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“Drugs?” Katrina lifted a hand to her lips.
The very first time she’d seen Kenyon Latimer, she’d known he was the sort of man to whom Eliza would be attracted. Since then, everything she’d heard about him had been bad news. Now, the missing ingredient had been added into the mix. Drugs. Her sister would have been a helpless prey in this man’s clutches. Like a butterfly on a cart wheel, he’d have crushed her and walked away without noticing.
“Just what I heard.” Rusty shrugged.
Suzie shot a quick glance in Katrina’s direction before grabbing her boyfriend’s arm. “Hey, lover, why don’t you leave those fabric samples and come back for them in a day or two? And, while you’re here, you can come and take a look at that flickering headlight on my car.”
She hauled Rusty away.
Katrina smiled at Spencer. “She’s not subtle.”
He moved closer, his gaze scanning her face. “Rusty could be right. The story about Latimer selling drugs might be gossip.”
“You don’t believe that.”
He ran his hands lightly up and down her upper arms. “We still don’t know that Eliza had any contact with Latimer.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Let me check him out before we jump to any conclusions.”
She nodded, briefly resting her head against his chest. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
Tilting her head up, she smiled. “I seriously don’t know where to start.”
“Well, that makes two of us.” After pressing a quick kiss onto her cheek, he returned to the office and closed the door behind him.
“Nothing to see here, folks.” The sudden sound of Suzie’s voice from behind her startled Katrina so much that she jumped. “Hugs, kisses and starry eyes. Why would anyone believe they were signs that there was something going on?”
* * *
Still unwilling to allow Katrina out of his sight unless it was necessary, Spencer had decided to take her along to the Colton Oil offices with him when he met with the board members. He left his vehicle in the parking lot, next to the spaces that were reserved for Colton Oil staff, and they passed security cameras to enter the imposing building.
“Won’t they wonder why you need a dog trainer to be with you at their board meeting?” she whispered as the concierge checked Spencer’s badge.
“After everything that’s happened in this family lately, I don’t think they’d notice if I brought a dancing pony into the boardroom.”
“Nice.” She followed him into the lobby. “That’s the first time I’ve been compared to a performing animal.”
Since Payne Colton’s shooting, security had been increased, so a uniformed guard escorted them to the boardroom. When they were shown into the elegant room, there were two people waiting for them.
The first was Ainsley. With her was Rafe Colton, who was also Kerry Wilder’s fiancé. Rafe had been adopted as a young child at Payne’s first wife’s insistence. Payne had grudgingly accepted the boy, but had later recognized that Rafe was a financial wizard. As a result, he was now CFO of Colton Oil.
The Colton siblings both rose from their seats behind the polished desk as Spencer and Katrina entered.
“We’ve informed Dee Walton that this is an informal meeting, but that she can have representation if she chooses,” Ainsley said. “So far, she’s declined. She said that as Dad’s loyal administrative assistant, she wants to help any way she can.”
“She may change her mind about that when she knows you’ve invited a police officer along,” Spencer said.
“We’ll see.” Rafe in
dicated seats alongside theirs. “I don’t think we’ve met...?”
“Katrina is observing.” His tone of voice and expression didn’t allow for challenge or further discussion. In her dark pants and white blouse, Katrina could have been a plainclothes cop, or serving in a clerical role. Spencer wasn’t going to enlighten his companions about the real reason why she was there.
“I think we’re ready.” Ainsley glanced around for confirmation. “I’ll ask Dee to come in.”
