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Then again, if Jared were involved, everyone at LAI would be out of a job, and it would be more evidence that she was too trusting.
She laughed, the sound bitter, and wiped her face and nose with a crumpled tissue from her center console. How naïve of her to think she’d finally have the kind of life she’d always dreamed of. A man to love her unconditionally in a way she’d never experienced growing up. A home. Children.
The pretty picture she’d painted of the world as she wanted it to be went up in flames, floating away in delicate pieces of black ash to disappear into the wind.
She parked in her designated space in the condo’s garage and stepped out of the car, so wrapped up inside her head, she nearly came out of her shoes at her name.
“Sophia.”
Her head whipped around. “Jared?” Lachlan wasn’t the only one who knew how to gain access to unauthorized places. Icy fingers crawled down her spine. “What are you doing here?”
Her boss stood a short distance away, between her and the elevators, dressed in a charcoal gray suit, his navy and silver tie still in its neat Windsor knot despite it being mid-afternoon.
“Trying to keep you from making a mistake.” His knowing gaze made her think of a hawk circling its prey. “Lachlan is alive. But you already knew, didn’t you.”
Her heart thumped against her chest, trying to escape while the rest of her was frozen in place. “Penny told me the news yesterday.”
“Hmmm.” He didn’t call her out for her lie of omission, but she knew she’d be wasting her time denying she’d seen Lachlan. “I’m sure he’s convinced you of his innocence. I know about the weapons he trafficked to an Afghan warlord.” His look of regret was unconvincing. “I’m going to have to turn him in to the FBI. You’ll cooperate and tell them where he is if you’re smart.”
“Why do you think Lachlan would do such a thing?”
Maybe one of her neighbors would show up if she stalled, and she’d have a witness and an excuse to move her conversation with Jared to the lobby, where Sal or one of the other security guards would be watching. There was no way she was inviting Jared up to her condo.
His answer was an arched brow and a mocking smile. “What do you know about Lachlan? Other than what he wants you to know?”
What did she know?
Everything that matters.
Not knowing what to say, she kept silent. She could jump into her car and lock the doors, in which case Jared would realize she was hiding something, or she could bluff her way past him to the elevators and the safety of her condo.
Right about now, she’d welcome that platoon of SEALs Admiral Dane would send if she sent out an SOS.
She edged further from her car toward the elevators, keeping her distance from Jared.
“He’s a trained killer. And he’s good at it.” Jared’s casual, offhand delivery chilled her blood, making her second-guess her decision to go for the elevators. He smiled, but it wasn’t a kind smile. “I know what he’s capable of better than you.” The subtle change in his demeanor dropped the temperature around them ten degrees.
“You have, too,” she whispered the realization. Her inner voice screamed to run, but she was exhausted by the web of lies and wanted the truth.
“Have what?”
“Killed people.”
And he’d been good at it. She didn’t have to guess—she just knew. The urbane businessman was gone, leaving only the deadly special operations soldier and a criminal.
She’d gone this far. She wasn’t stopping now. “Did you frame Lachlan?”
His mocking laugh set her teeth on edge. “IamLandry Associates International, sweetheart. Why would I jeopardize my career and company by getting involved in weapons trafficking?”
It was a valid question.
Why risk everything he’d worked for trafficking weapons and God knows what else? What kind of man did that?
There was more to Jared than what he presented to the world.
The unsettling photo of Jared and his parents should have clued her in. That, and his achievements, framed and highlighted on his walls for the world to see. He was narcissistic enough to take on the challenge and egotistical enough to believe he’d get away with it.
Make more money than he could with his legitimate business.