Chapter 5
Tayla crossed her arms and settled her gaze on Alec Drakos. Jason’s irritation with him was palpable. Tayla didn’t know why, yet, but if Jason was angry, there must be a good reason.
Really? How did she know that? Did she really know him that well?
Her aunt used to say, “You learn a lot about a person during life’s storms.”
They’d certainly experienced a storm of violence and loss today.
And she’d watched Jason Bridger march straight through it.
He didn’t seem as battered as she felt. He was strong and competent—and, she sensed, concerned for her.
A quiet voice inside suggested she get to know him better.
A louder voice commanded to keep her distance—and reminded her why.
“I didn’t know Gus went to the orphanage,” Drakos insisted. “I have no idea why he would go there.”
Jason didn’t look convinced. “What’s in the basement?”
Drakos pursed his lips. “Do you think I had something to do with Mr. Branch’s death? That’s senseless! I hired WhiteRock to protect me! Why would I kill the man they sent?”
Jason’s measured tone spoke to his self-control, but Tayla could feel the tension rolling off him.
“I didn’t say you had him killed. What I suspect is that whatever is in that basement is attracting some nefarious people, possibly the people trying to kill you. Gus tried to identify them. And they killed him.”
Drakos’ eyes bulged and his fingers returned to fidgeting with his mustache.
“So, I’m going to ask you one more time, what is in the basement?”
Drakos’ fingers stilled. He smoothed his mustache, as if he thought it would help him look innocent. “It’s nothing illegal. It’s not drugs, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m not a drug dealer.”
“Tayla, let’s go,” Jason said.
She didn’t know what was happening, but she heard the seriousness in his voice. She stood and walked to the door, Jason right behind her.
“Wait. Wait, wait, wait,” Drakos called out, halting Jason’s steps.
Jason turned but said nothing.
“I’ll answer your question,” Drakos said.
“Good. That’s the only thing keeping us from walking out this door and heading straight to the airport. WhiteRock cannot protect you if you’re keeping information from us.”
“Alright.”
Jason’s eyes met Tayla’s. He gave a nod, and she retook her seat in front of Drakos’ desk.
He sat in the chair next to her and narrowed his gaze at Drakos.
The resort owner cleared his throat. “Like I said, it’s nothing illegal.
I use the basement to store an assortment of valuables.
Mainly, a sizeable art collection. An assortment of rare stamps and coins.
That sort of thing. No drugs or weapons.
” He raised a finger. “That’s not entirely true.
There are a few antique guns. And swords.
But they don’t work anymore. The guns, I mean.
At least I don’t think they do.” He waved the thought away with his hand.
“My point is, there are some valuable collections there. And that’s all. ”
The tension in the room remained.
Jason leaned forward. “Then why all the secrecy? And why do you look guilty?”
Drakos rubbed a non-existent spot off his desk before he locked eyes with Jason. “Because there is an individual who incorrectly believes he owns the valuables in that basement.”
Talya watched all the muscles in Jason’s face tighten—announcing the harnessed anger pulsing through him.
“And you stored these disputed items in a home with innocent kids? It’s an orphanage!
You knew there was danger and you knowingly put a bunch of kids in the crosshairs.
If you’d shared this with us in the first place, Gus would’ve known more about what he was walking into. And he might not have been killed.”
“I realize that now. But I had no intention of endangering anyone. I stored the items where I did because I was convinced it was the least likely place anyone would look. I assumed, if this certain gentleman were to come to Isadora looking for the aforementioned valuables, he would investigate my resorts, find nothing, give up, and go home.” He paused, and added, “He’s not a very industrious man,” as if that perceived characteristic justified his actions.
Jason fisted his hands, then pressed them on his thighs. “And that assumption got Gus killed.”
Drakos huffed. “In my defense, when I hired WhiteRock, I never suspected the threats against me had anything to do with the valuables I have in storage. I would have told you if I did. Honestly, it never crossed my mind.”
“Unfortunately, I believe you,” Jason said.
His gaze brushed Tayla’s. The pain in his eyes pinched her heart.
That breath-long glance lasted long enough for her to feel his concern for the kids.
And his anger about Gus’s death. She still wasn’t sure what Jason Bridger did for WhiteRock, but she was sure he did it for the right reasons.
Drakos sprang out of his chair and rounded the desk.
“Whoa,” Jason said. “Where are you going?”
“You want more information and you shall have it. But first, I must check on my possessions. If Mr. Branch’s death had anything to do with what is in that basement, it could all be gone! I need to confirm everything is still accounted for.”
“Fine,” Jason said. “I’ll come too. I want to see this basement. And we’ll bring Leland. I want his perspective on—”
“What about me?” Tayla asked. “And don’t say I should stay in your suite with the door locked. I’m not doing that again.”
Jason rubbed the back of his neck. She didn’t know what he was going to say, but just the thought of being in danger—and left behind—triggered a dark memory. And trembling fear.
Her trepidation must have manifested itself in some grotesque look on her face, because Jason suddenly straightened and grasped her arm. “Are you okay?” he asked. The concern in his voice pulled her from the cold clutches of her flashback.
“Mm-hm,” she said, feeling completely mortified. “I’m good. Really. But I’m . . . I’m just not staying by myself in this hotel today.”
Drakos looked confused.
Jason looked compassionate.
He probably thought she was only terrified because of the two intruders earlier. That was fine with her. Her other fears—re-triggered by the events of today—were none of his business. Oh sweet goodness, her therapist was going to earn every penny of her check next week.
Jason slid his hand down her arm as he released her, like he was trying to decide whether he should let go. “You’ll come with us. We won’t leave you alone. If Knox and Rowan were already here, you’d be safe with them, but they haven’t landed yet.”
She nodded, as if she considered his answer perfectly acceptable. He didn’t need to know she felt an irrational desire to stay with him and Leland—and no one else.
Her fears would ease. She just needed to give herself a few minutes to regain her composure. She could fake it until then.
Jason was still staring at her, apparently trying to read her.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Don’t we need to get going?”
“Yes.” He opened the office door and held it open for her. “After you.”
The drive to the orphanage was quiet. And that was fine with Jason. He needed to process the last few hours and decide how best to proceed.
Drakos rode in his own SUV with two of his bodyguards.
Jason still needed to ask some important questions, but he appreciated the brief respite from his client.
By the time they’d met up with Leland, confirmed the shooter was being transported to a hospital, handed the second intruder over to the local authorities, and walked to the parking lot, Drakos was on Jason’s last nerve.
His complaints bordered on melodramatic. He was worried about his mysterious possessions in the orphanage basement and the contentment of his resort guests. The gunfire in Jason’s suite elicited a few complaints.
Jason repeated his priorities were finding out who killed Gus and making sure they didn’t harm anyone else, including Drakos. That quieted the nervous resort owner, but Jason wasn’t sad to be in separate vehicles for the twenty-minute drive to the orphanage.
Tayla sat quietly in the passenger seat while he drove.
He found himself glancing at her soft face several times.
Leland’s niece intrigued him. She was quiet, but seemed more relaxed than earlier.
The scene in Drakos office told him a few things—Tayla Faraday battled some deep fears, but refused to surrender completely to whatever haunted her.
She was strong and intelligent, but she didn’t refuse his protection.
He caught Leland eyeing him from the backseat. “What?”
The senior agent rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Nothing, Bridger. Absolutely nothing.”
Tayla looked at him, then Leland, then back to him. She turned back to her window without a word.
Jason was relieved to see the orphanage come into view.
He was glad they advised Ms. Donning to return to the kids in Morghana City after they found Gus.
She didn’t need to be bothered again today.
They’d explained what little they could to her, and she didn’t hesitate packing up and heading to the ferry.
They filed out of the SUVs and headed for a side door entrance to the basement. Drakos unlocked the door and led them inside.
Descending the basement steps, Jason registered six figures in his peripheral vision.
He reached for his weapon, but before he withdrew it, he realized his mistake.
They weren’t combatants. Not living, breathing ones anyway.
The figures, six complete suits of armor, stood at attention in the middle of the room.
Drakos noticed his reaction and snickered. “Ah, yes, yes. They do look menacing, don’t they?”
Jason catalogued the room. Six suits of armor, ten large crates and eight smaller crates—each secured with a digital padlock.