Page 83 of The Thief
"Money trail?"
"Cash only. Small amounts, nothing traceable."
We're getting details, but nothing that helps us find Trace. Nothing that tells us where he's taken Alastríona.
"Think," I say, getting in Marcus' face. "Where would he take her? What's his endgame?"
"He wants to break Henry. Wants to prove that the old man can't protect his own family."
"And then?"
"Then he kills her. Slowly. And he makes Henry watch."
Rage builds in my chest, cold and focused. This bastard has been planning Alastríona's torture and murder for months. He’s been sitting at Henry's table, pretending to be family, while plotting the destruction of everything Henry built.
"Where?" I ask again.
"I swear to God, I don't know."
Danny's knife finds another spot, this time between Marcus' ribs. Not deep enough to hit organs, but deep enough to make him think he's dying.
"Last chance," Danny says. "Before I start cutting things you'll really miss."
"Please," Marcus sobs. "I've told you everything. There's nothing else."
He's telling the truth, I realize. Whatever else Marcus is, he's not strong enough to hold out under this kind of pressure. If he knew where Trace was, he'd have told us by now.
Which means we're running out of time and options.
"One more question," I say. "How does Trace communicate with his people? Real-time, operational stuff."
"Encrypted phones. Military grade. He changes the frequencies daily."
"You have one?"
"Upstairs. In my office safe."
"Combination?"
"Henry's birthday. Month, day, year."
Of course. Even in betrayal, Marcus couldn't completely let go of the man who'd been like a father to him.
I turn to leave, but Marcus calls out.
"Wait. There's something else."
"What?"
"Trace isn't just after the girl. This whole war, everything he's done—it's personal."
"Personal how?"
"His wife. Ava. He blames this family for her death."
"Ava died because she was playing both sides. He shot her. He killed her."
"Try telling him that. In his mind, you seduced her away from him and made her betray everything she believed in."
