by Trisha Grace
“A friend? Ex-boyfriend?” Didn't they post an engagement notice? And their leaked wedding photos were on magazine covers and newspapers. Why was her ex-boyfriend still sending her cards?
“She doesn't have ex-boyfriends.”
Julian arched a brow.
“You know what that means, right? She waited for you her whole life.” Colin shook his head. “I’m definitely going after her when you guys divorce. I think she could be the one.”
Julian’s gaze dropped to Colin’s phone when it buzzed.
“Jealous?” Colin smirked and picked up the phone, and Julian took a deep breath through his nose, reminding himself that Colin was his best friend and was merely joking.
Colin laughed after a while and turned the phone to him. “It’s my sister.”
“So Hayley hasn't replied?”
“Why don't you text her? Let her know you actually care, which you clearly do.”
Julian sighed.
“Please don’t tell me you don’t even have her number.”
He twisted his lower jaw to the side and turned away.
“And the award for the best husband of the year goes to …” Colin tapped on his phone and slid it across the coffee table.
Chapter Ten
HAYLEY DIDN’T WAIT for Desmond to open the door for her. She didn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop. Once she believed it was safe to do so, Hayley opened the door and jumped out after mumbling a quick goodbye.
Despite the air-conditioning in the car, she was sweating.
“Miss Hayley.”
Hayley turned back to Desmond.
“I’ll wait for you outside the door. You shouldn’t be alone now.”
“You heard.” How could he not? She must have been screaming on the phone. “I don’t want Frank and Paula to suspect something’s wrong.”
“But Miss Hayley—”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you when I’m leaving.”
“Miss Hayley.”
Hayley stepped forward and gave Desmond a hug, and her driver stilled. “Thank you for always being so protective of me. I’ll call you when I’m done.” She stepped back and took a deep breath. Swallowing her tears, she strode up to the Casas’ door. When she raised her hand to the doorbell, she realized how badly she was shaking.
Hayley still couldn't believe her parents hadn't bothered to tell her what happened. They didn't even have to call her; they could have asked their maids to relay the information to her.
Hayley shook her hands out, plastered on a smile, and waited.
“You’re early!” Leanne said as she opened the door.
Hayley let her mask slip at the sight of her best friend.
Frank and Paula hosted the cell group at their place every other Friday. On the alternate Fridays when there wasn’t any cell group, they still opened their house for their members who just wanted to share fellowship.
“Hey.” Hayley glanced over Leanne’s shoulder as she gave her friend a hug. “We need to talk.”
Leanne frowned, but nodded. “We’ll be up in my room!” She cocked her head to the side, and they headed up to Leanne’s old room that Frank and Paula had kept.
Memories flooded Hayley as she stepped into the room that was as much hers as it was Leanne’s. Though her parents’ place was much larger and grander, she still preferred to stay here. And since her parents never really cared much about her, they didn’t mind at all that she was staying over at the Casas so often. To Hayley, this was much more of a home than her parents’ place ever was.
She pulled out the chair from the dresser and sat.
“What’s up?” Leanne sat on the bed and pulled her legs up. “What did Julian do?”
Hayley looked at the photos of Leanne and her stuck along the border of the mirror, along with more framed photos on the dresser. “Ted Shears has escaped.” She’d already been friends with Leanne before Ted took them, but that incident had made them so much closer.
“What?”
Hayley put her index finger over her lips and glanced toward the door. “Frank doesn't need a reason to put him in the hospital again.”
Leanne licked her lips and dropped her feet back to the wooden floorboards. “How did you know?” Her voice dropped to a hushed whisper as she shifted closer to Hayley. “Why isn't it on the news?”
“He went to the hospital with another inmate. One died and one escaped. There was a mix-up about the identities, and they just found out it was actually Ted Shears who had escaped.”
Leanne licked her lips again. “Doesn't mean anything. I’m sure he’s forgotten about us.”
Hayley reached into her bag and handed Leanne the card. “This is the second one,” she said as Leanne read it. “The first one says ‘I’m back.’”
“When did you get the first one? Have you made a police report?”
“I told the detective in charge. After telling me to stay home and lock the doors, she said she needs to talk to me. I’ve arranged to meet her at a café. Will you come with me?”
“Of course.”
Hayley flexed and clenched her hands, trying to force the shivers out of them. But her hands refused to cooperate, not when her brain wouldn’t stop replaying the movie reel of what happened. If it hadn't been for Leanne, Hayley would have been another of Ted’s victim—the sixteenth.
“Once we’re done talking to the detective, we’ll leave. We’ll go for a month-long vacation to … London. You’ve always loved London. We’ll go for walks in Hyde Park. We—”
“I can’t, Leanne.” She sighed. “Julian—”
“Forget Julian. He doesn’t even care about you. Maybe you’ll meet a new guy in London, one like the characters in the historical romance novels you love. A Lord, or an Earl, or something.”
Hayley laughed without humor. If only life were like the novels she read. If only love at first sight or soulmates were real. “I’d love that, but I can’t leave. Julian’s getting better, but I still need to keep an eye on the company.”
“You’ve never cared about the stupid company.”
“I can’t leave, Leanne.” Hayley might not care about the company, but Julian did. She’d given her word that she would do everything she could to keep his position.
Her best friend sighed. “Hayley, Julian isn’t worth risking your life for.”
Hayley stared back at Leanne without another word. She didn’t want to fight with Leanne over this, but she wasn’t going to change her mind.
“Fine.” Leanne threw her hands in the air. “Get security, then. I didn't think the psycho meant what he said in court, but if he’s the one behind the cards …”
If this had happened several months ago, she probably would be a sobbing mess right now. She was definitely freaked out. She still couldn’t stop shaking, but she couldn’t find the strength to cry.
Maybe she was just too tired. Maybe she just had too many things on her plate.
Or maybe, maybe a part of her had learned that she could do this. She could handle whatever was thrown at her.
Or the overwhelming dread from the realization that she had to tell Julian what was going on had suppressed the rest of her emotions. She didn't want to tell Julian, but Leanne was right. She needed to get security, and there was no way Julian wouldn’t notice the additional people hanging around.
“Get the detective to meet us at the penthouse. That way, you won't have to repeat everything to Julian. Maybe the detective can fill Julian in too.” Leanne grabbed her purse. “And he probably won’t give you too hard a time while the detective is there.”
Hayley stood. “He’s not going to be happy.”
“I don't give a sh—”
“Leanne.”
Leanne rolled her eyes. “I don't care what he thinks. If he doesn't like the idea of security, then serve him the annulment papers now. We can afford our own security, and we can afford a month—or two, three, or four months—in London.”
Hayley pursed her lips.
“With the possibility of meeting a new guy,” Leanne continued.
“Actually, I can’t afford my own security or months in London.”
Leanne arched her brow.
“You know the money you left me?”
Leanne groaned and dropped her head into her hands. “Hayley, please don’t tell me you spent it all on Julian.”
“I wouldn’t say all—as in every single cent.” Hayley tapped on her phone. “I need to call the detective.”
“Why does she want you around when the detective is here?” Julian asked, frustrated at the lack of information. He’d texted Hayley, but she hadn't replied. Instead, she texted Colin to tell him that a detective would be seeing them at the penthouse and to ask if he would stay for the meeting.
“You haven't given her any reason to trust you, Julian.”
“And you have.”
Colin grinned. “Oh, did I forget to tell you that I was the one who rescued her from the truck driver?”
“Colin, get out. I don’t ever want to see you in here again.”
“Hayley’s invited me for dinner tomorrow. I’ve agreed.” Colin laughed when Julian groaned. “I was kidding when I said I’d go after Hayley. I’m impressed with her loyalty, but I’m not going to steal your wife.”
Julian knew that. Of course he knew that. He and Colin had went through crazy times together. Julian had his back while Colin gone through some crazy nonsense with his equally rich, powerful, and heartless family. Colin would have his back now.
“It wouldn’t be difficult, though.”
Julian narrowed his eyes.
“She seemed so relieved to laugh and have someone actually talk to her.” Colin hooked his hands behind his head and lifted his feet onto the coffee table. “I feel oddly protective of her.”
“Colin Wells.”
“I was merely trying to make you see what you have before it’s too late.” Colin shrugged. “But all bets are off if you guys actually get the annulment.”
If he could pace, Julian would. But he couldn't, so he fidgeted, drank more coffee than was good for him, and stared at Colin every time his phone buzzed.
After Colin had replied to Hayley that he would stay for the meeting with the detective, she responded with a simple ‘thank you’ and that was it.
Julian was pleased that she hadn't continued to text his friend, but he had also hoped for more information. He was staring at his phone, wondering why Hayley didn't answer his text, when Hayley came out of the elevator with another woman in dark blue jeans and a light green T-shirt.
Was the detective off-duty? It probably wasn't anything important, then.
“Julian. Colin.” Hayley only glanced at him before turning to Colin. “This is Leanne Casa, my best friend. She’s like a sister to me.”
Leanne smiled at Colin. “I’ve heard good things about you. Thanks for being a decent human being to my sister.”
Though she’d said those words to Colin, it was obvious the secondary meaning was meant for Julian. No doubt she would have heard plenty of terrible things about him from Hayley.
“Your best friend is a detective?” Julian asked.
Leanne rolled her eyes. “I’m not. The detective is on the way.”
“So what’s going on?” Colin asked Hayley, and she looked over at Leanne.
“We should sit and talk,” Leanne said.
All of them headed to the dining area. Hayley sat across from Colin after telling Doreen to get them water, and Leanne took the seat next to Hayley. No one said another word until Julian wheeled himself to the head of the table.
“Go on,” Julian said, looking to his right at Hayley.
“When we were in middle school,” Leanne said, turning Julian’s head toward her, “Hayley and I were kidnapped by a man. Ted Shears.”
“Ted Shears had grabbed me and thrown me into the back of his van.” Hayley sighed heavily. “He easily overpowered me and bound my wrists and ankles with zip ties. When Leanne saw, she came running after me and made such a fuss that Ted Shears took her too.”
They paused when Doreen came back and waited for her to serve the water before Leanne continued.
“He drove for hours and took us to an underground bunker in the middle of nowhere,” Leanne continued. “We managed to escape, and we ran and ran. Long story short, we were rescued.”
Hayley’s lips curled into a wry smile. “I was so tired, but Leanne wouldn’t let me stop. She kept insisting that we had to keep moving. If we hadn’t, we would’ve become his sixteenth and seventeenth victims.”
“Ted Shears? As in the man who raped and killed young girls he …” Colin didn’t complete his sentence, probably because Hayley was getting paler by the second.
“That happened a long time ago. Why are you bringing it up now?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Nicholson.” Leanne pressed a hand to her chest. “We didn’t mean to waste your precious time.”
“I don’t mean that.” Julian ran his hand through his hair. “I assumed this guy was caught and in prison.” He longed to reach over and take Hayley’s hand, to assure her that she was safe with him. But Hayley’s arms were crossed, her fingers digging into her flesh.
“He escaped a couple of days ago,” Leanne continued.
“You think the cards were from him?” Colin asked Hayley, and she nodded.
“When I told Detective Miller about it, she told me to get home, lock the doors, and wait for her.”
“What a stupid thing to say.” Julian shook his head. What was the detective thinking? Why would she scare Hayley that way?
Leanne rolled her eyes. “To you, anyone who cares about Hayley’s well-being is stupid.”
Julian was tempted to defend himself, but he decided to keep his mouth shut instead. Colin was right: Julian hadn’t given Hayley much reason to trust him or to think he even cared about her.
Over the last few months, he’d refused to admit how amazing Hayley had been to him. He kept waiting for her to try and steal the company from him, kept waiting for her to up and leave the marriage. But she’d stayed and even told her father that she wasn’t going anywhere.
He didn’t even know how much more she’d done until Colin told him just now.
Julian wasn’t one to listen to people’s words. He’d been young and naive once, believing everything his father said and promised. He’d been so stupid he ended up causing his mother’s death.
He swallowed a sigh and pushed those thoughts from his mind.
Only deeds matter. That was something he’d learned after his father let him down time after time. So Julian would do just that, he would prove to Hayley that he would be a good husband to her.
“Detective Miller suspects Ted Shears stabbed the other inmate and himself in order to get transferred to the hospital,” Hayley interrupted Leanne before she could continue. “He switched their tags before getting on to the ambulance, and the hospital thought it was Ted Shears who bled out and died. The police only found out when a Ted Shears’ fan broke into the morgue and said the body on the table wasn’t the infamous psychopath.
“The police just found out about it and they’ve been trying to reach out to me to let me know. They left a message for my parents. They couldn’t get hold of anyone from the office.”
Colin snapped his fingers. “My secretary said something about a detective needing to talk to Julian. I figured if it was anything important, the police would show up with a warrant. I’m sorry.”
Hayley waved it off. “You would’ve told me if you knew it was important.”
She sure has a lot of faith in Colin. Julian wanted to throw Colin out of the apartment—preferably through the window. He shoved the thought aside. “So he already knows this address.”
Julian thought about the situation for a moment. Should they move? He had other houses. “This is the safest place I have.” Despite it being a high-rise apartment, he had plenty of privacy here without having to worry about intruders. “If h
e tries to break in, he’ll have to go through two security guards or a doorman before getting to our private elevator. Then he’d need permission from someone in the house or have the private access card before the elevator would even work.”
Colin nodded. “I have to page up to the penthouse, even though the guards have seen me more than enough times to know I’ve been here before.”
“We’ll increase security. The firm that does the security for our company has private guards for hire.”
“I’ll get my secretary to arrange it,” Colin said.
“No. I’ll do it.”
Colin smiled and nodded while Leanne and Hayley frowned.
“Why don’t you give me the number and I’ll do it?” Leanne said. “I don’t trust you. You’ll probably forget about it the moment I’m out of here.”
“When I say I’ll do something, I will.” Julian turned to Hayley. “I’ll get a security team here tomorrow morning. You’re safe here, I promise.”
Hayley blinked and glanced over to Colin with a frown.
“He’ll keep you safe.”
She rubbed a hand across her forehead.
Leanne draped her arm across Hayley’s shoulders. “You’ll be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Julian sighed. Could he throw Colin and Leanne out of the penthouse? It was his penthouse after all. He was tired of them saying and doing things that he wanted to say and do.
Before he could do anything stupid, Doreen informed them that Detective Miller was on the way up. They fell silent as they waited, then greeted the young detective after Doreen brought her in.
“Isn’t there someone more senior you can assign the case to?” Julian asked after shaking the detective’s hand. Her youthful look—made more obvious by her lack of makeup—wasn’t as glaring as the coffee stain on her light purple shirt.
The detective tugged at the lapels of the slightly oversized black suit jacket. “I know it may not look like it, but I’m good at my work.”
Julian doubted it. It had taken the police long enough to figure out the person lying in the morgue wasn’t Ted Shears, and it had taken a call from Hayley before the detective showed up here.