Jameson (In the Company of Snipers #22) - Irish Winters Page 0,75
something to her, and she liked it, needed it. He filled her up, not only with his body, but with confidence she never knew she had. He was everything she’d been missing in her life, and she was brave, darn it. Brave enough to break out of the mold she’d been squeezed into as a little girl, and to just be her.
“Hate to break this party up,” Harley interrupted. “But I talked with Alex earlier, and you guys need to know that Taylor and Maverick found Lucy Shade, even spoke to her.”
Jameson was facing Harley by then. “I assume those are two more agents. Where’d they find her?”
“Yes. Taylor Armstrong and Maverick Carson. Boston.”
Jameson cocked his head. “Former USMC General Michael Armstrong’s son?”
“One and the same.”
“My God. Lucy Shade is Pops Delaney’s daughter, isn’t she?” Jameson breathed. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
“I have no idea how you know that,” Harley muttered, “but you’re spot on.”
“Because it makes sense. She used a word on him when they were fighting in the farmhouse,” Jameson replied. “Feck. She said, ‘So was Vlad, my feckin’ bodyguard.’ He didn’t catch it, but it struck me as an odd curse word for an American woman, which at least means she comes from strong Irish roots. That must be why she didn’t take my weapon when we were abducted. She wanted me to take out Delaney. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Mr. Vlad,” Maddie whispered. “He must’ve found out who she was. That’s why she shot him.”
“Right,” Harley replied. “Alex also spoke with Agent Morozov last night, or rather, early this morning, before he went into surgery. According to Vladimir, Shade went into this charade with the sole purpose to destroy her old man. She’d convinced Pops this was all a publicity stunt, while she’d already paid several of his men to betray him and plant the bomb aboard her jet. Once you two were dead, they would’ve turned on him and killed him. Made it look like you all died in the fire. Everything she did was to that end.”
“So the media circus she held last night was what, a smokescreen?” Eric asked.
“More like her attempt to spin what actually happened to her advantage.”
“Tell her to bring it on,” Jameson declared angrily, his chin up. “I’m not afraid of that snake.”
“You might want to think twice about that,” Harley cautioned. “According to Taylor and Maverick, she’s already taken over Pops’ business in Boston. Also made it clear she’s gunning for you, darlin’.”
“Me?” Maddie squeaked. “Why me? I’m not even an agent.”
“Yes, but you killed her old man.”
“How would she know that?”
Jameson kept Maddie sheltered under his arm. “I have a feeling Shade knows everything that went down inside that farmhouse.”
“Right again. Cameras were hidden everywhere, even in the basement,” Eric confirmed.
“B-b-ut… but…” Maddie stuttered. “But if she wanted to kill her dad, and now he’s dead, why’s she still coming after me?”
“Because now that she’s taken over his empire, she has to act the part of the bereaved daughter. If she wants to be the boss, she needs to make a strong statement to her competition and her allies. Looks like she wants an eye for an eye,” Jameson explained patiently.
“It’s 101 mobster mentality,” Harley added. “Weak kingpins don’t rule. Ruthless, cold-blooded killers do. Terror and decisive revenge are all other mob bosses will respect.”
“But won’t she go to jail for m-murder?” Maddie asked, the fear in her voice ratcheting higher, making her voice squeaky.
“Not if she’s already taken over her father’s mob unchallenged,” Jameson said. “She would’ve ordered one of his boys to do the hit.”
“To prove his allegiance to her,” Eric added darkly.
“Then have that guy snuffed. There’d be no trail leading back to her. That’s what gangsters do,” Harley said.
“Because now…” Maddie breathed, “they’re her boys.” Things just kept going from bad to worse.
Jameson’s arm snaked tighter around her waist. “There’s no way she can get to us here, right, Eric? Harley?”
“Never,” Eric declared. He’d taken the ultimate alpha stance, boots planted wide apart and his hands on his hips. “There’ve been a couple breached safe houses in the past, but Alex stepped up his design. Even if Shade shows up in an Abrams tank, there’s no way she’d get inside.”
“There’s more,” Harley growled. “Someone tried to kill Agent Morozov after he came out of recovery this morning and was transferred into a private room. Mark was there. He got a shot off, but the shooter got away.”