She handed it to him without comment, and he placed it inside the desk drawer in front of him before continuing.
“I have to give credit to my new deputy for bringing up a point I’d failed to ask you myself. About those babies. Even if G8 and his friends take them in, there’s still the problem you might be targeted for retaliation if the minds behind the Chimera project get wind that you were responsible for the infants missing.”
The feel of his hand gently squeezing hers momentarily left her deaf and speechless. Her fingers were barely visible inside his large grasp. His palm was rough, not smooth as she’d expected, coming from a man who’d never toiled a day in his life—until she remembered he’d probably been working these past few days.
“Miss Shyne?” the sheriff repeated.
“Yes, sir. I heard you. I w-was thinking.”
G8 released her and stepped away, giving her mental room to breathe. She looked over at him. “Where else could I take them? I couldn’t leave them to die in that fire. I was appalled when I went back down to check and found them still lying there.” She could feel her anger rising. “Those people were willing to let those poor, innocent babies die in order to save their own butts! When they could have just as easily gone back themselves and saved them! Hell, two people could’ve taken one each!” She turned to G8. “Their secret was already exposed when you guys escaped. Why would they be worried about those babies?”
“You said they were second generation. Maybe their special abilities exceed what me and the others can do. Or maybe their blood, or genes, or DNA is far superior than ours.”
“That still doesn’t explain why they’d be willing to let the infants perish in the fire,” the sheriff commented.
“Ifthere was a fire,” G8 countered. “Or…”
“What?” Ingrid pushed.
He cast those gorgeous eyes at her. “Or maybe you got to them before someone else from the labs did.”
She sat in stunned silence at what he was insinuating, when he added, “Maybe those people never expected someone else to take them. If that’s the case, bringing those babies here could be the best and the worst decision you’ve ever made.”
7INVESTIG8
A knockon the office door halted further conversation. Deputy Milton stuck her head inside. “Sheriff Korris of Gundermon County is on the line. He wants to speak with you.” Her tone told them the call was just short of an emergency. “And Dodd? Mindy says the babies are waking up and they’re out of milk. She needs you to run down to market and get some formula.”
“Any particular kind?” The deputy threw the question at Ingrid.
“I give them whatever I can find. If they’re out, I give them whole milk.”
Biggs gave a nod. “Thanks. Dodd, go get them babies taken care of before that wife of yours comes marching in here herself.” He reached for the phone, but instead of speaking through the receiver, he punched a button. “This is Sheriff Biggs. Thanks for getting back to me, Sheriff Korris.”
The dark, growly voice indicative of a heavy smoker came through the speaker. “Thanks for getting in touch. What’s this I hear of a fire over at Docenti Labs?”
“It happened a few days ago,” Biggs began, glancing at Ingrid, who held up nine fingers. “Approximately nine days ago,” he amended.
G8 mentally stepped back. Nine days ago, Cydney had helped him and the others escape the compound.Which means those people started evacuating right afterwards.The timing was too close to be coincidental.
“Well, I’ll be straight with you, Biggs. We’ve never been informed of a fire over there. In fact, right before I called you, I phoned Chief Adams over at the fire department, and he confirmed it. There’s been no fire reported at the labs.”
G8 realized he and the sheriff were staring at Ingrid and he wondered if they both were thinking the same thing. Was this woman trying to pull one over on them? If so, for what reason? For what purpose?
But she knew about me and the others. Too much of her story is the truth.
“At least none that have been reported.” G8 straightened. “I believe her, Sheriff. Have him go check it out.”
“Hey, Korris? Do you personally know someone who works at the labs?” Biggs inquired.
“Umm, yes. Yes, I do.”
“Call ‘em. Find out if they’ve been reporting in these past few days.”
“What are you thinking, Biggs?”
“I’m thinking you have a bunch of people out of work who are too afraid to let everyone else know their place of business no longer exists.”
“Or too afraid because they’ve been threatened,” G8 admitted in a soft voice.
