Stanton Bliss(16)

“Are you still enjoying the special forces?” I lean back and swivel my chair as I hold my pen in my hand.

He shrugs. “Its what I do.”

“And the constant deployments?”

“They get to you after a while. It f*cks up my personal life pretty bad.” He shrugs again. “But I’m used to it.”

“I have a business proposal.”

He shakes his head and holds up his hands. “No, thanks. I am not working for you.”

I run my tongue over my top teeth. Brock still has the ability to piss me off easily. No doubt he always will.

“I don’t want you to work for me,” I respond.

His eyes hold mine.

“How would you like to own your own private investigation company?”

He looks at me, his face serious. “I’m listening.”

“One that worked for people like me to…” I hesitate, how do I word this? “… seek out the scum.”

I stand and walk over to the window.

Brock screws up his face. “Oh, f*ck off. You have been watching too much damn television. Private investigation company? What is this, CSI? Give me a break.”

I turn to face him. “These businesses are flourishing, Brock. It’s where I got Ben in the first place. An agency just like this.”

He folds his arms in front of him and, despite his protests, I know I have piqued his interest.

“So, it works like this: you have security personal working for you. Ex special forces… Ex-police, Marines, Army, Navy – Men and women who know what they are doing. Clients can hire bodyguards from you or you can take personal jobs on for a fee. I will fully bankroll the business and it will be yours to do with as you please.”

He sits back in his chair. “Not interested,” he replies flatly.

“You will hear me out, at least,” I snap.

He rolls his eyes and blows out a deep breath. “Whatever. Go on.”

“I will bankroll it.”

“How much is bankroll?”

“All expenses, plus your current salary… quadrupled.”

“Oh, please. You would really do all of this to keep your wife’s brother in the states? This is ludicrous.”

I lift my chin in annoyance. Are we going to fight about this? “It’s not in the states. I want it run out of Australia.”

He narrows his eyes. “Why Australia?”

“I have your first job all lined up. I will be your first client.”

He sits back in his chair. “What is it?”

“Track and find Coby Allender’s accomplice and hand him into the police.”

He stares at me.

“Natasha is not setting one foot on Australian soil with those sick f*cks interested in her, and I know it’s only going to be a matter of time before she wants to go home to see her mother.”

“How would I find him?”

I shrug. “You’re the special forces, you tell me. If you can’t, hire someone who can.”

He shakes his head.

“They are murdering innocent women for fun. I can’t live with myself knowing I could have done something to stop it or helped in some way.”

“Why don’t you find them yourself?” He sneers.

I screw up my face. “I’m not taking Natasha to Australia to be the bait, and I know computers, not how to track criminals. I know nothing about this twisted shit.”

He narrows his eyes, obviously deep in thought.

I hold up my hands. “Don’t give me an answer now. Think about if for a few days. I have spoken to Ben and he is prepared to help you get started. He knows what he is doing, this is his field.”

“Will Ben work for me?” he asks, for the first time I see a genuine spark of interest from him.

“Not if I can help it,” I reply honestly. “I want Ben with me.”

“I think Ben wants out of here.”

My eyes hold his. The thought had crossed my mind. He mentioned going back to South Africa yesterday. “He is just adjusting to things. He will get over it.”

He raises his eyebrows in a we-will-see gesture.

“How many staff would I hire?”

I shrug. “Probably start with five men. I have contacts and can get you bodyguard gigs straight away, but I’m sure once word gets out, private jobs will start rolling in.”

“And it would be completely my business?”

I nod. “I want nothing to do with it. Adrian will deal with the finance and that is as far as I want to know. You can sell it down the track if you want and go back to your present job. I don’t give a shit. I want Allender found now. That is my priority.”

He raises a brow and stands to shake my hand. “I will have a think and let you know.”

Natasha

“Table for four,” Joshua asks the waiter at the restaurant.

The kind looking man gestures to a table in the corner. “This way, please.”

Joshua puts his hand in mine and we walk to our seats in the cosy corner. We are meeting his parents for lunch, and quite frankly, I would rather have a tooth pulled out.

“Would you like any drinks?” The waiter asks as he pulls out my chair.

Joshua gestures to me and I narrow my eyes as I think. “Can I have a bottle of Sav Blanc, please?”