Baxter’s bills was welcome.
But that didn’t mean he had time to babysit some guy with an agenda. And Rafe hadn’t taken the time to explain anything, which ticked Tony off. He had other worries. All his plans, those tenuous pieces he needed to come together and fit just so, were breaking down. He had a partner he didn’t trust and a problem he needed to fix.
He’d rebuilt it all and couldn’t afford to have it crumble now. Not when he was so close to the end.
The phone on the credenza buzzed and he gave the okay for one of his assistants to usher in their unwanted guest. Better to get it over with and move on.
The man who stepped through the glass doors and stopped was not what Tony expected. Tall with dark hair, he wore a business suit minus the jacket. But that’s not what stuck out. It was the lethal look. The man appeared ready for battle. So did the muscled man behind him.
Earlier, Rafe had talked about needing to get in touch with his daughter. Tony had barely listened because the mere mention of Hope Algier’s name at this point in the process had Tony speed dialing his partner. Not that he could get through.
“I’m Connor Bowen.” The man motioned to the guy with him. “This is Davis Weeks.”
“Gentlemen.” Tony nodded because that’s what protocol demanded.
Inside, his rage boiled. He’d prepared for one of them. Bowen was president and owner of something called the Corcoran Team. The Internet and paperwork trail pointed to a threat assessment group. The kind of team that taught businessmen how not to get kidnapped while playing in Mexico and made plans for getting them out when they did.
All aboveboard and clean, but Tony recognized an off-the-books undercover operation when he saw one. And that had his interest. So did this Weeks character. The guy hadn’t blinked and if the bulge under his jacket was an indication, he’d somehow snuck a gun through security.
“I’m Tony Prather.” He motioned toward the seats across the conference table from him. “I was told only one of you would be coming.”
“Davis is my second in command. He understands the situation.”
Because Tony needed to know what that was, he played along. Still, this was his turf, so he took the lead. “What can I help you with?”
Connor leaned forward with his elbows folded on the table in front of him. “There’s a problem at your management retreat.”
A stark silence followed the statement. Tony guessed that was the point. Drop the bombshell and then assess his reaction.
He had no intention of giving them anything. “Meaning?”
This time Davis spoke up. “One of your executives is missing and there’s been some other trouble.”
“This is a get-away-from-it-all retreat. How would you know what’s happening there?” Tony had been trying to check in, and the messages he’d received made no sense.
Connor’s hand dropped to the table, and his fingers drummed on the top. “Some of my people are there.”
The information would have been good to know before now. Funny how Rafe had left that out. “Some?”
“More than one.”
The steady thumping touched off a headache. Tony had enough of that right now. “Care to tell me why?”
Connor shrugged. “As a favor to Rafe.”
Looked like he wasn’t the only one indebted to Rafe Algier in some way. Tony wasn’t sure how he felt about that. The idea of the old man moving the chess pieces around, using them all, had Tony balling his hands into fists on his lap.
“Does he know his daughter is tangled up in this?” Tony had put her there for a reason and now it could all unravel thanks to this Corcoran Team and Rafe’s meddling.
“Not all the details,” Connor said. “Rafe is breaking away from his meetings in Vietnam and should be taking off soon to head back.”
“This is that serious?” Tony noticed only the one in charge talked. Tony appreciated the chain of command as much as the next guy, but the silence from Davis proved
But that didn’t mean he had time to babysit some guy with an agenda. And Rafe hadn’t taken the time to explain anything, which ticked Tony off. He had other worries. All his plans, those tenuous pieces he needed to come together and fit just so, were breaking down. He had a partner he didn’t trust and a problem he needed to fix.
He’d rebuilt it all and couldn’t afford to have it crumble now. Not when he was so close to the end.
The phone on the credenza buzzed and he gave the okay for one of his assistants to usher in their unwanted guest. Better to get it over with and move on.
The man who stepped through the glass doors and stopped was not what Tony expected. Tall with dark hair, he wore a business suit minus the jacket. But that’s not what stuck out. It was the lethal look. The man appeared ready for battle. So did the muscled man behind him.
Earlier, Rafe had talked about needing to get in touch with his daughter. Tony had barely listened because the mere mention of Hope Algier’s name at this point in the process had Tony speed dialing his partner. Not that he could get through.
“I’m Connor Bowen.” The man motioned to the guy with him. “This is Davis Weeks.”
“Gentlemen.” Tony nodded because that’s what protocol demanded.
Inside, his rage boiled. He’d prepared for one of them. Bowen was president and owner of something called the Corcoran Team. The Internet and paperwork trail pointed to a threat assessment group. The kind of team that taught businessmen how not to get kidnapped while playing in Mexico and made plans for getting them out when they did.
All aboveboard and clean, but Tony recognized an off-the-books undercover operation when he saw one. And that had his interest. So did this Weeks character. The guy hadn’t blinked and if the bulge under his jacket was an indication, he’d somehow snuck a gun through security.
“I’m Tony Prather.” He motioned toward the seats across the conference table from him. “I was told only one of you would be coming.”
“Davis is my second in command. He understands the situation.”
Because Tony needed to know what that was, he played along. Still, this was his turf, so he took the lead. “What can I help you with?”
Connor leaned forward with his elbows folded on the table in front of him. “There’s a problem at your management retreat.”
A stark silence followed the statement. Tony guessed that was the point. Drop the bombshell and then assess his reaction.
He had no intention of giving them anything. “Meaning?”
This time Davis spoke up. “One of your executives is missing and there’s been some other trouble.”
“This is a get-away-from-it-all retreat. How would you know what’s happening there?” Tony had been trying to check in, and the messages he’d received made no sense.
Connor’s hand dropped to the table, and his fingers drummed on the top. “Some of my people are there.”
The information would have been good to know before now. Funny how Rafe had left that out. “Some?”
“More than one.”
The steady thumping touched off a headache. Tony had enough of that right now. “Care to tell me why?”
Connor shrugged. “As a favor to Rafe.”
Looked like he wasn’t the only one indebted to Rafe Algier in some way. Tony wasn’t sure how he felt about that. The idea of the old man moving the chess pieces around, using them all, had Tony balling his hands into fists on his lap.
“Does he know his daughter is tangled up in this?” Tony had put her there for a reason and now it could all unravel thanks to this Corcoran Team and Rafe’s meddling.
“Not all the details,” Connor said. “Rafe is breaking away from his meetings in Vietnam and should be taking off soon to head back.”
“This is that serious?” Tony noticed only the one in charge talked. Tony appreciated the chain of command as much as the next guy, but the silence from Davis proved
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