Page 64 of Lethal Sins

“Copy that.” Cody hefted his go bag. “You thinking what I’m?—”

“Hello, team.” A deep, modulated voice called out from the doorway.

Paige’s heart leapt into her throat, her weapon swinging towards the new threat. Her jaw dropped as she recognized the figure in the doorway.

It was Bill Weathers, the old guy from the Keys. But gone was the affable, grandfatherly demeanor. Dressed in black tactical gear, the man who stood before them now radiated menace, his posture straight and intimidating. The crow’s feet radiating out from his faded eyes no longer suggested friendliness and a propensity to smile. Now, the deep slashes emphasized cunning, and cruelty.

How had she misjudged him so badly?

He wasn’t alone. Three hulking figures flanked him, their massive frames filling the hallway behind him. They wore techclothing and Kevlar vests, their weapons trained unerringly on the three of them.

Cody stepped forward, raising his handgun in a slow, deliberate taunt. “I got this.”

“Not before we take out at least one of your friends.” Bill motioned to his sidekicks. “We’re prepared to die for our cause. How about you?”

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The room fell silent,a vacuum of sound pierced only by Paige’s thundering pulse. Acrid gun oil assaulted her nostrils, mingling with the tang of fear-sweat trickling down her spine.

“Let’s play nice, Lassiter.” Jason’s voice sliced through the tension. “At least for now. We’ll have our chance.”

Cody’s gaze darted, a trapped animal seeking escape. His shoulders unknotted as he lowered his weapon, each movement deliberate and controlled.

The old man’s tone, once warm honey, now cut like tempered steel. “Hand over Penderson’s instructions.”

Paige’s breath snagged in her throat, a sharp inhale of realization. The files from her father’s cabin. Of course.

How could she have been so blind?

She glanced at Cody. Realization dawned in his eyes.

Her gaze travelled to Jason. He looked confused, clearly out of the loop.

In that moment, she understood how thoroughly they’d been played. The kidnapping, the deaths, the anonymous messages—it had all been an elaborate ruse to flush out her father’s research. And her. The key to it all.

The old man’s fingers twitched impatiently on his weapon. “I won’t ask again.”

She swallowed hard, her mouth dry as desert sand. Those instructions, hidden away in her father’s cabin, held secrets that could change everything. And now, the man she’d thought a harmless retiree was ready to kill for them.

Pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, leaving one huge question. Before she could voice it, Bill answered as if reading her thoughts.

“I might have been able to take the two of you back on the island, but I had to assume your backup was waiting in the wings.”

His words sent a chill down her spine. She studied the familiar yet foreign face. The crow’s feet, the weathered skin—it was all wrong now.

“You’re not my dad’s friend,” she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands.

The man’s lips curled into a sardonic smile. “Never actually met the man.”

“You’re Consortium.” Her accusation hung in the air between them.

To her surprise, the man laughed. It was a genuine sound, filled with dark amusement that set her teeth on edge.

“Negative,” he said, eyes glinting. “Think higher up.”

Beside her, Cody let out a groan. “Atticus always figured there was another, smaller organization pulling the strings.”

The man’s expression sobered, a flicker of something—respect?—crossing his features. “Atticus was way too smart to live. If the heart attack hadn’t taken him out. Someone like me would have.” His gaze swept over them, cold and calculating. “Like the three of you. Well, you two, anyway. We need the girl a while longer.”

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