*****
That week, Uncle Sheldon was around more. He was familiar with the clinic and was friends with the staff. He seemed genuinely interested in the business and wanted to demonstrate support for Lori.
Sheldon took Lori to dinner, and she welcomed the break. It was a relief to have her uncle to talk to, and during the meal, a thought occurred to her. When her father had been alive, his routine was to go to dinner with Sheldon once a month.
Lori had been glad her father had Sheldon and that the brotherly relationship was intact. She tried to think; Sheldon had taken her father to dinner not more than a week before his death.
“Uncle Sheldon, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“The last time you saw my father, how was he?”
Sheldon appeared to think that over. “Well, we had dinner at my place. I made spaghetti. Robert seemed in good health, if that’s what you mean. It wasn’t until later that week that he got sick, isn’t that right?”
“Yes,” Lori said. “He had enjoyed his dinner with you, as I remember. He mentioned that he stayed a bit late.”
“We got to talking, and the time flew by.”
Lori smiled. “Yes, I imagine so.”
For the rest of the meal, they talked about cheerier topics. But the next day, she was still stewing about her father’s death.
Lori was trying to piece it all together. Her father had taken ill, so he had stayed home. He hadn’t come into the clinic after that. Every day, he had called to touch base with Lori. She struggled to recall how he had sounded.
There hadn’t been any forewarning that the illness was more serious. And maybe it hadn’t been. Lori still didn’t know what had precipitated the respiratory failure. She was driving herself crazy over it.
If only Lori could reconcile things in her mind, but she couldn’t. Each day, she did more research. And she organized the records that she’d been going through. The supply orders were inaccurate, and she needed to talk to Matt, a task that she had put off for too long.
Then Lori discovered an odd item on the order sheet, so she went to see Sarah. The nurse helped her look for it, but the item wasn’t in the supply room. It couldn’t be found anywhere. That was disturbing.
“Why would someone order Prussian blue?” Sarah said.
“I have no idea,” Lori said. “It’s an antidote for thallium poisoning.”
“I don’t know much about that type of poisoning,” Sarah said.
“Thallium is used in fiber optics and glass lenses,” Lori said. “Many years ago, it was used in rat poisons and insecticides, but once its toxic properties were discovered, those products were banned. It’s no longer available except for industrial uses.”
“I don’t understand why the antidote was ordered.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Lori said. “I’ll go talk to Matt.”
Matt was in his office and was not pleased to see her. “I’m busy. You could knock.”
Lori sat across from him. “This is important. I’ve been meaning to go over something with you, and it can’t wait.”
As Lori went over the discrepancies in the supply orders, Matt’s expression turned dark. She shoved a few documents across the desk so he could see for himself. The evidence was there, and Matt should have been concerned—yet he just glared at her.
“Are you accusing me of something?” Matt said.
“I’m not accusing; I’m asking. How do you explain this?”
“I don’t explain it,” Matt said. “You know very well that I’m not the only employee who handles the orders.”
“I realize that, but you are in charge of operations,” Lori said, hoping he would take his management role seriously.
“When was the last time you did an audit of the supply orders?” Lori said. “Were you aware of the situation?”
“I didn’t know about it until you plunked all these records on my desk,” Matt said. “And besides, what’s the big deal?”
Lori was furious. “You have the nerve to ask that? You run a medical establishment here.” She snatched the documents from the desk and stood up. “And one more thing, Prussian blue was ordered, but I’m unable to find it. Do you know how it was dispensed?”
“I didn’t order it,” Matt said. “Why would I? Maybe it was just an error. I’m sure you didn’t think of that. You’re so quick to point the finger, but there’s always the chance that you can’t find it because it wasn’t ordered.”
“You’re saying it’s a mistake?” Lori said. “That the order record is in error?”
“I’m not saying anything. I told you that I didn’t order it, but you need to consider the possibility that the records are inaccurate.”
Lori walked toward the door.
“The staff around here aren’t a bunch of criminals,” Matt said. “But that doesn’t mean that a mistake couldn’t have been made.”
*****
As the demand for personal security grew, Stealth Security expanded to accommodate new clients. Gunner was busy with investigations, as well as close protection assignments. But the heavy workload didn’t prevent him from thinking about Lori. She was on his mind every day.
Texting was better than no contact, but it didn’t replace seeing her. After Gunner was done for the day, he went home to shower and change. Lori had agreed to have a drink with him. She had offered to meet him, but Gunner wouldn’t have it.
Gunner drove to Lori’s house to pick her up. She was lovely, dressed in jeans and a blazer. Her perfume smelled like roses, drugging Gunner with the feminine scent. On the way over, she looked out the windows, appearing thoughtful. Once, Gunner caught her staring at him, and when he glanced at her, she blushed. He hoped that meant the attraction was mutual.
The Bungalow in Santa Monica was a fun, trendy bar. Gunner chose it for the atmosphere, since it was a relaxed place. There were heaters in the outdoor area, so Lori decided to sit on the patio. It was nice outside, if chilly. But the two-person sofa in front of a stone fireplace was acceptable. Gunner settled into the seat next to her, very aware of her presence.
Lori did something to him. She was beautiful and petite, but Gunner wasn’t captivated by just a pretty face. Her strong personality drew him as much, if not more. Sitting close with her scent wrapped around him, Gunner felt his loins heat.
A cheerful waitress came by to take drink orders. Lori selected a Grey Goose martini, and Gunner ordered a Corona. While waiting, they chatted and looked at the gardens beyond the patio. A server delivered the drinks, and Lori leaned back to take a few sips.
Gunner drank his beer and enjoyed listening to Lori. He learned more about Anna, her mother, and the pain she had lived with. It made sense why the clinic had been so important to Lori’s father, and meant so much to her.
Lori had mentioned having a brother, yet Gunner didn’t know much about him. But when he asked, Lori said, “Let’s not talk about him. It will only be depressing.”
That was fine with Gunner. She could tell him more whenever she was ready. It was a relief that she didn’t ask Gunner about his son. He wasn’t anxious to divulge more details. He would rather skip it.
Gunner ordered drink refills. While waiting, Lori nibbled a nut and pretzel mix that was on the coffee table. Gunner had run out of things to talk about, so didn’t try to make conversation. Sitting beside Lori without saying a word was enough of a pleasure.
But Lori didn’t resume the conversation. She had been talking freely, then went silent.
“You seem preoccupied,” Gunner said. “It makes me wonder if Matt is still pestering you.”
“Not in the way you think,” Lori said. “I don’t give him any opportunity to work his charms, and it seems he has finally figured out that I’m not going back to him.”
Gunner was relieved to hear that. “Is it something else, then?”
Lori put her glass down and turned to look at Gunner. “I’m not sure you want me to burden you with my problems.�
��
“Please…I’d like to hear about what’s bothering you.”
“Well, Matt is a problem, but not so much personally. It’s his performance as a manager I have issues with,” Lori said, then detailed a few of the inconsistencies in the records that she had discovered. She had confronted Matt with the evidence, but he had brushed it off.
“He can’t get away with that.”
“He thinks he can,” Lori said. “And the errors would be bad enough, but there is something else that concerns me more.”
“What’s that?”
Lori reached for her drink and took a sip before continuing. “This is hard for me,” she said. “I’m not comfortable with where my mind is going.”
Gunner wanted to help, but first he had to know what was wrong.
“A poison antidote called Prussian blue was listed on a recent order,” Lori said.
“For what type of poison?”
“Thallium,” Lori said. “It’s an old-fashioned chemical poison. Originally, it was used as rat poison, but has since been banned due to its toxicity from accidental exposure. I’ve asked my staff about the Prussian blue, but no one was aware of the order.”
“Who has the bottle of the antidote?” Gunner said. “That would tell you.”
“That’s the thing,” Lori said. “I can’t locate that bottle. It was apparently ordered, but it’s missing.”
The look of devastation on Lori’s face wrenched Gunner’s heart.
“I understand why that’s an issue,” Gunner said. “But why are you upset?”
“Thallium poisoning causes symptoms which match those of a variety of illnesses,” Lori said. “Ingestion can cause weakness, stomach issues, muscle aches, and much more.”
“That sounds like the flu.”
“Yes, it does,” Lori said. “And that’s what worries me. My father had those symptoms the week before he died.”
Gunner had a bad feeling about this.
“After ingestion, a person would experience abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting,” Lori said. “Poisoning is commonly misdiagnosed, since the symptoms resemble the flu, or even food poisoning.”
“But the antidote would nullify the effects of the poison?”
“Yes, it would,” Lori said, “if it was administered quickly enough.”
Gunner waited for the punch line.
“One fact about my father’s death was quite unusual,” Lori said. “A patch of his hair had fallen out. Loss of scalp hair is a toxic effect of thallium poisoning…if the victim even lives more than a day or two.”
Gunner figured out where she was going with this line of thinking, but he preferred that she tell him.
“I’m horrified about what I’m thinking,” Lori said. “I’ve tried to be reasonable, but…” Tears filled her eyes. “If poison was involved, then my father’s death was murder.”
Chapter 6
Murder was a serious accusation. The facts Lori shared were disturbing, and Gunner agreed with her suspicion. Discovering the perpetrator and proving a crime had been committed would be challenging. A criminal savvy enough to kill with poison would cover his tracks.
Gunner put his arm around Lori, and she leaned against his chest. Her grief over her father’s death had only been the tip of the iceberg, because of Lori’s questions about the cause of death. Poison was a method of murder, not wielded as a weapon in the heat of passion.
Lori sat up and wiped away her tears with the cloth napkin. “I told you that you shouldn’t have asked. You have no part in this mess. But I suppose that I’ve told you too much now.”
Gunner lifted her chin with two fingers and looked into her sad eyes. “I meant it when I told you to share your worries. I wouldn’t want you to take it back, even if you could.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Lori said in a low voice.
“I’m with you,” Gunner said. “Just tell me what you need.”
Lori stood then reached for Gunner’s hand. “I don’t feel like going to a restaurant. I prefer privacy until I can think things through. What about dinner at my place? I’m sure I can find something for us.”
Gunner didn’t hesitate; he drove her home, which was safer considering the circumstances. Until he had an idea about who had wanted Lori’s father dead, he would take steps to protect her. Danger lurked, but Gunner was at a disadvantage, because the identity of the criminal was unknown.
When they arrived at her home, Lori ushered Gunner to the living room and offered him a drink. On her way to the kitchen, she locked the front door and armed the security system. “Sorry, I’m just freaked out.”
Gunner was glad to see that Lori realized the danger she was in, and that she had home protection. When he had a chance, it would be good to check it out and be sure the system was adequate.
Lori handed him a bottle of craft beer. “I don’t have Corona. Will this do?”
“I’m not picky.”
After kicking off her shoes, Lori sat at the other end of the white sofa and took a sip of her wine. She looked at Gunner. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Gunner took a swig of beer. He debated whether to bring up the subject of murder, as it wasn’t the sort of discussion that made a woman feel safe. It was vital to learn all that Lori knew about her father’s death, but that could wait.
“You can relax,” Gunner said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Lori clicked a remote and turned on the gas fireplace. For a while, they drank and gazed at the flickering flames. Then Lori chatted about lighter topics, like the home and the décor her mother had selected. She spoke fondly of her father, but got choked up, so changed the subject to operations at the clinic.
While Lori drank her second glass of wine, and Gunner another beer, she asked about his work. He told her some interesting tales about the protection business, and mentioned several of his teammates and their adventures.
“You must be getting hungry,” Lori said.
“I can always eat,” Gunner said. “No need to go to a lot of trouble.”
“I’ll make spaghetti,” Lori said. “I have sauce in the freezer. I made it using my uncle’s family recipe, so it should be good. His tastes better than mine, though.”
“He must have a special touch,” Gunner said. “Cooks are like that; one extra dash of a spice and the flavor changes.”
“Yeah, I’m sure my uncle didn’t share everything,” Lori said with a smile.
“Shall we?” Gunner stood and helped her up. He was hungry enough to eat several plates of spaghetti, but he’d keep it to a dull roar.
The kitchen had dark wood cupboards, stainless steel appliances, and tile floors. “You must be quite the gourmet.”
Lori laughed. “Nope, sorry to disappoint you. But my mother was amazing in the kitchen, and my dad wasn’t half bad.”
Gunner did his part by filling the pot and boiling the water. He added butter then sprinkled salt into the water. He pretended to be intent on his tasks, but Lori was his focus. She looked desirable with her hair pinned up and a bright apron around her waist.
The domestic scene got to Gunner, and he wanted to pull Lori into his arms. But he couldn’t tell how she felt. Cooking seemed to cheer her up, but that didn’t mean the upsetting circumstances weren’t foremost in her mind.
Lori pointed to where the dinner plates were stored, so Gunner set the table. The sauce simmered on the stove, and the aroma of garlic and spices made his mouth water. When the pasta was done, he loaded some onto the plates and Lori ladled the sauce over it.
The meal was as good as Lori had predicted. “This is the best sauce I’ve had, and I’ve eaten plenty of spaghetti in my life.”
“Glad you like it.”
Gunner wolfed down half his plate, then slowed. He watched Lori eating, but resisted staring. Her lips were so kissable, making him think of other things besides food. After a second helping, Gunner washed the meal down with a glass of water.
After dinner, Gunner helped with clea
nup—then Lori walked him to the door. She looked into his eyes and hesitated, then touched his cheek. “I apologize that I’m not good company tonight. I’m just…still in shock, I think.”
Gunner put his hand over Lori’s, pressing her palm against his skin. He looked into her lovely brown eyes, then leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm, and her touch ignited his desire.
When Lori pulled back, the kiss lingered on Gunner’s lips. But she didn’t move away. Instead, Lori leaned against him, and he wrapped her in a warm embrace. It was good to hold Lori close; her body felt luscious against his. He could have stood there for the rest of the night.
Gunner put his arms around Lori’s waist. “You can trust me. I’ll protect you. You’re not alone.”
“Thank you,” Lori said in a whisper, then rose on her toes to kiss him again.
*****
All night, Lori tossed and turned. She was exhausted yet unable to sleep. The possibility that her father had been murdered weighed heavily on her mind. And despite any trepidation, she had to take steps to determine whether a crime had been committed.
Besides that, Lori couldn’t stop thinking of Gunner. He had been kind to listen to her and offer support. But he wasn’t just a friend; he was a sexy hunk, and his presence had stirred erotic sensations that she’d forgotten she was capable of feeling. All evening, she had craved intimacy, but the circumstances hadn’t been right.
The memory of kissing Gunner excited her, and she could still feel his strong arms around her. Lori wanted him badly—but she had blown it. If only she had asked him to stay the night, she was sure that he would have. Maybe he would assume that she wasn’t interested. Yet that kiss had been so passionate. Surely, he was aware of her desire.
It was all very frustrating. If Lori had met Gunner at a different time, it would be so much easier. But she was kidding herself. There would be issues, since she couldn’t envision Gunner as the guy for her. Without a doubt he was desirable, but he wasn’t the type for a one-night stand. And Lori wasn’t ready for anything more.
After a sleepless night, Lori showered and dressed. She needed to talk to Jess; she would understand and help Lori to get through this. It was a weekday, so the kids would be in school and Allen would be at work. Lori texted to see if Jess could meet for lunch, but she had the late shift that day. Since Jess was at home, they could talk there.
Savage Peril: Military Romantic Suspense (Stealth Security Book 6) Page 6