She lifted her gaze to his. "She said he was attractive and funny. She admired him from afar. But that's true of a lot of the women at Nova Star. Jonathan is personable and friendly. Everyone likes him."
"Okay. But somehow Noelle, who was a Level 1 admin got close enough to the owner's son to have a drink with him. How do you think that happened?"
"I don't know, but Noelle's job or educational level has never deterred her from getting a date. She has always been very attractive to men. Trust me, I went to enough bars with her to know that when she was in the room, it was like there was a spotlight on her. Men were drawn to her, and she didn't even have to say a word. She just had this gleam in her eyes, this secret smile, that everyone wanted to explore."
There wasn't any jealousy in Avery's tone, but he couldn't help wondering what it would have felt like for Avery to have a friend who was always in the sun, while she was in the shadows. Although, maybe Avery had preferred that. Despite her proficiency at her job and her ability to speak to hundreds of people in a group, there was an innate sense of shyness about her, as if stepping into the light was no more in her comfort zone than going to Mars.
"I'm sure Jonathan just ran into her somewhere at the company," Avery continued. "Maybe she told him she needed career advice or something. Or maybe he hit on her. I don't know."
"Would she go out with a married man?"
Avery hesitated. "She wasn't a slut, Wyatt, but she did like men, and she didn't consider sex to be that big of a deal."
"I'm going to take that as a yes."
She let out a heavy sigh. "Even if they were having an affair, what does that mean?" She paused. "Are you suggesting that Jonathan Tremaine could have something to do with this?"
"I don't know. I'm looking for a motive. This wasn't random. Someone wanted to kill Noelle."
"If she was having an affair, Jonathan could have been afraid she'd tell his wife," Avery said slowly.
"That's one scenario," he said, happy to let her throw out her theories first.
"Or her boyfriend could have found out she was cheating on him. But Carter doesn't seem the angry type, and the person who killed Noelle…" She shook her head, biting down on her lip whatever she was remembering. "It was violent, Wyatt. It was personal. It felt like Noelle had betrayed someone." She took a breath. "But if she and Jonathan weren't personally involved, then their meeting had to have been about something else. You were following Jonathan for a reason that you don't care to explain, so Noelle's death might not have anything to do with an affair." She rolled her head around her shoulders. "I feel like we're going in circles. Nothing makes sense."
"Not yet. But one thing is clear to me, and it should be clear to you. You're in the middle of a very dangerous situation. You can identify the man in the apartment this morning. You were with Noelle last night. You heard her dying words." He paused, seeing her face pale. "I know you're a smart woman. You understand what I'm saying."
"Yes, I do."
Avery's phone buzzed, and she jumped. As she looked at the number, the lines of tension around her eyes deepened. "It's Noelle's mom. I have to take this."
He nodded. "Of course. But I'm not leaving you alone in this apartment, so I'll be here."
Avery didn't reply as she took the phone with her into the bedroom. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Price," she said, and then she closed the door.
Wyatt let out a breath, hoping he'd played his cards correctly. He usually didn't share information, but Avery was sharp, and she was in danger, and his gut told him that the only way to gain her trust was to bring her into the problem—at least part of the problem.
Feeling restless, he got up and paced around the living room. The book Avery had taken out of Noelle's apartment was on the coffee table. He picked it up, wondering if it was a clue. He read the inscription again, remembering what Avery had said earlier—that Noelle had dictated the words to her.
He'd never spoken to Noelle, but Avery's deep affection for the woman had brought her alive in a way he had never expected. Even though his heart had iced over years ago, he felt a pang of sadness that such a bright woman was gone. He would find out who had killed her. He didn't know if Avery would like the answer or if Noelle's activities might hurt the people who loved her, but at least they'd get to the truth.
Flipping through the pages of the book, he wondered if by some small chance Noelle had jotted something down inside the book, but it was pristine. Nothing appeared altered in any way.
Taking a seat on the couch, he read through the introduction and then into the first few chapters. The book was for kids, but Avery had not dumbed anything down. Her passion for science and space rang through on every page, and he could only imagine how many children would be inspired to go into astrophysics or become astronauts after reading her story.
A few minutes later, he heard the shower go on. Avery must have finished her call. Maybe when she was done freshening up, he could encourage her to pack a bag and find another place to stay.
She'd probably fight him on that. She might think she was a coward, but when he looked at her, he saw a strong, capable, beautiful woman with a really big heart.
He would have liked to have met her away from the job. But that would have never happened. He was almost always on assignment, living a life that was not his own. That's why he rarely had relationships with women. He had nights, sometimes the occasional weekend. But no one ever really knew the real him, and he never really knew them. It had worked well for the most part. But every now and then…
He shrugged off that wayward thought and tried not to think about Avery's beautiful curves under a spray of hot water.
Thankfully, his phone rang, and he was relieved by the distraction. When he saw Hamilton Tremaine's private number flash across his screen, he got his head back in the game.
"Tanner," he said briskly.
"How is Avery?" Hamilton asked, genuine concern in his voice. "I was just informed by Special Agent Davis at the FBI that she was attacked this morning at Ms. Price's apartment. Why didn't you call me, Wyatt?"
"I haven't had a second. Avery is fine. Unfortunately, the person involved got away. What else did Agent Davis have to say?"
"That the FBI is taking over the case because of Ms. Price's employment at my company and the other incidents we've previously discussed. I don't see how this woman could have been involved in any kind of sabotage or theft. From what I understand, her job was barely more than an administrative clerk. She didn't have access to anything, and she only worked for us for a few months. In fact, I suspect, based on the resume I read, that she was only hired because of Avery's influence. Unless…there's something I don't know?"
"I'm just beginning to dig into Ms. Price's life. She did have a boyfriend at the company—Carter Hayes."
"Yes. Mr. Hayes is a junior attorney in the patent department. Have you spoken to him?"
"Not yet. I'm most concerned about Avery right now. She can identify the man who almost shot her this morning, and I'm worried about her safety."
"So am I," Hamilton said with alarm. "You need to stay with her. I don't want anything to happen to Avery. She's very important to me. She's not just an employee; she's practically family."
"I understand. And I intend to keep a close eye on her."
"Good. Keep me updated. I want to know anything and everything as soon as you know it. I don't like what's going on. This break-in following the murder…disturbs me. Especially since you told me last night that Jonathan had a drink with Ms. Price several days ago. The FBI are going to jump on that like bees to honey, the same way they did with the death of that Chinese woman."
"Did you ask him about his meeting with Ms. Price?"
"I haven't been able to reach him. I've left several messages with his wife. But I'll see him at dinner tomorrow night."
"I know you've been reluctant to have me speak to Jonathan, but I think it's important."
"Not before I do," Hamilton said firmly. "Once I hear what he has
to say, we'll discuss it."
Hamilton was still protecting his son.
"But I know Jonathan," Hamilton continued. "He didn't kill that woman, whatever else he might have been doing with her. Someone is either continuing to frame him or he was just in the wrong place, wrong time. You need to find the real killer. Get the job done. I'm counting on you."
"I will do my best," he promised.
As he was about to put down his phone, a text appeared from Flynn MacKenzie. They rarely communicated, but apparently this was important.
There were only three words. Fire Courtyard Apartments.
A chill ran down his spine. He immediately got on the internet for more details, quickly coming across a breaking news story about a four-alarm fire at an apartment complex in Venice Beach. The entire building was engulfed in flames. Residents said it started quickly, some sort of explosion in a corner apartment.
His gut twisted. He knew exactly which apartment that was. Whatever hadn't been found this morning was forever gone.
Avery came out of the bedroom a moment later, wearing tan jeans frayed at the hem, a pair of flats and a soft green sweater that hugged her breasts. Her long brown hair was still damp and curling at the ends, her gold-flecked brown eyes bright and beguiling, her face showing a lot more color than she'd had before. But that wasn't going to last long.
"I've been thinking," she said. "I know you're worried about me, but I'll be fine here. I'll keep the doors locked." She stopped abruptly as he got to his feet.
"No," he said flatly.
"Look, I appreciate your concern, Wyatt, but I'm not involved in anything remotely classified at Nova Star. I don't know secrets. I run shows for kids and teachers and tourists."
"You're not staying here, Avery." He turned his phone around, so she could see the screen. "Look."
"What?" she asked, taking his phone. "Is that a fire burning? Is it close by?"
"It's in Venice Beach—an apartment building."
"Oh, my God! Is that Noelle's building?"
He met her suddenly terrified gaze. "Yes. Pack a bag, Avery. And do it fast."
"Why? This doesn't have anything to do with me. Maybe it's all over now. Noelle is dead, and her apartment is destroyed. There's nothing left to find."
"Except you were there. You had a book in your hands. And they don't know that it was just your own book autographed to your friend."
She stared back at him, her gaze sharpening as she took in his words. "It's possible they think I have whatever they were looking for?"
"And that's why we're getting you out of here. Pack for several days and bring that book."
"Why?"
"I don't know, but just bring it."
Six
"Where are we going?" Avery asked twenty minutes later, as Wyatt drove away from her apartment building. She'd thrown a pile of clothes into a suitcase, without putting much thought into what she was bringing, grabbed what little cash she had stashed in her place for when the cleaners came, and then jumped into Wyatt's car.
The fire at Noelle's apartment building had definitely brought home to her the fact that this was not over and that she might really be in danger.
For a brief moment in the shower, she'd tried to talk herself out of that idea, rationalizing that whoever was interested in Noelle's place was not interested in her. But with Noelle's apartment gutted by fire and Wyatt's reminder that she had been seen there, it made sense to get away. Although she didn't think her book was important in any way, she'd put it in her bag at his request. Maybe they'd go through it together later.
"Wyatt?" she pressed, realizing he hadn't answered her.
There was a hard set to his jaw, a simmering tension in his movements, and that didn't make her feel better at all. Wyatt had jumped in front of a gun for her. He was an ex-soldier. He was clearly someone who ran into dicey situations when everyone else was running out, so if he said they needed to run, she had to trust his instincts.
"Sorry. Thinking," he said in clipped tones, shooting her a quick look, his dark eyes filled with shadows. "What about your mother's house?"
"No. My mom will have a million questions. Plus, she's leaving for Hawaii tomorrow, and I don't want her to change her plans."
"What about your dad then?"
"And bring danger to him? Or to any of my friends? I need to stay somewhere that isn't attached to me, where no one would expect me to be. Why don't you just drop me at the nearest hotel?"
"I'm not dropping you anywhere."
"We can't stay together," she protested.
"Why not?"
"Because…we can't," she said, floundering for a good reason that wouldn't make her sound like an idiot.
"We'll get separate but connecting rooms. However, I'd like to stop at my apartment and pick up a few things before we do that."
"I'm very capable of taking care of myself, Wyatt," she said, trying to infuse as much confidence into those words as she could. But the truth was she didn't feel at all optimistic that she could take care of herself, not after what had happened to Noelle and what happened to her at Noelle's apartment.
"In ordinary situations, I'm sure you are," Wyatt returned. "But this is not ordinary, Avery. If what I've told you isn't enough for you to realize the need to be careful—"
"I recognize the need. I'm not stupid."
"I know you're not stupid; I just don't think you've ever had to deal with the kind of danger that you might be in."
He was right about that. "Fine. We'll stay at the same hotel, but I can't just hide out there. I have to go on living. I told Noelle's mom that I would meet her at the mortuary at four o'clock today to discuss plans. I'm not going to let her deal with that alone."
"I'll go with you."
"To the mortuary? To discuss funeral plans? To listen to Noelle's mother sob with grief?" she asked with surprise.
"If that's what you're doing, that's what I'm doing."
"Why do you care what happens to me? You don't know me. We're not friends. I'm not your problem. Why go out of your way to make sure I'm safe?"
"I told you before; it's my job to look out for Nova Star employees, and that includes you. Especially you, actually. I spoke to Hamilton while you were in the shower. He's concerned about you, and he asked me to stay close. He's the boss."
"I doubt he made a point of that."
"He said you're practically family. Why don't you call him and ask him if you can trust me?" Wyatt suggested.
Her gaze narrowed on his confident expression. "You know he'll say yes."
"I do. But I want you to feel as comfortable as you can with me."
She debated for a moment and then pulled out her phone and called Hamilton. She rarely used the personal number he'd given her, but these circumstances were extraordinary. And as much as Wyatt seemed trustworthy, there were bits and pieces of his story that bothered her, like the fact that he'd been at the funhouse the night before, that he'd seen Noelle with Jonathan Tremaine but couldn’t explain how that came to be.
Hamilton answered a moment later. "Avery—are you all right?"
She heard real concern in his voice, and it touched her deeply. In truth, Hamilton sometimes felt more like a father to her than her own dad. "I'm hanging in there."
"I am so sorry about your friend. Your father told me how close you were—ever since you were children."
Emotion knotted her throat at his caring words. "Noelle and I were best friends for a long time. I really hope they catch the person who killed her."
"You need to leave that to the police," he said. "Wyatt told me what happened this morning. Why were you at your friend's apartment?"
So, Wyatt had talked to Hamilton. At least, he hadn't lied about that. "I just needed to go there," she said vaguely, not wanting to get into any more details.
"I'm worried about you, Avery. Wyatt says the intruder got a look at your face."
"Well, Wyatt was certainly chatty," she said. "While the situation isn't ideal, I'm be
ing careful; I don't want you to worry."
"It's too late for that. I didn't know your friend, but she was an employee, and the manner of her death disturbs me. The fact that you could be in danger makes the situation even worse. I want Wyatt to protect you until we can hire additional security."
"I don't think that's necessary."
"I do. Now, will I see you tomorrow at your father's birthday dinner? With everything that's going on, I'm sure it's the last thing you want to do, but I know Whitney has gone to a lot of trouble, and I'm quite certain your father would appreciate you being there."
She'd completely forgotten about the birthday party. "I haven't given it any thought."
"Completely understandable. But please make it happen. I'd like to talk to you in person, Avery. I know you're going through a difficult time, but there are also some things I need to know about your friend. With the launch coming up on Tuesday, I have to know if there is any break in my security."
"I understand. I'll see you tomorrow then, but I have one request. Please don't say anything to my dad about what happened at Noelle's apartment this morning. It will only upset him."
"He's your father; he has a right to know."
"But there's nothing he can do about it. I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't say anything."
There was a hesitation on the other end of the line, but finally Hamilton said, "All right. I will respect your wishes."
"Thank you."
"Take care."
"I will."
"Well?" Wyatt asked, as she disconnected the call.
"You weren't lying. Hamilton asked you to look out for me."
"And…you'll let me be your shadow for a while longer?"
"Yes." She turned her head to meet his gaze. "But I'm pretty sure you're going to be bored out of your mind."
For the first time since she'd met him, a smile curved his lips.
"Bored, huh? So far hanging out with you has been anything but boring."
"But this isn't my normal life. That is usually quite uneventful."
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