Page 41 of Devil's Riches

Greg snorted. “Of course not.”

“Do they even exist anymore? You said the organ scheme ended in 2009.”

“From what Annalise has told me, they still exist in the sense that the members are still alive, apart from a few of the very old ones who’ve died over the last few years. Like your great uncle Roger, for instance. Aside from that, they’re defunct.”

“Why?”

He sighed. “Well, even though I took the heat off them by helping them frame Peter Covington for the bodies at Blackthorne, they decided to stop the whole operation anyway. It was too risky,” he said. “Remember, it was 2009 by that point. Good forensic technology existed by then, and with the internet everywhere, it was much easier for information about missing people to spread all over the world. So it was only a matter of time before someone realized something was off about Avalon.”

“I suppose you already had your fortunes, too.”

“Exactly. By that stage, most of the families had invested their profits and earned billions off the whole scheme. So the board made the final decision to shut things down. That’s why your mom never told you about any of it, Nate. You were still a kid when they ceased operations, so what was the point? You never needed to be involved.”

Nate rubbed his jaw and muttered something under his breath. I didn’t catch what it was, but I could tell by his tone that it wasn’t pretty.

“So that’s it,” Greg went on, raising his palms. “As far as I know, the Golden Circle exists in name only now.”

I looked over at Nate again. “Can I talk to you in private?” I asked in a hushed tone.

“Sure.”

He led me out of the main room and up to the steps at the end of the passage. “What’s up?” he asked.

“I just thought of something,” I replied, heart hammering. “You know how Greg said the Golden Circle had a board that made all of the major decisions?”

“Yeah.”

“It made me remember something. When I broke into your house a few months ago, I overheard your mom talking to a guy named Devin.”

“That’d be Devin Holland. He’s a friend of hers.”

“Right. I didn’t think much of it at the time because it sounded like boring business chatter, but Devin was saying something about wanting to start things up again because he needed money. Your mom refused and said it was too risky, and that he should sell some assets if he’s that desperate for money. Devin got angry at that and said he’d take it to the board.”

“You think he might’ve been trying to get the Golden Circle back together?”

“That’s exactly what I think. The board agreed to start things up again, a bit slower this time, and that’s why Nessa Pratchett and Claire Reilly were killed,” I said. “Everyone thought it was just a random Butcher copycat, but it’s the Golden Circle. They must’ve found another surgeon.”

Nate’s brows dipped in a frown as he considered my words.

I kept going. “I know you’ve always thought it was me. That I’m a killer,” I said, eyes widening as I held up my palms. “But I’m not. I swear. I really think this is the answer to everything.”

Nate finally gave me a curt nod. “You might be right,” he said. “But there’s only one way to find out for sure.”

“From your mom?”

“Yeah. If the Golden Circle has actually started killing people for their organs again, she’ll know all about it.”

Nausea suddenly clawed at my throat. I tried to force down the sickness, but it was too late. Chunks of croissant rose into my mouth, and I gagged and started to retch.

“Shit,” Nate muttered, laying a hand on my back. “Come on. Let’s get you outside.”

I clamped a hand over my mouth and let him pull me up the steps. As soon as we were out of the bunker, I fell to my knees on the ground, stomach contracting as it forced everything up and out.

“Sorry,” I gasped, wiping my lips as the pungent smell invaded my nostrils. “I just can’t stop thinking about all the fucked up stuff Greg told us. It’s literally making me sick.”

Nate crouched next to me and rubbed my back. “Trust me, I know how you feel,” he said in a grim tone. “I just found out my uncle is a fucking serial killer who murdered over five hundred people so their organs could be sold. On top of that, he’s been having an incestuous affair with my mother, and on top of that, the two of them murdered my father.”

I glanced up at him, heart aching. I knew his pain inside and out. “At least you know the truth now, I guess,” I murmured.

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