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Ryan nodded. “I’m not sure how much she knows, though. I have no doubt she’s aware he’s up to his eyeballs in illegal dealings, but I don’t think she knows details, so as a witness, she’s not the strongest one.”
In this twisted game of dominance and deceit, sometimes the right incentive could compel a person to kneel. And if there was anything Roman understood instinctively, it was leverage—the kind that left a person bare and wanting or, in this case, desperate for a lifeline.
“All right, let’s dangle the carrot of a graceful exit before her and see what that gets us.”
“Do you wanna do it officially, or would you prefer me to handle it?” Alex asked.
If Roman went the official route, his whole staff would soon find out. There was no way to keep this secret. That meant that whoever was feeding Whitman information would pass along that bit as well, endangering not only Roman’s investigation but possibly Penelope Whitman’s safety. He couldn’t take that risk. “You handle this. She opened up to you, so she has at least some measure of trust. And I’m afraid that if I get involved, it will get back to the wrong people.”
“Unfortunately, that’s a legit risk,” Ryan said. “There’s no predicting what Whitman will do if he finds out his wife is about to turn on him.”
“Exactly.”
“We’ve made good progress on creating a list of Whitman’s connections and dividing them into categories of influence and importance.” Wander nodded at Alex, who clicked the remote. On the screen, a list of names appeared with brief descriptions and, in many cases, a picture. Most of the names were familiar to Roman, the same ones he’d come across in his investigation, but he also spotted some new ones.
“Efficient,” he said.
“Most of this is Caleb’s work,” Wander said. “Kid’s a genius at digging up dirt.”
“Exceptional.” Roman’s gaze lingered on the tattoos peeking out from beneath the sleeves of Caleb’s hoodie. The man’s appearance belied the sharpness of his mind. The contrast never ceased to intrigue Roman.
“Thanks.” Caleb was beaming. “Just give me a target, and I’ll uncover whatever you need.”
“Speaking of Caleb,” Wander said. Roman clenched his jaw. He knew what was coming. “He has suggested going undercover with Coldrick Law, since they have a position open for an IT specialist.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “For real? That’s perfect.”
Caleb leaned forward, his eyes alight with a fervor that was both infectious and terrifying, and his lean frame vibrated with barely contained energy.
“Think of how deep we can go with this. With that level of access, I could get inside Coldrick Law and find out everything we need. We’d have Whitman by the balls.”
“Easy, tiger.” Wander chuckled, but the approval in his tone was clear.
Caleb’s excitement was contagious, sparking from him to every team member. Everyone nodded along, murmuring their assent. Everyone, except Roman, that was.
“Guys, come on.” Roman rubbed the bridge of his nose, frustration simmering beneath his skin. “We’re talking about sending him into the lion’s den. It’s not just files and data. It’s dangerous.”
“I can handle myself,” Caleb said.
“Of course you can,” Wander said before Roman could argue further. “That’s not up for debate. But the question is if the potential benefits outweigh the risks, and I would ask that for anyone on the team.”
“Sure, it’s a gamble, but think of what I could access, the intel I could gather.”
“Or you could get caught,” Roman shot back. The image of Caleb in Whitman’s crosshairs raised the hairs on the back of his neck. “We don’t know how deep this goes or who’s watching.”
“Which is exactly why we need someone on the inside,” Ryan said. “He’d have the kind of access you could only dream of.”
Caleb nodded. “I’d have direct access to Coldrick’s files and possibly even her communications with Whitman and their strategies.”
“But you’d be exposed, vulnerable,” Roman said. “One slip-up and you’re compromised. If she’s as deeply involved as we suspect, she’s dangerous. They won’t play fair.”
“I blend in. No one suspects the quiet tech guy.”
“Boss,” Caleb said to Wander, “this is our shot. I can do this. You know my record.”
Caleb was competent—no, more than that—he was brilliant. But brilliance didn’t stop bullets or blunt knives. Roman searched Caleb’s face for any hint of doubt, any sign this was more bravado than bravery. He found none.
“It might be our only chance to get the evidence we need,” Wander said, tipping the scales with a finality that Roman loathed to admit. “So you have my approval. But you better make sure your fictitious backstory stands up to a serious background check, yeah? I can’t imagine her letting just anyone get access to her files.”
