Gran would never forgive me.
She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock. It was after eight. Time to call it a night.
Leftover lasagna in the fridge at home called out to her. She hadn’t eaten in far too long, and her stomach was telling her so. She stepped out of the elevator and headed to her car, grateful her VIP parking was just outside the elevator doors. She should pay more attention to her eating schedule, especially when her parents were always hounding her about it.
Jade rummaged for her keys at the bottom of her handbag. She really needed to get a more organized purse. This one was a bottomless pit where she could never find anything.
A tall shadow appeared from behind her, and she started to turn to see who it was.
Just as she grasped hold of the keys, something hard hit the back of her head. Pain exploded behind her eyes.
She cried out and hit the concrete.
A MOAN ECHOED in the parking garage as Bryce headed to his car. He stopped. Was someone in pain?
Another moan… from a woman.
He ran around the side of his car.
A black heel lay on the filthy cement.
Bryce picked up the shoe and heard the sound again. He followed scuffmarks to the other side of Jade’s BMW.
Jade was leaning against the driver’s side door, holding the back of her head. Her bare legs under her skirt were gray with dirt from the knees down. She’d obviously crawled here.
Bryce rushed to her side and knelt down, the odor of blood strong. “Jade?”
She grasped his arm, her eyes wide. Something dark smudged her cheek. “Bryce… oh, thank goodness… someone attacked me.”
He scanned the parking lot. There was no one else in sight. “Here, let me take a look.” He leaned forward to examine her head.
Jade pulled her fingers away from her injury.
Damn, there was a lot of blood. “We need to stop the bleeding.”
“Is… is it bad?” Her hand shook.
“I don’t know.” He looked around for something to press against her head. There was nothing convenient. Bryce pulled off his jacket and dropped it on the concrete floor. He tried to unbutton his shirt, but it was taking too long. He tugged it open, causing the last three buttons to fly off and bounce across the floor.
A strangled laugh escaped Jade’s lips.
“This isn’t funny.” Bryce wadded up the shirt and applied pressure to the wound.
“Ow,” she moaned.
“Serves you right for laughing. Here, hold this. I’m going to get you into my car and take you to the hospital, unless you want me to call an ambulance?”
“Now who’s being funny? I think I can get up. It hurts, but I’m sure it looks worse than it is.”
Bryce slid her shoe back onto her foot. “Okay, grab my arm with your free hand.” He pulled her up into his arms until she was standing.
“We have to stop meeting like this.” Jade smirked.
“It must not be that bad if you’re making jokes about it.” Why the hell isn’t she upset? Maybe the injury was more serious than he thought. She wasn’t reacting rationally. He walked her to the passenger seat and helped buckle her in while she held his shirt to her head. This was the second time he’d had to do this. He hoped it wasn’t going to be a routine.
“You smell good.”
“What?” Bryce stopped, his eyes level with hers.
“I said you smell good. Is that cologne?”
He blinked once, finding it hard to believe he was having this conversation after she’d just been hit over the head.
Jade’s gaze fell to his bare chest.
His heart rate accelerated. He was suddenly acutely aware that he was shirtless. “Uh… it’s aftershave.” Quick to pull out of the car, he whacked his head on the doorframe. Damn. He popped the trunk open and got a black T-shirt out of his gym bag. What’s gotten into her? It has to be shock. Right? Walking back to her BMW, he grabbed his leather jacket and her purse.
Car tires squealed somewhere in the garage as a vehicle sped away. He tried, but he couldn’t see it.
On the ground, next to where her purse had been, Bryce found a folded-up piece of paper. He opened it. Now Jade was going to have to take this seriously. He got in the car, locked the doors, and looked at her. “I think whoever hit you just left.”
“He was still here?”
“You’re lucky I came down when I did. I don’t think he was finished.” Bryce handed her the paper.
Her mouth dropped open.
Now that’s a rational reaction.
Jade read the typed note aloud, a tremor in her voice. “You don’t belong here. Get out before you really get hurt.”
“Let’s get you to the ER. Then I’m calling the police.”
She nodded in agreement.
He high-tailed it to the hospital. Nancy, the nurse behind the ER desk, recognized them both. “Did she stop eating again?”
“Not this time. Someone hit her from behind. She’s lost a lot of blood.”
Nancy pulled a wheelchair over. “You poor girl. Here, you sit down, and we’ll get you in to see the doctor right away.”
Jade grabbed Bryce’s hand. “Please don’t call my parents. I don’t want to worry them.”
“I’ll wait to see how bad it is.” Bryce conceded that much. “But I’m calling the police.”
Jade agreed then released his hand.
After Bryce finished speaking to police dispatch, he walked up to the nurse’s desk. “Nancy, can you let Kenzie know I’m here?”
“Sure thing, Bryce. Might be a while. She’s helping with a procedure right now.”
“That’s okay, I’m not going anywhere.”
“How come you keep bringing that girl in here? You dating her?”
“She’s the new CEO at my company. Her grandmother left it to her.”
“That young thing is a CEO?” Nancy’s eyes popped wide.
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
“Didn’t you get promoted to one of them C acronyms too?”
“COO.”
“So that means you two—”
“Work very closely together.”
“Uh-huh.” Nancy shot him a suspicious look.
“It’s not like that.” Bryce waved her off. “Tell Kenzie I’m in the waiting room.”
“Will do.”
Bryce walked over to the vending machine. No teriyaki tonight. Chips and granola will have to do. He made his purchases, then took a seat. He’d gotten through the bag of chips when Kenzie appeared.
“Bryce, what are you doing here?” Kenzie gave him a big hug. “I haven’t seen you all week.”
“Yeah, sorry, work’s keeping me busy. I brought Jade in. She was attacked in the parking garage at work.”
“What? Is she all right?”
“I don’t know. She was hit over the head. There was a lot of blood.”
“Head wounds can do that if a superficial blood vessel is cut. If she wasn’t unconscious, she’ll probably only need stitches.”
“Have I ever told you how much I appreciate what you do here?” Bryce draped his arm around her.
“Yeah, I think you did just last week.”
“Well, I appreciate what you do that much more after being here and seeing it firsthand.”
A man in a white button-down, no tie, and a navy blue blazer walked up to Nancy, who pointed in Bryce’s direction.
“I think he’s here for me.” Bryce motioned toward the front desk. “Officer.” He held out his hand. “I’m Bryce Radisson. I believe you’re here to see me.”
“Yes, Mr. Radisson, I’m Detective Neal Hawkins. Is there somewhere we can sit down to get the report?”
Detective? Why did they send a detective?
“Why don’t you two sit over there?” Kenzie pointed to an alcove of the waiting room. “I’ll see you at home.” Kenzie kissed his cheek, then left to do her rounds.
Nancy was pushing Jade in a wheelchair out to the waitin
g area. Bryce held up a hand to the detective to give him a minute. “How is she?”
“She needed eleven stitches. Other than that she’s fine.” Nancy handed off the chair to Bryce.
Bryce wheeled Jade to the alcove. He knelt down in front of her and carefully tucked her hair behind her ear. “You doing okay?” He reached in his jacket pocket and handed her the granola bar.
“Thank you.” Jade’s eyes were wide with vulnerability.
In that brief moment, Bryce nearly did something utterly ridiculous. He almost pulled her into his arms.
NEAL HELD OUT A HAND to Jade. “Miss Buchanan, it’s been a long time since we last met. I’m Detective Neal Hawkins.”
Jade shook his hand while her eyes did a once-over on him.
She’d see he was tall and lean—okay he could stand to lose ten pounds—with a sandy blond crew cut and dark brown eyes.
“I’m sorry, I don’t recognize you. It might be the very large bump on my head.”
Neal smiled. “The last time you and I formally met, we were kids. I was fifteen, and I think you were around seven. It was at my father’s funeral. My dad worked for your grandmother.”
“Your father was James Hawkins?”
“Yes. See, you do remember. I tried to talk to you at your grandmother’s funeral. There were just too many people. When I heard the call come in tonight, I had to take it. I’ll never be able to repay your grandmother for what she did for my family.”
“How did she help you?”
“She kept a paycheck coming until Mom remarried three years later. It was a tough time for us losing Dad, and it would have been so much worse if it weren’t for your grandmother.”
Jade laid a hand over his. “She was heartbroken when your dad died. He’s the only employee in the company to pass away.”
“Actually, Arnie Thompson was the second.”
“Arnie Thompson?”
“He disappeared two years ago… accidental drowning.” Neal paid close attention to both of their reactions. “You don’t happen to own a boat, do you Mr. Radisson?”
Radisson’s brow furrowed. “Wish I did.”
“I vaguely recall my grandmother mentioning one of our employees in Purchasing was missing. I didn’t know he’d died. That’s so sad.”
Neal turned his attention back to Jade. “Gloria took it hard. I was assigned to that case, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you. I owe it to your grandmother.”
“Thank you, Detective.”
“Call me Neal, please.” He smiled.
“I don’t mean to be rude, Detective,” Radisson cut in. “But it’s late and I need to get Jade home.”
“Sure. Do you think you can answer a few questions about what happened tonight, Miss Buchanan?”
“I think so. My head feels a little funny from the medicine they gave me.”
“I’ll take it slow. If you’re not up for it, we can talk tomorrow. Let’s start with the basic questions for my notes. Can you state your full name?”
“Jade G. Buchanan,” she said with a mouth full of granola.
“And what does the ‘G’ stand for?”
She put her hand in front of her mouth when she spoke. “Gloria, and please call me Jade.”
“Okay, Jade. Can you tell me what happened?”
“Yes. I left work around eight-fifteen or sometime around there.”
Radisson nodded to confirm.
“I came down the elevator to the first floor and walked to my car. I had just reached inside my purse when someone hit me over the head. Bryce found this note.” She handed it to Neal.
Neal carefully gripped the sides of the paper and read it. “Who else handled this note?”
“Just Bryce and I.”
“Is this the first time you’ve received a threat?”
“Yes, wait, no, someone left me a note yesterday that said ‘keep your nose where it belongs.’ I don’t know if that’s really a threat.”
“It could be the beginning of someone escalating. Do you still have it?”
“I didn’t think anything of it so I threw it away.”
“Did you see who hit you?”
“No. I heard someone, but he was behind me.”
“Why do you think it was a he?”
“Because I saw part of his shadow. He was taller and bigger than me.”
“How far away is your car from the elevator?”
“About twenty feet. I have VIP parking.”
“VIP?”
“She’s the CEO of Synergy Technologies,” Radisson said.
Interesting. Neal looked from Radisson to Jade. Radisson seemed okay with it, but maybe he hid it well.
Jade explained. “My grandmother left me the company when she passed away. She named me CEO. I pretty much didn’t have a choice in the matter.”
“I’m sure that made a lot of people angry.” Giving us plenty of motive. “Does anyone in particular stand out as the most upset with you?”
“Yes, Stan Templeman. I fired him yesterday.”
“Had he been at the company long?”
“Over twenty-seven years.”
“That sounds like reason enough.” Neal made notes in his notebook. “Anyone else?”
Jade drew in a breath and released it. “Joshua Greenberg from Johansson Tek keeps trying to get me to sell the company.”
“Has he been harassing you?”
“If bugging me incessantly and showing up unannounced is harassing, then yes.”
“Anyone else?”
“I suppose the whole senior management team. I told them all there would be big changes coming, and if they weren’t on board to tender their resignations.”
Neal raised an eyebrow. Damn, she’s pissed off a lot of people. “Did anyone give you their resignation?”
“No.”
“Can you give me the names of the senior management team?”
Jade finished her granola bar as Radisson filled him in on their names and seniority with the company, including himself.
“Is there anyone else who would have strong motive to hurt you?”
“Not that I can think of.” Jade shook her head.
“Me,” Radisson said, surprising them both.
“What do you mean, Mr. Radisson?” Neal waited.
“I mean, Gloria Buchanan left me three million shares of stock and the role of COO. In one year, if Jade no longer wants to be CEO, her extra two million shares transfer to me, and I become CEO.”
“But you helped me, Bryce.” Jade put a hand on his knee. “You weren’t the one who did this.”
“I know that, but the detective doesn’t. He’s going to find this out anyway. I want to be upfront about it so he can find the person who did this to you.”
Smart move. Let me know what I’m going to find out anyway to get into my good graces. Could be legit, could be a cover. He jotted Radisson’s name down on his notepad and circled it. Strong motive. “How did you help her?”
“I left shortly after Jade did. I found her on the ground. At first, I thought she’d passed out again from not eating. After I helped her into my car, I heard another car take off.”
“Did you see it?”
“No, but I’m pretty sure it was on the first floor.”
“So based on what you said, it’s possible you walked up behind Jade and hit her on the head.”
Jade gasped.
Radisson stared at the detective. “Yes. It’s possible given the information you have. No one saw me hit her or help her.”
“But that’s crazy,” Jade protested.
“It’s okay, Jade. The detective needs to do his job. I’d prefer he rule me out so he can find the person who did this.”
“Do you normally wear a T-shirt to work, Mr. Radisson?”
Radisson looked down. “I used my work shirt to put pressure on her cut. She was bleeding like crazy.”
“It’s in the garbage.” Jade shrugged.
“Is there anything else, Detective Hawkin
s?” Radisson crossed his arms over his chest.
“Not at this time. Call me if either of you have any other information.” He handed them each a card. “Would you like me to arrange for a ride home, Jade?”
“No thank you, unless Bryce doesn’t want to take me?” She turned to Radisson.
“I already said I’ll take her.” Radisson’s cool eyes regarded him.
“I’ll call you if I find out anything,” Neal said to Jade.
“Thank you. I’d like to go home now.”
Radisson stood. “Can you walk, or should I get the car? It’s just around back.”
“I think I can walk.” Jade reached up to take his hand.
Radisson slid an arm around her to help her up. He kept his arm around her waist as they walked down the hallway.
Neal noted it in his book. He walked up to the nurse’s station. “Can you tell me the name of the nurse who was out here with Mr. Radisson when I arrived?”
“That was Mackenzie Ballinger, but she goes by Kenzie.”
“Can you give me her address and phone number?”
“You already have it. It’s the same as Bryce’s.”
Neal glanced at her nameplate. “Thank you, Nancy. Please let me know when the doctor is available for me to interview.”
Neal walked to the seating area. If he wasn’t mistaken, there was something going on between Jade Buchanan and Bryce Radisson. If that was the case, Mackenzie Ballinger could be a suspect.
CHAPTER 16
BRYCE HELD JADE CLOSE as he helped her into the car. She felt fragile beneath his hands. At least the color had returned to her high cheekbones and her lips had regained their natural pink beauty. Seeing the stark difference between how lifeless she’d looked earlier and how alive she looked now only highlighted how beautiful she was. “Buckle up.” He started to pull away.
She placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being my savior.” Her voice was low, throaty.
She was killing him. He was damn lucky her fruity scent was mixed with the metallic tang of blood. It helped abate his hunger for her. Hunger was all he could think to call it. His stomach was so tight it almost hurt. He craved the taste of her lips, her tongue, her skin. But this desire was wrong. They worked together. She was his boss.
Synergy: New Adult Romantic Suspense (U-District, #1) Page 11