Page 51 of Oath
“We refers to my team,” O’Rourke said. "Freelance specialists. A lot like these guys. We also had a bid in on the job, we didn’t get it.” The lack of care about the result suggested it was in the past, but if that were the case… “Just pocketed the information and filed it away for future reference. You never know when it’s going to come in handy.”
“So how did you end up in bed with Vega or whoever is currently roleplaying as them?” Voodoo asked, sober, intent, and focused.
“Got snared in a net after the raid in France.” Self-deprecation peppered his tone. “Caught some of the blame for that one going sideways.” He flicked a look at me. “Thanks for that.”
“You’re welcome?” Did he want sympathy from me? He wasn’t going to get it. “When you trade in people and sell them, you can get fucked as far as I’m concerned.”
Another hint of a smile. “I do like you, Gracie.”
“Grace.” Legend, Voodoo, and AB all said in one voice. It was almost funny.
Almost.
“So you got snared…” I said, motioning for him to continue.
“Yes, I got picked up. They knew I’d worked with you before, they made me an offer.” He shrugged, but his insouciance seemed feigned. “I accepted the offer. I made the call.” He nodded to Voodoo. “You showed up. Chaos ensued. Bones was taken. That pretty much sums it up.”
“Except you still haven’t said whotheyare?” Did that come out at all screechy? I didnotwant to still be standing here in a week trying to puzzle through this man’s alternately cryptic and direct responses.
“No,” he said softly. “I didn’t.”
“You don’t know,” Voodoo said and I jerked my gaze to him then back to O’Rourke.
“Not precisely, no.”
A scream worked its way up my throat. “Then why did you play thisgame?”
“Did I?” O’Rourke said, shifting his attention back to me. “Sweet Gracie?—”
“Grace,” came the stern reprimand from three voices once again and I almost rolled my eyes. My name was not the important thing here.
“Or am I merely leveraging what I have to ensure I survive this interrogation?”
I wanted to throw my hands in the air. “Is this at all helpful?” I asked, glancing from Legend to Voodoo then back up AB. They were all staring at O'Rourke, their expressions unreadable. The tension in the room seemed to swell and expand.
Voodoo started forward without a word. The knife he suddenly had in his hands worried me, but AB tightened his embrace to keep me in place. Over the past few months, I’d seen the guys do what they had to do with and without weapons.
Could they be violent? Absolutely. Deadly? Without a doubt. Had I seen them kill? Yes. But not once had I seen evidence of a cruel maliciousness in their actions or witnessed anything like joy when it came to the often brutal decisions they’d had to make.
No, they weren’t psychopaths. They may not be pure as driven snow, but their actions and their choices spoke volumes for them. I’d back them in whatever they decided here. O’Rourkemight not be the villain, but he’d definitely participated in the setup and hehadbeen at the auction.
Voodoo stood over O’Rourke for an inordinate amount of time, his gaze locked on the other man. O’Rourke didn’t beg. He didn’t offer up excuses. He didn’t evenaskwhat Voodoo planned to do.
The stare off seemed to last forever but it was really only a few seconds. Voodoo slid around O’Rourke and released him.
“Damn,” AB said. “I just lost fifty.”
I blinked and cut my gaze up at him. “What?”
“I bet Lunchbox that he’d be the one who let the asshole go.”
The “asshole” in question snorted at AB’s grumble. It didn’t take long for Voodoo to make short work of the zip ties and O’Rourke sat forward with a slow groan as he began to rub his wrists.
“What was on that drive that we took from Odessa?” Voodoo didn’t wait for O’Rourke to recover before he asked.
“Files. Client files. Human trafficking. Predators. Those with strong political ties. Others with strong financial incentives. A comprehensive list built by one of the main suppliers over three decades.”
With care, O’Rourke stood and popped his back.
