Page 51 of War Games

He could hear Niko before he was down the stairs. He could hear Jabari and Davor before he opened the door.

“Heath is coming,” Niko’s muffled voice said.

He didn’t knock.

Niko didn’t even turn in his direction. Heath walked all the way around Jacky’s desk, going to stand in the window where he could watch the tree line and be seen on camera. He looked at the screen, seeing that Aisha was with Jabari.

“How much do they know?” he asked Niko.

“These two have the full story as we know it. Poisoned bourbon. Wasn’t poisoned earlier in the reception. Someone in the building did it. Can we get an update from you?”

“I’ll wait for everyone else to arrive. Everyone who could be involved is secure,” Heath said, crossing his arms as he went back to staring out the window. He didn’t have to wait long, with Subira and Zuri showing up only a few minutes later.

“Thank you, Davor, for not reaching out to your father immediately, so I could hear this. I’ll tell Hasan what hashappened after I know everything. I can’t risk him getting this news fresh without any details or a plan,” Subira said, Zuri over her shoulder. “This office is sound proofed. He won’t know anything is happening.”

Heath wasn’t sure if he agreed with that choice. As a father, he’d be furious if one of his children was hurt and others kept it from him. It wouldn’t have mattered what the relationship was like between him and his children. At the same time, he understood that it was easier for him to work with the family without Hasan there. He tried to take his other personal issues with Hasan out of the situation, like the things he had said in front of and to Landon and Dirk.

For now, I’ll just be grateful he’s not here. Dealing with him would only bog down what needs to be talked about right now.

“Now that everyone who can be here is…” Niko looked back at him. “I’ll tell them the entire series of events up until I left.”

Heath nodded and let Niko explain the reception to the moment he walked out of Kick Shot with Jacky, Dirk, and Carey. There was a control to the family, no one asking any questions about specifics. Niko gave a report, and they listened.

“I put her upstairs while Dirk reached out to Davor. We switched places once she was settled, and he had the call started. Carey has been with her since as well.”

“What have you been doing, Everson?” Subira asked, her gaze cool, an expression he recognized. He saw it on himself in the mirror before.

“Containing the potential assassins,” he answered. “Every human and werewolf outside of our families has been contained. The humans are still in the bar. The werewolves are in silver-barred cells. Landon and I will be questioning them once we know more about how to help Jacky. He’s currently watching the werewolves since they are the more likely culprit. The humansare still on their paid hours, and I asked them not to run. If one tries, they’re forfeit.”

“You or I will have to go and see if there’s anything we can concoct to help her rise from this sleep,” Subira said, looking up at Zuri, who nodded.

“I’ll go. I know the area and the werewolves better than you do. I can help with the interrogations as well, if they want it.”

“Start packing,” the matriarch ordered. “Good work, Heath. Tell us everything about the bourbon.”

He did, explaining its origin, the facility where he had kept it, and everyone who touched it before the reception.

“However, the poison was added during the reception. I had three glasses, intermittently going back to the table. Everyone was moving around and talking. We’ll review the cameras to see who all went to that table at any point.”

“It was a party,” Niko said, sighing. “No one had their guard up.”

“And with so few people in the building, all of whom you see every day, there’s no reason to think that something like this would happen,” Jabari elaborated further, his words understanding. “Dirk and Landon are never going to forget their wedding day, that much is certain.”

That shook Heath a little, having not let that thought sink in. He was going to need to check on both of them after this was over to see if they wanted a new party to create better memories than the ones they would now have from today.

Later. First, I have to help her.

They continued talking for another hour, going over every potential resource they would have for the investigation. Zuri had her bag ready and rejoined the conversation in only thirty minutes. They would check cameras, and all of those had audio. Dirk and Davor were going to dig through the emails of everypack member first, then the humans, if they still didn’t have all the answers.

All the while, he thought of something important, but it seemed no one was willing to say it. Every minute that passed from the moment she hit the ground, Heath had more clarity.

“It’s important to know not only who did this but why and where it came from,” Jabari said to everyone.

Heath found himself studying Subira’s face, wondering how she kept it so blank.

“Heath, do you have something to say?” she asked softly.

“You’re all allowed to say the obvious… I was the target.”

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