Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

Finch was still convinced Dan had the person.

He glared at Dan, but before he could say a word, Derek cut him off.

"I've already checked everyone you've got. She's not with any of you."

That "already checked" dropped into the tense room like a brick tossed into a pond.

Dan didn't even blink.

After all, Derek hadn't trusted him in years-always keeping tabs, always watching. Planting spies around him was nothing new.

But Finch was another story. He stared at Derek, disbelief written all over his face.

"Dad, you—"

"Enough! Both of you, knock it off! The only thing that matters now is finding out who took Susanna and getting her back, understood?"

Finch started, "But this whole thing—"

"—has nothing to do with us, sure. But they're coming to us for answers, so what choice do we have?"

Just talking about it made Derek's blood pressure spike. He'd moved fast, checking all his kids' people, tearing through their crews in record time.

did he find? Susanna wasn't

still taking the heat, losing people, losing ground-over something that wasn't even their fault. Who was he supposed to complain to about

soured further. He never thought his own father would suspect him actually dig into his

running on the side

a few deep breaths, steadying himself. "You two,

ground out, shooting Dan one last dirty

always, looked bored, which only

were gone, Derek was left alone. He lit up a cigar and took

into

an eye on them," Derek muttered, rubbing

were all his sons,

along the line,

the stuff he'd set

yet he couldn't count on them. Couldn't even

What a joke.

nodded. "There's

"What?"

to

furrowed. "What's

"I'm starting to think our girl doesn't mean that