Page 75 of By Sin To Atone

Jericho shrugs a shoulder.

“Can we get into his bank records, see if he was paid?” I ask.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Robbie says.

“Could also be someone else hired Lucky and the Councilors found out. Sent Wyatt to retrieve the laptop,” I say, trying to think it through. “Either way, Lucky was working for someone. He wouldn’t know about the existence of IVI or The Councilors to even know to look for this otherwise. And then the Councilor or Councilors found out. So there are potentially two sets of players within IVI.”

“Either way, at least one person knows our father’s death was no accident,” Jericho says.

I nod.

“I don’t trust she’s telling the whole truth, Zeke.”

“Oh, I know she’s not,” I say.

He seems surprised.

“She has a tell when she lies. She knows where the external drive is.”

“Does she know who commissioned her father?” Jericho asks.

“I don’t think so.”

Robbie sits down, closes the lid on the laptop. “Not much more I can do without the drive.”

“Let’s confirm first if Wyatt is the man who was at her house,” Jericho says. “Then we’ll know if the Councilors are involved.

“How?”

“Isabelle and I are attending a charity dinner at The Society tomorrow night. I’ll add two to the table.”

26

Blue

Zeke tells me the following day about the charity dinner taking place at The Society that night. I’m not exactly thrilled by the idea, especially of potentially seeing the man who attacked me, but it’s the only way to know for sure if it was him which will tell us something about who wants what my father stole.

This whole thing is a little insane. The fact that the gun was registered to IVI, that it is someone from inside this creepy secret society who’d hired my father to steal whatever files he stole. It’s a lot to take in.

“I need something from you,” I say to Zeke once we’re finished discussing the event.

“What’s that?”

“I need you to move Wren and Rudy.”

“I have guards stationed?—”

“I’d feel better if she was somewhere new. Someone could have followed us to the care facility. I saw you checking the rear-view mirror after we left them and, well, I’d rather not take a chance with her. You said you’d help us. I’m asking you to help.”

It takes him a minute, but he nods. “Where?”

“There’s another facility nearby. It’s called the Margaret Stone Center. It’s supposed to be good.”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Do you think we could get her in there? And Rudy as her private nurse? Could you get that done, I mean, you being a St. James and all,” I say that last part loftily.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

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