He didn’t think so. “He didn’t seem like the type of guy to resort to something so...unprofessional.” Or like an an out-and-out criminal. “People who run in my father’s circles, those who have a criminal bent, tend to be a lot more obscure. They live in shades of gray. Whoever went after my car was pretty clear with his message.”
“So call this Tanner guy,” Marie said again.
He intended to. Just as soon as he heard back from the Denver police that the man had checked out. He’d pretty much intended to anyway, just to keep the guy close. “Could you check him out for me, too?” he asked Gabi. “You have access to background information.”
“No more than the police do, but I’ll double-check him for you. And ask if anyone has ever heard of him.”
“I’m going to pay you for this,” he said now.
“We’ll work something out...”
“No.” He looked at the two of them. “I’m tired of being given preferential treatment, having favors done for me, being coddled. I will not relent on this. I want to hire you, Gabi. Right now you two are the only people in the world I trust.” He fixed his gaze on Gabi. “I’m going to be relying on you to give this as muc
h priority as you’d give any other personal, paying client.” Which he knew to be a lot.
Her look reminded him of the one she’d had in college when he’d confess his sins because he knew she’d give him the disdain he deserved. But he didn’t feel like that college student now. He wasn’t doing anything wrong.
To the contrary, for the first time in his life, Liam felt as though he was in control. Relying on himself to handle what he could on his own and paying for his own professionals to handle the rest.
“Fine.” Gabriele’s unsmiling expression was a bit off. Almost as though he’d hurt her feelings. Which was inane. But the feeling remained. Along with a sense that he needed to tend to it somehow. Later.
He’d been about to excuse himself to his apartment. To delve into his own financial files—looking at specific accounts this time—from the list Gabrielle had just given him. The list that was taken straight from the statement of alleged charges the FBI had compiled against his father. His ringing phone forestalled him.
It was the Denver police.
Heart pounding, his friends watching him with concerned gazes, he took the call. And heard that Elliott Tanner was exactly who he said he was. A professional private protector. He had no record. He was licensed and bonded with fingerprints on file with a national database.
At Marie’s urging, Liam called the man.
And before he went home that night had his own personal bodyguard.
In less than a month, his entire world had fallen apart, started over and changed again. He’d been disowned, thrown out of his home, found out his father wasn’t at all the strong, honest man he’d thought him to be, and he’d suddenly developed some uncomfortable sensitivities where Gabrielle was concerned.
The last bothered him most of all.
“If you have trouble sleeping, give us a call,” Marie said when the old elevator bumped to a stop on the girls’ floor before continuing on up to Liam’s.
He nodded. But knew he wouldn’t. He didn’t trust himself around Gabrielle any more that day.
And he didn’t want either one of the girls figuring out how far he was off his rocker. At least not until he was back on again. And then they could all three laugh about the time he’d thought he was attracted to Gabrielle.
* * *
LIAM WAS ONLY being considered a potential witness at the moment, so Gabrielle’s investigative rights were somewhat limited. She’d hoped that his father’s attorney, George Costas, would offer her some professional courtesy, but hadn’t counted on the fact. Not after the way the man had thrown Liam out of the office without even listening to what Liam had to say.
She’d left word with the FBI, requesting full access to evidence supporting the accusations against Walter Connelly, but figured her chances of being granted the right to study the evidence were less than winning the lottery.
And she didn’t play the lottery.
She’d hoped to be able to talk to a few of the people Liam had worked with at Connelly, but had been denied access to any of them.
She could follow his father’s case. And had put herself down as Liam’s attorney of record with the FBI, requiring them to contact her before approaching Liam.
She needed to do more.
Why she felt so pushed, she wasn’t sure. She gave complete focus to all of her clients when she was working on their cases, but Liam was different. And not just because he was a friend. She’d barely slept for thinking about him. For...feeling his pain. In ways she’d never felt for him before.
Which was completely...off.