“She’s on the team now,” Camden answered her—and everyone else’s—unasked question.
Lachlan nodded. “Good to hear. And we’re gonna do everything to keep you safe. We appreciate it, ma’am, along with this incredible breakfast.” He chomped down on the pen stub that he’d shoved into his mouth immediately after he finished eating.
“Hey, I made the coffee,” Camden said.
Jake golf-clapped. “Congrats, brother, you get a participation ribbon.”
Elena laughed. “Thank you, Mr. Campbell. I hope I can be of some help. I did talk to Cici yesterday.”
What?Camden tried not to give away his surprise, but he couldn’t stop his body from tensing up. Why hadn’t she said anything until now?
Elena motioned for Gina to keep talking. “You first.”
Gina set her fork down. “After narrowing the patient information down to the Bennetts, which was much easier than I’d anticipated, I discovered something interesting.”
“Patient information?” Elena asked, then looked around. “Is she sick? Sorry, late to the party.”
“That’s okay,” Gina said. “She’s not ill. On Camden’s recommendation, we decided to look into the Bennetts’ past visits to a fertility clinic twelve years ago.” Camden felt Elena tense up. “And the record was pretty surprising. It said that she’d had one pregnancy already, resulting in one live birth.”
“Whoa,” Camden said. “One live birth? But they only have the twins.”
“In college,” Elena said. Now Camden was really confused, but Gina only nodded.
“She told you,” Gina said.
“She did. Yesterday evening.” Elena filled them in on her conversation with Cici, and as she did, Camden’s admiration for his woman grew. “Now I know she was telling the truth—not that I doubted, but there’s the proof. So, Cici’s biggest concern was that you all would dig into her past and find out, and that you might leak the information to the media, or maybe a political rival. She wasn’t clear on that,” Elena finished.
“Well, Cici was half-right, we did dig it up,” Lach said as he leaned back and crossed his arms. “But I have to say, I’m a little insulted that she’d think we’d turn around and sell her out.”
“I don’t think you should take it personally.” Elena reached out and laid her hand on the big man’s arm, quick to soothe him. “She doesn’t trust anyone much.”
Lachlan belted out a laugh and patted her hand. “You really think my feelings are hurt?” He looked at Camden. “Your lady is a sweetheart, trying to make me feel better like that.”
Camden put an arm around her. “And not a half-bad operative.”
“She’s hired,” Lach added.
Elea put her hands up. “Oh, no, I’m already looking at a new, less-exciting job at Delia’s restaurant, but thanks.”
“That’s right,” Jake said. “Rachael told me about that. Congrats. We’re both happy for you.”
“Thanks! I’ll be at the villa in the kitchen. I can keep an ear open. I could even ask the servers to look for anything suspicious.”
This time, Nash laughed. “Look out, Lach. I think she’s secretly afteryourjob.”
Lach grinned. Normally wound tightly, Elena had managed to get him to smile twice and even laugh—damn near a miracle, Camden thought. “Again, my lady, that’s very generous, but we’ve got this. Truth is, I’m gonna have to ask you to not talk about it to anyone, to play it like there’s nothing going on at all but a big ol’ party.”
“I wouldn’t say a word, but I just thought I could help.”
“Already have, thanks. Now, she say who the baby daddy was?”
Elena shook her head. “But she did say he knew.”
“And he didn’t keep the kid, either.” Lachlan looked at Gina. “What’re our chances of getting into sealed adoption records?”
“Slim to none within our timeframe, Lach. I’m tapped out. California keeps those records sealed tighter than a drum.”
Costello raised a finger. “I think I can make an educated guess as to the father.”
