Page 34 of Keeping Collette

“I’ll ask her when I speak to her. I plan on telling her everything that we talked about.” He kept his attention on his boss Ox, letting him know that this wasn’t something he was going to budge on.

“That’s fine. You can take a copy of the coroner’s report to her. I’m not sure that it’s something she should read, but she may want to.” Ox closed up the file he’d brought in. “Anything else we need to discuss?”

“I do have one thing,” Rowan said, and Deal tensed, having a feeling that what she was going to say was bad.

“Related to this case, or related to our ongoing protection contract with Zadie when she needs us?” Ox queried.

“The latter.” Her gaze flicked to Fox, and Deal caught the way his friend crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, clearly broadcasting he wasn’t interested in what she had to say.

“I cannot take time away from my job to travel around the country with your sister. She knew that when we signed the contract. Our services were only for the times she was in LA. No where else,” Fox ground out, his impatience clear.

Deal had no idea if this new short-temperedness was because of what happened with him and Cynthia, or because he was tired of working with Zadie. He’d been grumbling about the starlet for a while before her sister got involved.

“We’re aware, but she also feels safest with you, and not the other person she’s employed to travel with her,” Rowan said.

“Tough. If she’s uncomfortable then she needs to hire someone else she’s comfortable with.” Fox looked at their boss. “I’m not doing anything other than LA only.”

He got up and strode out before anyone could say anything.

“He’s got a point,” Ox said. “The terms of our contract are clear, and were stated and agreed upon at the time.”

Deal didn’t need to be here to hear what else was going to be said. It didn’t concern him, and he wanted to see Collette to find out how she was dealing with everything. “I’m going to go.” He glanced over at Julian. “Keep me updated with what you find. And if I can help, let me know.”

“Will do, and thanks.”

With a nod to everyone else in the room, he strode out. As much as he wanted to see Collette, he had no idea if she was working with Astrid, or at her place. Considering everything she’d gone through, he didn’t believe for one second that Astrid would demand that she be by her side. But knowing Collette, she would need to keep busy, so there was every chance she ignored Astrid’s edict to stay at home and was with her.

Hound stopped by his desk as he grabbed his cell, ready to call her. He looked at his friend, noting the worry in his eyes. “What’s up?”

“This whole thing. How likely do you think my cousin and brother are involved in all of this?”

“Hard to say. You know them better than I do. But from an outsider’s perspective, I’d say that the traffickers are providing them with drugs to turn a blind eye as to what’s going on. That’s probably why there are no cameras pointing to the door or outside.” He paused. “The area’s not the best, and given what I saw during the two times I was there, the people living around the area are either addicts or prefer to remain oblivious to what’s going on for their own safety. Is it unusual for that area to be a hotspot for drug and people trafficking? It sure is. But not outside the realms of possibility. Maybe there’s a cartel that owns the neighborhood.”

“Yeah, you make some good points, especially a cartel owning the area.”

Having to deal with a cartel again wasn’t something anyone in the office would like to face. Not after what happened with Cass. Not to mention with the specter of Viktor Koznovič in the background of their lives. “Are you thinking of going to see Jim?”

Hound pinched the bridge of his nose, and a rush of sympathy for his friend hit him. It had to be hard to see on camera, family members being lowlifes.

“I don’t think so,” Hound said. “It’s better I stay as far away from them as I can. I cut all ties when I left, and I have no plans on mending them. I’m inclined to think that Jim is more likely working closely with the possible traffickers Julian was talking about. He may not know the ones in charge, but on the drug side of things, I would say he was well known to them. He’s a high functioning addict. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s always been able to hide the fact he was high. The way he was dressed suggests he’s got money. Mal, on the other hand, if he’s on the same deal as Jim, he more than likely sniffs or injects away whatever money he gets.”

“The best thing would be to tell Julian everything you can about your brother, and let them handle it. As you said, it’s probably better to keep your distance.”

“Yeah, I knew this, I just needed to talk it out.”

“Anytime, brother, you know that.”

Julian and Rowan exited the conference room, and Hound gave him a chin lift before making a beeline for them.

Deal grabbed his phone, like he was going to do before Hound came up, and pulled up Collette’s details to call her. It rang a couple of times before it connected.

“Hello?”

“Hey Collette, it’s Kayce, um Deal.” Why the heck had he used his given name? He never did that.

“I know,” she said quietly. Of course, she knew who was calling, his name would’ve popped up on her screen.

Her grief was palpable in those two words, and he wished she was standing in front of him so that he could hug her.