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"She's right."
I pinched my brow as I surveyed the rest of the contract. My brother paced the length of the living room while we both waited for Gwen to come home.
I was trying to finish my work, so that when she got here, I could spend time with her. But knowing that I had to leave her safety to Pierce and Rowan irritated me. Gavin had already called to say she was in the car. He had one of his best guys drive her tonight. But I was still on edge. I didn't need Micah's pacing. "Who's right about what?" I snapped.
"Gwen."
"All right, what's Gwen right about?" My body was already humming from the anticipation of seeing her. It was like just hearing her name had my blood heating.
"The computer script she wrote. She and Lakewood theorized that there were other cameras around that night to catch what we needed. And her algorithm was searching for anyone who was at the benefit for the shelter, as well as anyone who had been following your mother around town. It's taken some computing power and a couple of servers, but she was right to do that."
I furrowed my brow. "Did you find something?"
"Yup." He went and opened his laptop, pulling up a fuzzy gray photo from the benefit. "That guy, same outfit, same hat drawn down over his face, he was in both places."
He turned his monitor so I could see better. He was right. Same hat, same salt and pepper curling hair under the hat. "Do we have any hits on facial recognition?"
"No. That's the problem. I think if we give the algorithm more time, we’ll likely find more evidence of this guy from all over the place. Following your mom, maybe even following Riley."
"That's not Dad." At least it didn’t look like our father. But I was used to my father’s powerful look and stance in his expensive suits. This man clearly didn’t want to be seen. "He could be anyone. And this was years ago. The trail has gone cold, for sure."
"Man, I thought you'd be happier, Atticus."
"I am. I just?—"
There was a sudden burst of talking and activity from the elevator in the foyer. Gwen's voice had a calming effect on me, and the tension began rolling off my shoulders. She was here. She was safe. There was another feminine voice with her. Her sister. And an all too familiar male voice.
I pushed to my feet. "Lakewood?"
When Gwen came around the corner, she grinned. "Look what the cat dragged in."
Morgan came skipping in behind her. She fist-bumped Micah and then came over to wrap her scrawny arms around me.
I would never get used to the hugging. She was a sweet kid, and everything about her reminded me of Gwen. But she had a tendency toward hugs, and that shit made me touchy.
Lakewood shook hands with Micah, and Gwen came over to kiss me. The soft brush of her lips had me smiling.
"There you are."
"Here I am."
Morgan rolled her eyes. "Can you two stop already? It's gross."
Lakewood's gaze flickered over Gwen but then shifted quickly.
Okay, he was getting more used to this. Good. I wasn't letting her go, and he couldn't have her.
I gave him a nod which he returned.
Gwen just rolled her eyes. "You're all going to have to get along eventually."
Morgan laughed. "If I can tolerate him, you can certainly tolerate him too."
"I'm not so sure about that," I muttered under my breath.
Gwen grabbed a soda for Morgan, scotch for me, the same for Lakewood, and then eyed Micah. "Let me guess, tequila."
Micah's brows lifted. "I didn't think it was a tequila kind of night."
