woman ever sleep? As high up as she was in the organization, probably just power-napped her way through life. Only in the last few months had he heard the name of one higher up than Raven—Jackal—though there had to be a host of honchos; NINA was international. For their own protection, even those on the inside were briefed just on their immediate chain of command. “Gray Ghost. Dead Game. A72777.”
“Are you in position?”
He passed a white Honda with a dented rear panel, then swung back into the right lane. “Yes ma’am.”
“Go to Darla Green’s house.”
“New or old?” The new one she’d bought off the government, who’d seized it from an arrested NINA operative. The old one was the former mayor’s residence.
“New.”
NINA had gotten Darla out of jail for killing John Green, which meant she owed NINA for her freedom. It would collect a hundredfold. But Tack Grady was a caretaker there—at least until NINA got him elected mayor. They’d spent a fortune to see to it he won; though whether or not Tack knew who was bankrolling him, Karl had no idea. Best he could tell, the total reason NINA cared who was mayor in Seagrove Village ended with Raven. She wanted to control it. Probably because the people here had destroyed two NINA operations.NINA couldn’t let that stand. Others would test NINA’s resolve too, and that Raven couldn’t tolerate.
“You’ll be expected.”
“Yes ma’am.” By whom? Darla or Tack? Masson’s position with NINA was too precarious to ask, but apparently Raven had taken one of them into her confidence.
Question was, which one?
7
A bell sounded.
At the desk in his Magnolia Branch hotel room, Joe leaned back from the laptop’s screen, checked his phone, then read the text message. Call home .
Omega One, a trusted source still active in Intel. Joe called in on a secure line. When someone answered, Joe said, “It’s me.” Ten seconds and the voice-print recognition system would flash in the operations center and his face and bio would be front and center on Omega One’s computer screen.
“You asked about Robert Tayton. There’s an interesting case we believe could be connected. Draft is waiting in your 6719 account.”
“On my way. Thanks.” They never e-mailed. Saving a draft didn’t create a transmission to intercept or track. Much safer.
“Good luck.”
“If you pick up anything, let me know.” Joe stared at the reflection in the television. “I need all the help I can get on this.”
“You’re in the loop.”
Exactly what he’d hoped to hear.
The line went dead and Joe opened the draft, scanned it, but nothing that could be related jumped out at him. Slowing down, he started working their list of encryption codes. Using the third one revealed an embedded message. “Oh, man. This is so not good.”
Processing, he stood, rubbed his jaw, the back of his neck. If this was the connection, then showing his face in Seagrove Village was a suicide mission. But how could he not go? Beth. Mark, Lisa, and all the Crossroads people . Joe had ties there now …
Showing his face.
Mark hadn’t yet unearthed this potential connection or he’d have told Joe. Still, his get creative instincts had been right on target.
Joe stretched to set down the phone and Beth called. “Woman, why are you still up?”
“Robert’s kidnappers never called and Sara had a second attack. Why are you still up?”
“Thinking about you, gorgeous. Is Sara going to be okay?”
“She’s critical. Harvey says I’d better prepare myself for the worst.”
“And you reacted to that … how?”
“Honestly? I’m a wreck, but I’m still going to Sara’s fund-raiser at the club.”
“Why?” He thought a second. Considering security there now, she was probably safer at the club than at Sara’s.
“I’m standing in for her.” Beth told him about the moms, about Darla’s Airport Road property. “This kind of event isn’t my thing on a good day, much less
“Are you in position?”
He passed a white Honda with a dented rear panel, then swung back into the right lane. “Yes ma’am.”
“Go to Darla Green’s house.”
“New or old?” The new one she’d bought off the government, who’d seized it from an arrested NINA operative. The old one was the former mayor’s residence.
“New.”
NINA had gotten Darla out of jail for killing John Green, which meant she owed NINA for her freedom. It would collect a hundredfold. But Tack Grady was a caretaker there—at least until NINA got him elected mayor. They’d spent a fortune to see to it he won; though whether or not Tack knew who was bankrolling him, Karl had no idea. Best he could tell, the total reason NINA cared who was mayor in Seagrove Village ended with Raven. She wanted to control it. Probably because the people here had destroyed two NINA operations.NINA couldn’t let that stand. Others would test NINA’s resolve too, and that Raven couldn’t tolerate.
“You’ll be expected.”
“Yes ma’am.” By whom? Darla or Tack? Masson’s position with NINA was too precarious to ask, but apparently Raven had taken one of them into her confidence.
Question was, which one?
7
A bell sounded.
At the desk in his Magnolia Branch hotel room, Joe leaned back from the laptop’s screen, checked his phone, then read the text message. Call home .
Omega One, a trusted source still active in Intel. Joe called in on a secure line. When someone answered, Joe said, “It’s me.” Ten seconds and the voice-print recognition system would flash in the operations center and his face and bio would be front and center on Omega One’s computer screen.
“You asked about Robert Tayton. There’s an interesting case we believe could be connected. Draft is waiting in your 6719 account.”
“On my way. Thanks.” They never e-mailed. Saving a draft didn’t create a transmission to intercept or track. Much safer.
“Good luck.”
“If you pick up anything, let me know.” Joe stared at the reflection in the television. “I need all the help I can get on this.”
“You’re in the loop.”
Exactly what he’d hoped to hear.
The line went dead and Joe opened the draft, scanned it, but nothing that could be related jumped out at him. Slowing down, he started working their list of encryption codes. Using the third one revealed an embedded message. “Oh, man. This is so not good.”
Processing, he stood, rubbed his jaw, the back of his neck. If this was the connection, then showing his face in Seagrove Village was a suicide mission. But how could he not go? Beth. Mark, Lisa, and all the Crossroads people . Joe had ties there now …
Showing his face.
Mark hadn’t yet unearthed this potential connection or he’d have told Joe. Still, his get creative instincts had been right on target.
Joe stretched to set down the phone and Beth called. “Woman, why are you still up?”
“Robert’s kidnappers never called and Sara had a second attack. Why are you still up?”
“Thinking about you, gorgeous. Is Sara going to be okay?”
“She’s critical. Harvey says I’d better prepare myself for the worst.”
“And you reacted to that … how?”
“Honestly? I’m a wreck, but I’m still going to Sara’s fund-raiser at the club.”
“Why?” He thought a second. Considering security there now, she was probably safer at the club than at Sara’s.
“I’m standing in for her.” Beth told him about the moms, about Darla’s Airport Road property. “This kind of event isn’t my thing on a good day, much less
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