All Is Bright - K. Sterling Page 0,29

one in a potted palm earlier and was waiting until it was clear to circle back to it before the staff could. It wouldn’t be too tricky to change the frequencies and Toly would assume the maids or Alon found them.

“I’ll swing by the kitchen for a bottle and then I’ve got work to do.”

Chapter 17

“Should someone go after him?” Hawk asked but Lavender waved it off.

“Give him a little time to sulk,” he said and Paul nodded in agreement.

“He’s definitely planning something but I’ll wait until he thinks he’s getting away with it to catch him red-handed,” he explained. Lane chuckled as he helped himself to a cigar. Aiden’s nose wrinkled in disapproval but he didn’t say anything as he went to the bar for a Sprite so Lane played stupid and snipped off the end. He lit the cigar and took a puff and savored the smooth sweetness of the Cohiba and marveled at the wisdom of whatever divine force it was that brought Paul and Reginald together. Lane found comfort in the fact that even if he was wrong and there wasn’t a God, some gentle deity had to be at work, smiling upon him and their strange family. Someone or something was looking out for Lane when Aiden was put in his path and it did the whole world a hell of a solid when Paul fell in love with Reginald.

“Perhaps Aiden could do us all a favor and spend a little more time with him,” Lavender suggested and Aiden groaned next to Lane.

“Why does it have to be me, though?”

“You already have an excuse and most of us have work to do,” Lavender pointed out. Aiden’s thumb rose and hitched at Lane.

“He’s retired now and just hanging out,” he said but Lane shook his head.

“Reginald thinks I’m old and he doesn’t trust me. He’s already attached himself to you,” he argued and Aiden’s mood turned darker.

“I knew this trip was going to be terrible.”

“I could think of several places I’d rather be as well and my head hasn’t stopped pounding since we left Lake Cliff, if it makes you feel any better,” Lavender sighed. Aiden rubbed his lips together before he nodded.

“A little. Thank you.” He did seem a little happier as he became distracted by the bubbles in his soda. Lane grabbed Lavender’s shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze and winked at him. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Alon.

“So far, all of this is going according to Shamir’s plan. What’s his next move?” He asked. Alon scratched his chin and his eyes stretched across the room.

“He’ll be watching Sloan but he won’t move until he’s sure we’re onto them. He doesn’t want to risk spooking you and tipping you off. They want something but they don’t want you to know what it is that you’ve got,” he said to Blink. Blink’s face lit up but his eyes grew harder and darker.

“It must be very valuable and very dangerous if they’re willing to go to all this expense and trouble...” He mused then went to his desk. “I want to see a list of everything that’s come into Blackhurst. Go back six months before Captain Walsh was attacked in Chicago,” Blink said to Alon as he sat then waved at everyone. “Take those someplace else and do something useful,” he ordered.

“You heard the man,” Lavender drawled and widened his eyes at Toly and Denver and they took off. “Let’s make ourselves useful,” he said and Paul tapped his brow.

“I’m going to play stupid and make some more calls.”

“We should finish our lunch,” Sage said and Ezra, Aiden and Hawk nodded and followed him.

“I’ll be in the vault. I’m making something special for the holidays,” Grim said as he stalked off.

“Want to see where the good firing positions are?” Lane asked Lavender and Wilder.

“I’ve already identified the best windows and positions on the terrace but I’d be happy to do a lap around the house and see what you two think,” Lavender said and Wilder nodded.

“Sounds like fun.”

“We should take up golfing or build something when we get back. We need decent hobbies,” Lane said and gave his head a bewildered shake. Lavender nodded and clasped his hands behind his back as they turned down the hall.

“I was thinking a bunker might be handy,” he said and Lane shot him a hard look.

“Or a treehouse. We could build a treehouse. That would be handy and cause almost no one any nightmares.”

“Robin