Eric jumped into a conversation about politics, and Lauren listened intently as she broke apart the food on her plate and mashed it up. Zoe wasn’t exactly a fountain of information. The poor girl sat quietly unless Eric addressed her.
Lauren’s main mission was to observe Eric, but she wanted to talk to Zoe privately. How had a young girl like her ended up here with Eric?
Eric wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin onto the table. “Come on. I have something I want to show you.”
Oh no. They were being split up again. She’dexpected to be separated at some point, but she wasn’t ready to do this on her own. Plus, Zach was the one going off into private quarters with a man who’d allegedly done horrible things to people.
Zach stood, giving Lauren only a glance before following Eric out of the room.
As soon as the men were gone, Lauren turned to Zoe. “Where are they going?”
Zoe stood, keeping her gaze down. “That’s not for us to know.”
Lauren was on her feet, following Zoe as she carried the bowl of biscuits to the kitchen. “But you know.”
“I don’t know. Eric’s business is private.” She finally looked up at Lauren with a sobering expression. “It’s best if you keep busy. Help me get the food from the sunroom.”
So, they’d barely eaten this outrageous spread of food, and now they were supposed to clean up and pretend like the men in the other room weren’t talking about breaking a dozen laws. She wasn’t doing a very good job of fitting into this alternate lifestyle, but Zoe was a veteran. Why was her forehead sweating?
When she’d wiped off the kitchen counters, Zoe turned to Lauren as if just remembering she was still there. “We should sit in the den. Can I offer you a drink?”
Lauren couldn’t think about drinking when her brain was working overtime worrying about Zach, but she remembered how awkward she’d been at the partywithout a drink in her hands. “Sure. I’d like some water.”
Zoe pulled a bottle of water out of the massive refrigerator and handed it straight to her. The seal cracked open when Lauren twisted the cap off. She took a small sip before putting the lid back on. “Thank you.”
Lauren followed Zoe to the den. This was one of the rooms that was shorter than the blueprints noted. There had to be an extra room on the other side of the wall, but what was it and where was the entrance?
Zoe fidgeted with a blanket before offering it to Lauren. The young girl wrung her hands in her lap as she sat by the fireplace and looked all around the room, avoiding eye contact with Lauren.
“What are they doing?” Lauren asked.
“I don’t know.” Zoe’s agitation had hit a new level. Her breaths were quicker, and she bit her lip.
Lauren sat forward, leaning closer to Zoe and using every bit of authority she could muster. “Tell me what they’re doing.”
Zoe finally looked at her, but fear kept her mouth shut. Her jaw tensed, and the muscles in her neck tightened.
Looking Zoe in the eyes now, Lauren slowly repeated, “Tell me.”
A muffled pop came from the other side of the house, and they both got to their feet. A small sob escaped Zoe’s throat just before she covered her mouth with both hands.
“I just heard a gunshot coming from the western side of the house,” Lauren said for whoever was listening to her mic. “Send help.”
Lauren grabbed Zoe’s hand. “Show me where they are.”
44
Zach
Walking away from Lauren went against his instincts, but it would be suspicious if he refused to follow Eric. It was a given that they’d be separated at some point today, but nothing could have prepared them for it.
“You have a beautiful place,” Zach said. Beautiful was an understatement, but he wasn’t about to praise the guy for using his blood money.
“Thank you. This house has been in my family for generations. I’ve made some minor adjustments over time, but it retains the original splendor.”
“That it does,” Zach mumbled. He’d only seen Eric and Zoe, and if they were the only ones living here, it was either a total waste of space or an example of someone who had so much money he didn’t know what to do with it.
“I’m glad you decided to take over the Blackwater operation. Bobby and I never saw eye to eye.”
