Chapter 4 – Evelyn
EVELYN
Fifteen minutes later when the elevator dinged, the atmosphere on the top floor felt like we were about to go into battle.
Alexander circled the wagons quickly after the call from Roy, and Marcus, Adrian, and I sat in the conference room with Julia Fitzpatrick, SDS’s defense attorney.
Alexander and Sebastian greeted the two agents at the elevator, and I took a few moments to study them as they walked to the conference room.
Agent Mike Holden’s gait was slightly uneven, like he had injured his knee at some point, and it still gave him trouble.
His thinning brown hair was combed back with too much gel.
His thin, pale lips were set in a tight line as he looked around.
His beady gray eyes locked on mine, and I fought to keep from shivering.
I didn’t like this man. Whatever Liam found on him wasn’t going to be good.
Agent Dominic Hayes, on the other hand, was harder to read.
He was confident and self-assured. I could tell that from his walk.
He had an easy smile on his face even as his sharp brown eyes scanned his surroundings.
He ran a hand over his hair, and his suit jacket tightened over his biceps.
I shoved down the fissure of attraction that crept into my stomach.
He was an attractive man, but I had four boyfriends, and he was the enemy.
Sebastian held the door for them as they entered the conference room.
I sat with my back against the windows and Adrian and Marcus on either side of me.
Agent Holden walked around to the opposite side of the table, but Agent Hayes approached me with his hand outstretched. I stood and shook his hand.
“Agent Dominic Hayes, but you can call me Dominic,” he said with a wide smile.
I smiled back at him. He was good; I’d give him that. I bet he had people falling over themselves to tell him everything with his easy-going, charismatic personality. But I wasn’t easily taken in by a nice smile.
He introduced himself to Marcus and Adrian, and I nearly rolled my eyes as their knuckles whitened during their handshakes. Overprotective alpha men were going to be the death of me.
Dominic introduced himself to Julie, who introduced herself as my counsel before taking his seat next to Agent Holden.
“You must have something to hide if you brought a lawyer in.” Agent Holden smiled, his eyes narrowing.
Alexander stared at him imperiously, like he was a king on his throne looking at a peasant. “Retaining legal counsel is a right and not an admission of anything. I’ve found it keeps both parties accountable.” He stressed the word both, and Agent Holden held up his hands.
“Just a joke,” he said quickly, but I knew it was anything but. They knew something. I just didn’t know what they knew.
Dominic gave his partner a quick glare, then leaned forward. He clasped both hands in front of him as he looked at me. “You’re not in trouble. We just wanted to hear about what happened at the gala from your perspective.”
“This is all in her police statement, so I don’t know why you’re asking about it,” Marcus grumbled, his green eyes flashing. For fuck’s sake, he was going to make the agents more suspicious than they already were if he kept that up.
This time, I rolled my eyes, making sure I was making eye contact with Dominic when I did.
His eyes widened, and I shrugged my shoulders slightly as if to say, what could you do?
His smile widened, and I knew I’d hooked him.
The more I could get him to see me as a woman whose bosses felt the need to protect her, the more distance I could put in his mind from the idea that I led the Archers.
“I don’t mind answering his questions, Mr. Stone,” I said to Marcus. “They’re just trying to do their jobs, and if it makes sure those…men never do anything like this again to anyone, I’m happy to help.”
Marcus stiffened at my words but didn’t say anything else, so I took that as a win.
I recounted the events of the gala to the agents.
Starting with how Ryan Jacobs had cornered me outside the bathroom with a gun and ending with him forcing me into a room with other men.
I played up my fear and uncertainty with strategic pauses and a trembling voice.
Dominic’s eyes softened as I recounted the story, taking notes on the pad of paper he produced from his jacket pocket.
Agent Holden didn’t take any notes. He just stared at me like he could crack my head open and spill my secrets.
“And you had never seen this third man before?” Dominic asked after I finished.
I shook my head. “The police said his name was Luke Jones?” Dominic nodded, and I shook my head again. “Never.”
“We checked our client records, and we don’t have any record of him being connected to SDS in any way,” Alexander cut in smoothly. “Have you found out who he’s with?”
Dominic shook his head. “He’s being tight-lipped, but we’ll figure it out.”
“He mentioned something about Kingfisher,” I said. Dominic’s eyes lit up with interest, while Agent Holden shifted in his seat. Interesting. “I couldn’t tell if it was a person or organization, but I don’t know.” I shrugged.
Dominic scribbled something down in his notebook. “Thank you, Miss Harper. We’ll follow up on that.”
Agent Holden scoffed but didn’t say anything. I nodded and rubbed my arms like I was unsure. Dominic gave me a gentle smile before addressing Alexander. “Your report to the police said that there was an attempt on your life before the gala?”
Alexander nodded. “By Citadel. Yes.”
“Well, you really don’t know if they were behind it, do you?” Agent Holden said, flashing a grin that felt less amused and more predatory.
“It was in the evidence that we submitted to the mayor’s office,” Alexander said. “It was Citadel.”
“Reports say you weren’t seen around the city before the gala, not even here at your offices. Were you sheltered by someone?” Dominic probed. I kept my breathing measured and even. This was the question he wanted to ask. Were the Archers involved with SDS?
“SDS has safe houses everywhere,” Alexander said, his tone bored as if he found this line of questioning annoying. “We stayed in one and ran SDS operations from there until Citadel could be dealt with.”
“We’re going to need the address of that safe house,” Agent Holden said, his eyes gleaming.
“No,” Alexander said flatly. “We need to protect operational security, and that includes not compromising the addresses of our safe houses.” It was precisely the answer we had talked about giving, but Agent Holden didn’t seem to be deterred.
“We’re the feds,” Agent Holden said. “We can protect the address.”
“He said no, and legally, we aren’t required to disclose that without a warrant,” Julie broke in, her tone firm.
She had told us before the meeting that she wasn’t going to speak unless it was something that she didn’t think we needed to answer.
She agreed she needed to be there but also agreed that if she controlled the meeting, it would look like we had something to hide.
Dominic lifted his hand when Agent Holden went to argue. “That’s fine. We don’t need it. Just one last question.” He turned to me, kicking his smile up a notch. If I were a lesser woman, I would be sighing, but I knew better. Still, I visibly relaxed, giving him the reaction he wanted.
“Have you heard of an organization called the Archers?”
I kept my muscles relaxed. I could deny it, but that wasn’t very realistic with SDS being in the security business. The best bet was the truth. “I have heard of them.” I nodded.
“Does SDS work with them?”
“Are you asking if SDS works with a vigilante organization?” Marcus scoffed. “Everything SDS is involved in is above board.” Even though I knew he was acting, a spike of pain shot through my chest at his dismissive words.
Dominic regarded Marcus for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Thank you all for your time.”
He stood, and everyone else followed suit. “If you think of anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me.” He held out a business card to me, and our fingers brushed as I took it from him.
“I will,” I promised. I had no intention of keeping that promise, but he didn’t need to know that. His warm brown eyes assessed me for a moment longer, then he nodded.
“Why are the feds involved anyway?” Sebastian asked conversationally as he walked them out. “Isn’t this a local police case?”
“It’s a big case with a lot of players,” Dominic said as they followed him out.
“We’re here to make sure the right people get put away.
” He glanced back at me, and my stomach dropped.
It seemed like he knew something was up.
I didn’t get the same bad vibes from Dominic as I got from Agent Holden, but Agent Dominic Hayes was no slouch.
And I didn’t think he was going to let it go once he was suspicious.
He may be more trouble for us than Agent Holden’s shitty attitude.