Page 34 of Keeping Her Secrets

“No, I guess not.” Mustique smirked without humor.

“We’ll be in touch.” She and Ash moved for the door like a well-oiled machine and hand on the handle, she stopped and turned. “And, Senator, if you betray me, I’ll make sure the last memories you have are of pain you could never imagine.” He must have seen the truth in her eyes because he blanched and swayed as if he might pass out.

She and Ash walked past Campaign Barbie and she smiled.

Ash waited until they were in the car before he turned to Mari. “Do you think he’ll go for it?”

“I hope so. It’s the best chance we have at this point.”

“We need to bring Jake and Nick up to date.”

“Yeah, I agree. Can we see if they’ll meet us later?”

“Hang on, let me call them.” As he pulled out his phone, Mustique maneuvered the car away from the curb and headed toward the safe house. “Nick, it’s me. I have some information, can we meet?” She listened with half an ear as he spoke. “Cool catch ya later.”

Ash hung up, twisting to her. “He and Jake are going to come to the safe house; they have more information on Moody and Jim Craven.”

“I wonder what that could be?” She didn’t get the chance to ask more though because her phone rang. She activated the vehicle’s Blue Tooth. “Will, you’re on speaker. I have Ash Thompson in the car with me.”

“Hey, Ash, long time no see.”

“Hey, Will, how’s it hanging?”

“Oh ya know, a little to the left and just below my knees.”

“Gross,” Mustique stated, and both men laughed.

“I have an update for you on Ben Rensburg. It seems he got released early from Durban Correctional. He showed up six weeks later in Morocco, and then three months ago in Germany, before his trail goes cold. I can find him, but I need a few more hours. How time sensitive is this, and do you need back-up?”

Mustique felt a warmth invade her at his question. She knew he had access to Fortis and to Eidolon, a secret Black Ops group that didn’t exist on paper, and he was offering her any assistance he could give her. “Thank you, Will, but I have all the help I need.” She looked at Ash, and he winked, causing her tummy to flutter. “But it is time sensitive, so anything you can give me in the next twenty-four hours would help. Especially if you have signs of him in the US.”

“Who is this guy, Mustique? Does Roz know you’re over there?”

“He’s someone from my past that’s come up in a current investigation. Roz knows a little of the backstory, but this is personal, so please don’t tell her anything.”

She heard a sigh come over the line. “You know, if you’d asked, any one of us would have helped you. Roz is going to have my balls when she finds out I helped you and didn’t tell her you had shit going on.”

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of Roz?”

“Fuck, yeah, I’m scared of Roz. Did you see what she did to the last person who upset her?”

Mustique laughed. “Well, her ex-husband was a fucking asshole.”

“Agreed but even so.”

“Fine, if she asks, you can tell her, but, otherwise, keep your gob shut.”

“Fine. Let me see what else I can dig up on this guy. FYI, do we want this fucker to go down?”

“Yes, we do.”

“Cushty, If I find the fucker, I’ll make sure he’s on every list known to man, so he can’t get away.”

“Thanks. Oh, and, Will? Can you see if Rensburg, Ramin Hashemi, and Robert Hanley were ever in Morocco at the same time?”

“Of course, sweetheart.” He paused a beat before speaking again. “Ash, be sure to keep your balls covered around this one.”

Ash chuckled. “I got this, Will.”