Fallen Angel

by G. K. Parks

  “Sure, you could.” She leaned across my desk and brushed her lips against my cheek. “Just think about it.”

  “Absolutely.”

  She gave me a cockeyed look and sashayed out of the office, blowing a kiss to Justin, and telling my receptionist to keep an eye on the two of us men. I dropped into my chair, elated.

  Opening my spreadsheet, I updated the projections. Perhaps we’d actually get into the black by our second quarter. As soon as that happened, I could start expanding. More employees, additional advertising, updated services. The possibilities left me giddy, or it was the heady mix of perfectly aged wine, Miranda’s intoxicating perfume, and the dollar signs dancing in front of my eyes.

  The outer office door opened, and for a moment, I wondered if Miranda had forgotten something. But I didn’t hear her gentle lilt. Instead, I heard a deep, raspy voice.

  “Take a seat. I’ll see if he’s busy.” My receptionist knocked on my door before stepping inside. “Mr. Cross, we have a walk-in. Do you want me to ask him to make an appointment?”

  “No, that’s okay. Send him in.”

  “Yes, sir.” She exited, leaving the door open. “Right through there.”

  I closed my spreadsheet and stuck Miranda’s contract inside my drawer. I already signed three new clients. Maybe this would be lucky number four. But I was dead wrong. It took every ounce of self-control to keep the impassive, professional look on my face.

  “Mr. Cross,” he extended his hand, and I stood to shake it, “I’m looking for my girlfriend. She’s gone missing. I was hoping you could help me find her.”

  Seventeen

  “How long has she been missing?” I asked, playing along. “Have you spoken to the police?”

  “They can’t help me.” Scott sat back in the chair; his expression unreadable.

  I thought I had him pegged the first time I laid eyes on him. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, but now he was calm. Too calm. I searched his eyes for a moment before busying myself with checking my drawers for a pad of paper. He must have taken something in order to keep calm and sedate.

  “Tell me about her, mister…” I waited. Two could play at this game.

  “Biggs. Leonard Biggs.”

  I nodded, wondering why he used a fake name. Could this be a coincidence? Did Scott Renwin have a doppelganger? My gut said no. Scott stared at me, squinting for a moment before rubbing his eyes. Did he recognize me from our brief encounter in the airport parking garage? It didn’t matter. He knew who I was. That’s why he came here. He knew I stashed Jade somewhere. And he intended to find out where.

  “Tell me about her. What’s her name? When did she go missing?”

  He pulled a photograph of Jade out of his pocket and placed it on my desk. He remained focused entirely on me. “Jade McNamara. She left about a week ago.”

  I lifted the photo and leaned back in my chair, aware of the weight of his stare. “Left?” I put the photo down and met his eyes. Ice ran through my veins. I wouldn’t give anything away, not to a prick like him.

  “A family member fell ill.”

  “So you know where she is.” My brows knit together. “What’s the problem?”

  “It’s a lie.” The anger ignited in his eyes and coursed through his body, but he swallowed it away. “She doesn’t have an Aunt Bonnie.”

  “Huh?” I steepled my fingers and tapped them against my chin. “Have you spoken to her? Maybe you misheard what she said. Bad connection.”

  “We haven’t spoken. I found a note in our apartment. Her things were gone. She won’t answer her phone. I tried calling several times, but nothing. She just disappeared.”

  “Do you suspect foul play?”

  Something disconcerting flickered in his eyes. “Yes.”

  “In that case, you need to contact the police or FBI.”

  “I don’t think any of us wants that.” He let the threat hang in the air. “Missing persons cases can be tough to crack. The police have hundreds, maybe thousands, to solve. They don’t have time for this. I don’t have time for this. That’s why I thought hiring a private investigator would be better. Faster. More to the point.”

  “I hate to say it, but you’ve come to the wrong place. I’m not much of a private investigator. I specialize in corporate security.”

  “Oh.” Scott didn’t move or budge. He just stared with those fiery eyes. “Are you sure you won’t make an exception? I’m prepared to pay whatever you want.”

  I didn’t like this game. Scott knew I was involved in Jade’s disappearance. I didn’t know how, but he did. And he concocted this tale to find out where I stashed her. Maybe he thought he could buy me off. “What do you do for a living, Mr. Biggs?”

  “Why does that matter?”

  “I was just wondering how much you’re willing to pay to get her back.”

  He stared at me, a cross between smug self-assuredness and a burning desire to break every bone in my body. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  That answer worried me. “Do you think someone abducted Ms. McNamara?” I wasn’t sure what other private investigators would say under these circumstances, but I didn’t think many of them would be stupid enough to find themselves in this situation. Still, kidnapping made a lot of sense based on the bullshit Scott spewed. Though, I’d just seen Taken, so that might have had something to do with it. “If you’re reasonably well off, this could be a ransom situation. Once again, I urge you to go to the authorities.”

  Scott laughed bitterly. “Are you for real?”

  As real as you are. “Like I said, I deal with corporate clients. Kidnapping and ransoms are commonplace in their world.” I narrowed my eyes. “But probably not in yours.”

  “No.”

  “What do you do for a living?” I tried again, hoping to confuse Scott into thinking I was too clueless to be involved. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as stupid as he looked.

  Scott thought for a moment. “I work construction.”

  Nice, I thought, that would explain the truck. “So it’s not a kidnapping and ransom. But you still think she was taken against her will?” I picked up the photograph of Jade, fighting to maintain the cold detachment as the ice in my veins melted and boiled.

  “I just want to find her. I have to find her. She gets confused. She doesn’t realize she needs me to take care of her.”

  I picked up my pen. “Does she have any diagnosed medical or psychological conditions?”

  “No, but…”

  “But what?”

  “She can’t take care of herself.”

  “Why not?”

  “She just can’t.”

  I wrote Jade’s name on the first line and put the alias Scott gave me in the top corner of the pad, just for something to do. “That sounds like a difficult burden to bear. Are you sure you want to keep doing this?”

  “Of course. I love her.”

  I stopped writing and stared at him. “Be honest, Mr. Biggs. Do you think something happened to her? Or do you think she left you?”

  He glared at me; whatever sedative he took wasn’t enough to completely extinguish the rage. “The only reason she’d ever leave me is if someone talked her into it.” And Scott knew he was staring at that someone.

  But I remained cool. “Any idea who’s responsible?”

  “No, but I intend to find out.” He watched me closely. “And when I do, that person’s going to pay.” We stared at one another warily. He knew. I knew. But he didn’t break from the charade. “I’m prepared to do this with or without your help, but I imagine things will work out better for all of us with your help.”

  Finally, I broke eye contact, painting a pleasant, business smile on my face. “All right. Sure. Tell me about Jade. Where does she work? I need a list of friends. Family. Anyone you believe she might confide in. Her phone number. E-mail address. Whatever contact information you might have.” I slid the paper and pen across the desk. “While you fill that out, let me grab a contract. It’s five hundred dolla
rs a day, plus expenses. Will that be a problem?”

  He dropped the pen onto the desk. “Let’s cut to the chase. Why don’t you give me a nice round figure instead?”

  “Sorry, I don’t know how long it’ll take to locate her. And results aren’t guaranteed.”

  He stood, his fists clenched, the veins bulging in his wrists and forearms. Maybe he’d hit me, and we’d put this entire thing to rest right now. But he didn’t. “Just think about it, and let me know when you change your mind.” He placed something on the pad of paper and left the office.

  I looked down, recognizing the GPS tracker I’d left on his rear bumper. Shit.

  Eighteen

  “Justin, call the exterminator, tell him I need the office swept for bugs.”

  My assistant looked up, knowing not to question me. “Okay.”

  I turned to the receptionist. “We might have bed bugs. I thought I saw one crawling around near the baseboards, so until we know for sure, you might as well stay home. I’ll let you know once the office has been cleared. And thank you for doing such a wonderful job today.”

  She gave me an odd look. “Sir?”

  “Go on.” I nodded at the door. “And if anyone bothers you, let me know.”

  She knew something odd happened but didn’t question me. After collecting her belongings and wishing us a good night, she left the office.

  Every fiber in my body said I had to check on Jade, but that’s what Scott would expect. So I didn’t make any calls or leave work. Since he found the tracker I planted and left it in my office, there was no question he was on to me. And without being able to monitor his movements, I’d have to take extra precautions. How did he find the tracker and discover my connection to Jade? It didn’t make sense.

  Thirty minutes later, the exterminator, an IT expert who specialized in locating surveillance equipment, checked my office. He didn’t find anything, but to be on the safe side, he and Justin checked our servers and network to make sure there hadn’t been any data breaches. We were clear. Scott wasn’t an evil genius. He was just angry, which made him dangerous.

  “Phones are clear too,” the exterminator said.

  “Thanks.” But I didn’t risk making a call. The police could tap the line. I’d have to get a burner. Actually, we should probably keep some of those stocked at the office. I added it to my list of things to consider in the future.

  Scott Renwin had turned my fledgling business on its head, and I didn’t like it. He’d regret it. I’d make sure of it.

  “Boss,” my assistant said, worry etching his boyish features, “who was that guy?”

  “That’s the bastard Jade ran away from.”

  “And he came here to ask for your help?”

  “He came to threaten me.” I blew out a breath. “Look, I need you to keep on top of our new hires. Do a little digging, and make sure Scott didn’t reach out to any of them. I doubt he did, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure. After that, monitor their training. Keep me updated on how that goes. And steer clear of the office until this blows over. Do what you can from home, and watch out for tails or anything suspicious. You see anything, especially a ridiculously oversized truck, report it.”

  “But he’s a cop.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You work for me. The police will keep you safe, even from one of their own.”

  Ignoring the questioning look on Justin’s face, I grabbed my gun and credentials from my desk drawer, along with the freshly signed contracts, and rode the elevator to the lobby. A police cruiser remained parked on the other side of the street. Renwin was a piece of work, but he’d learn I wasn’t a defenseless schmuck he could intimidate or push around. Since he wanted to wage war, I’d bring the war to him.

  I didn’t go to my car. Instead, I walked a few blocks to the nearest subway station and descended the stairs. While I waited on the platform, I caught sight of Scott in my periphery, doing his best to remain hidden behind a pillar.

  When the train arrived, I entered the open doors and headed toward the other end of the car. As soon as I glimpsed Scott enter, I found a spot to stand near the back, next to a second set of doors, and waited for the telltale chime alerting passengers the doors were closing. Then I darted out, turning to see Scott stuck inside the sealed train car.

  Since he found the tracker I planted, I feared he might have reciprocated, so I left my car parked outside the office and took a cab to Reeves and Almeada. I had a million questions. Mr. Almeada better be able to answer them.

  “Mr. Cross?” the secretary put down the phone.

  “I need to see him. Now.” I didn’t even slow as I moved past her desk toward Almeada’s corner office.

  “Wait.” She hurried after me, her heels clicking frantically against the tile floor.

  I pulled open Almeada’s door. Thankfully, the attorney wasn’t in a meeting with a client. “We need to talk. What the hell happened today?”

  Almeada looked up at the sudden interruption. His gaze came to rest on the frazzled woman behind me. He flicked his wrist, giving her a slight headshake, and she disappeared. “What’s wrong, Cross? Have you spoken to Jade?”

  Jade, shit. “I need to use your phone.”

  “What?”

  “Your phone.” I moved to the desk and picked up the receiver, checking for a dial tone before I punched in Jade’s number. “I have to pick up a throwaway, but until then, I just need a few minutes. I have to make sure she’s okay.”

  “Jade?”

  My gaze shot to his face. “Who else?”

  “Hello?” Jade’s voice filled me with relief.

  “Hi, it’s me. It’s Lucien. I just wanted to check on you. Are you at the apartment?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, good. Stay there. Keep the doors locked. I’ll be by soon.”

  “What’s wrong? What’s going on?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Everything’s fine. We’ll discuss what happened in court today and work on devising our next steps, okay? Just stay put.”

  “Yeah, okay,” she replied, bewildered.

  I hung up, taking my first full breath since Renwin walked into my office.

  Almeada poured a drink and placed the glass on the desk beside me. “Sit down and tell me what’s going on.”

  So I did. “He’s on to me. I don’t know how.”

  Almeada snorted. “Take your pick. He could have made you at the airport, or someone at the precinct said something to the wrong person, or Jade looked you up on Scott’s computer.”

  “She said she didn’t.”

  “Clients aren’t always completely honest.”

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is Scott knows. What happened in court?”

  “Mr. Renwin denied the claims. He showed up, calm and rational. He spoke eloquently. He was polite to Jade. He didn’t do anything the judge would construe as threatening. He didn’t try to approach her, argue with her, or do any of the things most people in his situation do. She came off emotional and unstable. He looked like a fucking boy scout.”

  “A stoned boy scout.”

  Almeada shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. The judge listened to Ms. McNamara’s story and erred on the side of caution. I didn’t present any of the evidence we obtained. I don’t want the other side to get wind of what we have in the event we need to use it to get a permanent restraining order.”

  “Smart thinking. We’ll probably need it. Scott’s angry, and it’ll only get worse once the police department receives official notice. Jade can’t stay in that apartment. Scott knows I helped her. He’ll use that information to track her down.” I scowled. “He wants to use me to find her. That’s why he stopped by the office. He thought he could bribe me, and when that didn’t work, he figured he’d intimidate me and I’d take him right to her.”

  “It’s a good thing he underestimated you. I can arrange for temporary housing while you figure this out.”

  “Good.”

  Almeada picked up the phone and made a few ca
lls. My thoughts drifted to Sara and the officer guarding the records room. I didn’t think Sara would betray me, but who knows what she might have said if someone questioned why she was digging through Renwin’s files. And the officer in the records room easily could have run his mouth. Then again, the waitress or bartender at KC’s might have tipped off Scott. This wasn’t good. I already bumbled my first private investigator gig, and now I had to figure out how to get it back on track. I promised Jade I’d keep her safe, and I was a man of my word. I just had to find a way to keep my promise.

  Nineteen

  “Lucien, I don’t understand. Why do I have to leave? What’s going on?”

  “It’s just a precaution. Mr. Almeada and I want to keep you safe.”

  She stared into my eyes. “Scott knows. He found me.”

  “No.”

  “Don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not.”

  Searching my face for answers, she said, “I know that look. I’m used to seeing it staring back at me in the mirror. What did he do? I know he did something. How bad is it?”

  Suddenly parched, I licked my lips and cleared my throat. “He found the tracker I placed on his truck and came to my office to return it.”

  “Does he know where I am?”

  I shook my head and peered out the window. “Not yet. That’s why we need to move you.”

  Her eyes grew even wider. “What’s he going to do to you?”

  “He can’t do anything to me. Don’t worry. I just want to keep you safe. Since the apartment is registered under one of my LLCs, there’s a small chance he could discover it if he digs deep enough. So we’ll move you before that happens. Reeves and Almeada keep a few apartments in the city for their out-of-town clients. They’re much nicer than this dump. You’ll be safe there.”

  She looked around the barely furnished apartment. “Okay.”

  It didn’t take Jade long to pack her things. When she was done, I went outside and hailed a cab. After helping the cabbie load her luggage into the car, I paid him and gave him her new address.