Page 70 of Somebody's Watching Me
“Klausen has updates,” Liam shouted so Ben could hear at the other end of the house. “The feds have arrested several members of Zanmi. Some in Miami, Raleigh, and Houston.”
Skimming through the information coming through, Rowan tilted his phone so Annabeth and Simone could see the details. Evie read over Samuel’s shoulder, and Liam relayed the report aloud for Abe to hear. “There was also a standoff about an hour ago. Three Zanmi are dead.”
Ben returned, again with Taylor trailing behind him, walking on her tiptoes as she tried to see his screen. “But none near here?” he demanded. “Or anywhere near where the girls were taken? What about Sinclair?”
Jamison materialized from the same doorway Simone had come from and halted when she saw Taylor huddled close to her father. “What the hell?”
“They’ve arrested members of Zanmi,” Liam explained, frowning with her as they watched Taylor and Ben. “Warrants have been issued to search their records. They’ll have a trail to Sinclair and the others within a day or so.”
“Does that say three people are dead?” Taylor gasped, tears already building. “That’s so awful. I would think you would want to take them alive to question.”
Passing his phone to Evie, Samuel laid a hand on the small of Taylor’s back. “You don’t need to hear all this. I know how these types of things can upset you.”
“What’s her problem?” Annabeth whispered as Samuel led Taylor from the kitchen. Ben didn’t even acknowledge the poor woman’s departure, too engrossed in listening to Liam read the reports. “Is she really crying over these people?”
“Taylor is sensitive.” Rowan didn’t know how else to describe it. “There are rumors around the office as to why, but all I know is that she gets emotional over the slightest hint of conflict.”
Simone and Annabeth gave him their full attention, completely ignoring Liam.
“What rumors?” Simone asked. “Spill it.”
Not wanting to overstep, Rowan shrugged. “Samuel would know more than me since Taylor was his assistant in Lauderdale, but from what I hear, she was married, and the guy died from a heart attack.”
“And?” Simone pressed in closer, sandwiching him between her and Annabeth. “Is that it?”
He imagined the fate of Taylor’s husband sounded very minor compared to what they had lived through. “It kind of messed her up, and she gets upset easily.”
Annabeth shared a look with her mother. “Don’t say it, Mama.”
“That woman comes in here shaking her tail at Ben like she’s a cat in heat and I can’t say…” Simone paused, gathering herself. “I’m sorry for Taylor’s loss, but yeesh.”
“I know it’s hard to accept Ben seeing someone after all this time, and it might feel like a betrayal to the memory of Evie and Jamison’s mom,” Rowan said. “But Taylor’s not all bad.”
Simone’s half-swollen mouth dropped open. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
Oh. Shit.
“Ben and Taylor.” Terrified of the two small women on either side of him, Rowan told himself not to panic. “They’re together?”
“Oh my God.” Annabeth covered her smile so the others wouldn’t see. “No way.”
Simone did the same, taking a minute to regain her composure. “Taylor does make it obvious that she wouldn’t mind being in Ben’s bed, but it’ll never happen. He has no interest in her or anyone.”
Deciding to let it go, Rowan nodded and the three of them refocused on the discussion, which seemed to have now turned into an argument between Ben and Jamison. And a couple of Fairweathers arguing was fucking scary if you asked him.
“I don’t care about a shrimp problem. You can work from home,” Ben informed his daughter. “There’s no need to go to the office.”
“Agreed.” Liam put his phone away and grabbed the sugar dispenser, carefully measuring each teaspoon he poured into one of the matching mugs. “It won’t be the end of the world, and it won’t be forever. The arrests this morning should flush out the others nicely.”
Jamison came around the island. “If you can’t present me with an end plan, or at least a plan for this week, then I’m going to continue to live my life. God knows you’ve got enough guards out there, and if we let them scare us into hiding, they’ll eat it up.”
“I don’t care. Someone tried to kidnap you, and staying on lockdown for maybe a week won’t kill us.” Liam frowned as he stirred in the sugar, his brows drawing tight. “Why are you acting this way?”
“I just don’t want them to think they’ve won.”
“Jamison is right,” Annabeth said, and Rowan realized she was trembling. “I have a business to run, and… and… a party to go to. I know that seems silly compared to the big picture after what we went through last night, but I’m sorry. Those things are important to me, and I refuse to be a pawn in Toby’s game. I’m not doing it again, damn it.”
“Don’t apologize.”
