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“Are you serious?”
“How are an apple—”
“I have no idea,” he snaps. “How?”
“They both look good hanging from a tree. I’d sit tight if I were you until Savage gets here.” I pull the door shut and eye the text message on my Apple watch, grimacing as I do.
“What?” Pri asks urgently.
“Pitt left with Josh but came back. He just got off the elevator from the lobby. I don’t want to run into him and have to answer a million questions. Go to your office and get your things. You won’t be back today. There’s a black SUV waiting on us downstairs. Meet me there.” I start to turn and she grabs my arm.
“Be careful. Please be careful.”
I step into her and cup her neck. “I have a reason to stay alive now. You. I’ll see you in five minutes.” I lean and kiss her hard and fast before I force myself to release her. “Five minutes,” I promise again and then force myself to turn and walk away.
And I have no idea why it’s so insanely hard to leave her. It is just for five minutes.Chapter Twenty-EightPRI
I cannot believe Adrian’s setting himself up as bait.
He matters to me. He really, really matters to me and I have this horrible feeling he’s going to get hurt and I don’t know what to do about it.
I’m all kinds of nervous as I enter the hallway outside of Ed’s office area, but nevertheless, my pace is slow—steady, even—as I start my walk back to my office, intentionally pacing myself when I could easily run. I need to talk Adrian into anything but this insane plan of his that doesn’t even make sense. What changed from this morning to now? It’s still just morning.
Fortunately, I manage to find my way back to my office without interference, but as I’m packing up, Cindy pokes her head in the door. “Well? And who was that hottie that walked through the offices and disappeared into Ed’s office area?”
The hottie must be Adrian because my God, he’s gorgeous and confident, and the way he controlled Ed, who controls everyone else, was powerful. But I’m not talking about Adrian to Cindy so I say, “No deal,” already thinking of ways to make my case for Adrian to go back into hiding, and my mind is on Waters’ ex-girlfriend. “Any luck reaching Zara Moore?”
“None. She didn’t just leave protective custody. She disappeared.”
I set my purse on the desk. “Why do I feel like she’s dead?”
“That’s my fear, too,” she says. “She tried to save herself by backing out of testifying and she never really had the chance. Speaking of which, Josh was just here. He and Pitt were trying to find out if you had already hired outside security for the witnesses. You didn’t, right?”
“If I did it wouldn’t be anyone connected to this office.”
“In other words, you did.”
I stand up and slide my purse to my shoulder. Grace pokes her head in the office. “Hey. Josh says he’s been talking to you about some work?”
Cindy laughs. “He’s working like he’s on the catwalk, baby.” She nudges Grace. “You two steaming up the sheets yet?”
My cellphone buzzes with a text and I glance down to read a message from Adrian: Where are you?
Trying, I reply back. On my way.
Meanwhile, Grace’s cheeks heat. “I’m not talking about that.”
“That’s a yes,” Cindy says. “And Pri already hired someone else.”
Grace’s gaze shoots to me. “You did?”
“I told Josh I’d talk to him,” I say in complete avoidance mode. “And now, ladies, I need to go. I’m meeting with Waters and his attorney.”
“With Waters?” Grace says, the blood draining from her face. “Do you have to?”
“I do,” I say. “And it’s good practice. I’ll be in a courtroom with him for at least six weeks.”
I’m now in front of the door, which the two of them are blocking, when Grace says, “I’ve been reading up on him. There are people who say he gets obsessed with certain people and won’t let go. What if that’s you?”
“I’m sure it will be. I’m the one sending him to jail.”
“Are you really a prosecutor, Grace?” Cindy chides. “How do you operate when you’re this afraid?”
“Alive,” Grace primly replies. “You’re too cavalier for your own good, Cindy.”
“Ladies.” I motion for them to move.
Cindy backs out of the doorway and I glance at Grace. “I’ll be careful.” I squeeze her arm. “Thanks for worrying.”
She nods and hugs herself. I exit the office and start walking, while Cindy falls into step with me. “Sure I can’t come?”
“Positive.” I glance over at her. “And Grace handles white-collar criminals, has an IQ probably twenty percent higher than both of us, and a conviction rate higher than anyone in the department. You’d be smart to learn from her.” I pause at the glass door leading to the reception area. “Go find Zara. Tell Pitt to find her.”
