Page 69 of Wizard's Spitfire

Then adds. “Thank you.”

“No problem. Everyone involved in the incident today is deceased or behind bars,” Riley says.

“Girls, you can join the other kids in the movie room or head to the bedroom Stormy set up for you,” Charlie says.

Regina stood up when the girls did. “I think Pops and I will turn in, too. We’ll see you all in the morning.”

I give everyone a few minutes to settle. Nabbing a slice of cheese pizza. Damn, my hips will pay for these carbs later. Extra workout, here we come. I finish the slice and take the proffered soda. Another thing I rarely consume.

“Once the girls tipped us off, the Bratva was moving on the campus. We deployed all our teams. Caught a lot of fish in our WIDE net. Petrov is in custody, as is the rest of his crew. Well, the ones that are alive. Barnes is dead.”

Stormy gasps. The man was her stepfather. I look at her. She shakes her head. I see it was surprise and not sorrow that caused her to gasp.

“Through leads Bug and Wizard dug up, we’ve been able to identify people all the way to the top in this ring. While we were connecting the dots between Barnes and Petrov, we found another link to Petrov. One Noreen Dawson.”

“Excuse me, Marshal,” Gambit says.

“Riley.”

“Excuse me, Riley. I’d like to call Nitro and put the phone on speaker so he can hear.”

“Of course.”

I wait while Gambit makes his call.

“Brother, there’s something you need to hear. Yeah, let me know when.”

He looks at me. “Okay, he’s alone and can listen. Can you repeat the last part?”

I nod my head. “While we were connecting the dots between Barnes and Petrov, we found another link to Petrov. Noreen Dawson.”

A loud “fuck” comes from the phone.

“In fact, Noreen also knows Barnes. They go way back. Decades of illegal dealings together. I’m not sure who met who first but the three of them were on quite the crime spree when Noreen mysteriously disappeared. We’re not looking too hard, by the way. Or at all. I, for one, say good riddance.”

“Can you send me a copy of what you have on her?” Nitro asks.

“I can’t technically, but Bug has clearance. I can send it to him.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Off the record, Allesandro Grimaldi and his crew are filling in the Bratva gap. It will keep another organization from trying to move in. Grimaldi does not peddle unwilling flesh.”

“What’s that mean?” Charlie asks.

“It means he’s not into sex trafficking or human trafficking, but he does have a stable of high-end escorts run by a Madam friend. While prostitution is illegal, all the information we have is the women are willing, and clean. They can’t use and be in the stable. He also owns a few strip clubs. Same rules. If he finds the girls using, they get a warning. Second time they get the boot.

“I’m not condoning his illegal activity, but the truth is some criminal organization will fill the void the Bratva left. Grimaldi has something many criminals do not, morals. One last piece, Charlie, the dentist who placed the tracker in your tooth,he’s behind bars. Barnes hired him. We have enough evidence without Barnes to nail him.

“Any questions?”

I wait a couple minutes, snagging another slice. After I polish off the second slice, I excuse myself and head back to the hotel.

I have a feeling this is not the last I’ll see of the Kings. A smile curves the corners of my mouth. I look forward to sparring with Doc.

Epilogue

Two months later

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