Page 60 of Coming Up Aces

Seth swallowed hard. “I did. Hanson called and said he was being followed, and he was afraid it was Grissom or someone he was paying. He told me where he was going and if I didn’t hear back from him within an hour to send in the cavalry. I waited, and when he didn’t call, I texted Spencer to see if he could get eyes on the hotel. He did. He saw Perkins follow Hanson, so he looped the cameras so I could get in and out without Grissom knowing.”

“Wow. You have Spencer on speed dial. How quaint,” Rayna deadpanned. “Weren’t you afraid to go in there? If you knewHanson was dead, did you not think Perkins might be lying in wait for you?”

“Spencer was monitoring the situation. He knew Perkins had left the area.”

“Did you call the police? Or the director?” Lucy asked.

“I called the director and told him I thought Hanson was in trouble. I didn’t let on I knew he was already dead. He asked why I bypassed Grissom and called him instead, and I admitted it was because Grissom was a dirty agent and that I had proof. Granted, I waited until I printed the photos and added them to the evidence bag and took it to your house for safekeeping before calling him.”

“Did you tell him where the evidence came from?” Tamian asked.

“I said I was working with the GIA but not David Spencer specifically. Milsap was supposed to send a team down from DC to assist me in bringing Grissom in for questioning, but Perkins got to me first. The trip to get you out of Haven was bogus. Now I’m out of the loop and have no idea where Grissom is.”

“Why didn’t Perkins kill you instead of tossing you in Ray Brook?” Rayna asked.

“Because Grissom wanted the evidence. He threatened Vanessa and the kids, but I told him if something happened to them or me, I had safeguards in place.”

“But even if you gave up your copy, Spencer is still out there with the originals.”

Seth shrugged. “True, but Grissom is a decorated agent. Maybe he believes his word would carry enough weight against a hacker who can fabricate evidence.”

Tamian stood. “The good news is we know where your boss is. He, Perkins, and Sartain are downstairs. We have video equipment set up to take their confessions. You’ll do the interview to make it official. Then, you’ll call Spencer’s boss atthe GIA. You and he can hand deliver all three agents along with the evidence and their confessions to your director.”

“What?” Seth plunked his mug onto the table, coffee sloshing over the side. “How did you manage to get the three of them here? And why include Sartain?”

Rayna stood and grabbed a paper towel to wipe up the mess. “I went to Ray Brook looking for you and had a conversation with Sartain who said he hadn’t seen you. He must have called Grissom as soon as I left. I was on my way here last night after finding your buried treasure when Grissom and Perkins ran me off the road. I got into an altercation with Perkins, and Grissom pulled a gun on me. I managed to distract him long enough to wing his shoulder. After subduing them both, I called my friends to assist, and here we are.”

“Holy shit, Ray. You could have been killed.”

“I could have, yes, but they were so sure two against one put the odds in their favor. They bet on the wrong side.”

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. “What makes you think they’ll tell the truth? Grissom will argue the documents and photos are fake.”

Lucy pointed at her closed laptop on the table in front of her. “I have video evidence including timestamps of Hanson then Perkins entering The Marquis hotel. You, yourself, took the photos, which you’ll say you’re handing over to both the director of the FBI and the head of the GIA. We also have documentation showing Grissom working with a hacker who is not Spencer to form a shell corporation where all the money he’s been taking is hidden except for the small sum he had transferred to an account in Hanson’s name. You show them the evidence, and they’ll point fingers at one another.”

“I want to look at all this” — Seth waved a hand toward the laptop — “before I present it to them so I know exactly what’s on there. Rayna, have you seen this proof?”

“I have,” she hedged. She hadn’t put eyes to the information Lachlan sent them, but she trusted Lucy. “After you look it over, please call Vanessa and let her know you’re okay before doing the interview. She’s worried sick.”

“Good idea,” Lucy said. “That’ll give Tamian time to go downstairs and make sure the video equipment is ready to go.”

“I don’t have a phone,” Seth reminded her. Asher removed his from his back pocket, tapped in the security code, then slid it across the table. “Thanks, uh, Asher, isn’t it?”

When Asher arched a brow, Rayna moved to stand behind him. “Yes, this is Asher McMurray.”

“You look mighty cozy there, Ray,” Seth joked, even though he was frowning.

“I am. Now call your wife so she’ll stop worrying.” Rayna grabbed Asher’s hand, tugging on it. He stood, and she led him into the dining room where Lucy had gone. “I take it Tamian isn’t checking video equipment?”

“No. He’s voicing them to behave and tell the truth when Seth gets down there. He’ll have to remove some of Seth’s memories after this is over like where we live and how we managed to get him out of Ray Brook.”

“Yeah, I’m fine with that. I’m pissed he lied to me this whole time, but I’m relieved he wasn’t colluding with Grissom. It would have broken Vanessa’s heart if Seth had been on the take.”

Asher brushed his hand down Rayna’s arm, then linked their fingers. “Yours too.”

“Yeah. We’ve been partners and friends a long time.”

“Are we ready?” Tamian asked when he entered the room.

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