Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Aidan stopped.
Tasha’s brows had come together as she listened to Lou.
Aidan felt the moment his body started pumping adrenaline. Something was going wrong. They’d miscalculated some small thing, and the world was about to get upended.
“Lou says the CCTV cams went out five minutes ago,” Tasha said, the cell still to her ear. She gasped and then swallowed at something Lou had told her. “Yes. I’ll get us out of here right fucking now. Tell them we’ll be coming in hot.”
She hung up and slid her free hand around her waist, feeling for something there. Aidan had seen her keep a holster for her gun in the small of her back. Was she making sure the safety was off in case she needed to use it quickly? “Aidan, I need you to stay calm. Lou said Phoebe just called. She didn’t take the night off. She did a deep dive on Huisman’s recent financial transactions. It wasn’t easy because the foundation is linked to a corporation which has a bunch of arms.”
“I don’t need a lesson in finance. Tell me what’s happened.”
“Phoebe found a transaction for three million dollars. It went through two days ago, shortly after we made the reservations for here. To the manager of this hotel,” she explained. “His name is Pierre Allard. She sent a picture, and I’m almost certain he was behind the bar Kala was at.”
The one he’d recently left Carys at.
Aidan took off running, but he already knew it was too late.
Chapter Sixteen
Tris watched the door close and sighed. It was over. The job. Probably his career. He might not lose his job, but he would be exactly what everyone thought he was—a keyboard jockey who supported the real operatives. A guy who’d failed at his first real mission. He hadn’t caught the bad guy. He’d tried his hardest, given it everything he had, and still come up short like he’d always feared he would. His father was coming in to clean up his mess, and he would go home and be a dutiful son and watch after his subs and do his diminished job to the best of his ability. He would be nothing more than a son, brother, friend…husband.
It didn’t sound so bad.
“I know this sucks for you, but I, for one, am not upset about heading home,” Zach said. “This trip’s timing was shitty for me.”
He wasn’t the only one who was planning some life changes, but he still had some questions. Zach was planning to shift his focus to the Agency. “You already talked to Coop?”
Zach nodded. “Yeah. We had breakfast yesterday morning, and he offered up a room. Getting a place in Dallas will be so much more convenient than constantly having to fly out for briefings. I thought Cooper might want someone to help with rent and utilities and stuff. I’ve lived alone most of my adult life, so I’m looking forward to having someone to talk to every now and then. But there was something I was thinking about. Don’t your parents own the place? You don’t think they’ll sell it now that you’re definitely not living there anymore?”
“Somehow I think my parents will continue to be perfectly reasonable landlords.” His mom wasn’t about to chuck out her son’s friends. She would consider keeping the house up her contribution to the team. “And sure you want to suddenly move in order to be closer to the team? There’s not another reason?”
“Yeah, like I said, I’m kind of sick of being alone.”
“So you’re doing this to have a roommate?” Tris stared at the big guy, willing him to get to the real point.
“Fine. I want to see where it’s going with Devi. The last week has literally been the best of my life. We went to Top the other night and Cooper and Kala were there. It was the nicest time. It was…like being around family,” Zach said in an almost wistful way.
It was hard to remember some people weren’t constantly surrounded by family and friends who’d known them all their damn lives. It could be annoying, but then he realized how alone Zach must feel. “I’m glad it’s going well. Devi is great. And I bet Coop will be happy to have someone who doesn’t immediately fall in love and move. I think Nate lasted like a week and a half before he was living with Daisy. Take your time with Devi. I think Cooper needs some stability.”
“I can do that,” Zach promised. “Devi’s got a lot going on. I want to add to her life not give her more to do. I need some time to figure out how we can fit into each other’s lives.”
“Let’s get going.” Tristan looked around the room. “The last thing we need is Tash honking at the door.”
“You okay?” Zach asked, studying him. “I know what this mission has meant to you and what you gave up for it. You seem to be handling this like a champ, but you have to know this means Big Tag’s going to take over everything. Well, if the higher-ups let him.”