Broken hearts & Coup d'etats - THE SPECTER SERIES [book three]

Chapter TEN

Ellerie Devereux

Your eyes flick from Paxton to Greyson and back.. Their expressions are a little too serious for your liking.. You brace yourself for the bad news, the questions already beginning to funnel into your mind..

What now?

How bad is it?

You try your best to keep the worry from showing on your face and cracking in your voice.. "What? Is it Mikki?"

Paxton doesn't blink, but Greyson looks over to Hunter, giving away the answer with that one simple movement.. You think of your friend Mikki, fearing the worst.. "What happened to her? Is she okay?"

Anxiety blooms in your chest, you watch Paxton adjust his stylish silver watch before he shakes his head.. "She's alive, Ellerie.. But Knox couldn't get close enough to make contact with her.. She is back living at the De'lucca Estate.."

No..

After everything you had done to help her escape the mob.. Escape her father, Angelo De'lucca, they had managed to suck her back into their toxic criminal family..

Whatever they have on her, or whatever threat they issued to have her returned must have been extremely persuasive.. "Shit, that's not great.." Your eyes go to Greyson warily.. So far he has sat quietly, only listening and you're beginning to wonder what it is he's doing here and if you should really be discussing this in front of him..
You nod in Ace's direction but speak directly to Paxton.. "What is he doing here then?"

Hunter claps Ace on the shoulder.. "Ah, see.. Ace here, he told me something real interesting that I thought you'd appreciate hearing.."

You raise an eyebrow in interest, tuning to Ace.. "Oh?"

He brushes back his black locks looking like some James Dean-esque, old Hollywood movie star with his liquid blue gaze accentuated by his dark denim jeans, tight black tee and leather jacket.. "Back at the CIA I worked an assassination case involving the De'lucca family.. Mikki's brother Bobbi was the target.."

You remember.. Bobbi's death had been one of the final straws for Mikki.. Losing her brother had provided the catalyst she needed to finally open up to you.. When she told you what she had suspected her corrupted husband had really been up to.. That he had somehow been compromised.. "I know the case.."

He nods and presses on.. "Yeah.. Well, when I followed the money trail to the guys that green lit Bobbi.. I came up with a handful of names.. Charles Everett, Mack Fletcher and one more.."

Mack Fletcher is Angelo De'lucca's number two.. So his name is not particularly surprising here, you had speculated yourself that he may have been involved given how much he disliked his boss's son..

Charles' involvement is more of a surprise, but you learned long ago that you never really knew the guy, even though you worked side by side for four years.. Goes to show the double lives people can lead without even a highly trained operative noticing..
"Who?"

He looks to Paxton again who nods at him, giving him permission to continue.. Ace turns back to you.. "Elijah Pierce.."

From the way he says the name you can tell it doesn't mean all that much to him.. But it does to you..

Your mouth falls open.. "How reliable is your information?"

He half shrugs one shoulder casually.. "Extremely, mam'.. I wouldn't repeat it otherwise.."

You fall back into the chair.. Astounded.. You knew Elijah operated in the grey sometimes and there was more than one occasion when you doubted his leadership..