by Lila Kane
When we got into work, Shane stayed in the lobby, his eyes on the elevator. Finn turned to me with a look of entreaty. “Will you work in my office today? Please?”
I nodded. “Sure.”
He stopped at Leslie’s desk. “If anyone calls for Charlotte, please find out who it is first. And can you have someone bring up some soup, too? Something with a lot of broth?”
She gave me a puzzled look, but nodded right away. “Of course.”
Finn nudged me into his office. “You’re welcome to use my computer at the desk, or my tablet if you just need to check emails. Whatever you need.”
I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not trying to talk me out of this. I’d rather work and get through the day and get this meeting done than put it off more.”
“Are you sure you feel okay?”
I eased back with a small nod. “Like I said, nerves.”
“The soup will help. We can—” He shook his head.
“What?”
“I was going to say something about your mom and sister coming to visit, but we’ll talk, right? Later.”
“Good. Yes. Later.” Once the work day was over.
But after I sat at Finn’s desk, it seemed to drag. I welcomed the soup, and watched as Finn kept busy with phone calls. He left the office here and there to talk to Shane or call Curtis on the phone after they’d contacted the detectives. But, despite his help and the peacefulness of his office, I didn’t get a lot done.
Just after lunch time, Detective Winters and Detective Stone arrived, making me nervous all over again. They talked with Curtis and asked about the flowers, whether there was a note or not, and left soon after with very little information.
I sighed after they left, dropping onto the couch in Finn’s office. “We don’t have anything. We don’t have any proof it was from Mark. We have nothing against him.”
Finn propped his hip on the edge of his desk. “Let them deal with this. They’re on your side.”
“That’s not what you were saying yesterday.”
He gave me a tight smile. “I’m trying to be optimistic.”
“You’re right, though. This is their job. What about Curtis?”
“What do you mean?”
I stood, rubbing my hand over my stomach, feeling uneasy again. “He was just supposed to be here to help you set up Oasis. As a favor. And now he’s staying for me. And Dustin and Shane? They’re probably supposed to be somewhere else—”
“It’s not an issue. Curtis was here at Oasis as a favor to me and because he was in between projects. He stayed to help us because he’s a friend of the family. He wants to make sure you’re taken care of.”
“But Sh—”
“Shane and Dustin are here because Powell trusts them. They’re a good team, and trust me, they want to be here to see this through.”
I opened my mouth, feeling guilty nevertheless, but Finn shook his head. “No more arguing. Besides, the meeting is soon.” He walked to me. “I can tell you still don’t feel well.”
“I’m just ready for this to be over.”
“You can still stay here, you know.”
“And give Tracy the satisfaction? I don’t think so.”
He smiled and kissed me gently on the lips. “I figured you’d say something like that. I’m still going with you, though.”
“Of course.”
Both Shane and Curtis walked with us, keeping vigilant as we made our way through the Commons and into the Entertainment Community. The restaurant doors were already open, giving us a good view of Tracy inside, waiting calmly while she looked at something on her phone.
She sat at one of the few tables that had been brought in, right next to a man who had his back to us. Probably her boss.
Finn reached for the door as my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and then glanced at Finn when I saw who it was.
“Detective Winters,” I said.
“You should answer it,” Curtis said.
I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Ms. Evans, this is Detective Winters. We’ve spoke with John again. He gave us a name.”
I frowned. “What?”
“A name. The one your ex is going under now. Or at least one alias.”
Finn watched my face, a thousand questions on his lips. “What’s wrong?” he asked quietly.
“What is it?” I asked Detective Winters.
“Travis Holmes.”
My heart stopped. I glanced to the doors again and saw Tracy wave. She started to stand.
“Do you recognize that name?” Detective Winters asked.
I swallowed hard. “Yes. Can I…can I call you back in a few minutes?”
I didn’t even wait for him to answer. All I could think was that we had to get out of here. I had to get Finn out of here before he saw who it was.
“Curtis,” I said firmly, “we need to go. Finn—just go.”
Curtis didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Finn’s elbow. “Mr. Moore.”
“Hold it—”
Finn broke off when Tracy exited the restaurant. I couldn’t even greet her. All I could see was Mark walking up behind her, a strange smile on his face. He looked different, his hair longer, a neatly trimmed beard and moustache, and a look of bafflement on his face.
I backed up, my eyes flashing up to Curtis’s. “It’s him. We—”
“Everything okay?” Tracy asked.
Finn jerked away from Curtis and I felt the familiar claws of panic threatening to overcome me as Mark faced us all.
“Ms. Evans,” he said in a pleasant voice. “You don’t look well. You don’t look well at all.”
I could see the moment Finn recognized him. His body froze, and then he started to lunge. Already expecting a confrontation, Curtis and Shane grabbed Finn to pull him back.
Tracy gasped and glanced up at Mark, leaning into him like she expected him to protect her. And all he did was smile that strange smile.
“Would it be better to reschedule this meeting?” Mark asked.
“You bastard!” Finn shouted.
Snapping out of my shock, I turned. “Let’s go. Finn, come on. Please, let’s go.”
It took Curtis and Shane another moment to wrestle him back. Tracy and Mark—or Mr. Holmes—just stood there and watched the spectacle.
When Finn finally turned around, Shane caught my arm and ushered me away while Curtis followed up the rear, making sure we weren’t followed.
“The security station,” Curtis said, trying to keep Finn moving.
My heart pounded so loud, I could hear blood rushing in my ears. I only kept up because Shane was ushering me along, making my feet move when all I wanted to do was find some safe place to hide.
When we neared the security station, Finn fell back to touch my arm. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, breath short. I was fine, right? Mark didn’t do anything, he was just playing a game. I’d tell the detectives, they’d come talk to him, and they’d…what? Tell him to leave?
They couldn’t do that. They couldn’t—
“Charlotte,” Finn said, trying to get my attention.
My gaze snapped to his. “What?”
“Focus. I need—”
Curtis stepped between us. “Get inside first.” He yanked open the door and waited for me to enter, and then encouraged Finn to follow.
Inside, we passed the only other man sitting at the same desk John used to occupy. Curtis led us into another room, one that held a small desk and a few chairs. Shane accompanied us, closing the door behind him.
“Why didn’t anyone see him come in?” Finn asked, shoving a hand through his hair. He paced the small room, only taking a few steps before he had to turn around and walk the other way.
No one else moved. I eased back toward a window that was covered in blinds, and slumped against the wall.
“They can’t watch everyone, Finn,” I sai
d quietly, surprised at how steady my voice came out.
“This is not everyone. This is the one person, the only person, we’ve been watching for—waiting for—to make sure he’s not allowed in here.”
“It’s not their fault, Finn…” I rubbed my forehead, trying to gather my thoughts.
Shane touched my arm. “Will you sit, Ms. Evans?”
I blinked, staring up at him and trying to fight through the haze of my own thoughts to comprehend what he was saying. “I’m sorry, Shane. What did you say?”
Finn walked around him, taking my hand. “Charlotte, sit down. You look pale.”
“I’m thinking…” I looked at Curtis. “I need to call Detective Winters back.”
He nodded. “I’ll do it. Just sit tight.”
I sank into the chair, watching as Finn knelt next to me. I gripped his hand. “You have to keep your distance.”
“He’s in our fucking building, Charlotte. He shouldn’t be allowed in here.”
“He’s leasing one of our spaces. He didn’t hurt me, Finn. There’s nothing we can do.”
“The hell there isn’t.”
“Listen to me,” I said, my voice hard. “He hasn’t done anything. The detectives are going to tell you the same thing, Finn. Until Mark makes a move, we have nothing against him.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Paige texted me as we were walking back to the apartment. Saw detectives. Everything okay?
I looked around, realizing not for the first time how open the Commons was. How there were places for people to hide, places for people to watch.
“Charlotte,” Finn said, taking my hand. “Come on.”
I picked up the pace to keep up with him. Shane followed behind us, eyes roaming the trees and path just like mine had.
“It was Paige. She wanted to know if everything was okay.” I glanced up at him. “I thought maybe I could invite her and Leslie up tonight. For—for company or—”
“You sure you’re up for that?”
“Better than letting myself sit and think about what’s going to happen,” I said.
Finn’s jaw clenched but he nodded. We’d told Detective Winters that Mark was here and they planned on talking with him. Both Finn and I knew nothing would come from it. He wasn’t going to give anything away. Maybe Tracy would even vouch for him, say he’d been a model citizen. Either way, he hadn’t done anything wrong yet—at least nothing that could be proven.
I think that bothered Finn more than anything. That there was nothing he could do. He hadn’t even been able to get a swing in when we’d been at the restaurant.
When we piled in the elevator, Curtis said, “We’ll be stationed in the apartment down the hall from yours from now on.”
I blinked. “How? I thought someone lived in there.”
“It was just a matter of moving them to another tower.”
Finn touched my back. “With incentive. No big deal.”
“But…” I felt guilty that everyone was still having to rearrange their lives for me.
Curtis didn’t wait for me to finish. “Safer this way. We’ll be closer when you need us, and we can change shifts faster. It’s better.”
I nodded weakly. Better. Better was Mark being gone. But he’d signed the lease for the restaurant. On the surface, he belonged here as much as anyone else. Who knew how much we’d see of him and there was nothing we could do.
We reached our floor, and I glanced down the hallway to the only other apartment on this level. The one that now belonged to the security team.
“Sit tight,” Curtis said before we walked into the apartment. “Let the detectives do their job. And don’t go anywhere alone.”
Finn steered me inside.
“You should call Jake, too,” I started. I turned to Finn, but my words were cut off by his abrupt hug. “Finn?”
He kicked the door closed but didn’t let go. With his face buried in my hair, he murmured, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Finn—”
“I wanted to kill him. I wanted to bash his face in the moment he spoke to you. Charlotte—”
“Hold on.” I strained against grip. “Relax.”
His laugh came out choked. “You’re telling me to relax.”
“Because there’s nothing we can do.”
“Like hell there isn’t.” He released me, taking my hand and dragging me to the bedroom.
“Finn, wait. Finn!”
He didn’t stop until we ended up in the closet. When he reached for the box on the shelf above his jackets, I backed up.
“What are you doing?”
He set the box on the bed and took my hands, staring in my eyes. “You need to be able to protect yourself. If that fucker gets anywhere near you, if he tries to hurt you, don’t hesitate to stop him.”
“Finn. Wait. Please.”
He must have heard the note of fear in my voice because he stopped talking. I knew what he had in the box, and I wasn’t afraid of it. However, I was afraid there might be a time that I’d have to use it.
The thought of Mark anywhere near me or our apartment made my stomach churn. I pressed my hand to my belly. “Please stop for a minute.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, dragging a hand through his hair. “I can’t—I couldn’t do anything. He just stood there with that smug smile on his face knowing we couldn’t touch him.”
“He had this planned all along, Finn. That’s how Mark is. The best thing we can do is let him think he’s getting away with this.”
“No. No, that’s not the best thing. The best thing to do is to get his ass out of here. I don’t want him anywhere near you. He’s got Tracy fooled and who knows what he’ll do next? If he’s free to walk around here wherever the hell he feels like, he could try to come for you. But if—”
“Finn.” I touched his cheek. “Take a breath.”
He lifted his eyebrows, clearly doubtful of my method of coping.
“I’m serious,” I said, wrapping my arms around him. “We’re in this together, right? Take a breath and let’s figure this out rationally.”
After a moment, he squeezed me tight, so tight I could barely breathe. “God, you’re…I don’t know. You’re dealing with this better than me.”
I gave a small laugh. “I wasn’t dealing when I threw up this morning. But I’m trying.”
He eased back to study my face. “You still look a little pale. Are you sure you want company tonight?”
“Leslie has wedding books,” I said with a shrug.
He took my face between his hands and kissed me. “I love that even with all this shit going on, you still want to plan our future.”
“We’ve got to do something to keep us going. And I still want Jenna and my mom to be here this weekend. I want them to know what’s going on and I want them to get used to the idea of us being together. It’s important to me.”
He nodded. “Of course. I’ll talk to Curtis again and make sure we’re all set, but it shouldn’t be a problem. We might just have to stay in a little more than expected.”
“They’ll be here and you’ll be here. That’s good enough for me.”
He glanced at the box on the bed. “I still think…”
Blowing out a breath, I took his hand. “You’re right. I need to know.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and opened the box.
“It’s different from the one you had at the cabin,” I said.
“Yes. A revolver. This is easy for you to use. Five shots—”
“I don’t even know how to load it or—or anything.”
“It’s really basic. It’s not loaded now. Test the weight.” He stood, holding the gun out for me.
Swallowing, I took it in my hands, the weight of it unfamiliar and awkward.
“That’s right,” Finn said. “Get a feel for it. If you’re shooting at something close, it’s going to be hard for you to miss.”
“You have more faith in me than I do.”
“Then I’ll take y
ou to the shooting range. You can test it out. That way you’ll know what to expect.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. Like he was sure I was going to need to fire this gun. And that scared the shit out of me.
Finn took it from my hands, stopping a moment to brush his thumb down my cheek. “I think it’ll make you feel better.”
“It will.” I had to nod, to convince myself he was right. I knew he was right. And that he understood where I was coming from, that I couldn’t run away but had to take control of this made me feel better. “You’ll show me.”
“Of course.”
“Tomorrow?”
He set the gun back in the box and moved it to the end table beside the bed. “Tomorrow. At lunch. Or we could work from home, tie up loose ends, and go after that before your sister and your mom get here.”
“Okay.”
He looked surprised that I agreed so quickly. He started to say something else, but then shook his head.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. Really. Let’s figure out dinner, spend some time with friends.”
I let the comment go and pulled out my phone. He was right. The best thing we could do right now was keep living our lives.
Leslie and Paige and I sat at the dining table, magazines and pictures spread out before us. I also had my laptop open, and with the company and the laughter, my nerves vanished some. Once the wine was out, they were almost gone completely.
Dustin was outside the door, and we’d know if anyone was trying to get up here. For now, that was the best we could do.
Leslie and Paige both carefully avoided the topic of Mark, staying cheerful with outrageous wedding ideas.
“A carriage,” Leslie said with a nod. “And white horses. Now that would be my over-the-top dream wedding.”
“Would you release the doves and all that?” Paige asked.
Laughing, Leslie nodded. “Sure. The bigger the better. It’s not everyday you get to plan a wedding.”
“Actually, it sort of is if you’re my mom.” Paige sipped her wine. “I mean, she’s working on her fifth marriage. I’m pretty sure she thinks it’s something you’re supposed to do every five years or so.”
Leslie’s eyes widened. “Fifth marriage? I’m pretty sure Greg is the one for me.” She grinned. “Okay, I’m absolutely sure—it took long enough for us to get engaged. I had plenty of time. I can’t imagine marrying someone else in five years.”