Lacey's Luhpynes(46)

"So if not from someone in the AEDA, then where? Do you think … " She knew  that this was going to sound crazy but she asked, "Do you think that  perhaps they might be someone that we would never think of? I mean think  about it." She looked around. "Who cleans for us? Who changes the trash  and the little things that we don't think of because we are always out  in the field or doing our reports? Does anyone ever think about them?"

They both nodded slowly, deep in thought. "That's actually something to  check on. I know that everything is supposed to be shredded before it  hits a bin but I also know that there are some that are lazy or  forgetful. So … " Ansell scratched his chin. "That could be it right  there. But really, if it's someone up high enough they could even get  into restricted areas."

"You are missing the point." She shook her head and smiled. "The  cleaning crew. They empty the trash bins, they are here at the deepest  of night, they push carts, clean counters and desks. Think about it.  Have you ever, ever cleaned anything in your office? But it's never  dirty. Right? They are here and most people never pay them the first  moment's notice."

"No, he's not missing the point, love. He's got a point," Zhubin said,  sitting upright. "We're paranoid about such stuff, our desks never hold  anything of even a semi-sensitive nature. Everything is in the locked  safe and we personally take anything to be destroyed to the incinerator.  But we're also relatively low-level. We're conscious of those around  us, we have to be. But the higher-ups, the ones in the secure areas  think they are secure. But that is also where the most sensitive and  highly detailed information is. The stuff that we never even know unless  we personally dig it up ourselves. The sort of thing that, if someone  just shredded their stuff and didn't drop it into the incinerator chute  each night, could be pieced back together. The sort of thing that could  give up a lot of personal information."                       
       
           



       

"Right." Ansell sat up to stare at him. "We never have the most  sensitive of information and anything we do get we keep in the safe  which only we can get into. But those up behind the big doors with all  the cameras and security, they still get a cleaning crew through. Are  they as paranoid about the information as we are or are they thinking  because of that security, nothing would ever be taken? A cleaner could  easily see something on a desk while dusting and slide it into a dust  bin. They empty it and off they go with something they can sell. And he  is right too, with enough patience, you can put shredded documents back  together again. We all know the higher-ups don't drop their own garbage,  ever."

"Crap," Lacey muttered. "So how do we figure this out? Do we go one  higher-up at a time? Do we ensure that we give false information through  the chains of command? What should we do?" She was typically on her  game but right now she was having issues concentrating.

"We have to make a decision," Zhubin said. "I think we need to create a  case, as real as we can possibly make it, a body and everything. We'll  need Briar's help on this, so we'll have to tell her the plan. Whatever  the fuck it ends up being."

Nodding, Ansell was chewing on a nail. "A copycat, not obvious, but  something she found in the autopsy. We make all the paperwork look like  we think we've found a partner, not a true copycat. This guy, or gal"-he  shot her a grin-"will know it's a copycat and it will likely piss him  or her off. Maybe a couple of bodies, a pattern emerging. Suppositions,  we gain another body that's just so close to the originals that we still  think it's a partner, a junior apprentice kind of thing. But now  there's a pattern and we set up a sting on location for the killer. We'd  have to get clearance for that from the very top, after all. For that  kind of manpower, it's a must."

"And the real killer comes to get the fake out of the way, only there is  no fake. But maybe you're back by then, Lacey. You go out with us. It's  double win for him. A chance to get to you and to take out this  imposter," Zhubin said. "It's farfetched but over the next month we  could make it work. We keep the people who know it's fake and all a ploy  small," he added.

"Briar for sure," Ansell said. "We should bring in a few of the others  as well, Byrne and Artaxias for sure, see if Danel and perhaps even  Brodie wants in. It could potentially work, but we'd have to be careful,  we have to build this to be so fucking airtight that this asshole  suspects nothing is amiss."

"Will Briar be okay around that many men from the other side? I mean,  she's … she's really fragile right now. I'm worried for her. A lot," Lacey  admitted to these men. What happened to Briar had taken a massive toll  on the woman and she jumped at every shadow, especially Luhpyne ones.

"She'll be fine, we'll make sure of that," he said. "Besides, Zhubin and  I will let her in on the plan and who we intend on letting in on this  so she knows who she can and can't talk to openly about it. If she needs  to, only then," he added. "Beyond that, they are support only, we'll  need it to look like we're creating a team to take down the killer.  Appearances will be everything, including a few late-night meetings that  a cleaning crew might stumble over as we're trying to be all secretive  and shit."

"Sounds good. As long as we will ensure that she won't feel as if she's  being caged in or in any danger. And yes, I know she would never be in  danger with you guys but I feel for her. Byrne and Danel as well. All of  them. I know that they would move mountains for her but will they be  strong enough to give her the time and space she needs?"

"They have been giving her the time and space she needs and will  continue to do so until she is ready," Zhubin said. "They know as well  as the rest of us, likely better, she is nowhere near ready to be with  them, especially Byrne. And yes, we swear we will keep her safe and  happy and ensure she never feels trapped or in danger," he added with  one hand up in the air and the other over his heart. If he hadn't been  rolling his eyes while saying it she might have taken him a little more  seriously. But that had been his point. She knew her guys and the others  they worked with. Not a one of them would let anything get near Briar,  not without it being long and horribly dead.

Lacey began to giggle. She couldn't help herself. Shaking her head she  snorted. "Deal then. I know that you will do it because you are a big  softy just like Ansell is where it comes to that mouthy wench down in  the morgue." Briar was great, but she could be mouthy, very much so.                       
       
           



       

"She's like family." He shrugged, letting his hands drop to his lap. "I  know she doesn't particularly like to be claimed by us but it's the  truth. She's kind of like a kid sister, or I'm guessing. Since we didn't  have one growing up, it is a guess."

"She's a wonderful woman, she's just sad. I think she also doesn't know  how to handle knowing that she has mates. And I am sure that she knows  about them by the way." She would have to know. There was no way that  the woman didn't know that those two men were hers.

"We're very hard to ignore," Ansell said with a smirk. "And yes, she  knows all about them. Trust me, she knows. Just the other day they left  her something to eat on her desk but she couldn't figure out how it had  gotten there. She'd been in there mere seconds before, stepped out,  remembered a file and went back in and there it was. Which, considering  there's only one door into her office and she was three or four feet  from it, is actually impressive. But Danel wasn't about to share his  trade secret when I asked so, the rest of us are guessing too."

That had her laughing. "They are trying to get her to eat more. I agree  too. She's far too thin. God love her, she's lost far too much weight  and she really needs to gain more so I'm glad that they are feeding her.  I try to get her to eat with me too." She knew that they had seen it.  "We will just keep at her and she won't even realize it."

"They are her mates," he said softly. "We would do the same with you if  it was necessary. Speaking of which, eat your food so you can get some  sleep. We can talk more about everything and anything when your eyelids  are not dropping onto your plate."

Lacey grinned and continued to eat. She was happy. So very, very happy.  This was what she needed. What she wanted. Her guys taking care of her  and her taking care of them. After she had finished eating she leaned  back and licked her lips. "There, see. I ate it all."