Going Dark(67)
Flynn brought the device alive, and in the glow of its screen he tapped it twice and held it out.
With her gun hand, she slid her trigger finger down the screen once, then again and again, scrolling.
“Whose number is this?” She held out the phone to Flynn, pointing at its screen. In its radiance Thorn could see Flynn’s agonized face.
“He’s the head of the Miami FBI, Frank Sheffield.”
Thorn groaned to himself.
“You called him a week ago. While you were here on Prince Key.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“In a moment of weakness, but that weakness is gone. I’m where I want to be. Doing what I need to do.”
“What did you tell this FBI agent?”
“Nothing specific. I didn’t know anything specific.”
“But you told him where you were. Here on the island.”
“Yes, I told him I’d gotten mixed up with some political activists, and I was getting a little worried what they had in mind.”
“And what did he say?”
“To stay put. Call him if anything happened he should know about. He didn’t seem particularly concerned. But he’s a laid-back guy. So I don’t know.”
“Have you called him again?”
“No.”
“You’re telling the truth?”
“I made a mistake,” Flynn said. “I was confused.”
“But you’re not confused anymore.”
“I’m where I need to be. Doing what I need to do.”
“How do you even know this guy, this federal agent?”
“He’s a friend of Thorn’s.”
She turned Thorn’s way. “Is that true?”
Thorn nodded. “We worked together on a situation in the past. I wouldn’t say we’re friends. He’s buddies with Sugar, from Sugarman’s days as a deputy sheriff.”
“Did you know about this, Thorn? Flynn being in contact with him?”
Thorn said he didn’t. Leslie stared at him for a long moment, tapping the pistol’s barrel against her thigh. Then she turned again to Flynn. “You understand, don’t you, what you did was a betrayal. You could have put all our lives in danger.”
“I understand.”
“This operation is more important than any single member. We’re all expendable. You understand that, too?”
Flynn nodded.
She held Flynn’s gaze for several moments, and even in the bad light Thorn could read in that exchange of looks something that was more charged and personal than he could fully absorb.
“Okay,” Leslie said. “I’m going to trust you. You say you were confused but you’re no longer confused. I accept that.”
Flynn whispered, “Thank you.”
“Well, I don’t. I don’t accept any of it. This is total bullshit.” Cameron Prince stepped into the circle of light. “You can’t make a decision like that on your own, Leslie.”
Thorn stepped aside. Leslie set the lantern at her feet. She tucked the pistol back beneath the tail of her shirt. Prince bristled with a dark radiance as though some dormant power source within him had been activated. Standing only a few yards away, Thorn could feel the hum of threat.
“From the very outset you’ve been usurping the power. That ridiculous vote on Thorn, letting this unreliable piece of shit walk right into the heart of our group. And now this. Flynn collaborating with the feds, and good God, you’re simply going to take his word for his change of heart.
“I know what’s going on. I see it, Leslie. You’ve got a weakness for these two. You’re simply too emotional to be a leader, and that puts us all in jeopardy. I won’t have it. I won’t fucking take it anymore. Risk my goddamn life and everything we’ve put into motion, for what? These two punks?”
“And what do you propose?”
“It’s time we adjusted the pecking order.” He turned his head and scowled at Thorn. “I’m promoting myself. From now on, I’m assuming leadership. Understood? And my first official act will be to rid ourselves of these two. Starting with this one, then his little boy.”
“We need them,” she said. “We need all six to make this work.”
“Jesus,” Thorn said. “That’s your best argument?”
“See, that’s exactly what I mean,” said Prince. “This derisive attitude.”
“Hey, meathead, forget the pecking order,” Thorn said. “You want to adjust something, see if you can adjust my attitude.”
From the get-go, when Thorn had confronted Prince prowling his property, there had been an instant clash. Ever since then Thorn and the pompous hulk had been headed toward this moment. Better to do it in the darkness where Thorn had at least a remote chance to catch him off-balance.