“Ya think?” Evie muttered.
Drake resisted the urge to tug at his sister’s hair, it wouldn’t look good in front of his teammates.
“So, any direction you want me to look into? There’s not much for me to go on,” Clint said in a frustrated voice.
“Yeah. She inherited some property from our grandmother. It’s on the border of Tennessee and Kentucky in the middle of nowhere. It used to take hours to go and visit her. Mom would put us on the bus up there and sometimes we’d stay for a couple of weeks during the summer.”
“She had peach trees,” Evie reminded him, “but then they got the rot and died. That’s why nobody’ll buy the place or rent it.”
“You tried to sell it?” Drake asked, surprised.
Evie looked guilty.
Drake looked at Clint. “I think there could be something to this. It’s the only red flag that I can think of.”
“It makes sense. Also, I talked to the DEA. Harmon’s not implicating his dad or his uncle. He says it’s all on him. I think he’s scared to death of them.”
“What about the Neo-Nazi’s that are on their way to Jasper Creek?” Mason asked.
“Looks like you killed the one that would be telling us about it. So, we don’t have concrete evidence that they’re on their way. Unless, Evie?” Clint prompted.
“Sorry, nothing yet. But I have my feelers out.”
“I think we need to have Dad stop this happy horseshit. But first for the weaker link in the family food chain.”
“That’d be Huey. I made a quick call, the man calling himself Airport is still checked in at the motel, but he has two roommates.”
“That is the dumbest assumed name I’ve ever heard of,” Darius said.
“No, John Doe and LAX are the two dumbest. Tyson McGhee is the third dumbest in the state of Tennessee,” Drake clarified.
“I stand corrected.”
“Evie, how booked up is the motel?”
“According to the desk manager, Huey was put at the end. They know him and know he’s trouble. The rooms around him are empty.”
“Smart man,” Drake said.
“Smart woman,” Evie smirked.
Clint and Mason laughed.
“This time you’re not knocking on the door, Drake,” Mason commanded.
“I sometimes clean the motel. I say I go up there as housekeeping.”
“God, you’re as bad as he is,” Darius said, not for the first time.
“Do you have a better idea?”
“We call into the room and say that there’s a fire,” Mason said.
“Why aren’t we pulling the fire alarm?” Evie asked.
“All of the occupants would come out,” Drake explained. “If Huey asks why he’s getting a call, we explain that the alarm isn’t working because of the snowstorm. This will get him to at least open the door.”
“We’ll also have smoke going under the door, that will help prompt him to open the door.”
“Well, why not just knock on it?” Evie asked reasonably.
“Evie Lavender, you are not knocking on the door! As a matter of fact, you’re staying here with Aiden!”
“What do you mean I’m staying here?” Aiden asked as he pushed open the door of the study. “I just had corpse duty. I get to go out on the next mission. Corpse duty says I get first dibs on any mission I want.”
Drake sighed. He really wanted his normal team on this little outing. Mason must have read his mind because he gave him a steely look. Fine, he’d suck it up.
“I see you, Avery.” Aiden glared at him. “You need me. I just got done driving in this shit. I’m now a professional Tennessee ice and snow driver.”
“Bullshit, I’m a native,” Drake growled.
Aiden glared at him. “Fine, I’ve changed my mind. I think making some more time with your sister is much preferable than going anywhere with you.”
Evie stared at him, aghast. “Fuck you, Aiden O’Malley.” Evie shoved past Mason, Darius, and Drake and stormed out the study door.
“Ah shit, I didn’t mean that, Drake.” Aiden jabbed his thumb against his temple.
“I wanted her to blow you off, but not because you were that much of an asshole, go talk to her.”
Aiden hesitated, looking between the door of the study and the men. “No. Fill me in on the mission.”
“Okay, let’s plan it out,” Mason said.
***
It went like clockwork.
They had decided they didn’t need the cover of night because the snowstorm provided them all the cover they needed. So, a little before noon, they arrived at the LeeHy Motel off the Interstate. Evie’s friend was on duty. The woman explained that she had gone a little further and offered better accommodations to the two remaining occupants who were in Huey’s section of the motel. That left just Huey in the ‘C’ Building.