Somehow, Larkin is in the middle of all this; what I need to figure out is how he came to be involved. I don’t think he aspired to be under a crime lord’s thumb. There had to be an inciting incident that tipped his scales of justice, some stressor that triggered the acclaimed lawyer to submit to a criminal like the Alpha.
When I find that, then it’s only a matter of following the string, unraveling the knot, to get to the end.
An end that won’t implicate or destroy Avery.
The scent of leather and coffee is all too familiar as I stand on the other side of Larkin’s door. I give him the courtesy of knocking first. After a second knock, my courtesy expires right along with my worn patience.
Since the warrant requires all offices to be unlocked for the search, I walk in unannounced. “Hiding won’t make us go away,” I say to his backside.
He’s seated at his glass chessboard, intently focused on the pieces. “That’s a shame.”
I close the door and take a seat opposite of him. “We need to talk.”
He touches a rook, finger steady on the piece. “This likely isn’t a good time. Don’t you agree?” He slides the rook forward. “Considering our Fed friends are so nearby.”
Larkin had only one stipulation when he came to me with intelligence on the slave auction: no FBI. His assistant, Alexis, said they didn’t trust the Feds, but I think it’s more than just Big Brother paranoia. Larkin has reason to want the FBI far away from his firm.
I need that reason.
I look at the chessboard. I’m not the most proficient player. Usually steering clear of games, all together. But I can respect one about strategy and rules.
I pick up the white knight, jump two spaces and land on one of his pawns for a capture. Puts me at risk to his rook—but I’m in a good position to his queen.
“The white knight. Interesting .” He looks up. “Wonder if your choice was subconscious, or if that’s really how you see yourself.”
“What are you protecting?” I’m over the evasive bullshit. “Maddox is gone. He’s no longer a concern. Wells is dead. And Mason has suspiciously disappeared. Almost all your partners are out of the game. By all accounts, any threat to you has been eliminated. So, doing that thing I do, I’ve detected the only person you’re trying to protect is yourself.” I sit forward, eyeing him. “What are you hiding, Larkin?”
I’m tempted to clue him in on the fact that Price Wells, his late partner, was a serial killer. I could give him a nudge, a hint to test what he knows. I’ve gotten good at reading him. But if he has no knowledge of Wells, I’d be risking Sadie and Avery.
I’m not willing to reveal my hand to him.
He doesn’t respond, and I tamp down the urge to drag him over the table and smash his face against the glass board. Jam his rook up his nose.
Instead, I ease out a strained breath. There’s a conspirator on the inside, a person that knows Avery’s secret, and that person is a danger to her. The fact that they’ve been dormant ever since Dorian McGregor’s arrest only makes me edgier.
I don’t know their next move.
Larkin decides to sweep his queen back out of danger. Not so smart, considering he’s just jeopardized his king.
“We have something in common, detective.” He studies the pieces, not meeting my eyes. “We’ll both go to extreme measures to protect the ones we love.”
For the first time since entering this building, I realize what’s missing. It hits me fast and hard, and I feel downright obtuse for not recognizing such an obvious oversight sooner.
As much as I hate to admit this, Larkin and I have more than one thing in common. One being we’re both aw
are that knowledge is power. And just like the game we’re playing now, we’re strategically maneuvering our pieces on the board, testing the other. Systematically eliminating the pawns in our way.
One of us has to make a sacrifice.
My shoulders deflate as I accept my next move. I push my knight back and to the right, giving him the opportunity to launch an attack against my king. “Extreme measures,” I repeat back to him. “And just what measures are you taking to bring down the Alpha?”
He shakes his head, almost pityingly. “Why? So you can bring your team in. Botch my plans, as well? I think my efforts are best conducted alone.”
I drop the bullshit. “What you know could help me protect Avery.”
He exhales heavily and moves his bishop to block my attack of his queen, instead of taking advantage of my weak defense.
He won’t sacrifice his queen.