Page 18 of Blind Justice

Chapter Three

“Trixie, we need to talk,” Duncan said over the phone.

“Oh? Do we?” The way she purred her words had him shaking his head. “Are you leaving your FBI job and going rogue? Or have you come to realize kneeling at my feet is where you need to be?”

He chuckled, relieving some of the tension in his shoulders. “If only you were my type.”

“Star crossed lovers.” She sighed. “Destined to never find happiness together.” She cleared her throat. “What can I do for you, Duncan? Are your wards coming tonight?”

“About that...” He scrubbed the back of his neck.

“Oh? Have things resolved themselves then?”

He wished. No, things had become more complicated. Add in Omar, well, he didn’t think there was a better fitting term than FUBAR—Fucked Up Beyond All Repair. The death of Bella and Enzo’s family put another level of stress onto the mission. “I needed to update you on matters.”

“I’m all ears.”

“After I left the club last night, I received a phone call from an old friend in the FBI. It appears Raul’s on a killing spree. He murdered a mother and father in San Diego and at least two of his men near Colorado. He’s slowly making his way to the East Coast.” The murders were methodical, from everything he’d had time to read. It was simple elimination. Take out all those who could possibly turn state’s evidence or worse, go to work for another cartel and destroy what was left of the Nieto Cartel, which wasn’t much.

“The mother and father murdered last night weren’t random, were they? You wouldn’t be giving me inside information if it didn’t have to do with your wards.” Trixie had been around all of them, agents, military men, industry cut-throats, and more so, her intuition was off the charts.

“No, it wasn’t, and no, I wouldn’t.” Bringing Enzo and Bella to Club X could put everyone at risk. If Trixie rescinded her permission, he wouldn’t blame her. “It was their parents.”

“Spit out the rest of it,” Trixie said. “I know there’s more.”

“I have a guy who’s going to be with Enzo and Bella when I can’t be. His name is Omar Pershing.” The poor guy tried to assert himself as top dog, but he still had a way to go if he thought he intimidated Thomas or Duncan.

“Hmm...”

“I won’t put the club at risk. If you say no now, I’ll understand. You have more to worry about than my case.” Using a BDSM club as a safehouse was a whim anyway. It brought about several challenges like protecting the club members, and as much as Duncan wanted to play with Enzo, explaining where they were if Bella or Enzo tried to sneak their way to the main floor would prove challenging. Even though Paul would stop them, they’d still have questions.

“Where would Omar be when not with Enzo or Bella?”

“Hotel, I assume.”

“Doesn’t sound very advantageous for you or Omar should something happen,” Trixie replied.

“I don’t have any intentions of allowing anything to happen at the club.” Was he making the wrong decision? If he brought the siblings there and someone got hurt, it would be on him. However, the chances of Raul finding them were slim to none. The FBI bought everything they wore, and Duncan even made them ditch their phones. He didn’t think they had trackers on them either. Which meant, more than likely, Raul wasn’t coming for them. He wanted Bexley.

“Still. If you have an operative with you, shouldn’t you maximize his usage?” Trixie had a point. It would be nice to have Omar there, even though he rubbed Duncan the wrong way.

“I’m sure I can figure it out as I go.”

She sighed. “You’re so stubborn, Duncan. It’s part of your charm and also why you infuriate me. Do you have information on this Omar Pershing?”

“I can get it to you. It’ll come from Asher.”

“Send it along. We’ll figure out living arrangements when you arrive. Also, bring Enzo, Bella, and Omar to your quarters using the elevator from the parking garage. It will keep them out of the club proper. Remind them the only two places the elevator goes is to the apartment level and the lobby. Nowhere else.”

“I owe you, Trixie,” Duncan said. “We’ll be there about nine.”

“You do. I’m adding it to your tab,” she teased. “See you tonight.”

Duncan pulledinto the driveway of the club and stopped at the guard shack. He hoped Trixie would instruct those who interacted with him for the time being to not refer to him as Master Duncan. It would make for some awkward conversations, though he did want to eventually have them with Enzo and maybe Bella when she wasn’t lost within her grief.

The guard waved him through, and he continued into the parking garage where the resident elevator was located. It would be easier this way. It bypassed them meeting Paul to keep their curiosity to a minimum. Duncan glanced at Enzo. The guy kept checking the mirrors and their surroundings as they drove. He hadn’t stopped yet. Duncan didn’t blame him. They should have died in Mexico, plain and simple. If they had then maybe their parents would be alive.

“This is where you’ll be staying.” Duncan put his car in park then shut it off. “I’ll be with you as much as possible, but there will be times when Omar will be. When he is, if you need anything, he’s the one who will get it.”

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