Page 69 of Wicked Rush

“I just asked if you wanted scrambled.”

“I’m just sayin’ like who just whips up quiche for breakfast?”

“I do. You know I like to cook.”

“I can barely boil an egg.”

“Yeah well, I’m awesome.” Lars smiled and went in search of cheese and an onion.

“Hey mister perfect. You make me sick, you know that.”

“Don’t be a hater. I can’t help that I am a catch.” He shrugged, and began whisking the eggs. “Quiche it is. Sounds like big man needs food, right, Sasha?”

The dog whined, sitting up, waiting on a treat. He tossed her a chunk of cheese.

“Speaking of which, big catch that you are…stop changing the subject.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Braelynn. I asked what’s going on with her. I know damn well where and how you met her, but bringing her to Altura? When I saw you guys there,” he sighed, pausing as he opened the large sliding doors to the atrium, “it’s just…I get the part about her being in trouble.”

“She didn’t do this. I don’t know how but Garrett is involved. And before you say anything about Brae, I’m more convinced than ever she was coerced into going to work at Bart-Aqua. That chip she used to retrieve the data?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s spy shit. Above top secret. It’s not available to anyone. There’s no fucking way someone like Braelynn should even know about it, let alone be using it. No, someone gave it to her to use. Government contractors don’t even know about it. At least not most. Only those with access to sensitive compartmented information would know of its existence. But guess who I heard discussing it?” Lars shook his head, and selected a large Chef’s knife from its wooden block. Setting an onion on the counter, he began chopping. “Garrett, that’s who. And Dr. Braelynn Rollins? I told you that I’d looked up her records. She hasn’t worked for Bart-Aqua very long. Nine months. And before that, she’s got a big gap in employment. And you know who is capable of making records disappear? Emerson Industries, that’s who.”

“Why would Garrett be involved in this?”

“I don’t know. When Braelynn comes down this morning, we’re going to find out. Because I’m telling you that he’s involved up to his eyeballs in this fucking mess. And Dr. Rollins? She was forced to become some kind of corporate spy, which to be fair, she doesn’t completely suck at. Somehow she got a job at Bart-Aqua. You know that couldn’t have been easy, which makes me think she has an in somehow. Not sure how. Not sure who.”

“You know I respect you, but Lars, this is all a little out there.”

“Oh, trust me, man,” he pointed the knife into the air and shook it, then resumed cutting, “this is some fucked up shit. And I’m not saying I have all the answers. But I do have that high tech chip. And there’s those documents there,” he glanced to a neatly stacked pile of papers on the kitchen table, “I didn’t get a good look at them all, but Garrett’s name and some of our other friends…their names are splattered all over them.”

“You’re shittin’ me?”

“Oh no I’m not. I wish I was.”

“But why Braelynn? How’s she connected to Garrett? I know Chase has got some marine biologists on staff, but I don’t…”

“He probably knows her. I don’t know. He was just as adamant as Garrett that I stay away from her.”

“Maybe she worked for him?”

“Possibly.”

“I’d like to say I would have known, but honestly, there are a lot of faces I don’t know at Emerson.”

“You’re practically part time,” Lars joked. Seth spent at least half the year vacationing and chasing the next big wave. He’d earned his fortune developing specialized scuba equipment. He’d sold the patent to Emerson Industries, and later developed other types of marine technology that were sold specifically to government agencies.

“True, but I don’t know. I guess she does look a little familiar, but she’s hot, and there’re a lot of hot women in Cali.”

“Not like her,” Lars corrected.

“But wait…if you brought Brae to Altura, wouldn’t you have known if she and Garrett knew each other? I mean if Garrett didn’t say anything to you, that means he would have…”

“Lied.” Lars blew out a breath, gathering the onions and throwing them into the bowl. “I do believe that is the term you are looking for.”