Page 77 of Oath
THIRTY-SIX HOURS EARLIER…
LOCATION: SUBURBAN SAFE HOUSE
“Explain it to me again,” Lunchbox said from where he stood by the now cleaned counter and sink. Breakfast was done and we’d gone over the intelligence that I’d been able to run through the night before.
O’Rourke gave me enough information to pierce the veil of secrecy these guys were operating under. I wasn’t sure whether to be more amused or irritated at the simplicity of their plan. Covert only worked as long as no one knew what to look for. Once you pulled apart one string, the rest began to gradually unravel.
Finding therightthread to pull had been the key.
Not that I planned on thanking O’Rourke. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. That dick was part of the reason we were in this particular fight.
“From the top…” Lunchbox continued and I didn’t sigh. Too much coffee, too little sleep, and worry for Bones had me onedge. Or it had… until our morning play with Gracie. She made everything better.
“Do you have a specific issue you want to review?” Voodoo asked before I could kick it off. “Or do you really want a repeat of what we already discussed?”
Not an unfair question.
Lunchbox shifted his gaze to where Gracie sat with her hands wrapped around the fresh cup of coffee.
“He wants to know why you guys are letting me run part of this solo.” Oh, she definitely got it. “Or at least participating in the op.”
“Actually,” Lunchbox said through a tight jaw where he wasn’t quite grinding his teeth. “What I want to know is why we’re trusting O’Rourke to be your backup.”
“We’re not trusting him.” I kept my voice flat, even, unemotional. Goblin leaned against my leg, where he’d pretty much planted himself since we started the briefing. “I don’t like him any more than you do. I am trusting Gracie.”
For her part, she tilted her head to glance between us. After the first part of the briefing, she hadn’t said much. Instead, she seemed to be mulling it over.
“If Gracie isn’t up to it,” I said, raising a hand to stave off any response from her at the moment. “Example only, I told her.” Then I refocused on Lunchbox. “Ifsheisn’t up for it, or if we find too many holes, then we don’t do it.”
“What is she supposed to do if O’Rourke flips on her?” The only reason he wasn’t pissing me off at the moment was I was right there with him.
“She can tase him. She can scream and out him to the security there…or we’ll shoot him.” Voodoo shrugged. “Currently, O’Rourke thinks he can win her over. If we give a little in his direction, he’s going to think he can get a lot. That makes him play a little nicer. I want him there as a meat shield.”
“And we’re damn certain he hasn’t told us everything,” I finished.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lunchbox blew out a long breath. Then like us, he focused on Gracie. “What do you think of the plan?”
“I think I need to get my hair and nails done.” She glanced down at her hands. “This manicure is more than a month old and if we want me to blend in as arm candy, then I need a little help.”
“Gracie, you would look like a billion dollars in a burlap sack.” And I meant it. She was—everything.
Her nose wrinkled up adorably as she made a face. “You do not get to make the fashion choices.”
Grinning, I made a mock obeisance bow by rolling my hand and dipping my chin.
“Firecracker.” Voodoo didn’t raise his voice or snap a command, but it was enough to snare all of our attention. “Are you up for this?”
“Weirdly,” she said slowly. “I think so. Not I know so, I think so. But only because I don’t think you’d make this suggestion or even use me in this plan like this if you weren’t dead certain it would work.”
She had a point. Lips pursed, Lunchbox shook his head. “I still don’t like it. I’d rather just shoot him.”
“Me too,” I said in chorus with Voodoo, then continued, “However, we can’t—yet. Not ever, just not right now. He’s useful and we want to get Bones back.”
Rising, Gracie carried her empty cup over to the counter where Lunchbox stood. After setting the cup aside, she pressed her hands to his chest. It was damn hard to hold onto stoic when she looked at me like that, so I wasn’t remotely surprised when some of the rigid tension in his shoulders relaxed.
“I can do this,” she said. “I also know, if anything happens, you guys will be there. But if anyone cuts anything off of him…I want to pick the first part. That’s my deal.”
“Bloodthirsty.” Lunchbox said with a faint chuckle. “I like it.” He wrapped his arms around her, then shot a look at Voodoo and then me. I nodded. So did Voodoo.
