aHunter4Trust Page 15

  “I wouldn’t know the first thing about surveillance systems.” Tamsin hugged herself to lessen her shaking.

  These detectives were very close to discovering the truth, and she had the sickening feeling that Darrogh, if pressed, would admit to being there. The one thing she’d discovered since being protected by these men, was that they always told the truth when asked a direct question. It was fortunate that Peter had stepped in.

  “I find it strange that you ran into your old friend on the same night he died.”

  “If he was killed with his own weapon could it not have been suicide?” Darrogh asked.

  “We haven’t ruled that out yet.” DS Barlow shut her notepad.

  “If you withhold any evidence from us, it will go against you if we find you’re involved.” DI Milton’s voice was stern. “We’re going to examine every camera from his building and the nightclub.”

  Darrogh nodded to Kerm. “Escort the detectives out.”

  When the detectives had left the room, Tamsin shoulders sagged. Her hands were shaking and she couldn’t seem to focus on anything. Darrogh pulled her into his arms and held her until her trembling stopped. Then he led her to a chair so she could sit.

  “Peter, why did you lie?” Tamsin’s voice was a low whisper.

  “It was obvious that you were going to try and brazen your way through the interview.” Peter shrugged. “From the sounds of it, the man deserved to die.”

  “He pulled a gun on us and was shot in the struggle.” Darrogh’s voice was matter of fact. “I would have killed him, though. He broke the Sacred Code by doing harm to a woman. The penalty for that is death.”

  “Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Peter shook his head. “If you’re going to go around killing people, you have to take precautions.”

  “We did.” Savis moved away from the desk he had been sitting at. “The police will find no evidence in the building, or on their CCTV cameras.”

  Peter’s mouth dropped open. “You hacked their systems?”

  “We swept the building and cameras clean. If we had known about your photographs, we would have stopped them from being published.”

  “Amazing.” Peter rolled his eyes. “If there was a struggle and the gun went off, it was self-defence. You could have called the police. Instead, you’ve made yourselves look suspicious.”

  “We could not let Tamsin’s abuse by that man be known,” Darrogh said.

  “Well it looks like you’re in the clear.” Peter stood. “I’m going to put my investigative skills to use today and follow Henry Kingsley.”

  “Is that wise?” Tamsin asked.

  “I don’t like being taken for a sucker.” Peter grabbed his camera bag from the floor. “He may lead me to someone else who’s involved with this organization. I’ll report back at the end of the day.”

  Silence followed Peter’s departure from the room.

  Tamsin clasped her hands and looked up at the men. “I want to thank you for what you did to save me.”

  “It was our duty to keep you safe.” Breanon’s voice was low.

  “I behaved badly.” Tamsin cleared her throat. “I was angry with my father for insisting that you protect me, so I tried everything in my power to get away. It was foolish. Saxby intended to kill me. It was only your efforts that kept me alive.”

  Darrogh nodded. “It is an honor to give you protection. Now, we must find out the extent of damage done to your father’s bank.”

  Tamsin sighed. “My father doesn’t fully believe what you told him this morning about Henry working for the Albireons. You’ll have to give him undeniable proof that Henry is working against Creighton’s.”

  “Savis will find the evidence.”

  The men left the room, leaving her alone with Darrogh.

  He held his hand out to her. She took it, almost reeling from the surge of sensation that raced up through her arm. She let him gather her close. All the intrigue and stress of the past few days eased away. In its place, peace.

  She looked up at Darrogh and smiled. He was the one who made everything right in her life. Even in the middle of being questioned by the police, and knowing that there were threats against her life, he’d been her anchor. She felt safe in his arms.

  “Thank you.” She brushed a hand down his cheek.

  Darrogh leaned his forehead against hers. “I need to get you away from London soon. I cannot bear that your life is in danger here.”

  “Nothing can hurt me as long as you are with me.” Tamsin pulled his head down to hers and moved her lips across his.

  A sweet ache of need shot through her.

  Darrogh deepened the kiss.

  The world spun away. All that existed was her and Darrogh. She’d never known such a wonderful sensation of yearning and love mixed together. It was a connection that was spiritual and physical. Her body hummed with excitement.

  All too soon, Darrogh ended the kiss.

  “There is no doubt.” His voice was hoarse. “You are my pair bond. I will never mate or desire another woman.”

  Tamsin longed to stay in his arms.

  She’d been half a person until she’d met Darrogh.

  Her whole life she’d searched for the unconditional love and devotion he offered. There would never be another man for her. It hit her with blinding clarity.

  She was in love with Darrogh.

  Chapter 19

  Tamsin took a quick glance around the foyer of Creighton’s Bank. Its familiarity had been a comfort to her when she was a child. She would come here with her father and visit with all of his employees. They treated her as if she were special and that had continued after she’d graduated and began to work here. This was the one place that had always felt like home to her.

  That’s why it had ripped her apart to leave the bank. Her father’s insistence that she marry Winchester, despite his infidelity, had made it impossible for her to remain working here. She couldn’t change the past, but she could make certain that her father’s bank was safe. She was confident that Savis would find the information he needed.

  “Miss Creighton.” The bank’s security guard, Smithson, stepped in front of her. “It’s an age since you’ve visited.”

  She smiled at the older man. He’d been standing guard at the bank’s entrance since before she was born. “Almost a year. How’s your arthritis?”

  “The doctor gave me some medicine to lessen the ache.” Smithson grinned. “Sir Robert said to expect you this morning.”

  Tamsin heaved a sigh of relief. Her father had accepted the need to investigate the allegations against Henry. She turned to Savis and Darrogh.

  “These are the men who will be accompanying me.”

  “Your father didn’t mention anyone else.” Smithson frowned. “I’ll have to call him first.”

  Tamsin nodded. “We’ll wait.”

  Darrogh leaned close and a shiver of awareness raced down her spine. “Is Sir Robert likely to deny us?”

  “If he does, I’ll speak with him.” Tamsin fought the urge to lean against Darrogh. She straightened her shoulders and nodded at a few of the tellers who’d waved when they saw her.

  “These people like you.” Darrogh hadn’t moved, yet it felt as if he’d reached out and embraced her with his whole being.

  “I like them too.” Tamsin kept her voice low. “When I was a child, this was my favorite place to visit. I loved it better than home.”

  “It must have been hard to leave.”

  “I couldn’t continue working with my father.”

  A movement from above caught her attention.

  Tamsin glanced at the large oak staircase that connected the main floor to the administrative section of the bank. Her father stood at the top. He looked as if he’d aged several years since this morning. Henry’s betrayal had hit him hard.

  Her father waved them up.

  “Let me do the talking.” Tamsin weaved her way through the customers and started up the stairs. “My father is a reaso
nable man, but sometimes, he needs time to process change.”

  “He has had enough.” Savis’s voice was dry. “His refusal to tell us the exact threat against you, has delayed us.”

  “True.” Tamsin’s voice was conciliatory. “He’s my father, though. It can be challenging to deal with parents.”

  “We do not know about such things.” Darrogh’s voice was gruff.

  Tamsin stopped walking and looked at the men. There was no sign of regret in either face, only acceptance. The loss of her mother had been devastating. As difficult as her father was, she couldn’t have imagined a life without him.

  “I’m sorry.” Tamsin bit her lip. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. I forgot.”

  “There is no need to apologize.” Darrogh took her elbow and helped her up the first step. “Parents, and how to deal with them, has never been a problem for a Hunter.”

  Tamsin took a deep breath. These men may have come from a place that was technologically more advanced than Earth, but they’d missed a few things along the way. Who had guided them in their development?

  “We were trained to be warriors from the day we could walk.” Darrogh’s voice was matter of fact. Again, he had read her thoughts, and was answering her question. “We did not have a childhood such as you do on Earth.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  “It made us the best soldiers in the universe.” Darrogh’s voice held pride. “I am grateful. It means that I will be able to defend you no matter what happens.”

  Before Tamsin could reply, they had arrived at the top stair. Her father held his hand out to her. “I can take Tamsin from here.”

  Darrogh released her.

  Loss of Darrogh’s touch sent her reaching for him. His fingers brushed her arm, sending a shiver of awareness through her body. A sense of calm and peace came over her as her father pulled her away. She looked back at Darrogh. He followed and she had the distinct sensation that he was fighting the same need to connect as she was.

  “I’ve set you up in your old office.” Sir Robert’s voice brought her back to the present. “I’ll leave you alone once I’ve given you the access codes.”

  He opened the door to a large corner office. She walked in and gasped. Nothing had been changed since the day she’d left the bank. There was a black leather couch and a couple of chairs at one end, and her antique, library table that she used as a desk, at the other. Large windows on both walls framed her working space. She went to her desk and let her fingers brush over the battered oak surface.

  “You kept it the same.” Tamsin looked at her father. “Surely someone else needed the space.”

  “This has been your office since the day you entered the London School of Economics.” Her father’s voice held a note of pride. “As long as I’m running Creighton’s, it will always be ready for you.”

  Tears pricked at her eyes. “Thank you.”

  She leaned over the desk and switched the computer on. While the computer was warming up, she motioned for Savis to sit. He put his own laptop beside the bank’s monitor and started it up before looking at her father.

  “I need complete access if I’m going to find out what has been happening.”

  Sir Robert pulled a sheet of paper out of his inside jacket pocket. “I’m the only one who has this level of clearance.”

  Savis reached for the codes. “It will only take a couple of hours. I will notify you with the results.”

  Sir Robert turned to Darrogh. “Where are your other men?”

  “They are guarding Tamsin’s house and the bank’s exterior.”

  “You still think this is the work of a group of aliens bent on taking over the world?” Sir Robert shook his head. “I don’t care how crazy you people are as long as I get results.”

  Darrogh inclined his head. “Our main concern is your daughter’s safety. The only way we can secure that, is to stop what has been going on at this bank.”

  Sir Robert opened the door. “Let me know as soon as you find something concrete. I have no intention of confronting Henry with your slim allegations.”

  The door slammed on his exit.

  Tamsin let out the breath she’d been holding. “I told you he could be difficult.”

  “We will find the evidence he requires.” Darrogh’s voice was firm as he leaned back against the office door. “After that, there will be no denying our words.”

  “Let’s hope so.”

  Tamsin pulled up a chair beside Savis. For the next couple of hours, she watched as he ran various programs through the bank’s records. Numbers flashed across the computer monitors with a blurring speed that had her head spinning. Every now and then, the screen would stop and Savis would frown, before he started up his scanning again.

  Tamsin’s back was aching and she stood to stretch. Darrogh was still on guard at the door. He’d barely moved since he’d taken up his position. It was amazing the stamina these men had. All she wanted to do was sink into one of her chairs and close her eyes. Looking at numbers flashing across a computer monitor was not her idea of fun.

  “Sit.” Darrogh’s words were a whisper in her mind. For a second she thought he’d said the word aloud. She looked at him and noticed the concern in his eyes.

  She tried sending him a return thought. “I’m fine.”

  Instantly, the anxiety left his eyes.

  He’d heard her.

  Tamsin’s heart beat faster. She’d only half-believed Darrogh when he’d said that a pair bond could communicate with one another by thought. It was an experience she never believed possible. It was a total connection and oneness with each other. Before she had a chance to dwell on it further, Savis looked up from the computers.

  “I’ve found the intrusion.” His voice held a note of concern. “It is more complicated than we expected. It will take a while to devise a program to undo the damage.”

  “How severe is it?” Tamsin’s didn’t hide her anxiety.

  “The majority of the bank’s funds have been siphoned off to another location.” Savis leaned back in his chair. “Your father needs to see the figures immediately so that we can take action.”

  Tamsin picked up the phone on her desk and punched in her father’s extension. He answered after the first ring. “We’ve found the proof.”

  She hung up and waited. Sir Robert was outside the office within a couple of seconds. Darrogh let him in and then locked the door. He joined them at her desk.

  “Show me.” Her father’s voice was hoarse with disbelief.

  Savis brought up a number of columns and spreadsheets of figures. He scrolled through them until he reached the bottom. Her father frowned and then took the mouse from Savis. He scrolled up and then back to the bottom. When he was finished, he stood back and ran a hand over his face. When he looked at her, Tamsin thought he’d aged another ten years.

  She urged him to sit. “Savis says that he can fix this.”

  “I can’t believe it.” Her father’s voice was a low whisper. “I’ve thought of Henry like a son. There’s no mistake. It’s his access code that has been used to siphon all of the funds away from Creighton’s. It was brilliant. We would never have found the breach until it was too late to do anything about it.”

  Savis pointed to the screen. “I’ve used his codes and transfer data to follow it through to its new home.”

  “Where does it go?” Tamsin looked back at the monitor.

  “Two hundred thousand pounds went to Kingsley’s personal account and the rest was moved to Nethercott Bank.”

  Tamsin opened her mouth to speak, and then shut it. Everything suddenly made sense. The rush for Winchester Nethercott to marry her and then merge with her father’s bank. She’d thought Winchester’s betrayal of her was bad enough, but what he’d done to her father and Creighton’s, made her blood boil.

  “There’s no mistake?” Tamsin’s voice cracked.

  “Nethercott has the funds,” Savis said. “Over eighty percent of Creighton’s assets have bee
n transmitted.”

  “I had no idea.” Her father’s voice was a whisper. “To think I liked Winchester and wanted you to marry him.”

  “Can we make him pay?”

  Darrogh raised an eyebrow. “Justice always finds a way.”

  “Henry Kingsley left me with a back door into Nethercott’s bank.” Savis tapped a few keys on the computer. “A couple of strokes and the money is transferred back to Creighton’s.”

  “As easy as that?” Sir Robert tilted his head. “That’s amazing.”

  “I also have access to Nethercott’s banking records. Give me permission, and a few hours, and I’ll be able to tell you what is happening with his funds. There should be proof of his association with Albirsion Corporation.”

  “Do it.” Sir Robert straightened his shoulders and stood. “I refuse to be held hostage by this group, human or not. I want them stopped.”

  Tamsin smiled. It was good to see her father take a stand against these people. Threats against her and the bank had taken their toll. Now, he was ready to fight back and combat the Albirsion Corporation. They were no more than thugs that had to be defeated.

  “Tamsin, I want you by my side when I confront Kingsley.” Her father looked at Darrogh. “You had better come too. I don’t think we’ll have any trouble from Henry, but I never expected him to steal from me either. I’m not taking any chances.”

  Tamsin followed Sir Robert out of her office and waited while Darrogh spoke to Savis before joining them. She raised an eyebrow at him once they were in her father’s office. She knew that she wanted Winchester to pay for his actions, but she didn’t want Darrogh to kill him.

  “I hope you weren’t arranging something violent for Winchester.” Her voice was low enough that only Darrogh could hear.

  “Do you wish it?”

  “No.”

  Sir Robert broke into their conversation. “What’s the plan?”

  Darrogh straightened away from Tamsin. “I asked Savis to do a thorough search of Nethercott’s records too.”

  “The only thing Savis will find is that I was a fool to put my trust in Henry Kingsley.”