Unauthorized

Chapter 12: Complications

Knowing that Zoë had stolen or diverted the container didn't prepare Andrés to hear Hayes announce the woman's name. Of course, it was just as he'd set aside the annoyance of Aguilar's call and mastered ignoring her bouncing away in her chair to the beat of whatever was playing in her headphones.

Shit, she was only supposed to find the container, not Zoë. He'd underestimated her initiative. Hayes knowing made her a witness, someone who could speak to motive should he be forced to take more extreme measures. That limited his options for dealing with both her and Imogen.

The hacker leaned back and opened a new window on the screen, pulling up blurry surveillance images of the London Dockmaster standing next to a container. As each one flickered to life another brick was cemented into the wall closing him away from easier options.

The container bore the Surefire Industries logo and a cargo number painted on the side matching that of the missing one. The woman on screen was handing documents and cash to a man in a sailor's cap, and Hayes watched him with a neutral expression. "Does she look familiar?"

Andrés stalked over and glared at the monitors. The shots were grainy and corrupted, but there was Zoë, directly involved in fucking up his business. He couldn't deny it now; asking where Hayes had heard of the woman made it obvious he knew of her. Backing out now would only put Hayes on edge all over again. "She does. London Dockmaster. Shit." He propped his chin on his fist and looked at the floor, trying to think his way through the snarl.

Although Zoë had practically promised to do exactly this, he couldn't believe she would be so stupid. Her hot-headedness had probably inspired it and her pride had driven her to make it personal. He should have guessed. It was part of his job to predict the actions of his opponent. You're getting arrogant, Marin. Having all the pieces doesn't mean others can't find a way to play.

Even more annoying was the fact that stupidity saved her life. Her demand for cash and allying herself with Imogen made her a threat. Threats were eliminated. An underling he could have handled, sending a forceful message and avoiding paying out two million pounds. Zoë herself was publicly tied to him and harming or killing her would implicate himself.

Irritated, Andrés scanned the rest of the evidence Hayes had uncovered. Thorough, as usual, and her initiative suggested she would make an excellent employee, even if it was an inconvenience now. He just needed to figure out how to ease her into the business when she'd already expressed concerns.

Then there was the other side of the picture. Aguilar had ranted at length about the amount of bullshit he was being asked to put up with from Zoë, Bruno, and Imogen as he arranged the first of the deals for IQ Security's use of the containers. The call that had interrupted Andrés's first kiss with Hayes had been in a tone that suggested Aguilar was one step below his breaking point.

Given that Zoë's attitude had boiled Andrés's own cool temper, he wasn't inclined to punish his number three for the outburst. Something had to give and it would have to be his opponents.

The catch was that he needed Hayes on board.

Baby steps, he reminded himself. He couldn't placate Aguilar today, but he could take the evidence Hayes had gathered and have Zoë arrested or forced to step down as London Dockmaster. If this had been done before Imogen's threat then nothing in the container was illegal, only sensitive and highly regulated, so Zoë would gain nothing by blabbing to the police.

She might still do it out of spite. Imogen owns the cops but they can't afford to be too publically corrupt. Andrés glanced at Hayes, wondering whether he'd made an ally of her yet. A complaint against Zoë would be more legitimate coming from an independent source, not one connected to him or his company. If he could convince her to turn in the information, Hayes would be tied a little bit more closely to both himself and Surefire while nullifying Zoë.