Page 192 of Things We Hide from the Light
Nash nodded. “We’re all part of the team. We’ve all got a job to do, otherwise why are we here?”
“Because Lina opened her big mouth and dragged them into it,” Knox said.
“Lina saved you a week of sleeping on the couch, which is exactly what you’d deserve if you’d gotten away with keeping me in the dark on this one. So you should be thanking her,” Naomi pointed out.
Knox looked at me and used his middle finger to rub at the corner of his eye. “Thanks, Leens,” he said.
“You’re so welcome,” I said sweetly, lifting my glass with middle finger extended.
“Let’s get back to assignments,” Nolan suggested.
“Go on,” Nash prompted me.
I blinked. “I don’t really… I’m not comfortable…”
“But you know what needs to be done,” he insisted.
“Right,” I said. “Okay then. Nash, you’re going to get access to the case file the Lawlerville PD started before the fedsmuscled their way in. Maybe there’s something in there that will tell us where Hugo went.”
He nodded his agreement and I blew out a breath. “Keep going,” he prompted.
I turned to Nolan. “Nolan, you use your charm and connections to see what information you can get on the case the feds are building against Anthony Hugo. Who’s feeding them information, and how are they getting it?”
“On it,” he said, stroking his mustache.
“Sloane?”
“Lay it on me,” she said, holding a pen poised over the notebook she’d dug out of her purse.
“We need people in town on the lookout for Duncan Hugo and his henchmen. The earlier the warning we have, the more time we have to prepare. Grim already agreed to continue keeping tabs on the Hugos’ men. If any of them head in our direction, we’ll know. But we need people here who can keep their eyes and ears open and their mouths shut.”
“Ooooh! Pick me! Pick me!” Mrs. Tweedy said, coming halfway out of her seat, hand raised like an eager student.
“Okay. Mrs. Tweedy is our first official spy,” Sloane agreed.
“That means you can’t be blabbing about this to anyone,” Knox reminded his elderly tenant.
“I know when to blab and when to keep my trap shut,” she shot back.
“Choose people you know you can trust not to run their mouths about this. The last thing we need is a whole town looking for a fight,” Nash cautioned Sloane.
“Maybe we can spin a few tall tales to a couple big-mouthed gossips so they can be on the lookout without knowing exactly why,” Mrs. Tweedy suggested.
“How would that work?” I asked.
“Take Face Tattoo Guy. I can casually mention to Neecey at Dino’s that I heard a guy with face tattoos is looking to buy up acres of farmland to build a bunch of hipster condominiums and vape shops.”
“That’s not a terrible idea,” Lucian and Sloane said at the same time. They shared a long, simmering glare.
“Knox,” I continued.
He still had Naomi glued to his side with one tattooed arm around her shoulders. “Let’s have it, boss.”
“Local security. Beef up the system at your place and here at Nash’s. Lucian, can you find a way to track Nash, Naomi, and Waylay in case they get separated from their phones?”
Nash’s eyes swung back to me. “Now hold on a minute. I’ve already got a federal shadow—”
“Don’t bother arguing,” Naomi said to him. “If it’s a precaution Waylay and I have to take, you have to take it too.”
