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The glares were uniform, so Elle didn’t bother telling them that she had tracking devices planted in their belongings, and monitoring software on all of their devices. If someone was going to be threatened, or go missing, on her watch, she was prepared to deal with it.
“It’s not like I listen to your calls,” she told them. “I have a program that monitors for keywords, and alerts me if they come up.”
“Keywords such as?” Megan folded her arms over her black leather biker jacket and tapped her toe.
“Like ‘ransom’, ‘death’, stuff like that. Get a grip. I’m looking out for you the best way I know how.”
“Without our knowledge or permission,” Dimitri said.
“And in a way that is obviously illegal,” Rachel said.
“What she said.” Megan pointed at Rachel. “Plus it’s icky. You’re like a mastermind stalker.”
Rachel’s pointed a talon at Elle. “I’m ordering you to stop it. Immediately.”
“You didn’t wave your magic wand,” Ryan said. “It only counts when you wave the wand.”
They glared at each other.
“Whatever,” Elle muttered as an alert came from her laptop.
“What is it?” Joe stepped up behind her.
“Some keywords triggered my alert program.” Elle’s fingers flew over the keyboard.
“What keywords?” Dimitri asked as the rest of them crowded behind Elle.
Her fingers froze when the answer came up. “Dead body,” she said.
As one, they leaned towards the laptop while Elle brought up the sound bite that had triggered her program. A female voice rang out through the room: “I came here for help with the dead body!”
“What the hell?” Joe said. “Bring up the live feed. We need to see what’s going on. If Callum’s found trouble, he’s going to need our help.”
“Thank God,” Ryan said towards heaven. “It’s about time.”
“I’ll start packing,” Megan said. “How long will it take us to get there?”
“Couple of hours,” Dimitri said.
“Stop right there,” Rachel ordered.
As one, the team turned to look at her. She folded her arms, blood-red fingernails spread out against the dark wool of her designer suit. “Nobody is rushing to help Callum. Not until he asks for it.”
“But Rachel…” Elle said.
“No.” Rachel held up a hand. “He walked out on us. He can damn well walk back in. I’m tired of pandering to his childish tantrums. So he lost limbs. Boohoo. It’s time for him to man up and get past it. Until then, we focus on the work we do have, from the people who actually want us to help them. Am I clear?”
There was muttering, shuffling feet and dejected nods.
Rachel straightened her shoulders and flicked back her poker-straight hair. “Now. Meeting in the conference room. Five minutes.”
With that, she turned and swept out of the room.
“I hate it when she’s right,” Megan said. “It goes against the laws of nature.”
“I want Callum back,” Elle said.
“We all do,” Ryan said, watching the door which Rachel had just sailed through. “Hopefully before one of us kills Rachel and buries her body in the basement.” He looked at the others. “Which could be pretty damn soon.”
