Page 90 of Operation Protector
“Damn,” Colby muttered. “Perfect. She’ll think you’ve come to connect with the family on business.”
They’d discussed at length on the flight the aspects of the Hollen businesses, including some things Colby hadn’t known about but Liam had discovered in his seemingly endless research. And then they’d gone over one last time the plan for the encounter. With more what-ifs than Colby could have ever thought of himself. But then, Foxworth had quite a history of cases to provide possibilities.
“Liam, you have those business cards?” Teague asked.
“Side pocket,” the young Texan answered without looking up from his laptop.
Teague reached into another duffel bag and pulled out an envelope that held a small stack of business cards. He marveled even at that, because no one the Hollens would deal with would walk around with just one to jam in someone’s face. Every meeting was a business meeting, and had to be put to some use.
“These folks are out of Denver, too. But the best part,” Teague said when he saw Colby watching him, “is that the Hollens have reached out to this company and been brushed off. I’ve got the details on that, so I can drop some on her.”
“So she’ll think they’ve caved and now want to deal,” he said, knowing that was exactly how they’d react.
“But what if she calls the company, to verify you’re who you say you are?” It was the first thing Ali had said since they’d arrived.
“They’ll say yes, I’m one of their main front men, the one who makes the deals.”
Colby blinked, but Ali only smiled. “You helped them out before, too.”
Teague grinned briefly. “We did.”
Liam was fussing with what were apparently body cams now, one for each of them, so small he was amazed. He’d have toremember that, that it was all going to be recorded live. He knew what buttons to push that would get to Liz the most, if necessary.
“She’ll be totally distracted while I take the bodyguard out of the equation,” Quinn was saying. “Then Colby, you and Gavin make your grand entrance and we take advantage of the shock. She won’t know if or how Teague fits in. But his and Gavin’s presence should make her think twice about doing anything stupid.”
“She’s many things, but she’s not stupid,” Colby said. “But she’s also never been cornered like this.”
“Point taken,” Quinn said with a nod. He looked at Ali. “And you search the house with Liam, out of the target’s sight, until we have control. And have Grace safe.”
“Unless…” she said quietly, and Colby felt a gut wrench at her willingness to walk into this mess.
“Yes,” Quinn agreed. “Unless.” He turned to the lawyer, who was looking at his phone. “What you said you had…” he began.
“First,” De Marco said, holding up the device, “as of right now I have an agreement to reopen the custody case, which is enough for us to rescue Grace. And we got that because of what I had before, now confirmed. The Hollens’ attorney, Colby, is now under official investigation for accepted bribes, and various other offenses. And that judge is looking at even worse, as in immediate arrest.” He glanced at his watch. “In fact, should have happened while we were in the air.”
“I’ll find some news video,” Liam said instantly, and went back to his keyboard. An amazingly short time later he had it, the district attorney, the county sheriff and the mayor of the jurisdiction all there as the DA read the charges to the gathered media.
“They all look like they’re at a funeral,” Ali said.
“In a way, they are,” de Marco said. “That judge has been around a long time. And unless I miss my guess, some of the dirty threads they’ve found will lead right back to the Hollens.”
And Colby thought the odds of Gavin de Marco missing a guess were probably pretty darn slim.
He’d never expected to actually do damage to the Hollens. All he’d ever wanted was Grace, and he would have left them alone completely if they just would have been decent about it. But the name Hollen and the worddecentwere the biggest oxymorons he’d ever encountered.
And now, finally, they were going to pay the price.
Chapter 41
It was like listening to an old-time story podcast, and it required some focus. Colby couldn’t tell exactly what the quietly speaking—and probably timid, knowing Liz—woman who’d answered the door said, other than something about Liz having just arrived and wasn’t ready for visitors.
But Teague very politely, and with the same assumption of joyous welcome Liz always had, explained that she would be delighted to see and talk to him. And managed to provide them valuable information in the process.
“I’m more than happy to go to the third floor to see her, just tell her on that intercom that I’m here and who I represent. She’ll want to see me.”
Third floor and there’s an intercom. Just like that we know where she is and something to be wary of.
The woman gave in, clearly unsettled. After a moment when Colby could only hear the woman’s voice as a muted sort of sound in the background, Teague whispered into his hidden mic that the front door was now unlocked, and he would make sure she didn’t think to go back to secure it.
