‘I don’t want an incident report.I want you to explain to me how you let this happen.You, with your limitless budget, endless support and freedom to govern, allowedmyEstate to be invaded, my guests to be threatened and my children put in danger.Walk me through it, Lachlan.’
Lachlan opens his mouth, poised to speak when Troy stands, claps his knees and says, ‘You need me here for this or can I go?My boy’s a fuckin’ nightmare.God only knows who he’s killed while I’m away.’
Alistair blinks, perhaps surprised by the way Troy speaks, no deferential tone, no pussyfooting around.
‘Yes, very well.You’ll be contacted later.’
‘See you around, Black Site.’Troy drops Lachlan a wink as he walks by, openly appraises Blaire with a smallhmof appreciation before he leaves, closing the door a little too hard behind him.
Alistair’s gaze has darkened, watching him leave.
‘How Idespisestreet level,’ he mutters, ‘but this is the necessity you have forced upon me, Lachlan.Containment is so ugly.Explain yourself to me for I am sorely disappointed.’
‘I would prefer to speak alone, sir,’ he says, desperately wanting Blaire far from here, because if she sees whatever happens, then she’s involved and he wants to protect her almost as much as the kids.
‘Yourpreferencebears no weight.’Lachlan keeps his mouth shut, staring blankly down, but the old man eventually says, ‘Leave us, Miss Montbelliard.’
Blaire murmurs a quick, ‘Yes, sir,’ and leaves.
Lachlan exhales slowly and then begins.
‘The scope of the failure holds many aspects, and some of the blame sits rightly at my feet.There was frequency interference that I didn’t pick up on.If I had, we could have gotten people to safety sooner.That’s very much my fault, sir.However,’ he says, lifting his gaze, ‘with the greatest of respect, the Estate was far more secure until you dismantled our systems a month ago.’
Penhalyx’s mood darkens drastically.‘I beg your pardon?’
‘The ballroom, for example, had a reinforced cover above the dome.It was still semi-transparent, but it made the glass impervious to breakage of any kind.You removed it your first week here because you wanted your guests to see the stars.The exterior doors were all monitored, magnet-triggered and safety-locked until you ordered free access so people could come and go as they pleased.The interior doors were reinforced with locking mechanisms that went two feet into the floor.You ordered them disabled so people could go in any room they liked.Fenwick and I came to you with concerns about the fact that your guests were trying to hack the security systems.You told us to ignore it.It was, in fact, one of your guests who successfully hacked the system and accessed security layout, who knew enough to direct attackers towards the East Wing.I installed motion detectors in the grass and gravel.You had them removed.I installed heat-seeking technology on the roof.You said it was unsightly, so it was taken down.I asked three times for safe rooms to be built around the ballroom.You denied my request and gave no reason.If you want me to walk you through my failure, wherever that leads, then we must first walk through yours, sir.’
For a long time, Penhalyx says nothing.He stares at Lachlan with a degree of malevolence that almost frightens him.‘Youdareto blame me?’
‘We’re walking the path towards answers, as you requested, sir.’
‘Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?Some low-born dockside rat.This failure isyours.’
‘It’s my failure that I didn’t more strongly object to your interference in matters of security, yes.’
‘Myinterference?I am master of this house,’ the old man declares with imperious, tremulous anger.‘I am Alistair Sael Penhalyx.’
‘With all due respect, you know very little about what it takes to maintain the safety and security of such a vast—’
‘DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!’he bursts out and Lachlan knows now why he never raises his voice, because itshakeswhen he does.‘I am speaking now!’Lachlan falls silent.‘You arehired help,and I have given you inordinate freedom and allowance.How dare you outright insinuate my fallibility in whatyouallowed to happen.My children were in danger!You are their bodyguard.’
‘Both your children are uninjured.’
‘A fact for which you should be grateful as it is the only reason I didn’t have Troy Harker kill you where you stand!’
Lachlan tips his chin, locks in.‘You’ll never find anyone who does what I can for your children.’
‘You are not rare.You are not even competent.What delusion are you nurturing that allows you to imagine yourself irreplaceable to me?’
‘That I love them.Iloveyour children,’ Lachlan Tanner says plainly, ‘and that love will keep me innovating and inventing and improving myself wherever possible to keep them safe.Not money, not a promotion, not power and not a fucking bonus cheque.Without me, your Estate would be in ruins by now and your children would be long gone.No one will ever love them the way I do, and no one will ever protect them as well as I can, so if you’re going to kill me, accept that you’re signing their death warrant right alongside mine.’
‘Love,’Penhalyx sneers coldly.‘What good does love do beyond weaken what might be strong and soften what should be—?’
‘Someone has to love them.’
Penhalyx’s mouth falls open, eyes wide.
He wants to contest it, Lachlan can tell that the old man wantsbadlyto counter it, hurl some degree of denial at him.
