Shawn grimaced.“Jamie recommended Enrique.His resume was perfect for what we needed.I passed on the recommendation to your family, and they concurred that he was a good fit for the job opening.”
Trip inserted, “It’s more likely that Jamie did Enrique a favor, El.Ryan told me that Jamie said he needed the money?Situations change, don’t they?Something can happen in our lives that can turn us from one particular path onto another one we could never have imagined taking.”
She bit her lip.“Enrique too?”
Shawn frowned down at the tablet, then slowly, like he was processing the thought as he spoke, said, “I could be wrong, but they might have gone into business together.”
“What do you mean?”Santiago pounced.
“I don’t recall all that well because they didn’t talk about it in front of me.They knew they weren’t supposed to moonlight, and I don’t think they were.I think they had another friend who they were going into business with; a partnership in a bar, maybe?Something like that?”
Erickson shot Santiago a look.“Did you see anything like that in his bank records?”
“No.But we wouldn’t if they had a company account for it.And it wouldn’t be in his name, would it?Not if they were a partnership.We’ll look into this, dig deeper into his financials.”
Ryan nodded at Erickson’s comment.“If they were in debt, then they must have seen the kidnapping as a pay day.A simple transaction for them.”
Shawn pointed out, “Enrique wasn’t called Pantera.His surname was Gonzalez.”
Marc shook his head.“That doesn’t mean anything.They usually do change their surnames, but they don’t have to.It’s not obligatory.Just a custom.”
“Okay,” Shawn said softly, then hissed again.“I can’t believe they planned this under my nose.”
“They’re Pantera,” Ryan remarked.“Shifters are used to hiding in plain sight.On top of that, they have their own dialect.It’s a form of Spanish, but it makes it hard to listen in.”
El gulped.“I’m still reeling from the fact I didn’t know Enrique and Jamie were friends before they came to work for me.”
Marc reached for her hand and squeezed it.“Why would it have come up?You weren’t friends with them, El.They were your security.”
Shawn conceded that with a nod.“You never got close to any staff after Harry died, El.We both know that.You’re only close to me because we’ve been together so long.”
The men in the room stiffened at that.Only Ryan asked, “Harry?”
“One of my guards,” she whispered, ducking her head.“He was shot while he was checking out the perimeter of my apartment.”
The Triad sucked in shaky breaths, but again, it was Ryan who spoke.“Does anyone else feel like the danger El’s constantly in has to have some source we’re not looking at?”
Shawn grimaced.“She’s wealthier than most Americans even know how to visualize, guys.That creates jealousy.”
“There are threats, and then there are threats.Her family’s wealthy.They’re not dealing with the same kind of shit, are they?”Trip pointed out.
“I’ve always been a target,” she said softly.
Shawn sighed.“Since she moved in with her grandfather.Things started to change then.”
“Any idea why?”
“She was his favorite.It was well known.”
“In certain circles.Criminals don’t look for an in with favorite grandkids,” Trip argued.“Something’s going on here.Something we don’t know about.”
Ryan asked, “Where are your parents, El?I think we need to talk to them.”
Her eyes widened.“Why do we?I already did my monthly duty and saw them on Friday.”
Marc chuckled.“Monthly duty?That much fun, are they?”
“You’ve no idea,” she commented, rolling her eyes.Then, turning serious, she murmured, “They’ll never understand and accept this… quartet thing we have going on.”When Erickson and Santiago shot each other a look, she tilted her chin high.Refusing to be ashamed of something that was fact now, and since Ryan’s demonstration, was real and tangible.
