The Belial Library (The Belial Series) (24 page)

"Give Nana my love and giant hugs to Elena and Eddie for me."

Jen laughed.  "I forgot to tell you what those two have been up to.  They've decided that you and I are THE guardians of the tribe.  They've created a whole series of stories about us and are teaching them to all the little kids.  We're being portrayed as a cross between superheroes and gods."

Laney smiled.  "I miss them."

"They miss you, too.  Just find that asshole and come see them."

"I will.  Take care."

"You, too."

An hour later, Jen sent Laney an email with a single word in the subject line: CREEP.  Laney smiled as she clicked it open.  Sure enough, there was the creep in all his glory.  He hadn't been the subject of the shot, just caught in the background.  Luckily, he’d turned towards the camera just as Jen had clicked the shutter.

Laney quickly cropped the photo, isolating Warren’s face, and submitted it to the facial recognition program.  After hitting enter, she leaned back taking a sip of coffee.  Now what?  She couldn't think of another approach, at least not one that someone else wasn't currently covering. 

Drumming her fingers on the table, she looked around the room.  Half a dozen analysts had their attention firmly directed on their monitors.  Another half dozen were on the phones.  Jake had left to find a private spot to speak with some of his military contacts. 

Her eyes fell on the giant white boards that had been pulled in front of Henry’s walls of books.  Pictures from Ecuador covered them, along with a list of all leads that were currently being chased or had already been ruled out. 

Pushing back from the table, she walked over.  Her eyes scanned the lists.  FAA, money trails, covert ops, artifact experts.  The leads already investigated went on and on, with absolutely nothing to show for it.  Somehow, though, they’d forgotten to investigate Warren until now. 

Laney shook her head.  She must be more exhausted than she realized.  They should have checked into him much earlier.  But kicking herself wasn’t going to help.  She just needed to hope she found something on him that would lead back to the rest of the group.

Her eyes flicked to the entry on the bottom of the second column of leads.  Secret societies.  Last night, Laney had researched any organization, past or present, that might be interested in the Ecuador find.  She’s discovered a ton of them, even a few secret societies buried in the past.  Until they had more to go on, though, there was absolutely nothing to suggest they were related to what was going on. 

She scanned the lists again. 
What are we missing?

"Hey Laney, your monitor just beeped," an analyst called out.

Surprised, she walked back to it. 
That was fast
.  She pulled out her chair, her eyes already glued to the screen.  Over two thousand hits.

She clicked on the first.  "What the hell?"

A newspaper article from seven years ago appeared.  The picture was of two young men with their arms wrapped around two gorgeous young women.  She recognized the young man on the left.  Steve Lucentia, son of two-time Academy Award winner Matthew Lucentia. He was Hollywood royalty.  And next to him was Warren.

Dragging her jaw off the floor, she scrolled through the other pages.  More shots of Warren carousing with the children of the rich and famous.  Apparently, though, he wasn’t famous himself.  In the pictures where he was identified, it was with the ubiquitous title of  “friend”.

She continued flipping through the pages, hoping maybe somewhere a name was attached.  As she scanned the articles, she couldn't help but be shocked by his life.  She knew he was wealthy.  His attitude screamed it.  But this life she was looking at was beyond that.  Yachts, luxury cars, exclusive clubs.  This was Gatsby wealthy. 

Finally, a senior class picture popped up from Beverly Hills High School.  Warren Friendenburg.  She grinned. 
Found you
. 

She typed in his name, looking for a birth announcement.  Sure enough, twenty-three years ago Warren Friedenburg had been born in Las Vegas, Nevada to Michelle Friedenburg.  No father was listed.  She ran a search on his mother.  She was listed on a bunch of uppity social groups and charities.  Digging deeper, though, she found the old life: a former Las Vegas showgirl.  No marriages on record.

Laney drummed her fingers on the table.  How did the son of a Vegas dancer go from Caesar’s Palace to Beverly Hills?  Sugar daddy?

She needed more information.  And she knew just who could find it for her.  Pulling out her cell, she dialed.

Yoni's voice bounced through the line.  "My favorite redhead.  What are you up to?"

She grinned.  "Hey Yoni.  I’m good.  But I was wondering, how would you like to take an all expenses paid trip to Vegas?”

CHAPTER 53

Las Vegas, Nevada

Sebastian shuffled into his bedroom.  Heavy velvet drapes were already drawn across the large windows.  The light by his bed was lit, casting a soft glow on the king-size bed in its four-poster cherry wood frame.  The navy blue comforter was pulled back, the white sheets crisp and inviting.

He headed to his walk-in closet, complete with an island of accessories, a wall for shoes, and more suits than he could ever possibly wear.  He’d just stepped in when there was a knock at his bedroom door.  Annoyed, he turned around.  "Who is it?"

Gerard's voice was apologetic through the door.  "Excuse the interruption, sir.  But there’s some information you need to see."

My father’s files.  He must have found something.
  Excitement bloomed in Sebastian’s chest.  He walked over to one of the two deep navy wingback chairs positioned next to the fireplace.  Once seated, he called out.  "Come in."

"My apologies, sir.  But I thought you would want to see this."

With an impatient gesture, he beckoned Gerard forward, careful to keep the excitement from his face.   Gerard placed the folder in his outstretched hand.  Pulling his reading glasses from his jacket pocket, he began to read. 

It was a memo from his father to the Council.  He believed that he’d found a possible location for one of the Fallen.  He flipped to the next page.  The Council was dismissive in their response.  He glowered at the censure in the correspondence:

We are unconvinced in the validity of your source.  At this time, we recommend no action be taken.  Further, you should be aware your role in the Council is currently under investigation due to previous actions not fitting with the Council's agenda.

"This is why you woke me?"

Gerard gently took the folder.  "If I might, sir?"

He nodded.

Gerard flipped through the papers, pulling out two.  He handed the first report to Sebastian.   "This one is the report on the mission at the Chandler house."

Sebastian nodded, his eyes scanning the document.  "Yes, yes.  I know all of this."

Gerard handed him the second page.  "This appears to be a handwritten note by your father about the mission.  The passage I think you’ll be most interested in is at the bottom."

The date made him jolt.  It was the day his father died of a heart attack. 

The edge of the paper had been nibbled at.  He glared at it.  His father’s wife had wasted no time in removing all traces of him from her life.   She’d ordered all his papers and possessions into the basement the day of his death.  It was the first stop before she had them tossed.  They’d been crammed down there, without any concern for their organization or the mice that had made a meal of a man’s lifetime of work. 

He remembered his anger when he’d seen his father’s treasured files crammed into the damp basement corner.  No order, just piled on top of one another.  He’d had his crew in and out in two hours, removing every last shred of paper.  Then he’d waited for his stepmother to return home.  He smiled. A shame dear old stepmom couldn’t outrun the flames.

Sebastian scanned the shortly worded note.  It detailed the last mission his father had ordered.  But as he read the notes, he realized his father had never informed the Council of his actions.

He skimmed the rest of the note.  His father’s last sentence made Sebastian catch his breath.  Now he knew why his father had kept the identity of the target secret and who his father suspected James Chandler actually was.

Sebastian's eyes sprang back to Gerard, his words urgent.  "Test Chandler now.  If he passes, take him immediately."

"If he doesn't?"

Sebastian glanced back down at his father's note. 
Could it be?
  "Take him anyway."

CHAPTER 54

Baltimore, Maryland

Frustration.  That is my perpetual state,
Laney thought as she walked down the stairs of her cottage.  She’d spent the night in her cottage down on Sharecroppers’ Lane. 

Like other estates from the nineteenth century, Henry’s estate had at one point had a row of two dozen sharecropper homes.  During Henry’s renovation, he’d turned them into cottages for guests and extra offices.  It was like a little country village tucked into Henry’s big rolling estate.  Henry had even installed old-fashioned streetlights.

Laney’s cottage sat at the end of Sharecroppers’ Lane.  Inside, the walls were covered in a buttery yellow with blue and white accents, overstuffed furniture, and a constant supply of fresh flowers.  Since she’d been spending so much time down there, she’d brought down a bunch of her pictures which now covered the walls, along with her throws.  The cottage was small, but beautiful.  She absolutely loved it. 

But her love for the little cottage hadn’t helped her sleep last night.  She’d tossed and turned, trying in vain to come up with another avenue of investigation and to keep the horror of the last few days from her mind.  At 4:30, she’d finally given up and gone for a run, followed by a heavy bag workout. 

How had the group covered their tracks so well?  She felt the weight of Nana’s decree on her shoulders.  She couldn’t let her down.

"Assholes," she muttered as the group from Ecuador slipped into her brain, yet again. Tightening her laces, she thought about all the damage they'd done.  She still couldn't get over how ruthless they’d been.

The lack of progress in finding them was maddening.  If she was being honest, though, finding those responsible wasn't her only source of frustration.  She also wasn’t sure how to deal with Jake.  They were working together and pretty well, but there was so much unsaid between the two of them. 

She couldn’t deny the joy, though, that had shot through her when she’d seen him in Ecuador and felt his arms around her.  She’d known she was safe then.

But then again, feelings had never been their problem.  Reality was.  He had a job that took him all over the world.  She had one that required periods of intense focus.  And when she needed to focus, he was free.  When she was free, he was overseas.  And after everything that happened last year, she’d just needed some time to think things through.   And, of course, he’d taken up with the first warm body he’d found.

She leaned her back against the wall.  Relationships really sucked sometimes.  She blew out a breath, pushing herself off the wall. 
All right, enough with the pity party.
 

She stretched her arms above her head, trying to work out the kinks in her shoulders.  Even with the workout this morning and the boiling shower, she hadn’t gotten rid of all the aches.  Well, it was going to have to wait.   There was work to be done, information to find.  

Of course, she didn’t have any ideas of where to start searching. 
Let’s hope inspiration strikes on the walk over. 
She crossed to the front door and pulled it open.

“Morning.”  Jake stood on her doorstep with a smile. 

Laney jumped back.  “Um, morning. What are you doing here?”  Butterflies danced through her stomach. 

Jake held up a cooler with a blanket thrown over it and a thermos tucked under his arm.  “I thought maybe you’d be up for a picnic breakfast.”

Laney’s heart melted a little bit. But then she thought of all that she needed to do, all they needed to find out.   “I’d love to, but we don’t have any leads yet.  Maybe after-”

“Laney, no one’s currently in mortal danger.  The Shuar’s legacy is already gone, and people are working on the problem around the clock.  They’ve all taken time off to sleep and eat.  You can, too.”

She knew he was right.  She’d barely spent any time away from the investigation. Running herself ragged was getting her nowhere.  Maybe taking her mind off the issue for a little while would let her look at it fresh. 

And the idea of spending time alone with Jake and maybe getting rid of this uncomfortable wall between them was too tempting to resist. 

She took the thermos from him.  “All right.  I’m in.”

Together, they walked around the side of the cottage.  Jake held out his hand and Laney clasped it as they walked up the small hill.  Up ahead, a path cut through the trees.  

They walked for a few minutes in silence.  Laney looked around.  “I’ve never been to this part of the estate.  What’s over here?”