Page 16 of Blind Justice

Thomas’s mouth quirked upward in amusement. “FBI has shit like that too.” Thomas was a die-hard FBI agent and didn’t like when others attempted to disparage the agency.

“R.O.O.T.’s is better,” Omar stated before he closed the file.

Enzo sized Omar up. “When’s the call?”

“Now,” Omar replied, not intimidated by a man half his size.

“Fine. I’ll go stay with Bella while you all go do your top-secret spy shit.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Thomas stood.

When Enzo left the living room after grabbing a can of soda from the fridge, Omar lifted the folder he held and gestured toward the short hallway. “It’ll be best if we take the Commander’s call in your room, Duncan.”

“Bring chairs, or else you’re sitting on the floor.” Duncan called over his shoulder as he headed down the hall.

Duncan pulled the lone chair out from his desk and placed it near the closet, then readjusted it after he opened the door. Thomas sat on the edge of Duncan’s bed. Omar, on the other hand, dragged one of the kitchen chairs in behind him. He swung it around then sat. The classic intimidation move didn’t surprise Duncan, and if the amused glint in Thomas’s eyes was any indication, he hadn’t been shocked either.

Duncan’s da did it all the time, especially when interrogating someone or when he was trying to show who was the biggest, baddest motherfucker in the room. Unfortunately for Omar, Duncan just moved him down the ladder from military meathead to douchebag. It rubbed him the wrong way. While in his apartment, they were all on equal footing. Pulling a pissing contest and trying to be top dog wouldn’t work.

The monitor mounted to the wall flickered to life, and Asher was dead center at the table, surrounded by the upper elite of his team. Even through the screen, Duncan could sense the other man’s intensity. Noah sat to Asher’s right and Callahan to his left. The other members were spread around, and nestled in the right-hand corner of the screen was Agent Laura Pratt, sitting alone in a standard FBI conference room.

Without any preamble, Asher began the meeting. “As you all know by now, it appears Raul has gone on a killing spree.”

The bastard should’ve been six feet under after the shit in Mexico, but instead he was wreaking havoc in the States. It pissed Duncan the hell off. Whoever tipped Raul off to the raid cost them everything. Now, Raul was trying to cover his tracks and make sure no one was left behind to betray him. “Other than the Suarezes?”

Asher nodded. “A few of Raul’s lieutenants. They moved their families to the US. Some joined their families in rural areas of Mexico when shit went south during the auction. All of them are figuring out they weren’t as smart as they thought.”

“Not surprising.” Duncan snorted. Raul wasn’t stupid, not when it came to making sure his underlings remained loyal. The easiest way to keep his men under his thumb was to use their family to get what he wanted or needed. He’d learned that from his da while still in nappies.

“Raul knew where their loved ones were the entire time,” Asher added.

“Of course he did.” Duncan rolled his shoulders. “Look, this is all simple shit. Raul isn’t going to allow his men to run away while he’s on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. He’s going to force them to help him. Those not loyal will end up dead.”

Thomas joined Duncan, standing behind his right shoulder. “How many?”

“Including the Suarezes, a dozen,” Noah answered. “That we know of.”

“Where?” Thomas pressed.

“Mostly the West Coast and a couple in the Mid-West,” Asher said, features twisted in anger. “It’s why we can’t say definitively it’s all Raul, even if it is his men who’ve died.”

Pratt cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the others. “I’ve already reached out to the local authorities for the coroners’ reports with the hopes of getting the time of death on the victims along with method. With Naomi, he slit her throat. We have to assume he would do the same with the others. The reports should also give us a clear idea of the path he’s taken and where he’s going.”

Duncan snorted. If all of the murders were connected, it was obvious where Raul was going. “He’s heading toward Virginia, most likely Virginia Beach, to grab Bexley.”

“Agreed,” Asher said before turning his attention to Noah. He said something in a tone so low the mics didn’t catch it.

Noah nodded, making notes on the handheld device resting in front of him.

“Maybe we can get lucky and he’ll get picked up because of a busted headlight or something,” Omar said.

“That shit only happens in movies,” Thomas stated.

“You still moving your witnesses?” Asher cocked a brow, referencing their conversation from last night.

Duncan nodded. “After dinner tonight, we’ll head over.”

“Do the siblings know about their parents?”

---