Bucked (The Invincibles 6)

“Anything else?”

“He said he’d get back in touch with me sometime next week.”

“I’m sorry, Stella.”

She looked down at her hands and then up at me. “I didn’t know him, Buck.” She stood, and so did I.

“You sure you’re ready to go back out there?”

She nodded.

“I probably don’t need to say this, but this will be information passed on as need-to-know only.”

“I know, Buck.”

“That includes Jinx.”

She was on her way out of the room, but stopped. “I know that too.”

“Just making sure.”

It didn’t matter if I’d pissed her off or not; it needed to be said.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“No, I—”

She was gone before I could say another word.

When I followed, Stella immediately approached Ali and started a conversation. I walked over to Decker.

“I’ll check in with NYPD and see what I can find out.” He’d obviously overheard Stella tell me about the attorney’s murder. When he said he’d check in, I doubted it meant he actually would; more likely, he’d hack in.

“Is Irish still trying to find a connection between the housekeeper and either Kerr or Hennessey?”

“I believe so.”

“Does IISG have any other resources I might be able to use to assist?”

“IISG?” Decker laughed. “That’s gonna fry Rile’s ass. I like it.”

The other contractors employed by the Invincible Intelligence and Security Group and I had started referring to it by its acronym, given “the Invincibles” sounded ridiculous to us.

“To answer your question, we do. I’ll send you access links to those like I did the others.”

“Thanks, Decker. I appreciate this.”

“Buck, there is no other mission I’ve worked in all the years I’ve been in intelligence as important as this one.”

“Copy that. Irish said exactly the same thing.”

“Oh, before you look for a connection between Jones and the other two, why don’t you see if you can get into Barb’s will.”

“Will do. Thanks again, Deck.”

“IISG.” He shook his head and chuckled as I walked over to where I left my laptop.

“I’m still not following how this directly connects to Fisk,” said Cope. “Or how you’re linking Kerr to Barb’s murder.”