Chapter 15
Jane went over the facts her investigation had uncovered, paying particular attention to David Duvall and his mention of ravens.
“It’s thin, but it tracks.” Matthew scowled.
“Can you tell me how you found out about this Rook character? What it means?”
“I’m not sure yet. But you mentioned the Collective. That I can tell you about.”
Jane waited. Matthew ran a hand through his hair, and she heard his frustration when he said, “You hear about conspiracy theories all the time. This group or that group is pulling the strings, voting one way or another, corrupting fair trade, fair policy. But Jane, I’ve been hearing things.”
“How? Where?”
“I’d rather not say where, but I overheard mention of some exchanges that didn’t make much sense to me. Until I saw government policies changing. Things in the Bureau. Rules our mayor is implementing.”
“Seriously? Do you have specifics?”
“Nothing I can definitely prove, but I’m paying attention now like I wasn’t before.
And the name ‘the Collective’ has come up a few times.
When you mentioned you found that name at the house of one of the murdered families, it made me look deeper.
” He paused. “You said you unearthed a notebook at the latest crime scene?”
“I did. It listed several prominent names. Three of the murdered families were on it.”
“It’s obviously connected.”
“I agree. But where does Rook come in? And why would David Duvall hint without plainly stating his brother’s involvement? If that’s what he was talking about. For all I know, it might have been Karen Duvall with ties to Rook. To him? Her? What is this rook, Matthew?”
“I keep hearing about a mastermind behind a lot of crime, especially in the Pacific Northwest. It’s sophisticated.
We’re not talking smash and grabs. We’re talking heists of millions.
No trace of the perpetrators. These aren’t victimless crimes, but they’re at such a high level that it takes weeks and months of audits to prove money’s missing. ”
“White collar crime?”
“Yes and no. I can’t prove it, but I think Rook is the person behind the thefts and murders of high-profile individuals.”
“Like the Duvalls, Coatneys, and Strands?”
He frowned. “Yes. But I’m not sure why Rook is targeting the Collective. I had thought he was behind the Collective at first, a part of a shadowy organization. But if this individual is behind their murders, then I’m confused at motivation.”
“How do you know the Collective exists? I didn’t until I found the notebook. You said you heard about it?”
Matthew stood and started pacing in the small confines of the patio. He didn’t have much room to move, but that didn’t stop him from trying to work off nervous energy.
Jane frowned. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t think so. I think…” After a moment, he stopped and stared down at her. “I need to trust someone. Can I trust you, Jane?”
Taken aback, she nodded. “Of course.”
He sighed. “I think my family might have something to do with the Collective. Not that they’re a part of it, but that they might know something about it. My father has a lot of pull, and my mother’s connection to Grandfather’s company—”
“Raleway Tech. The Rupert fortune.”
He nodded. “I wouldn’t put it past my grandfather to be involved in some diabolical consortium. Nelson Rupert is all about power, wealth, and keeping it all within the one percent.”
“So you have suspicions but nothing you can prove or go forward with without involving your family—who may or may not be involved.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “The Collective is speculation with regard to my family, but we know it’s real because you found that notebook at the Strand house.”
“Yes. That’s fact.”
“Good. Let’s stick with facts. The Collective is amassing power to sway votes, policy, and other important rules the rest of us will have to live with. And Rook seems to be behind a lot of what they’re doing.”
“Unless he or she is killing said Collective.”
Matthew rubbed his jaw. “It’s all conjecture. I hate not having more concrete proof.”
“Who knows about this besides you and me?”
“Jon Haversham. He and I have been working on this for months. He’s the only one I trust.” Matthew paused. “Aside from you.”
Warmth bloomed inside her. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Believing in me.”
He gave a weak chuckle. “Jane, you’re a lot of things. A pain in the ass, a trial for those of us wanting to color inside the lines. But you’re a straight shooter. I know you’d never do anything to compromise the integrity of the oaths you took when you became a federal agent and Marine.”
She blinked. “You know I served?”
“Of course. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Isn’t that what you jarheads say?”
Jane laughed. “Yeah. But we’re not all blockheads. Marines aren’t perfect. We’re made of a lot of people with agendas. But we value dedication to our country. I believe in the ideal of equality for all and that rules are meant to be followed.”
“Until they’re meant to be broken.” Matthew lifted his coffee cup and grimaced after a sip. “Ugh. Cold coffee.”
She grinned. “The worst.”
He grinned with her before sobering once more.
“I need you to keep this quiet. I don’t know how much influence this Collective has on the Bureau.
Jane, I don’t know if you realize it. But all the names you mentioned on that list total a net worth of over a billion dollars.
Money and power go hand in hand. We need to find out what the Collective wants and what Rook is really after. ”
“I’ll do my best. Right now, I know the Collective is real. I have seven more names to investigate. I also need to get my hands back on that book.”
Matthew started. “You don’t have it at the office?”
“No. I handed it to our code people.”
He swore. “I wouldn’t bet on you being able to find it when you try to retrieve the evidence.”
A hole opened in the pit of her stomach. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “I’d love to be wrong, but I’d bet you our next dinner that I’m not.”
It took her a moment. “Our next dinner?”
His smile was slow in coming, but it heated her from the inside. “Well, I fed you and entertained you, but we ended on a down note. After all that great food, the wine, the views, I had to ruin our good time with worries about the future.”
She huffed. “Oh please. We’ll always have worries about the future. That’s the job.”
“And that’s why you’re my favorite agent.”
Her cheeks felt hot. “Stop.” She realized the hour had grown later than she’d liked, and she normally went to sleep early on work nights. “I guess this is your way of telling me to get going.”
“Not at all.” He opened his mouth then closed it.
“What?”
“Well, I was going to say you could sleep here, but then I thought that might sound a little pushy. And I don’t want to offend.”
She didn’t know how to respond.
He chuckled. “I just meant I don’t want to be responsible for you drinking and driving, so you could sleep here.”
“Oh. I actually didn’t drink that much wine. I’m pretty sugared and caffeinated, to be honest.”
“That’s good.” He cleared his throat, still staring at her. “But you really can stay here if you want. I have guest rooms.”
It felt like he left a lot unsaid, like that he also had a bedroom she might want to share. She could almost see him holding back then wondered if she was imagining things. Just because she found him attractive didn’t mean he was into her that way.
Jane had something men seemed to like, but it wasn’t necessarily looks. She was pretty in a rough sort of way. Not like Jenn Sullivan, who could have skipped the FBI to model fulltime.
“You should probably go,” Matthew said, his voice gruff, his gaze roaming her face.
Uh-oh. That look she recognized.
So he was attracted to her.
She had no idea what to do with that information. So when he reached out a hand, she took it and let him help her to her feet.
In silence, he walked her downstairs to the front door, his hand still holding hers. At the door, he drew her closer.
She blinked up at him. “Matthew?” Why the heck was her voice so soft?
Leaning close, he whispered a kiss against her lips. There and gone.
“I’ll see you soon, Jane. Please, be careful. And let me know what you find about the Collective and that book.”
“I will.” Her mouth tingled, but she focused enough to leave and walk to her car, get in, and start it up.
She touched her lips, still in shock. What the heck have I gotten myself into?
A conspiracy?
Kissing Matthew Scott?
She drove home, still in a state of unreality until she slid between the covers and set her alarm.
Jane had a job to do, and she’d do it no matter who stood in her way.
With any luck, she’d find answers and relay them to Matthew over their next dinner.
And maybe score another kiss or two.
She went to sleep with a smile on her face.