Page 108 of Long Past Deadly

Quaid held up a hand, stopping Tenney’s habit of throwing his weight around. “Calling Congressman March again or your FBI contact will waste your time and mine. Priorities, Seth. We all live by them.”

The man straightened in his chair, his shoulders squared. Quaid could read his thoughts without a crystal ball. He wanted to continue the threat, but reigned himself in. “Where do you propose we go from here?”

Quaid used blunt honesty to test the waters and get this over with. He had other things to do. “That’s up to you. At this point, it will involve deeper investigation into those around her when she disappeared – your sister, your wife, and your wife’s boyfriend. It takes honesty, cooperation, time, and dogged persistence. The decision is yours.”

The man’s eyes widened.

Yeah, you motherfucker. We figured it out.

“How many other cases are you managing?” His sly look gave away the attempt to recapture the moment.

Quaid blanked his expression. He didn’t play into “gotcha” moments ever, and he narrowed his eyes with displeasure. He borrowed his grandfather’s frostiest tone. “Client confidentiality is ironclad and not pertinent to this discussion. Whether we continue or not is up to you.”

He didn’t bother to tell Seth his case was most likely a body search now. The truth would come from the data and facts when they found them. Whether guesswork, intuition, or a paper trail led them to the answers, it would end when the truth lined up.

“I’ll have to give that some thought.” Seth didn’t like being dismissed, but ceded to reality. Quaid wouldn’t be moved, and the man surrendered with a grudging respect in his eyes. He rose to leave. No handshake, as if that transmitted to something Quaid would care about. He followed Tenney out of his office. Welker was waiting, the operative providing the extra security in the admin area they needed right now.

“See Mr. Tenney to the parking lot.”

“Yes, sir.” Welker caught up with the obviously miffed man.

Elizabeth came and stood next to him. “Not renewing?”

“Not liking our priorities. He’s going to rethink it.”

“You didn’t encourage him, did you?”

“Not this time.”

In a business sense, he should show more care to a valuable client. He utilized this cultured, savvy version of himself in the CIA, and he’d evolved the mask to open doors, close deals. It built QM into what it was. But it wasn’t who he was when things mattered. And things mattered right now.

He’d have to assess the shift in attitude later because it was part of retiring the playboy. And, truly, he was ready to be in the armory prepping his weapons and testing his equipment, not handling a man who was being less than honest about the details of the case.

“Harrison says to tell you Mac and Alanna are clear and on their way back.” Elizabeth turned and strode to her office.

Profound relief flooded through him.

Thank God, they weren’t going anywhere tonight. They were staying in the confines of QM, babysitting Whit, and appearing as necessary to keep the trap active. That was his priority now.

Quaid still had two phone calls to make, manhunt updates to audit, global protection details to check with Harrison, and a woman walking into a fight he wasn’t going to let her face alone.

Chapter Nineteen

QM International Communication Check: 17:00:30 PST 12/27 – San Diego HQ. Personnel roll call complete. All personnel accounted for. Security Level 4 remains in effect. Maintain surveillance and report suspicious activity. Ϙ

Alanna’s mind was a mass of information flashing in rapid succession until her brain was tired and unfocused. Mac dropped her at the QM side entrance and went to park the vehicle by the motor pool. Alanna made her way inside, cleared the temporary security desk, and took the stairs to three. Celissa had gone home early, but Bailey buzzed her in. Electrical restored to all systems was the victory of the day.

“Quaid’s in Operations. Go on in. Did you get the trap set?” The woman’s keen gaze reminded her of early FBI days when everything was new.

“Yes, we’ll see if it works.” She peered through the window into Operations and found Quaid at his real desk – the working one – and he had a headset on, a flashing monitor in front of him, and a serious face. Sometimes when all the money, the cars, the house, the security, and Niles were around him, it was easy to dismiss the hardworking, skilled man who kept QM growing and respected. But not if one saw him like this. The man knew what he was doing. Honestly, it was intimidating and thrilling in equal measures, and she wanted more.

“Bailey,” she called. “I’m going to check in with Whit. Can you tell Quaid I’m here?”

“Sure. Whit was at lunch today. Interesting guy.”

“He came to the dayroom for lunch? How was he?” Yesterday he could hardly stand.

“He looked okay. Better than the hospital for sure. Iron will if I had to guess.”