She was silent for a moment.“You know Dad’s rule about treating all clients as worthy, but Ididvote against us working for Wallace.It’s not like he couldn’t have found someone else willing to take his dirty money.”
“Exactly.”
It was an unfortunate truth that a decent percentage of the people who could afford full-time security—and needed it—had earned their money by less-than-savory means.According to their parents, it wasn’t their job to judge, only to provide a service.Ford and Amber both wanted to change that once their parents stepped down.They’d discussed it frequently over the years, and had decided they’d prefer to be choosier about their clientele, even if it meant B&A got a smaller slice of the security business pie.
“You’re lucky he gives you so much freedom there,” Amber said.
“It’s out of guilt.”For some reason Dad felt like he’d failed both of his sons.
“You did learn from the master,” Amber muttered.
Ignoring her dig, Ford bagged Blitz’s dirty business and headed toward a trash can at the edge of the park.“So, will you help me?”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THAT EVENING, NATALIE sat in front of her computer, waiting for word from Dallas.His mysterious hacker contact had managed to get a name on the private investigator who’d showed up looking for her at the hospital in Lucerne.Dave Hatch, based out of Provo, Utah.
Apparently, this brilliant hacker woman, of whom Dallas spoke with awe, worked for Jason Chin’s security company.Oh, and also, Emma and Jason were now together.Like,togethertogether.
Natalie had only recently found out her teammate once dated the former college wide receiver and underwear model, who’d later become an Air Force pararescueman.Jason had probably saved Nat’s life in that Swiss condo, and she’d been so overwhelmed by meeting the man in the flesh that she hadn’t been sure he was real.Also, she might’ve called him Hot Stuff and alluded to dreaming about him…
Thatwould be awkward if they ever met again.But to be fair, she’d been bleeding out from a bullet wound and most likely suffering from shock.And hehadbeen on billboards all over the country in his underwear, his ridiculous abs on full display.She couldn’t be the first woman to have made a fool of herself in his presence.
Her gaze strayed to Ford, who sat on the sofa with Blitz at his feet, tapping his phone’s screen.Jason had been her teenaged fantasy, but Ford was the very real man she’d been dreaming about since she first met him five years ago.And now, he was here with her, protecting her, caring for her…loving her.Or, at leastmakinglovetoher.
He’d been disappointingly clear about their long-term prospects, but she’d deal with that when the time came.
A soft chime on her computer signaled a new message from Dallas, thankfully pulling her out of her brooding.Life was too short for that kind of shit.
Dahlia: H&A are tracking him down.
H&A meant Hailey and Ashley, two other Night Herons who often worked undercover as private investigators themselves.Natalie itched to be out there working the mystery herself, but she trusted her teammates to find the PI and figure out who he worked for.
Narcissus: [thumbs up] F is passing his name along.Maybe we’ll find a connection on our end.
It felt good to finally have a lead.She operated at her best with something to do.Being a sedentary recluse fit her about as well an American plug in a French socket.
While she waited on the results of Ford’s inquiries, she gave Dallas what she knew about Patrick Deschamps and asked him to look for a way into the man’s organization.She wanted to pay back Ford and Henri in the best way she knew how.
“I’ve got something.”Ford stood and walked over.“Apparently Harrison Wallace didn’t like B&A’s style.Or, more like our integrity.Either way, he terminated our services about a week ago.But…” He set one hand on the table to lean closer and show her his phone screen.“These are his movements from the last week of June through the end of July.”
“Now we’re talking.”Natalie ignored whatever creatures had started doing jumping jacks in her belly the minute Ford got within a foot of her.“Anything to flag?”
He scrolled with his thumb.“This one.”He pointed to an entry from the end of July showing that Wallace had taken a flight from Des Moines to Albuquerque, where he’d refused to let his security team accompany him on a private jet.
“That’s not sus or anything.”
Ford nodded.“Right?He didn’t tell them where he was going, only that he’d be back in four days.But our guys are thorough, and losing sight of the principal makes them nervous.”He scrolled a little further.“The lead protection specialist waited around until Wallace boarded the plane and took down the tail number.”
“Nice.”Natalie smiled.“Can we look up the flight plan?”
She glanced up to find Ford grinning back at her in a way that made her a little lightheaded.“Way ahead of you.The pilot had originally filed a plan to go to Los Angeles, but changed the destination mid-flight.”
“To?”Natalie barely managed not to tap her foot.Finally, they were getting somewhere.
“A general aviation airport in Nampa, Idaho, a suburb of Boise.”He pronounced the city name with an “S” sound, like the locals she knew, rather than the “Z” sound used by everyone else.
Something clicked in the back of her mind, and her heart rate sped up.“Hang on.”She located her spreadsheet of potential enemies, where she’d listed everything she could find—or remember—about each of them.Andbingo.
