Chapter Sixteen
Ace
Ace forced himself to stay awake since Conrad had remained to keep him company. If it had been anyone else, he might have asked them to leave so he could rest. And by rest he meant stare at the door, waiting for Rayna to return. “Was that Regina?” he asked the male man-spreading in a hard chair beside the bed with his arms crossed over his chest now that he’d put his phone away.
“Yes. They’re at the hotel where Grissom is staying.”
“Doing what exactly?”
“Having a drink while Lucy hacks the computers.”
Ace huffed. “How do you do it?”
“Pretend that I’m okay with my mate out playing Jane Bond with your female?”
Asher’s mouth quirked in a quasi-smile, but it was short-lived. “Yes.”
“Knowing that Sutton followed them helps, but I learned a long time ago that Gina is her own being. She’s strong and intelligent. I trust her. Does she sometimes do things I’d rather she didn’t? Yep. But I wouldn’t want a weaker female. One who couldn’t think for herself. It doesn’t mean I don’t need to protect her in here.” Con tapped his temple, then his heart. “Just like when she wanted her shot at Amos, and Ripley argued with me. I didn’t want her getting her claws bloody, but who am I to say no to a momma wanting revenge for her kids? You have to know she’s just as protective of you and Rayna as she is of Ripley and Glory. Yes, Rayna is a trained agent, but that doesn’t matter to Gina. Since you couldn’t go with her, Regina did so on your behalf. Besides, our Gryphons check in with each other often. If there were a problem, I’d know it.”
“But you were texting her,” Ace accused.
Conrad leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. “I was getting an ETA for you, Son. You look like you’re ready to jump out of the bed and go after your mate.”
“And?” Ace hated being a whiny bitch, but damn, he wanted Rayna back where it was safe.
Con grinned. “Gina said soon. Why don’t you tell me how the two of you met.”
“I thought you already talked to Rayna about that.”
“I did, but I’d like your take on it.”
Ace knew the male was distracting him, but he launched into his side of the last few days anyway. What he didn’t share was about being demi. Not that he thought Con would judge him. He just didn’t feel it was necessary to share that when Rayna considered them mates. That was another thing he was trying to get used to besides sitting in bed, unable to help. Why hadn’t she told him he was her fated mate?
Because you needed time to get to know her. She didn’t want to put pressure on you.
Her comment about how she would be his friend if things didn’t work out now made sense. She wanted him in her life however she could get him. Rayna was going to get all of him, heart, soul, and eventually body. Too bad he’d been shot, or the body might have come sooner than later.
“Asher?” Con called his name.
“What?”
“I lost you.”
“Sorry. Just thinking about Rayna.”
Regina’s voice carried down the hallway, and Ace perked up. Rayna was first through the door, followed by Con’s mate. Rayna walked directly to his bed and sat down, tossing the mask and wig off to the side before lifting his hand to her mouth. She kissed his knuckles before placing his hand on her lap. Her mood was off.
“What’s wrong?”
Regina took a seat on Con’s lap as Rayna recapped everything that happened. “Once we had Grissom’s room number, Regina was going to voice him regarding Seth, but he wasn’t there. Lucy tapped into the security cameras, but there was no sign of him getting off the elevator on his floor. It took her a bit, but she figured out why. The cameras in the hotel had been set on a loop, and we all know who has that ability.”
“Spencer,” Ace said. “But if he’s helping Grissom, does that mean both the deputy director and Hanson are on the take?”
“That’s the question of the hour,” Regina added. “That and where the hell did he go?”
“We couldn’t check every room of the hotel. We did knock on the doors surrounding his room, and he wasn’t in any of them.” Rayna rocked her head from side to side, popping her neck. “I had an idea, but you’re not going to like it.”
“What’s your idea?” Ace braced himself.
“Spencer was held at the correctional facility up in New Ray Brook. I want to drive up there and ask questions.”
That wasn’t as bad as Ace had been expecting. He wouldn’t tell Rayna not to go even though he wanted to shelter her from her bosses. “To what end?”
“Mainly to see if Seth is there. If Grissom stashed him somewhere, it’s possible he made it appear Seth was being detained.”
“That kind of shit goes on within your organization?” Conrad asked.
“Not often, but it does happen. I need to rule it out before I go into the office.” Rayna toyed with Ace’s fingers. “I want nothing more than to go home and take care of you when Rev gives the all-clear.”
“But you need to do this for Seth and Vanessa. I get it, Ray. If it were Ripper who was missing, I’d do whatever it took to find him.”
“Goddess, this sucks.”
“It does, and I may not have known you long, but I understand this is something you need to do. You’re a trained agent with an impeccable record, so go find your partner. Con and Regina will make sure I get home and settled.”
“Damn right we will,” Regina said.
Rayna studied Ace’s face. He smiled even though he wasn’t happy. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his while running her fingers through his hair. “As soon as I find Seth and make sure he’s okay, I’m turning in my resignation. I can’t help find Spencer, and if one or more of the bosses are involved with him? That’s above my paygrade anyway.”
“Then go find Seth and come back to me safely. We have a garden to plant and stars to gaze at.”
“I’m going to stop off at your house for my suits, so don’t worry if you see some of my things gone.”
“I have several burner phones in the drawer by the refrigerator. Grab one before you leave.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Do you want me to drive you?” Regina asked.
“Just to Asher’s. I’ll call for a ride back to my place.”
“Be safe,” Ace said, not wanting to let her go.
“Always.” Rayna lifted his hand, pressing it to her cheek, then kissed his palm. She rose from the bed, grabbed the prosthetic and wig, then she and Regina left once again. Ace had never felt as useless as he did in that moment.
“Do you want me to follow her?” Con offered.
“No. I have to trust Zeus and her goddess to watch after her. I don’t think I’d be given my mate after all these years to lose her this quickly.” Ace sent up a prayer asking his god to keep his female safe.
Rayna
It felt strange entering her home after being gone for so long. The house was stuffy, so Rayna cracked a few windows to let the air circulate while she took her toiletries to her bathroom and unpacked them. She hadn’t brought her casual clothes from Asher’s since she planned on going back soon. She hung up her suits and tossed her low heels onto the floor instead of placing them in the rack. Her service weapon and holster were next, but she didn’t put the gun in the lockbox since she was leaving again soon.
Rayna went to the bathroom and dabbed on a little makeup before twisting her hair into a low bun. She swapped her shorts and tee for a button-up and one of her pantsuits. She hated pantyhose, so she opted for the nylon footies that weren’t much better. After putting on her shoulder holster, she checked her weapon before sliding it home. She grabbed her jacket, shoved her feet in the ugly shoes, and retreated to the living room where she’d left her purse. The new burner phone was already loaded with several numbers including those of Regina, Conrad, Lucy, and Asher. She found her work phone where it was charging on the kitchen counter. How long could a phone stay plugged in? It had been months, but when she tapped the screen, it loaded normally. She didn’t carry a purse while she was working. Instead, she had a slim wallet that fit in her back pocket, which held her driver’s license and one credit card. She grabbed both phones and her keys, then locked up behind her. Once she stepped into the garage, her Cheetah growled.
What’s wrong?
Someone’s been in here.
Rayna pulled her weapon from the holster. Are they still here?
No. But it smells like Seth.
Yeah, he was supposed to be here to start my car once a week.
Her Cheetah grumbled, but Rayna ignored her. Once she was behind the wheel, she pushed the button, and it started right up. While working, she drove a company vehicle, but she didn’t plan on being employed much longer, so she didn’t go by the office to swap.
The drive to Ray Brook normally took two and a half hours, but Rayna stopped at a drive-thru for chicken nuggets and fries. When she arrived at the facility, she went through the standard security protocol. Once inside, she made her way to the desk of Special Agent Carl Sartain whom she worked with when interrogating Spencer.
“Agent Bellamy, it’s been a minute,” he said in greeting.
“That it has.” Rayna lowered her voice. “Have you seen Seth?”
Carl leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. “Not since David Spencer was transferred. Is Seth no longer your partner?”
“He is.” Rayna had always trusted Carl, but now she didn’t know whether she should confide in him. Taking a big chance, she shared, “But there are strange things going on in our office, like the deputy director answering Seth’s phone and refusing to tell me where he is.”
“That’s fucked up. Do you think McCauley’s in trouble?”
“I do. I went undercover, and when I… took myself out of the situation, Seth warned me to stay away from the office. He was looking into something, and it could be that he found proof of wrongdoing.” Rayna couldn’t come right out and accuse their boss.
Careful. He smells… hostile.
“Wait, you said transferred. Seth told me Grissom made a deal with the GIA to release Spencer.”
“Then he lied to you. McCauley’s paperwork showed he was moving Spencer to a high-security facility.”
“Seth’s paperwork?”
“Yes. He was the one who picked Spencer up.”
“Fuck,” Rayna muttered. “Spencer was not taken to another facility. If he was, he escaped because yesterday he showed up at one of The Ministry’s compounds and got in a shootout with a guard. Spencer’s mother and the guard are dead, and an innocent bystander was struck by a stray bullet. Now Spencer is missing, and my partner could be as well. His wife hasn’t heard from him since yesterday morning.”
“There are protocols in place for transfers. If he didn’t show up within the designated timeframe, someone would have been notified.”
“Unless the paperwork was never filed. Do you know which facility he was supposed to go to?”
“Canaan in Pennsylvania. Hang on.” Carl leaned forward and tapped his keyboard. “Sonofabitch.” Carl ran a hand down his face. “There’s no record of the transfer.”
“Spencer is one of the best hackers out there.”
Carl spread his hands. “What if the paperwork was a false trail, and Seth took Spencer to meet with a GIA agent?”
“Then he would have told me that’s what happened.” Wouldn’t he?
“Rayna, you know your partner better than anyone.”
“I do, and that’s why I will not for one second believe he had anything to do with Spencer not being where he was supposed to be.”
Carl’s eyes flashed with something akin to disbelief. It could have been pity, but he masked it quickly. “Where’s Hanson in all of this?”
“According to Seth, he sent an inner office memo saying he was going out of town. Grissom stopped by the office Monday asking for Hanson’s whereabouts. There are too many things that don’t add up about all of this.” She wouldn’t admit to Carl that the Hounds were doing their own research in the background. Speaking of, she wondered if Bishop or Lachlan had made any progress.
“I agree. What are you going to do now?”
Rayna sighed. “Go to the office and confront Grissom.”
Carl stood and walked around his desk, leaning his hip on the edge. “Do you honestly think that’s a good idea?”
“No, but it’s the only one I have.”
“I have a buddy that works in your office. I’ll give him a call and see if he’s noticed anything odd.”
“I appreciate it. Take care, Carl.”
“You be safe out there, Rayna. Let me know if you find your partner.”
Rayna turned and gave him a two-fingered salute as she walked away. When she got in her car, she checked the burner for any messages.
Lucy: I finally pieced together what happened with cameras from different businesses. Grissom entered the hotel, then immediately left out a side door. He got into a vehicle belonging to a Chris Perkins. They traveled east. I alerted Lachlan to help track them because they got on the interstate.
Rayna: I’m leaving Ray Brook now. Can I call?
Lucy: Yes
Rayna connected the phone to the Bluetooth and dialed the female.
“Hey, Rayna. What did you find out?”
Rayna recounted her conversation with Carl. “I don’t get why Seth would lie to me.”
“Maybe he’s protecting you. Until you know otherwise, keep trusting him. I’m going to try to retrace his steps. Vanessa said he left home yesterday morning, so I’ll search the cameras around town and see what I come up with.”
“Thanks, Lucy.”
Rayna disconnected, then headed home. Her thoughts spiraled, swirled, danced, and twisted between Asher, Seth, and her boss. Why would Seth tell her Spencer had been turned loose when he was the one who was involved in the transfer? No, the transfer was bogus. Paperwork to cover his ass while he moved Spencer. But move him where? And why lie to Rayna unless he were involved in something he shouldn’t be?
Needing to hear Asher’s voice, she called her mate. After asking how he felt, she repeated her conversation with Carl.
“I still think until you know otherwise, you trust your partner. You have good instincts, Rayna.”
“Thank you, Asher. I’m going home to change clothes, but I’ll see you soon.”
“I can’t wait.”
By the time Rayna got to her house, she knew what to do. She parked in the garage and as soon as she opened the car door, her Cheetah growled.
What’s wrong now?
I think you should look around. Something feels off.
Since her Cheetah had better instincts than Rayna did in her skin, she searched her house room by room, but nothing was out of place. The doors were intact, as were the locks. None of the windows were broken. Seth and Vanessa were the only ones with keys and the code. Still, she did a cursory glance for tracking devices. Not finding any, she blew out a breath and dropped down on the sofa. What the fuck? Why would Seth break in without leaving a note? Because he didn’t think she would notice if the alarm wasn’t tripped.
Rayna went through her house once more, this time, searching more thoroughly for anything hidden. She looked in all the air vents. She checked the bottom of her furniture, removing cushions. She stripped her bed after pulling the frame away from the wall. Rayna checked behind every piece of artwork. She then went to the garage and looked around. After a cursory glance, she turned to go back inside when she noticed her shovel. It was hanging on the rack but in the wrong spot. Taking the tool with her, Rayna moved through the house and out the back door, searching her yard for signs of turned soil. She didn’t see any, but what she did notice was a large flower pot in the wrong spot.
Rayna moved the pot to the side, and there she found disturbed earth. She carefully dug, not sure what she would find. Buried about six inches down was a gallon-sized freezer bag. She dug it out using only the shovel, not wanting to get her fingerprints on the plastic. Inside was a thumb drive, a stack of photos, and some folded papers. Rayna ran inside and grabbed a paper towel, which she used to lift the plastic bag, taking it to her kitchen. She then replaced the dirt and put the flower pot back where she’d found it so if Seth were to come back, he wouldn’t immediately know something was amiss.
Rayna went to the garage and retrieved a pair of latex gloves from the kit in her trunk. She also grabbed the burner phone from the console. She opened the camera app and took a photo of the sealed bag. Rayna wanted to know what was on the thumb drive, but she wasn’t going to risk turning on her computer to do so. She reached for the folded papers, but one of the photos caught her attention. Using a gloved fingertip, Rayna spread them out.
“Holy shit.” She studied them all before taking a photo of each one. She then unfolded the documents, read them over, and took a picture of them as well. After restacking the photos into a pile, she shoved them, the documents, and the thumb drive back inside the plastic bag. She then retrieved another Ziploc bag from her pantry and inserted the evidence bag inside it to keep it safe.
Rayna rushed through the house and began packing while calling Lucy on her burner.
“Hey, Rayna.”
“Lucy, I don’t know what the fuck’s going on, but someone, and I’m pretty sure it was Seth, buried something in my backyard. There are documents, photos, and a thumb drive. I’m not about to put the drive in my computer, but oh my goddess…”
“Breathe, Rayna.”
“I took a picture of everything on my burner. I’m going to text everything to you after I encrypt it.”
“Why don’t you bring that stuff to my house? We can look at the thumb drive on my computer.”
“Yeah. I’d appreciate that. Shoot me your address. You live in New Troy, right?”
“I do.”
“I’m going to pack, but I should be there within an hour.”
“See you then.”
Rayna sent the encrypted text, then packed everything she would need for at least a month because she wasn’t coming back to her house for at least that long.