Protecting the Boss

by Beverly Long

  Seth stood off to the side, scanning the small crowd, looking for someone around five foot nine and a hundred and fifty pounds. There were a couple women who fit the physical description but no men. None of the women were blonde.

  He glanced up and down the street and at the windows of the four-story building across the street. Saw a shadow pass in front of one window on the third floor and tensed but when the shadow passed back and forth a couple more times, he realized they weren’t looking down, but rather forward, as if they were simply pacing a room.

  The ceremony started. The mayor spoke first, then the chamber president and finally Megan said a few words. Her voice was strong, she was articulate and again, Seth was impressed with her professional demeanor. He had a feeling that North and More Designs was going to be a great success.

  Within twenty minutes of the ribbon-cutting ending and the dignitaries leaving, lunch arrived and Megan and her employees were gathered around the break room table. They were just clearing the debris when his cell phone buzzed.

  Royce.

  “Hang on,” he said, by way of greeting. Then he caught Megan’s eye and motioned that he was stepping out of the break area.

  He went all the way to the sidewalk and stood in front of the door. Nobody could get past him without him seeing them. “Talk to me,” he said.

  “I don’t have much to tell you,” Royce said.

  Seth fought the wave of disappointment. “Let’s have it,” he said.

  “I was at the Laundromat behind Marta’s Deli at 9:46, staring at the dryers, waiting for my clothes to dry.”

  “Acting as if your clothes were drying,” Seth clarified.

  “No. I brought along a bag of wet towels.”

  With anybody but Royce, he’d have said they were lying. But Royce, knowing he was going to a Laundromat, would have brought along the right props. It was all part of his “have a plan, a backup plan and an it’s-going-to-hell plan.”

  “Anyway, there was one woman already there, reading a book. She didn’t seem to be paying much attention to me when I loaded my towels in the dryer. While I was there, she moved her clothes from the washer to the dryer and I really believe she was there just doing laundry. I stayed for an hour. During that time, one other individual arrived, carrying a large laundry basket.”

  “Describe him,” Seth said.

  “Midtwenties. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Six-two. Two hundred pounds. Gray towels. White sheets. Boxers, not briefs.”

  Seth almost smiled. Royce was always very thorough. He’d have gotten all that without the guy even knowing that he was looking.

  “Nobody loitering outside.”

  “Nope. I went outside three times for a smoke.”

  “You don’t smoke.”

  “I did today. Nasty things. They used to taste better when I was eighteen. I mostly let it burn down but it gave me a chance to look around. There were people coming and going from Marta’s Deli but nobody who gave the Laundromat a second glance.”

  “Somebody could have been watching from a distance.”

  “Absolutely. But there’s nothing close that would have given them a good view. With the right equipment, there’s a couple six-story apartments a few blocks away that might have worked.”

  But if somebody had really wanted to make contact with Megan, they likely wouldn’t have wanted to be blocks away when she arrived. They’d be risking the chance that she’d get frustrated and leave. Although they did have her phone number. He supposed they could deal with that by simply giving her a call and telling her to come back.

  “I spent some time inside Marta’s Deli,” Royce said. “No men working in the kitchen. I pretended that I was looking for an old friend of my wife’s and that I’d heard he was working at Marta’s. My waitress said she’d worked there for over a year and there hadn’t been any male cooks during that time. There was one waiter but he’d been out with the flu for more than a week. She wanted to know the name of the man I was looking for and I told her I thought it was something like John Johnson but I wasn’t confident. Like I’d hoped, she offered up that the waiter’s name was Ross Lewis.”

  The name meant nothing to him. But he let it roll around in his head. Ross Lewis. Ross Lewis.

  Megan had said that her fiancé’s name was Logan Lewis. “Royce, I sent a text earlier asking for a background check on Logan Lewis, Megan’s ex-fiancé.”

  “I recalled that. So, I found Ross Lewis’s address, which was less than fifteen minutes away from Marta’s Deli. I made a quick trip there but nobody answered the door.”

  “Too sick to get out of bed?”

  “Don’t think so. He lives in a duplex. I knocked on the neighbor’s door and the man living there didn’t think he’d seen Ross for over a week. Said they shared a garage and he also hadn’t seen the motorcycle that Ross drives.”

  “Maybe he’s got vacation flu.”

  “Maybe. I asked him if Ross had a brother but he had no idea. Same last name could just be coincidence but...”

  “Hardly anything is ever just a coincidence,” Seth said, finishing his partner’s sentence.

  “Megan would probably know if Logan had a brother,” Royce said.

  True. But he wasn’t sure he wanted to ask her. “Who is heading up the Logan Lewis background check?”

  “Trey. I’ll follow up with him. Sorry I don’t have more to report.”

  “No problem. I appreciate you being there. The caller might have chickened out when he didn’t see Megan or maybe it was a hoax to begin with.”

  “How’s the assignment going otherwise?”

  “Just did a ribbon-cutting and now we’re on to a staff meeting and then another cocktail party where I’ll sip water with a slice of lime.”

  Royce sighed. “Chin up, my friend.”

  “Absolutely.” Seth hung up. It wasn’t as bad as he’d made it sound. He got to watch Megan in a pretty dress work her way around the room, charming everyone. Got to take her back to the hotel.

  And then take a really cold shower.

  Yeah, this assignment pretty much sucked.

  * * *

  Megan was relieved when Jasmine arrived just as they were clearing the remains of lunch. She was wearing North and More Designs, and the purple-and-black tunic top and wide-legged pants were stunning on her. She was a wonderful walking advertisement.

  Jasmine’d done all the hiring for the Albuquerque store so she knew everybody. Still, they did introductions so that the group could get to know one another. Megan knew that Seth, who was back in the room, was listening carefully, based on his comments after the Sedona meeting that Chloé Dawson had been an employee at J.T. Daly’s.

  She didn’t hear anything that would get his attention but knew that she was really only half listening. When he’d returned to the room, he’d given her a brief shake of his head and said, “Nothing to report.” She’d wanted to take him outside and demand details but right now, her priority had to be on establishing a connection with the Albuquerque staff and getting them ready to open a store tomorrow.

  Jasmine’s remarks were a bit different than in Sedona and Megan realized that even in the short time the Arizona store had been open, there had been some early lessons learned that would help them in Albuquerque. She knew that was one of the real benefits of having common management over several stores. It was hectic in these early days but would ultimately pay off.

  When it was time for her rah-rah speech, she spoke about the joy of helping customers find clothes that made them feel confident and beautiful and the fun of showing a customer that one perfect accessory that was going to turn the nice outfit into a knockout look.

  It wasn’t just words to her. She believed it. She hoped Jasmine had hired people who did, too. She ended her spiel with a reminder that they were all invited to the cocktail party. Finally, it was time to go. She
gave Jasmine a hug, told her they’d catch up later, and she and Seth walked to the rental car. His door was barely shut when she pounced. “What did your partner say?”

  “He was there in time. Didn’t see anybody who fit the physical description of your blond friend and saw nothing unusual, as in somebody obviously looking for somebody else. At Marta’s Deli, he verified there are no male cooks and one male server, who has been out with the flu for about a week. His name is Ross Lewis. I wonder if that might mean something to you.”

  Ross Lewis. Of course that meant something to her. “Logan had a younger brother named Ross.”

  “How much younger?”

  “At least ten years. When Logan was twenty, he was probably nine or ten.”

  “Which would make him midtwenties now?”

  “I guess. But why would he call me? After all these years? With that kind of message?” She simply could not get her head around what he was telling her.

  “I don’t know. What kind of relationship did Logan and Ross have?”

  She shrugged. “There was such a big age difference that they were in different worlds. I’m sure they loved each other. But I haven’t seen or heard anything about Ross since Logan and I broke off the engagement. I...I wish I knew more.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Royce went to his apartment and the neighbor verified that Ross and his motorcycle haven’t been seen for about a week. But don’t worry. Now that I know for sure there is a connection, we’re going to find him and talk to him.”

  “Who is we?”

  “It depends of where he’s at. Either I’ll do it or one of my partners.”

  “I want to do it,” she said.

  He stared at her. “Before we make that decision, let us gather some background info on him. I don’t want you walking into a dangerous situation.”

  “Maybe I should call Logan and ask him what the heck his brother is doing?”

  Seth shook his head. “No. Earlier when we discussed calling Logan, I didn’t have strong feelings. Now that we know there’s a connection between him and Ross Lewis from Marta’s Deli, I think it’s the wrong move. We don’t know what kind of relationship the two men have, don’t know what one would do to protect the other.”

  She rubbed her temples. “Well, at least Marta’s Deli makes some sense finally. If he works there, it’s a place where he could easily use the telephone and would feel comfortable asking me to meet nearby.” She started her car and pulled away from the curb.

  “It’s not smart,” Seth said. “Not smart to use a telephone where you work because everybody knows about caller ID. Not smart to want to meet near your work because it’s logical that people might start to snoop around and discover your identity that way. In the second call, he told you the Laundromat was behind Marta’s Deli. So of course, that is going to lead you to Marta’s Deli.”

  “So, he wants me to know that it’s him? Then why doesn’t he simply just tell me who he is when he calls?”

  “I don’t know. But we will. Once we find him.”

  “I don’t think he’s the blond guy who has been following me,” she said. “Logan and Ross both had dark hair, olive skin. And the blond guy was older than Ross would be.”

  “Then that’s still a mystery.”

  “One that I can’t worry about right now. When we get back to the hotel, I’ve got an interview with a local magazine and a conference call with the contractor working on the Vegas property. Then it will be time to get ready for the cocktail party.”

  “And here I was, hoping for a nap.”

  She gave him a quick look. “You don’t strike me as the nap type.”

  “Then you’ve never seen me on a warm Sunday afternoon, after a big lunch.”

  The idea of him stretching out across a couch was an appealing one. “Television on or off?”

  “Old movie on, one that I’ve seen many times.”

  “Blanket or no blanket?”

  “None. I run hot.”

  She just bet he did. There was no escaping it. Seth Pike was a very handsome, sexy guy. At both the Sedona and Albuquerque staff meetings, she’d seen the appreciative glances that her team was sending his direction.

  Anybody in her situation would be attracted to him.

  Even if he was all wrong.

  A pilot, for goodness’ sake.

  “That maybe came out wrong,” he said.

  She kept her eyes on the road. “I understood what you meant.” Still didn’t stop me from getting a little heated up myself, however.

  When they got to the hotel, she had less than fifteen minutes to get ready for the interview with the local magazine. They did the interview in the lobby. She was grateful when Seth stood off to the side, near the entrance. She didn’t want to have to explain his presence to the journalist. Certainly didn’t want it getting reported that she traveled with her own security.

  Once that was over, she went back to her room and made her call. Then she took a quick shower and changed her clothes. By the time she was ready and opened her door, Seth was waiting in the hallway. “You’re never late, are you?” she said.

  “Never is a long time. But not usually. And I’m pretty psyched about this next event.”

  She smiled. “No, you’re not. This can’t be fun for you. You’re in a room full of strangers and you don’t let yourself eat or drink.”

  “I’m looking on the positive side. Weston Marberry won’t be there.”

  Chapter 14

  At twenty minutes after seven, the bastard proved him wrong.

  Tonight’s cocktail party was in a private room at the back of the Peacock Restaurant. There was a rear emergency exit, which probably met fire code, but didn’t allow for access from the outside. Seth appreciated that because it meant he had to watch only one entrance.

  It was a smaller room and more crowded than in Sedona. But other than that, much the same. Bar in the corner of the room, appetizers being served by waitstaff. Tall round tables offered guests a place to put their plates but there were no chairs.

  Things had been going well until Weston Marberry walked in. He stood near the doorway, his eyes searching the room, holding steady when he saw Megan. Then he made a beeline toward her.

  Seth had to practically hang on to the railing behind him in order to keep from intercepting the man and tossing him out on his ear. Instead, he watched Megan. Relaxed when he realized that she was just as surprised as he was. She hadn’t been expecting him.

  Was the guy drunk again? Seth didn’t think so. His gait had been steady.

  He watched as Megan introduced Marberry to the couple she’d been speaking with before he’d interrupted her. Then, within minutes, the two of them drifted off to the corner of the room. Too far away for him to hear. Not at the right angles for him to read their lips.

  Screw it.

  It took him four seconds to cross the room. “Everything okay here?” he asked, coming up on Megan’s left.

  “Yes, yes, of course,” Megan said hurriedly. Her face was flushed. With excitement? Nerves? He had no idea.

  He turned to Marberry. “I didn’t think we were expecting you.”

  “I’m kind of an impulsive guy,” Marberry said. “Just didn’t want to miss my favorite client’s grand opening.”

  “Do you bill your travel time?” Seth asked.

  Megan let out a puff of air and put her hand on his arm. “We were just in the middle of something here, Seth.”

  In other words, get your nose out of my business. Fine. He stared at her. “At least he’s not slurring his words tonight.”

  He went back to his wall and surveyed the room, making sure that nobody new had entered while he was shooting off testosterone. His remarks bordered on juvenile but damn it, couldn’t she see that this guy wasn’t right for her?

  And how could he be so confid
ent of that?

  Easy.

  He was right for her. He liked Megan North. A lot. More than he’d ever liked any other woman. She was smart and funny and she kept him on his toes. Being gorgeous didn’t hurt. But it was more than that. It was how she interacted with her employees, making each one of them feel special, no doubt leaving them feeling as if they’d made a very wise decision to join North and More Designs. It was how she cared so much for her sister that she had changed her whole life to take care of her.

  It was how she looked in her pajamas, standing in the middle of her bed, one hand up to her mouth, the other pointed at a snake.

  Priceless.

  He used his phone to send a text, asking for an update on the background checks on Chloé Dawson and Weston Marberry. He got a reply almost instantly. Ms. Dawson had twelve years of retail experience, six of that at J.T. Daly’s. She had been an average student, earning an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Phoenix. Never married. No children. Lived in an apartment. Reasonable amount of debt. All in all, there wasn’t much there.

  He thumbed down to look at the next report. Weston Marberry had been born and raised in Australia. Family had come to the states his junior year in high school. After graduation, Weston had taken a gap year and traveled throughout Europe. He returned and entered the University of Colorado, where he’d earned a bachelor of arts in political science. He’d attended law school at Arizona State University and it had taken him two tries to pass the bar. He’d used family money to open his own law practice in Sedona upon graduation. His shingle had been hung out for the last thirteen years and he was generally regarded as competent and fair. He was active in Sedona and sat on two not-for-profit boards. He had never been married but dated extensively and had had several long-term relationships with women. He had no siblings and would be the sole heir to his parents’ estate, which was estimated to be in excess of five million.