Chapter Eighteen
“So, boy," David Booth said as he sat across from Connor in the New York clan's basement facility. "Ready to know more?"
“I’d rather you tell me about him,” Connor said through gritted teeth.
"Sheeet," Booth cursed. "Like I told your friends, I don't know anything."
Connor leaned back and narrowed his eyes. “You don’t know where he is, do you?”
Booth remained as cool as a cucumber. “You’ll never know, will you?”
“Tell me where he is!” Connor slammed his fists on the table. “You bastard, tell me or …”
“Or what?” Booth mocked. “What could you possibly do to me in here?” He leaned in and whispered, “They got you by the short and curlies, right? Can’t do anything to me. Lycan law and all.”
“You’d rather be in Lycan prison?”
"I'd rather be alive, boy," Booth replied quickly. "Now, do you want to know what I know?"
Connor sat back, the metal legs screeching in protest as he dropped his weight on the chair. “I suppose you want something in return.”
“I want leniency if the truth comes out.”
“But you won’t tell us what really happened in The Facility?”
“I ain’t no rat,” he spat.
Connor looked at the one-way mirror covering one wall. Grant and Killian told him he could make a deal in exchange for good intel, as long as he didn't promise Booth he'd be free. "Fine. What do you know?"
Booth smiled. "Shenandoah. West Virginia. That's where they said they got you."
“‘They said’?” Connor let out a bitter laugh. “You’re not even sure?”
"Go check it out, boy," Booth said. "Check out the Shenandoah Clan. And, if I'm wrong, then do what you want." He looked at the mirror. "You can't possibly make my life worse."
Connor stood up, kicking the table as he walked to the door. It slid open automatically, and he made his way to the room next door, the one behind the mirror.
“Shenandoah Clan?” Killian asked. “Have you heard of them, Alpha?”
Grant shook his head. "Cady Vrost will know more; we can ask her and get any records we can from the High Council. But can you trust his information? What if you walk into a trap?"
“Something’s off,” Connor said, tapping his finger on his chin.
"I know," Killian said. "He's hiding something. Why not give up the ringleader and get an even better bargain? He's going to end up at the Lycan Siberian Prison anyway, whether it's for trespassing or being part of The Facility. He could only get a better deal if he helps us."
Connor thought for a moment. “Alpha, your security’s pretty tight here, right? You can trust all your people?”
“With my life,” Grant replied.
“What about the Lycan Siberian Prison Facility? The High Council?”
Grant’s jaw tensed. “I can’t be certain. They’re not under my control.”
“If he snitched and the ringleader got wind of it, then they could get him at the prison,” Connor finished.
"He's scared," Grant added. "Could the ringleader have something on Booth? Something he’s hanging over his head to control him?"
"Maybe Booth's protecting someone else," Killian said. "Could be the ringleader's threatening to hurt someone Booth cares about if he snitches."
"I think Booth's hoping we'll either find the ringleader without it getting back to him that he ratted or we won't be able to use the info at all and the ringleader stays free," Grant deduced. "Either way, Booth and whoever he's protecting, if anyone, stays alive."
“Motherfucker,” Connor cursed.
“So, can we trust his information about Shenandoah?” Killian asked.
“Only one way to find out,” Grant said.
***
“No, absolutely not.”
“Please, Connor?”
“No,” he said firmly. “You are not going with me.”
“But you can’t go alone,” Evie whined.
They were standing in front of his truck, arguing. He had been loading up the back with his duffel bag and supplies when Evie came down to the garage, her packed bag in hand. Last night, he told Evie what he could about what they found out from Booth. Then, he told her about the trip. She said she understood, kissed him, made love to him, and then they both fell asleep. He woke up and began to prepare for the trip, hoping to give her a last kiss before he left. He didn't think she'd assume she was coming, too, but here she was.
"It might be dangerous," he reasoned. "We don't know what to expect. According to Cady Vrost, the clan is isolated and secretive. They live out in the sticks in the Shenandoah Valley in West Virginia, and we barely know anything about them. They haven't updated their records in years." Cady Vrost had told them the last known Alpha was Clifford Forrest. He didn't have a designated Beta, Lupa, or even heirs.
“Or they could be your clan,” she pointed out. “And they’ll welcome you with open arms.”
Grant and Killian agreed it would be better if they didn't let anyone know about their suspicions, since they weren't one hundred percent sure it wasn't a trap. They didn't want to raise any alarms and come in full force, lest they rile up the clan and risk war. So, they thought it was better for Connor to go alone. Quinn would be monitoring the situation the entire time though, as he rigged Connor’s truck with a dashcam and put a tracking and listening device on his phone.
"Please, Connor, I don't want to be without you," she said. "I can't stay in your hotel room, watching TV and eating room service all day. I'll go bonkers!" Evie was on the verge of tears, and something inside Connor was ripping him up. "Fine," he relented. "But you stay close to me and follow what I say, okay?"
Evie squealed in delight and kissed him on the cheek. “Road trip!” She tossed her bag in the back and ran to the passenger side seat.
Connor growled. He really shouldn't be taking her, but he had a hard time saying no. Besides, it was a long trip and he didn't want to be without her either. Six hours non-stop to West Virginia from New York, which was why he was leaving at the butt crack of dawn. He hoped he wasn't going to regret his decision.