In His Keeping

“Most, from what I’ve been able to discern at first glance, were fictitious dummy corporations that were virtually untraceable, a veritable maze for anyone investigating him or his businesses. It’s going to take some time for me to navigate through the mire to see where it all leads back to. It was very carefully—and thoughtfully—arranged. He covered his tracks very well.”

There was no judgment, no condemnation in Zack’s words or manner. He related the information in a matter-of-fact tone, as though he were discussing any DSS client.

His tone seemed to ease the tension radiating from Caleb. Caleb’s expression softened, the lines disappearing from his forehead, and he automatically reached for Ramie, glancing down at her, his eyes faintly puzzled as if he’d only just now realized that her hand had escaped his grasp.

There was instant apology in his eyes and he tucked Ramie gently against him, anchoring her slim figure to his side. Then he turned his gaze back to Zack.

“Unless there is a direct correlation to Gavin Rochester then leave it alone,” Caleb said flatly.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Beau said, directing a terse look in his brother’s direction. “Back off, Caleb. This is mine and Zack’s. If you don’t want to hear the information, fine. But I need to know everything I can about Gavin Rochester if I’m going to find him and his wife before their time runs out. And Ari’s as well.”

Caleb’s jaw tightened and Ramie stirred beside him, instantly warding off any potential argument Caleb posed. His lips twisted into a grimace and then he sighed.

“Okay, it’s yours. I get it. But I do want to know if he had anything to do with our father’s death.”

Beau nodded his agreement. “Now what about information Eliza uncovered?”

Zack looked pointedly at Caleb, a faint flicker of irritation in his eyes, as though he was pissed that Caleb encroached on a mission Beau had specifically said belonged to him and Zack. But it was gone so fast, he wondered if he’d only imagined it. It was unusual for Zack to express much emotion at all. He was curiously dispassionate, and until Ari, Beau would have said he himself was very similar to Zack, thus why he’d felt an instant kinship with his employee. But Ari seemed to have changed all the rules, effectively throwing them out the proverbial window for Beau.

He’d definitely lost objectivity, rare. He was invested on a personal—not completely professional—level, even more rare. And the hell of it was, he couldn’t summon the will to remove himself from the case, which was what he should do. If anything he was adamant that he, and only he, would head up Ari’s personal protection and he’d deliver on his promise to her, no matter what it took. He was willing to use the entirety of the DSS resources, and for that matter any other available means if it enabled him to achieve his primary objective, to track and recover Ari’s parents and most important keep Ari out of harm’s way. Even if her father did have a hand—directly or indirectly—in Beau’s father’s murder.

“She’s working several angles,” Caleb answered. “But the simple truth is, Gavin Rochester is—or was—mired in gray, never caught engaged in illegal activities, yet clearly working outside of the law. He had numerous connections and was untouchable. Friends in high places. Powerful and influential. Those who openly opposed him or challenged him suffered sudden and mysterious financial setbacks.”

So far it sounded eerily similar to the way their own father operated. Beau could remember his father flying into a rage over some perceived or actual slight, insult or challenge from a competitor or simply an acquaintance. He knew for a fact his father retaliated but was careful to be as far removed from the fallout as possible. Beau had overheard him gloating to Beau’s mother over his “victory” and how whoever the unfortunate victim was surely regretted ever crossing Franklin Devereaux.

“Now when it gets interesting is three years after his marriage to Ginger Crofton—now Rochester—who was a waitress working her way through college when she and Gavin met. He subsequently swept her off her feet and they were married within a year.”

“Get to the interesting part,” Beau said impatiently, because so far all Caleb was giving was a sterile recitation of facts that were likely public record, available to anyone with access to decent search tools.

“His wife suffered multiple miscarriages in a relatively short amount of time. Then suddenly they simply disappeared. Gavin liquidated most of his assets. Sold off his businesses—legitimate and not so legitimate—and they left the country. When they came back, they had a baby daughter. Ari.”

“So? Maybe he took her away so she could recover, she got pregnant again and he made sure she was constantly monitored. I can well imagine if she suffered so many miscarriages that he would be extremely protective as well as determined that she would carry to term that time.”

“The timeline doesn’t add up,” Caleb said impatiently, obviously annoyed with Beau’s incessant interruptions. “Hear me out and just listen for a minute. They were only gone for five months and even before they returned, he sold off everything in New York and the East Coast and set up his base in Houston. His only connection to Houston was one legitimate business. And our father. To me that seems extremely presumptive and overconfident when I can’t imagine, after so many failed attempts to have a child, he’d suddenly know that she would deliver this time.”