by Jenny Devall
“Okay.”
They were off. She wore headphones so he could talk to her.
“How was your day?”
He always liked to hear about what she did. She loved her job so much that it was infectious. He didn’t understand it, but it didn’t matter. He just enjoyed watching her talk. He had to keep his eye on his flying today, but he’d know what she looked like anyway.
“Routine until the afternoon. We had a fire drill. Then the system went down, so I couldn’t get any work done. Then I had to defend a report I wrote. And now my boyfriend is flying me to Martha’s Vineyard in his helicopter.”
“Sounds like an exciting day.”
“The last part is a little anti-climactic.”
He chuckled. “I could make it interesting?”
“Yeah?”
“I can fly a little lower so you can see some landmarks.”
“That’s legal?”
“Yes. I have a minimum height I need to keep, but I can do that and show you things.”
He spend the next fifteen minutes pointing out the sights of Manhattan. She was overjoyed. The smile on her face must have hurt, it was so big.
“That was cool.”
Yeah, it was. He’d spent all this time making all this money, and he’d never really enjoyed it until he could share it with Riley. He’d only thought of that at this very moment. Flying to Martha’s Vineyard.
They landed just before dusk. His mother greeted them as they entered the house.
“Dinner is almost ready. I hope everyone is hungry,” Eliza said.
“I am, Mrs. Trent.”
“Please don’t call me that,” she said as she hugged Riley. “Call me Eliza.”
“Okay then,” Riley said.
Dirk kissed his mother. “Anyone need anything to drink?”
“Your father has some wine open in the kitchen. Go on through.”
Dirk led Riley to that room. Luzy and Chad were already there with wine glasses in hand. Dirk’s father Carl was pouring more. He handed a glass to Riley, then kissed her on the cheek. “Welcome back, Riley. Glad this lunkhead of a son of mine realized his mistake in letting you go.”
“Dad.”
Riley laughed. She nodded at Chad and Luzy, who listed their glasses in her direction. Dirk enjoyed the family gatherings, but he was a little tense with what he needed to get done tonight. Hopefully all would go smoothly.
Chad spoke up. “I heard you found the problem at your company. Who would have thought that Zeke would do it?”
Dirk glanced at Riley. She nodded to him. He hoped that meant she was on board with what he was doing.
“Well, we aren’t sure he worked alone, so we still involved in ferreting out what happened,” Dirk said.
“You don’t think he could have been acting alone?” Luzy said.
“No. His skills probably aren’t that good,” Riley said. “We’ll figure it all out soon enough.”
“It’s taken you long enough,” Chad said.
“Chad,” Carl said.
“What?” Chad said.
He pouted as the conversation moved away from the subject he brought up. Dirk watched him for a moment and detected a little anger. Their mother called dinner, and they moved to the dining rom.
Dirk caught Riley’s hand and whispered in her ear, “I think we pissed him off.”
“Good. If he’s the one he’ll screw up,” she said.
He loved that she was so smart and quick-thinking. What would he do without her? In fact, he didn’t want to know. He’d have to make sure he never knew.
Monday he’d put a plan in motion. Riley would be his forever.
“You’re smiling like you’re up to no good,” his mother said when he sat at the table.
“Not at all. Just happy to be here,” he said.
He squeezed Riley’s hand. Oh yes. He was going to make sure that Riley would always be his.
“How have you been feeling, Mom?” Dirk said, changing the subject again.
“Very good. Docs say all is fine. I’ve had to change my diet a little, but that’s it.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“What have you been up to, Riley?” Eliza asked.
“I have a new assignment, but it is almost over. I had to write some security code for a company, and that’s just about done. I have to run it and test it this week. Then who knows what the next job will bring.”
“Certainly not another boyfriend,” Chad said.
Dirk glared at his brother. What was he doing? Riley wasn’t going anywhere. He’d make sure of that. He loved this woman, and he’d never felt like this before her.
“Uh, I doubt it,” Riley said.
She glanced at Dirk, but he just shrugged. He couldn’t interpret his brother any more than she could. The dinner conversation went to lighter topics. His mother had made a roast and potatoes. One of his favorites. He’d have to get the recipe from her.
He could cook this for Riley sometime.
He and Riley cleared the table while the others went out onto the deck.
“I think that went well,” Dirk said. “He’s pissed, and that might get him to do something.”
“Hopefully. Luzy asked me to meet her for lunch on Monday.”
“That should be good. Nice that you two are getting along.”
“Yes, I like her. She just needs a little more independence and she’ll be fine.”
“Yes, she does. She’s had two older brothers to protect her all of her life.”
“I bet you guys gave her dates a hard time,” Riley said as she put another clean dish in the rack.
“We did. We were probably awful, but she’s our little sister,” Dirk said.
Riley gave him a kiss. “I think it’s sweet.”
Chapter Twelve
Riley left work to meet Luzy for lunch. This was her last week at this job, and she was happy not to have the specter of Justin hanging over her. As she walked out of the building, he was walking in. They hadn’t spoken since he’d approached her the other day.
She paused, but was unsure what to say to him. Or if she should even talk at all.
He stopped in front of her. “Last week?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what your next job is?”
“No. I’ll know my last day here,” she said.
“We’ve been lucky to have you. You do great work,” Justin said.
The compliment made her happy. “We like to keep our customers satisfied.”
He looked down at his shoes then back up to her. “I’m sorry that we didn’t work out. I know I’m complicit in that.”
“I guess it wasn’t meant to be,” she said.
“I should never have left that day,” he said.
She shrugged. “Not sure what to tell you.”
“I should have fought for you. I think we would have been good together.”
She just smiled. What could she tell him that would make him feel better? She was in love with Dirk. It was that simple. Justin probably never had a chance. “You take care, Justin.”
He kissed her on the cheek then left her standing by the door. He’d find someone, she hoped. Just like she had. Now she had to help Luzy be independent.
Riley had never thought about being anything else. An only child, she’d often spent time by herself. And she’d been the third adult as she grew up. Her parents had given her more responsibility and more freedom than most of her friends. They’d been jealous.
How would she teach that to a grown woman? Would Luzy be willing to learn?
“Hey, Tuck,” she said, greeting her driver and bodyguard.
He was a large man, of course, but he didn’t wear the usual uniform of a dark blue suit. His clothes spoke of the ability to hold his own in a fight. She made a mental note to ask him to give her some pointers. He’d mentioned at one point that he taught self-defense.
“Where are we headed today, Ms. Adams?”
She asked him a dozen times to
call her Riley, but he refused. Just wasn’t in his nature, he’d told her. She was a client and he preferred to keep a line between them. Kept him sharper, he’d said.
“Here.”
She handed him a paper with the address of the restaurant on it, then climbed into the back. He started the car. “I’m not familiar with this.”
“I’m not either, but I don’t know this area very well.”
He punched it into the GPS and they were off. The neighborhood didn’t change, but this part had more empty storefronts.
“I have no idea why Luzy needed to meet me here. Maybe she’s looking at a storefront.”
“I don’t like it, but I can’t tell you exactly why,” Tuck said.
He parked by a mostly abandoned strip mall. Luzy’s car was in the lot. She hadn’t mentioned anything but lunch, but maybe that was just Luzy’s style. Riley didn’t know Dirk’s sister that well. Maybe she was flighty.
“Stay in the car. I’m going to leave it running. Let me check this out,” Tuck said.
Riley thought he was being overly cautious, but she stayed in the car as he asked. She hummed to the radio, waiting for him.
Her phone rang. Joan.
“Hey,” Riley said.
“Hey. Riley. You free tonight?”
“I am, I think. Why?”
“Just wanted to get a drink with you. Haven’t seen you in a few,” she said.
Riley could use a girls’ night out. “Sounds great. Seven?”
“That’s good. Where are you at?”
“I’m having lunch with Luzy, but I think she wants me to check out a storefront with her. At least that is what I am assuming. The address she gave me was not a restaurant. My bodyguard is checking it out.”
“Does sound odd, but then you said she seemed a little odd?”
“She did.”
“I’ve got to go. See you tonight,” Joan said.
Riley tucked the phone back into her pocket. She looked around the parking lot. Deserted. Tuck should have come back by now. What was he checking out? She pondered this for a few moments.
Then her phone buzzed. It was Tuck. He sent a text that all was okay and that she should come in. “Why didn’t he just come back out?”
Odd for sure, but whatever. She climbed out of the car then strode to the storefront where Tuck had disappeared. She paused for a moment. This did seem weird, but if Tuck said it was okay, then she was probably safer inside with him then outside without him.
She opened the door with some trepidation. The inside was dark. It had once been an ice cream parlor. Unplugged freezers littered the room in front of her. She didn’t hear any noises. Nothing.
She didn’t think that Tuck could be anywhere and not make noise.
“Hello? Luzy?”
Nothing. Not even Tuck answering. Shit. He’d said it was fine.
So she walked in. She found a door on the back wall and entered it. On the floor was Tuck. Out cold, as far as she could see. She raced over to him. He was still breathing. She yanked her phone out, but someone behind her knocked it out of her hands. It went sliding across the floor.
Someone grabbed her hair so she couldn’t turn around.
“Luzy? What the hell?”
Someone leaned down close to her ear. “It isn’t Luzy.”
Chad. Chad? What was he doing here? “Why did you knock out Tuck?”
“Because we’re going to have a little talk,” Chad said.
Her phone rang, but he held on to her. “Don’t answer it.”
She could see from the light of the screen that it was Dirk.
He’d come find her if she didn’t answer. Chad didn’t need to know that.
***
Dirk wondered why Riley didn’t answer her phone. Odd for her. He hung up and chose to try again in a few minutes. She might be in the bathroom. He remembered she was having lunch with Luzy, but Riley still would have answered him.
Should he call Tuck?
No, that might be construed as controlling. He didn’t need to talk to her. He just wanted to touch base. See how her day was going. Hear her voice. Holy crap. He was a goner.
For the first time in his life, for as scared as he felt, he didn’t want to do something stupid. He didn’t want to run. But he did need advice.
He called Marcia in.
She sat with a pen and a notepad as if she were taking dictation.
“This isn’t about work. It’s personal,” he said.
“Okay.”
“In an effort to be less controlling, I’m trying to define what is controlling. And how much I should call Riley or text her.”
Marcia laughed. “You really are out of your depth on this one.”
“Yes, I am. I’m used to just doing what needs to be done. This time it isn’t obvious what needs to be done.”
“Contacting her as much as you want is fine until you are annoying. Don’t expect her to answer every time you reach out. She might be in the middle of something. She might be in the bathroom.”
Just as he’d thought. “If I call her and she doesn’t answer, what is a reasonable time to wait before I call back?”
“Why call back at all? Wait for her to call you back.”
That sounded reasonable. Didn’t feel reasonable. Something was bothering Dirk, but he wasn’t sure what it was. He had a bad feeling. “What if I think there’s something wrong?”
“Are you worried that she didn’t answer, or were you worried before you called?”
“I was worried before I called.”
“Then you can call her back again soon. After that let her call you,” Marcia said.
“Are there rules written down someplace?”
“No, most people learn about boundaries growing up. You were an only for a while, so you didn’t have any.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve been accused of that. I think the other problem is that I never wanted to breach anyone’s boundaries before this.”
“That’s probably true, too. Have you told her?”
“How I feel? No, I haven’t. I have to. It’s wrong, but I needed some time to get used to the idea.”
“For you, yes, that’s understandable. Hopefully Riley will get it.”
“She hasn’t said it to me.”
“Even if she feels it, she’s going to let you say it first,” Marcia said. “You’ve been the more reluctant person in this relationship.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. Marcia was right. He’d been holding back. He didn’t want to anymore. He wanted a future with Riley. Even if that meant a move to the suburbs or having kids. Whatever she wanted was fine. As long as she agreed to stay with him. He’d been lost without her.
He’d be lost without her. He didn’t want that feeling ever again.
“I’m going to call her again.”
He did. No answer. The phone was on, because he didn’t go right to voicemail. He left a message. “I’m going to call Joan. Maybe she knows something.”
“It isn’t like Riley to not answer twice?’
“No. Even if she can’t call me back, she sends me a text telling me that she got my call.”
He dialed Joan’s number.
“She told me she was at a storefront meeting Luzy.”
“I thought they were going to lunch.”
“Riley told me she wasn’t sure about that. Tuck was checking it out before he let her go in.”
At least the man was doing his job. “Okay. I’m going to look and see where her phone is.”
He hung up with Joan, then used his computer to find Riley. “She’s at some strip mall in New Jersey.”
“Really?”
“Not that far from her job,” he said.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll have to fly there.”
“Isn’t your helicopter in for maintenance?”
“Damn. That’s right. You did schedule that. Sometimes your efficiency is unnerving.”
Marcia smiled. “That’s why you p
ay me the big bucks.”
“Then I better get going.”
“Aren’t you going to feel foolish if this is nothing?”
“No, because I’ll just tell her that I love her. That’s important.”
Marcia laughed. “You really have it bad. I didn’t think I’d see this day.”
He glared at his assistant, who was enjoying his discomfort more than he liked. “Have my car brought around.”
“No sports car?”
“It’s all the way at home. I’m really worried, Marcia.”
“Then go. I’ll call your driver.”
Dirk shut down his computer then arrived in the garage below his building minutes later. His heart beat fast in his chest. Maybe this was nothing, but he couldn’t imagine his life without Riley. He had to keep her safe. She was in danger because of him. That left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Traffic in Manhattan was especially bad today. Probably someone important was in town and roads were blocked. He wanted to hit something, but this wasn’t anyone’s fault. He’d just have to be patient.
He could call Luzy. Maybe she knew something. Or would his calling tip her off if Luzy was doing something nefarious?
Dirk’s phone rang before he made a decision. Joan.
“Hello, Joan.”
“I tried calling and texting Riley. No answer. Now I’m worried. Should we call the police?”
“And tell them what? That my sister is holding my girlfriend hostage, I think?”
“When you say it out loud it does sound stupid.”
“For all we know she’s in a dead zone.”
“I don’t think there are too many of those in New Jersey. At least not where she is,” Joan said.
She had a point, but Dirk could still hope that this was all a misunderstanding.
Chapter Thirteen
Chad had tied Riley to a chair. He might be good at programming, but he wasn’t good at tying knots. She’d be free in a few minutes. She just had to distract him from what she was trying behind her back. He paced, not really looking at her anyway.
Tuck was still out for the count on the floor. Chad had tied the man’s hands. That was it. She’d bet if Tuck came to, he’d sort out the situation, but she wasn’t counting on that. She had to get out of this herself.
“Why are you doing this, Chad?”
“Shut up, I’m thinking.”