Page 9 of Tough as Steele

Despite Nate’s frustration, he returned the smile. There was something about the guy that Nate liked. Maybe because he seemed to be a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy.

Nate looked at his surrogate parents. “I’ll keep you updated on everything I can share.”

Charles nodded and eased out a breath between his perfectly whitened teeth.

Nate turned to Londyn. “Can I count on you to keep your guards at all of the entrances?”

“Sure,” Gene readily agreed. “I thought you would want to bring in deputies.”

“We don’t have the manpower to devote to such a large house with so many exits. Plus, I don’t want to alert the kidnappers that we’re working the investigation.”

“Why not?” Clarice asked.

“The note said no police,” Nate said.

“What about a command truck and forensics?” Londyn asked. “You planning to bring them in?”

“No to the truck. I’ll set up a command center in the house, and we’ll have forensics arrive in a plain van or something.”

“Our company van is already on site,” Gene said. “We had to bring our men in together due to parking issues. I’d be glad to pick up your forensic staff and provide them with uniforms so they look like our guards and bring them back in our van.”

“Sounds great,” Nate said. “Thank you. I might call on you to help transport items for our command center too.”

“Glad to do it.” The older man smiled.

Nate suspected the guy missed his law enforcement days. “I’ll get a list of questions I want your guards to ask each guest before any of them leave. If the responses are all no, I don’t need to interview them. Your staff can take down names and contact information, and the guests can take off.”

Londyn took off across the lawn toward the house. Nate started to go after her, but Clarice squeezed his arm.

“I’m so glad to have you in charge of this,” she said.

Her words meant a lot to him, and he was pleased that he was able to help them and make up for some of the sullen years he’d put them through.

He left her with a quick hug and headed in the direction Londyn had gone, but she was nowhere in sight. He probably shouldn’t have let her go ahead. She could be up to any number of things, like questioning other staff or guests.

He jogged up the steps to the house and inside and found her heading for the front door, where two of her guards stood wide-legged and alert right where Nate had told them to remain.

“Hold up, Steele,” he called out.

She turned to face him. “Just so you know, our guards haven’t let anyone leave the property. Including the suppliers and catering staff.”

“Thank you for that. It’ll make my job a whole lot easier.”

“Mine too.”

He took a breath and let it out to eliminate his frustration. “You’re not still thinking we’ll work together on this, are you?”

“No. But Iwillbe investigating on my own time.”

“That’s not a good idea. You know it could cause problems with a ransom abduction like this if anyone other than the officials in charge get involved.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Sure you do.”

“If our roles were reversed, would you stand by?”

“I have a different reason for wanting to find Mimi. Yours is business. Mine is family.”

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