Though if anyone could do the impossible, it was Gina Smith.
Footsteps coming down the hall warned Lach that he’d better get off his ass and on his feet or risk looking weak, which was the last thing he needed. Watchdog was in shambles and their people—Lach’s people now, he supposed—looked to him more than ever for guidance. He stood up, walked around his desk, and sat down. He picked up the cut-down plastic pen casing he used as a cigarette substitute, shoved it in his mouth, then pretended to study his computer screen.
The office door flew open without a warning knock, a new unwelcome development, and Jake Collins strode in. He looked haggard, almost haunted, so unlike the usual expression he wore that told the world not only did he have everything under control, but he looked fucking fantastic doing it.
“Anything?” Lach asked Jake before he could say a word. He switched his gaze from his computer screen to Jake as he leaned back in his chair until it squeaked.
“Nothing. She’s gone.” Jake wiped a hand over his tired face. “Hell, it’s like she never existed.”
“Except for the headlines,” Lach growled. He’d read them all this morning in the dark, somewhere south of two-thirty. He hadn’t slept since getting the news of the boat explosion a few miles off the coast of Marina Del Rey. Searchers were giving up hope of finding survivors and Lach would bet his bottom dollar that the next news report would say Kyla Lewis was presumed dead along with two of Watchdog’s bodyguards, Walker Dean and Daisy. Daisy was of the four-legged variety of bodyguard, and Lach would miss the dog very much.
“I’m not talking about Kyla. I’m talking abouther.” Jake spit out the last word. He hadn’t spoken Gina’s name since it became obvious she’d had everything to do withSea Prompt’s destruction. At the moment, no one at Watchdog would speak Gina’s name or used her nickname—Spooky. She really had become a ghost.
Or maybe a poltergeist, considering how much damage she’d done.
“You don’t have all the facts,” Lach said quietly, shifting the pen from one side of his mouth to the other.
Jake eyed him. “Wishful thinking. I can see it in your eyes—you want her to be innocent.”
“Jake—”
“No, Lach. She was there, both at the senator’s house when it was attacked and later at the marina. Elissa spotted her en route.”
“I heard my name.” Elissa appeared in Lach’s doorway. If anyone looked more exhausted than Lachlan felt it was her. Dark circles under her eyes made them look sunken in. She was pale under her usual tan. Elissa looked back and forth between the two men. “What’s going on in here?”
Jake gestured at Lachlan. “I’m trying to make him see the truth.”
Elissa folded her arms. “What truth is that, Jake?”
“That Gina either fucked up or outright betrayed us, and Gina doesn’t fuck up.”
Elissa’s blue eyes narrowed. “She didn’t.”
Jake shook his head slowly. “Elissa.”
“No, she didn’t. She didn’t fuck up and she damn well didn’t betray us.”
“Then how do you explain what happened? Walker is dead, Elissa. One of our principals is dead. One of our dogs. Is.Dead.” He emphasized each word with a pound on the wall. “And Spooky’s behind it.”
Lach stood up. “That’s enough, Jake.”
Jake’s head whipped around to stare down Lach but Elissa spoke up.
“Gina’s my friend. If you’ll just take two seconds, you’ll remember she’s your friend, too. It’s true for all of us.” Elissa threw her arm out to indicate Watchdog. “She’s saved everyone here more times than we can count. I refuse to believe that she would suddenly betray everyone. That’s nother.” Elissa’s voice rose, her usual sunny, California girl disposition completely gone. “I can’t believe the number of people around here who have forgotten that. It’s like you all got blasted with a ray gun set to stupid.”
“Who’s stupid?” Now Camden Bains was standing behind Elissa, his head swiveling from Jake to Lach to Elissa, trying to appraise the situation.
Thank fuck, Lachan thought. Camden could calm people down in any situation. That’s what made him such a good trainer.
“And who was banging on the damn wall?” Camden added.
“That was me, brother,” Jake said. “Call me crazy, but getting betrayed by a friend pisses me off.”
Camden narrowed his eyes. “Come on, brother. You can’t believe Gina did this.”
“Thankyou,” Elissa huffed. “Someone has to talk sense into this idiot.”
You’re the one who’s not seeing the truth,” Jake snapped back.
