Page 56 of Resurrection

Although I’m reeling from her trafficking revelations, having her lay into Finn in such a callous, judgmental way makes my blood boil.

A few short weeks ago, I’d have agreed with most of her assertions. Years ago, he hurt me. But I’m not sure I read him or the situation right. Is Kim seeing things clearly? There was always this intriguing mixture of darkness and light in her. She’d hate to realize the darkness won out when she fell in love with Lorcan. No, he can’t be bad, so it must beallFinn.

“He loves his brother,” I hedge.

Kim laughs. “Does he? Enough to put him first? Lorcan loves me, and Finn shot me, intended to execute me in front of him. When has Finneverput anyone but himself first?”Her expression is expectant. “I can wait while you search your memory.” She taps the tabletop. “It hasn’t happened. It’llneverhappen.”

I stab my nail into the wood. “You’re a fucking FBI agent. Did you think he wouldn’t protect himself and protect Lorcan from you?” I narrow my eyes. “It should have taken another eight or so hours for them to get you here. What, have you changed over to the CIA? You going to fuck people on an international level?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“Cameras are off. You claim our friendship was real. You broke the rules for Lorcan.”

Kim leans back in her chair, her mouth set in a firm line. Her dark eyes flicker. She’s considering something, but what? “Yes.”

My laugh is bitter. “That’s all I get?”

“I’m here getting the lay of the land.” Her stare is laced with meaning. “I still have stitches that need to finish closing and a psych eval to pass.”

“You’re good at pretending, so I’m sure you’ll have no problem.”

She sighs and places her elbows on the table again. “I shouldn’t say this, but if you want proof I care, here it is. Someone in your organization is fucking you over—”

“No shit,” I mumble.

“The PLA and whoever they’re dealing with are making the trail seem likeyou’rein on the weapons sales. That means, if the CIA takes down the PLA or goes after their suppliers, your head will be on the chopping block. Not your company, but you, personally. That’s how the paperwork reads. You’ll end up in federal prison.”

I stare in silence for a moment and hope I don’t look shocked while my insides swirl. For whatever reason, I didn’t take her earlier warning to heart. Someone was dealing to the PLA. An annoyance, an avenue to be checked into, not a path to jail. Now,I’m not so sure I want the culprit to be Valeriya. Dead people don’t make good witnesses.

“You’re sure?” I keep my voice neutral.

“I’m being brought up to speed. I didn’t—I never got very much on you when I was there. For lots of reasons. You were careful. I was reluctant. Doesn’t matter. But this—what I’m seeing—like fucking Christmas. Wrapped up neat and tidy. Nice little bow on the top of your impending sentence.”

I swallow and splay my hand on the table, my mind churning. “Do you have a timeline?”

“To move ahead? No. Nothing yet. But the threat is real. You need to get to the bottom of it before me or someone like me comes knocking.”

I sigh and cross my arms. “What do you want from me?”

“I’d like to say nothing.”

“But you can’t—so what do you want? The cameras are off. People in your position don’t switch them off unless they’re trying to hide their actions. Approval doesn’t happen unless someone else believes what you’re getting is worth the risk.”

“You won’t give up Finn?”

“Finn? What would I know? Maybe he’s dead.” Those words, spoken out loud, make my stomach clench.

She laughs and settles deeper into her chair. “Sure.” For a minute she eyes me. “When you figure out who is fucking you over, you give them over to us. We’ll prosecute, or we’ll turn them into an asset to help with our larger investigation.”

“And if I don’t agree?”

“It seems like you’re the one doing the illegal supplies, Carys. If that’s true, and you are the one dealing with the PLA, you are welcome to come on board, and we can work together to take them down.”

“It’s not me. You know that.” I uncross my arms and stretch my hands out along my skirt. “I’ll need product numbers so Ican determine the originating point for the weapons. Narrow my search.”

“I can get you that.” Kim gives me a calculating appraisal. “You’re agreeing to help us?”

“What choice do I have? I don’t want to go to jail.” There’s still a leftover instinct in me to divulge too much to her, to trust her more than I should. Considering what else has been happening to me lately, her story rings true.

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