“Eli, I need you be honest with me here.” His demeanor changes to serious.
“Of course, Jason.”
“Do you know where Aiden is?”
“Jason, if I knew where Aiden was, I’d be the first to go and drag his ass back here.” That’s the truth. How can I possibly compete with a dead man that Shay thinks she may have killed?
“Well, those are the only charge they are trying to file against her right now that could stick. If they are able to process enough blood evidence in the house, then we could have a trial on our hands.” He shuffles through the papers.
“I’m going to talk to McNab and see if I can’t express the importance of us getting in touch with Aiden.”
“Please do.” He takes a contemplative pause before he continues. “There’s something else that has me a little concerned.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, I think perhaps we need to convince her to get a psych-eval.” He waits for my reaction.
A laugh escapes me, and I look Jason in the eye. “That could be dangerous.”
“Really Eli, she’s not making sense with some of the things she’s talking about.” He stresses the seriousness. “I’m all for going for an insanity plea, but this isn’t the type of case where they would sentence her to six months in the hospital. She would go away for a long time.”
“I know what you are talking about, and I have to tell you Jason, there are some very strange things at work here. I don’t understand it, but I’ve seen it firsthand.” Now he’s going to think I need a psych-eval.
“Let’s keep that under wraps, shall we?” He closes the folder. “Well, partner. Why don’t you go and enjoy your last free weekend for a while? Just because Oliver wanted you to be partner doesn’t mean that the rest of the firm doesn’t expect you to earn it.” He smiles and pats me on the back on the way out the door.
Chapter 37
It’s Just Lunch
Shay
My gym bag makes a thump when I throw it in the trunk. I had a great workout with Sifu Adams. The last few days re-finding my center has been great. I jump a mile when I close the trunk and find someone standing right next to my car. “Oh Jeez, you startled me.”
“Sorry about that, Shay,” Bailey answers.
This kid totally creeps me out. Ever since he was in my studio, I get the heebie-jeebies whenever I think of it. “What are you doing here?” I look around the dark parking lot, realizing that there are only about four cars, it’s pretty dark and there are no windows on the front of the dojo. I’m instantly terrified, but that doesn’t keep me from thinking the situation through. I’ve laced the car key between my index and middle finger so I can jab his eye out if he makes a move toward me.
“I was in the neighborhood, saw your car and wanted to stop by and say hello.” His stance is confident, and I get really nervous when he moves toward me.
I match his movements with steps backward, trying to keep some of the car between us at all times. “You were in the neighborhood?”
“Yeah, have you had dinner yet?” he asks, still moving toward me.
“I’m having dinner with a friend but didn’t need to bring my bag.” I lie, as a way to get back inside the dojo, to safety. I inch my way to the front of the car, which is parked next to the steps.
“Really? Maybe we can have dinner tomorrow night?” He’s coming at me and his tone has lowered.
“I don’t think so, I’m super busy. Things are just getting back to normal and all.” I put my foot on the first step, and he doesn’t seem to notice.
“Well then, how about lunch?” He advances on me quickly, and I hop up the three remaining steps and put my hand on the door.
“Yeah, lunch. Um, give me a call and we can get it set up. I gotta run.” With that, I slide inside the door and close it behind me with my back leaning against it.
“Shay? Is everything okay?” Sifu asks from behind the counter.
“No, it isn’t.” I walk to the front desk. “There’s this guy out there, I think he may be stalking me.”
“Really?” He comes out from behind the counter and opens the front door. After looking around for a moment, he comes back in. “I didn’t see anyone.”
“Good, he must be gone.” My cheeks fill with color at how stupid my next request sounds. “I know I’m parked in front of the door, but would you mind watching while I get in my car and leave?”
“No problem, hon,” he says it with a smile.
I feel like a total fool scurrying down the steps being watched so no one “gets” me. I check the back seat and give Sifu the thumbs up. I get in and drive off.
***
McNab kept his promise, and no one has tracked me down in the hotel room. There’s a little bit of guilt nibbling at me, but I’ve really needed this time to clear my head, and I’ve been checking in with McNab and Jason to make sure there aren’t any new developments that I need to be aware of. I’ve also been able to get all the info on the house restoration. It’s going to be six months before I can move back in, so I’ve already started looking for a short-term rental.
I get out of my gi and take a long hot shower, keeping an eye on the time for my call with McNab. The water courses over my skin and washes the day away, and I can feel the clarity resulting from my solitude. There’s still a nagging whisper that comes and goes, but I pretty much just try to ignore it. Whether it’s the Specter or my own doubts trying to break me down is a mystery. Either way, I’m not going to let it get to me.
After slipping into sweats and a t-shirt, it’s time to go to the balcony for a smoke. I sit in the lounge chair and turn my phone on to listen to my messages. Of course there’s a ton from Eli and Dad that I just skip to check for messages from rental folks and work. There’s a couple of messages where it sounds like someone’s whispering, but I can’t make out the words. “Um, delete.”
Eight P.M. on the nose, and my phone rings. “I’ve got McNab,” I answer playfully.
“No, I have McNab.” The phone goes dead. I look at the screen, and the number is one I don’t recognize. I immediately dial McNab.
“You’ve got McNab, what’s got you?” he answers. I release the breath I was holding.
“You’re late,” I snap at him.
“It’s only eight oh one, kid.” He laughs.
“No, someone else called and said they had you.” I realize I sound a little panicked, so I try to bring my tone down.
“That’s odd,” he states.
“It was very odd.”
“Has anything else strange happened today?” I hear the gears turning in his head. He’s worried, and I know he’s going to ask to stop by. Especially when I tell him what happened.
“Well–” I hesitate.
“Spill it.”
“When I was leaving the dojo, that Bailey kid was there.” I take a breath and continue. “He was really creeping me out, so I went back inside and waited for him to leave. Sifu made sure he was gone when I went back out to my car.”
“I don’t like the sounds of that, kid. Are you taking any unnecessary chances?” he asks, concerned.
“No, I’m in the hotel, door locked up tight and I’m not leaving until tomorrow when I go to work.”
“Good girl.”
“If you were here, you could pat my head,” I joke.
“Yeah…no.”
“So is there anything new?” I keep waiting for some kind of news.
“No, nothing, really. It’s been quiet. We still need to talk about the drawings you took off the coffee table. There’s something about them, and I really need to get them into the lab for analysis.”
“Can I drop them off on the way home from work tomorrow?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“How is Eli holding up?” I really don’t want to ask, but I know McNab isn’t going to be offering up any information.
“He’s okay. He’s been…busy.” His tone is strange.
“What do you mean bus
y?”
“Lawyer stuff.”
“Ah, okay.” Clearly I’m not going to get the answers I really want from him. What I really want to know is that Eli is pining away for me and can’t live and breathe without me. I’m only half joking.
“Well, I have a big day tomorrow, so I think I’m going to get some sketches done for the new issue six and head to bed.” Half of me really wants him to ask to come by. I’m feeling a little too isolated, and since he’s not trying to get into my pants, he’s the perfect candidate.
“Sounds good. And hey, kid?”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful.”
“Will do. Sweet dreams.”
Chapter 38
They Can Hear Your Smile
Trish
The fucking phone is ringing again. I swear to God, if that’s Eli looking for her one more time, I’m going to rip his God damn throat out through the phone. “Blood-borne.” I answer the phone as delicate as a bulldozer.
“Jesus Christ, Trish, the customer can hear your smile,” Raphael calls out as he walks through the lobby to his office after checking to see if Shay made it in yet.
I give Raphael the finger and in my sweetest voice say, “How can I direct your call?”
“Shay Baynes, please,” a female voice asks.
“Sorry, she’s unavailable. Would you like her voicemail?”
“Yes, please.”
“Hold, please.” I transfer the bitch and answer the next call coming in.
“Blood-borne, how may I direct your call?”
“Is she there yet?” Fucking Eli.
“Eli, I swear to God I told you I would text you when she comes in. I don’t even know what time she’s planning on being here. Honestly, if I were her, I might wait another day. I know she retrieved her voicemail last night.”
“How do you know that?” he asks.
“Because it wasn’t full, and I can see that she accessed the VPN this morning. She might just be working from home and enjoying the quiet.”
“Okay, well I need to talk to her as soon as she comes in.”
“Yeah, well I’m sorry Eli, maybe if you weren’t a stupid fucking rectum pirate she wouldn’t hate you.”
“Thanks, Trish.”
“Anytime you need a reality check, feel free to call,” I snipe.
“Have a great day.”
“Go fuck yourself.” I hit the button on the switchboard and find Raphael standing directly in front of me.
“Your customer service skills are unsurpassed by none,” he deadpans.
“It was Eli, again.”
“Is that the lawyer or the disappearing act?”
“Lawyer.”
“Oh yeah. Well, I just got an email from Shay. She’s doing some phone interviews today that Stephie set up, and she’ll be in tomorrow.” He goes back to his office.
“Okay.”
***
Trish
Jesus Christ will this fucking day ever end. Everyone but Raphael, and I have left and he’s still barking orders. It doesn’t matter much, I guess. Shay is in hiding, so I can’t hang out with her, and Billy called to let me know he had some family business to take care of and wouldn’t be back until Wednesday. Still, I’m looking forward to getting these shoes off and soaking in a hot tub. Maybe I’ll go to Eli’s and beat where she is out of McNab.
Huh, could be fun. He is fucking hot as hell, but just like all the other guys that fall all over themselves for Shay, he’s a fucking weirdo, although I’ll bet he’s freaky as hell in the sack.
Walking through the parking lot, I think it’s weird that Cecil hasn’t come up on his golf cart to make sure I make it to my car okay. The parking lot takes on an eerie feeling because it’s so empty, and I slow my pace, taking in my surroundings, looking for creepers. When I get to my car, I notice a Camaro in the next aisle. “Shit, is that Shay’s car?”
I put my stuff in the driver’s seat of my car and walk over to hers. I let out a blood-curdling scream when I see Cecil slumped over in the seat with blood staining his shirt. I try the door, but it’s locked.
I start banging on the window, but he’s not responding. Fuck, what do I do? Fuck! I bang harder and scream his name. “Fuck you, you old bastard, wake up!”
I kick my shoes off and run back to my car to get my phone, and I dial 9-1-1.
Chapter 39
De Je Poof
Eli
When I walk in I immediately notice my house no longer smells like the Swamp Thing. I will say one thing for McNab’s crew, they know how to clean up…whatever the hell that was.
McNab is at the breakfast bar working on his laptop. “Hey, honey, how was work?”
“Fine.” Smart-ass. I put my briefcase on the kitchen island.
“Dinner is in the oven; it’s got about another ten minutes.” He doesn’t look up from the computer.
“You know, you make being an asshole look effortless,” I tell him, taking a drink from a bottle of water.
“For you, dear, it is.”
This is fruitless. “Have you heard from her today?”
“Yes actually, she sent me an email. She didn’t go into the office because of some phone interviews. But she’s going to meet me after work.”
“McNab, seriously, I don’t like this. That Bailey kid is stalking her, and that’s enough for me to be concerned, never mind having just got her back from a…a…”
“Void, it was a void, Eli.” He fills in the blank for me.
“Yeah, whatever. But she’s not acting like herself. I’m worried and want to see her.” My head droops. “I miss her.”
“It’s really better like this, Eli. If she comes back to you voluntarily, it will be on her terms, and that’s what she needs.” McNab and his fucking wisdom, I’ve had about enough of it.
“I’m still not comfortable with it.” I look him in the eye.
“Look, we’re going to be bugging out of here tomorrow. The guys are packing the equipment, and I’m heading back to L.A.”
“Really? You’re done?” I can’t believe he’s just going to leave.
“Yeah, I need to get some of this stuff back to the lab in order to really determine the origins. There’s also not much I can do here at this point, and I have a job and bills to pay, so I can’t stand around here watching Dawson’s Creek play out daily. Shay doesn’t need a babysitter, and neither do you,” he says, closing his laptop, a disappointed look on his face.
“Okay, will you at least tell me where she is so I can check on her?” I ask. Surely he has to understand the importance of that. “Or if you won’t tell me, tell Harry. She’s his daughter for Christ’s sake.”
“It’s up to her.” His tone takes a turn for the snappy.
“Whoa, I was just asking.”
“Nah, she just canceled. I need to get those drawings that were delivered before I leave.” He puts the laptop in its bag. “You ready for dinner, big boy?”
My phone rings. “Fuck, it’s Trish.” I answer it, but she’s totally incoherent. McNab can obviously hear her voice coming through the phone. He’s looking at me with a concerned expression.
“What is it?” he mouths.
Carl comes in the room as if he knows something’s wrong.
“Trish, calm down. Breathe.” I continue to try to sooth her so I can figure out what the hell she’s saying. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
She starts screaming again, and I can only make out a few expletives strung together. “Trish.”
“Eli?” A man’s voice comes on the line.
“Yeah, who’s this? What’s going on?”
“It’s Raphael, and we really don’t know what’s happening, but Trish found the security guard dead in Shay’s car.” His voice is panicked.
McNab and Carl are already on their way out the door. McNab says, “I’ll call you from the road.”
“Wait, I’m coming with you.”
“No, I need you to get with Harry and serve as a home base. I have
a feeling that if we hear anything it’s going be here,” McNab says as he’s leaving. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Are you there?” Raphael brings my attention back to the call.
“Yeah, I’m here. Was there any sign of her there?”
“Just the car, but the keys are in it and so is her backpack and phone.” His voice is more despondent with each answer.
“Thanks Raphael, are the police there?” I ask him.
“Yes, they are. They’re dusting the car for prints and asking a ton of questions.”
“Okay, find out who the lead detective is on scene and text me his information. Do you understand?” By the tone in his voice, I can tell I’m starting to lose him.
“Yeah, I’ll do it,” he answers, half dazed.
“Okay, I’m going to call her father. Keep me posted.” Fuck, Trish. “Raphael, would you be able to bring Trish home?”
“I already offered. When we’re done here, I’m going to bring her home, but she said her boyfriend was out of town and she didn’t want to be alone.”
Fuck, I don’t need this. “Okay, tell her she can come here.”
I hang up the phone, and it rings as soon as I put it down. “What, McNab?”
“What have they found in the car?” he asks.
“Besides the dead body?”
“Yeah, aside from that.” His tone is irritated.
“All of her stuff was in there; keys, backpack, phone,” I tell him.
“Fuck. We can’t track her.” I hear him bang on something in the car.
“Track her?”
“Yeah, we had a tracker in her backpack.” That sneaky fucker.
“Well, I’ll get the info to you as soon as I get it.”
“Harry’s already on it. I called him and let him know what happened.” McNab thought of everything.
“We have to find her.” I slump down into the stool and rest my head on the counter.
“We will.” He hangs up the phone.
Chapter 40
Gag Me with a…Gag
Shay
Oh, my fucking head. What the hell happened? Every muscle in my body is aching like I ran a marathon, and my mouth is…there’s something in my mouth. I try to work it out, but as I regain my senses, I realize that my hands and feet are tied, and I’m blindfolded and gagged. My breathing and heart rate instantly race trying to figure out what the hell happened.
INK: Vanishing Point (Book 2) Page 24
