by Jane Godman
It was incredible that she could feel so attracted to him, in spite of the turmoil in her life. When she was with Griffin, she felt happy and at peace in a way she’d never experienced before. She only wished it was something they had time to explore.
“I saw that Maya trashed the kitchen. Did she happen to also eat breakfast?”
“Yes, she had cereal and a cup of milk. I wasn’t sure how much to give her but, when she was finished, she threw the leftovers on the floor.” He came closer and tickled Maya under the chin. “I sat her on the counter to clean her up and that’s when she tipped a bag of flour over as well. She’s fast.”
“She is,” Abigail agreed. “And stubborn. Once she decides that she wants something, she doesn’t give up.”
“What about you? Did you sleep okay? Would you like some toast and coffee?” There was that smile again, the one that warmed her and made her shiver at the same time. “Although it’s closer to lunch than breakfast now.”
“I slept really well.” She looked down at her unconventional outfit. “But maybe I should shower and change before I think about food?”
“You look great to me.” As he spoke, he appeared to have second thoughts about the message his words might convey. “I mean, your clothes look fine.” He paused, clearly thinking some more. “And so do you, of course.”
Abigail laughed. “It’s okay. Neither my clothes nor I need any further explanation of your meaning.”
He rubbed a hand along his jaw. “I’m not used to this.”
“Really? I’d never have guessed.” They exchanged a teasing look that was lost when Maya rubbed a grubby hand down Abigail’s cheek. “Why don’t I take this little lady with me? That way we can both shower and change.”
“While you do that, I’ll make lunch,” Griffin said. “And then I thought we could do some research into the scientist who assisted your dad on the RevitaYou scheme.”
Abigail sighed. “I like part of that plan. And I guess we have to do the other part if we are going to move forward with the investigation.”
Chapter 8
RevitaYou came in pretty green bottles, each containing a thirty-day supply of capsules. The accompanying glossy brochure was written in flowery language and promised to make the lucky purchaser look ten years younger within one week of directed use.
“Look.” Griffin pointed to the very small print on the last page. “There are no contact details, but your dad is listed as the founder of the company. There is no information about who might have collaborated with him on this breakthrough invention.”
They were seated side by side at the desk in his small office. Maya was taking a post-lunch nap and Abigail had brought the baby monitor into the room. The occasional mumble or snort reminded them of her presence.
Abigail leaned closer, her hair brushing his cheek as she squinted at the tiny writing. “I still have access to the forums on the university website. It’s possible the project was mentioned when it was in its early stages.”
Griffin shrugged. “We’ve done everything we can think of at CI. It has to be worth a try.”
For the next half hour, they sat in silence while Abigail followed different threads and tried new searches. Just as she started to lean back in her chair with an expression of gloom, her gaze fixed on the screen.
“Landon Street. Ugh. I know that guy.”
Griffin turned his head to look at her, trying to focus on the conversation instead of the fact that their faces were inches apart. “The way you said that makes me suspect that what you know of him isn’t good.”
“Landon Street has to be the most unethical chemist in the country. He worked at Danvers University a few years ago.” The corners of her mouth turned down. “If there was a way to cut a corner, Landon would find it. He constantly skirted close to the edge of illegal practice. His research papers were sloppy, and he let his colleagues down time after time. I can’t remember how many violations he had in the short time he worked at the university.”
“What happened to him?”
“He took his shoddy methods a step too far. He’d already been moved into a lesser post because he couldn’t be trusted. On the occasion in question, he was supposed to assist in a new clinical trial that would help elderly subjects with pressure sores. His supervisor gave him a schedule in which he needed to check each person weekly. Landon decided that was too often and, without consulting his boss, reduced the checks to once a month. The result was that one man developed an infection and almost died.”
“That’s criminal.” Griffin was outraged.
“You’re right, of course. The problem was that Landon’s conduct reflected badly on Danvers University.” She gave a helpless shrug. “It would not have been my way of dealing with the matter, but I believe the university settled out of court with the family and let Landon go but stopped short of suggesting his license should be revoked.”
“That’s appalling. He could have gone on to kill someone.”
She pointed at the screen. “If I’m right, Landon could be responsible for formulating RevitaYou, and that may still happen. In this thread, there is a suggestion that he is working on a new vitamin.”
Sensing her distress, he placed a hand on her wrist. “What happened to Landon after he left Danvers University?”
She frowned. “I don’t know. Why do you ask?”
“I’m wondering how your father got to know him. Do crooked scientists advertise their credentials anywhere in particular? Maybe they offer their services to con artists through dedicated webpages or on social media?”
She managed a smile. “It’s an interesting idea. But I’m not dodgy so I wouldn’t know.”
“I would never suggest that you were.” He gripped her wrist a little tighter before opening his laptop. “Let’s see what we can find out about Landon Street.”
An internet search took them along a convoluted path. After leaving Danvers University, Landon Street’s name cropped up in connection with a number of medical practices. It seemed he would lend his name to any venture, mainstream, alternative, even wacky. More recently, however, he had been involved in a few shady undertakings. There were beauty products, anti-aging drugs and miracle cures with his name attached to them. Quick fixes that had gone out of production within months, or even weeks, of their launch.
Scrolling through his history made depressing reading. If Wes Matthews had gone looking for an unethical scientist to assist him with RevitaYou, these credentials would have put Landon top of the list.
“Wait.” Abigail was studying the search results with a puzzled expression. “Can you click on that link?”
It was an entry in article in a Danvers University online academic journal, written several years earlier. The writer had included a photograph of a team of scientists at Danvers University who had received an award for their pioneering work in researching prevention of early miscarriage. As she read it, Abigail leaned closer, the frown line between her eyes deepening.
“Is there a problem?” Griffin asked.
“Yes.” Abigail pointed to the text on the screen. “This has been altered. See here, where the participants in the program are listed?” She pointed to a paragraph near the end of the article. “I was part of that research project and I know my name was included when this piece first went out. You can see from the photograph that I was among those who received the award. I’m right there, front and center. But all references to me have been removed.”
Griffin whistled. “Why would anyone do that?”
“I don’t know. To discredit me, maybe? But there’s more. Landon Street is listed as one of the team who won the award. He didn’t even work at Danvers at the time. He’s not in this photograph.”
Griffin followed the line of her finger as she pointed to the individuals on the podium holding up their awards. “How can you be so sure that the article has been al
tered and not that these were mistakes to the original?”
She scrolled down to the end, indicating the name of the author. “Because I wrote it.”
* * *
An hour later, Abigail slumped back in her seat. “I don’t believe this. We’ve checked five articles so far. Each of them included references to work I’ve done They have all been altered so that my name has been removed and another scientist has been inserted in my place.”
“But a different person has been substituted each time,” Griffin said. “Only the first one gives credit for your work to Landon Street.”
“Even so, it’s like someone is trying to obliterate my achievements and ruin my career.” She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles. “On top of everything else.”
“Since we know he’s crooked, let’s start with Landon. Could he be the one who is behind the other attempts to discredit you? Even the murder of Dr. Hardin?” Griffin asked.
Abigail took a few moments to think about what he was asking. “Landon is not a nice guy, that much is clear from his actions. But is he capable of premeditated murder? I honestly couldn’t answer that question because I don’t know him well enough. And that’s why I don’t think he’s the person behind the attempts to ruin me. He doesn’t have a motive.”
“He doesn’t have a reason that you know of,” Griffin said. “But if he has ties to your dad, who knows what’s been going on behind the scenes? They could have fallen out and getting at you is Landon’s way of paying Wes back. Or if Dr. Hardin antagonized him, Landon may have believed you were behind it, even though you weren’t.”
“Oh.” She sprang to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest. “I wish we knew what was going on. This feeling that someone is out to get me without know who is just so frustrating.”
He got up and came to her, placing strong hands on her shoulders. “And frightening. I know how scared you must be.”
She rested her forehead against his chest. “I’ve never known anything like this. The idea that I’ve made someone hate me so much—”
“Hey.” He placed a hand beneath her chin, gently tilting her face until she was looking at him. “This is not about anything you’ve done.”
She drew in a breath. “Try telling that to the person who killed my boss.”
“Whoever murdered Dr. Hardin did it for reasons that were outside of your control, Abigail. The killer will try to justify it by blaming you, but you must never be drawn into that.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Stay strong. We’ll get through this together.”
Together. She liked the sound of that more than she could say. Rising onto the tips of her toes, she lightly touched her lips to his in a butterfly kiss. The gesture triggered a storm that nearly knocked her off her feet. Griffin’s arms tightened around her, enfolding her in his embrace. He took hold of her chin with one hand, tilting her face up to his as he moved his lips over hers. This kiss was strong and warm, filled with passion, letting her know how much he wanted her. Instantly, her body ached for more. Arousal powered along her nerve endings, awakening a need within her, filling her with a passion that was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
She clung to him, lost in the magic of his mouth caressing hers. He teased her, nibbling at her lower lip, flicking his tongue over the sensitive flesh. Sighing into his mouth, she surrendered to the delicious feelings churning through her. This was what it should feel like to be held by a man. She felt cherished and wanted. As though she had truly come to life at his touch.
Her lips parted, welcoming his tongue inside her mouth. She savored the velvet feel and warm, sweet taste of him. As their tongues danced and explored, he twisted his hands in the length of her hair. Finally, he broke the kiss and gazed down at her. The tenderness in his eyes said more than any words ever could.
“I think we forgot to be serious, dedicated investigators for a moment, there.” She flashed a mischievous smile his way.
“Is that what we did?” His answering grin did something sinful to her insides.
Briefly, she rested her head against his shoulder. “Let’s not get carried away. Maya will wake up soon.”
He squeezed her upper arm. “Okay. Back to Landon Street.”
Abigail groaned. “You sure know how to kill the mood.”
He laughed. “You were the one who said we shouldn’t get carried away.”
“So it’s my fault we go from delicious kisses to bad guy scientists?”
His eyes gleamed. “Delicious, huh?”
She bumped his shoulder with her own. “Oh, come on. You must have been told that dozens of times.”
“Funnily enough, I haven’t.” His expression became serious. “Prior to getting involved in RevitaYou, Landon seems to have been lying low. Which makes me wonder where he is now. I need to call Riley.”
“Do you want me to give you some privacy?”
He shook his head. “You’re part of the CI team now.”
As he got out his cell phone and found his brother’s number, she studied the laptop screen, glad of a distraction. Part of the CI team. Apart from her job, she’d never felt part of anything. Even then, she’d always been the geeky girl on the fringes, rather than Miss Popularity. Coming soon after that incredible kiss, Griffin’s words had caught her unawares and left her feeling shaken.
It was him. Griffin was the reason for her confusion. In the short time she had known him, he had turned her world upside down. His presence was reassuring and disturbing at the same time. And, while she loved the sensations this new attraction brought her way, she feared them as well. Until recently, her only meaningful relationship had been with her career. Now she was a new mom. She had responsibilities that were beyond anything she’d ever known before. Surely it was too soon to consider a romantic relationship as well? And with a Colton?
No. The hugs were wonderful. The kisses were even better. But she had to put them in context. Her life was in turmoil. She was scared, confused and lonely. Griffin had offered her shelter and protection, and he was the only person who appeared to believe in her. Was it any wonder she found herself drawn to him?
Try this attraction out another time. Like when life is back to normal. Whenever that might be...
“Riley? I need you to trace someone for me as part of the RevitaYou investigation.” Griffin was talking to his brother. “A Dr. Landon Street. He’s the person Wes Matthews used to develop the RevitaYou formula. I’m going to send you some links to his background but I also need to know where he is now. He may be able to help us find Wes.”
He ended the call after chatting briefly to Riley about other matters.
“Do you think Landon could still be in touch with my dad?” Abigail asked. “They are in this together, after all.”
“It’s a possibility. The bad publicity following the social media blasts will have spooked them both. We know Wes is lying low, but there’s a chance he and Landon have been in contact with each other. Maybe Landon even knows where Wes is hiding.”
“It’s like every piece of information we find about RevitaYou paints a worse picture.” She shook her head. “And it was my dad who did this. He was the person who thought up this con. For the sake of the people whose lives have been affected, he has to face justice. But, and this sounds horribly selfish, I know that Maya and I will be tainted by what he’s done.”
“That’s not true. When he’s found, and the truth comes out, people will see that you had nothing to do with his schemes.”
“But I’ll always be Wes Matthews’s daughter,” she said. “And, even though Maya has never met him, she will always be his granddaughter. Assuming the adoption goes through.”
“Maya will always be the daughter of the strong, beautiful woman who chose to raise her.” His voice resonated with sincerity. “I wish there was something I could do to make this better for you.”
“You do make it
better, Griffin.” In that moment her doubts faded to nothing. He hadn’t come into her life at the wrong time. When she needed him, he was at her side. The future might bring its challenges, but that simple truth was enough for now. “Just by being here, you do.”
* * *
Abigail was amazed at the way the Colton family worked so well as a unit. Griffin had told his siblings that they needed more of Abigail and Maya’s belongings brought from home and the next thing she knew, there was a whole moving process underway.
The Coltons had packed up her place and delivered boxes and suitcases with clothes, toys and various baby items; unpacked; and put the contents away almost before she could tell it was happening. At the same time, with all the coming and going, Abigail was able to observe Griffin interact with his family.
It soon became clear that, in a group of big personalities, Griffin was the quietest of the siblings. Perhaps because he hadn’t been born a Colton, he exhibited different traits and it showed most when the group was all together. While the others competed to talk, he remained reserved, cautious and introspective. His sisters, it seemed, were keen to let Abigail know the best ways to handle their strong, silent brother.
“He needs space,” Sadie said, as she staggered through the door carrying a box of Maya’s toys. “Give him time to think about things before expecting him to make a decision. He’s self-conscious and he likes to consider options and consequences. If you’re prepared to wait, he’ll appreciate the lack of pressure and become more at ease with you.”
“That’s really helpful.” Abigail helped her to carry the toys through to the den. “But you do know we’re not in a relationship, don’t you?”
“Oh, that.” Sadie waved a hand in an airy gesture. “I just thought it would be useful advice.”
