Cassie thought for a minute. “You guys call him Raptor. Raptors have huge claws.” She shifted her jaw. “He flew the F-22?”
“How did you guess that?” Martin asked.
“There is a tiny set of wings on the arm of his sunglasses,” Cassie recalled.
Her observation skills were keen. Martin needed to watch her with increased caution.
Chapter Forty-Five
After mourning both their lost staff members in the previous weeks, Kieran and Ian went forward with the memorial for Dr. Cassiopeia Ellis. The first day was uneventful.
Cassie was very quiet when Ian returned home. “I hate this. I’m deceiving my division friends and everyone in my neighborhood. I’m making Sophie and my family go along with the lies,” she lamented. Ian did his best to console her, but he knew he didn’t lessen her distress.
On the second day, Kieran’s team maintained the perimeter security for the estate, and Pete relaxed in the den in case Cassie needed anything.
Martin checked his watch. “Let’s hit the office while everyone is gone. Ian asked me to put together your security team. I want you to help me make the final decisions. And maybe I can get you some computer time.”
Cassie was confused. “Isn’t that a lot of work? This should be over soon.”
Martin inhaled. “Cassie, when this issue is closed, you’re still going to need security.”
Cassie frowned. “Martin, I’m an FBI agent. Why would I need security?”
“Ian is a very wealthy man. He also runs a company that has made enemies. The surest way to hurt him—”
“Is through me. I’m his weak link.” Cassie’s voice was a whisper.
Martin shook his head. “No, I was about to say his family—all his family. You saw him after he lost two of our people. Cassie, Chase Group is part of his heart. He can’t bear it if something happens to anyone in his circle.”
“Martin, I know Jason is more than his driver. Do Declan and Lillian have security?” Martin nodded. “And Monique has Colby. Does she have a team?”
“Yes, when she travels. And those needs will tighten when the baby comes.”
“C’mon, let’s look at people,” Cassie huffed as she surveyed the office.
* * *
Ian stepped into the receiving room at the funeral home. A simple oak casket sat at the head of the room, and flowers covered almost every available space. Three dozen long-stemmed black roses were arranged with baby’s breath in a crystal vase near the casket. The card readRest in peace. The envelope was blank. He carefully placed it in his suit pocket.
He rehearsed specific roles with his family, the Paulsen family, and Sophie. They needed to appear in mourning for their beloved, but they were also there to flush whoever was behind Cassie’s first attack into the open.
Sophie, with Monique’s help, applied her mascara to run when she sniffled. “I can’t believe after all she went through; she’s gone. She finally had her chance at love. Ian treated her like she deserved, and she’d put all that vileness behind her. Dammit, she was moving on.” Her voice was loud enough for many to hear. The first seed was planted.
Luke pressed his hand to Sophie’s back when the Marshalls approached. Claudia Marshall hugged Rachel. “We just needed to come. Cassiopeia was a lovely young woman. In fact, I wished she had a chance to speak with our son again, but we all saw her feelings for Ian. How’s he doing?”
Rachel dabbed her face with a tissue. “Look at him. That poor man…he sleeps with her journal. It’s all he has left of her. It was pure luck that she left it by the pool the day of the explosion. Even the storm didn’t damage it too severely.”
“That’s so sad.” Claudia turned to her husband. “Alex, let’s go pay our respects.”
The stoic Paulsen sons, dressed in their uniforms, stood in the lobby. It was surreal to Ian that all these people cared about Cassie and her family enough to share their pain. He hoped people would understand the deception when the truth was revealed.
Frank gasped when Greg Wilds walked in, and Christian approached him. “What are you doing here? You lost that privilege with the way you treated her.”
Wilds held up his hands. “I don’t want any trouble, Christian. I just want to say goodbye. I regretted little in my life, but I never wanted to hurt Cassie.”
Christian wanted to swing at him, but Caleb and Sean stood by Christian’s side.
Noah stepped in front of Wilds. “There’s not going to be a scene. Say goodbye and get out of here.”
