D.C. to finish a few projects, take meetings that he’d postponed during the busy end of session, and hold informational hearings related to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He hadn’t wanted to be in New York this week. Now he didn’t have a choice.
Jonathan called Sergio Russo, a man who’d done many jobs for him and someone he trusted—as much as he trusted anyone.
“Yes, Senator,” Russo said.
“Our cat didn’t pounce on the rat.”
“She didn’t take the bait?”
“Oh, she took it. But Rogan lost her. If we can’t put him in jail, then we’ll have to stop him some other way.”
“Understood.”
“I’m coming to New York.”
“Are you sure you want to be in the city?”
“I have a cover. But this situation is far too important to leave to chance. If Colton Thayer screws this up, I’m finished.”
After everything he’d done for Joyce, she got cold feet. After he protected her, cared for her as if she were his own daughter, supported her ideas and company after her father died, she now decided she didn’t want to go through with their plans. If she were anyone else, she wouldn’t be alive. But this was Joyce. He couldn’t hurt her.
“Sir, maybe it would be best if we let Rogan help.”
“I can’t risk him finding out the truth. I want him off Colton’s team. By any means necessary. Meet me at my apartment tomorrow morning with a plan.”
“Yes, sir.” Russo hung up.
Jonathan booked the next available flight to LaGuardia, then poured a Scotch while waiting for his car to arrive, not caring that it wasn’t even noon.
Sean Rogan had always been an annoyance, but now he was an imminent threat. When Jonathan learned that Rogan had quit RCK and gone to work with Colton Thayer, he knew that smart-ass would be a danger. For a brief moment Jonathan thought it might be a setup, except from everything he’d learned from his people Rogan had had a fight with his brother and quit. His privileges were cut off and he hadn’t spoken to anyone at RCK, except his former partner, in weeks.
Rogan’s volatility didn’t surprise Jonathan. He was an arrogant prick who had a double standard when it came to crime. He questioned Jonathan’s motives when his own were just as murky. Working with his old hacktivist group was right up Rogan’s alley and a typical childish manuever for someone who didn’t get his way.
When Rogan waltzed into Lucy Kincaid’s life and didn’t leave, Jonathan had built a file on him. It saddened him that smart, sweet Lucy had been taken in by the rogue’s charm, but that didn’t mean Jonathan couldn’t still protect her. Rogan had lived a life in the shadows, barely escaping prison on multiple occasions. Without the protection of his brother Duke and RCK, Rogan wouldn’t last. And his working for Colton Thayer told Jonathan that Rogan had certainly been playing on the dark side for much longer than his brother thought.
But Rogan had no love lost for Jonathan, and if he even suspected what Jonathan had hired Thayer to retrieve, Rogan would use it to his advantage. He already had the microchip, and losing that was what had made Joyce nervous.
Jonathan had first tried to get Thayer to cut Rogan out of the loop, but Thayer made it clear that even though Jonathan was paying him, it was his operation and he needed Rogan to pull it off. Playing hardball wasn’t an option because Thayer had too much information on Jonathan.
; Jonathan didn’t like or trust any of them. They’d all proved to be far more arrogant than warranted and disrespectful of his authority. He was a sitting senator in the United States of America. He would not be played for a fool.
CHAPTER TEN
Sean dropped a bag of food on Noah’s counter. “Well?”
Noah ignored him, typing something on the computer screen.
“I got your groceries.”
“Thanks,” Noah mumbled without turning his head.
Sean removed a beer from the bag and opened it. He looked over Noah’s shoulder. “What are you doing? Reports?”
Noah didn’t answer.
“Dammit, Armstrong, I’ve given you nearly twenty-four hours. If you’d just let me do it—”
“Rogan,” Noah snapped, “I need to keep Rick in the loop, especially if you want your immunity intact.”
“Fuck you.”
“Fuck you, too.”
Sean almost walked out. He was really tired of Noah’s subtle jabs about Sean’s long-ago crime. Especially since Noah was the one who convinced Sean to go undercover. Knowing that they’d have to work closely together to catch Senator Paxton, they made an effort to get along. But in the last three weeks they’d begun to get on each other’s nerves.
Instead of walking out, Sean stood in the kitchen and drank his beer while eating the deli sandwich he’d bought. He was starved. He’d skipped breakfast, something he rarely did, but he hadn’t slept well last night thinking about the woman who’d been following him.
Ten minutes later, Noah sent his report, then grabbed his own sandwich.
“It’s true that Pham-Bonner Medical is involved in childhood leukemia research and they were involved twenty years ago when Colton’s brother Travis died. Getting his medical records will be difficult, but not impossible. It would be easier with next of kin—but we’re quietly working on it.”
Noah took another bite, chewed, and swallowed. “Would Colton honestly plan this elaborate break-in just to gather evidence he doesn’t know exists about his brother’s death?”
“Yes,” Sean said without hesitation. “And now that he knows about the bio-toxin they’re developing, it’s a bigger cause for him. In his mind, the company that killed his brother would of course develop a bio-weapon.”
“Hmm.” Noah drank some water, then said, “The information you obtained last month is not conclusive about bio-toxins. I don’t think he’s right about that.”
“Colton has been deciphering codes since he could practically read,” Sean said. “He made a compelling case.”
“You believe him.”
“I believe there’s something at PBM they’ve been using in research that makes me nervous. I’ve put up false paths to prevent corporate espionage—it’s one of the things I did at RCK. But this was different. It indicated that the information was only on a closed server. There’s no way to access it without a direct connection. I’ve recommended to many companies who are vulnerable to corporate espionage to keep their networks completely closed. This one isn’t like that—they have a completely separate program hidden within the company. Coupled with the codes Colton deciphered, it makes it suspicious.”
“I don’t think going through with the actual break-in is wise. You have seventy-two hours to find evidence against Jonathan Paxton or I’m going to pull the plug.”
Sean was stunned that Noah was getting cold feet. “You can’t. I told you, there’s something else going on; Paxton wants a physical file from Joyce Bonner’s office. He’s not an ideologue, unless it involves killing sex offenders. He hasn’t told Colton exactly what he wants.”
“I don’t believe it,” Noah said.
“I do.”
“Maybe you’re blinded by your friendship.”
“You don’t know Colton.”
Noah raised an eyebrow and stared at Sean as if Sean had just confirmed Noah’s suspicions.
“If that woman following you is an FBI agent—”
“She is.” At least, Sean was almost certain.
“—then why is she following you?”
“That’s what you’re supposed to find out! Do you have her name?”
“We’re running her image, but we have to do it on the q.t. so no one in the New York office is privy. There’s no active investigation on you, Colton, or anyone on his team. That’s what I was telling Rick when you walked in.”
“Maybe it’s off-book.”
“The FBI doesn’t operate like that.”
Sean gestured around him. “What’s this?”
“This is different.”
“Bullshit. You know damn well there are bad agents mixed with the good. What about the mole? Maybe this woman is the mole.”
“It’s possible. But not everyone disobeys protocols.”
Sean’s fist clenched. “I’m sick of your verbal jabs, Armstrong. You don’t like me, you don’t approve of me, I get that, but you’re the one who wanted me here, so just leave me the hell alone.”
Noah walked over to the computer. He pulled a printout from the printer and handed it to Sean. “Here’s the background on the seven PBM board members. I didn’t see anything that jumped out as connected to Paxton; maybe you will.”
“I’ll take it upstairs.” Sean grabbed the papers and left.
* * *
Sean picked through the information Noah had found on the PBM board members. There wasn’t a lot there. He would need to dig deeper to find a connection with Paxton.
Sean’s cell phone rang and he planned to ignore it. He glanced at the caller ID.
Duke.
“Don’t answer,” Sean told himself.
Dammit.
He picked up the phone. “Hello, Duke. I see you tracked down my new number.”
“I just had a call from the FBI. You’re wanted for questioning related to something involving Colton Thayer.”
Shit. That woman yesterday—now it made sense. “Thanks for the heads-up,” Sean said. “I’ll talk to you—”
“It doesn’t work that way, little brother. You messed up big-time when you did that job for Thayer last month. Do you want to spend the next ten to twenty years in prison? I’m not going to be able to bail you out again. JT is officially disavowing you with the FBI. Please, whatever you’re doing, stop.”
“I’m not going to prison,” Sean said. “And I didn’t ask you to bail me out of anything.”
“If Deanna Brighton has her way, you’ll rot in jail.”
Brighton! Everything became clear. She’d changed her hair, she’d gotten older, but now that he had her name he couldn’t believe he hadn’t recognized her yesterday.
“What did she say?”
“She said you were in New York. She wanted your address and number.”
Damn, Sean was going to have to lose this number. “And how did you get my number? Did you give it to her?”
“No, but maybe I should have. Give me something, Sean—something to help fix this mess.”
Sean didn’t want Duke digging around and possibly jeopardizing his undercover work. “Stay out of it, Duke. I have everything under control.”
“Like hell you do!”
“I’m not doing anything illegal.” At least, not without the okay of his FBI handler. After the fact.
“I don’t believe you.”
That stung. “You made it clear that if I was friends with Colton, I couldn’t work for RCK. I’m not your problem anymore, Duke.”
“You’re my brother. You’ll always be my problem.”
And that was the crux of their relationship. Sean had always been Duke’s “problem.” He’d been a minor when their parents were killed, and Duke had stepped in as his guardian. Not Kane, not Liam and Eden, who at nineteen moved to Europe, but Duke. Sean had both loved Duke and resented him at fourteen. When Sean moved to D.C., he thought Duke had finally realized he was an equal and not the problem child. He’d been wrong.
“No,” Sean said, his voice low. “I’m not your prob
lem.” He hung up. His hand was shaking when he dialed Noah’s number. “I’m coming downstairs. I know the woman who followed me.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Lucy Kincaid was in the middle of physical training when her class supervisor, SSA Paula Dean, stepped into the gym. One look and Lucy knew she was being summoned. But she waited until Tom Harden, the PT trainer, motioned her over.
Paula was in her early forties, with a no-nonsense manner. She would have been attractive if she didn’t hide behind a stern expression and severe hairstyle. She supervised all three new agent classes at Quantico, the newest class having started last month. Lucy was just past the mid-point, starting her eleventh week. They’d had a battery of tests last week and Lucy was relieved she’d passed them all, but the coming weeks were going to be busy and stressful.
Lucy wrapped her towel around her neck and tried to smile, but her eyes went from Tom to Paula’s stern expressions. “You need me for something?”
“Grab your bag. I don’t think you’ll be back today.”
Lucy frowned but went to the locker room and picked up her gym bag before following Paula from the gym. “Agent Dean—”
Paula stopped and faced her. They’d had a few rough patches since Lucy had been on-campus.
Paula said, “I’m not supposed to tell you anything, but it’s about your boyfriend.”
Her stomach sank. “Is he okay?” Of course he was. She’d have heard something from family first if Sean had been hurt—except he’d only spoken to her and Patrick since his birthday. And even when he spoke to her, he didn’t sound himself. The split with his brother and RCK had torn Sean up, and she was stuck here, at the Academy, unable to help him get through it. She didn’t think he liked his new job. He’d told her it was temporary, but he’d been living in New York for nearly a month and he wasn’t talking about coming back to D.C.
The only thing getting her through the long days was her job. She was so busy studying and training that she only had time to miss him at night. And while they talked several times a week, it wasn’t enough.
“Two New York agents are here wanting to question you about Sean Rogan.”
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