Page 42

Pillows lay scattered across the mussed king bed. He proceeded into a marble and tile bathroom almost as spacious as his apartment living room. Towels lay in a damp pile on the floor. Used soap, hotel shampoo, and conditioner littered a glassed-in shower big enough to fit at least six people.
Lachlan surveyed his surroundings with disdain. Haider enjoyed his posh amenities—he wouldn’t have lasted a day in the military.
He rifled through the drawers—no personal toiletries, no clothes, empty closet. Had Nathan gotten the room number wrong?
He stowed his gun and dialed the front desk on his mobile. “Good afternoon. I’m supposed to meet one of your guests this evening, Mr. Roshan Haider. Can you put me through to his room?”
“One moment, please.” The woman who answered put him on hold.
Lachlan waited for the phone stationed by the bed to ring.
The desk clerk came back on the line. “I’m sorry, sir, but Mr. Haider checked out a short while ago.”
Shite.Did Haider know they were onto him? He thanked her, then hung up and pulled up Lucas Caldwell’s number.
“Mackay, I was about to call you.”
“Haider checked out of his hotel.” He paced over to the window and yanked open the drapes to peer down on the side parking area—no sign of a silver Beamer.
“He’s on his way to London.” Lucas’s voice hardened. “I told you to stay away from him.”
Lachlan stiffened in surprise. “How do you know he left the country?”
“I paid him a visit this afternoon.” A car engine roared to life on the other end of the line. “I drove him to the airport myself, made sure he got on the damn plane.”
“Why?” Relief and frustration warred for supremacy.
“Let’s just say I had a feeling you weren’t going to stay away. Looks like I was right.”
“I wouldn’t have hurt him.”
Lucas snorted.
“I wouldn’t have killed him,” Lachlan amended.
“You owe me, Mackay. Stay out of trouble.”
Lachlan hung up without making Lucas any promises he couldn’t keep. At least Sophia was safe. But now, he’d have to find another way to prove Haider’s involvement in the weapons shipments and find Haider’s accomplice. Or boss.
As much as he respected Lucas, he wasn’t letting the FBI in on the information Sophia had uncovered in Fred’s office.
Not when it made him look guilty as sin.
Sophia dumped pasta into the colander to drain and waved away the steam. In the background, her kitchen smart speaker blasted a sad songs playlist. Her nice, orderly, if somewhat dull, life had been completely upended by Lachlan Mackay, and she deserved to wallow in her feelings if she wanted.
The small pot on the stove began to spit hot, red sauce, the smell of tomato and basil diffusing into the air like a culinary essential oil. She checked the garlic bread’s oven timer and pulled the salad mix bag out of the fridge.
Before she could call Emily to dinner, her cell phone started dancing to the beat on the kitchen counter, its ring drowned out by Adele’s building crescendo. She grabbed it on her way to the stove and silenced the music. “Hello?”
“Sophia.”
Her stomach cramped. “Admiral Dane.”
She looked furtively at Emily’s closed bedroom door before shutting off the burner under the sauce and tiptoeing out to her balcony. “You want to know if I’ve discovered anything at LAI.” She kept her tone as low as she could without whispering. If Emily knew she was on the phone with her father, there’d be questions she didn’t want to answer. Emily still didn’t know about their secret arrangement.
“Maybe I’m calling to find out how my bonus daughter is enjoying her new job.”
The hint of warmth and humor in his voice made her smile. That wasn’t why he’d called, but hearing it felt good anyway. “I’ve gotten involved in more than just my immediate responsibilities and have learned a lot.”