Mona counted off on one finger. “Then Tod.” Her eyes went to Vincent. “But you found him and brought him to us.”
Pierce’s blood went cold as the dots connected. “You were trying to catch him then. That’s how you found Tod.”
Vincent’s jaw worked from one side to the other. “I don’t have to explain anything to you.”
Pierce shook his head, huffing out a laugh that was anything but amused. “You knew exactly what was happening and just let us walk around blind.” He could barely look at Vincent. “Until they found you and you needed us.”
“But why can’t the government just get involved? I’m sure they could end this in an afternoon” Mona’s brow was lined in confusion.
“We don’t exist, Ms. Ayers. Not to the government. Not to the police. Not to anybody. Sending us aid would be admitting they know what we do, and there is no way the government is going to do that.”
Pierce turned to his team leads. “Brief your men on the situation. Work with Zeke to choose who goes where.”
“Got it.” Shawn, Gentry, and Seth immediately left.
Pierce held his hand out toward Mona. “Come on, Love. Time to finish this.”
It felt good to say and even better to imagine.
An end to decades of dissent.
Mona turned to look at the door to the vault holding her would-be killer.
“He’s done. He won’t do you any harm. I promise.”
Mona turned back, her brow low. “I’m not worried about him hurting me.”
Of course she wasn’t. “What is the issue then?”
Mona glanced at the men remaining around her. “I have an idea.”
“No.” He didn’t need to hear it to know it wasn’t happening.
Zeke held one hand up Pierce’s way as he turned to Mona. “What is it?”
Her eyes bounced to Zeke before going back to Pierce. “You’re not gonna like it.”
“I’m quite positive of that.”
“Tell us anyway.” Zeke’s tone was softer than it usually was.
Mona rolled her lips together, eyes moving from Zeke to Vincent before finally finding his. “What if that man did kill me?”
CHAPTER 14
“I DON’T LIKE this.” Pierce stared down at her as Eva and Harlow worked.
“I feel like I said you weren’t going to like it.”
Heidi stood off to one side, watching with Parker perched on her hip. “You really look dead.”
“Don’t say that.” Pierce snapped it out, the sudden outburst making Parker jump a little.
Heidi pulled the toddler closer. “Tell Uncle Pierce to watch himself when you’re around.”
Pierce pinched the bridge of his nose as he turned to walk across the room. “I’m just not thrilled with this whole thing.”
“No shhhhhh—” Eva’s eyes rolled Parker’s way. “Shoot.”
“Nice catch.” Harlow dabbed a makeup blender along the skin under Mona’s eyes.
“I don’t want to be the one who teaches him that word.” Eva tilted her head as she stared at the center of Mona’s forehead. “Does that look real enough?”
Heidi leaned in a little closer, peering at Mona. “Looks real to me, but I’ve never seen a dead person in real life.”
“Tod was really dead when I saw him.” Harlow tapped at Mona’s cheek with the blender. “We’re going for freshly dead.”
Pierce turned back Mona’s way. “Christ.”
“Christ.” Parker grinned at Pierce.
Pierce frowned back. “Where is his mother?”
“She’s lying down. She doesn’t feel good.” Heidi smiled at Parker. “Mommy needed a break, didn’t she?”
“Who’d of thought jelly was so useful?” Eva dipped a toothpick in the jelly she was using to recreate a bullet wound on Mona’s forehead.
“I think we deserve a raise for this.” Harlow leaned back. “Cause that’s some movie-quality special effects shit.”
Eva turned to Harlow, her eyes wide.
Harlow was unfazed. “Bess knows who’s going to teach Parker all the bad words.” She motioned to Mona. “Sit up so we can dribble this down your face.”
They’d gone through the kitchen and every makeup box at Alaskan Security, looking for anything that might help make this happen.
Eva used the cleaned-out eye dropper from one of Parker’s medication bottles to suck up some of the thinned-down jelly. “Everyone hold your breath.” She tipped Mona’s head back a little then dribbled some right at the fake wound. The warm, thick liquid slowly worked its way between her brows and down, making a path off to one side of her nose, over her cheek toward one ear.
“Does that look like the way blood would run if she fell on her back?”
All the women turned toward Pierce.
He frowned at Mona. “Unfortunately.”
Eva smiled. “Great.” She held one hand up toward Harlow.
Harlow immediately slapped it in a high-five. “Team work makes the dream