by Tia Siren
“So, my talking with the detective made him look aggressive,” I said.
“Exactly.”
“Shit.”
“Don’t worry about it. I can sort it out. Obi has way too much stock in Wallace Tech to throw it away on some sort of whim. Plus he doesn’t have any motive to kill your brother,” he said.
“Leo, I’m so sorry. I just panicked so badly, and my mind started going a million miles a minute and—”
He kissed me to stop my train of thought, and when I pulled back, he was smiling. He wrapped his arm around me and tucked me underneath his body.
“I promise it’s all right. It’s an easy fix,” he said.
“You sure?” I asked.
“I’m sure. Obi can seem scary sometimes,” he said with a nod. “But, what I’m not sure about is if I can let you go yet.”
“Oh, really?” I asked. “And why not? I sort of need a shower.”
“But you don’t need a lonely shower,” he said with a smirk.
“I suppose company in the shower wouldn’t be so bad.”
He picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me giggling and squealing into his bathroom.
17
Leo
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew who Claire was?” I asked Obi.
“Oh, so she finally told you?” he asked.
“What do you mean finally? Why didn’t you come to me when you knew?”
“Why was that my responsibility?” he asked.
“Because I trust you! That was serious information. Didn’t you think I deserved to know who she was?”
“First off, it was only a hunch. But, when I figured out Patrick had one living sister, I did a bit of research. I didn’t know for sure until the day she came around looking for you. You know, the day before your hot date or whatever.”
“And you couldn’t have called?” I asked.
“You looked happy, man, all right?”
I stood there and looked at the conflict in Obi’s eyes. He didn’t tell me about Claire because he thought it would bring me down, and he didn’t want to cause me any more pain than I was already in.
“You just looked happy with her. Not like with all the other women. And I figured, until she told you, you could be happy for a while. You know, get your mind off all this shit.”
“That’s very sweet,” the detective said
Obi balled his fist, and I held my hand up to signal to him to stand down.
“Can I help you, detective?” I asked.
“I came by to inform you we officially have evidence that Patrick was murdered. The crime scene was set up to make it look like your implant killed him, but our tests finally came back in. There’s no way your implant could’ve killed Mr. Danes.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“‘Bout damn time,” Obi said underneath his breath.
“According to the doctors who were running various medical tests, the exit site of the implant in Mr. Danes’ neck was too precise to be organic. Plus, his was embedded a bit deeper than the rest, so it really would’ve done some tissue damage coming out. Everything was precise, and the coroner has officially confirmed that his cause of death was blood loss.”
I began to stare at the wall, and all I could think about was Claire. From the moment she’d stepped into this office, she had assumed her brother had been murdered, and I wondered if she had been contacted yet.
“We contacted his only living relative this morning. He left behind a sister, Claire Danes.”
“I know,” I said. “How did she take it?”
“Want me to call her up, Leo?” Obi asked.
“You know Miss Danes?” the detective asked.
“A bit,” Obi said. I couldn’t imagine the pain she was in right now, and everything inside of me wanted to run to her and wrap my arms around her.
“Any leads as to who murdered Patrick?” I asked.
“Right now, it’s slim. He seemed to be a likable guy but didn’t have much of a social life. No social media profiles, no real connections at work. Really kept to himself after his parents’ deaths.”
“How did his family die?” I asked.
Obi poked me with his elbow and the detective gave me a wary look, so I brushed it off for now. I figured if Claire wanted me to know, she’d tell me, but if knowing would help me help her, then I wanted to know as much as I could.
“Your name and product is cleared. We’ll make an official statement to the media, if you’d like,” the detective said.
“I’d appreciate it, yes,” I said.
“Oh, Mr. Wallace. I want you to know that we’re also looking at this from an angle that someone wants to sabotage your company, so we’ll be doing heavy background checks on you. Can you think of anyone that would want to do you any harm for any reason?”
My mind felt numb. I heard Obi speaking in the distance, but I didn't know what he was saying. I hadn’t made too many enemies, but I had a few people who weren’t too happy with me. People I’d cut out of deals and disgruntled employees who’d tried things over the years. I knew Obi was rattling these names off, but all I knew was I had to get to Claire.
I wanted to get to her and hold her. I wanted to let her know that a public statement by the department was being made, and I didn’t want her to learn about it when she turned on her television at home. She deserved better than that, and the least I could do was deliver the message in person.
At least the public announcement might help keep others from backing out. A couple of the hospitals around town had backed out for good, but I was able to pick one up just outside of town to help up out with the continued testing. I hadn’t had any of the major companies call us yet and pull out of the deals when the prototype was okayed for mass production, but it was only a matter of time until that happened.
I was hoping this announcement would get in front of that fiery train and halt it in its tracks.
The detective left, and I heard Obi take a deep breath. That’s when I started grabbing for my coat and my briefcase.
“We’ll find out who did this, Leo. I know you care for Claire, and you both deserve closure on this.”
“I know we’ll figure out it, but I gotta get to Claire. I gotta let her know there’s a media statement. I don’t want her to turn on the TV and find out that way,” I said.
“You really do care about her,” Obi said. He seemed surprised, and I wasn’t ready to lay my heart open in front of him, so I focused on the business.
“We just need to move forward. Go through the building and let each department know that death by implant has been officially ruled out, but don’t tell them anything else.”
“You’re okay with them just finding out on the television?”
“I don’t want to cause a panic,” I said. “The only reason I’m going to Claire first is because this is her brother, and she’s been through enough.”
“You both have,” Obi said. I was a step out the door when he called out again. “Hey, Leo!”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think it’s possible Mandy could’ve done something like this?” he asked.
“Did you give Mandy’s name to the detective?” I asked.
“No. I wasn’t really sure if she’d be capable of this,” he said. “Murder is pretty fucking extreme.”
“Yes, it is. I’m glad you didn’t give her name. I want to deal with that myself.”
“Be careful, Leo. You’re under a microscope right now.”
“I’m not gonna hurt her, but I am gonna use a different police department to deal with her,” I said.
I ran out to my car and slung everything in. I knew there needed to be other things on my mind. Mandy popping up now with everything that was going on wasn’t a coincidence, and I knew it. I just didn’t understand how it played into everything. My company was on the brink of destruction, even though my implant didn’t do anything, and I was facing a multimillion dollar loss I couldn't recoup. I didn’t get
the chance to clear Obi’s name with the detective in the office, I didn’t get to make any calls to any of the companies to reassure them before the press statement went out, and I didn’t even get to tell the employees myself and inform them of what was happening.
But these things weren’t at the top of my priority list. All I knew was I needed to get to Claire.
18
Claire
“Hello, may I speak with Claire Danes, please?”
“That’s me! How can I help you?” I asked.
“Hi! I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second.”
The strange woman looked sane enough, but something about the look in her eyes made me a bit wary. I looked back at Rhonda, and she nodded me out the door, but she also rolled over to the window to keep an ear out on what was going on.
“Of course, let me slip on out,” I said.
“Thank you so much,” the young woman smiled. She was pretty. Dark brown hair that had a slight curl to it that bobbed around her chin. She was tall. Thin. Very petite features and sun-kissed skin pale women like me would kill for. Her smile was bright and her lips were full, but somehow her smile didn’t quite seem to reach her eyes.
“Thank you so much for speaking with me,” she said with a smile.
“How can I help you?” I asked.
“I just came here to deliver a message,” she said.
“And what message would that be?”
“To fucking stay away from Leo Wallace before you get hurt.”
Her shift from innocent, friendly girl to psycho chick threw me off a moment, but I’d always been quick to recover when a bully comes at me.
“I believe you’re in the wrong part of the hospital,” I said. “The morgue is two floors down.”
“I saw you with Leo a couple nights ago. You know he used to always take me to that rooftop restaurant?”
Oh fuck, this was Mandy. I felt my face fall, and I braced myself. I rolled my shoulders back and braced myself for an attack. Rhonda peeked around the door in time to see my stance change.
“You good, Claire?” she called out.
“You think you’re special to him? I bet he cleared off the rooftop and crafted your own personal food menu for the date, didn’t he?” Mandy went on, her voice growing shrill.
“And drink menu,” I said.
“What?” she asked.
“Food and drink menu. He crafted them both. And turned out the lights and had candles lit on all the tables before we danced under the stars. It was magical.”
Her fists balled up, and that’s when Rhonda opened the door and stepped out into the corridor.
“Ma’am, I believe you’re looking for the psychiatric floor. It’s two floors up,” Rhonda said.
“Up or down, take your pick,” I said.
“Stay away from him. For good,” Mandy said.
“Or what?”
“Bitch, did you hear me?” Rhonda asked.
Mandy gave me one last scowl before she walked away, and when she rounded the corner, I started to shake. Holy hell, that woman was crazy, and I knew I had to get to my cell phone so I could call Leo. He’d want to know what just happened.
“Girl, get in here,” Rhonda said. “Let’s get you some water.”
I walked back into the office, and she sat me in a chair. She rolled over and grabbed a bottle of water for me before firing off her gazillion different questions.
“Who the hell was that? Why the hell was she messin’ with you? And do I need to kill her?”
“Mandy, Leo, and that’s an insensitive joke given the state of my life,” I said.
“Claire!”
I whipped my head up at the sound of Leo’s voice, and Rhonda quickly fluffed her hair. Leo came around the corner and found his way to my window, but I must’ve still been pale because he ripped the side door open and barreled toward me.
“Holy god, Claire. Are you all right? Jesus, did I not get here in time?”
“In time for what?” I asked. He threw his arms around me and pulled me close, and all at once my entire body collapsed into his. He was so strong and so warm, and this day had been such shit. First, I was confronted by those damn detectives this morning about my brother officially being murdered, and now threatened by Leo’s ex.
“I wanted to let you know in person that the detective is making an official statement to the media. He’s clearing the implant and my company of negligence before telling the public they’re pursuing foul play. I didn’t want you to find out from the news. I wanted to tell you in person.”
“Oh, how sweet!” Rhonda exclaimed.
“Seriously, Rhonda?” I asked.
“Sorry,” she said.
“But you look . . .” He seemed reluctant to tell me I was anything but beautiful.
“Rough?” I asked.
“Like you’ve see a ghost,” he said.
“Mandy just came by.”
His face fell and his back straightened, his arms falling from around my body. I stepped back from him and looked up into his eyes, but before I could tell him about it, he ripped his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and held it to his ear, and for a split second, I wondered if I shouldn’t have told him.
“Detective, yes. I need to see you in person. I’ve got a name Obi might not have given you that I think you need to investigate. Yes. Even if she isn’t a person of interest, I need to talk to you about a restraining order. Yeah. Uh huh. I’ll be down there in a bit. I’m gonna stay with Claire through the announcement. Uh huh. Bye.”
He hung up his phone and put it back into his jacket pocket, and just as he did, the television cut in with a special announcement. Leo slid his hand into mine and threaded our fingers together, and the three of us watched the official announcement blast itself onto the screen.
My brother’s picture popped up on the television. It was a good one, and he looked happy in it, his smile so much like mine. My eyes stung and my vision blurred. I didn’t want to cry anymore, but Leo slowly threaded his arms around me. He turned me away from the television, facing me into his body, and I cried silently into his chest while the television droned in the background. I was so overwhelmed with the actions of today that I simply couldn’t keep it to myself anymore.
With every sob, my body shook more, and that prompted Leo to hold me tighter. But, when Rhonda cut off the television, and I continued to cry, she piped up and said something I would forever be grateful for.
“Girl, you’re crazy. You still got two more days left of vacation! What the hell you doin’ at work?”
I was crying so hard, I couldn’t even fight her, and Leo scooped me up into his arms.
“I’ll be back for her things later,” I heard him say.
“No worries. I’ll bring them by after work. Take her home. I’ll work it out over here.”
“Thank you,” Leo said.
“You take care of her,” Rhonda said.
And I cried in his arms all the way out the hospital doors.
19
Leo
“Good news!” Obi announced. “The investors are in.”
“Seriously? Even after everything that happened?” I asked.
“You’ve always known me to be a smooth talker,” Obi said with a smirk.
“I’ve always known you to be a hulking mass of annoyance.”
“Dick. Anyway, yes. All the investors are back on board, especially with the official announcement from the police department. And, I also got them certified copies of the case records closing out responsibility on our part.”
“Dude, I could kiss you,” I said.
“Not on your life. Save that shit for Claire. Speaking of, how is she?” he asked.
“Monday was really rough, but I’ve been checking in on her, and she seems to be doing all right. I’m going by her place after work to cook.”
“Have you told her how you feel?” he asked.
“Not sure what you mean.”
“Dude, cut the s
hit. You like Claire. Get over it.”
“Look. Yes, I enjoy spending time with her. But she’s just a woman. It’ll work out of my system once we can find Patrick’s killer,” I said.
“But do you want her to?” he asked.
“Her to do what?”
“To ‘work out of your system’ or whatever the fuck you’re calling it.”
“Why wouldn’t she?” I asked.
“Because you love her, idiot.”
“Hey. Remember who pays you.”
“I’m not talking to you as an employee. I’m talking to you as your best friend,” he said.
“Oh, and how you cornered her in this office? Not cool. You scared the shit out of her enough for her to call the detective. You’re lucky I could convince him you were a good guy, given your solid military record.”
“I was trying to get her to stay away from this building. Think about it. If someone’s coming after you, and they knew you were getting close to Claire, this building was the last place she was safe in.”
“Shit, I didn’t think about that,” I said.
“That’s why you’ve got me. I knew scaring her would keep her out of this building unless you were here with her,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d scared her that bad, though.”
“Well, I’ll let her know what your intentions were tonight,” I said.
“Let me know how she is. And tell her I said hi, if she doesn’t hate me yet.”
I wrapped up my work day early and decided to surprise her. I knew she was expecting me around seven o’clock, but I figured showing up around four o’clock might be a nice surprise. I could give her a massage or we could take a nap. Maybe a nice hot shower or a cruise around town. Something to get her mind off things going into the weekend.
But, when I pulled into her driveway, her door was hanging wide open
