They stepped inside and Lauren’s head popped up from where it had been pillowed in her arms.She gamely pretended not to have been dead to the world a second ago.“I pulled all the records you asked for.After you texted, I couldn’t get back to sleep so I came in and got started.”She tried and failed to pull her recently chopped hair into a ponytail, frowning.“I was planning to run downstairs and get coffee, but now you’re early and I’m going to have to drink sludge.”
“No, you’re not,” came a lightly accented voice behind them.Aidan breezed through the door, coffee tray in one hand, a venti iced monstrosity in the other.
“My Lucky Charm.”
Aidan cut her a mock glare, yanking back the cup.“Do you want your coffee or not?”
Nic couldn’t help but laugh, some of the tension of the past hour fading.
It faded further when Mel sashayed in on her high heels, aVisitorbadge swinging on a lanyard around her neck.“There better not be tea in any of these cups,” she playfully sniped at her brother-in-law as she tugged a cup loose.She crossed behind Nic, giving his shoulder a squeeze.
The last of the tension he’d carried in his shoulders vanished.
No one had made a big deal of the past twenty-four hours.No one acted like they should be at a wake.No one offered fake condolences or sympathy.Because these people—his family—knew him.They knew he would want to get down to work and not get mired in the guilt or lack thereof that Cam had helped him wash away last night.This morning was another day at the office, another case, and they were the best at what they did.They were here for him in the way Nic needed them most.
Nic circled the table and claimed the chair next to Lauren.“All right,” he said once everyone else was seated.“I’m ready to move on Vaughn as soon as he steps back on US soil.”
Lauren started to say something, but Aidan cut her off with a raised hand.“Are you sure you want to move on Vaughn before you have the autopsy results?”
“Vaughn’s made his move,” Nic said.
“IfVaughn had anything to do with Curtis’s death.”
“Mary said there’s been no recent or past history of heart trouble.”
“Your father was under a lot of stress,” Mel said.
“It’s possible.But so is foul play.”Nic swiveled slightly, angling toward Cam at his side.“What do you think?”
“Vaughn’s goons were at the house this morning.Ten to one, he tipped off the press.Meaning someone tipped him off or he already knew.This was Vaughn, one way or the other.I say make your move.”
The same reasons that had led Nic to his conclusion.He glanced across the table at Mel and Aidan.They both nodded.
“Given the deposits in federal employee and witness bank accounts that we’ve linked to Vaughn, his movement of assets, and the statements we’ve collected, I have the orders from the grand jury.”Over the past months, they’d been building their case against Duncan Vaughn—bribery, leverage, tampering, not to mention suspicion of arson and attempted murder—including a wealth of information from his nephew-in-law, who Vaughn had installed as Curtis’s assistant.They’d extracted all the information they could from the outside.Had enough probable cause to convince the grand jury to issue subpoenas and search warrants so Nic could get to the rest of the information he needed from the inside.He displayed his warrants on-screen.“They’re ready to be served.”
Cam shifted forward in his seat.“Get me the signed originals.I’ll go out to HQ this afternoon.”
“No,” Nic said, whipping his gaze back to him.“I want to be the one to do this, and I want Vaughn there for it.No serving it on his secretary or general counsel.I wanthim.”
“Nic,” Cam warned.
“He’s the one making this personal so I’m going to personally deliver those documents.”
Cam raised his hands palms out, backing down.
Nic turned to Lauren.“Where is he?”
She and Mel had been tracking his movements these past months while Nic, with the help of the Deputy AG, had been making contacts in various consulate offices, preparing for extradition if necessary.
“On a plane back to SFO.”
“What?”Nic squawked.
Cam chuckled behind him.“Way to hide the ball, Hall.”
It was one of her most amusing and most infuriating habits, heavy emphasis on the latter right then.
“Nuh-uh,” she said, swiping at her brown bangs.“I was going to tell you when he”—she pointed at Aidan—“interrupted me, so this one is not on me.”
