Page 27 of Storm Surge

Victor smiled at his young prodigy. “Thank you, Kevin. And congratulations. Welcome to the family of God.”

Kevin grinned from ear to ear and hugged Victor. “Thank you for sharing God with me. All of you.” He glanced around at the group. After everyone congratulated Kevin, he stepped outside to call James.

Kinsley came over to them. “Kincaid says he’s not hungry. I say let’s get started.”

Victor followed her into the dining room where Kincaid sipped water. He slipped into the chair beside his former friend. “Collins had men watching your wife at the ranch. Our people raided the place and took out Collins’s men. We now have your wife in custody. I can have her flown here to be with you for a while. Until we’ve finished questioning you at least.”

Kincaid seemed surprised by the gesture. “Thank you. I appreciate that. Marissa must be worried.”

Victor inclined his head. “You know about the nuclear weapons. You helped procure them, according to Howard Duncan.”

The room was silent. Kincaid gulped water. “I used my title as vice president to transport the weapons, but it was through Ahmad Hassanzai’s black market connections that we were able to obtain them.”

Will studied the man’s demeanor. He had a feeling Kincaid would try to maneuver the conversation to make himself appear less guilty.

“So, Hassanzai was able to barter for them on the black market? You must know where he purchased them.”

Kincaid shook his head. “I was told nothing, only that the weapons were available, and we’d need to transport them to my property in Texas. Collins told me what to do and I did it.”

Will couldn’t believe the man had gone along with the plan without questioning Collins’s actions. “How did you come to know Martin Collins?”

Kincaid hesitated as if he were working out the best answer.

“David.” The sharp edge to Victor’s tone made it clear he’d thought the same thing.

“I knew Collins from when he was CIA.” The admission shocked everyone at the table.

“You knew he faked his death. . . he reached out to you,” Victor concluded.

Kincaid admitted it was true. “Collins was excited. He told me he had a plan to change the world. Asked me to meet him in Afghanistan.”

“What happened there?”

“I met Collins and Ahmad Hassanzai for the first time. They said all the right things. Told me they were going to put me in a position where I could one day be president of the United States.” Kincaid’s mouth twisted in a bitter smile. “He said what I wanted to hear, and so I was all in.”

“Who else is involved? We know several players already, but there are others. I want names,” Victor told him.

Kincaid stared down at the glass in his hand. “Everyone who is in power right now—or was in power—is there because they pledged allegiance to Collins.”

“There’s more to this story and you know it. Someone much bigger than Collins is calling the shots,” Victor told him.

Kincaid’s gaze shot to Victor’s. He was silent for a long time. “I’ve never heard his name mentioned before, but I’ve often thought the same thing.”

“But you don’t have any idea who this person might be?”

As Will watched Kincaid’s reaction, for the first time he believed the man had no idea who might really be backing Collins.

Chapter Eight

Jamie reached for his hand. More than ever, she wanted his support.

Will smiled at her. “It’ll be okay. Doctor Wolf comes highly recommended. He’s a Christian psychologist, and I’ve heard only good things from him.” He touched her cheek. “He’ll help you remember the past so that once and for all you can know the truth.”

She’d told him all the ugly details she’d discovered about her father from Mark without mentioning her brother. Will hadn’t been surprised, but then, he worked for the same team that had been hunting her father for a while. Jamie couldn’t tell her aunt what she planned. Aunt Betty was slowly crumbling under the weight of what she’d discovered about her brother and her own father.

Outside, a car approached the lodge. She and Will were sitting on the porch. There had been a lot of activity around the lodge that Will hadn’t been able to talk about. The car stopped out front. A middle-aged man with graying hair got out of the vehicle and headed their way.

She and Will rose and went out to meet him.

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