Page 16 of Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad World

As they worked, the triplets were arguing with each other. Something about a girl they’d all liked and who she’d loved best. It made him feel old.

Rochelle perched against the desk, close to Noah, and lowered her voice. “I have no idea what Lake Benson was thinking, bringing those three on board. A hacker, a thief, and a conman? They’re professional criminals, and this is a reputable security team.”

“I prefer the term fixer to conman, Boss,” Harris MacDonald, the most clean-cut triplet, said. “We also have great hearing.”

“And criminal records,” Rochelle said, apparently unfazed.

“Not me,” was Harris’ smug reply.

“Andourrecords are based purely on misunderstandings,” added the one with a beard and awful Hawaiian shirt, which made him Evan, their resident hacker.

“Aye.” The last triplet, Logan, grinned. “We’re reformed. I only steal for you now, Boss.” He batted his lashes at her in a blatant attempt to appear innocent.

Rochelle looked skyward. Probably praying for patience.

Noah felt sorry for her. But not so much that he’d take the job off her hands. “Wish I’d been there when Violet found out they were on the team,” he said.

Apparently, Violet had arrested the brothers a few times when they caused trouble as teens in Glasgow. She considered them the lowlight of her police career, and to say she wasn’t their biggest fan was putting it mildly.

“It did take a while to talk her down,” Rochelle said.

“And we thank you for that,” Logan called out. “Officer Lee’s a wee bit temperamental.”

Evan elbowed him. “You don’t need to call her officer. She isn’t with Strathclyde Police anymore.”

“Nope,” Harris added. “She’s in America. With us… and she’s armed.”

The brothers paled. Or perhaps it was a trick of the light.

“Concentrate on your task,” Rochelle told them. “This is a private conversation.”

There was much grumbling, but the triplets got back to work.

“Where’s the rest of the team?” Noah asked Rochelle.

“Violet’s in with the detectives, giving her statement. They’re good guys, sound cops. But even they realize this situation is untenable. They’ve mentioned, more than once, that it would be better if Annabelle were moved. They’re not wrong.”

“Yeah, I met them last night, Johnson and McMillan, right? It’s hard to argue with them. In any other circumstance, we’d have the client out of danger in a split second.”

“They’ve got their hands full with this mess,” Rochelle said. “I just spent half an hour with them, explaining that Violet was given clear instructions not to fire at the men in the cars downstairs. Who knows what she’s telling them now. Nothing helpful, that’s for sure.”

“Obviously, you didn’t order her not to shoot the cars,” Noah said with amusement and a hefty dose of sympathy.

“Apparently, my orders have to be spelled out for some of my new team. You’re up next for your statement. You gave them your weapon already?”

He nodded. “Handed it over to the local cops as soon as they arrived.”

They’d need it, seeing as he’d used it to kill a man.

“You had no choice,” Rochelle said as though reading his mind. “It was them or you.”

“I know.” It wasn’t the first time he’d taken a life in the line of duty, although it never seemed to get any easier. But then, he wouldn’t be too happy if it did.

“Rodrigo’s upstairs,” Rochelle said. “He’s keeping an eye on the cops—seeing as we don’t know who we can trust right now.”

“Good. Nothing much gets past him.”

“So I hear, though I’d be much more comfortable if I knew exactly what his skill set involved.”