Page 14 of The Duke

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Trane couldn’t believehe was doing this. But Lucan needed his eyes and his perspective, as someone who knew Seraphina well. So he watched as Lucan welcomed her into his office, made small talk, and talked to her on the pretense of preparing for the ribbon cutting ceremony. They were going over security protocol.

“Your measures are much more active than ours.”

Trane could tell she was curious. Her hand went to the pencil in her hair and then she resisted and rested both in her lap. He chuckled. She loved her job.

They talked of bodyguards, ear pieces, Trane’s responsibilities for the event and where Phina would be standing. He deliberately left out several failsafe measures he always implemented. And led her to believe a few things that might not be true. Then he pulled up his laptop, and Trane leaned forward.

“We have been tracking some potential threats and want to screen all participants no matter how…close… to the crown.”

She swallowed and a soft pink colored her cheeks. Trane warmed to her. She cared. She wouldn’t deliberately put them in danger.

“I understand. What do you need to know?”

“We are expecting leaders of all Mediterranean nations as well as other major players in the world environmental scene. We need to know. Do you associate with anyone who would be a threat to the event?”

“I have many clients, Lucan. As I’m sure you know.”

“I could never be aware of the scope of your reach or every person you contact. Would you feel that any are militant in nature or could pose a threat to Torren or any other country participating in the summit?”

She eyed him for a moment and in the pause, Trane counted every heartbeat. “No.”

Lucan nodded and checked a box. “Are you aware of any money laundering efforts? Or have you received any unaccounted sums of money into your bank accounts lately?”

“No.” She pulled out her phone. “I’ll have my press pass, but I’m attending with Trane. Where would you like me to participate?”

That was a great question. Sitting with Trane would get her much closer than a press pass ever could.

“You’ll be with us, naturally, as Trane’s date.”

She sat back with a smile. “Thank you. “

“Don’t mention it. Just try not to take notes on international television. Or if you do, get a more sophisticated notebook.”

“There is nothing wrong with Gloria.”

“Gloria?” He held up his hands. “I don’t want to know.”

She stood. “Something the insatiably curious Lucan does not want to know? I hardly believe it.” She held out a ragged, well-thumb small spiral. “Gloria and I go everywhere together.”

“Something else I didn’t want to know.”

She widened her eyes. “Lucan.” Her laugh made Trane smile. She was one in a million, and so relaxed through what could have been an interrogation. She wasn’t hiding anything.

As soon as she left, Lucan entered the darkened room with Trane. “She’s hiding something.”

“What? How can you know?” This was the very opposite of what he had felt.

Lucan raised both eyebrows.

“Ok, you’re trained to know. But what?”

“She knows more than she is admitting, but she doesn’t feel like she’s in the wrong. And knowing her like we do, that means she doesn’t believe the group is a threat.”

Trane snorted. “I don’t plug her as overly naive.”

“No. But not thinking there is a threat from a known militant organization concerns me more than if she were colluding with them.”

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