by Ella Jade
“What?” She opened the front door and back inside.
“Even if I did slip up and drink, which I know I didn’t willingly, I would never have slept with her.”
“How do you know?”
“I belong to you.” My words lingered between us and I hoped that they were sinking in for her. They were the truest words I’d ever spoken.
She moved inside and quickly shut the door, tears streaming down her cheeks. That was a horrible image to see but I would keep it with me for motivation as I tried to figure all this bullshit out.
Chapter Fifteen
Jameson
Two hours later I was back at the penthouse. I’d soaked in the hot tub, worked out a bit, and answered a few emails. Work should have been the last thing on my mind but my job had always been restorative for me. It often helped me see other problems in my life with clarity. The problem looming over me was one of the biggest I’d had in years.
As I waited for Meg to brief me I realized my thoughts weren’t as jumbled as they had been a few hours ago. Miles had brought over some take-out but I wasn’t interested in eating. I needed to solve this mystery and get CC back here where she belonged.
“You have to eat,” he said. “I’ll call Mom.”
“And I’ll tell her about the stripper.”
“Exotic dancer,” he reminded me.
“Do I even want to know?” Meg asked.
“No,” Miles said as he plopped a slice of pizza on his plate. “Fine, don’t eat. More for me.”
“Meg, what do you have?” I hadn’t been this anxious in a long time. It was like withdrawal and it rattled me. I wouldn’t go down this road again. Certainly not voluntarily and definitely not because someone was trying to force me back into that life.
“A few things.” She loaded her tablet. “I ran the plates on the car but it wasn’t registered to a woman. It was an older man and he wasn’t home when I went to the address.”
“Wonderful,” I mumbled.
“I got a lead on the security tapes that I think you’ll want to see.” She put her tablet in front of me. Miles stood behind me as she pushed play. “I also checked your bank account. You haven’t had an activity in a few days.”
“I knew I didn’t. So where would I get the cash?”
“I figured that out too.” She pointed to the screen. “Watch this.”
Conrad knocked on the boat door and I answered. The timestamp on the grainy footage was 6:55 PM.
“That’s when you say he came to your boat,” she said. “Now watch thirty minutes later.”
Conrad exited the boat and walked halfway up the dock. I hadn’t remembered him staying that long. I recalled our brief conversation but couldn’t remember him leaving.
“There’s that woman.” Miles pointed at the screen.
Conrad met her on the dock. She carried a brown shopping bag. They exchanged words and then he handed her an envelope.
“That’s the money.” I focused on the bag but I couldn’t see what was inside. “What is she carrying?”
“If I had to guess,” Meg said. “The alcohol. You didn’t have any on the boat, right?”
“No, well, just a bottle of wine that I had stocked the first night I invited CC there. She didn’t want it.”
“That bottle is still in the cabinet untouched,” Miles said. “I saw it when I was making the coffee this morning.”
“So, Conrad brought the other stuff on?” I tried to think but had no memory of that woman coming onto the boat. “I didn’t drink any of it.”
“I don’t think you had to,” Meg said. “I’m guessing he drugged you before she got there. You were probably out until Miles and CC found you this morning. That’s why you don’t remember anything.”
“That douche,” Miles hissed. “Let’s release what we have on him.”
“Not yet.” I stared at the screen, watching the woman enter the boat. “This still won’t prove to my girl that I didn’t sleep with that piece of trash.”
“But there is enough evidence to show that Conrad paid her, not you,” Miles said. “If CC believes in you she’ll know that’s enough.”
“Jameson is right.” Meg paused the footage. “As a woman, if I saw my recovering addict boyfriend coming off what looked like a night of binge drinking and using and then I saw a bitch come out of his bedroom, well, I’d need some hardcore proof too.”
“You’re a hardcore girl,” Miles said. “CC’s not you. She loves my brother.”
Miles surprised me with his observation. I hadn’t been with CC that long for him to think our connection was that deep, but he was right. CC and I were meant to be.
“I want Conrad.” I banged my fist on the table. “I want to know what that scum drugged me with and I want to know who that woman is.” Until I had those answers, how could I expect CC to trust me?
“I’ll work on finding her,” Meg assured me. “Perhaps, Miles is right.”
“Finally.” My brother grinned. “About what?”
“I wouldn’t publicly expose him yet, but that file I gave you a few weeks ago should give you some leverage.”
“Tell him what we have?” I asked. “It is damaging enough. He might fess up once he knows what we have.”
“Get him to tell you what his motivation was for staging this whole scene.” Meg bit into her pizza. “We need to start looking at the bigger picture here. Now that your head is a little clearer, do you see what I’m saying?”
“You’re right.” I leaned back in my chair. “He obviously wants something. He had to know I was going to figure out it was him.”
“He’s probably waiting for you to contact him,” Miles said. “Either he’s really stupid or he wanted you to know.”
“Let’s do a little more digging,” I suggested. “See if you can get a name on the woman. Let Conrad wait this out a day or two. If this is payback for letting him go, he made a huge miscalculation.”
If this had to do with CC, he’d never escape my wrath. Politics were a dirty business. Conrad could come at me from a business angle all he wanted. But mess with my girl and all bets were off. I would have the last say in all of this.
Cecilia
Sitting at the park by a water fountain, I took in the surroundings. It was a quiet September afternoon. The birds were chirping and the trees were swaying in the wind but not much else was going on in the usually busy Capitol Hill section of the city. I’d be starting my new job soon so I thought I’d scope out the area and familiarize myself with everything. I’d found this quaint, little park not far from my new building. I could picture myself eating lunch here on warm afternoons. I could also see Jameson meeting me here. Having the lunch catered in the park. He always managed such elaborate gestures and then acted as if they were no big deal. Everything he did was a big deal. I missed him so much it hurt.
It had been a few days since I’d spoken to him. We’d exchanged texts since he’d left my house the other day but he’d always initiated them. He wanted to know how I was doing or if I needed anything. I wanted answers about that night. I needed him to tell me what had happened and how he’d managed to slip up after being clean for three years. I wasn’t all right. I’d lost five pounds and hadn’t eaten a full meal since the day before we’d broken up. Was that what we were? Broken up? No longer a couple? It hurt too much to think about that. To answer his question... no, I wasn’t all right.
I’d debated calling Miles to see if Jameson had checked in with his sponsor. Whatever happened between us, I still wanted him to be okay. I wanted him to get the help he needed.
“Hey, stranger.”
I looked up to find Conrad standing over me. I hooded my eyes with my hand, to block out the sun. He took a seat next to me before I asked him if he wanted to join me. I wasn’t in the mood for company.
“Conrad,” I said. “How are you?”
“Pretty good.” He adjusted his sunglasses. “How about you?”
I’ve been better. “I’m great.”
I lied but I hadn’t even told Kirsten or Carla the full story. I didn’t want anyone to know Jameson’s business. It wasn’t my place to tell people about his addiction. “What brings you here?”
“To Capitol Hill?”
I nodded.
“I’m in from Boston and I wanted to make some rounds.”
“I’d heard you’d gone back home and decided a run for senate wasn’t in the cards.”
“Who told you that? Your boyfriend?”
“I work on the Hill.” I shrugged. “I stay in the loop.”
“Well, my political consultant wasn’t right for me.”
“Jameson is good at seeing who has potential.” And who doesn’t. Why was I defending him? “Maybe he was doing you a favor. You know? Running for a seat is expensive and takes time and energy. If you’re not ready isn’t it better he was honest?”
“Are you working for your boyfriend now?” he asked.
“No, I’d just hate to see you invest so much if you could wait a few years and have a better shot? Like I said, I work here. I see what goes on.”
“Thanks for your concern but I’m meeting with a top political consultant here in D.C. I’m plotting out my next move. I think Jameson will be sorry he let me go. You can tell him I said so too. Ah... if you’re still seeing him.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” That was an odd thing for him to say. I hadn’t given any indication that we were having issues.
“I don’t know?” He didn’t look me in the eyes when he spoke. “I know he’s a difficult man with a complicated past. I was rather surprised when I found out the two of you were together. He doesn’t seem like the sort of man you’d be interested in.”
“Why not?” Enlighten me.
“He’s a loose cannon. I’ve heard stories about his partying days. The women, the alcohol and the drugs. But I’m sure he’s told you all about that stuff.”
Why had I not realized this guy was an idiot before?
“He has quite the reputation but he somehow got it together and is managing. Well, I’m sure his daddy’s money doesn’t hurt.”
“He’s not that man. He was young and did stupid things. How many of us can say we were perfect in college?”
“Perhaps, but I personally don’t see a man like him changing. The money, the boat, the cars, the penthouse, the... women. Those are all things to distract him from his addictions. How can he change?”
“We all change.” We all evolve. Oh, Jameson. Why didn’t I trust you?
“I hope for your sake he has.” He glanced at his phone, seemingly reading a text. “Well, it seems like my work is taking me away from here.” He smiled. “Looks like someone who underestimated me is reconsidering.”
Who cares? “Good luck.”
“I’ll keep in touch.”
I didn’t give him an open invitation. He gave me a quick wave before hurrying off to where ever it was that was so important. As he moved out of my sight, I thought about his words. Jameson was a complicated man with a sordid past. He’d opened up to me. Told me things he didn’t share with others. He trusted me. The first time there was trouble in our relationship I bailed. I didn’t give him the opportunity to really explain. Not about drinking or that woman but why the situation had gotten so desperate for him. I was so worried about enabling him that I didn’t stop and understand. I thought if I had listened to his excuses and denials that I would be doing him harm.
I had to go to him and really listen. If he was relapsing, I wanted to help him any way I could. Even if it meant we couldn’t be together. He had done so much for me and I walked away from him. I wanted to apologize and tell him I would try to understand his disease. I could do that for him. For us.
Chapter Sixteen
Jameson
Cindy Forest. That was the woman who helped set me up. I stared into her dull blue eyes as she sat across from me. Her dark roots had grown, covering the top of her scalp and not blending in well with the bleach on the ends of her hair. It sickened me to even have her in my office but now that she had confessed to her misdeeds I had to make sure I’d never see her again.
Flipping through the file Meg compiled on her, I shook my head. “You’ve been busy, Ms. Forest.”
She squirmed in her chair as Miles and Meg stood behind her.
“I said I was sorry,” she said. “I needed the cash. I have kids to feed.”
“Yes, about those kids. Two in high school and one in 5th grade.”
“How did you know that?” I saw the worry etched in her expression. I’d never go after her kids but she didn’t need to know that.
She’d already been arrested for prostitution when she was younger. I promised her I had friends in D.C. that could make that happen again. Once she saw the footage of Conrad handing her the cash she knew I’d had her. She’d admitted staging the scene and waiting in the bedroom. Conrad figured either Miles or CC would show up eventually. It was an easy gig for her since I had already been drugged. All she had to do was wait until morning.
“There isn’t much I don’t know. One call to social services and they’ll know everything I do.”
“Please, I’ve already given you what you want.”
“What did he drug me with?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think your parole officer will be interested in hearing about your extracurricular activities?”
“I told you. I needed the cash. Conrad found me through my ex. It was good money. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. Please,” she begged. “My kids need me.”
“I have people that need me too.” I challenged her. “I have employees who depend on me to feed their kids. I have a family who knows how hard I struggled to stay clean. I have a girl who counts on me. You made me disappoint her. She thinks I fucking slept with you.”
“I didn’t think it through,” she said. “I can tell her what happened.”
“What makes you think she’ll believe someone like you?”
A light knock at my door interrupted the conversation. My assistant, Elle, peeked her head in. “Sorry to interrupt, but you wanted to know when Mr. Hayes arrived.”
“Perfect.” I smiled at Cindy. “Send him in.”
She rolled her eyes as Conrad made his way into my office. His delusional smirk disappeared when he saw the room full of people.
“What’s going on?” he asked as Miles shut the door, standing in front of it.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I greeted him. “Did you actually think I asked you here because I wanted to help you?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” He stared at Cindy, acting as if he’d never seen her before.
“I’m not sure if you’ve met Meg.” I pointed to my efficient P.I. “She certainly knows you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His jaw tightened. “You’re wasting my time.”
“You’ve wasted a shitload of my time this week and I can assure you mine is much more valuable than yours.” I cued the security footage. “Have a seat. I have something for you to see.”
“What?” He grew more agitated as each moment passed.
“I’ve already shown it to Cindy here.” I motioned to my new friend. “I would introduce you but I know you’ve already met.”
“Can I go?” Cindy asked.
“In a minute,” I said. “First let Conrad see what we have here.”
“I don’t know what this is about but...” He stopped talking when he saw the images on the tablet.
“You said that no one would know who I was,” Cindy said. “He knows who I am.”
“Shut up.” Conrad sat down. “He doesn’t have a damn thing.”
“Really?” I wondered if he had any idea that he was fucked. “Because Cindy thought I had enough to tell me exactly what happened that night.” I glared at her. “Now you can go.” I pointed to the door. “Meg will see you out. She’ll also be keeping tabs on you until I’m satisfied you’re no longer involved in my life.”
“Don’t worry.” Cindy quickly got up. “I want nothing more to do with any of you.” She looked at Conrad. “Don’t contact me again.”
“I can promise that when I’m done with him, he won’t remember where Washington is.” I nodded at Meg. “Make sure she leaves me alone.”
“No problem.” Meg towered over Cindy by at least a foot. “We’re going to be best friends from now on.” Meg opened my office door. “You may never turn around again without looking for me.”
Miles snickered when he shut the door before taking a seat beside me.
“Oh, am I supposed to be shocked that you played detective and figured out I was the one who set you up?” Conrad looked disgusted. “I’m not impressed since I’m the last one to have left your oversized boat.”
“If you knew I’d figure it out what was the point?” Why was he wasting my time?
“What was the point?” He grinned. “Causing some chaos in your life is reason enough.”
“Seriously? Is there something wrong with you?” This week had been bizarre on many levels.
“What did you put in his system?” Miles asked.
“Does it matter?” Conrad loosened his tie. “You’ll never be able to prove I did it.”
“What is it that you want? Because I know you want something.”
“I want you to take me back as your client.”
“Are you crazy? After what you did to me what makes you think I’d ever work with you?” I’m going to fucking destroy you in a matter of minutes. “I already told you I was done with you.”
“I did what I did to show you I could get to you at any time.” He was so casual about his admission. “You said I didn’t have the spine for D.C. I wasn’t ruthless enough to get what I wanted. Weren’t those your words when you dismissed me?”
“So you what? Drugged me and paid a whore to pretend she slept with me?”
“Considering I was just with CC and saw how upset she looked, I’d say I did some damage.” His smug smile infuriated me. “It’s only a matter of time before I’m ruthless enough to get her into my bed.”