Caleb

Chapter Thirty Five

Caleb ~

A few hours later the beeping of watch alarms started sounding from all over Lainey's room as each one of Caleb's teammates slowly started to rouse.

Lainey was sound asleep on Caleb's chest with his hand resting on her neck, but she slowly rolled her head and shifted her weight as the sounding alarms pulled her from sleep.

Everyone in Lainey's room was stretching and groaning, becoming more awake and aware with every movement of their tired bodies when Declan came through the door, fully dressed and showered.

"Camila and Ricardo just woke up and are getting showered and dressed. If we are going to discuss last night with Lainey, now's the time." Declan said firmly.

Declan's words jolted everyone awake and Lainey took a seat in one of her oversized chairs with her legs criss-crossed, eagerly waiting to hear what the hell was going on.

"Did you guys figure out who tampered with my meds?" Lainey asked directly, getting straight to the point.

Taking his phone from his pocket, Declan handed it to Caleb with a picture of Juan shown prominently on the screen. Caleb leaned over the top of Lainey, holding the phone in front of her so she could get a closer look at the picture. 

"When we were at dinner the night before last, you left your purse at the table. This man disappeared with it then replaced it minutes later. He's the only person who had access." Caleb said.

"Juan? But why? He and I are friends. We've been working together closely on this new online banking initiative. I don't understand. What does he have to gain from hurting me?"

Lainey's face was pinched in confusion and she searched the faces of every team member hoping someone had an answer.

"James told us he works closely with Manny...do you think that Manny could have given him the order?" Declan said, not bothering to tiptoe around Lainey's feelings.

"No, Manny is like family. He would never." Lainey scoffed at Declan's suggestion.

Declan and the rest of the team weren't convinced and it was obvious.

"Tell them James. Manny would never do such a thing. He's like a second father to me." Lainey with her voice slightly less confident than before.

James sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Lainey I...There's something I need to tell you." James said, with pain in his voice.

Instead of responding verbally, Lainey simply straightened herself in her chair and squared her shoulders at James, bracing herself for whatever he was going to say next.

"Everyone in this room knows that I haven't led the cleanest life." James started.

Caleb and the rest of the team were aware of James' checkered past. In his early teens and twenties James had been involved with some pretty shady characters. Underground fighting seemed to be James' crime of choice and he made a ton of money doing it. He had been arrested a few times and had one or two drug related charges, earning him the title of the black sheep of the family. It actually made sense why he and Ricardo's relationship was so strained. Ricardo was a beacon of truth and justice and his son had been a criminal. According to Lainey, It wasn't until James quit fighting and started running a legitimate business that Ricardo even acknowledged him as part of the family.

"But once I got my act together, about a year before you started working for dad - Manny approached me about a business proposition."

Lainey's eyes narrowed at James and Caleb could see the fear and anger slowly filling her veins.