She looked down at both, her brow furrowing as she asked, “Private investigator? You work for a private company?” Lifting her gaze back to his, she saw his blue eyes staring straight at her, mesmerizing as ever.
“Yes. I work for a private company that does contract work with the U.S. government.”
Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly and she admitted, “Rank, I don’t even know what that means or how it concerned Lawrence, or me, for that matter.”
“I was not investigating Lawrence. He was someone that I was interested in, because of information he might have about a case that I’m working on.”
She nodded slowly, and said, “Oh.” Continuing to ponder, she breathed, “And I interrupted that meeting.”
Dropping his head, she caught his grin as he agreed. “Yes, you interrupted. I confess, it was the most unusual interruption I’ve ever had.” Lifting his head, he caught her eyes and continued. “I won’t lie to you and say that the interruption wasn’t upsetting at the time. But, in the end, meeting you was a bonus. An unexpected, maddening, but entirely delightful bonus.”
Wanting to believe him but overwhelmed with all the new information, she sat silently for a moment before saying, “That was one of the most backhanded, but honest, compliments I’ve ever received.”
His handsome face broke into a wide smile and she wondered if it had the same effect on every woman he aimed it toward as it did her. Rolling her eyes, she knew the answer to that question was yes. “So, Mr. Rankin, private investigator who does contract work for the U.S. government. What else do you need to ask me today?” His smile lessened but self-preservation demanded she get down to business. It would hurt less that way, in the end.
“I deserve that,” he said, his words laced with regret. “I’m here for two reasons. One, I’m concerned about you—”
“Concerned? About me?” she said, hearing the squeak in her voice.
“Yes. All I can say at this time is the man who joined you and Mr. Tercelli the other evening, Anatoly Kozlov, is a person of interest.”
She shook her head slowly. “I told you the truth when I said I don’t know him. I wasn’t even formally introduced to him and within a few minutes escaped his presence.”
“I believe you, but what I would like to ask is that if he ever contacts you, you let me know. Or if there is anything you hear about him, you let me know.”
Biting her lip, she looked down at the PI license and business card still on the desk in front of her and tried to wrap her mind around the bizarre situation. Finally, lifting her head she held his gaze. “Yes, if I’m approached by this person or hear anything about them, I’ll call you.”
Rank leaned back in his seat, visibly relieved. He reached out and retrieved his license but nodded toward his business card. “Keep that on you and program my number into your phone.”
She nodded, then stood. “It was nice to see you again, I’ll show you out.”
Confused, he jumped to his feet. “Wait! That was only the first reason that I came to see you today. The second is, I’d like to take you out again.”
“I hardly think the way our first date ended qualifies the need for a second one,” she quipped, moving toward the door and glaring at him as a teacher would a wayward child.
“I’ve apologized for the abrupt way in which the date ended and I meant it,” he said, reaching out and touching her arm. “Please, I’d really like to see you again.”
She hesitated, the feel of his fingers on her arm sending tingles throughout her body. It would be so easy to accept and, if she did, she knew herself—it would also be so easy to fall for a man like Rank. But this situation was far too complicated. Sucking in a quick breath through her nose before letting it out slowly, she shook her head sadly. “I think self-preservation requires me to stick with saying no.” Before changing her mind, she turned and walked out the door toward the reception area.
She heard his footsteps following her and, ignoring Anna’s raised eyebrow as she passed the reception desk, she turned and held her hand out to Rank. “Thank you for coming in to see me today. I’ll be sure to call if I need you.”
He wrapped his strong hand around her much smaller one, a contemplative look on his face, and said, “Please call, Helena. For any reason, at any time.” Giving her hand a little squeeze, he walked out of her office.
Turning quickly, not giving Anna a chance to ask questions, she hurried back to her office and closed the door.
9
As soon as the all clear was given from Clay back at the compound, Rank slipped from the dark van accompanied by Walker and Drew. Josh stayed in the van, monitoring his mobile computer equipment. The three men, dressed all in black, slipped undetected into the building housing Frank Tercelli’s office in Portsmouth.
Clay worked the computers back at the compound, disabling the security in Frank’s building. He also altered the security video feeds, so they were able to move about undetected.
Frank’s offices were on the seventh floor, but they bypassed the elevators. Jogging up the flights of stairs was easy for the former SEALs and Special Operators. Once on the seventh floor, again receiving the all clear from Clay, they moved inside Frank’s office.
Walker and Drew began setting up the wiretaps and cameras, while he fired up Frank’s computer. Using the special thumb drive that Josh had provided, he bypassed Frank’s password and downloaded all the files and then erased any traces that he had done so. Slipping the thumb drive into his pocket, he began to search the office. Not expecting to find anything, he was surprised to find Kozlov’s name in Frank’s appointment book from the previous week.
Looking at the others, he said, “Keep working in here. I’m going to his secretary.” Moving next door, it was not hard to find the efficient secretary’s calendar for Frank. She had no notation for Kozlov in her calendar, indicating that Frank’s meeting was not official. Deciding to raid her computer as well, he used another thumb drive to download all of her files, following the same procedure he had used for Frank’s.
Walker stuck his head in the room, and said, “We’re done.”
With a nod, he followed the others out and they made their way to the van parked down the street. Josh gave Clay the go-ahead to resecure the building, making sure all traces of their evening’s activities were obliterated.
It was almost two o’clock in the morning by the time they got back to the LSI compound. Mace and Josh met them and while Walker and Drew gave their report, he turned over his thumb drives to Josh, who would analyze them later.
Satisfied everything was in order, Mace said goodnight and left. Catching Josh’s gaze, he grinned. Evidently Mace was anxious to crawl back in bed with Sylvie. A thought flashed through Rank’s mind of having Helena waiting for him in their bed, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Right now, I’m the last person she’d want to share a bed with.
He followed Walker and Drew into the locker room and they divested themselves of their equipment and black clothing, changing back into streetwear. Fifteen minutes later, he said goodbye to Drew as he climbed into Walker’s truck.
“You’re quiet, man,” Walker said. “You’ve got her on your mind.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to quip ‘who’, but he and Walker had been through too much over the years for him to consider bullshitting his friend.
“You all know I went by her office today to give her my card and let her know that I was an investigator. What no one else knows is that I also asked her out again.” He felt Walker’s hard gaze on him for a second, but he ignored it, adamantly facing the front windshield.
“You think that’s wise?” Walker asked after a moment. “I know you think she’s cleared, but Cobb’s still working on her financial records. If we’ve learned anything from Mace, we know it can really complicate things if we get involved with someone on a mission.”
“You’re seriously going to give me that line?” He gave in and looked at Walker. “Hell, Mace and Sylvie are
married and he adopted her son. Don’t think that turned out too bad for them.”
Walker grumbled, “Don’t be an asshole. You know what I’m talking about, and hell, it’s not like you’re hard up for a date. If this is just wanting to bang a pretty woman…”
Shoulders tensing, he growled. “She’s different. She’s not just someone to bang. She reminds me of what my grandma used to call a real lady. She’s smart, but kind of goofy. She’s fuckin’ gorgeous but walks into a room and has no idea that men almost fall out of their chairs to watch her. She comes from money, but lives in a middle-class place and works in an old office building. Just when I think I have her figured out, she surprises me.”
Walker’s head swung around and their eyes locked. “Jesus, you’ve got it bad. I had no idea you were so into her.”
“It doesn’t really matter, because she turned me down.” Unsure what he expected from his friend, Walker’s bark of laughter certainly was not the reaction he thought he would get.
“Well, I’ll be goddamned,” Walker managed to say between laughs. “Never thought I’d see the day when the great Rank couldn’t get a date.”
“I can get a date, asshole,” he groused. “Just not with the person I want.”
“Are you giving up? What about that charm you say never fails?”
A slow grin appeared on his face and he shook his head. “Don’t count me out yet. I just need to convince her that I’m worth a shot.”
Walker dropped him off at his condo and, with a two-fingered salute, he headed inside. Climbing into bed after a shower, he lay, thinking about Helena. Today, she was just as beautiful in her business attire of tight-fitting, navy skirt and light pink blouse as she was in that slinky, black cocktail dress. Her hair was once more pulled back, showcasing her elegant neck and high cheekbones, and his fingers itched at the thought of letting all that hair down and running his hands through it.
He never would have predicted it but he was actually happy she was not falling for a panty-melting grin or the charm that usually worked on the Frog Hogs that he used to pick up at the bars around the bases. On that note, he also figured that flowers and candy were not exactly the way to her heart. Determined to get to know her better, a few ideas drifted through his mind as he fell asleep.
Helena smoothed her hands over the skirt of her green sweater dress as she waited for Frank Tercelli’s secretary to escort her in. She only had to wait a moment before following the efficient woman into his office.
Frank approached her from behind his desk, his smile warm as his outstretched hand shook hers. “My dear Helena, I’m so sorry that our dinner was interrupted the other evening.”
Meeting his smile with one of her own, she laughed. “I’m terribly embarrassed, but I’m afraid that I had a wardrobe malfunction and simply could not come back into the restaurant.”
He ushered her to one of his plush, leather chairs before walking back to his own, behind his large maple desk. “I was thrilled that I was able to fit you in when you called this morning.”
“I’m glad also. I felt like I was in the way after we were joined for dinner.” Eyeing him carefully, she hoped her expression was one of nonchalance. She thought she noted a flash of irritation cross his face, but it moved so quickly she was not certain.
Waving his hand in dismissal, he said, “Give no thought to him. He was just a business associate who took advantage of seeing me out somewhere. He truly had no reason to join us.”
Nodding, she bent over and pulled out a sheath of papers. “I brought with me a list of the most recent nonprofit organizations that have contacted me requesting assistance. I thought I would leave them with you, for your perusal. I also have included their official information, as well as notes as to what I have found out about them.”
He shook his head with his hand up, and said, “Helena, I trust you explicitly to take care of my donations. But, I do have a few organizations that I always give to and I’ll take the liberty to make sure they are part of the list. What I would like to do is to set up a fund, that will be filled quarterly by myself, my business associates, and employees. I’d like you to be my liaison for those sizeable donations.”
Before they had a chance to discuss the details further, Frank’s secretary announced that Thomas was there to see him. She stood to leave, but as Thomas walked in, he greeted her. It was obvious from his red-rimmed eyes and the tight lines around his lips that he was having a difficult time. After he greeted his father, he turned back to her.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your meeting,” he began.
“No, no. It’s quite all right,” she assured. “Please accept my condolences. I know that Lawrence was a tremendous help to you, both during the election and afterward.” She knew that she should leave the two men to speak, but curiosity got the better of her. According to Rank, she could be in danger now herself, so the more she knew the better. “Please pardon me if this is too forward, but do you know anything more about his death?”
“What the ever-loving fuck is she doing?” Rank growled. He could not believe his teeth were not cracking considering how hard he was clenching his jaw.
While Tate, Clay, Blake, and Bray were at their stations working on various other missions, he sat at the main conference table with the others as they listened in to the surveillance bugs they had planted in Frank’s office.
Walker shook his head. “She’s fishing. Fuckin’ hell, she’s fishing for information!”
“I’m gonna…” he began, then clamped his mouth shut. What she was doing was so dangerous. He wanted to run in there and get her out of the situation before she got herself into real trouble, then take her home and turn her over his knee and redden her ass for even thinking of doing what she was currently doing.
“She’s got balls,” Babs said, walking over to the table, a grin on her face. “Told you not to underestimate her.”
“You wanna shut up,” he growled, a statement not a question, trying to ignore her.
“Quiet,” Mace ordered, and the group collectively leaned forward to continue to listen.
His face falling, Thomas answered Helena’s inquiry with, “No, nothing more than what I was originally told. It’s being treated as a suspicious death, but I’ve heard nothing more. I just can’t believe it. The police were questioning me about Lawrence’s activities— ”
“You had an attorney present?” Frank interrupted.
“Dad, I’m an attorney, of course I knew to have someone present with me.”
“Sorry,” Frank mumbled.
“Was there anything untoward that Lawrence was involved in?” she asked, then quickly added, “But, of course, he would hardly confide that to you. It’s not even my place to be asking.”
“No, it’s alright. I’ve had to consider the same thing, given the circumstances.” He swallowed hard, then added, “I don’t know how he would be involved in anything I didn’t know about. He worked from sunup to sundown on my campaign. He was an absolute guru when it came to the campaign finances. You know, Dad, he spent time with you on donations. He was always working.”
“Not so much me, but one of my accountants,” Frank clarified.
“I suppose all those campaign funds have to be accounted for very precisely,” she commented, her voice lifting at the end to leave room for a reply. Money was always a motivator and could be in this situation too. It was not too farfetched to think Lawrence had gotten in trouble somewhere along the line, working with so many important people and very large sums of money.
“Yes, absolutely,” Thomas agreed.
“And since the election?” she prodded, feeling she was on to something.
“He’s been busy as my main aide. And that’s what I told the investigators.” He sighed heavily. “It just doesn’t make any sense. I keep thinking that he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Yes, I’m sure that’s what must have happened,” Frank said. “Son, you know you can count on your mother and me, as we
ll as the company, to do anything that needs to be done.”
“I know, Dad, and thanks.”
“Well, I’ll leave you two alone,” she said, taking that as her cue to exit. “Frank, thank you so much for your assistance. Look over the list and send me an email so I can pair your donations with your favorite charities and give you a full accounting.”
“I’ll have my assistant wire the money to you along with my list straight away. Thanks, Helena.”
The conversation between Frank and Thomas continued a few more minutes, but Rank was no longer paying attention. He looked over as Mace ordered, “Rank, let’s go.”
With a glance toward Walker, who merely lifted his brows at him, he stood and followed Mace out the door. Neither of them said anything as they left the compound room and took the elevator to the ground floor.
Instead of moving through the main house, Mace turned and began climbing the concrete stairs of the lighthouse. Not sure what was going on, he nonetheless dutifully followed, circling all the way to the top. Passing the angled lights, they stepped out onto the observatory and Mace moved to the railing, leaning against it and looking out. Following suit, he did the same.
Taking in the view, he allowed himself to relax for a minute. The sun, high in the sky, shone down on the water, turning the blue surface into diamond sparkles. Neither of them spoke, so he let the warmth soak into him. After a few minutes, he felt the last of his tension ebb.
“When I first met Sylvie, I wasn’t sure that I wanted a relationship,” Mace said, breaking the silence.
He looked over at his boss in bewilderment. The same intensity he always emitted rolled off the man but, now that he took a moment to consider it, that vibe had been tempered somehow. Mace had always been an introspective and analytical man. He knew marriage and fatherhood changed a person, but to experience it first hand from a man he had always known to be reserved and resolute…well, it was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Curious, he listened with interest to what Mace had to say.
Rank: Lighthouse Security Investigations Series Page 8