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He stepped from his room, not bothering to cover himself. He didn’t want any clothes in the way when he found her. He called her name two more times before he realized she wasn’t in the apartment. He went to his phone and called her. It went straight to voicemail.
His arousal died as he began to worry. He knew she didn’t have any plans that day. What was she doing? He moved to the coffee pot and hit the on button before going back to his bedroom. He immediately stepped into the bathroom and took a quick shower, noting that something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what.
He moved to the closet and pulled out his clothes. He had his pants on and was reaching for a shirt when he realized what was wrong. He gazed in horror as he realized all of Ella’s clothes were gone.
He rushed from the closet and back to the bathroom; her few bottles were no longer on the counter. He opened her drawer, and it too was empty. Panic filled him. He tried her phone again . . . no answer.
He gripped his phone so tight he heard it crack before forcing his fingers to relax. Breaking it wasn’t going to do him a damn bit of good. He had to keep it together. Their relationship was going great, so the only logical explanation must be she was scared. They were too close and that worried her. He’d have to assure her she had nothing to be worried about.
Bass was in a horrible mood as he moved back to his closet and grabbed a shirt. He pulled it on and stepped into his bedroom, noticing a pink envelope on the nightstand on his side of the bed. Dammit, it hadn’t been long ago he’d thought of the entire bed as his. Now, he had a side and Ella had a side. He wanted to keep it that way.
Reluctantly he moved to the envelope. It contained a single piece of paper. He plopped himself onto the bed and pulled the paper out. He didn’t want to open it, but he knew he couldn’t avoid that.
He opened the paper where only a single paragraph was written.
Bass,
I guess it was the letters we’d both written to Nana Bee that finally brought us together, so a letter would be fitting for our end. It’s nothing you did, but I know this is what has to be done. Too much happened with my father. Thank you for trusting me and showing me what falling in love is all about. I will dream of our time together for the rest of my life. Be happy and enjoy having your best friends back. Thank you again for standing by my side when I needed it most. I hope you’re happy for the rest of your life. Please go see Nana Bee’s attorney ASAP.
With love,
Ella.
Bass didn’t know if he wanted to hit something or strangle Ella. What in the world was she thinking? She thought she was helping him by leaving. When he did get his hands on her, he wasn’t sure if he wouldn’t strangle her or spank her. He would get his hands on her, that was for dang sure. She could try to sneak off like a thief in the night but she didn’t know him well at all if she truly thought she would get away with that.
He put the note in his pocket, then called Rafe. “We need to see Nana Bee’s attorney right now.”
“What’s going on?” Rafe asked.
“Ella,” he said with a growl.
“Okay then. Can’t wait to hear this,” Rafe said with a chuckle.
Bass had known Rafe since he was ten years old and he still couldn’t understand the man. He’d gone from suspicious of Ella to one of her biggest supporters in the blink of an eye. As soon as the evidence cleared her, Rafe had been all in on helping her out.
Now, Bass was telling him they needed to see the attorney and Rafe wasn’t worried at all. He should be grateful, but he was confused and worried. He didn’t want Ella to get too far away. He couldn’t wait any longer to see the attorney. He wasn’t sure what she’d left behind, but it was the first clue to how he’d find her.
He and Rafe arrived about the same time and didn’t say much as they went inside. Mr. Lawson was waiting for them with a big smile on his face.
“I expected you today after Ella stopped in yesterday,” Mr. Lawson said.
“Why didn’t you call yesterday?” Bass asked with a scowl.
“That wasn’t what Ella asked me to do,” he replied. There were a few choice words Bass had to say about that but he somehow managed to keep it in.
“What exactly did she ask you to do?” Bass asked instead.
“She left explicit instructions. She finished her requirements in the will, the obligations were met, and the money distributed where Nana Bee wanted it to go,” Mr. Lawson said.
“I don’t give a damn about the money, I want to know what in the hell is going on with Ella,” Bass snapped.
Mr. Lawson didn’t look offended. He handed over another note Ella had written. Bass snapped it up. It was like he was playing a game of Clue and kept getting hints. He’d never been much of a board game player.
This note was briefer than the last saying she was forfeiting any further money.
“I hope you didn’t accept this. She’s entitled to the money Nana Bee left her,” Bass said.
“I agree,” Rafe said.
