CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Why were you watching them?” asked Moose. Leopold tried to put on a brave face but the jiggling of the fat on his belly gave way to his shaking. “I won’t ask you again.”
“She was in danger,” said Leopold. “Priscilla, the fed girl. She was in danger and I was trying to warn her. She was always nice to me. One of the few that was. She never called me crazy or delusional. She would buy me coffee, ask me what was happening, and really listen. I liked her.”
“You’re not explaining yourself,” said Leif.
“The woman she worked with was very different, the one that was murdered. I knew she was a fraud but no one would listen to me. She was rude, entitled, and she was a slut.” U-Jin slapped the back of his head.
“Hey! It’s the truth. She was sleeping with everyone and anyone, including her step-brother. ”
The men went silent, staring at Leopold.
He was a short, stout man maybe in his late thirties or early forties, possibly older.
His hair was long, hanging in greasy wisps, valiantly attempting to cover his bald patch on top.
His clothes were dirty and the entire space smelled like body odor and fried fish.
“How do you know that?” asked Leif.
“How do I know? It’s what I do, Einstein.
I watch, I listen, I follow. Lawrence didn’t attempt to hide his affection for his sister.
They had coffee in the shop one morning, just as it opened.
She was wearing one of her suits with the skirt way too short.
Dear old brother had his hand sliding up her thigh beneath the table and she was enjoying every second of it.
They cuddled, kissed, and were seconds away from doing it on the table when customers started to come in.
So, I watched them every time I could. I paid attention and when I was able I followed them. ”
“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?” asked Moose. He looked at Moose as if he’d lost his mind.
“Uh. Yeah. I know how dangerous it is, but someone has to do it. The feds have been trying to shut me down for decades now. Listen, Priscilla’s old man was a good agent.
One of the few. He was trying to protect you guys.
That is, if you’re who I think you are. You killed Lincoln Morris and his son knew that, so he was coming after you.
” They started to speak but Leopold held up his hand.
“Don’t insult me. Her father knew that because he was the keeper of the files on you guys at the bureau.
He was a good man that could be trusted.
The POTUS at the time knew that. He charged him with keeping your information away from everyone else.
Every mission, every op, every new family member that entered Special Forces, he knew about them and kept that information from everyone else.
It’s why no one could ever find files on your people. ”
“Alright, so Natalia found out?” asked Leif.
“She didn’t know what it was, only that her step-brother wanted it and he had something she wanted. Money.”
“From the looks of her home, she had plenty of money. Why more?” asked Leif.
“Why?” he frowned staring at them. “Spoken like men who don’t have to worry about money and don’t possess an ounce of greed within them.
That’s all it was. Greed. She always wanted more.
More money, more art, more house, more men.
The only thing she didn’t have was female friends. Priscilla was the only one.”
“Where is Lawrence Morris?” asked Moose.
“He’s in D.C., I just don’t know where. He wants all of you but he especially wants the woman. Not just for what she possesses, but he wants to possess her.”
“That won’t be happening,” frowned U-Jin. He looked at the other men, then back at Leopold.
“How would you like to get your first big break?” he asked the unkempt man.
“What do you mean? Mainstream media? It’ll never happen. I don’t look the part, I don’t act the part, and I refuse to hide the truth from the American public.”
“That’s not what I meant. We’re going to create a script, maybe several scripts that will help lead Morris right to us.”
“Are you fucking crazy?” said Leopold. “This guy is a killer. He doesn’t give a shit who you are, as evidenced by him murdering his own lover and step-sister.”
“Don’t worry about that. Why did no one know that Lincoln Morris had a son and step-daughter?” asked Mike.
“He was able to keep it quiet. The son was away at his fancy schools, the step-daughter didn’t have the same last name, it was pretty simple. Morris isn’t exactly an unusual name.
“The trust funds for them were kept in alias names, the property was quietly transferred to them without any fanfare. Remember, you guys killed Morris and told the world his nasty little secrets. Lawrence and Natalia damn sure didn’t want anyone to know they were related to him.
“After that, Lawrence went to work in finance.
Bonds, hedge funds, all kinds of shit. He banked more money than you can imagine and he made sure his pretty little step-sister was groomed for what he needed.
Somewhere along the way he discovered who killed dear old dad and he made it his mission to find them, find you.
“Natalia was trained and forced to work as a spy in various countries, feeding her brother information, and then forced to work for the bureau. She was giving big lover brother all the secrets and he was making millions on it selling to the Russians, Chinese, Canadians…”
“Canadians? They’re the nice ones,” frowned Sebastian.
“Not if you piss them off,” said Leopold. “Natalia found out from Todd Greene that he suspected Priscilla’s father was the keeper of the REAPER secrets, and all those that followed. She told dear brother and they tried to find it.”
“Why now? They could have taken Priscilla at any point in time and drugged her, searched her apartment, anything,” said Moose.
“Priscilla was a smart cookie, always watching her back. Natalia never visited her home because Priscilla didn’t tell her where she lived.
I suggested that she keep that a secret,” he said with a smug expression.
“When Lawrence was becoming impatient, he ordered Natalia to find the information. Right about then, one of your boys was suddenly on loan to the bureau, making it seem an easy strike.”
“Except it wasn’t. He didn’t fall for Natalia and her bullshit. Instead, he fell for Priscilla,” said U-Jin.
“No shit?” grinned Leopold. “Hey, tell her I’m happy for her. The kid deserves a happy ending.”
“So, will you help us Leopold?” asked Moose.
“What do I get out of this, other than you don’t kill me?” he asked.
“We don’t randomly kill just because someone refuses to help us,” said Sebastian. He looked around at the motorhome and nodded. “I tell you what, you help us and we help you. We’ll give you evidence of something legitimate, shocking, that you can send out to the world.”
“And,” smiled Mike, “we give you some serious upgrades on this piece of shit.”
“Hey! This is my home,” he frowned. Moose laughed, shaking his head.
“No brother, this is your hovel. We’ll make sure it becomes a home.”