The Price of Disrespect (Gray Spear Society Book 6) Read Online Free Page B

sometimes used to throw him off the trail back when he was a detective. The perpetrator would leave an overabundance of contradictory evidence at the crime scene. The idea had been to hide the real clues behind a forest of false ones.
    He suspected all the names on Bethany's list were just an elaborate smoke screen. The real people responsible for the protests were still undiscovered. He wadded up the sheets of paper and threw them into a nearby garbage can.
    "Sir?" she said.
    "We'll have to try a different approach if we want the truth. Where is Leanna? It's weird not seeing you two together."
    "In the data center."
    Aaron walked through a doorway into an adjacent room which contained even more computers. He wasn't sure how the twins were choosing which pieces of equipment went in which room, but apparently, they had a system in mind. It all seemed arbitrary to him.
    Leanna was holding the bottom of a ladder. She looked exactly the same as her sister, and her clothing was also perfectly identical. The only obvious difference was that Leanna didn't have a diamond necklace. Aaron had learned how to tell the twins apart even without the necklace. A few tiny scars and blemishes marked them as individuals, but he had to look closely.
    Nancy stood on top of the ladder. She was pulling bundles of wire through wide metal conduits attached to the ceiling.
    "How is it going?" Aaron said.
    She looked down at him. "As well as I expected, sir."
    "That bad?"
    She nodded.
    She had a wide body, but she wasn't fat. She was just naturally round. Brown, frizzy hair was cut so short she almost looked boyish. She wore gray coveralls, heavy work boots, and knee pads. A diverse assortment of tools hung from a broad leather belt. Her thick lips were curved in a smile that was always on her face. She was the happiest person Aaron had ever met.
    "Keep at it," he said, "and prioritize your tasks. We need this headquarters up and running. God's enemies won't take a vacation just because we're busy moving."
    "Yes, sir."
    Aaron expected Nancy was having fun even though the work was hard. She had been deeply involved in the design of this headquarters from the beginning. It was her baby as much as his. Now she was seeing all of that planning and analysis come to fruition. She was justified in feeling very proud of her accomplishment.
    He left to get another box from the elevator.

Chapter Two
    Two hours later, Aaron and Norbert arrived at the old headquarters to pick up another load of boxes. As Aaron drove the van towards the entrance, he saw that the garage door was up.
    "Robbers." He quietly parked on the side of the street.
    He and Norbert got out. Aaron checked in all directions for witnesses, then drew a Glock 22 from a holster under his T-shirt. It wasn't his biggest gun, but it was tremendously accurate and reliable. If he had to make a difficult shot under adverse conditions, the Glock was his first choice.
    Norbert drew a similar weapon. "What are the rules of engagement, sir? Are they considered civilians?"
    "Yes, but they invaded our home. Try to avoid killing them, but don't hesitate to pull the trigger if you feel threatened."
    "Yes, sir."
    Aaron silently crept along the outside of the building towards the open doorway. The sun was bright but the air was pleasantly cool. Norbert stayed a step behind.
    Aaron leaned over and looked through the opening. He didn't see anybody, but a full-sized bus was parked inside. The dark gray bus had no markings, and the windows were very heavily tinted. All the boxes and crates were exactly where he had left them. He was puzzled.
    He slipped inside. He heard low voices coming from the kitchen. There was still plenty of food in there, certainly enough to make a good meal for a group of unwelcome visitors.
    As he got closer to the bus, he noticed odd details. The wheels were equipped with an automatic tire inflation system like the kind the military used. The sides were made of welded plates instead of sheet