“And is he an agent too?” Voodoo knew the honey pot was a real thing. It wasn’t uncommon for an agency to dictate a female operative to have a relationship with the mark. While it might happen, it wasn’t right. It was another reason why she was glad Ivy left the CIA.
“Not to our knowledge, but they are tight. So tight, I hadn’t considered her being undercover. If she’s faking her feelings for the guy, she’s good... too good,” Bench replied.
“And how does knowing who she is help us get the drugs off the streets? We tracked them down as far as Spain last month.” She, Bench, and Dodger had traveled to Spain to follow the money and drugs. She’d been redirected when Seven needed help with Aria’s extraction, while the boys continued following the clues.
“What we know is that the marijuana is grown legally in Oklahoma. It is then purchased by a seller in Texas, where it’s legal for medical use, but heavily regulated. Less than ten thousand patients qualified for medical marijuana this year, and even less who actually received it. But as with anything illegal, demand drives commerce. The MC uses a shell company to purchase from the local supplier. There’s no question they know they are selling to someone who’s not looking to use it for medicinal purposes, but money talks,” Ethan said.
“That’s how we traced them to Spain. The legitimate company has holdings in Europe and the US,” Ranger explained.
“Right, I get that, but why would anyone in Texas, who has legitimate access to the drugs, venture out of the US. It’s not like it’s illegal worldwide. It doesn’t make any sense,” Voodoo reasoned.
“That’s because we’re still assuming this legitimate company is ignorant of its usage.”
“I don’t think any of us believe that,” Voodoo stated.
“No,” Ranger continued. “But when it’s sold or perhaps stolen by the MC, the company is free of accountability. We believe that’s when the real deception starts. We don’t think it is given to the MC.”
“Stolen, then?” Voodoo asked.
“No. It would raise too many eyes if each month a large amount was seized or stolen. No, we believe they are supplying ‘patients’ with the drugs... patients that don’t exist. Which would explain why so little are actually receiving it for medical purposes, despite qualifying,” Ethan added.
“And the ATF knows this and hasn’t stopped it?”
“What they think they know, and what they can prove, are two very different things,” Ranger answered.
“I believe that’s why Skylar is still there. Initially, she was close to the enforcer through association. I doubt being with the newly appointed sergeant at arms was her goal. Her questions would typically send up alarms, but a woman asking her lover would reasonably be nonthreatening. She’d come off as curious about his potential assignment,” Bench said.
“And now she’s with the enforcer,” Voodoo stated.
“Meaning, she’s able to ask him questions about topics they’d discussed before. It wouldn’t raise any red flags for her to question the delivery, since it was probably something they speculated about before.”
She had to agree with Bench. It did make sense. But that poor agent. Voodoo couldn’t imagine what her life was like, especially if they lived at the clubhouse. She’d seen enough TV to know a MC clubhouse was no place for a woman.
“So what’s next?” she asked the team.
“Well, now you and I are going on a date,” Bench growled.
Obviously, he wasn’t happy about the decision any more than she was. She’d done undercover work before, but she hated pretending. Plus, Bench was in a new relationship. No way would Avery like him dating someone else.
“We’ve already talked with Avery. She’s the one pushing for it,” Ethan reminded him.
“What? Why?”
“She’s an author. She says it will give her new book credibility,” Bench muttered. Voodoo smirked. She couldn’t wait to meet Avery. She’d been able to push the most disgruntled, grouchy man she’d ever met.
“Got it. Fill me in on the mission. I need something to keep my head above water. If it means going on a few faux dates with this one,” she said, pointing at Bench, “then I’m game.”
“Great. Just great,” Bench mumbled none too quietly.
CHAPTERNINE
Carter sat up closer when he saw the woman exit the Uber. It wasn’t Gwen... it was Daisy. He hadn’t seen her in nearly five years either. When Gwen’s plane went down, he’d lost it. There was something in his heart that knew she had survived. He knew Daisy must have felt it too. Gwen and her twin had always been able to sense each other’s presence. At first he found it fascinating, but later, he understood the feeling. It was the same kind of bond he shared with his wife.
When he went to see Daisy after the plane crash, she denied feeling her sister’s aura. Instead, Daisy tried to convince him that she felt only dark and emptiness. To anyone else, he’d taken that admission for what it was meant to be... that Gwen was dead. But years of being a spy had taught him to go with his gut feelings. It didn’t matter if the airline listed her as presumed dead. It didn’t matter if her twin felt she was dead, and it didn’t matter if there wasn’t any evidence to point otherwise. He knew she was alive. Perhaps she was hurt, lost her memory, or was scared. None of those things mattered. Just knowing she was out there was all he needed to continue searching for her.
Daisy hadn’t seen him when she exited the car. Why would she... he wasn’t supposed to be there. Obviously, Gwen had called her. He’d tried several times to reach out to Daisy over the years, but she refused to see him. She said it was too hard, but he never bought that. Now he knew she’d been telling the truth... it would’ve been too hard... to hide the truth from him. He would’ve seen through her pretend grief. He might not know why his wife deserted him, but his sister-in-law did. And if he couldn’t get answers from his wife, he’d get them from her sister. He just needed to be patient.
He’d waited five years... What was a few more hours?