Page 49 of Knot Guilty

While holding me tight, my dad finally speaks the words he’s been holding back since returning from the cabin. His voice is laden with emotion as he says, “You’ve lived a lot of good stories to tell, Sadie Kate. Please don’t let this be your last one.”

“I promise I’ll be careful.”

The one-hour flight back to Norfolk is spent analyzing and planning. Aaron has an alibi for his missing time. Shindand's security logs will prove that Aaron never left base except during our mission.

What Zach said about him having access to a phone is, unfortunately, plausible, making all this moot. I won’t know what to hit next until we find out what the prosecutors have.

If Aaron wasn’t such a stubborn ass and would come back to Norfolk with me, he could get a lawyer and find out. As it is, all I can do is wait and see if Maxen or Knot’s lawyers come through.

At Knot’s hangar in Norfolk, I scan the area for my car but find Knot’s imposing form leaning against his Escalade instead. “I had your car relocated to the compound,” he says by way of explanation.

His eyes focus behind me on the plane’s entrance. “You came back alone?”

My chin dips in defeat. “The target would not accept our help… for your sake and mine.”

“Stubborn bastard,” he fumes. After a moment, he shakes his head. “All right. Let’s get out of here. We’ve got work to do.”

Once we’re moving, I tell Knot about the note in Gunny’s tank and finding Aaron at the hunting cabin. I’m about to bring up Avara when my ringing phone stops me. It’s Maxen.

I swipe to answer the call and hear Maxen’s voice as soon as the connection is made. “Sadie, I’ve got news and thought I’d fill you in before calling Knot.”

The bite in his voice tells me the news is not good. “You can fill us both in at the same time. My plane just landed, and Knot was waiting to give me a ride.”

I switch the call to speaker and hear, “My contact came through. The man who shot Brock had a phone on him. The phone’s call logs showed activity for one number on the day of the attack. They pinged the phone and traced it to Norfolk. Sadie, the phone was found in Aaron's truck.”

Knot jerks the wheel, squealing the tires and turns onto a side street. “We need those logs, Sadie. You drive. I’ve got to make a call.”

“Thank you, Maxen. I’ll check in with you later.”

The call ends, and I shove my phone into my pocket. Knot and I switch places, and the man barks orders into his phone before I even put the car in gear. Knot’s growling and yelling end soon after but not before my boss slams his hand on the dash. “Son of a bitch!”

I wholeheartedly agree.

Inside the PMC compound, Knot directs me to pull up to the front entrance, where Maxen and one of our security guys are waiting. Knot takes the keys from my hand when we reach the sidewalk, tosses them to the security guy, and motions for Maxen and me to follow.

People in the building part like the Red Sea as Knot bulldozes his way through the halls. Outside his office door, his assistant takes one look at him, reads his face, and instantly seems to know what to do.

Her authoritative voice is heard rescheduling a meeting with someone as Knot shoves his door closed behind us. Then, he picks up his phone before the security measures are fully in place. “You know why I’m calling.”

Knot listens intently to the person on the line, offering a single grunt of agreement before replacing the phone’s handset.

Cracking his knuckles, Knot leans forward and rests his elbows on his desk. “I have a sensitive job for you. The job is perfectly legal but would be a bad look. That was a federal judge friend of mine. He’s agreed to provide our lawyers copies of the call logs but will only do so in person. To avoid the appearance of favor, I’d rather it be someone other than me to meet him. Sadie, you will provide the perfect cover.”

Knot glances at his watch before zeroing back in on me. “The two of you are to go to dinner at Byrd and Baldwin in about two hours. The judge will notice you and take the opportunity to thank you in person.”

At my confused expression, he adds, “It’s Judge Fairhope. You and Aaron saved his daughter's life when she was kidnapped on her way to work at the US embassy in Myanmar. His handshake will be the handoff. Afterward, he’ll return to his table, and the two of you will finish your dinner before coming back here. I don’t want anyone to have a reason to think your meeting was anything other than a chance encounter.”

Wanting to tell them both about Avara being Aaron’s alibi, I speak up, “Sir—”

Knot waves me off. “Whatever it is, it’ll have to wait. You two need to get changed and make that meetup. Fairhope made a reservation in your name, Sadie.”

Knot ends the security lockdown and stands, Maxen right along with him. While Knot needs to know about Aaron’s alibi, I don’t guess a few hours will make much difference. I get up and follow Maxen to the door and out of the executive offices.

Halfway through the building, I glance over at Maxen in time to catch him chuckling to himself. “What could you possibly be grinning about?”

“We’re about to go on our first date.”

I bring my hands to my hips. “This is not a date.”

---