Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) by Kaylie Hunter (novels to read for beginners txt) 📕

Bones explained. “We texted all the employees at the textile plan to take the day off work. It got Miguel’s attention.”

Wild Card rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Kid, what does this mean?”

I looked over at Tech who was sitting on the couch next to us, openly listening to our conversation. “Tech, email Baker a photo of Miguel and Santiago. Have him show Evie their pictures.”

“Can’t be Santiago,” Ryan said from behind me.

I turned and saw Maggie, Ryan, and Tyler had joined our circle. “Why can’t it be Santiago?”

“Evie saw a photo of him this afternoon. Santiago and Sebrina were in The Parlor with Owen Flint, the guy associated with the Dentist office.”

“When? When was the picture taken?”

“Six months ago.”

“Shit.”

“Damn. Baker’s efficient,” Tech said. “Evie confirmed Miguel as her scary ex-boyfriend.”

“Isn’t he married?” Ryan asked, seeming surprised.

Wild Card snorted. “Not everyone’s as committed as you to their marriage vows.”

“Not what I meant,” Ryan growled at Wild Card. “I meant…” he turned to face me. “Can we use his infidelity against him? Send pictures to his wife? Disrupt his home life?”

“I’m not willing to put Evie close enough to Miguel for a photo-op.” I chewed on my lower lip, thinking.

“Stop doing that,” Spence said, tugging my lower lip out. “Think out loud.”

I sighed, frustrated. I preferred working alone. “This is too much. How is it that we have Evie, Kelsey’s dentist case, Miguel, Santiago, and Sebrina, all mixed in together. It seems unlikely they’d all be related.”

“Unless they were always related,” Maggie said.

I raised an eyebrow at Maggie.

“We always wondered if Sebrina had really been Santiago’s prisoner in Mexico. What if her kidnapping was staged because they found out Kelsey was looking into the dentist office? What if Sebrina was tasked with getting close enough to sabotage the investigation?”

“How was she planning on doing that?” Kelsey asked, making me jump.

I looked around and saw our party had expanded to everyone bunched up in one big badass circle.

I looked at Kelsey. “By killing you.”

Her eyes expanded in surprise. “Okay. Assuming that was the plan, what about Evie? How’d she find you? How’d she know we were cousins?”

I thought about it for a long moment, and when the answer popped into my head, I laughed. “She just followed her plan.”

Feeling claustrophobic, I slipped out of the circle, walking over to sit on the coffee table. Everyone else separated and moved apart. Spence walked over and sat next to me. Tyler walked back to his post.

I looked back at Kelsey. “Evie came to Miami to hunt down Miguel. She wanted to gather evidence on him. She knew about a dental clinic. Knew prostitutes were involved. And she knew he had business here in Miami. She took a job at an exclusive sex club because Miguel liked anything related to money, power, and probably sex. She was hunting him.”

“So…” Kelsey said, thinking out my logic. “The fact that you and I,” she pointed between us, “own shares of the club is coincidental?”

“Exactly. Either that, or—”

“No,” Spence said, shaking his head. “Evie wasn’t sent to spy. She’s not undercover. She’s been teetering between running and hunting this guy for months. I have hundreds of surveillance pictures to prove it. I’ve talked to her friends, her family, her coworkers. I’ve traced her life back to the hospital where she was born. She’s not a bad guy.”

“For what it’s worth,” I said, looking at Kelsey. “I agree with Spence. But we should be cautious, just in case.”

Ryan shrugged. “Evie offered to play bait to snag Owen. Let’s see if she goes through with it.”

“But what happens if Miguel shows up with Owen?” Kelsey asked.

Ryan glanced over at Bones, and they both smiled. It was the kind of smile that sent chills down your spine.

Wild Card looked at Kelsey. “We’ll take enough guys to protect Evie and handle the Remirez brothers if they show.”

Kelsey studied each of them, but didn’t say anything. She glanced around, watching everyone, pausing to look at Tyler, then the kids.

“What’s wrong?” Grady asked, stepping in front of her and cupping her face with his hands.

She took a half step back, but her eyes never left the pool area. “Nicholas.”

I watched as Nicholas dove into the deep end. “What about him?”

“If you’re right, if Miguel is coming after us…”

“He’ll go after the people you love,” I finished for her. “Okay. I know there’s plenty of security here, but you’ll feel better if one of us is near Nicholas.”

“No, Charlie,” she said, shaking her head. “Not one of us. I can’t lose him again. I can’t let this city take him from me again. I need to stay here until I know what Miguel is planning.”

“It’s a virtual world now, Kel. You can be in two places at once.” I walked over and grabbed my purse and keys. “Tonight, you can monitor things remotely, and I’ll handle both meetings at the club.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. You just keep watch over our boy.”

“I also have a job after dark.” She glanced at Quille and Chambers. “One that involves Trigger and something illegal.”

I’d seen a few of Trigger’s jobs on video feed, so my smile was genuine when I looked at her again. “Sounds like my favorite kind of job. You can brief me on the details later.”

“If another I.A. file lands on my desk…” Quille warned.

“I’m going to be late if I don’t leave,” I said to Kelsey, ignoring Quille. “Can you handle all this?” I said, waving an arm at everyone and the stack of boxes.

“The rest of us will split into two teams,” Kelsey said, nodding. “One team will plan all of tonight’s events. The other team will dig through the boxes and find the information you need for