Chapter 1

“What the fuck!”

Wayne had come into the office suite oblivious to anything but disarming the security system, as always. Then he turned and saw the destruction someone had wrought in the reception area. The laptop that should have been on Rachel’s desk now lay on the floor, the screen destroyed. The upholstery on the client chairs had been slashed. The glass covering the pictures on the walls had been shattered, lying in shards on the green carpet.

He headed rapidly to his office. The door was locked. And a damned good thing, too.He pressed his thumb to the pad then pushed down on the handle. The door swung open and he saw everything in the office was as it should be. Taking out his phone he made a call.

“Lou,” he said when it was answered. “Get your ass down here. Someone broke in—No. As far as I can see they trashed the front office is all, but I can’t get into yours…—No, I didn’t check.” He chuckled ruefully and crossed to the door to Lou’s office. It was locked, and could only be unlocked the way his did, but with Lou’s thumbprint. Unlike with his door, however, there were what appeared to be pry marks by the lock. “They didn’t get in. They tried with yours, but not mine—Yeah, maybe we should, but I’ll wait till you get here.”

With a sigh, he hung up and looked around again, running his fingers over his short, dark, sun-streaked hair. At least that’s what he called it, trying to deny the fact that he might be beginning to go gray.

“Were you searching for something,” he wondered aloud. “Or just pissed at us for some reason and decided to make a statement.” There could have been one more reason, but he didn’t want to think about it until all other possibilities had been eliminated.

He asked virtually the same question ten minutes later when his husband—and partner in their protection business—came into the office.

“Since they tried to break into my office I’d say they were looking for something,” Lou replied. “When they realized they couldn’t get in quickly and quietly, they got angry and destructive.”

“Let’s hope.” Wayne looked at his husband. “I for one would rather not bring in anyone else just yet to help figure it out. At least not until we’ve gone over this,” he waved his hand around, “with a fine-toothed comb.”

Lou nodded, going into his office. A few moments later he came back with a fingerprint kit and set to work.

As he did, Wayne booted up his computer to check something. “He found the cameras, and avoided them. All they picked up on was his back, and he was wearing a watchcap, so he was being damned careful.”

Lou swore under his breath.

A while later Lou was shaking his head. “Whoever did this wore gloves, probably latex. Big surprise. Our prints, and Rae’s, have been smudged over.”

“Whatever he was after is in your office, I’d say.”

“Presumably, since he only tested you door handle and didn’t try to break in. Or, he tested both, and decided to start with mine.”

Wayne went to the hallway door, locking it and resetting the alarm before following Lou into his office. Lou put away the kit then sat down at his desk, kicking his feet up on it. He grinned a bit when Wayne shook his head as he settled in the chair opposite him.

“He was pro enough to get past the outer door security, and to spot the cameras, which isn’t easy given the way you set them up.” Lou tapped a finger against his lips. “On the other hand, he hasn’t been here before.”

“How do you figure?”

“If he had, he’d have known we use thumbprint pads to lock and unlock our offices. My bet is he thought that, once he was in the reception area, the rest would be a breeze. Or at least that he could get through our office doors with a lock pick or bypass another security box.”

They both turned when they heard the hall door open. Lou reached for the gun at the small of his back.

“Dad, what the hell happened here?” Rae called out.

“Which ‘dad’ are you asking?” Lou replied when she came to his office door.

“The one I knew would be here. I’d ask why you are, too, but it’s pretty obvious. Any idea who did this?” She stood, arms akimbo, looking between Lou and Wayne, a frown marring the sculptured beauty of her face.

“If we did, do you think we’d be sitting here?” Wayne replied sourly. He smiled a moment later when she came over to kiss his cheek.