Page 31 of Keeping Her Secrets

Ash grinned as he realized she was calling a friend for help. Will Granger was the tech nerd at Fortis Security, although nerd was probably the wrong description. The man was a genius and had invented more tech than Ash could possibly imagine. Fuck, his bank account probably had as many zeroes as his phone number did. The fact he looked like some tatted up, pierced model didn’t help with the nerd visual either. In real life, Will was a regular guy with an exceptional mind who was totally in love with his cop girlfriend.

“I know it’s late, but I really need a favor.” Ash openly listened, and Mari beckoned him to sit by her, and he happily obliged.

She smiled at something Will must have said. “Thanks. The name is Ben Rensburg. He was last known to be an inmate at Durban Correctional Facility in SA. I need to know if he’s still there, and if not, where he is.”

Ash waited as he heard the faint sound of the man replying.

“Yes, I know, and thanks; I owe you.” She hung up and grinned. “Will should have something for us within the hour.”

“That quick?” A thought occurred to him. “Will he find out about you if he starts digging?”

Mari bit her lip. “Possibly, but it’s a risk I have to take. Will can get the information I need faster than I can, and if he finds something, I trust him not to say anything. Fuck, he probably has information on everyone he knows.”

“I thought you wanted this kept a secret?”

“I do, and believe me when I say I won’t talk about this with anyone if I’m given a choice, but this is a risk I have to take.”

“You’re very brave.”

“No, I am definitely not brave, but I am pragmatic.”

Ash didn’t argue; it was pointless at this stage, and they had work to do. “Do you want to look into Hanley’s financials again before we drop by for a visit tomorrow?”

“Yeah, let’s do that, and try to find a link between him and Hashemi. There must be a reason Hashemi chose Hanley.”

The evening had faded into night when the burner phone rang again. They’d been digging into the financials and the connection between the two men and had come up with a few leads.

“Will?” After a few seconds, Mustique’s eyes flashed to Ash’s, with a look of shock and fear in them, and he knew. “When was he released?” Her face said it all, and it changed the dynamic of this case again. “Okay, call me as soon as you find anything, please.”

She hung up and looked at him. “Ben was released last year. He withdrew all the family money he’d inherited and hasn’t been seen since. Will is going to keep looking for him.”

“So is it reasonable to add Ben to the list of suspects now?”

“I guess, although I don’t see what he would want with Leonie. He was the one who gave her away in the first place. Why would he suddenly want her back?”

“I guess we need to find out and see what Hanley says.”

“Yeah, time to pay the senator a visit.”

Ash glanced at his watch. “Not now; it’s two in the morning. Best we wait until he’s in his office.”

“I agree, but we should continue looking through these emails then.”

Ash stood and took her hand. “No, we should get some sleep and start again first thing in the morning. We’re no good to anyone if we’re so tired we make mistakes.”

Mari tipped her sexy mouth up in a grin that made his dick twitch. “Oh, please, SEALs go days without sleep and still make perfect judgment calls. You’re just trying to get me naked.”

“Fine, you got me. Now let’s go.” He pulled her in front of him and gave her a little nudge toward the bedroom.

“Animal.” She laughed, and he relished the sound from her.

“And you love it.”

“Maybe,” she hedged as she unbuttoned her jeans and slid them over her perfect ass.

She loved it all right, and she would love what he planned to do to her before they slept even more. Whether she would love it as much as he would remained to be seen.

Thank God the neighbor was deaf was all he could think as he drifted off to sleep a few hours later, with a very satisfied woman in his arms.