Page 71 of No Lies No Promises

“Mace. Gun!” I snatch my P320 from my holster, aiming it at Pearson. “Don’t you dare fucking move.” No idea what he’s up to, my finger slides over the trigger.

“Bravo.” Jeff chuckles. “The Marine’s smarter than he looks. How about I show you my hands?”

“How about you lie flat and shut up. You know the drill.” My barrel moves toward his center mass.

Snickering, the prisoner rolls onto his stomach, limbs no longer bound. I was right. He’d freed himself.

“Nice catch, Clark.” After my boss lowers his knee onto our prisoner’s back, I squat on my heels. Later, we will discuss Dante’s security protocols.

No way should this guy have been able to break his ties or have access to a gun. Either somebody fucked up, or someone helped him out.

“Tell us about Simone Hart. How did you convince her to commit suicide?”

The motherfucker laughs. “Such a sweet young lady. So eager to please. So wildly malleable.”

To my left, Lillian hisses. “What did you do to her?”

“Nothing the CIA hasn’t been doing for years.” Gaze shifting from face to face, he shrugs. “A few suggestions. Hypnosis. Drugs.”

Lil remains impassive. “How did she know about the nondenominational holiday balls?”

“You think your father didn’t bug your favorite hangout?” When a smug, triumphant smile spreads across his face, Lillian gasps.

“How would you know that? …Wait. You’re working for him?”

“Ching. Ching. You’re today’s winner. What prizes do we have for her, Johnny?”

Wishing I could punch the snarky expression off his face, I stand, pull my partner aside, and straddle a wobbly chair. “Boyle would never put his daughter at risk.”

Pearson snickers. “No, but I would. The man is obsessed. Seriously. I was doing him a favor.”

The timing makes sense. Simone had nothing to do with Parkhaven. It was Pearson’s doing all along.

“The penthouse? Was this your idea, too?” Recalling how easy it would’ve been for him to kill Lillian, I raise my Sig.

“Yeah. I needed to hide some cash. Figured I could get rid of her in the process.” He fucking winks at my fiancée. “Boyle got wind, so I had to bring her to the hospital instead.”

My trigger finger curls. The world would be a better place without him in it.

Catching my eye, Dante clears his throat before shooting me his favorite calm-the-fuck-down face.

At the same time, Lil’s hands rest on my shoulders. “It’s okay, honey.”

Jesus. Has she forgiven me?

I’m so surprised, I almost miss Dante’s next question. “Tell us about Parkhaven.”

“If you haven’t figured it out by now, you should take down your shingle.” For a smart aleck, the guy is an absolute idiot for pissing off my friend.

“Parkhaven. Explain.”

With more pressure applied to his back, Jeff’s smile finally fades. “People give us cash. We make them more. Bank accounts grow. Greenbacks change hands. What’s not to love?”

“You’re laundering money. Aiding human trafficking. Accessory to rape.” Fists clenched, Lillian kicks a broken chair leg before stepping forward.

As I pull her back, our prisoner turns his head and shouts, “Parkhaven was your father’s competition. You putting them out of business? Exactly what he wanted.”

I almost hate to ask, “And what about Roger Clark? What’s his involvement?”