Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
THIRTY-SIX
Turning off the water, Kent stepped out the shower, then wound a towel around his waist and used another on his hair.
Avoiding looking in the mirror, he went into his bedroom to get dressed. He wanted to be at Hollingsworth before nine.
He dressed in a dark blue suit and was sliding his money clip into his slacks when there was a sharp knock on his door. Sliding his gun out of his shoulder holster, he quietly moved to the other room.
He cocked and loaded his Wilson Supergrade 1911 handgun before he pulled up his apps to check who was outside his door. Closing the app, he thumbed the safety back on before placing the gun back into his shoulder holster, then straightened his suit jacket as he went to unlock the door to let Jackal and Ice inside.
“Took you long enough.” Eyeing his suit, Jackal sidestepped him to go to the mini fridge. “What you packing these days?” he asked conversationally, taking a bottle of OJ.
Kent locked the door after them before moving to the counter as Ice took a seat at one of his stools. “My Tactical Supergrade 1911.”
“Nice.” Complimenting him, Jackal unscrewed the bottle of juice. “What ammo you using?”
“230 grained round ball,” Kent answered easily.
“Why not a 200 hollow point?”
“I don’t want anyone I shoot to get up.”
“Yeah, I see your point.” Jackal took a swig of the juice then screwed the cap back on.
“I didn’t fuck up the information I sent you. I gave you a basic workup of who the chick is. She had no dating history. I just know how much money she makes and job history. If you wanted more of her history, you should have asked. I gave you what I normally give you. I didn’t miss the sister and her kids living with her. Sage’s legal address is next door to the one her sister rents.
“Sage lets a former coworker from the temp agency they both worked previously at live in the one she rents. Tayla Stephens. Her husband, Link, has been arrested for a few petty crimes. He was easy to locate last night when I flew in. He’s small fry with a big mouth.” Jackal’s face showed his disgust. “The fucker would sell his mother for a twenty.
“Sage’s sister’s house burned down. Her husband, Denny, died from burns after carrying his wife outside. Glory survived, but the fire seriously fucked her. Her face and legs are scarred. Her lungs and heart were damaged. She needs a heart and lung transplant, which she probably won’t receive in time,” Jackal continued laying out the facts without expression.
“The grandparents—mainly the grandmother—has taken them to court a couple of times, maybe more. You’d find that shit out easier than me.
“Glory allows the grandmother to keep them on the weekends. So far, it seems to be working. The grandmother seems to have stopped seeking full custody. Why waste money when it’s only a matter of time before her daughter-in-law will solve the problem of custody for her?” he said rhetorically. “The only hiccup is Sage. Makes more sense for her to spend her money on having Sage eliminated.”
Kent moved around the counter to make coffee, setting out cups as Jackal talked.
“Victoria and Bradford Ashwood are easy to find—their socials are all over the Internet. You didn’t give me enough time to find out who Victoria hired. Give me a few hours, and I’ll find out a name for you. Max and Stump will be trailing your woman until you decide how you want me to handle the situation, or do you want to handle it personally, like you did with the fucker who took Sage’s watch?”
“I will,” Kent answered, pouring out two cups of coffee and sliding one toward Ice, who hadn’t said one word since entering the hotel room.
The curved scar on Jackal’s face gave him a sinister appearance when he smiled. “I don’t have to ask why the punk who robbed Sage turned himself into the police. I couldn’t have done it better myself,” Jackal complimented him. “You broke every bone in his hand and wrist.”
“Is that all?” Kent asked, blowing on his coffee.
“For now.”
Taking a drink of his black coffee, Kent set the cup down on the counter to stare at Ice.
“Jackal hasn’t told me one thing he couldn’t have told me over the phone. Why are you both here? Anyone could have seen you at my door.”
Ice rested his forearms of the counter. “We have a problem. Mica has been running his mouth.”
“Fuck.” A frustrated sigh escaped him. “Of course, he has.” He ran his hand through his damp hair, then rubbed his chin. “I should fucking retire. Who did he run his mouth to?”
“Two strippers at Henry’s.”
“Did he run his mouth off about what he sold?”
Ice’s jaw clenched. “No, but Mica was bragging he had done a deal with the Phantoms.”