“Do you have any suspects?”she asked.
Niall gave an irritable shrug.“Honey production is a cut-throat yet profitable business.It could be any of my competitors.Once we reached the testing stage, anyone might’ve spoken out of turn despite promising non-disclosure.”
“It could’ve been worse,” Suzie said.“At least Harris saved a few jars of honey.”
“Yes, but they’ve probably taken jars to analyze along with our production notes,” Niall said.
“Some of your new honey?”
An amused snort escaped him.“I hid it beneath a stack of research books.If they didn’t notice the other honey, they won’t have our new product.”
“A bonus.”
“This is bad enough.Our notes and other newer products will give our competitors an advantage.”
Suzie hated seeing the disillusionment, the traces of bitterness.She thought she might have to cope with a sulky male, but he shrugged off the emotions riding him and set about righting equipment and taking stock of the damage.
Suzie worked at his side, tossing broken glass into a box and other items into a rubbish sack.Harris toiled with them.
“Harris?Niall?”a masculine voice called.
The new arrival rounded the corner and came to an abrupt halt.He cursed before closing the distance between Harris and Niall and having an animated discussion.
Suzie continued working until her back started protesting, and when she checked her watch, she was surprised two hours had passed.Although they hadn’t chattered, she’d enjoyed working with the men to right the damage and get them underway with their secret tests again.
Harris arrived with a tea tray, and Niall and the newcomer followed him, their easy conversation and verbal shorthand telling of a long-standing friendship.Harris poured mugs of strong tea and handed out pieces of buttery shortbread.
“Michael, this is Suzie, my new office assistant,” Niall said.
Suzie caught the surprise in the brown eyes before the man of her height offered his hand.His smooth palm collided with hers briefly before he released her.Suzie bit back her grimace, deducing from his expression that he thought she and Niall were lovers.Ugh to sweaty hands and insincere handshakes.
“Pleased to meet you,” Suzie said, flashing a half-hearted smile.Some people made the worst assumptions.
He dipped his head before asking Niall a question.Suzie concentrated on the excellent shortbread and her tea before starting work again.
It was another hour before the room appeared orderly, albeit absent of equipment.
“I’ve arranged for security guards around the clock,” Niall told Harris and Michael.“Make sure they know who you are.Introduce yourself before you leave for the night.”
“I will,” Harris promised.
Michael nodded.“I’m heading back to the plant now, but I’ll drop by in the morning.”
“Thanks.”Niall strode halfway along the passage, with her trotting behind like a pet dog before he came to an abrupt halt.“Wait here.”
He retraced his path and disappeared into the room they’d come from.Suzie heard him speak with Harris but couldn’t interpret the words.When Niall returned, he carried a box and a red folder.He strode past her without a word, and with a roll of her eyes, she fell in behind.
“Ah, the security men have arrived.”He placed the box and folder in the trunk.“Stay here.”
“Yes, sir,” she muttered, grumpy, until her gaze lit on his rear end.Nice.The bear did have an attractive body, even if his scowl spoiled his appearance.But that accent… It canceled out some of his bad points.She grinned but wiped her expression clean when he stomped back, having spoken with the security team.
“What now?”she asked.
“We return to the castle.”
Enlightening, not.“Did the thieves get any of your new wonder honey?”
“Not the final product we intend to market.The thieves got earlier iterations and notes.The honey Harris stored in the lunchroom was a different blend but still valuable.We got lucky, and someone interrupted our thieves, or they thought they’d found all the honey.”
