Page 182 of Sins of Innocence

Chapter thirty-eight

Her Superpower is Spreadsheets

ÁINE

The next morning, I'm back to tracing my anomalous entries to their source.

Digitizing the company's records would be monotonous or even…gasp…boring to someone who didn’t find numbers so interesting and magical. But I got my accounting degree because I love the patterns that numbers make and analyzing profit and loss statements.

I’m in my element and enjoying myself a lot.

It helps that Ellie keeps me supplied with fresh coffee with my favorite creamer.

I’m on my second set of books from two years ago when I realize the same name has come up more than once with anomalies attached to it. After shooting a text to Ellie asking her to find information on who the company's primaries are, I begin taking notes on every instance the name comes up.

An hour later, an unmistakable pattern has emerged. I check my texts to see if Ellie found any names and I'm not in the least surprised to see two of them that match the list she gave me to watch for.

My phone rings in my hand.

I swipe to answer immediately. "We've got them!"

"Yes?" Ellie asks, excitement vibrating over the airwaves.

"Proof of the connection going back at least two years. He's been laundering the money from the sale of people through the company." I just know that's what those anomalies means.

Ellie starts spouting dates she's gotten off the gang leader's computer and I cross check it with the entries. They match exactly with a single day stagger after each sale.

I text Kieran.

ÁINE: We've got him.

Chapter thirty-nine

Sociopath's Make Good Matchmakers

WRAITH

Mick's door is open when I reach it.

It's always open for me. That's not sentiment. It's operational.

He's at the window when I come in, jacket off, sleeves rolled up his forearms. He turns, reads whatever he reads on my face, and moves to the desk without a word.

I set the folder down in front of him.

"Áine found it in Kenneth's paper records. She was doing the modernization." I tap the first page. "Her annotations are in the margins."

Mick opens it.

I don't explain what's in it. Áine's meticulously documented financial trail between Kenneth Shaughnessy and the Hollow Point Kings' human trafficking.

He can read just fine.

Mick turns the last page and closes the file. "That feckin' gobshite."

I grunt my agreement. Mick reaches for the phone.

He puts Brogan on speaker. The call lasts four minutes. Mick lays it out. Brogan asks two questions. Mick answers both.