“That’s going to be two years.”
“Less,” Fenton corrected. “Seventeen months. I want it open at the start of the season after next. You can have a grand opening Memorial Day weekend. As for how long you’ll need a bodyguard, don’t worry. I can afford it.” He glanced around the trailer. “Is everything important safe?”
A nod. “I keep all my electronic documents backed up. And, given how rickety that old shack was, I took home my important files every night. With the bunch of teenagers who hang around the bay smoking up until the wee hours of the morning, I couldn’t risk losing anything during a break-in. So we won’t have any delays.”
“Good.” Fenton nodded. “Then I suggest you kick your ass into high gear. The guard that my security company sent over is in his car across the street. The permits are taken care of. The mob will be happier once the union members are working. So it’s time to break ground.”
“I agree. And thanks.” Morano looked more than a little relieved at the knowledge that he was being safeguarded, even if it was just because Fenton was safeguarding an important business asset. “I’ll set things in motion within the week.”
“Do that.” There was no give in Fenton’s tone.
Casey called a team meeting just as soon as Patrick could make the necessary arrangements for a relief shift at Sloane Kettering. Amanda was okay with him going, once she met Roger and saw how professional he was. Besides, she was in with Justin every minute, and not as focused on the bodyguard situation.
The entire team gathered around the conference room table. The atmosphere was tense, which announced to everyone that Casey had something important on her mind.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” Yoda greeted them. “Will you be needing any assistance?”
“Yes, Yoda,” Casey said, shutting the conference room door and walking over to her place at the head of the sweeping oval table. “But first we need some discussion time. Then we’ll be calling on you.”
“Very well, Casey. I’ll be on standby.” Yoda fell silent.
Casey sat down, aware that all eyes were on her. Even Hero, who was stretched out at her feet, was gazing expectantly up at her, keenly aware that something was going on.
“You all know that I asked Hutch for his help in finding Paul Everett,” Casey began, interlacing her fingers in front of her. “He spent a good portion of the day making phone calls and sending out emails. He came back with nothing.”
“So Everett’s not in the FBI’s internal system,” Marc mused aloud. “That surprises me. I tried to connect with Hutch, but he was locked in the office doing his thing. Given how long it was taking, I assumed he was getting some significant information. Guess I was wrong.”
“You weren’t wrong.” Casey had that no-bullshit look about her. “I’m sure he got an earful.”
Claire looked puzzled. “But you just said he came back with nothing.”
“They shut him down.” Marc was watching Casey as he spoke. “Whatever Paul Everett is connected to, the Bureau doesn’t want us poking around in it. So whatever they did tell Hutch, he can’t pass it along to us.”
“That’s the gist of it.” Casey nodded. “I’m sure there’s plenty they didn’t even reveal to Hutch. But, whatever he found out, he can’t share it. My bringing him into the loop was a mistake. If anything, I hurt us-and Amanda-by sharing details with him. Now he knows how far we’ve gotten in our investigation, and what our trump cards are. If he feels compelled to, he can pass that on to the Bureau. You know how principled he is. I screwed up. I’m sorry.”
Ryan and Claire exchanged glances-the first time they’d looked at each other since he’d left her apartment. But this glance was one of understanding. Now they knew what was causing the negative energy Claire couldn’t shake, and what the unintended deception was that she’d sensed.
Claire gave Ryan a quick nod of affirmation, before turning her attention back to the team. He got her message loud and clear. No need to poke around further. The team was, once again, in sync.
“You didn’t screw up, Casey,” Patrick was saying. “We all knew you were bringing Hutch on board-and that includes Amanda. We took a risk. Marc and I are both former FBI-we know how it works. If this is a classified case, then Hutch’s hands are tied.”
“Yes and no,” Marc amended. He gave Casey a long, hard look. “What exactly did Hutch say-or not say?”
A hint of a smile touched Casey’s lips. As always, Marc was right on her wavelength.
“What I inferred from his responses is that Paul Everett is a key player in a broader-and classified-federal investigation. What’s more, Fenton and Mercer are both touchy subjects, too, which tells me that they’re subjects of interest in this case, too. In what capacity or how deeply they’re involved, I don’t know. What I do know is that Paul Everett is definitely alive. Whatever Hutch’s contacts told him, I can tell he believes that. And, if he believes that, it’s true.”
“Did you get the feeling that either Fenton or Mercer knew about Everett?” Ryan asked.
“No.” Casey shook her head. “I’m not saying they didn’t play a role in his disappearance, but I don’t think they know where he is now. If they did, the Bureau would be hauling their asses in.”
“They’re not the same,” Claire pronounced.
“Who?”
“Mercer and Fenton. They have different levels of involvement. Fenton’s aura is dark. Mercer’s is much grayer. It’s also more muddied, as if he’s torn between dark and light.”
“He sounds like a friggin’ Jedi knight,” Ryan muttered.
Claire shot him an irritated look. “No. He’s torn, part victim and part offender. I feel sorry for him.”
“You would.”
“Ryan, cut it out.” Casey was in no mood for this. And, frankly, she was surprised. Ryan didn’t sound teasing, he sounded downright obnoxious-a line he rarely crossed, especially during intense team discussions.
He seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same moment, because he looked sheepish and unusually off balance. “Sorry, boss. I’m just on overdrive since the fire last night.”
Casey’s gaze flickered from Ryan to Claire and back, but she accepted his explanation with a nod.
“I agree with Claire,” she said. “Mercer’s like a fly in a web. I’m sure he’s playing dirty politics. But I don’t think he’s in this thing anywhere near as deep as Fenton.”
“True. Even so, I don’t think Fenton knows where Everett is,” Marc noted. “If he did, he’d get him here to save Justin.”
“Well, someone knows where Everett is,” Patrick replied. A long, thoughtful pause. “Unless, of course, Everett faked his own death and disappeared on his own. Anybody considered that?”
“Yes.” Casey answered that one right away. “I considered many things. That’s the other reason I called this team meeting. I want to explore various scenarios, and either eliminate or confirm them, one by one.”
“Getting our answers by whatever methods necessary?” Marc asked quietly.
“Getting our answers by whatever methods necessary,” Casey replied. She knew exactly what Marc was implying. She also felt Patrick’s scowl. Still, she didn’t hesitate or back down. “We’re moving forward with one goal in mind-saving Justin’s life by finding his father. I don’t care how we do it. But it has to be fast.”
“Casey…” Patrick interjected.
“I know where you stand on this, Patrick.” Casey waved it away. “But the circumstances have changed. We’re operating at a federal level now. The FBI now knows we’re all over this, and that we’re not going to stop. They’ll thwart us every chance they can. We’ve got to anticipate their attempts to do so and sidestep them before they can gain traction.”
“You have a targeted plan?” Marc asked.
“Yes. And you’re all going to help me fast-track it to completion.”
With that, she swiveled her chair around to face the wall. “Yoda, please create a virtual workspace.”
Yoda responded instantly.
“Creating a virtual workspace, Casey,” he said. A minute passed, and the video wall came alive, bathing the room in an electric-blue glow. “Virtual workspace created and ready.”
“Please create topics as follows: Criminal Offender, Fugitive, Confidential Informant, Dead, Witness Protection.”
She pivoted again to glance around the table. “Anything else?”
