He spreads his arms wide. “Feel free to take a look around. They were working from the room underground”—he chucks me a key—“which you’re welcome to take a look at. See for yourself.”
I throw the key to Hunt. “You two go check it out.”
Hunt nods, and he and Ransom leave.
I move closer to Jackal. “Where did Zenith go?”
He shrugs. “I’ve no clue. One day they were here, the next they were gone. I merely rented the space to them; I didn’t keep tabs on their movements.”
“Maybe you’re Zenith and you’re giving us this elaborate fucking story.” Even as the words are out of my mouth, my gut doesn’t believe them.
His laugh this time is a deep belly laugh. “I assure you, Winter, that I do not have the time nor the inclination to do the stuff Zenith do. What I do have is a grudge against King, so when they told me they wanted him gone and asked if I had space to rent, I allowed them to use it.”
“So you simply rented a room to them and know nothing else?”
A text comes through on my phone.
* * *
Ransom: The room is empty. We’ll check out every inch of this place, though.
* * *
Jackal draws my attention back to him. “I know hell is coming for you.” His voice has turned cold as ice, his eyes, too. “King deserves everything he’s about to get.”
I aim my gun and shoot him.
I’m fucking tired of talking to people who give me nothing useful.
A call comes through.
Memphis.
“Yeah?” I bark.
“This Eloise bitch is busting my fucking balls about going home. Can I let her leave?”
“Yes, take her and Maddox home, and stay there to keep watch.”
“Fuck, Pres. Fucking really?”
“Yes, fucking really. We need to make sure he’s safe. So wherever he goes, you go.”
“So not her, though? I don’t have to watch her?”
“Fuck no. She wants out, she’s on her own. Just make sure the boy is safe at all times.”
“Gotcha.”
I think about Maddox after we end the call. He’s been dealt a shitty fucking hand in life. I’m going to make it my mission to ensure he’s looked after and finds his family if that’s what he wants to do. God knows, if I’d been lucky enough to have a child, I’d fucking hope someone looked out for him if I couldn’t.
Ransom and Hunt come back. Ransom stares at Jackal before looking at me. “He give you anything?”
“Nothing except some shit about King getting everything he deserves.”
“So this place was a bust, and nothing Striker told us is of much use,” Ransom says.
“He told us someone new is financing Zenith, and he confirmed the name Bourne,” I say. “But yeah, it doesn’t feel like we’ve gotten too fucking far.”