Page 72 of Ace

"Let me know what you work out," I tell him when he opens the front door to leave.

"Don't let him leave tonight. He's not in any condition to leave."

"I'll make sure he stays," I assure him, my hand on the edge of the open door.

I close it behind him the second he steps on the front porch, lifting up on my toes to peek through the keyhole, needing to know that he's actually gone.

He doesn't immediately leave. He stands on the porch as if confused about what's expected next of him.

He shakes his head, lifting his chin as if staring at the stars above for answers.

"Aww fuck, Sadie," he says, his voice muffled through the door, but the emotion in his tone is very clear. "Why did you do this to us?"

I pull my face back and let him have his moment, and when I go back to my younger brother, I know without a doubt that William had nothing to do with her death.

Now I'm left with the responsibility of making sure the government doesn't pin this on my brother because they need a scapegoat to cover the fact that they haven't been capable of capturing this hitman.

Chapter 31

Ace

I don't know if I've allowed Cora to get in my head with the hopes that William isn't involved, but I'm more confused by his reaction than anything else.

I consider how I'd react if I hired a hit on someone, and I don't think I'd act like a complete asshole because that would be suspicious, but he acted no differently tonight than he did when we had the initial meeting about Cerberus working Sadie's case. He's a complete douche, but does that make him a killer?

I'm livid as I leave the Preston home, knowing I'll need to make hotel arrangements for tonight before figuring out what my next step is tomorrow.

The fact that my supervisor, Dale Fredricks, showed up tonight playing the role of Charleston police burns me in a way I never thought possible. I have no doubt it was his idea to change from a phone call to an in-person visit, and it has everything to do with me, and him being an asshole, and nothing to do with the actual case.

I don't call him before pulling up outside of a small motel, and that's my only recourse as a means to get back at him because it's what he expects of me, but I'm not attached to this case through ICE, and I have no obligation to speak to him.

What I will do, only after some of the heat in my attitude burns off, is call Kincaid and ask why I was kept out ofthe loop on these decisions. Knowing Dale as the giant asshole he is, Kincaid probably had no clue what the plans were either, and of course, ICE has no responsibility to let Cerberus know what their plans are.

I left her house too easily, and I know that hurt her. I could see it in her eyes, but I also knew she'd been using me as a crutch since finding out that her sister was gone. I think the distraction I provided by being in her home has kept her from dealing with the loss. I'm in no position to tell anyone how to grieve, but I know how unhealthy it is to just shove it to the back of your mind and try not to think about it.

It takes longer than it should to get a hotel room, and my annoyance with the human race has tripled by the time I walk away from the registration desk toward the elevator.

My phone rings just as I'm stepping off and heading toward my room.

"I was about to call you," I say when I answer, seeing Kincaid's name on the screen.

"Mike sent me the video feed from inside the house."

"Did you know Fredricks was going to come to the house?"

"Didn't have a clue. Mike already called to apologize for you being blindsided. I imagine he'll give you a call soon, too. He might just be waiting to make sure you're clear from the Preston Estate before doing so."

"Did you have your guy look over the video?" I ask, knowing Kincaid wasn't planning on leaving this up to ICE.

If anything he wanted a second opinion, someone unbiased and who didn't have any skin in the fight to find and arrest the Full Deck Killer.

"I've sent it to him, and he's looking it over. I have to say, that William is a piece of work."

"That's a very considerate way of saying he's a giant asshole," I mutter as I open the hotel room door and step inside.

"We'll get to the bottom of it all, but after what Cora did, that's going to be more difficult."

"What did she do?" I ask, my hand on the doorknob knowing I may just have to turn around and leave once again.

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