Page 156 of Unexpected Redemption

After a shaky exhale, I announce, “Huxley Bowen is a government official. Director at the Miami Port Authority.”

Shep whistles. “Nice friend for Lenkov to have in his pocket. Especially if he’s supplying this Huxley fucker with his preferred kink.”

Turning to Lettie, I ask, “Do you recognize any other names?”

She screws her mouth to one side. “There was a guy named Jameson who paid us a visit one night, and there’s a Jameson on the list.” She shrugs. “Not sure if it’s the same man, though. I don’t know his last name.”

My nostrils flare. “He was a . . . customer?”

“Yes. There were a few whowent slumming, as they called it.” Her eyes fall to the table, voice lowering. “They wanted girls who fought back, so coming to the prep house gave them that rush.” She grinds her teeth, anger replacing her earlier sadness. “Sick fucks.”

I reach out to comfort her, lacing our fingers together.

After a beat, she looks at me from under her long lashes and whispers, “I’m okay, babe.”

“Are we all thinking the same thing?” Sawyer asks after two seconds of silence, thus proving my earlier theory.

Boss balls both hands into fists, softly pounding the table. He’s doing his best to restrain his anger, but it’s there. Simmering under the surface. Just like the rest of us.

Gruffly, he says, “I’d bet my boat that this a list of customers or people who are keeping the Lenkov Bratva in business. Possibly both.”

Leo muses, “If so, it’s a hell of a start to pulling down the sun so the architect can fly free.”

“Well, you guys have your work cut out for you. Need you to uncover everything you can about the people on the list. Find out if there’s anything else they have in common that?—”

“Holy shit,” Klein interjects, excitement making his volume louder than needed.

All heads pivot toward him.

Except Mia’s. She’sstillburied in her laptop. What the fuck is she up to?

Without preamble, Klein says, “The fucking Undersheriff is on the list.”

Boss’s eyes shoot wide, and his forehead creases deepen.“Dempsey?”

Klein nods. “Thishasto be people protecting them.”

Lettie tuts. “Not necessarily. We already know Huxley is a customer. Maybe Dempsey is too.”

Leo seems to agree, piling on. “Exactly. Why would the architect mingle the two groups? Customers and power players in Lenkov’s pocket? Those would be on different lists.”

“Unless they’re both,” Boss says, tipping his head to one side.

Mia bangs her fist on the table, making everyone flinch. “Yes!”

“Man alive, Mia,” Lettie yelps, her hand flying to her chest.

Mia flattens her lips, turning them into a slight pout. “Sorry, Lettie. But I just found something else on the jump drive Katia gave us last night.”

My chin juts out. “What? There was only the list.”

“That’s all that was supposed to be on there,” she starts. “But whoever saved the file didn’t use a brand new drive. It has deleted files on it. Several of them.”

Shit. In my rush, I didn’t even think about attempting that.

“Ghost does it again,” Shep crows like a proud papa.

Suppose that’s deserved since he’s the one who brought Mia to us.

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