“I’m going to a party the club is having tonight. Bench is going to approach me, but not before I try to befriend Skylar. I can’t break Bench’s cover, but I want to feel her out. Enough stalling. I’ve told you what’s happening over here, so why don’t you catch me up over there?”
Ivy didn’t want to lie to her friend, but she also wasn’t ready to disclose her suspicions. Voodoo had spent years believing Carter had tried to kill her. If she felt betrayed, they’d lose her forever. Ivy couldn’t let that happen, so she gave her a high-level observation.
“Byte and Chaos are looking into missions that went bad while you were working with the agency.”
“Why? I was rarely in the field. I certainly wasn’t a threat to anyone or the cause of a mission going off the rails.”
“Perhaps, but with every mission there’s collateral damage. We just want to make sure no one else is gunning for you.”
“Because you don’t believe it was Carter.”
“No, Voo, because we want to keep you safe. No matter what we discover, our priority is you. Carter, or anyone else involved, will be dealt with.”
“Are you saying you’re going to kill my husband?”
Ivy chuckled before saying, “Thank God our lines are secured. But to answer your question, no, we aren’t going to kill Carter. We want answers and we will get them, no matter what. You have to trust us.”
“I do, but I had once trusted Carter, and we know how that ended.”
Only Ivy wasn’t sure it ended how Voodoo thought it had. More and more, she was convinced that Carter was not the culprit, but another victim. However, she wasn’t ready to tell Voodoo that. Not yet. She needed hard-core proof, and they didn’t have that yet.
“I’m not Carter, and you can trust me. You have for many years, don’t forget that. I’m on your side. I always will be.”
“I’m sorry. I know that. Just having Carter there, and my sister, well, it’s messing with my head. You have to protect her from him. I can’t lose her.”
“Don’t worry. We have eyes on them both.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll check back in when we have more on the drug smuggling.”
“Sounds good. Watch your back, Voodoo. You don’t know if this ATF person is more invested in the club’s well-being than in doing her job.”
“That’s why I’m going tonight. Ethan thinks they may need a few little potions to help get the agent to open up.”
“Do what you do best. We’ll talk soon.”
After the two women hung up, Ivy looked across the table and saw the hurt resonating from Carter’s face. When Voodoo had video called her, she was still in the conference room. Instead of leaving, she accepted the call and made sure no one was visible. Either way she would’ve had to update the group, so why waste the time.
“Don’t lose hope, Carter. I’m not sure about everyone else, but you aren’t my first suspect any longer.”
“But still a suspect.”
“Until you’re cleared... yes.”
“I understand. I’d do the same thing if the tables were turned.”
“Good, now let’s keep going. Byte, what have you found?” Ivy asked.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
“Idon’t believe it. He found her.” After five years, Carter had done the impossible. Now, he would pay for not letting her go.
Carter wasn’t supposed to find her.
I’d made sure of that.
The fact that Voodoo was mentioned in one of their briefings was an unexpected problem. How was the team leader to know that the person they spoke of was Carter’s estranged wife?
But I knew.