“DeGroot and Glenn. We’ve certainly grown since then, haven’t we?”
“Yup. Which reminds me, we should probably update our corporate portrait. Neither of us looks much like that now.”
Willem patted his generous girth. “True. I think I put on ten pounds for every one that you’ve lost since then. But let’s keep the photo so I can remember the days when I could still outrun you.”
“Me and just about anyone else.”
“Now I can barely keep up with my grandsons. But it’s not so bad, eh? All those twenty-hour days and seven-day weeks? We’ve done all right for ourselves, yes?”
“I wish... No, you’re right. We’ve done just fine.”
Willem regarded Lee keenly. “You wish maybe we’d worked fewer of those long hours so you could’ve spent them with Dana.”
“I never knew the hours would run out, Wil. I thought we had all the time in the world. I figured it would all pay off because we’d have the means to retire early and sail around the world if we wanted to.”
Willem was quiet for several long moments, and then he laid a hand on Lee’s arm. “My friend, if you want to retire, you have the means to do so. Our hard work has paid off, and very handsomely, I might add. I want you back in the world of the living, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be back in these offices. If there’s something else you want to do, somewhere else you want to make a fresh start...well, I’d understand and support you one hundred per cent.”
“I realize that, but honestly, I’ve lived and breathed our company so long, I don’t know what else I’d do with myself. Retirement without Dana wouldn’t mean a damned thing.” Lee shot Willem a weak smile. “You’ll probably find me expired at my desk some day. When you do, just send for a mortician.”
“Or put a cup of Ann’s coffee in your hand. If that doesn’t revive you—”
“Nothing will. Okay, enough kibitzing. Tell me more about our new client. I read the file, but I can hardly believe it.”
“Neither could I, but Stu swears up and down that’s how it happened.”
“Our Stu? Suspenders, bow tie, and horned rim glasses? That Stu rescued a damsel in distress?”
“So he claims, and I have no reason to doubt him. I sent him to London last week on business, and four days later I received a priority call about this woman.”
“This Britten. And is that supposed to be her first name or last?”
“Her only. Apparently she wishes to be known only by one name, like that Madonna woman.”
Lee chuckled at Willem’s faintly disapproving air. “So, according to the report I read, Stu was at his hotel and he heard a fight in the next room. Somehow I can’t imagine him riding to the rescue and engaging in fisticuffs with some miscreant.”
“He didn’t. He called hotel security. That would’ve been the extent of his involvement, but before security could arrive, there was a frantic knocking on his door.”
“I can just picture Stuey peering out to see who it was.”
“According to Stu, he did take the precaution of leaving the door chained. When he opened it, he found a beautiful woman standing there with blood on her face.”
“Huh. So he let her in? Doesn’t sound like our Stu. She must’ve been a real knockout, or a real mess, to overcome his caution. The man won’t even order lunch until he analyzes all the possibilities.”
“Apparently she is, or was at some point, a model. Stu tried to tell Miss Britten that he had summoned security, but the woman begged hysterically so Stu felt compelled to give her sanctuary. He assumed it would be temporary, but when she found out he is Canadian and that he represented an internationally known security company, she prevailed upon him to hear her story.”
“And that’s when he called you?”
“He did. I’d normally have referred him to Louise, Khabir, or Rick, but Stu believed that Miss Britten’s crisis was serious enough to warrant my help directly. He was afraid that he’d lost control of the situation, particularly as Miss Britten had convinced him, quite against his better judgment, to return to her room and collect her luggage once hotel security had removed her assailant. Stu felt that the entire incident was outside his purview.”
“Finding a lost dog in a park is outside his purview. Jesus, Wil, he’s a numbers cruncher; no wonder he didn’t know what to do with a victim of violence. So, who was it—her husband or boyfriend or some unidentified low-life?”
“I’m afraid I’m not clear on that. Stu apparently had reached his explanatory limits. Since Miss Britten possesses a Canadian passport, I told him to escort her here, if she wished, and I would hear her out. They arrived last evening. I picked them up at the airport and deposited them at our safe house.”
“Them? Stu stayed with her?”
“She appears to have become somewhat dependent on him, and I felt it better to allow them to remain together until this morning’s interview.”
“What did Stu’s wife think about that?”
“I didn’t feel the need to ask. Our employees’ domestic affairs are their own concern.”
Lee grinned as she tried to imagine mousy little Stu involved in a torrid affair with an international model.
A deep, rumbling chuckle from beside her indicated Willem was trying to picture the same thing. Within seconds they were laughing together, and only a sharp rap on the door put a damper on their hilarity.
The door swung open, and Sophie entered. “Miss Britten and Mr. Lambert are here to see you, sir.”
Still chuckling, Willem stood. “Show them in, Sophie.” He turned to Lee. “Do you want to take the lead?”
Lee shook her head as she also stood. “No, I’m a little rusty. You go ahead; I’ll listen.”
Stu Lambert entered the office with a slender, dark, exotic beauty clinging to his arm. Lee casually passed a hand over her mouth to hide a smile. Miss Britten towered over Stu by a good ten inches, but he strutted like a royal guard escorting a queen. He officiously saw her to a chair and assumed a rigid posture behind Miss Britten, resting one hand on her shoulder.
“Thank you, Stu. I’m sure Miss Britten deeply appreciates your kindness, but I’ll need your report and numbers from the London office as soon as possible.”
Stu bristled at Willem’s order, and Lee could tell he was about to protest—unprecedented behaviour on his part—but Miss Britten patted his hand. “It’s okay, Stuey. I know you have to get back to work. I’ll see you later, okay?”
Stu nodded stiffly, straightened his bow tie, and marched out of the office.
Willem extended a hand to their guest. “Miss Britten, I’m Willem DeGroot, and this is my partner, Lee Glenn.”
Miss Britten gave Lee an absent nod as she shook Willem’s hand.
Lee could tell she’d been instantly assessed and dismissed. Huh. Must be the suit.
Willem continued, “Mr. Lambert told me something of your situation, but if you wouldn’t mind going over the details for us, I would greatly appreciate it. As I understand it, you’re looking for protection from...whom?”
“My husband. Willem...may I call you Willem? My husband is a cruel, violent man. He believes our marriage gave him the right to dictate my every move.” Britten dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “He forced me to leave my career in fashion, and my life has been hell ever since.”
Willem had resumed his seat behind his desk and was taking notes while Lee watched and listened to their potential client. Interesting accent, Miss Britten. Somewhere between England and North America, but not grounded in either.
“What is your husband’s name, Miss Britten?”
The former model flashed a smile at Willem. “Just Britten, please, Willem. His name is Michael Saberi.” When Willem didn’t react, she added, “From the Dubai oil family?”
“I’m not familiar with them, but please do go on.”
Britten frowned momentarily. “Well, he’s not really involved in the family business anyway. Michael is much more interested in the arts. That�
�s how we met—at an event to raise funding for a new gallery he decided to invest in.”
Lee suppressed her instinctive eye roll. Translation: he’s never had to work a day in his life, and he never will. So he fills his time with pretty baubles and pretty women. Lee knew she was being overly cynical, but she had swiftly sized Britten up and wasn’t impressed by their new client. She would compare notes with Willem after Britten left, but she had already lost interest. Unless she missed her guess, this would be a standard personal protection detail, right up Rick’s alley. Miss Britten would engage their services until she got bored being away from the high life and returned to her husband or until she found a lawyer good enough to break the pre-nup that Saberi’s family had no doubt insisted on. In either event, the case didn’t appeal to her.
“How long have you been married, Britten?”
“Almost a year.” Britten dabbed at her eyes again, though Lee was willing to bet the tissue came away dry. “And it’s gotten so much worse lately. He’s suffocating me to the point where I’ve seriously considered suicide.”
Willem shot Lee a glance.
She subtly shook her head in response to his unspoken query. She might fake a try, but only if it got her the attention she craves. No need to worry about that, my friend.
“What would you like us to do? How can we help?”
Britten lowered her gaze and wrung her hands. “Protect me. Stop him from killing me!”
“Do you genuinely feel this is a possibility? That your husband would actually seek you out and murder you?”
Lee noted the split second hesitation before Britten began to sob.
“He wouldn’t do it himself. He’d never get his hands dirty that way. He’d send his men after me. Oh God, I’m so scared. You must help me!”
Lee openly rolled her eyes as Britten buried her face in her hands and wailed histrionically.
Willem came around the desk and patted Britten’s shoulder comfortingly. He shot Lee a disapproving glance.
She sighed and went to the small fridge. She extracted a bottle of water, twisted off the cap, and handed it to Willem.
“Britten. Miss Britten. Please try to get hold of yourself. You may rest assured that we will not allow any harm to come to you.” Willem offered the bottle, and Britten wrapped her hands around his as she focused a teary, pleading gaze on him. “There, there. Everything is going to be all right. We’ll work out the details. For now you’ll be perfectly safe where you stayed last night.”
“No, I won’t. You don’t understand. I’ve tried to leave Michael before, and he always tracks me down. He keeps an investigator on retainer, and the man is very good at what he does. Michael will find me within the week. I can’t even access my accounts, and I’ve got less than seven thousand Euros with me.”
Lee cocked her head. For the first time Britten sounded genuinely distressed. “Did I understand Stu correctly that you are originally from Canada?”
Britten turned toward Lee, her expression faintly startled, as if she’d forgotten Lee’s presence. “I am, yes.”
“Has your husband met your family? Would he be able to track you through them?”
Lee was taken aback at the momentary look of embarrassment that flashed across Britten’s face.
“No. I, um, didn’t exactly tell Michael the truth about my background. He doesn’t even know my birth name.”
“Does anyone in your circle have that information? Anyone who might relay it to your husband?”
Britten shook her head. “No. I thought it best to reinvent myself completely when I went to Europe. I even legally changed my name.”
“Your passport. In what name was it issued?”
“Britten Saberi. I took Michael’s surname when I got married last year.”
“That’s unfortunate. It would’ve slowed his investigator down if you’d flown here under your original name. However, it’s not the end of the world. Since his search will begin where your flight ended, we’ll simply have to get you out of Calgary by car.”
Britten turned back to Willem. “I suppose I could seek refuge with my family for a short while.” She scowled and flicked a dismissive hand. “Donegal, Saskatchewan is so far off the beaten path that even Michael’s bloodhounds wouldn’t find me there. God! I don’t know if I can stand going back. There’s nothing there but gophers, grasshoppers, and grain elevators. I left to save my sanity, and I doubt much has changed.”
Willem reached inside his jacket and withdrew his cell phone. “Rick? Could you come to my office for a moment, please? I have a new assignment for you.” He ended the call and gave Britten a reassuring smile. “Rick will take you back to the safe house and stay with you until we’ve made arrangements to convey you to your family’s home. Sophie has a copy of our standard contract. You may take it with you and peruse it at your leisure, but I will need it signed and returned with a deposit before you leave Calgary.”
“Fine. Will Rick stay with me in Donegal? If Michael’s man is able to track me, I’m terrified about what could happen to me—and to my family, of course.”
“We’ve never lost anyone under our protection. You’ll have a bodyguard for the duration, I assure you.”
A light knock sounded on the door, and Sophie poked her head in. “Rick is here, Mr. DeGroot. Should I show him in?”
“No. We’ll come out there.” Willem offered an arm to Britten. She took it and the two of them followed Sophie into the outer office.
Willem returned a few minutes later. “Well?”
Lee shrugged. “Well, what?”
“Your instincts have always been dead on. I want your assessment.”
“My assessment? Britten has coasted through life on her looks, getting what she wanted, when she wanted it. She’s used to wrapping men around her little finger and dismissing women as irrelevant.”
“You saw that?”
“Of course. I’m rusty, not blind. I don’t have enough background information to evaluate her claim about her husband, but I plan to remedy that this afternoon. Before Rick drives her to her family’s place, we should know whether Michael Saberi poses a legitimate threat. We can work from there. I doubt it’ll be more than a routine personal protection detail, and Rick’s certainly had plenty of experience with those.”
Willem resumed his seat on the couch. “What if we didn’t assign Rick?”
“You can’t assign Khabir. If her husband is of Middle Eastern extraction, Britten is unlikely to accept Khabir as a bodyguard. And you can’t send Louise, either. Britten wouldn’t think she was getting her money’s worth from a female bodyguard, even though Louise is more dangerous than Rick and Khabir put together.”
“Actually I had someone else in mind.”
“We’ve got someone new on staff?” Lee tried to smile, but the reminder that the world hadn’t stopped when she withdrew from it stung.
“Several, actually, but I was thinking about a veteran. Someone who knows the business inside and out, has ample experience, and the skill to assess the situation immediately.”
“Who...? Oh no, Wil. You don’t mean me?”
“I do.” When Lee began to object, Willem held up his hand. “Hear me out. You and I founded this company on nothing, and we both worked every angle of the business while building it into the entity it is today. You are a director, not a field officer. You’ve earned that big corner office, and you have the right to never leave your desk again, if that’s what you want. But even before Dana...even before Dana got sick, you were getting bored. Handling contracts, schmoozing with potential clients, setting up branch offices, overseeing employees, and balancing budgets...that end of our business is not your passion.”
“No, the admin side has always been your bailiwick. I know that, but I hope you feel I’ve contributed equally, except of course since Dana...”
“God, yes! We wouldn’t have lasted past the first year without your knowledge and experience. Our diverse strengths have made us an excellent team over th
e last two and a half decades.”
“They have.” Lee sighed and took a seat opposite Willem. “Are you telling me you think that’s in the past? That I can’t come back and be a productive partner.”
“Phfftt. I’m not saying that in the least, and shame on you for thinking it. If you truly want to return heart and soul to our company, then DeGroot and Glenn would only be the stronger for it. But I’m worried about you. I’m well aware of how losing Dana affected you, and I would never begrudge you the time to grieve and heal. But are you healed, my old friend? Do you genuinely want to return to the corporate grind for the rest of your life? Or is there perhaps something else that would restore the joy that is now missing in you?”
Willem was silent as Lee contemplated his words. Finally, she shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t know, Wil. I really don’t. Two days ago, if I thought about it at all, I didn’t picture being back here. But last night you said you wanted your partner back. You said you were tired of carrying the business by yourself. I want to take back my share of the burden.”
“I said that because we were all trying desperately to reach you. But we pay very good people to carry most of the burden, including my son and sons-in-law. What’s left is what I enjoy doing. I’ll never retire, you know that.”
“Meena might have something to say about that.”
“Ah, my wife is happy as long as there are grandchildren about. Lee, I’m serious. I learned two things in your absence. One is that none of us are irreplaceable. We may have stumbled initially, but the business is running like a well-oiled machine now. Two, I cherish you too much to see you unhappy in our partnership. Which is why I think you should take this detail with Miss Britten.”
“I don’t get the connection.”
“You could do this sort of thing with your eyes shut. Whether Miss Britten is genuinely in danger or merely a hysterical flake, you’ll keep her safe until her lust for the bright lights overcomes her good sense.”
Walking the Labyrinth Page 3
