They sifted through the documents, searching for anything that could link Hennessey to his illegal activities. Reese opened a drawer and pulled out a ledger. She flipped through the pages.

  “Jack, look at this. These are financial records. Large sums of money being moved around, payments to shell companies.”

  Jack leaned over her shoulder. “This is exactly what we need. If we can tie these transactions back to Hennessey, along with the others Ben found, we can build a solid case.”

  He continued searching, opening another drawer and finding a stack of correspondence. As he scanned the letters and memos, one name stood out: Marcus Wade.

  “Reese, check this out.” He handed her a letter. “It’s from Marcus Wade. He’s deeply involved in this.”

  Reese’s eyes widened as she read the letter. “This is huge. We need to take all of this with us.”

  They quickly gathered the most incriminating documents and stuffed them into their bags. As they finished their search, a noise outside the office caught Jack’s attention. He held up a hand, signaling Reese to be silent. They listened intently, hearing the faint sound of voices and footsteps approaching.

  “We need to move,” Jack whispered. “Now.”

  They slipped out of the office, moving quickly but quietly through the back of warehouse. The voices grew louder, and they could hear the murmur of a conversation. Jack and Reese ducked behind a stack of crates. He peered around the corner to see a group of Hennessey’s men entering the warehouse.

  The men were close enough Jack and Reese could hear their discussion. Problem was, it was mid-conversation, and key details had been missed. Noble picked up on one thing in particular though. One of the guys said everyone will find out in forty-eight hours. The men continued to the office. The door shut behind them and the warehouse was silent again.

  “You catch that?” he said. “Forty-eight hours.”

  Reese nodded. “We need to get out of here before they find us.”

  Jack led the way back to the side door they had entered through. They slipped outside, the cool air a welcome relief from the stale atmosphere inside. They moved back to the fence and slipped through the opening they had created earlier.

  Once they were a safe distance away, Jack stopped to catch his breath. “I think we’ve got what we need.”

  “Now we just need to figure out our next move.”

  As they headed back to the car, Jack’s phone buzzed with a new message. He glanced at the screen. Ice flowed through his veins as he read the message.

  I know what you’re up to, Noble. You can’t hide from me.

  Marcus Wade. Finally.

  Jack’s grip tightened on the phone as memories of their last mission together flooded back. The betrayal, the anger, the unresolved tension between them.

  “We need to talk.” Jack showed Reese the message.

  “What’s this guy capable of?” she asked.

  “Everything I am. Maybe more.”

  Jack’s hands were steady as he drove back to the cabin, his mind anything but calm. The message from Marcus had stirred up memories he’d tried to bury for years. Reese, sensing his unease, watched him closely.

  “What happened between you and Marcus?” Reese asked, breaking the silence.

  Jack took a deep breath, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. “It was our last mission together, in Afghanistan. We were working for a man named Frank Skinner. We were deep in enemy territory. Our task was to extract a high-value target from a fortified compound. Everything went according to plan, until it didn’t.”

  “What went wrong?”

  Jack’s gaze was distant, his voice tinged with regret. “We were ambushed. Someone had tipped off the enemy. It was chaos. We managed to fight our way out, but Marcus got separated from the team. He was captured.”

  “And you went back for him?” Reese asked.

  Jack’s jaw tightened. “Yeah. Wasn’t easy. I had to pull a lot of strings, risk my career and a few men’s lives to mount a rescue operation. We got him out, but he wasn’t the same after that. He’d been tortured, broken in ways that can’t be fixed.”

  “And he blames you for that?”

  Jack nodded. “He thinks I didn’t come for him fast enough, that I left him to suffer. No matter what I did to save him, it wasn’t enough in his eyes. He held a grudge. I’m seeing now that it festered over the years.”

  Reese was silent for a moment as she soaked in the story. “Do you think he could’ve killed Brenda?”

  “Absolutely.” Jack’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Marcus has always been driven by anger and revenge. If he thinks Brenda was a threat to his operations, he wouldn’t hesitate.”

  They drove in silence until they reached the cabin.

  When they arrived, Ben briefed them on what he had found linking Mark Cundiff to Hennessey’s operations. Mark sat at the table. He looked defeated. It didn’t take much to get him to provide the details he had omitted about his interactions with Hennessey’s men. The connection was confirmed.

  As they discussed their next move, Jack’s mind drifted back to Marcus. He knew dealing with Marcus would require more than just tactical planning. It would mean confronting the ghosts of his past.

  Jack brought himself back to the present. “We’ll go back to town, see what we can find. Ben, stay here with Mark. Keep him safe.”

  Ben nodded. “Got it. Be careful out there. We’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest, and I’m certain there are goons all over town looking for us.”

  Jack and Reese prepared to leave, but before they stepped out the door, Reese placed a hand on Jack’s arm. “We’ll get through this, Jack. We’ve come this far, and we won’t let the past stop us.”

  Jack looked into her eyes and nodded. “Let’s finish this.”

  But the incoming call to Jack’s cell phone would change their plans.

  18

  “Hello, Jack. Been a while. Missed me?”

  The voice was as smooth as Jack remembered it two decades ago. Ice snaked down his back. He’d forgotten all about the guy years ago. Figured Marcus Wade was dead or in the wind, living in some third-world country.

  “What do you want, Marcus?”

  The man chuckled. “I see you’re still chasing ghosts. Always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. You haven’t changed a bit. You remember where that got us back in the ‘Stan? Or, rather, where it got me?”

  Jack’s grip tightened on the phone. “Yeah, I remember, Marcus. Now, what do you want?”

  “I thought I’d give you a little heads-up.” Marcus’s tone shifted to one of feigned concern. “You’re barking up the wrong tree. In fact, you’re wrong about a lot of things, old friend.”

  Jack glanced at Reese, who watched him intently. “You expect me to believe you, old friend? After everything you’ve done?”

  “Believe what you want,” Marcus said. “But if you’re smart, you’ll meet with me. We can discuss this face-to-face.”

  Jack hesitated. He knew better than to trust Marcus. “And why would I do that?”

  “Because you want answers. And I’m the only one who can give them to you.”

  He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a trap. But for who? “I’m not walking into your setup.”

  Marcus laughed. “Figured you’d say that. Fine, I’ll give you something for free. Officer Tilley, the cop you met earlier—he’s on Hennessey’s payroll. Go talk to him yourself.”

  “Why should I believe you? What’s stopping him from arresting me on the spot?”

  “Believe what you want. But you’re running out of time.” Marcus clicked his tongue. “Tick-tock, Jack.”

  The line went dead, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. Jack stared at the phone, his mind a whirlwind of suspicion and anger. The familiar voice of Marcus Wade had stirred up a storm of emotions he had tried to bury for years. The bitterness of betrayal, the sting of regret, and the smoldering fury of unresolved vengeance all surged to the surface. Doubt gnawed at him—was this another one of Marcus’s twisted games, or was there truth in his taunts? Jack’s jaw tightened, his grip on the phone turning his knuckles white. The uncertainty was maddening, but one thing was clear: They couldn’t afford to ignore this lead. With a deep breath, he pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. They had to find Officer Tilley and uncover the truth, no matter where it led.

  “What did he say?” Reese’s brow furrowed with concern.

  “He claims Officer Tilley is working for Hennessey. And he wants to meet. But I don’t trust him.”

  “Do you think he’s telling the truth about Tilley?”

  “I don’t know,” Jack said. “But we can’t ignore it. Tilley was on my ass my first day in town. We need to find him and see what he knows. Why don’t we start by digging into Tilley’s financials.”

  Reese opened her laptop. “On it. If Marcus is right, there’ll be a trail.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she accessed public records and databases. She cross-referenced Tilley’s bank statements, looking for any irregularities. “Got something,” Reese said after a few minutes. “There are several large deposits into his account over the past year. All from a company that’s a known front for Hennessey’s operations.”

  Jack leaned over her shoulder. “That’s our connection. He’s on Hennessey’s payroll. Guess that’s one point for Marcus.”

  “We need to confront him,” Reese said.

  Jack nodded. “We need a plan. Let’s gather all the evidence we have and approach him when he’s alone, off duty. We can’t risk him alerting Hennessey.”

  “I’ve seen him at Lacy’s plenty. We can start there.”

  As they entered the bar, Jack spotted Tilley sitting at a table at the back, nursing a pint of beer. When he noticed Jack, the man looked surprised. He shifted in his seat, as though he were about to bolt.

  “Officer Tilley.” Jack sat opposite him. “We need to talk.”

  Reese sat beside Jack. “We know about the payments you’ve been receiving from Hennessey.”

  Tilley’s cheeks darkened. “Don’t know what the hell you’re on about.”

  Jack leaned forward. “Don’t lie to us. We have the evidence. Suspicious deposits, ties to shell companies. You’re on Hennessey’s payroll.”

  Tilley glanced around the bar. “Keep your voice down. I don’t know what you think you have, but it’s not what it looks like.”

  Reese placed a folder on the table. “We have bank records, financial transactions. You’re deep in this, Tilley. Come clean to us, or to your superiors. It’s your choice.”

  Tilley’s hands trembled as he looked at the evidence. The seconds stretched into a minute. “Look, I didn’t have a choice. They threatened me, my family. I had to do what they said.”

  “What did they want you to do?” Jack said.

  Tilley swallowed hard, his eyes darting between Jack and Reese. “Turn a blind eye. Ignore certain activities. Make reports disappear. I didn’t know the full extent of what was happening, I swear.”

  Reese’s gaze was unyielding. “You expect us to believe that?”

  Tilley’s shoulders slumped. “Look, I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know they’d go as far as murder. I was just trying to protect my family.”

  “Not buying it,” Jack said.

  “What do I need to do to convince you?”

  “If you wanna make this right, you need to help us. We need information on Hennessey’s operations.”

  Tilley hesitated, fear on into his face. “If I help you, they’ll kill me.”

  “If you don’t help us, more people will die.” Reese leaned back. “Brenda’s already dead because of this. You need to do the right thing.”

  Tilley took a deep breath, then nodded slowly. “There’s a facility. Hennessey’s major event—it’s being coordinated there. It’s hidden, off the grid. I can give you the location.”

  Jack nodded. “That’s a start. Give us everything you have. We’ll do what we can to protect you.”

  Tilley scribbled down the address of the facility, his hand shaking.

  Jack took the paper. “You should get out of town for a bit. Let us handle this.”

  Tilley drained his beer, looked up at Jack. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”

  Jack and Reese drove back to the cabin. When they arrived, Ben was waiting on the porch. He paced one end to the other.

  “What did you find out?” Ben asked as they stepped out of the Jeep.

  Jack handed him the paper with the facility’s location. “Tilley gave us this. Says it’s a hidden facility where Hennessey’s planning his next move.”

  Ben scanned the paper. “This could be the break we’ve been looking for. But it’s going to be dangerous. Hennessey won’t leave it unguarded.”

  Reese pulled out the documents they had gathered earlier. “We need to figure out what we’re dealing with.”

  They spread out the papers on the table. The facility was located in a remote area, well away from prying eyes. It wasn’t marked on any of the maps they had seen. Wasn’t mentioned in any of the communications they’d found. They assumed it was heavily fortified, with multiple security measures in place.

  “This isn’t going to be easy,” Jack said, tracing the perimeter of the facility on a map. “We’ll need to be strategic about our approach. We can’t just barge in this time.”

  Reese studied the map. “We’ll need to disable the security systems first. If we can get in undetected, we might be able to gather the evidence we need without alerting Hennessey’s men.”

  Ben looked up from the documents. “There’s mention of a control room here. If we can access it, we could shut down the security systems and create a window for us to move in.”

  Jack formulated a plan in his mind. “We’ll need to split up. Ben, you’ll stay here with Mark and monitor the situation remotely. Reese and I will infiltrate the facility, disable the security, and gather as much evidence as we can.”

  Ben’s eyes were filled with worry. “Be careful, both of you. This is our best shot, but it’s also our riskiest move yet.”

  Once the details were ironed out, Jack and Reese took a moment to gather their thoughts.

  Jack looked at Reese. “No matter what happens, I want you to know that I trust you with my life.”

  Reese met his gaze. “And I trust you with mine.”

  19

  Jack and Reese were on the road again. They hadn’t made it five minutes when Jack’s phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with an unknown number. His gut tightened as he answered, knowing exactly who it would be.

  “Hello again, old friend. Did you enjoy your little chat with Tilley?” Marcus’s voice dripped with smug satisfaction.

  Jack’s grip on the phone tightened. “What do you want now, Marcus?”

  Reese glanced over.

  “I just wanted to remind you that I was right about Tilley. You see, I’ve always been one step ahead. And you’re still playing catch-up. It’s almost sad.”

  “Cut to the chase.”

  “Ah, straight to business. Very well. I thought I’d give you a heads-up about that facility you’re so eager to infiltrate. It’s a death trap. Hennessey has it locked down tight. You walk in there, you’re not walking out.”

  “And why should I believe you? Why would you want to help me?”

  Marcus chuckled. “Because I have no reason to lie to you. You’re chasing shadows. If you want to take down Hennessey, you need a smarter plan. Meet with me, and I’ll show you a safer way.”

  Jack hesitated. The last thing he wanted was to trust Marcus, but they couldn’t afford to walk into a trap. “Last time I saw you, you tried to kill me.”

  “Let’s just say I have my own reasons for wanting Hennessey out of the picture. Think about it, pal. Your move.”

  Jack said nothing.

  “One more thing before I go.”

  “What?”

  “Your buddy Ben isn’t exactly who you think he is. Might want to do a little research.”

  The line went dead.

  Jack lowered the phone slowly, tension etched in every line of his face. Marcus’s taunting words had stirred a hornet’s nest of emotions. The man had a talent for getting under his skin, for making him doubt everything and everyone.

  Jack turned to Reese, who watched him intently. “Marcus says the facility is a death trap. He wants us to meet with him.”

  Reese bit her bottom lip. “And you believe him?”

  “I don’t know what to believe. But he’s been right so far. He also said something else, something that’s been gnawing at me. He sowed doubt about Ben’s loyalty.”

  “Ben? But he’s been with us this whole time. What proof does Marcus have?”

  Jack shook his head. “I don’t know. But we need to be sure. We can’t afford any more surprises. We need to investigate further, and maybe talk to Lacy again. She might have noticed something.”

  “Let’s not rush into anything. We need to figure out our next move carefully. If Marcus is playing us, we need to be ready.”

  Jack agreed. “Let’s start by looking into Ben. If there’s anything off, we need to know.”

  Jack and Reese parked a few blocks away from Lacy’s bar. Marcus’s accusations clouded the air between them. Ben had been by Jack’s side from the beginning. He lured Jack in. Why? He’d figured it was because men like them could sense something about the other. Had he been wrong? What if Ben and Marcus were working together? Was it a stretch to think Marcus had warned Jack was coming to town? Only one person knew that, though, and Brandon wasn’t going to sell Jack out.

  “You okay?” Reese asked.

  “Yeah, just mulling all this over,” he said.

  “Let’s think about this rationally. Ben’s been with us the whole time. He’s helped us every step of the way. But if there’s any truth to what Marcus said, we need to find it. Due diligence. Right?”

  Jack nodded. “We need to look through his belongings, his communications. Anything that might give us a clue.”

  “Let’s see what Lacy has to say.”