Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 122440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 612(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 612(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
Before anyone could reply, there was a commotion outside Raine’s closed door. Raised voices. One spoke with absolute authority.
“Unlock that door.”
“I can’t do that, sir, not without authorization, and you aren’t on the list.”
“Do you have any idea who I am? My name is Elliot Blom. I’m your boss’s boss. I’m the one who decides who comes in or is locked out of rooms.”
Vienna gripped Harlow’s hand hard. She’d never met her father, and clearly, she didn’t want to.
“This is a private facility on private, not government, property owned by Rainier Ashcroft and his wife, Shabina,” the guard said. “It isn’t under anyone else’s jurisdiction. Rainier makes the rules. He says who is allowed to come and go, and you aren’t on the list. For all I know this is a test to see if I’ll cave because you’re in my face.”
“I’ll be reporting you to your commanding officer,” Blom threatened.
“Elliot, really?” Rainier sounded completely in control. “Are you threatening my men for doing their job? It isn’t like we’re in the military, and we aren’t working for you. This is a private facility on privately owned land, just as my guard told you. You were given the courtesy of landing here because you indicated you had something of great importance to discuss with me.”
“I demand to see who you’re hiding behind this door. Why would you lock down a medical facility and place armed guards everywhere?”
“I think that’s obvious, Elliot.” Rainier sounded patient, as if he were talking to a child and had to enunciate each word carefully. “I have someone in danger we’re protecting. As I stated, I own a private security company, and we provide protection to our clients.”
“Do you have any idea of what you’re doing here? The men we hire are given psych evals, Rainier. We test them regularly. You know the type of work they do is isolating and can cause breaks—fractures, if you will—in the mind.” Blom suddenly changed tactics, showing he was skilled in dealing with controversial subjects. He was clearly trying to make Rainier his ally.
“I’m aware, Elliot. I worked for you for years and still take an occasional assignment when you need someone.”
“What you’ve been doing, recruiting former employees, is dangerous. I don’t think you realize how dangerous. You always had focus and purpose. Just the fact that you started this company. You thought ahead to retirement and started right away gathering the funds, equipment and property you would need. You established yourself in a community and utilized your education. You did so, making certain everything was aboveboard and transparent in your business. There are several others who haven’t done those things. They dropped off the grid. They isolate themselves from society. They lose purpose when they quit their jobs. That can’t be tolerated, not with these types of men.”
There was silence. Harlow found herself holding her breath. What was he saying? Was he really responsible for setting up his own agents to be assassinated when they resigned and he deemed them dangerous? Was that what happened to Wilder? His own boss, a man he trusted and had worked and risked his life for?
“You’re behind our agents disappearing,” Rainier said softly. Too softly. His voice sent a chill down Harlow’s spine. “I recall that Zane and I were set up along with two other agents who didn’t make it on that mission. Did you decide we were too dangerous despite everything you just told me about how I planned a future for myself?”
“If you expect me to apologize, Rainier, it isn’t going to happen. I have a duty to this country to keep our citizens safe. You and Zale both had certain well-deserved reputations. I reconsidered when Zale decided he was in love. I watched you closely and realized you were establishing ties to the community of Knightly. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to guess why. So the two of you were sorted, and I didn’t have to act.”
“When we’re sent out, there is a thorough investigation first,” Rainier said. “We don’t arbitrarily decide someone needs to die because they’ve resigned a position with you.”
“You’re recruiting the worst of our agents.” Blom refused to back down. “I need to see if you’re harboring Hawkin Wilder in that room, Rainier.”
“I’m not.”
“I need to see for myself. You don’t seem to understand. Wilder’s disappeared. He’s off-grid. He’s far more dangerous than you can possibly know. He has no past and no future. The kindest thing to do is neutralize him before he becomes a headline and a stain on the agency.”
“Did you send him into an ambush?” Rainier asked.
Harlow’s hand crept up to her throat. Blom was brazen in his belief that he had every right to murder his agents by betraying them.
“It had to be done, Rainier. You would have had to track him down and do it yourself. I spared you that.”