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Total D*ck(56)

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“So, are you saying Rhone had Fluffy killed and then set out to do the same to us so we couldn’t figure out the link?” The more Carey talked, the more the pieces fell into place. Frank and Eric had every motive—Rhone’s insistence that Greenwood was responsible, Rhone’s desire to take over the number one spot in defense contracting, and the bad blood between the CEOs.

“Eric is in on it?” Scarlett asked.

“I’m afraid so. He’s the one that invited Fluffy into the Rhone systems.”

“Guy? Does Guy know?” Scarlett’s voice strengthened, anger coloring the words.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think so. I get the feeling Rhone came to Guy with the case because he assumed—and don’t take offense—that a stuffy old defense firm would just take the case and run with it as best they could.”

It all clicked. “But then you hired Carey and me. When Eric and Frank heard that Carey knew Fluffy—”

Scarlett put her hand to her mouth. “They killed him.”

“And then they tried to cover their tracks by getting rid of us. I’m sure that would have been pinned on Greenwood, too. Fuck.” I’d walked right into a hornet’s nest when I took the case, and Scarlett had no idea she’d been set up. We’d been played.

“We have to go to the feds. At this point, there’s nothing else to do. We’re walking targets. Rhone has already proved he’ll stop at nothing to keep the blame on Greenwood and hide the truth. I’ll get in touch with the agent who worked my case, see if he can offer an assist.”

Scarlett stood and began to pace along the dark wood floor. “If we go to the feds, will they have a case against Rhone? Can they use the information from your contacts to prosecute them for Fluffy’s murder and our attempted murders?”

“Not a chance. My contacts are shadow operators. They don’t make good witnesses. The best-case scenario here is that we get out of this alive and we keep our distance from Rhone. They’ll know we know and that the feds are watching.”

“So they’ll get away with it.” The thought made me want to kick Carey’s coffee table until it was nothing but splinters.

“Yeah, they will.”

“No, they won’t.” Scarlett tossed the throw blanket onto the couch. “I have an idea.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” I watched as she got that look in her eye, the one I’d learned signaled trouble.

“Carey, how would Discord feel if they found out Rhone had one of their hackers killed?”

Carey whistled. “I hadn’t even thought about that. Discord protects their own. They would retaliate, swiftly and viciously.”

She turned to me. “And your brother Lincoln is at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, so we can trust him with this?”

“Yes, but what are you planning on doing?” My discomfort grew as she spoke. “What’s going on in that brain of yours?”

“We need to get evidence, the undeniable sort, that Rhone was in on it.” She nibbled her thumbnail and kept pacing from the kitchen to the living room and back again.

“Sure, but it’s not like Frank Rhone is just going to spill it and incriminate himself.”

“True.” Scarlett whirled on her heel and pinned me with her gaze. “But Eric would.”

I began to follow where she was leading, and I didn’t like it one bit. “How do you plan on getting Eric to tell?”

She threw her hair over her shoulder. “He’s always had a thing for me.”

“Except he’s tried to have you killed twice.” I stood and moved into her path, forcing her to stop her pacing. “No, Scarlett. It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous. But it’s also our only play. If I can get him to talk, then we’ll have them. Undeniable proof. Rhone will go down, and we’ll be safe.”

“But you won’t be safe when you’re carrying out this suicide mission.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You can’t do it.”

She tilted her chin up. “I can and I will. It’s the only way. I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life because of this. Nailing Rhone is the right thing to do, and you know it.”

“I won’t sacrifice you for this.” I put my hands on her shoulders, trying to will sense into her.

“It’s not up to you! This is my choice. Those bastards have to pay for what they did to Fluffy and for what they’re trying to do to us.” She backed away and I let my hands drop.

“I have recording equipment, tiny mics and a ridiculously small camera.” Carey walked to a side room.