“Sure.” Brigid stood, her gaze flicking to Raider and back. The woman’s green eyes had captivated him from the first second, followed closely by that slight Irish brogue with a hint of Boston in it. The brogue was strong, but the eyes vulnerable. She tried to hide it, but he was a master at figuring people out. What scared her? She was all wrong for him, but the flashes of fear she let slip drew him. If she needed protection, he could provide that. It was his job, after all.

She bit her lip before continuing. “You know we haven’t found any proof that Lassiter is alive, right?” Her voice was tentative and her glance sympathetic as she focused back on Force.

“I’m aware,” Force said dryly. “And if one more of you gives me a copy of Moby-Dick, I’m going to fire you all.”

Well, the guy was searching for a whale that didn’t exist. Lassiter was a serial killer Force had shot and supposedly killed five years ago who maybe, just maybe, was actually alive. Raider thought Force was tilting at windmills, but so long as the guy didn’t get in the way of Raider’s op, he didn’t much care.

Brigid moved silently from the room, and the air somehow grew heavy. Roscoe lifted his head from his bed in the corner, sniffed, and jumped to his feet, following the woman, his tail wagging.

Force stood by the board, his muscled arms crossed, his green eyes shrewd.

Raider studied him. “Why now, Force?” The guy had impeccable timing. “There’s a ticking clock on all that you do.”

Force nodded. “Yeah. The HDD tracked some of Coonan’s money to Thailand, where there are several missing girls.”

Ah, crap. “You think they’re trafficking kids?” Raider grunted.

“Maybe. Gut feeling? Yes. And those kids are somehow being moved right now.” Fury darkened Angus’s gaze.

Raider swallowed. “Then put Brigid on it. Why didn’t you tell her?”

Angus shook his head. “Tell her that her father might be part of a human trafficking ring? Right. For now, you don’t tell her this part of the operation.”

Fair enough. She didn’t need to know that. “Fine.”

Angus’s chin lowered. “What about you? Are you okay with this assignment?”

Raider lifted a shoulder. “Of course.”

A muscle ticked right beneath Force’s jaw. His gaze narrowed, and his hands were steady. Too steady. Had he been dipping into the bottle again?

Raider waited. He’d learned patience at a young age, too young of an age, and he could sit still all day.

Force’s upper lip curved. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Well, that was ambiguous. Raider kept silent and didn’t avert his gaze.