Page 48 of Protected from Malice
Cole smirks. “And we like Rafe most of the time. So if he asks for our help…”
Dante’s expression sobers as he looks at me. “We would never say no. Not before everything with Erik and Tate, anddefinitelynot now.”
I make a smallit’s nothinggesture. And it wasn’t. Not when I had the opportunity to help out some of my closest friends and keep Erik’s future wife safe in the process.
Raising my eyebrows at Cole and Dante, I try to convey a silent message. “It’s just been a long day—a longfewdays, really—for Eden. That’s all.”
“Of course,” Cole says. “And we can get into more details later. I think the important part for now is arranging for a team to help.”
“I’m not sure if I can afford that,” Eden interrupts.
Cole shakes his head and gives her a reassuring smile. “Cost isn’t an issue, Eden. First off—” He stops. “Well. How much about Blade and Arrow has Rafe told you?”
“Some.” Eden’s gaze slides to me before returning to Cole. “There are two branches, one in New York and the other in Texas. You guys are all former Special Forces, like Indy and Rafe. And you help people when the police can’t or won’t do it. Like… when the police say there’s not enough evidence to investigate a crime. Right?”
“That’s a part of it,” he replies. “We all served together at one time or another. The Sleepy Hollow team has seven people on it. The San Antonio team—the Bravo team—has six. And the company does help people who’ve exhausted other options—like you said, maybe the police think there’s not enough evidence. Maybe they don’t have the money to pay for a private investigator or a bodyguard.”
“Like my wife, Sarah,” Dante interjects. “Someone stole her identity. But it wasn’t just an ordinary credit card theft. It was her entire life. And then things escalated.” His expression darkens at the memory. “Sarah was attacked. Swatted. It wasbad. So we stepped in. Used our resources to find the culprit. Once we did, then we turned them over to the police.”
“We have two kinds of clients,” Cole explains. “People like Sarah. Like my wife, Maya, who came to us for help years ago. In situations like that we provide everything pro-bono. But we also have paying clients—executives, CEOs, foreign dignitaries—who come to us for event security. Or they want us to upgrade the security on their property. Train their staff.”
Eden nods in understanding. “So you use the money from your high-value clients to cover the costs for the pro-bono ones.”
“Exactly.” Admiration lights Cole’s expression. And dammit, jealousy slices through me, even though he’s been married for close to four years now. “So we wouldn’t charge you, Eden. Even if we were going to treat this like a traditional pro-bono case?—”
I sit forward in my seat. My voice goes rough. Testy. “What do you meanif? You said you’d help. Did you?—”
Eden squeezes my hand. “It’s okay, Rafe,” she says softly. “I’m sure they’re busy. Even a little help is something.”
Anger buzzes through me. “It’s notokay, Eden?—”
“Rafe.” Cole lifts his hand in a placating gesture. He smiles. “I didn’t say we wouldn’t help. Relax.”
Dante gives me an assessing look. A smirk appears briefly before disappearing.
That asshole knowsexactlywhy I’m so defensive when it comes to Eden. And I can guarantee I’m going to be hearing about it the next time we speak in private.
“So,” Cole continues, “the reason I said it’s not going to be handled the traditional way is because both teams are already committed to other cases. But.” He emphasizes the word. “That does not mean we’re not helping. At all.”
“How are you going to help, then?” I ask.
“Matt and Leo will be investigating,” he replies. “And I’m going to pull in Beth—she’s a friend of ours who lives in SanAntonio who’s also a computer genius—to help. Both teams will be on standby if you need backup, as well. But I think the people I’m sending to assist will be plenty.”
Sending new people? People who aren’t part of Blade and Arrow? I don’t like the sound of that.
Irritation tinges my voice. “Who are you sending?”
Cole smiles. “You know them.” He stops. “I could have reassigned some of the members of our teams. But my idea… I think it’s better. You’ll have five people, including you and Indy, all fully committed to seeing Eden’s case through. Highly trained men who can protect her. And honestly, I think this will be good for them, too.”
“Who?”
“Tyler. Ace. Webb.” He looks at Eden. “Rafe knows these guys. They all served at Fort Campbell with us.”
“Tyler served on my team,” Dante says. “He was medically retired a few years ago, but he’s more than capable. And I agree with Cole. This would be good for Tyler.” He pauses. “Tyler lost his wife a couple of years ago, and he’s been isolating himself ever since. I think he needs this. To feel like he has a purpose again.”
“Webb was a Night Stalker,” Cole adds. “He served with Jackson, who’s part of the Sleepy Hollow team. Webb’s been working for an adventuring company in the Adirondacks, plus doing some search and rescue. But he’s restless. Misses being part of a team. I’d say the same for Ace. He left the Army so he could see his family more often. Now he’s working for a company in Austin as an unexploded ordnance technician. It’s not a bad job. But it’s not the same as what he used to do.”
Dante lifts his chin. “Ace helped us out on a case last year. He’s a tremendous asset. And when I talked to him about coming out to Portland to help, he was all in.”
