“Me?” Kane lifted his brow, moving around me. “How would I be able to do that?”
“I…” Bianca’s hands came together at her abdomen and she twisted her fingers together. “I was fired yesterday after complaints from a client that I had been mistreating their animal. Which, I swear on my life, isn’t true. I love the animals here and I would never harm them.”
Sawyer and I exchanged a glance as Kane moved closer to Bianca. What does this have to do with Callie? I had a distinct feeling that a piece of the puzzle was just out of sight.
“What are you thinking?” I asked Sawyer in a low voice as we followed Bianca and Kane inside.
“I think we’ve been blind,” Sawyer replied. “I think… I took Callie for granted and didn’t press hard enough because part of me was certain that there’d be no going back once I crossed that line. I would have to admit I’m in love with her and I wasn’t ready to do that. So I kept her at arm's length and now…”
That was probably the most open I had ever heard Sawyer so I clutched his shoulder with my free hand and gave him a strong smile.
“It’s okay. We’ll get to the bottom of this and we will help Callie with whatever this really is. And then things will be good.”
“You’re always so positive.”
“Of course I am,” I chuckled. “Have you seen you and Kane? Someone needs to break up the angst.”
“This is the report?” Kane asked, standing on the other side of the counter with a file in his hand. Bianca stood on one side of him, nodding, while a man I presumed to be her boss stood on the other.
“Yes sir,” the man replied. “Everything is in there.”
Kane’s eyes skimmed down the sheets and then he froze.
“What is it?” Sawyer demanded immediately.
“Eli Talbot is the one claiming Bianca abused his dog?”
“Yes,” Bianca said. “But I swear, I’ve never hurt any animal.”
Eli? PRISM’s CEO kept his dog here?
I glanced at Sawyer, who looked at me at exactly the same time. My own thoughts were mirrored in his own eyes.
Why would Eli be here? Never mind Callie asking us all to come and help Bianca get her job back.
“I can tell you right now that it’s utter bullshit,” Kane snapped.
“Kane!” I barked, dragging Marie against my leg and covering her ears. “Language!”
“Sorry. This report is bogus. Any good lawyer would have your ass for unfair dismissal, you know that right?” Kane slapped the file against the boss’s chest.
Seeing his face crumple and hope light up Bianca’s eyes, it suddenly clicked in my mind.
Eli. Is that why Callie has been so weird? Eli has been skulking about in her circles?
Sawyer apparently reached the same conclusion as he stepped up and placed one hand down on the counter.
“Bianca.”
“Mhm?” She glanced up at him and nervously chewed her lower lip.
“Do you know who the friend is that paid for Callie’s mother’s medical treatment?”
29
SAWYER
“Idon’t know what’s more impressive,” Liam murmured as we walked past the front desk and deeper into the care facility that housed Callie’s mother. “That Kane was able to get Bianca her job back or that you scared the gate attendant so much that they’re letting us walk right in here.”