Page 39 of Soldier, Tailor, Spy

“Welcome them in and get the family settled. Bring Duncan here asap,” Asher ordered. “Jesus Christ, can this day get any worse?”

“How about having the husband of the man you married show up at your home demanding to see him?” Jake quirked a brow. “I imagine Ginger is beside herself right now.”

“Fuck!” Asher cursed. “How did we miss that?” Noah muttered a curse while Turner whistled low. Asher looked worn out. He always wore the responsibility of the job, and his position, on his shoulders. “On top of all of this, I was served this morning and you’ll never guess by who.”

“If you say Lincoln, I quit,” Jake remarked.

Noah snorted. “You can’t quit, asshole. You just started working here again. Think about how that would look on your resume.”

Jake shrugged. “Couldn’t give two shits.” His eyes flitted from one monitor to the next, taking all in

“What do you see?” Asher asked.

“Most likely what you already are thinking. This was a well-thought-out and planned attack against R.O.O.T.. Someone, most likely that prick Lincoln, has a hard-on for you and R.O.O.T. and wants to take us all down in a blaze of glory.”

“But what would Lincoln gain from this shit show?” Noah stated. “He’s already behind bars, and for a long ass time. The evidence against him is massive. Even with us gone, that won’t change.”

“Revenge is a powerful incentive,” Asher added. “But I’m not convinced. He’s in solitary after the last issue with him. From what I’ve been told, he sees his guards and an occasional doctor or two from some ongoing medical issues.”

Jake rubbed at his chin. “Both of which can be bought.” He turned to Turner. “Get the names of everyone Lincoln comes across daily. Run background checks on them.”

Noah stepped forward. “See if you can locate any large deposits in their accounts or anyone in their immediate families accounts. If you do, trace the money.”

Asher nodded. “Hate to do this to you boys, but I trust you, and know you’ll do what we’ve all been taught to do. I need to leave to go see my lawyer and my uncle.”

Jake didn’t wish his boss luck. Experience told him he wouldn’t need it, Asher... Hell R.O.O.T. would figure out what the fuck was going on and do what they always do. Stop it and put whoever was responsible in jail.

Chapter 9

While Noah watched the board, Jake went back to the conference room where Ethan sat. The guy couldn’t be any older than the kids on the SRT team. So, how was he married to Oscar, and how did none of them know Oscar had a husband?

Rage churned in his gut. Ginger had fallen for Oscar. She loved him. Even if that part hurt Jake to even think about. He had to put his personal feelings aside and know at some point he lost Ginger to Oscar. However, it didn’t ease the desire to crush the man waiting for Jake to return. He also knew, before they turned the guy loose, Ginger would have to speak to him. Because, in all of this—this shit storm—more than one family had been destroyed.

Jake pushed the comm in his ear. When the operator answered, he requested Ginger be brought down to C&C. It was better to rip the bandage off than to keep his ex-wife in the dark. Jake realized, too late, the darkness had caused their issues and now he needed to make up for that. When he was assured she was on the way, he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. The guy, Ethan, sat in his chair, shellshocked and upset.

Well, good.

Springing the shit he did on Ginger and Jake had karma written all over it. He hoped the kid understood the ramifications of what he was about to do and what he’d already done. “I’m going to be nice and let you in on a secret.”

Ethan’s head popped up. “What?”

“Oscar is dead.” Jake shrugged as he walked around the table. “Killed a few weeks ago. But, I have a feeling you already know that. What you did earlier was a show.”

Ethan licked his bottom lip, then shook his head. “No. He can’t be dead.” His voice was but a whisper. The false bravado he’d had pounding on their door was gone. “He called. Said he was coming home—for good this time.”

“Oh? This time, huh?” Jake snorted. “How did you find out about Ginger?”

“A letter—email. From Oscar. Said if something happened, she’d know.” The kid cleared his throat.

“How did you know where to find us?” Jake pressed. He had to get the basic answers from the guy before Ginger arrived.

“I didn’t,” Ethan answered. “I waited in my car at the tailor shop, and when I saw Mr. Yamamoto, I followed him.”

“Clever boy.” Jake sat down. “You should know Oscar married Ginger.”

The guy shook his head. He couldn’t be a day over twenty at that. Or he had good genetics or a superb plastic surgeon. His blond hair was disheveled, his blue eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep or maybe drugs, Jake wasn’t sure. His clothes were rumpled from multiple days’ worth of use. What were they missing, or more specifically, what washemissing?

“You’d think so,” Ethan muttered. “Oscar and I have been together for ten years. We married in twenty-fifteen.”

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