"No diseases." Tehya shook her head. "She's just your typical nice girl next door. It seems they're not extinct after all."
Nik couldn't fathom it. He wondered if he had ever known one of those nice, innocent girls and decided he hadn't. He sure as hell hadn't ever known a virgin.
"Why would your typical all-American girl next door want to destroy the reputation of the man who provides jobs to practically her entire family?" Nik asked Tehya as he rubbed at his jaw thoughtfully. "From what Maddix said this afternoon, her brothers, her father, even her damned cousins are working for his company."
"They were working for it," Tehya amended as she crossed her blue jean-clad legs and leaned back in the corner of the couch. "Her father broke his contract with the company the week after Mikayla's accusations against Nelson. The next day her brothers quit, and two days later her cousin pulled out of negotiations on the design contract Maddix was ready to sign. Two other cousins, heavy-equipment operators, quit the next week."
Nik rubbed at his upper lip with a forefinger as he considered that information.
"She was at Eddie Foreman's home this afternoon after I left Maddix's office," he told Tehya. "I drove past the house and saw her leaving."
Tehya nodded as she adjusted the shoulder of her loose white shirt. "She's been questioning a lot of people. Most of them seem to simply tolerate her and her questions. They're torn between believing her and believing Maddix. It doesn't help her cause that Maddix as well as his alibis seem genuinely confused by her accusations. Of course, those involved in a conspiracy always look better when dealing with such things in a gentle manner."
Nik arched his brow at her statement. "I don't think I'd be nearly so patient."
"Of course you would." She grinned. "You'd pull the trigger real slow and easy."
He grunted in amusement before tipping the beer to his lips and considering the information they didn't seem to have.
"What about Maddix Nelson?" he asked.
"According to him, the chief of police, and two council members, they were in an impromptu business meeting at the time of the shooting. Neighbors swear they saw each individual enter Maddix's home and saw him open the door for them. It appears he has nosy neighbors."
"Most neighbors are nosy," Nik mused.
Tehya inclined her head in agreement as Nik tapped a finger against the arm of the chair.
"Interesting," he finally stated. "Your sweet girl next door accusing an upstanding business figure of murder and he has the perfect alibi that places him in his home in a meeting. Does it seem a little pat?"
"A little." Teyha shrugged. "I'll be honest, Nik, I pulled every contact the Ops has in the area and a few we don't. I've covered this from back to front since you received the call from Maddix Nelson through Jordan's personal line. I can't find anything on him, or on the girl. If you accept his request, then you have your work cut out for you. And Jordan sent a warning. You're in this one on your own. The team's being pulled to Dallas on another op and we won't be free to help you."
Hell, he didn't want a damned thing to do with this. He wanted to pack up and fly back to Texas rather than deal with the woman he had seen leaving Gina Foreman's home that day.
He unwillingly remembered that long, thick dark blond hair. Almost because her eyes had caught his attention and immediately held it. Those amethyst eyes that were prettier in person. And evidently the innocence he had glimpsed in that photo went further than skin-deep.
"Jordan needs you to take care of this quickly." Tehya rose to her feet as she stared back at him. "We miss you when you're not with us, Nik."
His lips twisted at the message before he finished his beer and leaned forward to place it on the wood tray that sat on the large padded stool between the couch and chair.
Of course they needed him, Nik thought. Jordan's team was small and specialized; having even one member out during a mission could make it more difficult.
"I'll do my best," Nik promised, though he had a feeling this little favor was going to cost him much more time than he had.
"Look, Nik, maybe you should just walk away from this one," Tehya suggested as she walked to the side of his chair and laid her small hand on his shoulder. "Most of us owe a lot of people a lot of favors that we can never truly repay. This might be one of those cases."
But something inside him clenched at the thought of leaving. Mikayla Martin's image flashed before him, determination notching her small chin.
He stared at the wall across the room rather than the woman who often saw too much. "We'll see."
"Sure you will." She patted his shoulder before moving to the door. "Give me a call if you need anything. And remember, the ladies from Elite Two are leaving town day after tomorrow. If you need their help, they're available until then."
The three women who had once been a part of the European Operation, Elite Ops Two, had been assigned permanently to Jordan when their former commanders had been assigned to another unit. They were now 100 percent American on paper and awaiting their next assignment.
If Nelson came up with the money, Nik mused, then he was stuck here. Nikolai Steele did not work for free, but he owed Maddix, and Nik believed in paying his debts.
Stripping, he stepped into the shower, adjusted the water, and began washing away the grime that hours on the Harley had managed to accumulate on his body.
After leaving Maddix's office, Nik had ridden around, checking out locations and residences of the players involved. That's how he had run into Mikayla Martin as she left Gina Forman's house. As the water beat over his body, Nik opened his eyes to stare down at the heavy erection that hadn't abated since he had gotten his first true glimpse of Mikayla.
He'd never gotten so hard so fast in his life. Especially for a woman he knew he couldn't have.
But then, no one had ever dismissed him as Miss Martin had done. Her expression had at first been interested, admiring, and though Nik wasn't the least bit conceited, he had been irritated when she had turned from him, her expression twisting into a grimace.
It had only made him harder.
She was too tiny. Hell, she couldn't weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet if her life depended on it. But still, she was curvy. Nicely rounded br**sts had pressed against the tailored white blouse she wore, while a flirty spring green skirt had flounced just below her thighs. Matching strappy sandals had complemented her legs, short though they were.