Niall (Vigilance 2)

Arlington gestured toward the others who’d begun to join us by the pool. “Let me introduce you to the rest of the party.”

“This is John Orly.” He indicated a tall, thin man with a constipated expression. He looked older than the pictures I’d seen of him, but he was clearly the same man.

Orly held out his hand to me as if it pained him to do so. I shook with a tight grip, letting him know I wasn’t going to be dismissed.

“So you’re the one who betrayed your family?”

I glared at Orly and took a step toward him. “You should watch your mouth. My uncle was a fool who mismanaged what he had. I’m ready to step in and claim what should have been mine all along.”

Orly sniffed, but Arlington laid a hand on his arm. “There will be time for more serious questions later. We’re here to enjoy ourselves.”

“I think it’s best to be forewarned.”

I looked pointedly at the blond woman standing behind him, head bowed. “I assume this is your companion for the weekend.”

He turned to her. “Heidi, say hello to Mr. Ricci.”

She looked up slightly but didn’t meet my eyes. “Hello, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay here.” Her voice was robotic, making me think he had her drugged. I wanted to challenge him right there. Having to play these damn games sucked.

“I’m Arthur Walsh.” A gray-haired man held out his hand. When I accepted it, he shook it enthusiastically. Walsh looked to be in his midfifties. He was several inches shorter than me and considerably rounder. He had an easygoing air that made me wonder what the hell he was doing mixed up with these assholes. His name hadn’t come up in our research.

“Dalton,” Walsh called. A man who looked frighteningly young rose from where he’d been dipping his toes in the pool. He was short and lithe with curly hair and delicate bone structure. He gave a genuine smile as he held out his hand to me.

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Likewise,” I responded.

A servant stepped onto the veranda, interrupting the introductions. “Mr. Walsh, sir. There’s a phone call for you.”

“Who is it? I’m busy.”

“It’s Alexander.”

Walsh frowned. “Who?”

“He says he’s your accountant sir.”

“Oh… oh right. Indeed he is. I guess I’d better go see what he wants.”

Was he drunk and just not showing it or actually that forgetful? Either way if the man couldn’t even remember the name of his own accountant, he wasn’t much of a threat.

Walsh hurried off holding hands with Dalton, and Arlington introduced the last member of the party. I knew immediately he was Luther Compton. He was classically handsome with dark hair and hazel eyes, but my instincts confirmed the intel we’d received that said he was the most dangerous of the group. He offered his hand congenially, but I could tell he was putting on an act. At least Orly’s hostility had been obvious.

“I’m so glad you’re considering becoming part of our venture,” Compton said.

“It’s certainly intriguing, and this island…” I glanced around and smiled.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? Though not as beautiful as your companion.” He turned to Niall and raked his gaze up and down. I barely resisted the urge to block Niall from view.

He held out a hand, and Niall shook it tentatively. “Thank you, sir.”

“I only give compliments when they are well deserved.”

Niall blushed prettily, but I’d bet it was anger reddening his face. I could see the tension in his jaw. He must be getting the same sense I was. We needed to watch Compton closely.

Introductions complete, I turned to Arlington. “As lovely as the island is and as eager as I am to explore more of it, I’d like to hear more about this investment opportunity.”

“Business before pleasure?” Compton asked. His voice was smooth, and he had a smile on his face, but something about his tone would have matched better with a sneer.

“That’s my philosophy. I’ll enjoy this trip to paradise more if we get the business over with first.”

“Well…” Arlington said. “We can certainly answer some of your questions, but we’ll all need more time together to determine if you’re the right fit for our group.”

“Of course, and I will need time to consider my options, but let’s get that process started.”

“All right then, come this way. We’ll give you some initial information to mull over before dinner.”

“I assume the rest of your companions have gone to freshen up?”

Compton glanced toward the main building. “I sent Malachi to make sure our suite was as I like it and to prepare himself for the evening.”

Arlington grinned. “Lavender and Tiberius were exhausted. They begged me to allow them to nap, though knowing those two, chances are they’re in bed but not sleeping.”

I turned to Niall. “Why don’t you go freshen up for dinner. I’ll let you know when we’re ready.”