Page 79 of Fatal Intent

The operatives returned to their work. For long minutes, the only sounds in the suite were fingers flying over computer keyboards.

An hour later, a knock sounded on the suite door. Grant rose, palmed his weapon and peered through the peephole. Seth stared back at him. He slid his weapon into the holster and opened the door.

Seth and the rest of their teammates strode into the suite.

“Thanks for coming.”

Elias clapped him on the shoulder. “You’d do the same for us if our families were in jeopardy. It just so happens that my family is a bunch of black sheep MC members who dare anyone to come after them, and Seth’s crew is full of cops who take it personally when they’re threatened.”

Teagan didn’t really have a family anymore except for Seth and his family. She’d had no contact with her parents for years since they were deeply embedded with a cult in Mexico. “What about your family, Iona?”

“They’re covered. No worries there.”

That’s it? No explanations? Yet again, Grant wondered about her background. Iona wasn’t one to talk about herselfor her past. Maybe she would trust them enough to spill more information later.

Once everyone sat around the living room, Seth said, “Bring us up to speed. Let’s find out what you discovered. Andre, you’re up first.”

“Riley and I teamed up to investigate Julian Baird, Rob Gaines, Victor Lowe, and Jim Franco plus their friends and families. So far, we’ve only made it through Baird’s file. Nothing unusual to see. He was single, so no wife and no children. His parents passed away a year after Julian.”

“What about siblings or cousins?” Iona asked.

“Nothing. Julian was an only child. Most of his extended family only had one child. He has a couple of cousins, but they live in Alaska and have no contact with the elderly aunts and uncles still around. Basically, the Baird name died with Julian.”

“That’s sad,” Teagan murmured. “I hate to hear that.”

Seth wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “So Baird is a dead end.”

“Yes, sir.” Andre glanced up. “We just started working through Rob Gaines’s file.”

“Hold off on reporting until you and Riley finish digging through the files. We’ll have enough to remember as it is.”

“Riley is putting together a document with a summarization of what we find.”

“Good. We should all do that.” Seth turned to Grant. “You’re next, Grant. What do you have?”

“About the same as Andre and Riley. We worked through only one file.”

“Which one?” Elias asked.

“Beau Reed.”

His teammates straightened. “Anything there?” Seth demanded.

“Maybe.”

Teagan narrowed her eyes. “Don’t keep us in suspense, buddy. I’m hungry and cranky.”

He flashed her a grin. “Yes, ma’am. Eileen, Beau’s widow, married a few days after her first husband’s death.”

Silence greeted his statement.

Iona frowned. “Did she know the guy before Beau died?”

“Oh, yeah. She married Rex Lawson, Beau’s best friend and teammate.”

More silence.

Seth and Elias exchanged grim glances.