Chapter 27 #2
“Any reason why they’re targeting Weston Tech in particular?
” Knox leaned back in his seat, palms on the table next to his laptop.
“I get they’re a major player in the defense space, and if Blackburn won the contracts, we’re talking billions .
. . but it feels almost personal in how they’re going about it. ”
“Any chance Elliott Nelson blames Weston Tech for going bankrupt?” Insider trading, maybe?
“Nothing obvious, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a connection,” Harper said.
Liam thought back to Emily’s words when they were leaving the safe house yesterday. Revenge, money, and power. “It’s the trifecta.”
“What?” Asher’s brows drew together.
“Sorry.” Liam blinked and directed his attention Asher’s way. “It’s not just about money and power. I think Knox is onto something, and I bet revenge is also a motivating factor.”
“Maybe for Jeremiah, too, since he lost the gig to Hans,” A.J. noted. “They’re all working together to take down their enemies for their own personal gains.”
Jessica flicked her gaze to Harper. “I’m betting whatever Hans is working on for NORAD is somehow connected to the contract Weston Tech won.” She held a palm in the air, her mind clearly working through an idea.
“Sabotage?” Harper followed her line of thought.
“They want the technology supplied by Weston to fail in a big-arse way,” Wyatt suggested.
“And Jeremiah might get the job offer with NORAD if Hans is gone.” Liam expelled a deep breath at the thought. “Did we find any connections between this guy Connor from the port and Blackburn?”
“Connor Grady doesn’t appear to have any connections to them on paper, but I can place him in Nottingham shortly after he was at that port in Adra,” Harper said.
“But not in Bristol?” Liam asked.
“No, but . . . just a second.” Harper began working fast at the keys and Liam took the chance to refill his coffee, he was going to need it. “Got it.”
Jessica went around behind Harper’s chair to see her screen. “Jeremiah was at the lab in Bristol a day before the fire.”
“I got a list of Carballo’s cargo seized by the Spanish,” Harper announced.
“There’s a special type of charge mechanism to set a fast-burning fire some of the Mexican and Colombian cartels have been notorious for using against their competitors.
The charge self-destructs after the fire is started and all traces of arson are destroyed. The fires look accidental.”
“So, Jeremiah could’ve placed that charge in Bristol and set it for the next day.” Jessica stood tall, her eyes moving across the room to Liam. “If Manchester is their third target, we need to warn them.”
“But the shipment was seized, and Connor is on his way back to England empty-handed,” Harper reminded her.
“These people will have a backup plan,” Asher said. “Knox and I can head to the train station tonight and follow Connor. With any luck, he’ll lead us to Vanessa or Elliott before the gala, and we can end this early.”
“I don’t have either of them on the hotel guest list, but Jeremiah’s staying there,” Jessica added.
“I assume no residency for Vanessa or Elliott in or around London?” Liam asked.
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Harper’s smile dissolved. “But maybe Connor can lead us to them.”
“Right now, all of this is circumstantial,” Liam said. “Aside from Connor being at the port, we have no hard evidence.”
“Which means we need to wait until they grab Hans?”
Liam’s body tensed at the sound of Emily’s voice, and he turned to find her standing at the base of the stairwell open to the room.
“Maybe,” Jessica answered. “We’ll see what he knows when we try and talk to him before the event.”
Liam still wasn’t sure if talking to Hans was the best idea, but they needed to let him know Elaina was safe so he wouldn’t attempt to do anything stupid.
“I guess I’m late to the party,” she said with a little wave.
“Half the team is asleep,” Jessica spoke up when Liam’s throat muscles had decided to lock up on him. “No worries.”
Emily’s hair was damp, so she must’ve already showered. Dressed in her dark denim jeans, white Chucks, and a light pink V-neck, she strode farther into the room and sat on the other couch, off to Liam’s side.
“Forgive A.J.’s attire.” Wyatt elbowed A.J. “He was just going to get dressed, right, chap?”
“Damn Brit,” A.J. responded with a chuckle then stood, pillow still fixed to the front of his boxers.
“You have twenty minutes to get ready.” Jessica approached A.J. “I need you to do a perimeter sweep of the hotel convention center. I want to know every possible way in and out of the place.”
“I’ll go with him since I don’t need to be at the station until close to midnight.” Asher stood and stretched his arms above his head and ripped a moan loose from deep in his chest.
“Yeah, that’s about how you sounded a few hours ago when you were shagging,” Wyatt commented.
“Let’s stay on track, guys.” A soft blush touched Jessica’s cheeks. “We should also get a room at the hotel across the street from the gala for observation.”
“Overwatch during the event. Right.” Liam finally got his voice to work.
“Yeah, I can have Luke there tomorrow night since I need you and Wyatt at the gala.”
“Wait, what?” Wyatt was on his feet with palms in the air. “Don’t tell me you’re going to ask me to play dress up and put on a monkey suit. I just had to wear one of those things in Vegas.”
“And you looked hot.” Harper waggled her brows. Yup, she fit right in with them all.
Wyatt snickered and returned his focus to Jessica, a strain in his jaw visible beneath his trimmed beard.
“I think I found two couples on the guest list I can convince to relinquish their tickets, but we’ll need legit guests taking their place,” she explained.
Wyatt crossed his arms and dropped his head, and Liam had no clue what the hell he was missing right now.
“We can’t raise any red flags.” Jessica moved to stand in front of Wyatt, but he kept his gaze on the floor. Something sure as hell was wrong.
“We need real people, no time for creating aliases,” Asher added when Wyatt still hadn’t spoken. “If Blackburn Technologies is behind this, they’ll be monitoring the guest list, especially any changes to it.”
Now Liam was the one bowing his head. “You want me to buy a ticket under the Evans name, don’t you?” His pulse intensified at what he knew Jessica was suggesting. “But I can’t go as myself because—”
“Better not to have a known SEAL present at the gala,” Jessica said, causing his throat to burn. “You look eerily similar to your older brother.”
When Liam turned away from her, his eyes landed on Emily. Her lip went between her teeth as if she could feel the pain of what Jessica was asking of him.
Emily knew the truth about how his brother stabbed him in the back by marrying his ex, but no one else was privy to that particular detail.
Could he really pose as his brother?
“The guests are uber rich,” Harper said from behind. “Your family has a lot of money, I’m guessing?”
He wasn’t sure if Harper’s question was directed at Wyatt or himself. But since Jessica was asking them both, it meant Wyatt had some well-kept secrets about his previous life, too.
“My family runs a company down in Sydney,” Liam said without facing Harper because he couldn’t take his eyes off Emily. “It’s, uh, worth a lot. Not Bill Gates’s kind of money, but yeah, my brother’s presence there wouldn’t set off any alarm bells.”
Liam had hurt Emily, and yet, she still cared about him. She wanted to reach out for him, comfort him—he could see it in her eyes. And he wished he could let her.
“Will you do it?” Jessica asked, and at the touch of her hand on his back, he swiveled around to face her.
“Anything for the mission, you know that,” he said in a low voice.
“Will he need a plus one?” Emily asked, her words like a discharged firearm in his ear. “We’re married. It’d be legit,” she added. “No need to—”
“Come again?” Wyatt jerked his head up and looked at Liam. He felt Harper’s and Knox’s eyes on him, too. “Married?”
He turned to the side, catching sight of Emily out of the corner of his eye, and he was certain she was having an oh-shit moment.
“Vegas. Lots of tequila,” he offered a half-baked explanation that honestly made him feel like garbage after he’d said it.
“Well, uh, congrats,” Wyatt said.
“But, I’m going as Brandon, and Emily doesn’t look like his wife.” Not even close. No, Emily was far sweeter. Kinder. More stunning in every possible way.
“I need Harper as Wyatt’s date, and I need to stay on the cams and comms. It might look more realistic if you show up with a date,” Jessica tried to rationalize, but he didn’t like the idea of bringing Emily into a possibly dangerous situation, even though there’d be a ton of security at the event.
But his hesitation also had to do with the fact he’d now need to spend time alone with her when they could use distance instead.
“That’s to say Wyatt agrees to go.” Harper looked to Wyatt, a plea in her eyes. “I can’t go solo.”
“How can Wyatt go as himself?” Emily asked.
“I changed my name when I got U.S. citizenship before becoming a SEAL.” Wyatt’s announcement was probably news to everyone. Well, everyone except the team leaders. They’d surely know his background.
Jessica circled Wyatt and reached out to squeeze his bicep. “I’m sorry to ask you this, but—”
“NORAD.” He huffed. “I’ll do it, but if my family hears I’m in London I’m screwed. And it’s bound to get back to them.”
“Hopefully this all ends tomorrow night.” Jessica offered him a weak, not-so-convincing smile.
“You want to tell us what’s up with you?” Liam asked.
Wyatt sat back on the couch and rested his elbows on his thighs. “Wyatt Edward Frederickson the third.”
“That’s a mouthful of fancy names.” Liam smiled, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Lord Frederickson the third,” he said with a bitter bite to his voice.
“You’re nobility?” Harper asked. “Is that still a thing?”
“You and your old man have a falling out?” Asher spoke up when Wyatt remained quiet.
“You could say that.” He cracked his neck, irritation spreading across his face at record speed.
“Thank you for doing this,” Jessica said when an uncomfortable silence filled the room. “I’ll work on adding your names to the list and getting you guys checked into the hotel today.” She turned toward Emily. “Can I have a word?”
Liam’s stomach dropped, knowing exactly what Jessica planned on talking to her about, and he could only hope Emily would change her mind and stay back at the safe house and away from danger—away from him.