A Matter Of Justice (Grey Justice #4)(19)

They were from all walks of life. College professors worked right along with stay-at-home moms and dads, and fast-food employees worked beside CEOs of multimillion-dollar companies. Most didn’t work for the group full time but worked when they could. They had myriad differences and experiences, but the one thing they all had in common was a fierce belief in fairness. Each one had experienced or seen injustice. Grey had recruited them, carefully vetted them. He would trust them with his life, but more important, he trusted them to accomplish what often seemed impossible.

His time was divided between his companies and his victims advocacy group, but he had multiple people who managed these interests. The Grey Justice Group was his passion. He had come from a long line of justice seekers. At one time, he had thought to ignore his heritage. Pursuing justice often led to heartbreak and even death. It certainly had in his parents’ case. It hadn’t taken long for him to change his mind. How could he live with himself if he allowed lives to be ruined or criminals to flourish? He couldn’t—not when he could do something to stop it.

He had no superpowers, but he was a good judge of character. That, along with a keen sense of right and wrong, had guided him to his inevitable destiny. His parents would be in equal parts sad and proud that he had followed in their footsteps. They hadn’t necessarily wanted this for him, but had trained him in case he chose this life.

He had made his choices and had few regrets. However, there were drawbacks.

“Thank you all for coming today. I know many of you have other obligations, so I won’t delay any longer. As you know, last night an attempt was made on my life. Many of you know Lacey Slater. She was in the car with me and is in serious condition. The doctors expect a full recovery, but she has a long road ahead of her.”

That Lacey had been injured because of him was something he deeply regretted. He should have found her another ride. No, he hadn’t anticipated an assassination attempt, but in his line of work, it was inevitable. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

“Since the shooter’s mission was not accomplished, I anticipate more attempts. When I started this group, I promised myself to put no one, other than myself, at risk. I haven’t always been able to keep that promise. Several of you have faced danger and probably will again. But this situation is entirely different. Someone is personally targeting me, and I don’t want anyone to get caught in the cross hairs. This is my battle to fight.

“Outside of this room, this group is known to only a few. I trust them, as I trust you. However, that doesn’t mean someone can’t or won’t find a way inside. My primary concern is making sure all my employees stay safe. I’d like for all of you to give this some careful consideration. If you feel the need to back off for a while, I completely understand. I—”

“Excuse me, Grey. But I feel I need to say something before you finish.”

Unsurprised by the interruption, but more than a little shocked at who’d spoken, Grey shifted his gaze to Mrs. Eugenia Wilcox. The elderly woman had been working with the Grey Justice Group for a little over a year. She was eighty-six years old, and although she was quite opinionated, she wasn’t one to speak her concerns aloud in a large audience.

More than a little curious to hear what she had to say, he gave her a nod of encouragement. “Please do.”

“I think we can all agree that we don’t do this job because it’s safe. We do it because it’s the right thing to do. Some lowlife sleazebag is not going to stop me.”

There were several “hear, hears,” and then the entire room burst into applause.

Grey nodded his appreciation. “Thank you. I appreciate all of you and your work. Again, I don’t believe anyone who works for any Grey Justice entity will be targeted, but take extra care just in case.” He glanced over at Gallagher, standing a few feet away. “Nick is going to give you some safety tips and answer any of your questions. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Grey walked out of the room, confident that Nick would give sound advice and alleviate concerns. The thought of another person being hurt because of him was a sickening prospect.

He went into his office and strode over to the far wall. He pressed a small panel, which opened to reveal an entry scanner. Placing his thumb on the pad, he heard a small click, followed by the door opening. Only his and Irelyn’s thumbprints were coded into the system.

Once inside, he opened the laptop at his desk. He had five investigators digging into the assassination attempt, but that wouldn’t stop him from doing his own research, too. Someone he knew, possibly did business with, wanted him dead.

Setting up for a kill took time. A skilled assassin could set up and tear down a shoot within a minute or two. However, the target had to be located first. He had gone in the opposite direction of his normal route to take Lacey to her apartment. Someone at the event had seen him with her and deduced that he was taking her home first. Additionally, this person or persons also knew where Lacey lived.

Grey wasn’t na?ve. Many people hated him. One didn’t achieve money, influence, and power without making multiple enemies. And being someone who didn’t put up with a lot of bullshit had landed him on several “least favorite” lists. How many of those people would spend the money to hire a professional hit man? Not that many, which made identifying the bastard a little easier.

In the past, he’d been targeted, but most times it had been by lowlifes who’d hired local thugs. This had been a professional. Just because the bastard had missed didn’t mean he wasn’t good at his job. Grey knew exactly what happened. He had swerved at the last moment. If not, he and possibly Lacy, too, would be lying in a morgue.