Right Through Me (The Obsidian Files #1)(96)

“That’s true,” Sisko conceded.

The man was on his side again, at least for now. Noah continued. “We all had strong resistance to interrogation vectored into our genes. Midlander researchers probably built in some tricks to pry us open, but I don’t know what they are.”

“If we make contact, he’ll follow the breadcrumbs right back through our security and Luke will be f*cked,” Sisko said. “We need someone else to be our front man. Someone with no connection to us and genuine ties to the criminal underworld. Only a real-life, drug dealing, human-trafficking crime boss would be credible to Mark.”

Noah’s heart thudded heavily. As if it was his body that had this crazy idea, but his brain lagged behind, unwilling to allow it fully into his consciousness.

Even though it was kicking and banging. Breaking down the door. Asa.

Sisko went on with his musing. “But dealing with those guys is such a f*cking mess. Like handling a bag of rattlesnakes.”

“A con.” Noah blurted. He stopped, and swallowed to keep his voice from vibrating. “You’re talking about running a con. On Mark.”

“I am?” Sisko said. He and Caro glanced at each other, uncomprehending.

“What do you mean?” Caro asked. “What kind of con?”

“You lost me,” Sisko said.

“Shhhh. Let me think.” He buried his face in his hands.

This explained that crazy imbed. His subconscious mind had already known exactly what he had to do. This was the only way through this mess.

But it was going to cost him big.

He pulled out his phone and retrieved the message he’d received the other day after Caro’s dance. Waiting wouldn’t make this idea any less insane. He hit ‘call.’

The line connected. He didn’t look at Caro or Sisko, who both watched him, bewildered. Five rings. Six. Seven . . .

Click. He waited in the taut silence of the open line for a few seconds.

“Danny.” An expressionless baritone voice. Deeper than he remembered.

“I don’t answer to that name anymore,” he said. “I’m Noah now.”

Asa grunted. “OK. So what? Did you know it’s two AM? Don’t you sleep?”

“Hang up, if you feel inconvenienced. I won’t bother you again.”

Asa just waited. “So?” he said, finally. “What do you want?”

Noah controlled himself somehow. Too much backed up feeling, unsaid words. Keep it simple. “I need your help,” he said.

“Tell me more,” Asa said.

“Not on the phone. Are you in the Seattle area?”

“I’m around. Should I come to the lake house? You never even brought that fiancée there. Or ex-fiancée, I should say. You have me to thank for dodging that bullet.”

“I’m not thanking you for that or anything. And no, not the lake house. Come to this address.” He gave Asa the address of a nearby roadhouse bar. “How long?”

“I could be there in forty minutes,” Asa said.

“OK. See you there.” He hung up.

Sisko’s eyes were wide. “Holy shit,” he breathed. “Is that who I think it was?”

Noah let out a careful breath before he could trust his voice. “Only one person I know has the cred to pull off a con like that.”

Sisko cleared his throat. “Uh . . . I wasn’t serious when I proposed it,” he said. “You said you didn’t even know the guy anymore. You sure it’s a good idea?”

“No,” Noah snapped. “It’s what happens when you’re driven into a corner. You do dumb things, because you have no alternative.”

“Can someone f*cking fill me in?” Caro snapped. “What dumb thing are you about to do?”

“Get your shoes on,” he said. “You’re about to meet my long lost brother.”





Chapter 27


Caro warmed her chilly hands with a cup of reheated coffee. Not worth drinking, but it served its purpose. The roadhouse restaurant was dim, and a live band played in the next room. The twangy music not improved by a muddy, blatting sound system.

She tried at intervals to speak to Noah, but he had retreated behind a wall of ice.

Sisko kept at him, though, too stubborn to quit. “You should have talked to me before you called,” he said heatedly. “You don’t know if you can trust him.”

“I know that I can’t trust him at all,” Noah said, his voice remote and cold. “But we need specialized help. From a crook.” He hesitated. “He’s a crook I can control.”

“What makes you think so?” Sisko snapped. “You haven’t so far.”

“He reached out to me,” Noah said. “He wants something from me. Whatever it is, I’ll bargain with that.”

Sisko made a disgusted sound. “And what could that be? Your kidneys? Your firstborn? Jesus, Noah. What are you going to tell Hannah?”

“Nothing.” Noah gave them both a hard look. “She has no reason to know.”

“She’s going to find out. You can’t protect her forever.”

“All the more reason to protect her for as long as I can,” Noah said.

Silence descended between the three of them, but the clatter and hum of the bar got louder. Out-of-tune rockabilly music floated through the greasy smoke that hung in the air. They’d been waiting a half hour when Noah’s gaze flicked to the door.