Page 83 of Monster Mania

“But you know it was Robert Mercer,” she said.

“I know now,” he said.

“How?” she asked.

Bishop looked toward the ledger. “Because Elena wrote it down.”

Angel stared at him. “What?”

“She knew who was coming after her,” he said. Bishop opened the old book and flipped through several pages before he stopped. He held it toward Angel. She released Ghost and Hammer and took it. Her mother's handwriting covered the page. Angel recognized it—not as easily as her father's, but she remembered birthday cards that her mother had written to her, and notes in lunch boxes. She had even left her little messages beside her breakfast every morning. It was definitely her mother's handwriting.

Near the bottom was a single paragraph. Angel read it, and then read it again. She had written Robert Mercer's name, a date, their meeting, and the threat he made. Elena had documented everything. Angel closed the book. “It's enough?”

Bishop understood what she was asking. “To prove what happened?”

“Yes,” she said.

“To your mother? Yes,” he said.

“My father?” she asked.

“Keep reading,” he said. She didn't want to, but she did anyway. Page after page was filled with names, dates, and payments. There were list of police officers, politicians, businesses, and clubs. Some people were dead, and some weren't. Then she reached the later pages and found different handwriting. It was her father's. Angel's breath caught.

“He kept writing in it,” she said.

Bishop nodded. “After Elena died, Viper found me.”

“And you gave it back?” she asked.

“No. We made copies,” he said.

Of course they did. “My father continued her work.”

“For years,” Bishop said. Angel flipped forward and then found it—Caleb Mercer. Razor’s name and payments made. Meetings were recorded along with money transfers. The information that he sold was there too. Her father's notes became angrier—messier, and then the name Gabriel Torres was written at the bottom of the page. Shadow. Angel stopped reading.

Jackhammer moved behind her. “You okay?”

“No.” But she kept reading. Shadow had discovered Razor meeting with someone connected to Robert Mercer's network. Shadow told Viper, and Viper ordered him to get closer to Razor. Angel looked up from the ledger. “Shadow wasn't working with Razor.”

Crow shook his head. “No.”

“But Razor said—” she started.

“I lied.” Everyone turned. Razor sat against the post.

Angel stared at him. “You said Shadow helped you set my father up.”

“He did,” Razor said.

“How can both be true?” she asked.

“Because he was playing both sides,” Razor said. Crow cursed, and Razor shrugged. “Shadow thought he could convince me he wanted Viper gone.”

Angel's heart pounded. “He was undercover.”

“If that's what you want to call it,” Razor said.

“He was helping my father,” she insisted.