Scent of Persuasion: Sensory Ops, Book 2

by Nikki Duncan

  “There’s more.” His fingers tapped and slid on the screen. “The first run I did from last night was Kami. Nothing special pops on her name Kami Evans. Her real name, though, is Kamille Evanston.”

  It didn’t surprise him she’d changed her name. Kami Evans was much more call-girl sounding. “I’m guessing you found something for that name.”

  “Several gigabytes. Short version, she filed for and won emancipation as a young teen. Channing Harris and his mother fought at her side. Her father is James Evanston.”

  “As in the inventor of the EV950 you’re always carrying on about?”

  “None other.” Tyler glanced up with tech-geek admiration bright in his eyes.

  “Explains how she knew so much about technology and was able to blend in so well last night.”

  “Yeah. It also explains a momentary freak out she had while we were dancing.”

  Breck’s heart slammed. His gut tightened. “Explain.”

  “I made a comment about you being a killer in the boardroom and driving people to the brink of surrendering everything. Nothing major.” Tyler rubbed his neck. “Unless you know like I now do that she found Channing hanging in his lab.”

  Shit. He’d seen several hanged bodies over the years. The most he managed to do was harden his gut enough to not vomit. That Kami had discovered a loved one that way weeks before…

  “Have you found any other connections? Anything to tie Harris to Trevor or Blue Chip Technologies?”

  “No, and believe me when I say that I’ve checked.” Tyler slid the PC back into his pocket and headed to the door. “I’ll let you know when I have more.”

  The urge to go with Tyler, to work more closely with his team on the investigation, burned through Breck. He trusted them to handle the details, but he needed to be involved. A lack of activity was only acceptable for short vacation. This was not vacation. They were on the verge of discovering a connection to another case, a connection that could prove his theory one way or the other, but he had to watch from the windows of a high rise while reading contracts and software reports.

  An invisible vise grip tightened on his skull, slowly increasing the pressure. Tyler’s visit assured him they were on the right track. It also ramped up the need to have Trevor wake up and fill in the holes.

  Damn it.

  This wasn’t a vacation. This was hell.

  Breck surged off the bed and paced to the windows looking into the quiet hallway. The nurses all seemed to be in other patient rooms, but anyone coming in would be recorded on the video surveillance Breck’s hired guards had installed.

  Pacing the small room, he rolled his shoulders back. Even with the security measures, it seemed like someone was breathing down his neck. Who? Why? What did they want?

  Frustration and helplessness coiled around his spine. This wasn’t his first undercover assignment, but there was a good reason he hadn’t gone into the corporate world. He hated the inactivity. Wheeling and dealing satisfied some people. He needed a more demanding challenge.

  “Damn it, Trevor.” He spun around on his heel and faced his best friend. “I need a damn clue as to how you got here.”

  Trevor’s chest rose and fell rhythmically. Aside from the cast on his left leg, he looked fit and healthy. Like he was sleeping.

  Breck fisted his hands in his hair, battling the urge to dump Trevor on the floor in hopes of waking his ass up. To make sure he wasn’t pulling an elaborate prank.

  He’d never pulled any quite this big, but he’d managed some doozies over the years.

  “I can’t believe you would just walk in front of a car. Shit, Trevor. There were so many witnesses.”

  “I’ve been busy lately, I know. Helping Kieralyn find Lana. Assisting Eden in her renewed search for Andrew has eaten up a lot of time, but I would have noticed if you were thinking suicide.” No way would he have missed the signs in Trevor. He knew him too well. They’d been through too much. “Your mom and dad would have noticed. I know you were stressed, but this isn’t the solution. You can’t stay here and sleep.”

  Trevor didn’t move. The heart monitor hooked up to him beeped steadily. “You have a company to run. I can’t put my job on hold to play you indefinitely.”

  “Damn it, how can you stand your life?” He stalked to Trevor’s side. “Edwin thought I needed an escort for your fundraiser.”

  Trevor’s heart rate spiked.

  “He hired an escort! She was…” So many wonderful things. Arrgh. “An escort. Like I couldn’t find a suitable date.”

  Trevor’s heart rate spiked again. Breck’s gaze jerked to the monitor but it returned to normal with the next beat. He looked back to his best friend. Trevor’s eyes were moving rapidly behind his closed lids.

  “You’re awake in there.”

  He hadn’t imagined the hit. Trevor was listening. He just wasn’t able to respond. “There’s something I need to know.”

  He waited, listening to the monitors and watching Trevor’s body for other movements. “What? Is it Edwin? He’s into something.”

  The monitor bumped slightly, but not as big as before.

  “Edwin.”

  The same slight bump.

  “Okay. I’m not discounting him.” Breck sat back on the end of the bed.

  Edwin was part of it, not surprising. But he wasn’t the cause of Trevor’s heart rate jumping. Breck thought about what he’d said. “Fundraiser.”

  No change. Hmm.

  “Date for the fundraiser.”

  Nothing again. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. Studying Trevor closely, he considered everything he’d said. Then he remembered that Kami had taken Trevor’s brush and left an apology note. She knew something. Smiling, he leaned forward and braced his elbow on his knee.

  “Escort.”

  The steadily beeping machine raced.

  “Edwin hired an escort. You’ve used escorts.”

  The machine continued racing. A nurse hurried in, but he waved her back out. He’d shock Trevor awake if he could. If not, he’d get as much information from his body’s responses as possible. He didn’t need the nurse interfering.

  He waited for the heart monitor to resume the normal pace and then considered how to proceed. He knew only one call girl that had been near Trevor’s life.

  “Kami.”

  No change. So if it was the mention of an escort that had roused him, Kami wasn’t the one.

  “Elegant Entertainment.”

  The monitors raced. Whoever the girl had been, she’d been from the same agency. Maybe Edwin had picked her out as well. Maybe Kami knew who she was.

  Breck inhaled deep. The stench of disinfectant and the muffled slap of rubber-soled shoes on linoleum became more prevalent. The thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of being on the right trail always awakened his senses. Between Tyler’s discovery and Trevor’s responses, if he could count on them, he was closer.

  The problem lay in the possibility of putting too much weight on Trevor’s response. He could be dreaming or in pain. He could be responding to any number of stimuli that had nothing to do with his accident. If he was responding to the mention of an escort, what did she have to do with anything? How could she have gotten him to walk into traffic, and why?

  Stay safe. He had to call Kami. Take her out again to see what she knew. Maybe whatever she knew had been the cause of her hesitations. It could have had nothing do with a lack of experience. He didn’t misread people often, but it was entirely possible he’d done just that with Kami.

  The new options still didn’t answer his earlier questions about her. Why leave the note? Why thank him? Why apologize?

  “I’ll be back tonight, Trevor.” After he checked in with his team and did some digging into his latest sex partner. “Wake the hell up.”

  Whatever the cause had been, he’d seen evidence that Trevor was fighting to wake up. Damn it, he would not come back to a mess in his company.

  Breck nodded as he passed Dante and headed
toward Ian’s lab. Ian was the NSA’s expert listener. If an agency needed a sound file analyzed, Ian was the go to guy—if he chose to take the case. Kieralyn had worn him down once, and he hadn’t successfully shut down any request she made since, which explained why he was spending the free time he normally spent with his family helping them.

  “Agent Lawson.” Dante rushed around the end of his desk.

  “Don’t bother.” He waved Ian’s guard dog back and opened the door. The lights were on, so Kieralyn had to be around. Ian’s seclusion had already been interrupted.

  Ian turned with his right brow cocked up. “Lawson.”

  Breck had no tolerance for games when the stakes were life and death.

  Someone had coerced his best friend to try to kill himself. He’d bet on it as surely as he’d bet the perp had been at the fundraiser. Coward was too spineless to get his hands dirty like an honest criminal. “Tell me you’ve found something useful.”

  Ian turned back to his Star Trek Enterprise control panel. “Maybe if you Feds stopped coming and going like you owned the place…”

  “Your fiancée’s strong point has never been listening.” Breck grabbed the fabric-covered chair, flipped it around and straddled it as he faced Ian. “The event was last night. Have you found anything?”

  “I have other cases.”

  “I know the feeling. You can’t blame me for wanting this over.”

  “You’re getting emotional.” Ian manipulated some controls and worked a sound file. “That doesn’t help. In fact, isn’t that one of the things you hassled Kieralyn about?”

  “Warned against, not hassled. And different circumstances.” Though not very. Her best friend had been kidnapped as part of a slave-trading ring that had hit too close to home for Ian. They knew what it was like to have a personal stake in a case. They also wouldn’t let Breck off easy.

  Ian pushed a button that had screens mounted on the walls coming to life with equalizer patterns on each. He slid some levers and sounds separated, isolating voices. Ian might not like people in his lab, but he didn’t seem to have a problem working with them around. “How’d your date turn out?”

  Breck narrowed his eyes. He didn’t want to think about Kami. More accurately he didn’t want to think about how she intrigued him or made him forget she was being paid to be with him. How she’d gone through the entire night without setting off any of his well-honed alarms that would indicate she needed to be watched more closely.

  “I need you to focus on anything with Edwin, Kami and a woman named Madame V.”

  “There won’t be much with Kami that you don’t know about.”

  “She was rarely two feet from your side.” Kieralyn stepped in from Ian’s attached apartment. She smiled broadly, showing off her perfect teeth and dimples. “I’m pretty sure you know her most interesting secrets.”

  Not quite. He was the type that looked for a person’s dark secrets before allowing them any space in his life. He didn’t know Kami’s secrets, but damn if she hadn’t slipped into his life without warning.

  She deserved points for putting on one hell of a performance. “She had a few conversations that seemed to bother her. Is there any way you can fast forward past everything to see what they were about?”

  “Sure.” Ian dragged out the single syllable as he sat back in his seat, cocked his head to the side and gave that eerie direct stare he had. “Let me just do a Google search for her voice pattern.”

  “Shit. I was afraid of that.” Breck shoved out of the chair, hating Ian’s dry tone. Running his hand through his hair, he paced. “I need evidence. Answers.”

  “Answers to what?” Kieralyn moved over and leaned against the desk near Ian. “Are you looking for insights into Kami, or are you trying to figure out what happened to Trevor?”

  Both. “I’m working the case.”

  “And you suddenly suspect your date.”

  Not without reason. “I don’t need your shit, Beckett.”

  Kieralyn laughed. “You game me a ton of grief over Lana. Accused me of being irrational and unreasonable because of personal involvement.” She walked over and stood in front of him. She raised her chin to meet his eyes. “Seems to me you’re acting a tad irrational.”

  “I’ll show you irrational.” He leaned down until his nose almost brushed hers.

  “You don’t scare me anymore.” She patted his cheek and shook her head. “You love me.”

  “I preferred you when I did scare you. You were easier to like.” Now she was like a pain-in-the-ass sister. She knew how to read him, and she never hesitated to push his buttons.

  “You mean manipulate.” She grabbed her nearby handbag and went to Ian. “I’ll get him out of your…” she kissed his shaved head and smiled, “…way. Call me if you find anything. This one has a cover to protect.”

  Ian pressed his palm to Kieralyn’s cheek and breathed deeply. For a few humming seconds it was clear that only their connection to each other mattered. Ian whispered something before smiling and turning back to his work. Kieralyn brushed her hand over his shoulders as she walked away.

  Kami had touched him that way last night. She’d brushed her hands over him and then slipped his jacket off. The mushy love that bounced around between Kieralyn and Ian hadn’t been present, thank God, but there had been a connection. Even without her distant tie to Trevor, Breck couldn’t forget how they’d been together.

  Damn it.

  In the hall, Breck shook his head. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to seeing the way you two are together.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “You go soft. Both of you become completely unconcerned with anything going on around you.”

  “You’re just pissy because we didn’t work all night.” She winked at Dante as they crossed the lobby and headed for the front door. “See you later, Dante.”

  Dante smiled at Kieralyn. “Bye, doll.”

  She’d even charmed the wolf guarding Ian’s gate. What was it with the women surrounding him? Did no man see what they were capable of?

  “Now, tell me about your visit with Trevor.” Kieralyn lifted her head to the sunshine and smiled without missing a beat of the conversation. “Something new has you messed up.”

  Breck told her about his visit with Trevor, the heart monitor and the fluctuations and Tyler’s discovery. It was tough to keep his observations factual, and though he didn’t need to with Kieralyn he still worked at it. She’d done a remarkable job of setting her emotions aside when she’d been trying to save her friend. Even after she’d gotten involved with Ian and learned the truth about his missing CIA father, she’d maintained a level of separation between her emotions and the job. Not that he’d tell her how proud he’d been of her. She was hard enough to handle now that she’d gotten the chip off her shoulder.

  She’d proven herself professionally. Unfortunately, once she’d realized they accepted her, Kieralyn’s sarcasm and quick wit had surfaced along with the discovery she enjoyed tormenting him, Aidan, Liam and Tyler mercilessly. Any time she was given the slightest bit of ammunition or provocation, she pounced.

  “Tyler is digging deeper.” Choosing his words carefully was paramount. “I think if Trevor was reacting to me, whatever set him off at the mention of an escort or Edwin’s name has to do with the contract Edwin’s been trying to get me to sign.”

  “I don’t see how a failed suicide attempt, or the appearance of one, ties to the escort service.”

  “I know. It doesn’t make sense, but I can’t ignore his reactions on the off-chance they’re pertinent. And the owner of Elegant Entertainment was with General Scott, who is from the company behind the contract.” The contract that had been uncovered with Kami’s note. Stay safe. “Let’s run Eston White and G. Charles Scott.”

  “The guys and I will check into the service and start the runs.” She shrugged as they neared her car. “We’ll let you know what Tyler comes back with.”

  “Thanks. I’ll go through Trevo
r’s papers and computer again to see if I overlooked anything.”

  “Check his address book. Look for anyone without a complete corporate profile who you don’t personally know.”

  Because why would you program in business information on someone you had a personal relationship with? Even in his own cell phone, his team and Ian were listed by their first names only. He didn’t have to remind himself who they were.

  Shit. He should have thought of that. He probably would have if his focus wasn’t divided into so many slices. “I’ll start there.”

  “How did you find Kami?”

  “Edwin booked her.”

  Kieralyn leaned against her car laughing.

  “What?”

  Humor shined in her eyes as she looked up at him. “It doesn’t strike you as remotely funny that you have a pompous assistant to arrange your sex life? Kind of makes you wonder what other details he sees to.”

  “Hysterical.” Kami had been amazing on every level. The idea of Edwin being privy to any of the private details of his life creeped him out.

  “Well.” Kieralyn unlocked her car. “I’ll catch Aidan and Liam up. I don’t imagine there’s going to be much hesitation when they find out we’re investigating call girls.”

  Their enthusiasm would lead to fast answers. Gorgeous women were awesome motivators. He stepped toward Kiealyn’s car. “I should go with you. Check in with the team.”

  “No.” She rolled her eyes and braced a hand on his chest. “You should go do whatever it is CEOs do while you search through Trevor’s life. Trust us to do our jobs.”

  “I do trust you.”

  “Great. We’ll call you if we have any questions or find anything useful.” She ruffled his hair and smiled. “Stop worrying. You’ll make yourself go bald and I’d hate to see you lose any of that hair.”

  “Smart ass.”

  “As long as it’s not the smartest part of me.”

  They could slap barbs back and forth all day, and Kieralyn would only grow more wicked the longer they went. It was best to end it, get back to work and trust his team to do their jobs. Hell, they were as good as they were because of their skill at working and acting independently as fluidly as they did together. By dividing the jobs, he’d be back with them sooner. “I’ll catch up with you later.”