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  Kell planted a hard kiss on her lips. “We will. You stay safe today, mate.”

  She blinked and then leaned up to kiss him. “You stay safe, too.”

  Chapter 34

  Her heart still thumping a little too hard from the enforcer’s kisses, Lex strode into the precinct, ready to kick some ass. Kell hadn’t checked in yet about the two downed witches, but there didn’t seem to be much to hear. They’d been attacked in their home with darts and had died. That simple.

  Lex’s life was nothing close to simple right now. She’d told her mother the previous night about Parker gaining parole, and Jennie had been over the moon. Even so, Lex had kept their father’s letter to herself. Something was hinky about it. She needed to get all her ducks in a row before confronting her mother, and . . . she had a drug manufacturer to find and shut down.

  Police on three continents had been notified and were looking for Yuri Demidov, but she knew the bastard was in Seattle. She just knew it.

  She put in a call to Sylvia and left a message about the video. If she could trace the video, she might be able to find the killer, if Sylvia had had the chance before the damn thing was confiscated.

  Then she reread her father’s letter. Code? The part about a 500 pound gorilla didn’t really make sense. Five hundred pounds? Of what? Meth? Was Apollo measured in pounds? Did pounds really mean ounces? And who was his friend on the outside? She rubbed her nose and called the hospital to check on Bernie.

  “What?” he bellowed when she was connected to his room.

  She grinned. “Just checking in.”

  “I’m leaving today, but they won’t let me leave until the fuckin’ doctor signs my form, and he’s in surgery.” Bernie coughed several times. “But I’m good. I’ll be back to work next week.”

  Somebody, probably his wife, protested loudly in the background.

  “Or maybe the week after,” Bernie amended.

  “Awesome.” God, she missed him. “I’ll pop by later tonight once you’re home.” She had to see for herself that he was all right.

  “Bring beer,” he whispered.

  She laughed. “I’ll sneak some in.” She clicked off.

  Her phone rang, and she answered. “Monzelle.”

  “Hey Lex.” Sylvia popped gum loudly. “I took a look at your video, and I think it’s in pretty good shape. If I run up at lunch, will you give me the USB or DVD? It’d be easier to take a look at the original, especially since I had to turn over my copy.”

  Lex kicked back and stretched her neck. “We don’t have the original. It was e-mailed to Bundt.”

  Sylvia popped again. “Nope, couldn’t have been. We’ve been working on the external and larger servers all week, remember? I sent out a notice last Friday?”

  Lex shrugged. She rarely paid attention to computer stuff. “I’m sure it was e-mailed.”

  “Nope. Not a chance. Our e-mail accounts wouldn’t have accepted a video the size of that one. Somebody must have had the original in order to deposit it on the internal server like that.” More gum crackled. “Drop me a line when you get the scoop.” She hung up.

  Lex frowned and shoved away from her desk. Her mind clicked facts into gear. Somebody knew Spike had been talking to the cops. Was there a cop involved? She thought about her dad’s letter, about his friend, the warrior on the outside who took letters from Jennie. A warrior? Maybe a cop? All those times Mom had dropped by to go to coffee or lunch, had she also been meeting with somebody?

  Before her disease had taken a bad turn and she’d stopped visiting?

  Bundt strode in from the break room, a cup of coffee in his hand. “This stuff is shit,” he muttered.

  Lex forced a smile. “Hey, I’ve been thinking about the video of the Dunne men burying poor Spike. Did the feds confiscate it?”

  “Yep.” Bundt blew on his coffee and sat, his broad shoulders blocking his computer screen. “Fuckers.”

  “Definitely.” She stretched her neck and tried to look casual. “Maybe there’s a chance we could trace the e-mail account where it came from?”

  He shrugged. “We already asked the techs to take a look at it, but they haven’t had any luck.”

  Bullshit. She nodded. “Oh well.” All the times her mother had visited ran through her head. Several times Jennie had brought cookies for the gang, and she usually made an extra batch for Bundt and Masterson. Jesus. Had Bundt been part of Masterson being shot? She stood. “It might be shit coffee, but it’s all we’ve got.” Acting as if she had all the time in the world, she loped into the break room, where Masterson sat on an orange chair, scarfing down a jelly donut.

  Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and lines of pain fanned out by his mouth. “Hey.”

  She frowned. “You okay?”

  “Yeah. Just had physical therapy, but I can’t take pain pills and do the job, so I’m sucking it up.” He shoveled in pastry. “What’s up?”

  She poured herself a cup of coffee. “I’ve been thinking about the e-mail with the video of the Dunnes. Any clue where it came from?”

  “Dunno,” Masterson said. “Ask Bundt. It came to his address.”

  Yeah, she’d figured.

  “I think we might have a problem.” She sat and pulled out her cell phone, quickly dialing her mother.

  “Hello, sweetie,” her mom said.

  Lex lowered her voice, while Masterson looked on, his eyebrows up. “Mom? Right now, I need you to tell me the truth. Who’s Dad’s warrior on the outside—the one helping him be a warrior on the inside?”

  “Oh my,” Jennie said, her voice loud enough Masterson could probably hear it. “Oh my.”

  “Now, Mom.”

  “Lexi, you have to understand. Your dad saw the error of his ways, and he tried to do good. He has been helping a policeman on the outside to get rid of the drug trade on the inside of the prison. He’s a hero.” A honk sounded in the background.

  Lex frowned. “Mom? Where are you?”

  “On an errand in a cab. Please don’t be mad at your friend,” her mom implored.

  Heat flushed down Lex to slam into her stomach. “I won’t,” she lied.

  Bundt walked into the break room and headed straight for more coffee. Lex eyed the gun strapped to his hip. He was fast, and he was good. Masterson lifted an eyebrow.

  She shook her head. First, she needed confirmation. “Mom? Tell me.”

  Bundt whistled, poured a gallon of sugar into his coffee, smacked his partner on the shoulder, and sauntered out.

  Lex blew out air, her body relaxing. “Now, Mom.”

  “Fine, but you promise you won’t be mad. It’s that handsome dark-haired man with the pretty eyes. Donny. It’s Donny.”

  Lex’s head snapped up.

  Donny Masterson sighed and drew his gun. “Hang up.”

  No way. Betrayal pierced her chest. Lex slowly disengaged the phone to slip it into her pocket. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

  “Leave the phone here,” he ordered.

  Fuck. She took out her phone and set it on the table. “Why?”

  “The money is good, and we’ve made a fortune selling on the inside at the prisons.” Masterson kicked out of his chair and gestured for her to stand. “I’ll kill you or Bundt or anybody in my way. You understand?”

  “Yeah.” She followed his gesture to stand in front of him. “But you got shot.”

  “Spike, that fucking moron, heard I’d gotten a kill order for him, so he decided to shoot first.” Masterson shoved the gun into her ribs. “Prick.”

  “Why did you have a kill order for Spike?”

  Masterson sighed, as if put upon. “After Bundt brought in Spike, we were worried about his connection to you and his connection to your old man. I was concerned about Spike’s desperate need to please you, and I figured he might just tell you all. So he needed to die.”

  “Did you kill him?” she whispered.

  “Not personally.” Masterson pushed harder with the gun. “Move, Lex.”

  S
he winced and started moving toward the squad room. A quick glance around showed Bundt on his phone, several cops working cases, and a couple victims filling out reports. If she screamed, somebody would get shot. She could make a move, but Masterson was good, even with one arm. And his gun was out and ready.

  “Keep moving, Lex,” he said, pressing harder.

  She nodded and acted natural, heading through the throng. When she made her move, it’d have to be without so many civilians around. The guy had one arm and was a moron.

  But he’d fooled her.

  She reached the exit and stumbled. Masterson shoved the gun harder. “I really don’t want to shoot you,” he muttered.

  Sure, he did.

  “I don’t see another way out of this, do you?” she asked under her breath.

  “Actually, yes.” He propelled her along. “Get into my truck and start driving, beautiful. It’s time to go see Daddy.”

  She stumbled. “He’s out?”

  “Oh yeah. He’s out and is looking forward to meeting up with your dumb-ass mama again. She’s apparently on her way to see him.” Masterson gestured for her to open the passenger side door and scoot over.

  She did so, her head roiling. “My mom is on her way there?” Fear trembled through Lex’s hands, and she had to fight not to turn on Masterson. Not yet, and not until she knew where her mother was going.

  Masterson smiled and sat, the gun pointed levelly at her gut. “Drive. Then maybe you and I can have some fun together.”

  She rolled her eyes. “One-handed criminals who betray the badge aren’t my type, asshole.”

  He laughed. “What is your type? What exactly is Kellach Dunne? A biker or a true international hero, like those documents said?”

  Lex started the car and pulled out into the road, training kicking in and slowing her heart so she could concentrate. “I think he’s a hero, and the second he finds out about this, you’d better hope I’ve already plunked your ass in jail.” Heat flared down her torso as adrenaline kicked in and allowed her focus to narrow. “He won’t go for jail. He’ll cut off your fucking balls.” Yeah, true statement.

  Masterson scoffed. “We’ll see about that. I tell ya, the guy has enemies.”

  Lex shook her head. “Did you kill Spike?”

  “No, my partner did.” Masterson smiled, the usual charm gone.

  “Burned the bastard and stuck him to a tree outside Fire to show Spike was working with the cops.”

  “Why videotape Spike?” she asked, trying to keep him talking.

  Masterson chuckled. “To be honest, we figured Pyro would take him down, and we’d have leverage over that asshole. Imagine my surprise when I reclaimed the footage and saw the fucking Irish assholes right where I wanted them.”

  Her mouth went dry, and she tried to swallow. “Why turn them in?”

  “To keep you busy. We know you’re fucking one of them.” Masterson snorted. “I had no clue they were undercover, however. My partner didn’t seem surprised, though.”

  “Your partner? Yuri Demidov?” she asked, turning down another street when Masterson gestured.

  Masterson frowned, both eyebrows going up. “Nice work, Detective.”

  “Gee, thanks, dickhead.” She rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t that tough. So how did Demidov find you?”

  Masterson rolled his wounded shoulder. “I’ve been running meth for about ten years, on the streets with Spike and in the prison with Parker. Somehow, Demidov found me and made an offer for me to distribute Apollo. It’s been going well.”

  “That shit kills people,” she spat.

  “Not if they just take a little.”

  She turned her head. “You know it’s a weapon, right? That he’s loading it in darts to kill people.”

  “I like weapons.”

  It was difficult to believe that at one time, she’d thought him to be handsome. “I can’t wait to slap the cuffs on you,” she muttered.

  He licked his lips. “I’ll be cuffing you, sexy.”

  Bile rolled around in her stomach and tried to climb up her esophagus. “Ewww.”

  He directed her toward the docks, and she drove around rusting warehouses until finally parking near a ramshackle warehouse that might have been white at one time. Rust covered the entire side, and damaged boards lined one side.

  Lex frowned. “I think you might have structural problems, asshole.”

  Masterson snorted.

  She turned to view him fully. His pupils had dilated, and his face was flushed. “I’m thinking you lied about not taking pain pills.”

  “Hey. Getting shot hurts.” He chuckled, his aim not wavering a whit. “Don’t make me shoot you. I promised your dad I wouldn’t shoot you until he had a chance for a nice family reunion.”

  God. Did her dad really want to see her, or did he want to watch her get shot? Her hands trembled, so she set them in her lap.

  “There are zip ties in the side of the door. Grab them and zip your hands.” Masterson’s voice remained clear, a sign that a simple pain pill didn’t affect him much.

  Lex reached for the ties. “Do you sample all your drugs?”

  “Some.” He shrugged. “Now, Lex.”

  She could turn and grab for the gun, but he had the advantage, and she still didn’t know where her mother might be. If Jennie was inside with the monster, Lex needed to get in there. Playing the captive would hopefully get her father to let down his guard. She slipped her hands into the tie, using her teeth to pull it closed.

  “Tighter,” Masterson ordered.

  She pulled tighter and then turned to glare at him. “Let’s get this over with.” For the first time since childhood, she was about to see her father without cuffs or an orange jumpsuit. As she stepped from the car, a chill skittered down her back. She quickly noted several soldiers scattered throughout, on alert. Damn it.

  Her boots scraped over cracks in the asphalt as she walked in front of Masterson and into a barely lit warehouse. She blinked several times until her eyes accustomed themselves to the light.

  Her father met her at the door. “Alex.”

  She peered around him to see her mother sitting at the lone table in the massive building, dressed in her Sunday best. Water dripped down the walls, and off to the side, a brand new Mercedes waited quietly. “Are you all right, Mom?”

  Jennie nodded and stood, walking toward her with a big smile. Seeing Lex’s bound hands, she frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  Parker sighed and slipped an arm over Jennie’s shoulders. “Lex isn’t quite on board yet, and we needed to get her here.”

  Jennie shook her head. “No. Let her go.” She gasped as Parker squeezed her shoulder.

  Lex hissed. “I’m fine, Mom. Just relax. We’re all good.”

  Her father smiled. “Now that’s what I want to hear.” He pulled Jennie around and pushed her into a chair. “Alex? Come sit.”

  Jennie frowned and pulled out a chair for Lex.

  Lex gave him a look and walked over to sit in the chair, calculating the best way to get out of there alive. Masterson had a gun, and the handle of one poked out of her father’s waist.

  The front door of the Mercedes opened, and a man stepped out.

  She lifted her head. “Yuri Demidov. I’ve been looking for you.” So the pictures of him were current. “I’m supposing you were the one who sent men to my apartment several times. They had, ah, your type of accent.” In other words, they were witches, too.

  Demidov shut the door and smoothed down very expensive looking silk pants. “Yes. I needed the order from your father, and I figured you’d check your damn mail more often.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know who was helping you until I saw the video of the Dunnes that Masterson so smartly arranged.”

  Masterson snorted. “She’s fucking Kellach.”

  Lex stilled.

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m not a moron.”

  She didn’t move. The hell he wasn’t.

  Demidov smiled, his teeth overly whi
te in the dingy building. “This will be easier than I’d hoped.” He pulled a gun and pointed it at Jennie’s head. “I knew the second I flooded Seattle with Apollo at least one enforcer would show up, but I had no idea they’d send three. I’d like to take them out slowly, one by one. Call your lover.”

  Chapter 35

  Kellach strode out of Fire’s conference room after another useless meeting, his instincts humming with an unpleasant energy. The two dead witches had been quiet and law-abiding, and yet somebody had tested Apollo on them without remorse. There were no leads to be found with the dead couple, and a quick autopsy had revealed burned organs and demolished hearts.

  Apollo, the mixture of it, was deadlier than the original PK mineral all by itself. Damn it.

  Now, at Fire, his gut churned. Something was up. He had to find Alexandra. His phone buzzed. “Alexandra?”

  “Ah, no. It’s Tori.”

  “Victoria.” He paused near his bike while Daire and Adam emerged from the building, both frowning. “What can I do for you?”

  “Well, ah, I can’t find either my mother or my sister.” She sighed. “I used the gym in the building, and while I was gone, my mother left. So I tried to call Lexi, and she’s not answering her phone. Have you talked to her?”

  He shot his brothers a look. “I have not. Tell you what? I’ll track her down and get right back to you.” He clicked off. “Something’s wrong.”

  Daire paused in straddling his bike. “What?”

  “Dunno.” His phone buzzed again, and he didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

  “Kellach?” Alexandra asked, her voice too calm.

  He held up a hand to his brothers. “Where are you?”

  A scuffle sounded, and a male cleared his throat. “Kellach Dunne, Enforcer for the Nine. So nice to make your acquaintance.”

  Kell lifted his head, his body going on full alert. “Yuri Demidov. I’m assuming, of course.”

  “Good assumption. My friend here brought the lovely Alexandra to me, stating that she’s, ah, fucking you. Shall I clue him in to the full extent of your relationship?” Demidov asked, his voice high.

  “Let’s leave the humans clueless, shall we?” Kell kept his voice level, although he realized that of course, another witch could sense he’d mated Alexandra. “You do know, if you so much as scratch her, I’ll take off your head.”