went through Benicio’s head when he did something like that? Did he just not care what anyone thought? Or was there a deeper motive at work, purposely fanning the flames between his legitimate sons and the “bastard heir”?
“Lucas.”
Benicio wheeled through the door, a broad smile lighting his face. Lucas stepped forward and extended his hand. Benicio crossed the room in three strides and embraced him.
The two bodyguards who’d accompanied Benicio to Portland slipped inside, surprisingly unobtrusive for men of their size, and took up position against the wall. I smiled at Troy, who returned it with a wink.
“Good to see you, my boy,” Benicio said. “This is a surprise. When did you get in?”
Lucas extricated himself from his father’s embrace as he answered. Benicio had yet to acknowledge me. At first, I assumed this was an intentional slight, but as I watched him talk to Lucas, I realized Benicio hadn’t even noticed me there. From the look on his face, I doubted he’d notice a raging gorilla if it was in the same room as Lucas. I searched his face, his manner, for some sign that he was dissembling, putting on an act of fatherly affection, but saw none. Which made everything else all that much more inexplicable.
Lucas stepped back beside me. “I believe you’ve met Paige.”
“Yes, of course. How are you, Paige?” Benicio extended a hand and a smile almost as bright as the one he offered his son. Apparently Lucas wasn’t the only Cortez who could make nice.
“Paige told me you wanted to speak to me,” Lucas said. “While that could, of course, be easily accomplished by telephone, I thought perhaps this would be a good time to bring her to Miami and ensure the proper security clearance forms are completed, so there is no misunderstanding regarding our relationship.”
“There’s no need for that,” Benicio said. “I’ve already sent her vital stats to all our field offices. Her protection was assured the moment you told me about your…relationship.”
“Then I’m simply clarifying it with a paper trail, to please the insurance department. Now, I know you’re busy, Father. When would be the best time to discuss the details of this case?” He paused, then pushed on. “Perhaps, if you don’t have plans, the three of us could have dinner together.”
Benicio blinked. A small reaction, but in that blink and the moment of silence that followed, I read shock, and I suspected it had been a while since Lucas had voluntarily shared a meal with his father, much less extended an invitation to do so.
Benicio clapped Lucas on the back. “Perfect. I’ll make the arrangements. As for discussing these attacks, though, we’ll leave dinner as social time. I’m sure you’re both anxious to hear more—”
A rustle at the door cut him short. William stepped in, gaze riveted on his father, probably so he didn’t have to acknowledge us.
“I beg your pardon, sir,” William said. “But as I was dropping off the Wang report, I overheard Lucas’s offerand wanted to remind you that you have a dinner engagement with the governor.”
“Hector can take my place.”
“Hector’s in New York. He has been since Monday.”
“Reschedule, then. Tell the governor’s office that something important came up.”
William’s mouth tightened.
“Wait,” Lucas said. “Please don’t rearrange your schedule on my account. Paige and I will be staying the night. We can have breakfast together.”
Benicio paused, then nodded. “Breakfast tomorrow then, and drinks tonight if I can get away from the governor early enough. As for this other matter—”
“Sir?” William said. “About breakfast? You have an early morning meeting.”
“Reschedule it,” Benicio snapped. When William turned to leave, he stopped him. “William, before you go, I’d like you to meet Paige—”
“The witch. We’ve met.”
He didn’t so much as glance my way. A line creased between Benicio’s eyebrows and he rattled off something in Spanish. Now, my Spanish was pretty good, and Lucas had been helping me improve—if only so we could talk without Savannah listening in—but Benicio spoke too fast for my translation skills. I didn’t need an interpreter, though, to guess that he was upbraiding William for his rudeness.
“And where is Carlos?” Benicio said, reverting to English. “He should be here to see his brother and meet Paige.”
“Is it past four?” William said.
“Of course it is.”
“Then Carlos isn’t here. If you’ll excuse me—”
Benicio turned away, as if William had already left. “Where was I? Yes. This other matter. I’ve convened a meeting in twenty minutes to provide you with all the details. Let’s get Paige a cold drink and