Dirtiest Secret (SIN 1)

"Isn't that a fucking understatement?"

"--but we can work it. Use Deliverance's resources to investigate the supposed suicide."

"I've already got Noah digging around to find out who knew Ortega was in custody," Liam said, referring to the team's computer and tech guru. "That should lead to figuring out how he got the shiv. Not to mention who had reason to want him dead."

"Good." Dallas considered the options. "Any chance Ortega could be the Jailer?"

"I thought you might ask," Liam acknowledged. "It didn't ring for me, but neither one of us is going to rely on my gut when the stakes are this high, so I poked around. Timing doesn't work. He was free as a bird the day you were snatched, but the day Jane was released--and we know the Jailer spoke to her at the site in London--Ortega was in a Louisiana jail, waiting for some asshole lawyer to get him released for lack of evidence. Which said asshole managed a few days later."

"Just as well," Dallas said. "Ortega's already dead, and I want the pleasure of choking the life out of the Jailer with my own bare hands."

"You're thinking the Jailer might be behind the suicide."

Dallas glanced sideways at his friend. "Hell, yes. But we can't bank that. Not yet. Ortega was the kind of slime who made enemies. God only knows how many people would kill to keep him from ratting them out."

"But he'd only threatened one. The only trade he offered was the Sykes kidnapping."

"And that," Dallas said, "is why Ortega's death isn't as much of a clusterfuck as it could be. The fact that someone went to the trouble to kill him is a lead. And a damn good one."

"In the meantime, we focus on Mueller."

"Exactly." Dallas knew that Quince would dredge every bit of intel about Ortega out of the German fuck. Between that and the intel Noah was gathering, with any luck they'd pick up the trail of breadcrumbs that led to Ortega's involvement in the kidnapping. Not to mention his contact for that job.

It would be slow. It would be plodding. But it was a shot, and until he found the Jailer, Dallas intended to run every lead to ground.

And, of course, there was Jane's bombshell about Darcy to consider. He still couldn't believe the financier had told WORR about Deliverance--and had actually mentioned their goddamn code name. That was a serious breach, but Dallas knew better than to panic. His men were top notch. His organization well-cloaked. The name was unofficial only. And Darcy had nowhere to point. WORR might look, but they wouldn't find.

Jane herself, though, was a different kind of problem. The kind he couldn't dismiss. Couldn't chase down. Couldn't fix.

The kind that got under his skin and drove him to distraction. She was his lifelong obsession, his dirtiest secret, his deepest love.

Bottom line--he wanted her. And Dallas was a man who was used to getting what he wanted.

When they were about five miles from the safe house, Liam reached over and clicked off the stereo. "So what's up your ass?"

"Excuse me?"

Liam gave a slight shrug. "Just noting the attitude, man."

"Fuck you. I don't have an attitude."

"Just calling it like I see it."

Dallas scowled. "Our best lead bled out in custody. If I've got an attitude, I think it's justified."

Liam glanced at him, gave a little shake of his head. "Whatever, man."

Hell. Shit, fuck, damn.

Dallas had no intention of getting into a conversation about Jane. And as for Darcy...

He tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling. "I was waiting to tell you until we were all together."

"Tell me what?"

"That Darcy screwed us."

For a moment he saw the fury in Liam's face. Then his friend's lips pressed together and he gave a curt, quick nod.