Page 88 of Sweet Little Spies

Damn, but she’d missed how perfectly they’d worked together.Where one of them wasn’t interested, the other two had someone to talk to.

She had to find a way to shove these suspicions aside. Itmight be time she really needed.

“So we know it was a mercenary group?” Zach asked.

Tara’s eyes went wide as though what Zach had said kind offloored her. “I sent you a report.”

Zach flushed slightly. “I…uhm…I’ve been preoccupied.”

“With my sister,” TJ said with a shrug. “But hey, he knowsif he fucks up, I’ll kill him.”

“I’m not going to fuck up,” Zach insisted. “Look, dude, I’mscrewing up my career. I think that should show you how serious I am. And don’tgive me all the it’s-too-soon shit. Relationships in this group go one of twoways. Either something happens and the couple gets fucked up for years beforethey finally get their shit together.”

“See my parents,” Tasha said with a grin. “And Cooper’s. Oh,and TJ’s. But they’re all great now.”

“Or they take one look at each other and they’re like ‘let’sskip all the heartache and drama and just do it.’” Zach sat back, lookingpleased with himself. “I’m in the second half.”

Tasha nodded. “Me too. Though there was some heartache anddrama. See, Daisyiskind of a novella. Nate didn’t even give her ahard time.”

Carys brought her head up. “Don’t you ever tell her that.”

Tristan groaned and drew her back down. “How about we leavethe relationship stuff out of this? Tara isn’t used to us. Give the girl achance to catch up. What did we get off the mercenaries?”

Tara huffed. “Did anyone read my report?”

“I certainly did,” Adam replied, and then his eyes rolled ashe heard a smack from the kitchen. “Ignore them. It’s all right. Lou and TJwill get them back at some point. Now, I read the report, and from what Iunderstand, our broker gave up the mercenaries, but he wasn’t sure who theywere working for.”

“He says he didn’t have a name, and I’m pretty sure he wastelling the truth,” Tara replied, looking down at the tablet in her lap. “Themercenaries were a fairly new group. As far as we can tell they’d only run acouple of jobs together, though the leader is pretty well known for working inSoutheast Asia. He’s worked for arms dealers in the Philippines, and I believehis group also facilitates the importing of ghost guns into the States.”

“Well, then they’re assholes of the highest kind,” Aidansaid. “I spend most of my weekends stitching up bullet wounds.”

She knew the toll it took on him. He’d lost his firstpatient to a GSW. Working the ER in the heart of the city could be soulcrushing. She sat up slightly because she was getting drowsy and there wasstill a lot to do. “Is there any connection to Huisman?”

“Not that I’ve been able to find,” Tara replied. “He waspaid in crypto, and the mercenaries were as well. It’s damn-near impossible totrace.”

“Yes, but communications aren’t as hard,” Adam said, sittingback. “I managed to find the leader of the merc group’s Dark Web page.”

“You did? I’ve been trying to find it for days,” Taraadmitted.

“Papa is excellent at his job,” Tris said. “Though Iprobably would have found it if I hadn’t been distracted.”

“Sure you would, son.” Adam sighed but moved on. “Oddlyenough, the leader of the merc group’s cell phone was one of the few things wefound in the wreckage. It must have fallen out before the explosion, or I’mgoing to buy stock in the company who makes the case it was in. Nevertheless, Imanaged to crack it, and while he was careful, my team pulled enough data thatI was able to figure out real names and therefore able to track down hislaptop. It was sitting in a hotel room in Fort Worth. We’re going through allof it right now, but the important thing we’ve found is evidence our mercenarywas recently paid from an account associated with Disrupt Asia.”

“The group Huisman’s foundation works with.” Carys frowned.“Damn it. I hope we get the grant before you shut the whole foundation down. Weneed those carts.”

Tristan kissed her nose. “I’ll make sure you get them,baby.” He sat back and looked at his father. “So we can connect it to DisruptAsia, but I’m sure we’ll find while Huisman works with Disrupt North America,he doesn’t have ties to Asia.”

“He’s careful,” Zach replied. “My question is why. Why comeafter the wedding? If he was looking for The Jester, what would the point be?It’s too chaotic. Why not hire an assassin? Or someone to kidnap The Jester? Ican’t see how what happened at the wedding helped him. If he’s looking forinformation about the bombmaker, killing a bunch of Taggarts is going to donothing but piss them all off.”

“Or it could be about me.” TJ rubbed his cheek againstLou’s. “We know the intel put out about me being close to The Jester was false,but we also know not everyone is going to believe it wasn’t me.”

Lou sat up straighter. “But in a way it’s true. We justdidn’t know until later. You are close to The Jester. He’s sitting rightthere.”

There was a chiming through the house, and Tara stood.“Maybe we should continue this in a moment. I think our CSIS contact is here.Should we stop all the… What do you call it? D/s stuff around the Canadianoperative and try to look like we’re professionals? Is this what you and Zachdo at that place... What’s it called?”

“The Court.” Zach sighed and sat up. “And, yes, we should gointo professional mode.”

Tara nodded. “Thank you. I’ll go let him in. Or her. Theydidn’t give me a name. They were kind of rude. I was surprised because they’vealways been so nice.”

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