“More?” Henry asked with raised brows. “How much bloody more can there be?”
Ryder pointed to the screen that was collecting the data on MI5 agents on Dreagan. “As soon as MI5 arrived, I began gathering every bit of information from the humans possible. It’s recorded and filed away to be sorted out as needed.”
“Smart,” Henry admitted.
Con gave a nod. “Always thinking ahead.”
“My instincts told me I was missing something.” Ryder motioned to Kinsey. “She wanted to see the pictures of all the agents. That’s when we came across a woman with an MI5 ID stating she was Phillipa Carlisle,” he said and put up the picture of Esther.
For long minutes Henry didn’t say anything as he stared at his sister’s picture. Finally, he said, “I’d recognize her anywhere under any disguise, but this is very good.”
“I think it’s time we talk to her,” Con said.
Henry faced Con. “No. It’s time I talk to her.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Kinsey watched Henry’s face become as stoic as she’d seen Con’s. It was eerie how they could appear so indifferent with a flip of a switch.
Where the hell was her switch? Because she was still heated from Ryder’s touch earlier. Damn her traitorous body.
“Where is Esther?” Con asked Ryder.
While Ryder looked over the data that logged in every visitor, Kinsey studied the four monitors that had six camera feeds on each screen.
Ryder let out a sound as he typed something. “She didna log in under the same name as before, but I picked up her fingerprints.”
Kinsey was impressed. Fingerprint scan as well? When had Ryder done that? And how?
Her need to continue to learn and grow her skills made her itch to have him teach her. In their year together, Ryder had taught her so much, which helped to make her one of the best in the business.
At one time Kinsey actually thought she was catching up with him. She nearly snorted aloud at the thought. Ryder far surpassed everyone. If she were an immortal dragon, then she would probably be just as good.
Henry said, “Is she alone?”
It took but a moment for Ryder to answer, “Aye. She’s walking around the store inspecting the outside.”
“I’ll go to her.”
Con put out a hand to halt Henry. “She’s your sister, so I agree you should talk to her. However, if you want her brought—quietly—then you better let one of us do it.”
“Agreed,” Henry responded immediately.
Con’s black gaze swung to Ryder. “Let’s go.”
Kinsey released a breath when Con and Henry walked from the computer room. She needed some time alone to compose herself after she’d nearly given in to the urge to kiss Ryder.
What was wrong with her? What happened to that talk she gave herself earlier where she would stand like an oak against Ryder’s pull?
“I was a freaking twig,” she murmured.
“I’m sorry?”
Kinsey wondered what she had to do for karma to side with her instead of against her. She turned her head to Ryder and said, “Just talking to myself.”
Ryder pushed his chair back and got to his feet. “You coming?”
“Uh…” What did she say? She was curious, but this had nothing to do with her. “I think the less people standing around Esther the better.”
“Kins. Come on.”
It was pointless to argue with Ryder when he had that stern look in his eye. She jumped up and hurried to catch him. They were several steps behind Henry and Con.
“Why?” Kinsey asked. “Is it because you think I’ll find something on your computers?”
“No.”
Well. That stung. She was certainly good enough to hack through any firewall or protection Ryder put in place.
“The only one who can allow you access is me,” he said.
He didn’t trust her then. Not that she blamed him after how she came to be at Dreagan. She wouldn’t trust her either. “Then you want to see if Esther recognizes me.”
“No.”
Now Kinsey was out of ideas.
“Ulrik is smart enough to make sure that none of his people know each other so they can no’ compromise him or his objective,” Ryder explained.
Kinsey gave him a quick look out of the corner of her eyes. “You sound like you admire him.”
“I appreciate the time it took to put this plan in place. I also value his thinking in setting it all up. I respect his skills in battle.”
“Battle?” she repeated. “We’re not in battle yet.”
Ryder looked at her as they reached the bottom of the stairs and turned right. “We’ve been in battle with Ulrik since the moment he was banished from Dreagan. It’s taken some of the other Kings longer to realize that.”
“Did you no’ tell them?” she asked, her curiosity growing in spite of her inner voice warning her not to dig too deep. She was in a perilous situation with only an ex-boyfriend who promised to keep her safe.
Ryder shot her a half-smile. “I did.”
In other words, no one believed him. Or rather, Con hadn’t believed him. Kinsey stared at the back of Con’s blond head. He might be almost as gorgeous as Ryder, but there was a coldheartedness about him that made her want to keep her distance.