Page 75 of An Unending Claim
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
NATHAN
“What do you want to do?” Tanner asked as he dropped heavily onto one of the chairs in front of my desk.
We’d just returned to my office from the interrogation rooms a few floors up. There were cells there as well, although they didn’t have permanent residents. They were for situations like these, holding people who were waiting to be picked up by the authorities, or holding people like Lisa while we figured out what to do with her. Even though she’d breached national security by interfering in operations contracted to us by the government, it was possible she could take a plea, or talk her way into a reduced sentence, or find some kind of bullshit clerical error… we weren’t going to chance anything. Especially with the vast knowledge of KBO that she possessed.
People like Lisa were the reason we owned a private prison a few hours away. We’d routed the sale and upkeep through so many hoops that it was impossible to track it back to us—well, perhaps not for Peyton. But anyone else… Even the warden had no idea who truly employed her, despite being a talented witch. The only one who knew was her boss, the supposed COO of the “corporation.” Really, he was a freelance bounty hunter and network specialist from Jude’s realm. Another dead end to follow since he wasn’t even from this world.
“Do you think she told us everything?” After the techniques we’d used, I was confident that we’d extracted all that we could from Lisa. But I wanted Tanner’s thoughts because he was as good a judge of people as I was and we made a good team—what one missed, the other usually caught.
Tanner blew out a harsh breath, ran his hands over his short hair, and leaned back in his seat. “I think so, but then again, I thought we could trust her.”
“Stop beating yourself up. Everyone is loyal until they’re not. Maybe we should have seen that she could be bought earlier, but everyone missed it.Everyone.”
“I’m also struggling to figure out why she did it. I can’t see her doing it simply for the money.”
My brow arched as I observed him. “Why not?”
He was silent for a few moments before he shrugged. “I suppose everyone has a number.”
I leaned back in my chair, making the joints creak. “As jaded as I am, with everything that I’ve seen in my lifetime, you’d think I would agree with that. But I don’t.”
Tanner bobbed his head. “That’s because you don’t have a number. But you’re the exception to most rules.”
“Do you?” I already knew the answer, not just because I trusted him implicitly, but because I knew how his mind worked. From the inside. And I didn’t have to delve deep to see his unwavering loyalty and dedication to his family, me, and the pack.
“No.” He dropped his head back.
“I rest my case.”
“We’re going to have to make the entire IT department a SCIF room,” Tanner said to the ceiling. “No phones, no headphones, no nothing while they are in there. And, as if you and I needed more work, we are going to have to police every fucking thing they do.”
“We should have done it right after Henry left, but we were too tied up in trying to find his replacement. At least we’ll have Peyton to help.”
Tanner’s head popped up and he eyed me skeptically. “Will we?”
I frowned at his ridiculous question. “Of course. Why the fuck would you think otherwise?”
“Your mom called. You might want to hide from her for a few days. She’s beyond pissed at you.”
Shaking my head, I turned to my computer and woke it up. “She and Peyton will both get over their snits soon enough. I was making the logical choices and once they stop thinking with their emotions, they’ll recognize it.” I would have expected Peyton to come around sooner, but I had to give her allowance for elevated hormones from the pregnancy and the emotional turmoil at meeting her long-lost father. I shrugged. “By the time this is all over, I’ll apologize to Peyton and we’ll move on.”
I had an email from Asher and clicked on it, done with that conversation.
“Nathan, I have the utmost respect for you as my Alpha”—something in Tanner’s voice had me swinging my gaze to his face—“and as the co-head of this company. But sometimes, I can’t decide if you are an idiot or an asshole. Right now, I’m thinking it’s both.”
I rolled my eyes and went back to Asher’s note. “As long as we’re clear on the respect part, you can think whatever else you want about me.”
“It’s not about what I think, Nate. If Peyton is asking herself the same question, an apology may not cut it. If you even have the chance. You might want to prepare yourself to come home to an empty house one of these days.”
I scowled at him, pushing back a surge of emotion that had threatened to break through my concentration. “Shut the fuck up and focus. I can deal with that after we make sure she’s safe.”
Tanner shook his head, but didn’t say anything else.
“Asher and Ephraim are coming in to run through some options.”
A knock at my door had us both turning to see Léo waiting for permission to enter.