JACE-1(Lane Brothers, Book 3)(35)

“Jared, man, you’re looking for things—”

“No, I’m not. Haven’t you wondered what is going on here with me watching her all hours of the day? I kept hoping I was wrong about this, that somehow I was wrong about Paulie being in on this,” he mutters, dragging at his smoke again.

“Jared. I don’t understand, man. Why would you even suspect her in the first place?” Wyatt asks, just as confused as any of us are.

“You all know that I’ve met Williams before, yeah?”

“Yeah? So? She’s FBI and one of the ones who saved Clari,” Miah grits out through clenched teeth.

“Well, I wondered what they’d be doing on this case if it was handed to our side. So I looked into it. They, whoever else was with her, are not here on official business. Not thinking too much of it and knowing it could be a spook operation due to leaks, like we’ve found out, I let it go and chose to move on. I’ve met Williams, after all, and she is, was good people.”

“But?”

“But I’ve been spending a lot more time watching Paulie than anyone thinks Goddammit, and after that nosy neighbor of hers caught me I started leaving the car behind and going into the trees. I saw Williams and one of her cohorts creep onto her land and I watched them meet. I assumed it meant they got to her, too, and were also using her to get info.”

“And that is most probably the case,” I say, though I don’t believe a word of it myself.

Nah, after that little talk with Trace and the way my mind works, I, like Jared, know exactly what’s going on here.

It’s just a matter of proving it.

“You know it isn’t, Jace. Goddammit, you fucking know what’s going on here just like I do. Williams is in on this shit, and either she’s using Paulie—God help me, I hope she’s just using her—or Paulie is as wrapped up in this as the rest of them. I should have connected the dots sooner and known this Goddamned Lane plague was involved in this shit,” he growls, flicking his cigarette so hard it snaps in half and he’s forced to light another one.

“Wait. Are you saying what I think you’re saying, bro?” Wyatt asks, finally getting the gist of what me and Jared are getting at.

“Yeah, I’m afraid I am. Someone in the Lane or Conrad families, probably both, if we’re lucky, is orchestrating not only one of the biggest extremist groups in the country, but they’re also using their power to get at us through our women.”

Well fuck.

I can see someone going after Ellie because of Bolton—that is, after all, where all this shit started. The Lanes and Conrads swore vengeance on us for that little mercy “killing.” I can also see them trying to get to Miah by using Clari, because, let’s face it, Miah is the ringleader of our little crew. To take him down would severely cripple us as not only a family, but a unit as well.

Hell, I can see them getting to Trace given she’s mine and they know that using her would distract me while they move their shit around and start playing games with Roman while I’m not watching. To use Trace is so obviously smart. Keep me out of the way while I run after her ass.

Good plan.

But Paulie?

Like Jared just said, there’s a strong possibility that the chick is involved in this, and if that turns out to be true, I hope like hell it’s her being blackmailed or threatened and not her being part of it voluntarily. As much as I think Jared loves her, I’d hate to see him turn his hate on that little woman.

Jared is one of those mean-tempered guys when he’s riled, and nothing riles the man more than his loved ones being threatened.

“Listen. Let’s just take a step back here and calm down. This situation was a cluster fuck to begin with, we all know that. We have a SEAL mole, a senator, if Trace was right, cops, an FBI agent gone rogue, and some people who are out for revenge. Paulie could be in some serious trouble here, and I think it’s your duty to look at this before just going after her,” Wyatt says sternly, giving his little brother a look that speaks volumes.

Leave it to Wyatt to state the obvious in such a way that Jared actually pauses and stops to think. Thank God for big brothers, because I think his stern words finally sink in and Jared relaxes his battle stance and takes the first deep breath I’ve seen him take since getting here.

“You’re right. She could be in trouble. I don’t know. All I know is that she left her house at noon today with a packed bag. I don’t know where she is, and she’s not answering her phone, so instead of assuming she’s made a run for it or gone to them, I’m going to handle this like a hostage situation.”