“I visited her a few days ago.” Russell didn’t take his eyes off of the woman. “Related to my brother’s disappearance fifteen years ago. Rodrick attended the same party as Melissa and wasn’t seen again. I hoped she would have some memory about that night that could help me. But unfortunately, she didn’t.”
Ashiya turned back to Melissa. Relief was short-lived as the blood drained from Melissa’s face. Nobody looked that guilty when simply trying to help someone find their long-lost relative. Did she and Russell have something going on?
“Is that true, Melissa?” Levi asked.
Melissa nodded and pushed her hair behind her ears. “It is. I wish I could remember more. It was just such a long time ago.”
Levi turned to Russell. “Melissa is my administrative assistant. I couldn’t get through a day without her. I trust her completely and can vouch for her.”
Russell’s intense stare remained on Melissa for another second, before his gaze softened and he smiled a charming smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s good to know. I’d hate for your star employee to turn out to be a liar.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“DO YOU REALLY only know her through the case?”
Russell glanced over at Ashiya as they took the elevator down to the first floor. They’d completed the tour of the offices. Done the shaking of hands and introductions. Everyone there seemed happy to be working for the Legacy Group and nervous but excited about Ashiya taking over where her grandmother left off. He hadn’t gotten any weird vibes from anyone, but that didn’t mean a thing. Someone was slowly taking money off the top, and they had to figure out exactly who was behind it.
Ashiya peeked at him from the corner of her eye. Her voice was nonchalant when she’d asked the question, but the way she bit the corner of her lower lip and tugged on her ear gave away her feelings. She was jealous. He pressed his lips together to hold back the stupid smile that wanted to take over his lips.
Damn her, and damn that kiss. Damn him even more for wanting more even though he knew jumping back on for a ride on the Ashiya train was a bad idea. Except he was having a hard time focusing on the bad and just remembering how good they were together.
“Know who?” He intentionally played dumb.
Ashiya crossed her arms over her chest. “Levi’s administrative assistant, Melissa. Is it really through your brother’s case?”
He nodded. “Yes.” He tried to sound unbothered. To not show how this little spark of jealousy in her made him want to back her against the wall, kiss her thoroughly, and remind her that she was the only woman in his thoughts.
She faced him fully then, an expectant look on her face as she stared at him, waiting for more.
He shrugged. “What?”
Ashiya rolled her eyes. “And she doesn’t remember anything?”
“That’s what she said.”
The doors to the elevator opened just as Ashiya turned to Brianna next to her. “What do you know about her?”
Brianna looked up from her phone and followed Ashiya and Russell into the lobby. “Melissa? She’s okay. She’s worked for the Legacy Group for about eight or nine years. She started out as an admin in the finance department and eventually worked her way up to the executive offices. She knows the ins and outs of the company almost as much as Levi.”
Levi’s trust in Melissa wasn’t enough to make Russell feel any better. He couldn’t shake the idea that Melissa was the Melissa his brother mentioned and remembered more about that night than she let on. Without any concrete evidence, there wasn’t much he could do to prove it or make her talk.
“I also asked her about a guy named Bryce Viognier,” Russell said. “He was there that night and might remember something. But she said he’s not reliable.”
Brianna frowned. “That’s not surprising.”
Russell turned to Brianna. “Why do you say that?”
“Because that’s her son’s father. They dated since college but never got married. I think they officially broke up about a year ago. He drinks a lot, and when he’s not drinking, he’s taking his boat up and down the coast. According to her, he’s kind of a bum.”
The drinking part matched what Melissa had told him, but he hadn’t mentioned her relationship with Bryce. “She left out the part about him being her kid’s father.”
Brianna lifted a shoulder as if not surprised. “I mean, they had a tumultuous relationship from what I hear. Now that they’re broken up, I doubt she’d volunteer that information to a stranger.”
“Maybe so,” Russell said. “She told me he’s sailing right now. Otherwise, I would have gone to talk to him.”
Brianna shook her head. “He’s back in town. I saw him at the post office yesterday.”
Russell straightened. “He is?” When Brianna nodded, he glanced at his watch. “Ashiya, you go back with Brianna.”
Ashiya’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“I need to pay Bryce a visit. I want to talk to him about that night and see what he knows.”
She stepped forward. “Then I’ll go with you.”
He shook his head. “There’s no need for that. I can handle this.”
“And I promised you that I’d try to help out where I can. I won’t say anything. I’ll just be there as a second set of eyes and ears. Besides, it’s always better to have someone with you when you do things like this. What if he is drunk or belligerent? You’ll need a witness if things go weird.”
He was about to argue. After what happened between them in the kitchen earlier, he didn’t need to be alone with Ashiya, but her logic made sense. Things had gone well with Melissa, but he hadn’t forgotten the moment when he’d wanted to push for more information but worried she might consider him a threat. He needed to work out his wavering feelings for Ashiya, but if having the chairwoman of one of the town’s biggest companies with him could convince the guy to talk more, then he was willing to use that to his advantage.
“Fine. Brianna, can you get back okay?”
Brianna nodded. “Sure. You two take the car. I’ll call for a ride.”
“Are you sure?” he hated leaving her stranded there.
Brianna let out a chuckle. “I live here and have gotten around without help before. I’ll be fine. You go do what you need to.”
“Thank you.” He turned to Ashiya. “Let’s go.”
Once they were in the car, he began to regret his decision. The delicious smell of her perfume drifted to him, and he was hyperaware of her sitting next to him in the small space. On the ride there, they’d had Brianna to keep both of their minds off what happened that morning in the kitchen. Now there was no one, and the radio station wasn’t helping, playing a throwback of Janet Jackson saying she didn’t want to stop just because people watched. He understood how Janet felt. He’d almost said to hell with Brianna watching and shoved Ashiya’s underwear aside to finish what they started.
He hit one of the preset buttons, and even though he didn’t recognize the rap song on the radio, it was better than what played before. “You did well today. In the board meeting,” he said after a moment of awkward silence.
“Thank you. I remembered your pep talk this morning.”
He could barely remember what he’d said that morning before the kiss. His brain was filled with the memory of her soft lips on his, full breasts on his chest, the way his hand still perfectly cupped her ass.
He cleared his throat and shifted. “I wasn’t expecting that of Levi.”
“Neither was I. But I’m glad he stepped in. Things got better after that. It felt nice to have him step up for me.”
“Don’t get too comfortable with him. Until we figure out the embezzlement, we can’t trust him.”
It would take a little more than Levi speaking up for Ashiya once for Russell to relax toward the guy. Not after seeing the way he’d reacted when Russell f
irst came to town.
“I know, but my gut tells me that it’s not him. I don’t want it to be him.” She said the last part almost wistfully.
“Why not?”
“It would be nice to have more family. I mean, I love India, Byron and Elaina, but I’ve never gotten to spend time with my dad’s side. If my grandmother wanted to bring me back into the fold, that has to mean something. Maybe there is hope for reconciliation.”
The optimism in her voice touched a part of him. A memory of one late-night confession came to mind. The two of them a tangle of arms and legs in the bed. Her head on his chest. She’d run her fingernails through the hair on his chest while he’d trailed his hands up and down her back.
“I’ve spent so much of my life trying not to compete with my cousins that I had to also keep a buffer between us. I thought I could be closer to India, but even she disappeared for years without a look back. They were the closest thing I had to siblings, but it was still kind of lonely.”
The loneliness in her voice that night had sounded so similar to the loneliness he’d lived with for years. “After Rodrick...disappeared, I didn’t have anyone to talk to. Sure, there was Isaac, but it wasn’t the same as having my brother.”
She’d shifted in the bed and looked up at him. “I’m so sorry, Russell.”
“So am I.” He’d brushed a finger across her lower lip. “You don’t have to feel lonely anymore. Whenever you need to talk. Call me.”
Her smile had sent such a rush of emotion through him, he’d known he was in love. He’d lowered his head and kissed her. The memory also stirred up the emotions from that night. The feeling that he’d found her. The person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The person he wanted to love and protect forever.
He reached over and placed his hand on hers. “I hope things work out with you and your cousin.”
Ashiya sucked in a breath. She placed her other hand on his. Reality rushed back. He pulled his hand free. He was falling again. Fast and hard. What was worse, he didn’t want to stop the descent.
Ashiya rubbed her hands on her lap. The nervous gesture made the edge of her navy dress rise a few centimeters up her thighs. “So, Melissa really didn’t tell you that Bryce was her ex?”
Russell jerked his gaze away from her amazing legs and focused on the road. “No, she didn’t.”
“I guess she doesn’t have anything to do with the case, but it still seems odd.”
“A lot of things about that conversation seem odd. I know Levi trusts her, but I don’t. I think she knows something, and I need to find out what.”
“Then we’ll find out. Together.”
Their eyes met. Something squeezed in the vicinity of his heart. The side of her mouth lifted with a small, confident smile before she turned away to look out the window. Russell gripped the wheel and listened as the rap song went off and switched to a song about second chances.
* * *
BRYCE’S BOAT WAS docked at the Safe Landing Marina thirty minutes away along Battery Creek. Russell parked in the marina’s guest parking area and asked in the main office about the location of Bryce’s boat. Ashiya hurried to keep up with Russell’s long, determined strides. Her heart clacked against her rib cage with the same fierceness as her heels along the dock. Her stomach was a tangle of knots and she had to remind herself not to fidget nervously. She knew how much this meant to Russell, and therefore she felt just as invested in learning something.
She took in the rigid set of his wide shoulders. The firm set of his jaw. Both indicated he was just as anxious about what they’d discover. If anything.
Two men stood on the dock next to the boat they’d been directed to. They were both in their mid to late thirties. One had dark blond hair, and the other had long red hair pulled back into a ponytail. The men stopped talking and watched as she and Russell approached.
“Can I help you?” The blond man asked. His voice was curious but not unwelcoming.
“I’m looking for Bryce Viognier.” Russell looked from the man who’d greeted them to the other.
The smile on the blond man’s face stiffened. His shoulders straightened and he faced Russell fully. “I’m him.”
Russell held out his hand. “My name is Russell Gilchrist. I’m looking for information about my brother, Rodrick.”
Bryce glanced down at Russell’s hand but didn’t take it. The smile on his face slowly faded away. He took a long breath before addressing the redhead. “I’ll catch up with you later, Paul.”
Paul raised a thick brow but nodded. “No problem, Bryce. See you later.” He gave Russell and Ashiya a wary look before going back in the direction they’d come.
Bryce motioned with his head toward the boat. “Come on in. Let’s talk.” He turned and stepped up onto the deck.
Russell moved to follow. Ashiya grabbed his arm. He turned to her with a frown. “What?”
“What do you mean, what?” she said in a low voice so Bryce wouldn’t overhear. “We’re not getting on that thing.”
“Why not?”
“Because we don’t know him.” She eyed the boat skeptically. She hadn’t missed the way his welcoming smile disappeared as soon as Russell mentioned his brother. She did not have a good feeling about this.
Russell’s shoulders relaxed. “I get it. That’s why I already texted my parents when we were in the office to let them know I’m here and I told the detective on the case I planned to talk to the people who were at the party that night. Not to mention Brianna knows we were coming. If anything happens, people will know where we were and why.”
“Still.” She eyed the boat. The chances of something happening to them were slim, and there were several people who knew where they were.
He reached over and took her hand. “I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her heart turned into a big ball of melted ice cream. “Fine, but just know I’ve got a pocketknife.” She patted her purse.
Russell’s eyes dropped to her purse, widened, then jumped back up to meet hers. “Why do you have a pocketknife?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
He shook his head. “Then I guess you’ve got my back,” he said with a lopsided smile. “Come on. Let’s go.”
She followed him onto the deck. Bryce was rummaging inside a red cooler. He pulled out a beer and turned toward them with it held out.
“Want one?”
Russell shook his head. “No, I’m driving.”
Bryce held the beer out toward Ashiya. She held up a hand. “No thank you. I’m not really a beer drinker.”
“Suit yourself.” Bryce popped the tab on the beer and took a sip. “So, what did you want to ask me?” he sat on the top of the cooler and pointed towards two chairs next to a small table.
Ashiya made a move for one of the chairs, but Russell spoke before she took a step. “Do you remember my brother from that night?”
Bryce took a longer sip of his beer. “I remember I’ve been asked about your brother every year for the past fourteen or fifteen years.”
“Can you tell me about that night?” Russell asked, sounding calmer than Ashiya would have been, considering Bryce’s blasé tone.
“I can tell you the same thing I’ve told the police. I barely remember your brother,” Bryce said in an unapologetic voice.
Ashiya’s interest spiked. “But you do remember him?”
Bryce’s assessing gaze slid to her. He took a sip of his beer, burped silently, then shrugged. “I met a lot of people. When the detective showed me the picture, he looked familiar. But that’s all I know.”
“Is that all Melissa knows?” Russell asked.
Bryce froze with the can halfway to his mouth. The metal crunched as his grip tightened. Beer oozed out over his hand. “What did she say?”
“That she doesn’t remember my broth
er at all. But I hear that you two were dating back then.”
Bryce grunted. “Melissa never was good at considering the big picture. Always impulsive and always wanted things her own way. I learned that too late.” He grumbled and finished off the beer.
“Did you see my brother with anyone else that night? Was he talking to someone? Did he leave with someone? Anything you can remember could help us find out what happened to him.”
Bryce shook his head and stood. “Look, I’m really sorry about your brother, but I can’t help you.”
“Can’t or won’t?” A note of frustration filled Russell’s voice.
Ashiya stepped closer to Russell and put her hand on his arm. Tension vibrated through him. Imagining the pain and anxiety he must feel made her heart fracture.
Bryce tossed the empty can into a bag tied to the cooler. “I can’t. I can’t tell you what happened to your brother. Spring break is a wild and crazy time. I was drunk during most of it. I’m sorry.” He reached into the cooler and pulled out another can.
Russell’s arm clenched beneath Ashiya’s palm. “You’re sorry. Melissa is sorry. The detective is sorry. Sorry doesn’t help me, and it doesn’t bring back my brother.” Pain made Russell’s voice tight and hard.
Ashiya squeezed his arm, but he turned and stormed off the boat. Ashiya gave Bryce a half smile. “If you remember anything else.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll call you,” Bryce said, sounding weary.
As he cracked open the next can and took a long sip, she turned and left the boat. She had absolutely no confidence that they’d voluntarily hear from Bryce again.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE SOUND OF a beat dropping stopped Russell in his tracks on his way to the kitchen. The music continued and came from the back of the house. He glanced around as if he’d find the answer to the sudden sound of hip-hop music vibrating in the normally quiet house.
Foolish Hearts Page 15