Rock Chick Reckoning (Rock Chick #6)(87)

Hank knew why this was too. Hank knew about Mace’s sister, Lee had told him about it in detail, including the fact that Mace was incorrectly shouldering the responsibility for what happened in the end game. Hank also knew that Stel a didn’t know about it. Mace had told the team he wanted it to remain that way until he was ready to share.

Final y, Hank knew that any conversation Stel a had with Preston Mason was likely to reveal that information.

Fol owing this thread, Hank could only assume that Stel a’s actions after her conversation with Mace’s father were an indictment. Or, at least, Mace thought they were.

“I’ve lost patience with this shit,” Lee said, cutting into Hank’s thoughts. “We’re gonna have to dismantle Carter’s army.”

It was Hank’s turn to shake his head.

“Lee –” he started.

Lee turned to his brother. “I’m gettin’ married on Saturday, Hank. I don’t think Indy’l like walkin’ down the aisle wearin’ a flak jacket and a helmet.” No, Lee was right, Indy wouldn’t like that. She’d have a shit fit.

“Maybe you can postpone the wedding,” Hank suggested.

Lee’s eyes went hard. “I’m not postponing my f**king wedding.”

Hank watched his brother.

Strike that idea, he thought.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be here for the rest of this conversation,” Mace put in, gaze on Hank.

Hank’s body went tight and his eyes cut to Mace. “I didn’t give over a year of my life to this investigation to have you guys f**k it up when we’re this close.” Both Lee and Mace tensed but Hank ignored it and went on, “You boys aren’t goin’ commando and screwin’ the pooch. It’s not gonna happen.”

“Hank –” Lee started and Hank moved his gaze to Lee.

“It’s not gonna happen,” Hank repeated. “We play it by the book.”

Hank knew his brother didn’t like playing by the book. In fact, it was half a miracle Hank had managed to keep them clean this long. Mainly because not only did Lee not play by the book, Kai Mason had made an art of pissing al over the f**king book.

“We’re close,” Hank reminded them. “And we’ve been clean so far. Don’t f**k it up.”

“The girls –” Lee began but Hank interrupted him again.

“I know what’s at stake, Lee,” he said quietly. “But Carter goes down, he’s gotta stay down. This isn’t under radar.

We got reporters watching our every move now. You know it and I know it. We gotta play it by the book.” Lee looked at Hank.

Hank returned his stare.

Lee’s eyes flashed angrily and Hank knew he had him.

He also knew Lee didn’t like it. Lastly, he knew he’d only bought some time. They didn’t bring Carter down soon, Lee, Mace and Lee’s men were going to toss the book out the window.

“Fuck,” Lee muttered, giving in as Mace’s phone rang.

Hank watched Mace fish his phone out his pocket and look at the display. Whatever it said, Mace didn’t like reading it.

He flipped open his phone and clipped, “Yeah?” as a knock came at the door.

Lee cal ed out a terse invitation to enter as Mace said,

“Fortnum’s. In an hour,” then flipped his phone shut and shoved it back in his pocket, mouth tight, body tense.

Hank didn’t have a chance to question Mace. Brody, Lee’s computer guy, came in and shouted, “I found the link!” Al the men turned to look at Brody.

Brody’s pale face under his dark-rimmed glasses was ful of excitement. He bounced in, probably wired on copious intake of energy drinks and over-processed food and threw his doughy body in the other chair in front of Lee’s desk as he shoved the glasses more firmly up his nose.

Brody was a computer genius and looked the part. He could do anything with computers, hardware, software, wiring, programming, troubleshooting, searching and, most important to Lee, hacking.

He was dark-haired and goofy as al hel . He was in his early thirties but he acted like he was twelve. Stil , you couldn’t help but like the guy.

“Did you guys see it? We made front page again today.

Total y awesome!” Brody was stil shouting. “Fuckin’ great picture of Luke tossin’ some guy over a railing. Man, I wish I was there.”

Hank moved to the side of Lee’s desk, crossed his arms on his chest and rested his thigh against it, his body turned mostly to Brody.

“What’d you find, Brody?” Mace asked but either Brody didn’t hear him or he chose to ignore him and his eyes swung to Hank.

“They did you today. You and Roxie. Al about your thing which people knew about, kind of, as it made the news after Vance blew off Roxie’s ex’s hand at Daisy’s party,” Brody informed Hank unnecessarily as, early that morning, Hank, sharing coffee with a sleepy, seriously grumpy (but stil cute) Roxie, had read the whole thing. “Got a great picture of her from some beauty pageant when she was in high school. Dude, she was hot even back then,” Brody proclaimed.

Hank took a deep breath and settled in. Brody was on a rol and they’d just have to ride it out.

“And they did Jules and Vance too. It was kil er. They made her sound like a superhero. I forgot how good she was at kicking ass. Too bad she’s into this mom-to-be shit, she was awesome!” Brody went on.