Riley added her own pointed stare. “The management team has known you practically all our lives, little sis. Tell me something: did Lulu Emerson have anything to do with the craft brewery industry when you put your ass on the line to help Casey and Sabine keep her safe?” Brooke shook her head no.
With an equally direct look, Jaime said, “Hermana, we arefamily. We help each other when we need it, regardless of the reason. You should never hesitate to come to us if you have a situation you’re trying to figure out all by yourself,especiallysomething that’s potentially dangerous.” Her dark brown eyes glinted. “I can’t guarantee you that Alyssa isn’t going to beat your ass for hiding whatever this is from her, but why don’t you tell us what’s going on?”
Blowing out a deep breath, Brooke grumbled, “Fine.” Once again reiterating in detail what she had told Blake at lunch, she ended with, “You need to understand… I have no proof of anything.Nothing. But I also think you know I’m not a fucking idiot. My gut instinct is screaming that these four assholes plan to rob Cask & Canvas blind—not to mention the other three microbreweries they have ownership in—before they disappear into the night with all the assets.
“I would also bet every red cent I have that this is by far not the first time they’ve done something like this either. Jack Webb, one of the Reflex Rebranding Group partners, told me they were fairly new to the craft microbrewery space, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t pulled the same shit in other industries. Webb made it a point to say they have their fingers in severaldifferent pies, so Gene Wheeler is simply their latest victim in general.”
A wave of anger hit her face. “The fact that they’re fucking over a man who could have lost his wife to breast cancer and took advantage of his inattention because he was taking care of her instead of fully minding his microbrewery has me seeing red.”
“What incredible pieces of shit,” rumbled Bryn, her dark eyes like ice.
Trill’s fingers were flying over her laptop keyboard. “What are their names, little sis?”
“Thom Geralt—and that’s Thom with an ‘h’—Clayton Tucker, Jack Webb, and Robert Hoyt.” Brooke spelled their names for the management team. “The name of their investment firm is Reflex Rebranding Group. I couldn’t dig outanythingon them when I looked online. They have this stupid little marketing website that says absolutely nothing, plus a contact email address and phone number that belongs to Hoyt. Other than that,bupkes.”
Teagan was busy texting back and forth with someone. “The first thing you need to know, little sis, is that they are definitely not using their real names,” she said, reading the return message she had just received. “We see it all the time in the protection and security industry. People who run scams for any reason always want to conceal their identities because they think they won’t get caught that way. Fortunately, most of these dumb shits aren’t very good at hiding who they really are.”
“However, in cases like these, where there is likely a long history of subterfuge,” said Drew, sending her own text, “scammers and embezzlers like these dudes know how to cover their tracks like a pro. Dara and I will take a look around Purgatory and see what we can dig up from that end.” DaraCochran was Drew’s second; Purgatory was a shadowy place on the dark web where Drew and her team played.
“I appreciate this.” Brooke’s voice was quiet as she folded her arms over her chest. “But you know I’m still going to worry I’m taking too much time away from APS and its charter. There are women out there who need you way more than I do.”
Blake reached out and captured one of Brooke’s hands, tugging it down until it was lying on the table between them. “Tigress, you are in no way preventing this organization from executing its charter. All our associates are amazing at what they do, our seconds—as well as the members of our teams—can reach us at a moment’s notice if they need us, so us taking the time to help you out is not going to take away from anything we’re doing.” Brooke nodded, a look of relief on her face.
“Now, can you think of anything else you need to tell us right now?”
“I can’t think of anything. Except I’m grateful.” Brooke fidgeted, then looked around the conference room at the caring faces looking back at her. “Just with the little bit I tried to accomplish myself, I learned how incredibly hard it is to do what it is you do. Finding yourself at the end of your rope, with no idea where to go next, is not a nice place to be.”
Squeezing her hand, Blake said in a soft, gentle tone rarely heard from her, “And there is no reason you ever need to be in that place again, Brooke. We are your friends, and we are not about to let you handle something like this alone.” She glanced around the table. “Next steps?”
“Give me a day or two to run these fuckers down.” Trill was still on her laptop. “These clowns may know how to bury their tracks, but I guarantee you nothing they’ve done or are trying to hide is so deep we can’t get to it. In the meantime, Drew and Dara can sniff around in Purgatory to see what bubbles up, andTeag can get her telecommunications team working on her end. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to report back.”
“Sincesomeoneis apparently still a bit shaken from The Candyman’s goons busting down her front door, but didn’t bother to tell anyone,” the entire room stared at Brooke with raised brows as Blake continued, “a certain graphic artist is coming home with me, where she can feel safe. Jaim, I’d like you to take Lys to Brooke’s apartment with a few of our associates to get what she thinks Brooke will need.” Jaime nodded.
Quietly, Brooke said, “I still have to work, Blake. Cask & Canvas is not my only client, not by a long shot. I can’t see how you would have room for my artist drawing table and all my supplies since they take up a lot of room. To be sure, you can’t drag my entire lighting system over there.”
Blake’s mouth curled up into a smile. “That’s going to be less of a problem than you think it is, tigress. As you know, all of my personal gaming stuff is in the main living area.
“But, while I occasionally do some work for Utopia at home in my second bedroom, which I use as another office, I prefer to do the bulk of it in the lab here in the APS complex itself. However, I still have full-spectrum lighting in my home office for those times I need to work on something there. We can switch out the bulbs to adjust the lighting however you need it to be, and there will be plenty of room for your artist drawing table and supplies. No worries.”
Standing up, Blake held her hand to Brooke, who took it as she stood up along with everyone else. “Jaime and I will get the tigress settled at my place while we wait to hear back from everyone. At that point, based on what Trill, Drew, and Teagan learn, we’ll have a better idea of what we’re up against.” She smiled again, a not-very-nice smile this time.
“I don’t know why yet, but something is telling me this goes way deeper than simple embezzlement with these tools. Fuck if Iknow why since, like Brooke said, we don’t have a shred of proof, but there it is.”
Drew snorted as everyone moved to the door. “Because, for as much as you are an aggravating fucker and always have been, your instincts are better than any one of ours when it comes to shit like this. That’s why Utopia is the killer training facility it is.”
“Awwww, thank you, honey. I love you, too.” After Blake pursed her lips and made exaggerated kissing noises, Drew smacked her in the back of the head and rolled her eyes while the Utopia team lead grinned.
With her own snort, Brooke told Blake, “I see you’re still the same pain in the ass you’ve been since grade school.”
“And don’t forget it, tigress. Don’teverforget it.”
Chapter 4
As Brooke and Blake left the conference room, Brooke asked the APS team lead, “Can we go back to my apartment? I know Jaime is going to bring Lys over, but I would feel much better if I were there myself to pack. It doesn’t seem fair to put it on them when I can easily do it.”
“Instead of packing, you and I are going to meet with my core team in Utopia.” Blake turned down the long hallway that led deeper into the complex. “There is a tiny combination office/conference room hidden behind the control booth that isn’t visible from inside the lab itself. Plus, this gives me the opportunity to show off my baby because you haven’t seen Utopia yet. You know Blair and Tracey from my crew already, but I don’t think you’ve met Quinn, Kat, or Parker yet.”
“You keep calling Utopia a lab.”
