Mind Game (GhostWalkers #2)(90)
Author: Christine Feehan

Nicolas ruffled her hair and went back to the desk. “We brought some photographs out of Louise Charter’s home early this morning.” He held them up. “Has everyone gone through them?”

“Not me.” Dahlia put out her hand.

Kaden passed her the glossy snapshots. “There are a lot of pictures of Martin Howard.”

“Did Lily have any information on him?” Dahlia asked.

“Martin’s a good friend of mine,” Max interrupted. “He’s a decorated officer in the Green Berets and someone I’ve always been able to count on. He’s a good man, and has served his country since he was eighteen years old.” There was a hard edge to his voice.

Nicolas pinned him with a cold, flat gaze. “No one wants to look at friends, Maxwell. If you can’t do this, we’ll understand.” His voice held no inflection, but Dahlia winced at the clear reprimand. Max bit back a curse and paced across the room to the window.

“Lily found a few interesting things,” Nicolas continued. “Martin Howard isn’t the name he was born with, and Louise Charter isn’t having an affair with him. Apparently, Martin was born into a small-time Mafia family right here in Detroit. His name is actually Stefan Martinelli, and Louise is his mother’s cousin. When his parents were killed in an automobile accident Louise and her husband took in him and his four brothers and helped raise them.”

“Which explains why he’s always around her house and in so many photos,” Max said, folding his arms across his chest.

“Yeah,” Nicolas agreed. “To make a long story short, Martin changed his, and his four brothers’, last name in an effort to keep them away from the kinds of activities his parents had been involved in. They lived in Maryland near Louise and Geoffrey Charter until they all graduated from college. There were some minor incidents with the law, but Geoffrey got them through it.”

Max leaned against the wall. “So he was born into an Italian family with ties to the Mafia, but apparently he did everything possible to keep himself and his brothers out of that kind of life.”

Kaden flicked Max a quick glance. “It does sound that way, doesn’t it? What else did Lily find, Nico?”

“All the brothers went into the service. Martin led the way, and the rest followed. Most of them went to college and then joined. Martin joined and went to school while he served. He provided for the others along with the Charters.” Nicolas looked up at Max.

“I know he’s been in a couple of fights,” Max said. “Haven’t we all?”

“Did you know his brother Roman has been in and out of the brig a dozen times and has been busted several times down from his rank as an officer? He’s been a troublemaker both in and out of the service.”

“We all have relatives,” Max said.

“Not all,” Dahlia objected.

“Ma cher.” Gator pressed his hand to his heart. “There you go again. Denying our relationship.”

Dahlia smiled and blew him a kiss.

Nicolas’s black gaze settled on Gator’s face. Gator just winked at him, flashing his bad boy grin.

“Quit baiting the tiger,” Kaden advised.

“Alligators eat tigers for breakfast,” Gator bragged, his white teeth bared as he leaned his hip lazily against the wall near the door.

The knife came out of nowhere, flying so fast it was a blur through the air, driving into the wall and taking the ends of Gator’s shiny black hair with it.

Laughter erupted while Dahlia stared in horror at the blade buried nearly to the hilt in the wall. She hadn’t felt the slightest surge of energy, violent or otherwise. Nicolas looked innocently at her. Gator shrugged his wide shoulders, the grin still in place as if someone throwing a knife at him was commonplace.

“You all are nuts,” she declared. “That wasn’t funny.”

“Actually, ’tite soeur, it was,” Gator said and pulled the knife free. He sauntered over to Nicolas and handed him the weapon, handle first. “I’d fight over you anytime, little sister, and if your man wouldn’t, he’s not much of a man.”

Dahlia frowned at them. “It’s a wonder any of you are still alive.” She began flipping through the photos. “By the way, just for the record, when I go into the building tonight, I don’t want anyone around. You all worry too much about me, especially Nicolas, and I can’t afford a backlash of energy. All of you will have to just stay put.”

Nicolas raised his eyebrow, his tough features completely expressionless.

“That’s a big negative,” Sam said.

“I don’t think so,” Kaden objected simultaneously.

Gator just laughed. “Oh, ma cher, your sense of humor is growing being around us all.” The smile widened. “Or are you just trying to give Nico heart failure?”

She ignored him and looked at Max. “They seemed to forget I’ve managed all these years without them.”

“What exactly are you planning on doing, Dahlia?” Max asked.

There was a sudden silence. They all looked at her. “Well, gee, Max, I don’t know. Something to do with my job. You know, that highly classified job we both share.”

“I don’t see Jesse here giving you orders.”

“No you don’t, do you, because he’s laid up in a hospital somewhere and I’m going to find out who put him there.” Dahlia’s black eyes flashed, glittering like hard gems. “They killed Milly and Bernadette, Max. And I’m finishing my job.”

“Did you talk to the admiral?”

“I don’t have to talk to the admiral to finish my job.”

Max shook his head and looked over at Nicolas. “And you’re fine with this?”

Before Nicolas could reply, Dahlia glared daggers at Max. “He has nothing to do with it. He doesn’t work for the NCIS, I do. He isn’t my boss. Just back off trying to be intimidating, because it irritates the hell out of me.” And it did. Her temper was rising in direct proportion to the testosterone levels in the room.

Nicolas was happy to see the real Dahlia back in fighting form. She didn’t lie down for anyone. Not that she was going anywhere as dangerous as Lombard Inc. without the GhostWalkers to protect her, but what was the use in arguing with her? He wasn’t going to change, and neither was she. It was good practice for the men to have to guard their emotions carefully in the field. He met Maxwell’s eyes. The man subsided immediately with a small nod of understanding.