TAKING OVER TROFIM (Dominion of Brothers series Book 4) (23 page)

“Perhaps that’s why the allowances have been short changed as well. What else?”

“Aside from some rather disturbing bills they’re all pushing to see fast tracked up at Capitol Hill, for Shay, they have a sealed file of trumped up charges, which would see him ruined for the rest of his life, maybe even locked away for a good part of it.”

“Are you certain they are trumped up?”

“Didn’t Trofim say Shay’s dad had him hooked up into a pre-arranged engagement to the daughter of Merle Londonaire?”

“Yeah.”

“But she’s still alive and well in this engagement, right?”

“What are you getting at?”

Harper got up from his seat, stepped to the desk, and laid the legal size yellow envelope, he’d been clutching onto the desk before Trenton and simply looked at him grimly, waiting for Trenton to look for himself.

Trenton leafed the edge hesitantly then opened it and poured the contents out. He flipped through the loose photographed pages of random information. While Trenton hadn’t put a lot of thought into what Benjamin Wilks might have been holding over his son to blackmail a grown man to submit to his will, Trent figured there had to be something that kept Shay from going to the police himself. Going toe to toe with a man, who likely had a zoo of lawyers in his pocket, would never be an easy battle, but if any amount of what Trofim told them was true, Shay should have been able to have his father on the run. The fact that Shay had continued to submit to his father’s wielding meant there had to be something else. Shallow thoughts might have come to mind with little weight onto the possibility like a drug charge or the lewd behavior charges Pyotr had faced five years back. Things that a seasoned doctor, who was well established in his practice, only found annoying, but for a young doctor like Shay who was just starting out, even accusations could be detrimental. Problem was, that wasn’t what Harper had dug up. What Wilks and Judge Leverette were holding over Shay’s head was beyond anything Trenton had expected. Turning his blood cold.

He looked up meeting Harper’s gaze. “This doesn’t make sense. Why?”

“I don’t know. Wilks got the Judge Leverette to declare Shay incompetent and a potential threat to himself and then became the ward of his father. An arrangement that included giving Wilks the senior full access to Shay’s trust funds five years ago. These charges were written out just last year. That’s four years after Wilks already had Shay’s money.”

“So what happened last year that they felt they needed some extra dirt to pull?”

Harper shook his head, “When did Trofim return to the states?”

Just a little over a year ago.”

“Maybe that’s it then?”

Trenton nodded. “Follow that for now and see if they match up. And let’s find Sarah Londonaire and put a tail on her.”

“You don’t think Shay is actually going to—?”

“No, but someone is. Let’s see if they can be fished out.”

Harper rubbed at the side if his mouth with the backs of his fingers. His eyes searching his thoughts for connections that weren’t apparent. “This doesn’t feel right. I mean, if you don’t want anyone to find out your son is gay, how is it any better to—” Harper’s voice trailed off.

“There must be something else we’re not seeing yet. But you have to follow the bread crumbs first.” Trenton strummed over his lip with a finger, letting his mind drift into deep thought just as Harper’s had, only there was nothing to ponder in the dark. “Check the Londonaire family back ground as well. Maybe an old family vendetta.”

“It’s no hidden belief with these people. A primary goal is tainted with full intentions of an American inquisition as if it were a welcomed turn of events. And they plan to have a hand in it as well. They’ve got files on who they want taken out. A purging of society per se: people, businesses, coalitions, franchises, lifestyles.” Harper paused a moment then looked at Trenton, “Trent, they got a file on you.”

Trenton did a double take on his brother, but there was a sense of terror in Harper’s eyes that said this was no
small
dark cloud on the horizon.

“Trent, all those protestors, the code violations on the Elysian Fields Event, the constant paperwork, permitting, health checks, police, and detective inquiries into it have all been ordered by this one group. Every form you’ve filled out, they have copies of, details highlighted. Even surveillance photos of you.”

“Photos?”

Harper swallowed hard, his voice lowering to a near growl, “Of Katianna as well. And Dane.”

Trenton tensed suddenly. He nearly lost his mouse last fall. So the very suggestive threat there was once again a predator out there watching his Unicorn put him on an edge that could quickly turn to vengeance.

“What these people are wanting though—” Harper shook his head, “I’m just not sure what conclusion they are trying to leap to— but let me tell you, it’s one hell of a leap. Ever hear of the term Ad hom or Ad hominem? They’re like some new world order cult intent on conspiring to make everyone else look like the enemy of the nation, only I don’t get the feeling they’re very patriotic.” He shook his head again, “Half of what I read didn’t make sense, but they are just waiting for you to slip up, Trent. If you find yourself in court for anything, this judge fella is going to have his way with you. Like some Federal horror story that makes people disappear kind of stuff.”

“Just me? Are any of you also mentioned?”

“There’s some photos of Dane, plus a few things on Club Pain but other than that nothing. Then in one spot, Diesel’s name is mentioned, but it’s scratched out with a notation that simply said:
Don’t touch
.”

Trenton threw himself back in his seat, locking his gaze with Harper’s.

“Someone is protecting him, but that protection isn’t being extended to you for some reason.” Harper shook his head, “Trenton, it’s not making any sense. They have a copy of your entire service record from the military. Including some of the black ops jobs we did.”

“Interesting. We pulled some highly sensitive top secret missions. Who’s on their team that would have that kind of intelligence?”

“Looking at the amount of money that is being pushed around, this is bigger than just some New York local thing for a few politicians.”

“Maybe I need to have Maxum do some background checks on my investments, maybe there is something there we’ve not seen.” Trenton tapped the desk, “More so, who has Deez’s back and how can we strengthen that?”

“I want to know how we can protect you.” Harper added.

“I’m more inclined to find a way to protect Shay Wilks and Sarah Londonaire, right now. I rather doubt her father is agreeing to this, so perhaps he too is on a short leash. They certainly would not attempt to sacrifice her just to lock up one gay son. There has to be more to it than that. Benjamin Wilks’ agenda to hide his son simply makes Shay a convenient scapegoat for the other. So let’s find out what
other
means.”

“Kill two birds with one stone. Remind Londonaire who he made a deal with and preserve Wilks’ publicity acclaim?”

“Doubtful, not just for a senate seat. The real catch will be to find out who it matters most to. With what little we have so far it still seems too superficial. See if you can dig further, I’ll ask Maxum if he’ll look into some money trails and let’s see if we can’t figure out who it is on Deez’s shoulder. Find out if the person is actively protecting or just by association it’s someone this group doesn’t want to piss off.”

“Diesel’s going to freak when he hears this.”

“Which is precisely why we’re not going to tell him.” Trenton locked Harper under a firm gaze.

“What? You’re joking right?”

Trenton gave him a silent look. He never joked about the security of his family.

“It’s not like you to keep secrets from Diesel.”

“As you said, he’ll freak. And I already have him underfoot after the attempt on Katianna. He’ll throw protection to the wind to find out who is tailing me and Katianna and/or go after the identity of his secret protector. If someone has Diesel’s back, we want that corner pocket to remain in place. It may also be the only thing keeping the wolves at the edge of the woods for everyone else involved. So for now, ignorance is bliss.”

Harper closed his eyes and took a long deep breath, saying nothing— showing nothing. “I haven’t been ignorant in a long time, Dominus.” He spoke finally, lifting his gaze to Trenton as he spoke to him in a formal title. “And it has left me battered in a dark world with no comfort. I’ll do as you say. For now. To protect that. But if these so called wolves so much as bare their fangs in your direction, I’m poking the bear.”

Trenton sat back again, commanding the inner tension to leave his body with a deep expelled breath so he could think clearly. “You said this judge presided here?”

“Yes but with this Judge Sooter on his side, he is acting like there is no one above him to appeal to.”

“Seems only typical of any politician. This country went to war with Iraq against the will of the United Nations and half the countries in Europe. So what is there for them to be concerned about in taking out just one man? Why wait? If they have this—” Trenton held the envelope with Shay’s file in it, then let it fall to the desk, “—for a nobody-doctor-kid, just to protect one of their own from being tainted. And why hold out to remove me, when there is plenty to bark about without making it up?”

Harper shook his head with a wide turn, not having even the slightest idea why.

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

Katianna sat comfortably in Diesel’s lap behind the counter at the front of the gun shop, resting back against his shoulder, thumbing through the list of emails on her tablet. A task she never seemed to be able to stay on top of. She was looking for a certain name, scrolling past all the others for now. Diesel was scrolling as well, his eyes on the computer screen on his corner desk, most likely reading up on the latest gun law petitions, but his hand was taking some freedoms with her leg, enjoy the softness of her skin against his fingers.

His suppressed yearnings for her were growing more noticeable and he took more liberties with touching her, even teasing her sometimes, but nothing more. Of the few kisses he gave her that broached his affections for his brother’s Unicorn were still kept chaste though at times they were laced with a growl.

He’d just leaned in to steal such a kiss just as Kat had opened up the email she was looking for and failed to twist it from his view in time.

“You two talk about me?” Diesel asked without looking at her. Purposely forcing his attention back to the computer screen, mousing the curser to flip to an online catalog of the latest survival gear and gadgets.

“He purposely steers clear of any topic that includes you.” Katianna answered.

“Then what do you two talk about?”

“My books, the island, and his job there. He asks how I am and if I am happy?”

“And what do you tell him when he asks that?”

“I told him he did well and that he should trust himself again next time he has to make a similar decision.”

Diesel abandoned the computer, grabbed her knees and spun her around on his lap to face him, “What do you mean by that?”

Katianna sat silent.

“Mouse?”

“You can punish me if you like. But I am still not going to explain my answer that was meant only for him.” She really didn’t want to be punished, but she also didn’t see the advantages of telling anyone what she and Paris talked about. She knew where Paris’ mind was right now and she only hoped that talking with him she could do for him what he’d done for her. Something she feared any outside interference would only complicate further. So she pursed her lips and held her ground. But that didn’t stop the sigh of relief from spilling from her lips when the bell above the entryway to the gun shop chimed, and Ed and Walter came barreling in for a visit. Interrupting any possibility that he mint get turned over Diesel’s knee.

“Hey, guys!” Katianna called out, happy to be saved by the bell—
literally
.

“Hey, doll! The tyrant let you off the leash to come hang out with us did he?”

“Oh, stop. He’s no tyrant.”

“But he sure does keep a tight rule on you.” Walter muttered.

“With good reason.” Diesel deflated whatever point Walter and Ed were trying to make, then brushed Katianna from his lap and rubbed his forehead a moment. Perhaps to wipe the concerns he hid inside himself or just buy a moment to change the gears in his thoughts now that their time together had been intruded upon. Either way, Diesel didn’t look like he was up for company much today, so she did what she could, getting up to meet Ed and Walter at the end of the counter, and create a buffer between Diesel and the comedy show that never ended when those two were around.

“Sayyyy— you got you a new bracelet?” Ed shot her a gleaming grin, but then his expression turned troubled as he took Katianna’s arm and turned it over, taking a closer look at the bauble. “Not very shiny.” He disapproved.

Katianna let out a giggle. “It’s not meant to be pretty. It’s supposed to protect me.”

“Looks to me like braided parachute cord.” Walter commented glancing over Ed’s shoulder to have a look himself.

Katianna obliged the show and tell by unclipping the buckle then showed them the small key hidden inside.

“Well, I be damned. This is so you can escape your tyrant boyfriend, right?”

“Would you two stop?” Diesel snapped from his desk.

All three had glanced around at Diesel, but he didn’t give them the acknowledgement back. His attention already turned back to the computer monitor.

“What’s up his ass?” Ed asked.

“There’s been a new case of attacks. About eight so far having been sexually assaulted and then killed. All of them handcuffed.” Katianna explained, her attention sliding back to the man whose back was turned to them, seemingly to ignore them, but she knew better. The recent killings bothered Diesel. More so, they had him and Trenton on edge about her. Diesel’s radar was never turned off and she feared it was taking its toll on him, because there was no one to brush his hackles down at the end of the night.