“So, have you ever met Mr. Marks in person?” George asked when Oliver was satisfied with each part of the property. Aside from the gatehouse, garage and house, there was nothing but open land surrounding the acres the Markses owned.
“No,” Oliver admitted. “My boss handles the client interactions before the contract start date,” he explained. “Do you see him often? I was under the impression he didn’t come visit much.”
George shrugged. “He calls to check in from time to time and ask about things,” he said. Oliver noticed the gate guard puffed his chest out a bit. “I keep him informed on what’s going on in Mulligan.” There was no mistaking that George definitely took pride in working for Nigel. Oliver could respect that, even if he wondered what kind of social life the guard was left with after the hours he worked. Having a good boss was an absolute must for Oliver, especially after the nightmare of what had happened with his last. “That’s how I knew that woman was up to no good.”
They had just stepped outside the gatehouse and were facing the private drive. It wasn’t as cold as the Montana case had been, but there was a chill in the air that moved with the breeze. Oliver tilted his head as another gust pushed against his clean-shaven face, and he thought about his next words carefully before speaking.
“You mean the private investigator? She seemed harmless enough,” he said, not believing himself as he said it.
George snorted. “Private investigator. Yeah, that sounds a lot better than what she really does.”
Oliver raised his eyebrow. “What does she really do?”
“Sneak around, break the law and ruin lives. Just like the rat of a man she got her office from,” he explained with a surge of anger.
“From what I could tell Derrick seemed to like her,” Oliver added.
“Deputy Derrick and her are close, if you know what I mean.”
A quick burst of jealousy flashed through Oliver. The idea that Darling was with someone romantically hadn’t yet breached his thoughts. Not that it should matter either way.
“And as for the chief, he’s one of many people here that have fallen for her charms. If you ask me, she uses her looks to get what she wants. It’s repulsive. She should be using her time better, you know? Get married, have some kids.”
Oliver’s brief jealousy turned to a not-so-brief anger. It was true he couldn’t claim to know this new, older version of Darling the same way he had known the younger one, but he seriously doubted she was this repulsive person George was claiming. He was about to set the man straight when his cell phone beeped.
“They’re almost here,” Oliver said instead. “I want you to call me if anyone other than my team and Nigel comes to this gate. No matter the time. Are we clear?”
George straightened his back and almost looked as if he was ready to salute. “Yes, sir,” he barked.
Within minutes a black SUV came up the drive, followed by a sleek silver two-door Audi. Originally, Nigel was supposed to be escorted from his home in California to Mulligan, but a week ago he had changed this detail, much to Nikki’s frustration. He had spent two days in the neighboring city, working to put out business-related fires due to his company’s newest merger while he stayed at a four-star hotel less than a block from that branch of Charisma Investments. The other two members of Team Delta had been ordered to pick Nigel up that morning, officially starting their contract time frame.
Oliver nodded to Thomas Gage, Orion’s newest recruit, as he rolled down the SUV’s tinted driver’s side window just before the gate. His build was on the lean side, with narrow shoulders and arms toned but not as built as the rest of Team Delta. He had light brown skin, dark hair and bright blue eyes that Nikki had commented on more than once. Thomas never sported facial hair, and that decision often got him mistaken for younger than twenty-five. This was his third job as a Delta agent. Oliver liked his humor and lingering innocence.
“Hey there, Boss,” Thomas greeted Oliver with a smile. He motioned to the backseat, where Nigel Marks sat with a laptop on his lap and a phone to his ear. He looked up and gave a quick wave before turning his attention back to his work. “He had an emergency call that couldn’t wait,” Thomas explained.
Oliver motioned through the gatehouse window for George to open the gate. George didn’t hesitate, and Thomas moved the SUV the rest of the way up the drive, parking in front of one of the garage doors. Grant Blakely arrived next, driving Nigel’s high-end rental. He was already grinning as he paused next to Oliver.
“This assignment may not completely suck after all, especially if we get to play with his toys,” he said as soon as the window was down. He petted the dashboard.
Oliver chuckled. He missed working with his old team of Jonathan and Mark, but he had grown fond of Grant. The thirty-four-year-old was the epitome of intimidating without even trying. Tall, wide and thick with muscles, the dark-skinned bodyguard never looked as if he couldn’t win in a fight.
“Just wait until you see the house,” Oliver said. “Any problems getting here?”
“No, sir. It’s about a thirty-minute commute with no traffic. How about on your end? Did you deal with the private eye?”
“The threat wasn’t as threatening as we thought, but just to make sure, I’m going to ask a few more questions after my shift.” Grant nodded, and Oliver once again told George to open the gate.
“The man driving Nigel is Thomas, and the one in the Audi is Grant,” Oliver explained to George. “You have all our numbers. Don’t hesitate to use them if you need to. At all times there will be two of us with Nigel.”
George took the three cards with their numbers and put them in his pocket. Although he said he understood, Oliver could tell his attention had moved toward the cars, where his true boss had just exited.
Nigel Marks was over six foot, of average size and dressed in a proper suit. His salt-and-pepper hair was cropped close to his head, with a pair of reading glasses resting on top. The file Oliver had been given said Nigel was fifty-three, though he looked years younger. The file also said he was an avid runner, competing in marathons and triathlons in his spare time. That would account for the toned body his suit did little to hide. As Oliver approached, Nigel ended his call and extended his hand.
“Sorry about that,” Nigel said with a smile. “This merger has made everyone forget how to do their jobs. You must be Mr. Quinn.”
Oliver shook. “Call me Oliver.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Oliver. Nikki spoke very highly of you and your team. Hopefully you won’t get too bored on this job.”
“It’s a good sign when a job stays boring,” Oliver replied.
Nigel seemed to consider this and laughed. “I suppose you’re right. Well...” Nigel waved to his house as Grant and Thomas joined them. “As I told Nikki, feel free to treat this as your home while here. There are no off-limits areas, but I do ask my office be left alone unless I’m with you. I have a feeling that my free time will be spent in there.” He paused as his phone rang. His pleasant mood seemed to slide away in an instant. Replacing it was the look of a tired man. “My work is never done.”
* * *
DARLING FELT AS if she was frozen yet couldn’t stop everything around her from moving. It wasn’t until her vision started to tunnel that she realized she was about to pass out. With a quick dose of good sense, she backed out of the bathroom and crouched, flinging her head down between her legs. In the moment she couldn’t remember why that stopped a person from fainting, but she knew she needed to try it nonetheless.
So there she was, crouched