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“How many employees?”
“Fifteen so far.” She did the handprint thing again and opened the next door into an office space with cubicles. “We’re interviewing for another open spot in cold cases, trying to grow that department. And I’ve heard wind of a rash of kidnap and ransom incidents in South America lately. So I’m talking with a few former colleagues about expanding our K&R department so we can take more of those kinds of jobs.” She shrugged. “Who knows what the future will hold? I just want to build a business that can benefit not just this community, but the world.”
“It’s impressive.”
She shrugged. “I do what I can. What I feel like I need to.”
Gage wasn’t sure why she’d feel the need to save the world. If there’d been anything in her army file he needed to know about, Liam would’ve told him. The question was whether Clare would tell him herself.
She hadn’t told him what happened with the baby.
After all this time, he’d been through so many cycles of believing one thing, or another. He didn’t know what to think now. Except that he’d gone back and asked Captain McCauley if there was another way of doing this, aside from working with Vanguard. He’d been shot down. Gage liked his job. He wanted to keep his job. Therefore, he had to tread carefully.
He hadn’t been lieutenant over SWAT long. He still had to prove himself.
Now that Clare had inserted herself into his case, he was between a rock and a hard place.
Make the most of it.
He looked around, oddly curious in a self-destructive way. He didn’t need to know that she’d done so well for herself. He had a good life and was at a great place in his career.
Gage spotted Peter from the bank…except this version was skinnier. His twin? Detective Lucas Westbrook had said his fiancée had twin brothers. He lifted his chin. The guy sat back down. Most of the desks were occupied, but it was Monday morning.
“This way.” Clare led him down the hall. “We can talk in my office.”
The hall had carpet. Artwork on the walls looked good, not just generic hotel art most places decorated in.
Her office was different. Even the receptionist looked a little more put together than the rest of them. It made him want to introduce her to Jasper. The two of them could go out for fifty-dollar steaks, and she’d eat three bites and claim she was full.
He’d rather go to a ball game and get a hot dog.
By himself.
Clare held the door again. He stepped into her office, and the noise level dropped right away. Sound proofing. One wall had a set of windows. He walked over and touched the glass. “Bulletproof?”
“Reinforced, at least. Not much is bulletproof these days.”
“What other fancy stuff do you need to show me?”
Clare blinked. “That’s not…” She let out a breath through pursed lips. “Can we talk?”
“Sure.” He folded his arms. “Why the army?”
She turned away, and he was sure she would refuse to answer the question until she went to a credenza and opened the doors. He moved to stand behind her and looked over her shoulder. One folded flag. “My best friend, Selena’s mother.” Beside the flag was an array of framed photos. It was hard to recognize Clare in full fatigues, but he did.
“You joined young.”
“Right out of high school.” She turned to him then. “It was the furthest thing from what my mom wanted me to do.” A ghost of a smile washed over her face. “She still can’t believe I did it.”
“She’s still getting on your case?”
Clare shrugged one shoulder. “She lives in Seattle. Still a top dollar cutthroat lawyer. How about you? How’s your mom?”
Gage paused. “She passed away a couple of months ago.”
“Oh no.” To her credit, she seemed genuinely sorry for him.
“We weren’t that close.” He wanted to shrug but found that he couldn’t.
