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“You’ve had a long flight,” I said. “Why don’t the two of you wash up and get something to eat. Then we can talk. I cooked.”
“Honestly, Taz.” Storm glared at Darby. “Zoom and Kaos thought I needed to be here. I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to be. So, skip the pleasantries and just tell me what’s going on.”
“Um—English?” Darby asked.
Storm turned to look at him.
“I speak Thai because what I had to say to Taz was none of your business.” Storm informed him. “When it involves you, I’ll speak in a language you can understand.”
“Storm.”
He dragged his fingers through his hair then sat to pull a laptop from his bag. After he set it on the table, he leaned back to stare at me.
I could see his determination not to be in the same room as me for very long was stronger than my confusion. There was nothing I could do in that moment that would change his mind—I knew that much about him.
Though I was still not clear on his anger, I sat and began explaining to him what was going on.
“That sound simple enough.” He shrugged. “Why do I need to be here for this?”
“Because we need an investigator.” Darby added.
Storm pressed his eyes closed and tightened his jawline.
“Taz thinks like a soldier—seek and destroy.” Darby continued.
It was obvious he didn’t realize what had just happened.
“You can probably do a better job at deciphering what’s going on with this gang than I could.” I stepped in. “How they operate—you have experience in that area.”
“Beam.” Storm looked over to where Beam was standing at the window, watching the street.
“Khap?”
“It was a long flight.” Storm told him. “Get something to eat, take a shower and relax a little.”
“What are you going to be up to, P?”
“Putting the pain in my ass to work.” Storm replied.
“Tex?” Beam smiled.
Storm nodded.
“I’ll eat and before I shower, I’ll bring you a plate.” Beam told me. “You haven’t eaten since we left Bangkok.”
A smile spread Storm’s lips. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.
I knew that smile well.
It was the kind to soothe his partner so Beam wouldn’t worry. It was the kind that told me there was a lot on Storm’s mind, a lot that if he was to explain it all to Beam, the young cop would worry.
That smile used to be reserved for me.
“How about you eat?” Storm asked. “And when you’re heading for your shower, you bring me a small plate?”
“Khap.” Beam agreed.
Hanging my head for a moment, I stood and led Beam into the kitchen.