Garrett (Dark Water Security Book 2)

by Madison Quinn

  “You’ve reached Garrett Foxx, please leave a message,” his voice says.

  I press 2, which is programmed for Mr. Meyer’s cell phone, but again the call goes directly to voice-mail. I feel myself starting to panic, my breathing is increasing as is my heart rate, imagining what could possibly be waiting for me. I take a few deep breaths as I try to listen for any sounds coming from the apartment; there are none, the apartment is completely silent. I don’t dare leave the elevator though. Even if I could access the security office, there are no cameras in any of the bedrooms, bathrooms or in the smaller apartment.

  I suddenly remember the text Garrett sent me just before he boarded the plane yesterday, with the contact information for the owners of Dark Water Security. I only wonder for a brief moment if I should call, not wanting to bother someone if I didn’t need to. However, a quick glance at the mess in front of me forces me to find the number and call it.

  “This is Luke, can I help you?” a deep voice answers my call before the second ring.

  “Ummm…My name is Hope…Garrett Foxx–” I nervously begin to explain.

  “Yes, I know who you are,” he interrupts. “Are you hurt?”

  “No, but I think someone has broken into the apartment.” I’m relieved that Garrett at least explained who I was as it was one less thing to worry about.

  “Are you at the apartment?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I confirm.

  “I’m sending over one of my best guys to meet you, stay on the line with me for one moment,” he requests. I hear him talking to someone in the background, but I can’t make out exactly what he is saying as his voice is mumbled. “Okay, Ms. Williams I’m sending over Cole Hart a former Marine who has been employed with me for the last five years. He also served with Garrett and is the person responsible for us hiring Garrett to begin with. So you can trust him. He will meet you in the lobby of the apartment building in approximately twenty minutes. Stay with him at all times.”

  “I understand.” I nod even though he can’t see me.

  “Where are you right now?” he asks.

  “In the elevator.” I laugh nervously as saying it aloud sounds funny. “I didn’t want to go into the apartment, so I’m standing here holding the door open button.”

  “No, that’s good,” he says. “Can you tell if anyone else is in the apartment from where you are?”

  I step just outside the elevator, keeping my hand on the button though, since I don’t end up stranded in the apartment and have to wait for the elevator to return before I could leave.

  “I don’t hear anything,” I reply.

  “Was anyone supposed to be in the apartment?” he asks.

  “No, I spoke with Garrett this morning and he was still in Boston. As far as he knew they were staying at least another night and would probably be flying back tomorrow evening.”

  “No one else lives there?” he clarifies.

  “No,” I confirm.

  “I’ve received a text from Cole that he is in the lobby of your building now, would you prefer me to remain on the phone with you until you meet him?” he asks as I step back into the elevator.

  “No, I don’t think that will be necessary.” I hit the button for the lobby and the elevator doors shut leaving the mess in front of me behind.

  “Keep my number handy and call me if you need something else,” he requests. “Cole will stay with you until Garrett returns from Boston.”

  “I’m sure that’s—” I try to argue.

  “He will stay,” he interrupts and suddenly disconnects the call effectively preventing me from arguing any further.

  The elevator ride down to the lobby seems much slower than normal, although I’m sure there is nothing wrong with the elevator itself. My thoughts wander to who destroyed the apartment and how much more damage was done beyond the foyer that I couldn’t see. Could it have been Toni again? It has been a few weeks since she left, but I don’t think Mr. Meyer has seen her since she left the apartment that afternoon. She was angry, but why would she break in? How did someone break in? Garrett said Mr. Meyer confirmed that no one had access to the changed codes, and the only way into the apartment is by using those codes.

  “Ms. Williams?” a man, whose appearance screams military, greets me as soon as the elevator doors open. His hair is cut the same way Garrett’s was when I met him at the wedding—incredibly short. He stands with his hands behind his back, his legs slightly apart and looks completely in control.

  “Yes,” I confirm. “Mr. Hart?”

  “Just Cole,” he replies.

  “Thank you for coming so quickly,” I say.

  “Not a problem ma’am.” He steps into the elevator with me.

  I enter the security code and the elevator doors close behind us. The ride back to the apartment is slow and while my stomach is still in knots, the ride thankfully isn’t entirely uncomfortable.

  “Is there a security room?” he asks as the elevator comes to slow stop.

  “Yes, just down the hall off the foyer,” I confirm.

  “I would like you to stay close to me and lead me there,” he requests. “I’ll secure you in the office before I check out the remainder of the apartment.”

  “Of course,” I agree.

  When the elevator doors open, Cole silently signals for me to wait as he cautiously steps out of the elevator drawing a gun that I hadn’t noticed before. He checks the foyer and great room, never leaving my sight, before returning to the elevator. He signals for me to quietly come to him, he stands directly next to me and in any other situation I would consider it a violation of my personal space, but right now it only makes me feel safe. I lead us silently to the security office door; he enters the office first gesturing for me to stand just inside the doorway. He checks over the entire room before shutting the door behind him.

  “Do you know how to access the video system?” he asks. “If not, I’m sure Luke has it—”

  “I can get in.” Thankfully, I remember the username and password Garrett gave me to access the system which at the time I thought was silly since I couldn’t see a reason for me needing access it. I type in the username and password however the screen in front of me and the ones on the wall all show static. I know I typed in the correct code; my hands might have been shaking, but I was careful to hit the correct keys.

  “Damn it,” Cole hisses. “It looks like the feed has been cut. I’m going to leave you in this office. I want you to lock the door behind me. You are only to open it when I say the paint is dry.”

  “The paint is dry?” I’m confused.

  “On a mission, we always have a passcode that tells the other person that everything is clear or safe. If a mission is compromised or someone is in danger, they will say anything other than that code including saying it is safe. It is something that you can be easily tricked or forced into saying. A passcode is something that no one else will know unless they are part of the mission. Unless you hear me say the paint is dry you are not to open this door. If you hear anything, a commotion, another voice, anything at all I want you to call Luke. You have his number?” he explains.

  “Yes,” I confirm.

  “Take this.” He hands me the gun he was carrying.

  “No—” I argue.

  “I have another one.” He pulls another revolver from his pant leg. “Have you ever shot a gun?”

  “Yes.” He immediately looks at me surprised. “My dad served in the Army for twenty years, he taught me how to shoot a gun before I could drive a car.”

  “Good.” He smiles. “If anyone opens this door or tries to break in, shoot without question. You’ll know if it’s me.”

  “Okay.” My voice is shaky, but I try to portray confidence I don’t have.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He leaves the room and I immediately lock the door behind him.

  I pace the room, trying to listen for any clues as to what Cole might be finding in the rest of the apartment, but I’m only met with sil
ence. I try calling Garrett and Mr. Meyer again, but just like earlier their phones go straight to voice-mail. I don’t know what else to do while I wait for Cole to return. I pace the room, check my phone several more times willing it to ring with a call from Garrett, but of course it doesn’t. I consider calling Abby, just to have someone to talk to but decide against it because I know it’ll just worry her.

  Looking around the office, I’m surprised that there isn’t more damage given what I saw in the foyer. Drawers on the desk are open, the table and chairs are overturned but the computer screens were left intact. I fight the urge to start straightening up the office, knowing that Garrett and Mr. Meyer will probably want to see it exactly as it is right now. I try not to worry about why I can’t reach Garrett; he could be on a plane, on the subway, in a part of an office building that has no reception, the list just continues. I try not to think that someone is after him or Mr. Meyer and that this might be some type of a distraction to get to them.

  I don’t know how much time passes by before I finally hear Cole’s voice outside the door saying the passcode. I unlock and open the door, relieved to see him in front of me.

  “The only place I haven’t been able to check is the room off the kitchen, the door is locked,” he says. “I can break down the door if you don’t have access to that space—”

  “That’s the entrance to the staff quarters. I have a key.” I dig through my purse for the apartment keys.

  “I’ll check it out and will be back in a few minutes.” He takes the key from me and again closes the door behind him. My cell phone ringing only moments later has me nearly jumping out of my skin before I answer it.

  “Garrett?”

  “Yes, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” His voice is panicked probably finally seeing all my missed calls. I have no idea how many times I called him.

  “Yes…I’m fine.” I’m glad to hear his voice. “Someone broke into the apartment—”

  “WHAT?!?!” he exclaims loudly.

  “I came back from Abby’s to find the foyer destroyed,” I explain.

  “Where are you? Tell me you’re not still there,” he begs.

  “I am, but I called Luke.” I explain that Cole is securing our apartment right now.

  “I’m going to get Mr. Meyer and get on the next plane back to Virginia,” he decides. “Do whatever Cole tells you. He won’t let anyone hurt you, Hope—I promise.”

  “I will, just be safe,” I request.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you—”

  “The paint is dry,” Cole’s voice says from the hallway.

  “Cole has cleared our apartment,” I inform him.

  “Hope…just stay safe for me, please.” I hear the worry, desperation…and something else that I can’t figure out in his voice.

  “I will, I promise,” I try to assure him.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He disconnects the call.

  While I’m happy I was able to talk to Garrett, I still hate that he’s so far away. I hate that it’ll take him a few hours to get back here and even then it depends on the airlines schedule. It doesn’t help that I know once he arrives he’ll be working nonstop to figure out who did this.

  “The staff quarters are clear,” Cole confirms as soon as I open the door.

  “You’re sure?” I ask.

  “Yes, I’ve checked every inch of this apartment. There is no one else here,” he answers.

  “How bad is it?” I wonder.

  “Every room has been turned upside down,” he explains. “It looks like the office and master bedroom in the main living area were the hardest hit. In my opinion, the other rooms were just torn apart, while the office and master bedroom appears as if someone was specifically looking for something. I’m sure there are items missing, but only your boss will be able to confirm that.”

  “So what now?” I ask.

  “I have spoken with Luke and I am assigned to you until Garrett returns,” he repeats what Luke told me at the end of our conversation earlier.

  “I’m sure that’s not—” I again try to argue.

  “Those are my orders ma’am,” he interrupts. “If I may be blunt, we don’t know who broke into the apartment or what they were looking for. We don’t know that they won’t try to come back if they didn’t find what they wanted earlier.”

  “You’re right,” I reluctantly agree. “I spoke with Garrett, he was going to get Mr. Meyer and take the first flight back here.”

  “Good.” He nods. “In the meantime, I would recommend leaving the main living area as is. It’s clear, in my opinion, that the person was targeting this area, the staff quarters is really just a mess. If you want, I could accompany you in there so you can see if anything is missing.”

  “Yes, thank you,” I say. “Do you know how they got into the apartment?”

  “The lock from the service entrance to your apartment was broken,” he explains.

  My heart nearly stops at the realization that someone broke into my apartment to get into Mr. Meyer’s living area. I had assumed up until now that the person had someone gained access through the lobby, but I suppose this makes more sense. I hate that someone went through what I thought was my personal space just to get to my boss.

  Chapter 30

  Garrett

  What a fucking nightmare! This entire trip was an absolute waste of time, but then it was like a punch to the gut to see all the missed calls from Hope and hearing her frightened voice when I finally called her back. If there was a way to get to her any faster, I would have but it still took me more than six hours to finally get back home.

  I didn’t stop worrying about Hope until I finally set eyes on her again. My biggest fear was that this would bring back memories of that night for her again and that I wasn’t able to be there to help her. But when I walked into our apartment and finally saw her, I was shocked. She was sitting at the breakfast bar with Cole chatting and laughing as if they had known each other for years. For a split second I was jealous, but the moment she saw me that all faded. She literally ran to me, wrapping her arms around me and kissing me before I even put my bag down.

  While Mr. Meyers went through his apartment and surveyed the damage, I spoke with Cole to see what the fuck happened while I was gone. I watch as a small shudder goes through Hope when he describes the door to our apartment being the entry point into Mr. Meyer’s apartment.

  “Have you been able to figure out how the camera feed was cut?” I ask.

  “Yes,” Cole confirms. “From what I can tell, they cut the wire from outside the apartment which should have only disabled the cameras for less than three minutes. During those three minutes, they were able to locate the breaker box and cut the dedicated line specific for the system which prevented it from drawing power from the alternative source.”

  “So someone would have had to know where the circuit breaker box was,” I conclude.

  “Yes,” he confirms. “Whoever broke into the apartment had been here several times or worked with someone who knew the apartment well.”

  Hope fixes me a sandwich even though I haven’t asked or mentioned that I’m hungry. One of the many things I love about her—she’s always thinking about everyone else. Cole and I continue to try to figure out what the fuck happened while I was gone.

  We go through the list of people who’ve had access to the condo since my contract began. I keep coming back to Toni given how mad she was when Mr. Meyer asked her to leave, but I don’t see why she would think that doing something like this would make him want her back. Plus, things ended with her weeks ago, probably even longer by now.

  Things with Suzanna seemed to end on decent terms—she didn’t seem angry when she left, even if Mr. Meyer was hard on her. If it wasn’t Toni or Suzanna, who could it have been? Perhaps one of the people he recently fired decided to take revenge or someone currently working for him was pushed too far. It wasn’t like he hid his temper toward people beneath him—both in busine
ss and in pleasure.

  It’s hours before things finally settle down and Cole leaves, though he’ll never know how grateful I am to him for dropping everything and rushing over here to be with Hope. I don’t know how I would have lasted on the flight knowing that she was alone the entire time. We’ve changed the security codes on all entrances and the lock on our door was repaired thanks to Dark Water Security’s team before I even arrived. They also arranged for a clean-up crew to come and put the apartment back together after pictures were taken of the damage. Mr. Meyer is in his office on calls, but has dismissed Hope and me for the evening.

  “What a fucking mess,” I mumble as I lock the door between the apartments grateful for everyone finally to be gone.

  “Here.” She hands me a beer.

  “Thanks,” I take the bottle from her hand but place it on the breakfast bar behind me.

  Her eyes are full of confusion, no doubt surprised that I’m not already drinking the beer because it’s definitely something I could use after the last few hours. Instead though, I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close to me as my lips gently find her. She immediately wraps her arms around my neck, holding me tightly. Her touch tells me everything she doesn’t: how scared she was, how grateful she is that I’m here and how her world was just turned upside down.

  “I missed you.” I pull back just enough to get the words out.

  “I missed you too.” Her voice is all but a whisper against my lips.

  “I knew something happened when I saw all your missed calls.” I’ll never forget the way my heart stopped when I saw how many missed texts I had from her. I had a bad feeling before we even left Virginia the other day. It was why I insisted she have Luke and Alec’s phone numbers. Luke always tells me I should trust my gut and I guess this time he was right.

  “I tried both you and Mr. Meyer but both of your phones kept going straight to voice-mail,” she explains.

  With my hand in hers, I lead her to the couch, so we can talk about the crazy events of the day. I turn off the TV which had been on, though the volume was so low that no one could have been watching it. I get the feeling it was a distraction while she waited for me, much like it used to be when she got up in the middle of the night.