Free Reclaim Me by Ann Marie Walker, Amy K. Rogers Page A

anyone.
    Jim cleared his throat. “I think what Ivan is trying to so eloquently say”—he cut his eyes at his military counterpart—“is that you need to level with us. We can’t operate at top form without all the necessary information.”
    Hudson ran a hand back through his hair. Jim had a point. They couldn’t be expected to deliver results without reading the fine print. “What do you need?”
    “It would be helpful to know the nature of the blackmail as well as the extent of your relationship with Miss Sinclair.”
    Hudson joined them at the table. “Alessandra and I have been involved since shortly before Christmas. One of Julian’s demands was that she end our relationship, which he and the press believe she did last night. He’s made it clear he intends to use her status in the US to catapult himself to the equivalent of American royalty. He wants . . .” What’s mine. “My shares of Ingram Media as well.”
    The three operatives listened as Hudson outlined the details of Julian’s plan. No notes were taken, no paper trail created, but he knew they were absorbing and analyzing every detail. When he was finished, it was Jim who spoke first.
    “What concessions are you willing to make?” he asked.
    “Such as?”
    Ivan piped up. “Keeping your distance from Miss Sinclair, restricting your . . . activities together. Perhaps even leaving the city.”
    “Our
activities
are none of your business. And while I’m equipped to work anywhere in the world, Julian’s plan hinges on Miss Sinclair’s ability to convince me to part with my shares of Ingram. Even if it didn’t, there’s no way I would leave town. I’ll jump through the necessary hoops to convince Julian that Allie is following his directives, but the only way I’m staying one hundred percent away from her”—Hudson leveled his stare on Ivan—“is if I’m dead.”
    Jim’s voice was solemn when he spoke. “Mr. Chase, if you don’t do as we advise, that could be a distinct possibility.”
    “And if this Laurent character is as crazy he sounds, he already has your plots picked out,” Ivan added.
    Max cut Ivan a look.
    “What?” Ivan said in return. “You know as well as I do what people are capable of. Hell, look at what this guy has already done.”
    “Nonetheless,” Hudson said, “Julian is expecting me to pursue her. A certain amount of interaction will assure him things are progressing as planned.”
    “Which brings us back to the question of leverage,” Jim said.
    When Hudson hesitated, Ivan spoke up. “We’re all in this line of work because we don’t always play nice with authority,” he said. “But discretion and confidentiality are nonnegotiable. We wouldn’t last long otherwise. When you get our bill, you’ll see our services come at a very high price. Might as well get your money’s worth.”
    Hudson let out a resigned breath. “Julian is in possession of a surveillance video that could prove harmful to people Miss Sinclair cares about.” That’s all he said, and in his opinion that was all they needed to know. Aside from Allie and himself, Max was the only person who knew what was on that video, and Hudson intended to keep it that way.
    “So you’re looking for something to hold over his head,” Jessica said. It was more statement than question. “A trade of sorts.”
    “Video can be forged and manipulated,” Jim said. “Which is why copies can be easily discredited. The original footage is your primary concern.”
    “Max is handling that aspect of the investigation. Your objective is to locate evidence that connects Julian to the deaths of Richard and Victoria Sinclair. I need proof he was the executioner, and I need it before the police.”
    “Understood,” the three of them said as one.
    “Max.” Hudson nodded to his right-hand man.
    “These envelopes contain copies of the crime scene photos and police reports, along with the statements taken from Miss Sinclair, the housekeeper, and