“Which led me to more dummy companies: The Light and from there, Good Shepherd,” Maria inserted. “They’ve layered them one on top of the other.” She drew a square on the bottom of a page, then two squares above the one and three squares across the top, then turned the page toward Dani. “Look at it this way. The bottom square is the real thing, but they want to fly under the radar, so they created these first two companies to hide the real one. They might buy their automobiles, supplies, whatever, through these companies. But these people are paranoid, and they’ve got at least three other corporations that these first two phony ones own.”
Dani’s brows furrowed as she stared at the squares. “Those names, they feel . . . I don’t know, religious?” At Maria’s nod, the color drained from her face. “I don’t like the sound of this.”
Christ, he was an idiot. He should have told her this privately. “Neither do we, but I promise, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
She grabbed his hand. “Why me?”
He gently squeezed her fingers. “Are you all right? Do you want some water?”
Buchanan hurried over to the mini-fridge and grabbed a bottle of Evian. Logan took it from him, twisted off the cap, and handed it to Dani. She drank about half of it down, and he was pleased to see some of the color return to her face.
“Let’s move to the conference room so everyone can sit.” Once they were settled, he asked if anyone wanted coffee.
“I could use something stronger. Got any Baileys to put in it?” Dani asked.
“Me, too,” Maria said.
Logan rolled his eyes. “Not happening, sis.”
“Black for me,” Buchanan added.
Maria turned to Dani. “Do me a favor and see if you can teach my brother how to let loose.”
“I know how,” he protested. But did he, really? He pressed the intercom. “Barbie, two coffees with Baileys, one black.” He glanced at Maria. “And one grape Kool-Aid.”
Maria threw a pencil at him. “I want a root beer, Barbie. Closest thing I’ll get to a beer until I get away from my jailer.”
“Big brother no fun?” Dani said.
Maria sent him a glare. “Not in my experience.”
Just what did she get up to at school? While the others made small talk as they waited for Barbie, Logan tried to recall a time in his life when he had played just because. There certainly hadn’t been any fun times as a child, and then he’d joined the military as soon as he was of age and most definitely there was no play there. Then he’d spent a few months recovering from being shot in the head by a faceless Taliban sniper before dedicating his time to setting up a house and business.
In a much shorter time than he’d projected, K2 was a success beyond his wildest dreams. The money was pouring in to the point where he could afford to rescue missionaries at no charge to their church. When the pastor, an ex-SEAL, had contacted him, Logan had quickly determined money was an issue when he was asked if K2 had payment plans. It had given him enormous satisfaction to be able to accept the mission at no charge to the church.
His goals had been to escape his mother, become a SEAL, own his own business, put Maria through college, and find a woman who would love only him. He’d achieved everything on his list but one thing. His gaze shifted to Dani. Until recently, she’d been off-limits—his love for her a guilty secret—and he’d accepted she would never be his. Now the unexpected had happened and there she was, something he’d never dared to dream. Where they were headed was the question, one he’d like a damn answer to.
The door opened, Ken holding it for Barbie as she entered carrying a tray. “Need anything else, boss?” Barbie asked.
“No thanks, but bring your husband in and introduce him to Dani.”
She crooked her finger, and the besotted man holding the door came to her as if pulled by an invisible string. Logan supposed he couldn’t blame Ken—every man in the building drooled over Barbie. He was the only one who didn’t understand the appeal. There was no disputing she was beautiful, but her looks reminded him of his mother.
Barbie, a head taller than her husband, draped her arm around his shoulders. “Baby doll, this is the boss’s special friend, Dani Prescott. I like her because . . . well, because we have an understanding.”
What the hell was that about?
Dani’s eyes sparkled in amusement. “That we do, Barbie,” she agreed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ken.”
Ken slipped out from under Barbie’s arm and came around the table. He took Dani’s hand and bowed over it, air-kissing her knuckles. “You’re entirely wrong, Mrs. Prescott, the pleasure is all mine.”