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That made sense, but they still had a problem. If Huisman was correct, then someone was coming for him. “I think Tasha should…”
Taggart held out a hand. “Stop. I need you to consider the next words that come out of your mouth, son. You seem to have started processing the whole betrayal thing, and that is great. You’re moving along nicely, and you don’t want to piss off your woman by playing into gender roles that have no place here. None. I assure you if Tasha’s brothers were the ones in trouble, they would ask Tasha to please help them deal with the situation.”
Because Tasha was trained and deadly. Because Tasha had a job to do.
One that would probably be so much easier if he just let her do it.
She was frowning his way. “What were you going to say, Dare?”
“I think Tasha should figure out how she wants to handle it.” He knew when he was wrong. He was excellent at sales, but he did not know how to handle his own potential kidnapping, and in this case the little woman didn’t need protecting. The little woman was the protector. It made him feel…useless again. If they were attacked, Tasha would defend him, but he might be able to do the same for her. He turned to the man who seemed to have all of the answers. “I want an extra service in our deal. You have to train me so I know how to fight.”
Taggart’s lips curled in a smile, a satisfied expression. “I can do that.” He sat up and turned to his daughter. “What’s it going to be, dochka? Fight or flight? I’m leaving this to you.”
Tasha’s shoulders squared as she nodded her father’s way. “I’ll make that decision in private, if you don’t mind. Dr. Huisman, I appreciate everything you’ve done for us but…”
Huisman stopped and put his hands up as if in concession. “You don’t know me, and you’ve only truly heard what Benjamin has said. He’s been your friend so far. Believe me, I know how nice it is to be Benjamin’s friend, but I warn you what can happen when he decides it’s over. I believe I’ll head back to Toronto this evening. I’ll let Oakley know I won’t be meeting with him. Tomorrow. I think it’s better I tell him from the safety of my own home. And Mr. Nash, I do hope you find a way to deal with your father. He’s involved with dangerous people.”
The doctor started to walk away.
“Dr. Huisman,” Taggart called out.
Huisman stopped and turned.
“I’m grateful as well. Please feel free to call me if anything else comes up,” Taggart said with a nod.
Huisman’s shoulders straightened, his head coming up. “I shall. And please tell Benjamin whenever he is ready to talk, my door is open. For old time’s sake.”
He disappeared out the door and neither Taggart nor Tasha’s eyes left it for a moment. They both stared.
“Chto ty dumayesh, dochka?” Taggart asked.
“Ya dumayu, chto on interesnyy chelovek,” Tasha replied.
He was not getting cut out by the polyglots. “No Russian. Not until I understand it.”
Taggart’s brow rose, and he looked awfully amused.
It wasn’t so surprising. He should learn an extra language. He’d always wanted to, and Russian would be…not helpful in any way in his business, but it would be if he wanted to fit in with the Taggarts. Which he didn’t.
Tasha turned Dare’s way. “He asked me what I thought about Huisman, and I said he’s an interesting man. I meant that he’s interesting in a way that we should watch him and be careful.”
“But he helped us,” Dare argued. “Or do we not believe him?”
“Oh, I believe him about what could happen to you,” Tasha explained. “And we’re going to talk about that. But I need more information before I decide whose side I come down on when it comes to Huisman and Ben.”
“Huisman does a lot of good in the world.” He wasn’t sure why Taggart and Tasha would question the doctor. He’d come to help them. “He’s very philanthropic.”
“That would be an excellent mask.” Taggart stood. “He looks good on paper, and Ben right now looks like a loose cannon. I don’t like either. We’ll keep an eye on both and try to stay out of Ben’s orbit.”
“That might be hard,” Tasha said. “I think keeping my sister out of his orbit will be the real challenge. And if I have to pick between fight and flight, we’re going to fly, Dad.”
Her father pulled out his cell phone and stepped away.
It looked like he was going on the run.
Chapter Eighteen
Tasha had known she would get Dare out of Australia the minute Huisman showed up at their suite with her dad. The only question was how to do it and still have any shot at getting some important intel. Evening was coming on quickly and they had decisions to make, so she’d called the team together. After all, running with Dare instead of going to Oakley’s would affect them all.
