Absolution: The Hunter Mercenary Series (Book Two) Read online

  He was hard to nail down.

  “I have no idea. Charlotte and I didn’t speak.”

  It wasn’t like he was lying.

  “You were seen going into her bar today,” she offered, trying to trip him up.

  The way he watched her did the exact opposite.

  It tripped HER up.

  He moved toward her, and the action had her putting her hand on the butt of her gun.

  “Are you following me, Detective?”

  “It’s my job. I’m actively investigating the woman’s death. It doesn’t matter if it’s uncomfortable for you, for me, or for anyone. I have a job to do.”

  Rogue didn’t like being accused of shit he didn’t do. While he’d stolen, robbed, and pillaged, he’d never hurt a woman.

  He’d never hurt Charlotte.

  She had been the bad guy in this fairytale.

  “Okay, Detective Cordelia Harding, let me make this clear. You’re dangerously close to harassing me.”

  “You’re evading me and my questions. Don’t you want to find out who killed Charlotte?”

  She saw it in his eyes.

  Anger.

  Hate.

  But, yet, there was no curiosity. That, to her, meant one thing.

  He knew who killed her.

  Damn it!

  He knew!

  “Yes, but of course, I do. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my mother’s home.”

  With that, he turned on his booted heel, and he and the other man left them standing there.

  “Well, that was…something.”

  “He knows who killed her.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me,” she stated. “He isn’t concerned about who killed her because I’ll bet my badge he’s well aware of who did the deed. I’m not sure if he was part of it or just knows. That man…he’s guilty of something.”

  That worried Boone.

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” he warned.

  Oh, she couldn’t promise that.

  At all.

  She had a date with this man.

  IN INTERROGATION.

  Chapter Four

  T he two of them were no sooner back in their car when Boone’s phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he noticed his wife was on the phone. To say that was odd was an understatement. Merry rarely called him during the day unless there was something going on.

  Something bad.

  That scared him stupid.

  “Are you okay?” he blurted into the phone, not giving her a chance to even speak.

  “Uh, are you alone?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Can you come home for a little while? Elizabeth called, and she needs to talk to both of us via conference call. It’s off the record.”

  He let that sink in.

  Something shitty was brewing in New Orleans, and he was going to use that moment to ask her for some help. For his partner’s sake, he needed to stop a runaway train.

  “Oh, okay.”

  “I’m sorry to bother you, Boone.”

  He smiled now that he was calm again. The fear was gone, and he was back to his laidback self.

  “Cher, for you, I’d walk on glass. You are never a bother. Want me to pick up a pregnancy test?” he asked.

  She sighed.

  “I don’t like when you go all Voodoo on me. I’m sure Elizabeth doesn’t want to discuss that,” she said, deflecting his line of questioning.

  Being married to a detective was tough. He asked way too many questions.

  He snorted.

  “I’ll be home in thirty.”

  He hung up the phone.

  “Uh, is everything okay?” Cordelia asked as she glared angrily at the house in front of them.

  “Well, my wife never calls me at work to ask me to come home. Something is up.”

  Boone wasn’t going there. Yes, she was his partner, but she wanted him to call the FBI for favors. He’d talk to Elizabeth, but he wasn’t going to get Cordelia’s hopes up.

  It could be a no-go.

  This might be a bigger favor than even she could assist them with today. After all, the Ravenscrofts were loaded and carried high-powered attorneys in their back pockets.

  “Okay, so go.”

  “Can you handle this?” he asked, calling for a cab to get him home. A couple clicks, and someone would pick him up.

  “Yeah, I can.”

  He didn’t buy that in the least.

  “Are you sure? The man has you stirred up.”

  Oh, she was well aware.

  “Yeah, I have this under control. I promise not to get us dragged into the captain’s office on this one.”

  For some reason, he didn’t find any hope in that sentence. Boone knew better.

  “Don’t harass the rich guy. He can buy our police department.”

  Oh, she was aware.

  Only, she didn’t care.

  “I won’t. He’s up to something, I just need to ferret it out, partner.”

  He rolled his eyes.

  There were times working with Cordelia was a blessing, and there were times that it was a nightmare. When she got them called into the captain’s office, that would be the nightmare part of the scenario.

  “Cordy, lay off.”

  “My gut…”

  “Doesn’t carry a badge,” he said. “It’s a fine line, and you’re obsessed.”

  She was aware.

  As the car pulled up behind them—the one he would take to get home—he patted her on the arm.

  “Repeat after me, Detective Harding. I will not get myself, or my partner, who has a child at home who needs his daddy to work, hauled into the precinct and pulled from this case.”

  She laughed.

  “You’re insane.”

  “I like being gainfully employed, cher.”

  “Get out of here,” she said, laughing at him.

  He did.

  She watched as he headed out, and Cordelia moved into the driver’s seat. It was time to get down to business.

  And figure out what Mr. Ravenscroft was hiding from them.

  * * * H U N T E R * * *

  Inside his mother’s gate, Dakota stopped to talk to Rogue so he’d calm down. The man was on the edge, and he’d never seen him like that before.

  Rogue was the epitome of cool.

  Zayn was the loose cannon.

  And he was the worrier.

  They worked because they all played a role, but now Rogue was seconds from the cops really being all over them.

  “You need to stay cool and avoid the detective. I know the type, and she’s going to be your worst nightmare. Investigators like her don’t give up. I know. I was one.”

  Rogue rolled his shoulders.

  “I can’t help it.”

  “Well, you can’t have a cop following us. We don’t exactly do legal shit, Rogue. You may have to lay low on this one. We don’t need the police asking why we were at a house that burned down, outside Purgatory. It’s clear she was there. She saw you three heading in.”

  Yeah, and that worried him.

  “I’m aware of how bad this could get, but I have obligations, Dakota. That cop isn’t harassing just me. She’s outside my mother’s home. I can’t let my mother be pulled into this. I’ve always kept my other life private for a reason. I live a shady life, and that means someone could go after her if I fuck up. For all of these years, my mother believed I solely did investments. I don’t need her finding out all of the truth. It will kill her.”

  No one wanted to see that happen.

  They all loved Grace.

  She was a gem.

  “Maybe you should leave Peony here and head home. We can’t bring you back to the base. She’ll follow us there, and she’ll be getting a little too nosey. I’m sure the Blackhawks would like to keep any connection to us on the DL.”

  Oh, he didn’t doubt that.

  They’d killed people on the last case, and this one wasn’t looking all
that much better. So far, one was dead, and they’d burned down a building.

  That screamed trouble.

  The only hope we had was the detective didn’t point out the fire right across from Purgatory.

  She knew and was holding it close to the vest, or she hadn’t heard about it yet. They were going to have to wait.

  “I know. I’ll handle the detective.”

  And that, right there, was what he was afraid of happening. They couldn’t leave a trail back to them, and when you got angry, you got careless.

  It went without saying, but he went there.

  “Don’t kill her.”

  Rogue laughed.

  “I don’t kill people just to kill them. That’s Sarah’s thing, as she’s proved,” he added. “I tend to be more rational. I’m a thief by nature. That’s why Blackhawk pulled me into this mess.”

  He stared at him.

  The way he said that gave the distinct impression that the man was NOT happy with their arrangement. That was bad news on a trouble-filled horizon.

  “So, you want out?” he asked. “Is that what you’re trying to subtly say?”

  Rogue sighed.

  Was that what he was doing?

  Had that been his intent?

  “I don’t know what I want, Dakota. Would you even let me walk away, knowing what I’ve seen?” he asked out of curiosity.

  “I’d give you a head start. You’re my friend now, and I know you’ll need it because then Zayn would kill you. You know how he is about leaving loose ends. Family or not, he’d protect Stella and himself if you tried to bail.”

  He snorted.

  “I’m aware.”

  “If you don’t want to be part of this,” he offered, “I’ll still find your father for you. It’s clear he’s involved in this. It’s clear that he’s had some contact with Chesky. If you can’t do this, Rogue, nothing changes. I’ll take it on for you.”

  That touched him that a man he’d only known a few weeks would do that for him when he was battling so many of his own demons.

  “Why?”

  “You gave me that ring for Sarah, and it’s her prized possession. Because of you, I was able to give my woman something I’d normally not be able to give her. For that, and that alone, I’d help you out. I can find Tasunke, Taz, or whatever the hell he’s going by, and I can handle him.”

  Rogue took a deep breath.

  The man’s willingness to have his back meant the world to him, and it helped him make up his mind.

  “I’m still in. Just let me think this through tonight and avoid the detective. I’ll get my bearings. She irritates me for some reason. I have no idea why.”

  “Oh, I know.”

  “What?” he asked. “Care to let a confused man in on it?”

  “I saw it the second you caught her from falling off the curb. You could have let her fall, but you held her a tad bit too long.”

  He stared at him.

  “You’re irritating.”

  “You were all about her breasts. I saw you checking them out.”

  “I’m telling Sarah,” Rogue stated. “If I was looking, so were you.”

  He laughed.

  “And there is the proof. Ratting out the bro for some woman. You think she’s hot.”

  God.

  He did.

  Rogue was a total idiot.

  “No comment.”

  Dakota laughed his ass off. He’d never seen Rogue sexualize women before. At first, he thought he was gay since he didn’t really hit on Sarah or Stella.

  Now he knew it took a certain blonde.

  Not his blonde—err—redhead, but this one. Seeing him uncomfortably squirming, he cut him a break.

  “Okay. Let’s grab Sarah. God knows what she’s telling your mother. We left her alone with the woman, and you saw the shit that she came up with at Charlotte’s home.”

  That was all he had to say.

  The man actually ran up the driveway to get inside and cut off any jackassery before it went too far.

  Sarah was okay.

  BUNNY?

  Oh, holy hell!

  It made Dakota laugh.

  When they got inside, Sarah was sitting beside Grace, and they were having a cup of tea.

  Oh, with a little chitchat on the side.

  “So, then, you heated it up again, and then placed it on his…” Grace stopped and smiled at her son when he entered the room.

  Rogue looked horrified.

  This was exactly the part about his job bleeding into his mother’s life that he couldn’t let happen. He didn’t want her knowing what he was part of, or capable of either. That was all kinds of wrong.

  His mother was prim.

  Proper.

  She didn’t need to know what Sarah did.

  EVER.

  “Sarah, what are you telling my mother?” Rogue asked accusingly.

  “She wanted to know why I smelled like burnt chicken. I’m not good with lying to someone’s mother. I never had one. So…”

  He closed his eyes.

  Could this get worse?

  “Can I come to your hideout?” she asked. “I want to feel like Batman and Blue Jay.”

  “Robin,” Sarah whispered. “It’s Batman and Robin. They were the caped crusaders. We can watch them online if you come over…”

  “SARAH!”

  She smiled.

  “Yes?”

  Rogue gave up.

  This was one he wasn’t going to win, so why was he even trying at this point?

  “No, Mother, you can’t, but you can have Peony overnight. I have some things to handle.”

  “Like killing someone?” she asked. “Or are you and Sarah going to toughen someone up?”

  “Rough someone up,” Sarah corrected, cracking her knuckles for emphasis.

  “Sarah! You can’t tell her things like…”

  “I didn’t. She played you, dude. Your mother is good. She got me to tell her about Dakota’s dick too. We were talking about banana crumpets and she switched it up.”

  The man looked horrified.

  Dakota too.

  “Jesus. I’m never coming here again,” Dakota stated. “How awkward. Was it a big banana or a…?”

  “Not you too?” Rogue asked. “I need backup in this one, Dakota. For once, I’m asking you to think with your dick.”

  “Oh, he does,” Sarah confirmed.

  Grace found that amusing.

  “Christ, Mother!”

  Grace stopped laughing.

  “To answer you, yes, you can leave Peony. She’s a joy,” Grace stated. “I love having her here with me. We’ll go get our nails done. I wonder if she has ever had a pedicure.”

  Well, at least there was that. Rogue knew his daughter would be safe. Then it hit him.

  “Where is she?” Rogue asked, looking around.

  “Oh, swimming in the pool, I guess. She was headed that way last I saw her,” Grace said, sipping her tea.

  He freaked-out.

  Rogue raced for the door, heading outside.

  “Now tell me about how he screamed. Did he throw up when you burned his dick?” Grace asked Sarah. “I bet he cried. Men are such pussies.”

  “Sarah, don’t do it,” Dakota warned.

  She didn’t get the chance.

  Rogue came back in.

  “The pool is closed up and the nanny said she’s napping. Are you messing with me to kill me?”

  “Really, Rogue? Gee, and here I managed to get you to this age without you dying. I hope that means I’m qualified to get your daughter to adulthood too.”

  Out of the blue, tears filled his eyes. Rogue only hoped she lasted that long.

  Whenever he saw her, her illness hit him like a ton of bricks, and the finality of cancer made him want to break down.

  Rogue was pretty tough, but the idea of his mother dying…

  Yeah, it was too much.

  “Oh, sweetheart.”

  Grace crossed to him and hugged her son
. She understood. It had always only been them, and he was afraid to lose her. Well, she was afraid to lose him too.

  “I love you, Mother.”

  “And I love you too, Alistair.”

  That had Sarah’s attention.

  It was like drawing a target on him with bright, neon ink. There was no way she was letting that go.

  “Wait. What? Alistair? Is that his name? I knew Rogue wasn’t anyone’s real name! Someone doesn’t wake-up from giving birth and think that Rogue is a good name.”

  “Sarah,” Rogue warned. “Up to this moment, where you were talking about dicks with my mother, you were my favorite. Don’t make me get mean.”

  Grace laughed.

  Her work there was done.

  Her boy wasn’t sad but focused on something else.

  “Have a good night, son. Call me in the morning if you need me to keep Peony even longer. I think I’ll buy her a pony.”

  “You are so sadistic,” he stated, knowing that now Sarah would never let it go.

  Ever.

  “If you buy her a pony, you keep it here.”

  Grace smiled.

  In that moment, they all knew where Rogue got that smile. It was a little crooked and filled with genuine amusement.

  “Alistair,” Sarah called.

  He was cutting this one off at the pass.

  “I legally changed it when I was sixteen,” he stated. “I liked the name Rogue. It has meaning to me. My life has NEVER been conventional.”

  She snickered and gave Grace a kiss on the cheek.

  “Ask him his real middle name,” she whispered. “It’s even better.”

  “Oh, hot damn! My day just got more amusing,” Sarah stated, as they headed for the car.

  Outside, he pointed at her.

  “If you…”

  Sarah stopped him.

  “She’s not feeling well today. I noticed it when we were having tea. I was trying to lighten the mood. None of us want to see her sad or see you worried about her. I’m not going to bust your ass, Rogue. That was for her because she needed something to lift her spirits.”

  His face softened.

  His heart did too.

  Rogue hugged her. There was nothing sexual about it, but more brotherly.

  “I needed this today, Sarah. Thank you. You will always be my favorite. You have a good heart, honey.”