Page 17 of Luke

“I’m going to start checking now. I won’t share anything unless I think it’s relevant. If you get more information, I can keep looking at that, but let me see if anything stands out.” Matt didn’t look up from his computer, already typing away.

Luke: Hey! How’s it going?

Paisley: Waiting on Catherine to come over and Garrett is napping. Any luck there?

Luke: Actually, I want to ask you something.

Paisley: What’s up?

Luke: Let me start with, I won’t hold anything against you. I don’t want to do anything other than get information.

Paisley: You’re making me nervous and I don’t know why.

Luke: We need to know if there is anything in your past that my father could use against you. This isn’t about judging you if there is. It’s about keeping you and Garrett safe.

Paisley:Not that I can think of. Nothing you don’t already know.

Luke: What about people? Anyone that would have a reason to make you look bad, maybe for money or just to be mean?

Paisley: Maybe.

He thought on it and realized how little he actually knew about Paisley’s life growing up. He knew about here in the city and that she wasn’t from here, but that was it. In reality, he didn’t know much about here like he thought. Why hadn’t anyone helped her with Garrett? Where were her friends?

“What’s she saying?” Ryker asked.

“Nothing yet. Only a maybe on people that might have a reason to make her look bad. I think this is an in-person conversation.” He didn’t want to do it over text.

Ryker thought on it for a moment. “Go talk to her then. Matt will find whatever it is anyway.”

“We can keep working on this,” Evan agreed. “You probably need to go talk to her before things get out of hand.”

Luke nodded. He didn’t know what they would find, but he didn’t want to jeopardize his attempts at repairing their relationship by digging in her past without her knowing. He needed to face her to make her understand that he really didn’t care what was there, that this was for their safety.

“I’ve got Ashley under surveillance. We’ll know if he tries anything with her,” Matt said.

Luke shook his head. “Does she know?”

“Of course not.” Ryker rolled his shoulders as he answered. “She might have told you and we were trying to find you.”

“She’s going to be pissed when she finds out.” He wasn’t concerned about her safety as much as he was about risking her ire. She had strong opinions and loved to make them known, especially if she thought you were in the wrong.

“It’s not like she’s going to find out,” Matt said. “Unless we have to help her, in which case she should be happy we’re able to.”

Luke threw his head back and laughed. “I tried to talk her into being a trial lawyer because of her arguing. You know she’s studying to be a software engineer, right?”

“I’ve got this,” Matt assured him.

“Keep telling yourself that.” Luke laughed. “I’m heading out, but I have my phone on if you need anything.”

He said his goodbyes and left the conference room. In the elevator, he checked to see if Paisley had written him back yet. Nothing. Deciding he didn’t want to ambush her, he called her.

“Hey,” he said when the call connected.

“Hey,” was her quiet response.

“Look. I know this is an uncomfortable topic, but I am really just trying to keep you and Garrett safe.”

“I know. I just, I’m trying to think of what or who to tell you that would matter.”

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