Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
It was the most Gideon had ever heard Paul say at one time. He was asserting himself, challenging Mack to listen to him as a professional of his talent. He was right. There was no getting around the truth of what he was saying. None of them had to like it, but they had to listen to what he said.
“It isn’t just because we all have tremendous affection for you, Paul,” Mack said carefully. “You’ve managed to gain our respect and find your place in the family. You may not like the fact that you’re the youngest brother and everyone looks out for you in that regard. But your talent is needed. We guard you carefully for that as well. Those restraints, I’ll admit, sometimes are a bit too tight.”
“A bit?” Paul asked. But he asked with a hint of a smile. “I have to be here to examine her, Mack. And, Gideon, I believe if you’re up front with her right from the beginning, full disclosure, she’s going to forgive the fact that you didn’t tell her right away.”
Jaimie nodded. “She did have a panic attack and then a breathing problem. It would be natural not to put more on her. To wait. To want to protect her.”
Gideon flicked her a quick glance. Jaimie had a way of putting things that made sense. Was it possible to convince Rory it was in her best interest to talk to his team? He’d already spoken with them without her permission. That was one thing he couldn’t get around, but maybe he could find a way to make that work.
“We shouldn’t use this building,” Mack said. “Gideon, she’s already been to your home. We can do better damage control there. Up on your rooftop. We can contain any problems Whitney may have introduced.”
He was talking about bombs. Gideon knew they had to consider that possibility, but it still stung. He didn’t let it show, but few things got past Mack.
“She’ll be more comfortable there, Gideon. You’ve already told us that she’s the kind of woman who worries about everyone else. Do you think, after explaining to her what we are and what you think she is, that she would come here to my home and risk Jaimie and Rose and Sebastian?”
Gideon knew Rory wouldn’t. She would pack up everything she owned and leave immediately. She might anyway.
“You’re right, Mack.” He looked around the room at the men and women he had always counted on. They were there for him, and they would be for Rory. “I’ll talk to her. She’s not going to agree to more than a couple of you meeting with her.”
Mack nodded. “Paul’s made it clear he has to be there to read her. I’ll be there. She knows Javier and she’s seen Ethan. I think that’s more than enough.” He ignored the dark look of protest on Kane’s face.
“I’ve always been with you, Mack,” Kane said, making his protest out loud.
“I’ll have Javier and Ethan with me. I’ll need you with the others,” Mack replied, his tone firm. “Paul and Gideon will be on Rory.”
Kane clearly didn’t like it, but he didn’t voice any further protest.
“Let us know when you work out the details, Gideon.” Mack continued, “What do we have on her stalker?”
“Harvey Otis Matters. Forty-two years old,” Jaimie said. “He’s a big-time arms and drug dealer. He doesn’t distribute on the street. He brings the product in and sells to the dealers. You have to be a big dealer to even get close to him. By that I mean you must be able to take large amounts of product and pay for it up front. He doesn’t mess around. He has partners. Or had them. Two have turned up dead. Jarrod Flawson is in the wind.”
Alarms shrieked at Gideon. “The men living in Rory’s apartment building? Why in hell would they be there? They have to have all kinds of money.”
“And own homes and property,” Rhianna chimed in.
“They do,” Jaimie agreed. “Harvey has two beautiful estates. One here in California and one in Nevada. He’s smart about his taxes.”
“He pays taxes?” Jacob Princeton asked. He was their underwater expert. “On the money he makes from his drug deals?”
Jaimie laughed. “He has quite a few legitimate businesses, Jacob. It isn’t well known that he’s a huge arms and drug dealer.”
“What’s he doing in Rory’s apartment building?” Ethan persisted.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Jaimie said, sobering. “The partners never go near one another. They don’t have anything to do with one another, yet they all moved into an apartment in that building around the same time a little over two months ago. I pulled the surveillance cameras, which aren’t very good, and they show nothing. The men were aware of the cameras and avoided them.”
“Something had to have brought them to that building,” Kane said.