Page 84 of Out of the Shadows

Letting out a sigh, she mentally tried to adjust the puzzle pieces. They were missing something that was right in front of their faces.

Her computer dinged. Sitting up, she pulled up her notifications. “Well shit,” she muttered, throwing her screen up on the Smartboard for everyone to see. “It’s my facial-rec software from the Hudson Island ferry.”

Surveillance video began to play. She clicked on it, pausing the video on a man getting into his car on the lower deck of the ferry. She quickly pulled up another image—a driver’s license photo—and added it to the screen.

“This is Marcus Driskel. He tripped my facial-rec program because he’s a former McClintock security guard.” She glanced at her notes. “Looks like he was a part of Rita’s security detail but was let go when they cleaned house after Anson’s kidnapping.”

“What the hell’s he doing on Hudson?” Xander grumbled.

She pulled up different video angles until she got a clear shot of his license plate. “I’ll have cyber track his car. We can see if he meets with Constance.”

“Not to be a wet blanket or anything,” Alvarez said. “But what if Constance hired him? You said she’d inquired about personal security—not only from Polanski, but from you as well. What if she legitimately hired this guy?”

“It could be something innocuous like that.” Gavin’s jaw clenched, and he shook his head. “But something’s telling me that’s not it. At least, that’s not all of it.”

Bean knew she wasn’t alone when she said she trusted Gavin’s gut feelings. Hell, they all did.

Frustration clawed at her insides. Again, more info and no answers.

“Okay,” Xander said. “Say she’s hired this guy as her bodyguard. Her accounts are frozen. How’s she paying for him?”

Bean shrugged. “Probably the same way she’s paying for her stay at the Pacific View. Through the foundation...” Her eyes narrowed. The McClintock Family Foundation. In under a minute, the foundation’s bank register was up on the Smartboard. Seriously, whoever was in charge of their bookkeeping passwords needed to be shot.

She scrolled through the expenses. Checks for catering and photography, charges for countless restaurants and cafes. Thousands at Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes.

Disgust coursed through her. “For a nonprofit, they sure spend a hell of a lot of money on not so nonprofity things.”

“B, why don’t you have cyber pull all those transactions and print them out?” Alvarez suggested. “Have them go back two full years. We can divvy it up and go through it all.”

She slowly grinned. “Like good old-fashioned detective work?”

“Exactly. The more eyes the better, right?” Alvarez rose. “I have to cut out early, but this’ll be the first thing on my to-do list tomorrow.”

“Date night?” Xander asked, then he frowned as he glanced at his watch. “Er, date late afternoon?”

“They’re having a talent show at Daisy’s daycare, and Scarlet and I plan to be front and center. Be prepared, brother,” Alvarez said to Xander with a grin. “Daisy wants to inviteyou over to the house this weekend so she can show you her song and dance routine.”

Bean grinned. Alvarez’s stepdaughter was quite possibly the cutest almost five-year-old she’d ever met. And the little cutie wasenamoredwith Xander—she’d even dubbed him Xandy. Aside from her parents, Xander was quite possibly the little girl’s most favorite person.

“Count me in,” Xander said. The big lug clearly adored the little girl right back.

As they said their goodbyes to Alvarez, Bean shot off an email request to cyber for copies of the transactions. They had a kick-ass team, dammit. Between all of them, they had to find something. Right?

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

“Damn, woman. Your shoulders are tight.”

Bean sighed into her mattress as Gavin pressed an especially tight spot near her neck. “It’s your fault.”

“And how is it my fault?”

“You promised me dinner but then mauled me the second we stepped into my house.”

“Don’t think I heard any complaints from you,” he muttered with a low chuckle.

“Oh, no complaints. Just stating a fact. My shoulders are tight from food depravation.” His hands moved down the sides of her spine, and she bit back a groan.

“Not quite sure that’s how it works, baby, but okay.”

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