Page 46 of Nest Of Lies

Ranger whirls on me and slams a fist down on the desk. “You know damn well she isn’t, but that, that bitch has convinced her that she is sick. Lia believes it, I think. She’s just waiting for the day when something shows up to prove her mother was right.”

I lean back in the chair and stare blindly. China Raines is now on the very short list of people I would happily murder.

“What do we do?”

“Send Ianto in.”

“Why him? Why not Mills or me?” Ranger protests hotly.

“Because Ianto has lived in deep trauma, because of all of us, he’s the one who can sit with her and see her scars.”

Ranger snarls but sends a message to Ianto. Five minutes later, he walks into my office and stops besides Ranger. My VP is fairly vibrating with rage, his nostrils flare, and he speaks in terse, sharp sentences.

“Tell him everything,” I tell Ranger, then I turn to Ianto. “When Ranger’s told you, I want you to go and see Lia. I want your assessment. I want your opinion.”

“YOU CAN’T LEAVE HER THERE!” Ranger roars at me.

I snarl at my pack mate and sit forward. “Watch yourself, Ranger.”

“You can’t leave her there, Alpha,” he says quieter but with no less insolence.

“I didn’t say I was. I said get me more information. You know perfectly well she’s not safe in our MC!” I snap back. “Do you have Locke or Kelly’s number? I can reach out to Raider if I need to, but I’m not sure he’d be the best choice with how often he moves.”

Ranger is silent, his eyes all but screaming their fury at me.

“You’re going to give her to her cousins?” Ianto snarls.

My eyebrows raise. I expect this pissy attitude from the others, but not from him.

“Go. You know what you need to do.”

They leave, neither one happy. I lean back in my seat and pick up my phone.

I dial a number that isn’t saved in any book or phone I own.

“Mackenzie. You know how you owe me that favour?”

“Yes.”

“Right, this is what I need. I want Aurelia Raines’ medical records, all of them. I also want China Raines’ records and police reports. Any gossip about that woman and I want to know it. If she sneezes, I want to hear about it.”

The man on the other end of the line swallows. “Is that all?”

“Yes. No, wait. Did you find them?”

“Yes. I found them, and I’ve compiled a report. I can add it when you pick everything up.”

“Email me a summary.”

I wait, and when the email comes through; I click it open. There isn’t much information. The pack is happy. They have a child now and are living happily in the city. I study them, envying the fact that they are living such easy lives.

Each person is smiling. They are healthy and happy. It’s not often I keep secrets from the pack, but this hunt has taken me a while. I forward the email to Ianto. With a smile, satisfied that at least one thing today is going my way, I close the email and put it in a different folder for later.

Rangers’ words return and so does my rage. Why didn’t Lia tell us?

Chapter seventeen

Ianto

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