Page 52 of Shadowed Agenda
“I’m thinking ten o’clock is your bedtime,” Drake said, and Pavlo looked at his friend. Drake lived for late nights and a packed room of people.
“There are things I need to do,” Pavlo said, chucking the paper umbrella with the movie’s logo into an empty glass on the small table they’d snagged. It was better to keep Drake in the dark about his plans to drop in on Regan’s ex.
“Don’t waste your time paying a visit to Wyndham,” Drake said, looking Pavlo straight in the eye, daring to tell him he had other plans.
Pavlo swore under his breath. His partners knew him too well. He glanced across the club’s floor. Regan and Finlay were headed to the restroom so Regan could use Finlay’s trick to look at the photos online, with no one observing her reaction.
“I got a text at the end of the movie. Javier had just finished meeting with Wyndham. His company has a month to find a new security company.”
“What are you talking about?” Pavlo turned abruptly to face his friend.
“You didn’t think we would continue to do business with the man…” Drake raised an eyebrow. “Or let the bastard force Regan into remarrying him.”
“How does Shadow Defense dropping Wyndham as a client help Regan?” Pavlo asked. Pavlo could understand his partner’s impromptu meeting and their decision. The deeper Javier had dug, the more questionable business dealings he’d pulled up. They wouldn’t have included Pavlo because they’d have known his answer. How it helped Regan stumped him.
“It gave Javier a chance to make Wyndham understand we have information he’d rather not go public and to drop off Regan’s counteroffer.”
“But she instructed her lawyer to let Wyndham’s lawyers know she’s accepting his marriage proposal.”
“Her lawyer said your girl told him to let Wyndham stew while he drew up a hard-core prenuptial agreement to protect her and Emmeline.” Drake grinned. “He had the foresight to ask if she trusted his judgment and could act on her behalf if one of his contacts found a way to fight Wyndham.”
“I’m surprised she agreed. She’s convinced she can’t win,” Pavlo said, running a hand through his hair. “So what did he come up with?”
“It wasn’t him. It was Keira’s lawyer friend. She has no love for the man. He took advantage of a young baseball celebrity a couple of years ago. The kid was drunk when Wyndham handed him the pen to sign a sponsorship agreement. He couldn’t even remember signing it. I wouldn’t want to be Wyndham.” Drake laughed and picked up his drink.
Pavlo howled and clapped his friend on the back. A few drops of champagne spilled over the lip of the flute.
“The deeper Javier dug, the more he’s finding out about Wyndham’s associates,” Drake said, his voice becoming serious. “It’s not good, Pavlo. Javier figures they’re running the show and are involved in Wyndham running for office. There’s more going on than we originally suspected when we took Wyndham on as a client.”
Pavlo thought back to their breakfast yesterday. Regan hadn’t commented when he’d told her Wyndham was involved with people who were best to avoid. Normally, she questioned everything. He’d brushed it off as a preoccupation with her other problems.
“Regan knows something about the backers,” Pavlo said, filling in Drake.
“Javier has been talking to his friend in the CIA,” Drake frowned, and lines scored his forehead. “They’ve been watching Wyndham. Apparently, his associates have shady deals outside the country, and they suspect he’s involved. If Regan knows something, it could help make their case.”
“We’ve cleaned up enough of their messes.” Pavlo shook his head. Regan had the good sense to keep the information she had to herself. If the evidence was damning, the men Wyndham was dealing with would kill her. “I don’t want her involved.”
“I had to ask. We all need to be on the same page.” Drake hesitated before adding, “Javier thinks these guys may have been involved five years ago.”
Pavlo inhaled a sharp breath. They didn’t talk about their last mission as SEALs. It had been labeled top secret and remained between the five of them and a handful of people at the Pentagon. No one knew that some of their government contracts were fact-finding missions to uncover information about the incident.
It was close to five years, and they had just scraped the surface of a conspiracy that they believed reached around the globe. Whoever they were up against played the long game. Pavlo didn’t want Regan involved.
“Javier’s busy looking into Senator Aster’s financial affairs and dealings with Wyndham,” Drake said, taking a sip of champagne. “He’s convinced the relationship between the Senator and Wyndham is the key to figuring this out. There’s more going on.”
“Starting with Senator Aster’s overzealous group of supporters’ break in pattern,” Pavlo said, remembering his conversation with Regan. “Regan has no political ties. She’s of no consequence on the political scene. His supporters stick to political issues. Targeting her is an anomaly.”
Drake lifted his chin toward the women’s restroom. Regan and Finlay were crossing the room. They’d continue their discussion later.
Pavlo watched Regan and Finlay cross the floor of the club. Even in the dark lighting, Regan looked pale.
Pavlo had checked out the photos while Regan discussed the movie with Finlay. There were several photos of a toddler, the spitting image of Regan—straight blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and bright blue eyes. The reporter had been right. The photos of Emmeline were adorable. Pavlo would do everything he could to make sure she remained with Regan.
Regan sat on the chair beside him and then slid it closer to him. Finlay was mirroring her actions on the other side of the table. Drake’s head was bent, listening to her. His eyes drifted to Finlay’s cell phone in her lap, obscured by the table.
“They took the photographs last week. Wednesday.” Regan looked up at Pavlo. Raw hurt darkened her eyes, and they were a flat, dull blue, the color of gathering storm clouds. “Emmeline’s at her playgroup. She’s wearing the dress I bought for her the previous day.”
Someone was hired to take those photographs. Wyndham wouldn’t want anyone connecting him to Emmeline until he had custody or they’d remarried. That left the group of the Senator’s supporters intent on ensuring Regan met with Mrs. Aster. They needed to ask why the group had announced to the world that Regan had a daughter. Pavlo could think of several answers. He didn’t like any of them.