Page 27 of The Dancer and the Dark
In the past, Gavin had preferred to keep his team loose and decentralized, but his organization had been growing over the past six years and would grow even more with the new technology project with Marie-Hélène.
He was going to have to hire more people.
“Raj, do you still have contacts in Singapore?”
The young vampire raised an eyebrow. “A few. I didn’t burn any major bridges.”
“I think I’m going to be looking for at least two new people in the next six months—a security coordinator in New Orleans who’ll be flexible about working with Marie-Hélène’s people and a day guard here. If Chloe agrees to marry me, her mother becomes a target.”
Raj nodded. “Got it. I’ll see who might be looking to make a move.”
“I might know someone in Hong Kong who would be good for Chloe’s mom,” Semis said. “Want me to email her?”
“A woman would probably be ideal.” Gavin nodded. “We just need to be prepared.”
Just in case.
Usually Gavin could predict his lover’s actions quite well, but Chloe was annoyed with him, grieving her father, and he’d thrown a series of life-altering questions at her with little plan for the fallout.
Fine, she was annoyed at him for a good reason.
Gavin stood and straightened his shirt. “Run along and do the things you do, children. I’m going to try to find Chloe. She’ll want to know about Pete.”
“Sure,” Audra whispered. “She needs to know about thecat.”
Gavin glared at her. “Don’t you have work?”
Audra, ever his tormenter, turned to Semis. “He’s checking up on her to make sure she hasn’t signed up for any dating apps.”
Semis looked at Gavin. “Tell her to avoid Tinder; it will suck out her soul.”
Raj muffled a laugh.
Gavin’s eyes swept the table of unhelpful employees. “I sign your paychecks. Remember that.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Of course you do.” Audra rose to accompany him. “I should get back to Chloe.”
Raj thumped a fist over his heart. “All the love, Gavin.”
Gavin was tempted to bite one of them, but there was only one person he really wanted to bite, and she wasn’t speaking to him.
He turned to Audra as they walked toward the door. “What the hell is Tinder?”
“You don’t want to know.”
8
Chloe sat through her father’s homegoing service beside her mother, listening to the pastor regale them with stories of her father’s life, his work, his activism, and a faith that she’d never seen the soft hand of in her life.
But John Washington Reardon had been born the son of an eminent pastor and so a rousing and lively celebration of his life was surely to be expected. There was a full gospel choir in purple satin robes, oceans of white flowers, and tearful reflections from his colleagues, his patients, and his peers.
Her name was mentioned a few times, but the main thrust of the service was to honor a father who had seemed to give his absolute heart and soul to everyone other than his family.
A woman in a soft grey dress and net-covered hat stood behind the podium, dabbing at tears and fighting to read the paper in front of her.
“When Dr. Reardon found out that my father had been laid off and we no longer had health insurance, he pushed to get me into an experimental study that would be fully paid. He called, he filled out forms. I can’t even imagine everything he did for me. And even when he wasn’t my doctor, he called the specialists who were taking care of me, letting them know that I was…” She sniffed and gathered her strength. “…aspecialpatient. He treated me like family, and I can’t…” She looked up and found Chloe’s mother. “I don’t think I would be alive today without him. I wouldn’t have my two beautiful children or my husband. My parents would have lost their only child.” She blinked back tears. “Dr. Reardon was truly one of the best men I have ever known, and he will be so missed.” She folded the paper. “So missed. Thank you for letting me pay my respects.”
