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She’d recently become acquainted with a mysterious male subject named Caine. He and his team had literally saved her and Sylvie’s lives on an investigation they had undertaken in Northern Illinois. After Sylvie had been abducted, Graham had called in reinforcements. He’d brought in a team that had been prepared for all types of situations. She began to wonder if Caine’s team specialized in a very specific type of tactical outcome.
Fortunately, they’d succeeded in their mission.
Brook opened the door to Alex’s office.
“…two of my men over to the hospital within the hour,” Alex finished saying to Sylvie as he shifted his focus toward Brook. “Your colleague and I have gone over the specifics of the contract, she’s given me what information you have so far, and I’ll have a rotating detail on your client until we hear otherwise from your office.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Brook leaned down and slid her phone back into the side pocket of her purse. She didn’t bother to reclaim her seat. They had a lot of groundwork to cover today, and she trusted Sylvie’s judgement when it came to the contract. The young analyst had as close to an eidetic memory as one could get, and she would alert Brook to any conflict of interest. “Sylvie? Is there anything that should concern me?”
“It’s pretty standard, and Alex’s assistant adjusted the price per the discount that the two of you negotiated, as well as stipulating the contract would be in effect for three years.” Sylvie handed Brook the contract and a pen. “I did have a separate addendum added that this was a temporary contract until such time as the firm’s lawyers had a chance to look over the fine print. Your caveat was included in the first addendum.”
“Alex?” Brook asked, setting the contract on the desk as she hovered the pen over the designated line. “I take it you’re fine with both addendums? I already have a call into our lawyer’s office, and they’re expecting a hardcopy to be messengered to them by end of day.”
“Sylvie was quite thorough in her read-through,” Alex replied without a hint of sarcasm. In fact, he seemed quite impressed with Sylvie’s professionalism. “In reference to the first addendum, our agency reserves the right not to work with certain groups that we’ve designated as cowboys. That would include several groups currently in the employment of the Central Intelligence Agency. We would need prior notice before your mysterious special action group is employed on a case that we are also working. Other than that, I just have one question. Did you steal Sylvie away from the Bureau or another agency?”
“Sylvie, are you happy at S&E Investigations?” Brook asked as she finally signed on the line with the red X.
“Very much so,” Sylvie stated before she stood from her seat.
“You are not poaching any of my colleagues, Alex.” Brook handed Sylvie’s pen back to her before she reached down to pick up her purse. She settled the strap over her shoulder. “It seems to be a common theme lately.”
Sylvie was all smiles, and she was no doubt recalling how a good friend of Brook’s would have bent over backward to get his hooks into Bit. Next, Alex would meet Theo and decide he would be a perfect fit for one of the protective detail teams.
Alex wouldn’t be wrong, either.
“As always, Brook, it’s been a pleasure,” Alex said after he’d laughed at her statement. He stood and walked around the desk, holding his hand out to Sylvie. “Should you ever be in the market, you have my number.”
Alex escorted them to the front reception area, where they had left their winter coats. The two gentlemen who had been in the short hallway were no longer in view. Tricia was currently typing on her keyboard, her attention solely on the screen in front of her.
“I overheard one of your associates talking about Caine and his team.” Brook slipped her arms into the sleeves of her dress coat for the hundredth time this morning. It would be nice to spend more than an hour in one place. “Do they work for you?”
“You know Caine?”
The caution in Alex’s tone alerted Brook to the fact that Caine and his former Marine Raiders weren’t exclusive to one firm. It would also explain how Graham had been able to obtain their services for a single day.
“You could say that,” Brook replied guardedly while readjusting her scarf.
She refrained from saying anything else that might cause Alex to remain silent on the subject.
“The men and women who work with me here at DeSilva & Associates are quite discreet during their assigned protective details. Let’s just say that when a client needs a tool more like a sledgehammer, Caine and his team fit the bill.”
That would explain why Caine had been brought up in the same conversation as a foreign country that the United States didn’t consider a political ally.
“Alex, we appreciate the partnership on such short notice,” Brook said as she shook his hand. “Sylvie will be your point of contact, and she’ll share with you any background checks on those who we believe to be a threat to our client.”
Before too long, Brook and Sylvie were inside the elevator and on the way down to the main floor of the building. They remained silent until they reached Sylvie’s car that had been parked on the third level of the parking garage.
“Do I want to know who this Caine is or why you’re so interested in him and his group?”
Sylvie had no idea that Caine and his team had been in the apple orchid the day that she’d avoided being a victim of a serial killer. Brook hadn’t wanted their involvement to be a complication when they’d only become involved at the request of Graham.
“It’s not important.” Brook grimaced when piercing air blew from the car’s vent. They’d been inside the building long enough that the engine had become cold. “I’ll text Kate to have lunch brought into the office. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us.”
Chapter Six
Brooklyn Sloane
December 2022
