by Nadirah Foxx
“Is there anything I can do?”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Just keep being my friend.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” he said, hugging me back.
◆◆◆
Returning to my car, I decided upon something else. I needed to move forward about selling the house. My mother would be ideal at taking care of everything, but I just didn’t want to go down that road with her. Her help would come with a lot of unsolicited advice. Rather than deal with the situation, I drove to Sentinel.
My arrival wasn’t met with whispers and stares. Either my all-black attire—dress slacks, blouse, and wool coat—met everyone’s approval or they weren’t surprised to see me. I smiled and ambled over to the private elevator.
When I reached my office, Debbie was placing a file on my desk. “Good morning, Kerrie. This is a pleasant surprise.”
“Well, get used to it. I won’t be returning to the precinct anytime soon.” I placed my laptop bag on the floor and plopped down on the desk chair.
Debbie’s brow wrinkled. “Is that a bad thing?”
“I haven’t made up my mind yet.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Aspirin?”
“Would you like coffee too?”
I massaged my temples. The last thing I needed was a headache. “That would be nice.”
“Be right back.”
Seconds later, Debbie returned with a bottle of acetaminophen and a steaming mug of coffee. “No aspirin but—”
“This will do.” I quickly removed the cap along with two pills and swallowed them. The coffee wasn’t ideal, but it would suffice since I wanted something a lot stronger. “Debbie, I could use your input.”
She propped her butt on the edge of the desk. “What do you need?”
“A place to live.” Before Debbie could ask, I said, “I can’t stay in the house. The plan is to sell it, but I’m not up to getting it ready.”
Tilting her head to the side, Debbie offered, “My girlfriend is a realtor. I’m sure she’d know someone who could help. That is, if you don’t mind her representing you.”
“Yes!” I blurted. “That would make my life so much easier.”
My assistant grinned. “One problem down. What else do you need?”
“How did you know there was something else?”
She held her tablet to her chest. “Remember, you started by saying you needed a place to live. If you’re selling your house—”
“It stands to reason I need some place else. Gotcha.” I sipped my coffee. “Thing is, I don’t want a house. It needs to be temporary in case I change my mind.”
“But you don’t want to keep infringing upon your friend.” Debbie eased off the desk. “I think there’s something you should see.”
She walked over to the en suite bathroom and opened what I thought was a closet beside it. “Come on, boss. You can’t get to the basement by staying in your seat.”
“Basement?” I set my cup down and crossed the room. “What are you talking about?”
When I entered the space, the door closed behind us. We stood amid hangers and a few of Ryan’s belongings. In front of us was a floor-to-ceiling mirror. Debbie touched a spot to the right of it, and the glass slid to the left.
“Watch your step.” She pointed down and then walked through the opening.
Lights flickered on overhead, revealing a narrow staircase. “What is this?”
“Just follow me.”
I had no choice but to trail behind her.
At the bottom was a metal door and a keypad. Debbie began inputting a code. “Ryan used a combination of your birthday and RJ’s to secure this level. I’ll make sure to send it to your new phone.”
“What new phone?”
“If you’re going to be working here, you can’t use the one the LCPD issued. Sentinel Security devices are encrypted. What I’m about to show you is part of your husband’s proprietary project. I’m not sure what his intent was. Maybe you’ll know when you see it.”
Could the woman be any more cryptic?
The door opened and more lights flickered on as we crossed the threshold. Directly in front of us was a large room full of monitors and desks.
“This is what Ryan called his tech lab. He often worked down here, unknown to the employees.”
“What was he working on?”
“He said it would change the world.” She glanced at the tablet and swiped the surface a few times. “This way, Kerrie.”
We walked past the lab and through a hall with doors on both sides.
“Offices are on the left, and storage and livable spaces are on the right,” she said.
“Livable spaces?”
Debbie stopped at the end of the corridor. Another keypad was embedded to the right of the door. “Same code opens this too.”
The tumblers disengaged, and the barrier slid out of sight. I peeked around the corner and saw a furnished, very crude one-bedroom apartment. There was nothing special about the concrete walls and floors. The space resembled a bunker rather than a cozy home away from home.
“What is this?”
She sighed. “Your husband often stayed here when he worked late.”
“No, he didn’t. He always…” Then I remembered the business trips. He’d call me from the road and say he would be in late. “Ryan didn’t go on any business trips, did he?”
Debbie gave me a sad smile. “He did, but he never stayed overnight. He’d return and come straight to the office. It’s how Sentinel has stayed on the cutting edge. Whenever Ryan had a discovery or just an idea, he’d spend a lot of time on this level. I helped him build this.”
“But why?” I said, a little dismayed he hadn’t shared any of it with me.
“Before he was killed, your husband was working on new technology. He planned on revealing it to the government.” She handed me the tablet. “Everything you need to know about Triton Tech is on the device. Come on up when you’re done. We still need to discuss Adam Fairchild and his company.”
“Why did you show me this…this place?”
Debbie chuckled. “You said you needed some place to stay. Welcome to your new home.”
She walked away with a pleasant expression locked on her face.
8
Seeking Answers
Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of Ryan’s private lair—for lack of a better word. Everything he needed, other than his family, was stored in it. He even included a workout room. Maybe that was why I would have a hard time contacting him some mornings. I often had to leave a message, and then he’d call me an hour later claiming the reception was bad.
I stared down at the tablet Debbie left with me. Would I like what I’d discover on it? There was only one way to find out. I entered my password, and a video started up.
Ryan’s handsome face smiled at me. I found myself returning the gesture even though he couldn’t see it.
“Hey, Kerrie. If you’re watching this, then my worst nightmare has occurred. Leaving you behind was never something I wanted to happen, but I did prepare for it. Although you never mentioned it, I knew a bad element had descended upon Liberty City. I’d been in touch with friends who told me about the rash of home invasions hitting their towns.”
I hit pause.
He knew but chose not to tell me. I clenched my jaw.
Drawing in a deep breath, I restarted the video.
“I know what you’re thinking, but discussing this with you wasn’t something I wished to do. I wanted to believe my family wasn’t vulnerable. Hopefully, you’ll find comfort in RJ and help him be the man his father should have been.”
I stopped the recording. My blurred vision made it impossible to see it anyway. He might have had some premonition of his own demise but didn’t foresee losing his son too. Clutching the device to my chest, I collapsed onto the black leather sofa located in the center of the room.
How was I supposed to watch that footage knowing what I knew? Memories of th
e night came back, and I wanted to scream and throw shit. Thankfully, I didn’t get the opportunity.
“Uh…” Debbie started as she entered the room. “I sort of forgot to mention—”
“The video.” I quickly wiped my tears. “It started up as soon as I entered my password.”
“Yeah. I should have disabled it until you were ready.” She sat beside me and gently removed the tablet from my grasp. “Ryan wanted to protect you and RJ. He wrote a will, but his final instructions to you are on the device.”
Leaning forward, I rested my forearms on my thighs and stared at the floor. “I won’t ever be ready.”
Debbie rubbed my shoulder. “You will. Until then, I’ll keep it upstairs. When you’re ready, we’ll pull it out again.”
I nodded and then glanced over at her. “You said something about Triton Tech. What is that?”
“A project Ryan had been working on. It’s an experimental material that makes things virtually invisible.”
Rubbing my chin, I asked, “Why would anyone need it?”
“Think of the practical uses for the substance, starting with the military.” There was a gleam in my assistant’s jade-green eyes along with a satisfied grin. “Your husband saw lots of promise with Triton Tech. He said it would be life changing.”
Listening to her speak, I had a feeling Debbie had made a contribution to the project, but I wouldn’t call her out on it. “Maybe I should take a look at it?”
“You know, I think you’ve done enough for one day. I contacted Jackie, and she’s offered to drop by the office to discuss selling your house. Why not handle that for now? Once you’ve met with her, consider whether you want to move in down here? One step at a time.”
She was right. Besides, I wanted to do my own investigation. It was time to find out just how deep the shit storm was at City Center.
By the time I returned to my office, a dark-haired woman with impeccable makeup and dressed in a navy-blue suit was waiting for me. She could have been a model with her high cheekbones and full lips. She stood as I closed the closet door behind me.
“You must be Kerrie King.” She extended her hand. “I’m Jackie Stevens.”
“Nice to meet you.” I waved toward the sofa. “Have a seat.”
“I’m looking forward to handling your sale.” She reached into the briefcase at her feet and removed a shiny bright-blue folder with the name Stevens Realty emblazoned in silver across the front. “My condolences regarding your husband and son.”
“Thank you.”
“Debbie has filled me in on the situation with your home in Liberty Heights. I’ve already driven by and viewed the outside. I can have the house packed up for you, move everything to storage, and then stage it for sale.”
“How fast?”
“A week, give or take a few days.” Her all-business exterior faded for a moment. “If you need more time, we can do it a lot slower.”
Honestly, I should let my mother and mother-in-law go through the items. If I just shuffled our belongings into a storage container, they might never forgive me. “I think slow is best. It’ll give me a chance to personally go through everything.”
Jackie pursed her lips. “I totally understand.” She picked up her bag and pushed to her feet. “Go over the forms inside the folder. If you have any questions, my business card is there. I’ll just say goodbye to Debbie, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Thanks again,” I said and rested my head against the back of the sofa. I had no idea things would move so fast. There was a lot to be done. Despite what I said to Jackie, I couldn’t sit on my ass and take things slow. Life was continuing whether I wanted to catch up or not.
I’d sort out the house soon enough. At that moment, I needed to clear my head. Since Debbie was still with her partner, I slipped out of the office and headed for my car. I had a contact at the Liberty City Daily Tribune. Maybe it was time to call in a favor.
I considered myself fortunate to live near the people I grew up with. I wasn’t the popular kid in high school. Hell, I wasn’t even well liked, but some of former classmates were still in town. I made the effort to know where they were and how they might help me, which was why I had the insider at the newspaper.
Tristan Edwards had been the editor for the Liberty City High’s Eagle Press. We met during freshman year after a track meet. Back then, Tristan had greasy blond hair, pimples, and wore vintage clothing. Despite his outward appearance, Tristan thought he was attractive. Time had passed. His hair was cleaner and his skin was clearer, but the clothes he chose still belonged to the wrong decade—circa 1980. One thing stayed the same. Tristan was about as enticing as a flooded toilet at a street fair. Sadly, Tristan didn’t have a clue about his lack of appeal.
“Kerrie, Kerrie King.” He approached me with a huge smile. Nowadays, Tristan reminded me of a used car salesman.
“Thanks for seeing me.”
“How could I not?” Tristan wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me to his corner cubicle. “I heard about Ryan and your son. I’m—”
“Please don’t say it.”
He gave me a curious look as we stopped by his desk.
“I’ve had my fill of condolences.”
He nodded. “I can imagine you have.” Tristan pointed to a vacant chair. “Have a seat and tell me what I can do for you.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Lowering my voice, I said, “You did an article about a year ago on the mayor. Do you remember it?”
“Yeah. It was an investigative piece after the corruption was exposed in Arcadia City. What about it?”
Leaning in, I said, “Tristan, did you find anything you didn’t report?”
The cheesy smile evaporated. “What are you searching for?”
“Just chasing a hunch, nothing more. You either found something, or you didn’t.”
Tristan started piling papers into a stack. “My research is classified, Kerrie.”
I grasped his wrist. “Who am I going to give it to? I’ll be the only one looking at it. Promise.”
He stopped with the mundane task. Slowly, his gaze met mine, and I could see that late nights—and maybe alcohol—had taken a toll on the man. Tristan had aged. Poorly. Crow’s feet, graying temples, and dark circles had marred his appearance.
“Giving you the info could get me fired.”
Not my intent, but I still wanted whatever Tristan had found. “Tris, just meet me at Sentinel Security. Bring whatever you like.”
A stern expression settled onto his haggard face. “If you want what I have, it needs to be some place else.”
I sighed. Tristan was being ridiculous. Nobody would have thought twice about him coming to Sentinel. To appease him, however, I offered the last spot I wanted to go. “Then meet me at the cemetery. I’ll be at Ryan’s grave site.”
Tristan propped his elbows on the desk and lowered his head to his hands. “In an hour?”
“I’ll be there.” Rising to my feet, I thanked him and hurried from the busy newsroom.
I had time to kill before going to the cemetery, so I called Josh. He picked up on the first ring.
“What’s up, Kerrie?” I heard the sound of traffic.
“Are you in the car?”
“No. I just grabbed lunch.” He said something to someone in the background.
“Did I call at a bad time?” I switched the phone from my right hand to my left as I pulled out my keys.
“No. I’m with Jared.”
“Oh.” If he made Josh happy, I was okay with the guy hanging around. “Hey, go spend some time with your friend. You’ve already had lunch so…”
“Kerrie, where are you? We can meet you.”
“Josh—”
“I want you to meet Jared. Okay?”
I guessed Jared meant more than what Josh led me to believe. “Okay. I’m close to City Center.”
“Coffee Bar?”
“That’s good. Order me a sandwich.”
“Ham and Swiss?�
��
“Turkey.”
“See you soon.”
◆◆◆
I was fortunate to find a parking space in front of the Coffee Bar. As I exited the car, I saw Josh and Jared sitting at a table near the window. They’d make a cute couple. Was Josh’s hesitation a real disinterest in a relationship with a man? I could imagine how difficult coming out of the closet might be. But then again, maybe it was something else about Jared troubling Josh.
My friend waved me over as I came through the door.
“That was quick,” Josh said as I sat down beside him.
“I was at the Daily Tribune.” Turning my attention to the handsome stranger, I introduced myself. “You must be Jared. I’m Kerrie King.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” I detected a slight British accent.
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
Jared chuckled. “Truthfully, I’m from London. After I graduated from university, I went back there.”
“What brings you to the States?”
Josh pushed my sandwich in front of me. A hint I should stop with the questions?
Jared tapped the table. “I had business requiring my presence. I figured I could catch up with an old friend while I was here.” He shot Josh a look so full of emotion it somehow seemed intimate.
“Oh,” I mumbled, suddenly wanting to give them some time alone.
“Well, this has been interesting.” Jared rose from the table. “I have to get going.”
Josh jumped up. “Let me walk you out. I’ll be right back, Kerrie.”
“Take your time.”
While I nibbled at my food, I observed the two men at the curb. They stood beside a shiny red sports car. Jared said something to Josh. Rather than answer him, my friend held his head back and stared up at the sky. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. Finally, Jared pulled out his keys. It looked like he was about to leave, but then he grabbed Josh by the shoulder. Jared leaned in so close I thought he was going to kiss him. He said something in Josh’s ear and then walked around to the driver’s side. Josh didn’t even stay to watch Jared drive off.
