Page 16 of The Wild Charge

Fox looked like he always did.

“Is there coffee?” Eden asked, already moving past his table toward the kitchen.

“Fresh pot.” He took a sip from his own mug. When she was gone, he said to Fox, “She’s not shy about making herself at home, your girl.”

“Nope,” Fox agreed, unapologetic. He straddled a chair and shook out a cigarette.

“I like it.”

Fox cocked a single brow. “Taken, mate.”

Ghost grinned, and realized, thanks to the stiffness in his face, that it was the first time he’d done so all morning.

Fox lit up and gestured toward the paper scattered across the table with his lighter. “What’s this, then? Theory crafting?”

“Making lists,” he said, and just like that the smile was gone. He reached for his own cigarettes. “Of all the ways we can’t touch these people.”

Eden returned, a mug cradled in both hands like it was a baby. Ghost had felt that way often about caffeine…or, more accurately, caffeine-spiked whiskey.

“List-making?” she asked, sitting down across from him, beside Fox. She placed a fingertip on a sheet and twisted it around so she could read it. “The Kellys,” she said, making a face. “And that Howard woman. The thought of women doing that to other women…”

“Being a sick creep knows no gender,” Ghost said. When Fox shot him a smirk, he said, “Hey. I’m not a sexist.”

Fox and Eden snorted in unison.

Then Eden grew serious again, shaking her head. “These are the sorts of people I dealt with when I was still in government. The kind of uber-rich, uber-powerful people that regular citizens can’t ever fight back against.”

“Oh, we’re fighting back,” Ghost said, and then sighed and massaged the back of his neck. All the muscles and tendons there were tight from having sat up all night. “That’s assuming we can believe anything Luis gave us.”

Fox took a thoughtful drag. “Has he lied to us before? I mean – even back in Texas. There was the whole Holy Father cloak and dagger bit, but did helie?”

Eden sat up straighter, brow furrowing. “He threatened Candy – and then followed through.”

“I’m not saying he’s not an absolute wanker, but. Maybe he’s telling the truth.” He motioned toward the lists.

“The only way to know for sure is to investigate,” Ghost said, the prospect sitting heavy in his gut.

“I suppose that’s where I come in,” Eden said, grimly. She’d been eager for work when she first arrived in town, Ghost reflected, but this was…this wasbig.

“You’ve got more experience in detective work,” he granted with a nod. “I thought you might have some ideas about moving forward that I haven’t thought of.”

“Ghost Teague asking for help,” Fox murmured, and whistled.

Ghost shot him the bird and continued.

“We’ve taken out our share of assholes. My first instinct, always, is to cut the head off the snake.”

“But this is a hydra,” Eden said, tapping the paper beneath her hand.

“Yeah.”

“And one that will be very hard to cozy up to. No offense to either of you, but the likes of Mercy and Michael don’t scream Infiltration Op to me.”

“Not to me either,” Ghost agreed. “I think we have to approach things carefully, and use all our resources.”

The front door open, letting in pink, morning light, and two lanky, sweaty runners fresh from a few laps around the block. Reese and Tenny even moved the same, Ghost noted; it was more than a bit unnerving.

Fox said, “Lucky for you, you’ve come into some assassins lately.”

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