Reckless (Benson Security 1)

“A couple of months, maybe more.”

Dimitri shook his head as Joe cursed.

“Too long,” Dimitri said. “We can’t leave Rudi operating for that long. Claire Donaldson is at risk every minute the guy is walking around free. We’re giving you his records so you can lock him up and keep him away from Claire. That’s non-negotiable.”

“If we lock him up, someone else within the organisation will step in to take his place. We need to take the whole thing down at once or it won’t work. That sort of operation, on that scale, takes time to arrange.”

“Unacceptable.” Dimitri put his hands on his hips to stop from hitting something. “Megan is putting her life at risk to get this information and save her sister and you want to tell her that she’ll have to wait? That Claire will still be at risk for months yet? That’s assuming Rudi doesn’t get wind of your investigation and run. He could hide for years on the money he has stashed. And each minute he’s free is a minute Claire is at risk.”

“You think I don’t understand that?” Tessa took a step towards him. “Twenty years. That’s how long I’ve been working the sex crimes division. I know exactly what kind of risk Abramovich poses to women. I know exactly what he’s done to the women he’s sold. You think I want to leave any of those women in his hold for one minute longer? No, I don’t, but I need to ensure their long-term safety once they’re out of his grasp. To do that, the Abramovich organisation needs to be completely wiped out.” She glared up at him. “You’re thinking about Katrina and Claire. I understand they’re your priority. My priority is the hundreds of nameless women whom no one is hunting for.” She turned to Callum, a blaze of fury. “You can keep the information long enough to find Katrina’s location. Everything else will have to wait. Rudi will be arrested at the same time as the rest of the organisation is hit. I won’t risk those other women to protect Claire Donaldson. Right now she’s safe in the Highlands. Those other women don’t have that luxury.”

There was silence. Callum caught Joe’s eye, then Dimitri’s.

“She’s right,” his boss said. “You know she’s right.”

“Megan is going to lose her mind over this,” Dimitri warned.

“Then I suggest you don’t tell her until you’ve retrieved Rudi’s files,” Tessa said.

“We can protect Claire until Rudi is put away.” Joe didn’t look any more pleased with the situation than Dimitri felt.

“Could be months,” Dimitri reminded him.

“We can do it. I’ll talk to Harry, see if he can cover the costs.” The third partner in Benson Security had made millions developing a security programme for the government. He was also Claire’s cousin.

“I don’t like this,” Dimitri said.

Joe nodded. “What choice do we have? Like the commander said, we can’t protect Claire at the expense of those women.”

No, they couldn’t. “Do we tell Megan?” He looked at Callum.

The man pinched the bridge of his nose. “Not until the meet with Rudi is over. We can’t risk what she might do. She’s a loose cannon as it is.”

To her credit, Tessa didn’t gloat over winning the argument. “Trust me, gentlemen, I want Rudi off the streets as much as you do, probably more. Now tell me what I can do to help.”

Dimitri tuned out Callum’s answer. “I’m going to call Rudi,” he told Joe as he passed him at the door.

“What you going to tell him about having Johnny’s phone?”

“The truth. That the guy was an ass and I’ve got him locked up tight until I sort out this thing with Rudi.”

Joe nodded. He cocked his head towards Tessa and Callum. “You okay with this?”

“Like you said, we don’t have much choice so I guess I have to be.”

“Megan…” Joe didn’t need to say anything else.

“Yeah,” Dimitri agreed.

Megan was seriously going to blow when she found out there was a change in plans. Dimitri just hoped they could all deal with the fallout.

Chapter Seven

Megan walked into the conference room the following morning to find that each place at the table had a gasmask in front of it.

“Just in case.” Ryan beamed at her.

“Funny. Oh so funny.” Megan was beyond mortification. Who knew it was possible? But all it had taken was some dodgy Chinese food, an explosive stomach and a ride across London in a car with her flatmate.