Page 61 of Scarred Redemption

“From the little shrapnel I found, I’d say military grade. No homemade bomb could have such a powerful blast radius.”

Military grade. It sounded like something we’d sold in the past, although even before I’d taken over as Pakhan, my father had limited the shipments to handguns and assault rifles. Bombs were far too risky and unpredictable.

“US grade or other?”

James glanced from Sergei back to me. “Again, I’m no expert and⁠—”

“In your opinion, Mr. Kincade. That’s all I’m looking for.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “Then I’d say foreign grade. The safety precautions with US grade military explosives are such that no one could simply make a purchase without being flagged. They’re numbered and if there’d been even a simple small theft, we would have heard about it.”

That left access to obtaining bombs from overseas. They’d come in under my nose at the port. I took a deep breath while observing his office. Nothing stood outright as a red flag. Except his nervous behavior.

“I’m going to ask you a hypothetical question.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sir. At least he understood my powerful position. “Is it possible bodies could have been exchanged at the scene of the fire even hours after the explosion?”

The question was framed to be highly questionable, which offered him a chance to laugh. His initial reaction was as if he’d been prepared for the question. “Given I wasn’t allowed on the ruins for a couple hours, I guess it could be possible, but why would anyone do something so horrific?”

“That’s a good question, Mr. Kincade.” Where he sat behind his desk was very close to a wall and the corner of the room. He had no method or space to escape. He stood as soon as I moved closer, sweating more profusely. “I’m a very generous and fair man, James. I like to consider myself a businessman more than anything, but I suffered a tremendous loss that’s not only affected me personally but also my business. That pisses me off. And the thought of anyone lying or deceiving me for any reason is cause to bring out… Let’s just say the beast in me. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

He was positively green at this point. “Yes, sir. I would feel the same. If you’re suggesting your fiancée and daughter might be alive, I honestly don’t know how.”

I took a deep breath, studying him once again. “Keep something in mind. You don’t want to become my enemy.”

“Absolutely not.”

As I backed away, I mulled over what he’d told me. What I’d learned a long time ago was that everyone unused to holding secrets or being a part of a larger ring of deception always cracked with the right amount of pressure. Today was a prime example. What bothered me now was the level the perpetrator had gone to create my world of despair.

Whatever had been done in the past was significant and yet something I had no memory of.

I left the firehouse without saying a word.

“I don’t know how purposeful that was,” Sergei said from beside me.

“More than you understand.”

“Do you care to clue me in? He was twitchy, but you have that effect on people.”

I waited until I’d reached my car, slowly turning in his direction. He was shocked when I crowded his space, more so when I used a tone usually kept for those I intended on injuring.

When I held up my index finger, he narrowed his eyes. “His twitching didn’t bother me, Sergei. One word did.” I allowed time to pass, darting my eyes across his. “Don’t worry about it, Sergei. I need to decipher aspects of the conversation.”

After that, I moved around the front of the car toward the driver’s side while my councilor, brigadier, mentor, and friend remained where he was, embroiled in confusion.

The lights blinked as I unlocked. I even opened the door before I left him with the answer he was searching for. “As of right now, Isabel is not my fiancée. I’d yet to ask her prior to the day of the explosion.”

“I don’t understand.”

I whipped out my sunglasses, covering my eyes. “There is an entire very wide act of deception, Sergei. Now, it’s my job to determine just how deep it goes.”

As I climbed into the vehicle, I inhaled and held a deep breath, forced to come to a difficult conclusion.

There was a traitor within my organization.

CHAPTER 13