Raider’s eyebrows rose. “It’s quite the coincidence, right? He reengages with you one week after your deadline?”

True. Very true. Angus would have to mull that one over. Did Lassiter have a mole in the HDD or DHS? For now, he had a volatile team to handle. “So.” Guilt ached through him and he fought it, looking for anger but finding none. Had he let everyone down?

Wolfe looked around. “Well, we’re gonna need lattes to figure this out. I’ll make sure those HDD jackasses are gone and go get supplies.”

Angus stiffened. He’d figured Wolfe would at least throw something at him.

Raider nodded. “Yeah. We should secure everything we have, just in case they show back up with SWAT.”

“Good plan,” West said.

Angus couldn’t breathe. They were sticking with him? Rallying around him? “I could be wrong about Lassiter,” he said slowly.

Malcolm shrugged. “Maybe, but the team is good, and we have work to do. If nothing else, there’s a dead woman who needs justice, and you said we took the case last night. We’re with you, Force.”

The moment hit Angus square center. With him. His team. Okay. They trusted him and were willing to continue working with him. It meant something. Hell, it meant everything. They had to get to work and fast. “Wolfe, please get lattes. Nari, head to your meeting and see what you can do.”

The two moved toward the elevator.

Angus zeroed in on the most immediate necessities. “Brigid? Get everything onto USB drives and scrub any personal information about the team. Dana, same thing with your records.” He nodded at Malcolm West and Raider Tanaka. “Wrap up any case files you can and leave the open cases with any notes we’ve compiled.” He gestured to Jethro. “Let’s take a look at this crime scene, while you’re here.” Without waiting for an answer, he skirted the bank of desks and headed back into the case room, nearly overcome by the loyalty of his team.

“Where’s Kat?” Jethro asked Raider before following Angus.

“The kitten is hanging out with Pippa at West’s place,” Raider said.

Angus pulled out a chair at the large conference table and dropped into it, facing the board of death.

Jethro entered the room and drew the nearest chair, whistling at the scene on the board. “I take it that’s our victim from last night?” He glanced at the papers and manila files spread across the table.

Angus nodded. “Yep.”

“No note?” Jethro asked.

“Haven’t found one.” Angus steepled his fingers beneath his chin. There wasn’t a note. The victim wasn’t blond. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that Lassiter was just fucking with him. He pushed papers out of the way to reveal one of the photos that he’d taken on his phone the previous night. “This tattoo was placed on the back of her hand.”