It might be annoying the way everyone was pushing the three of us to be together, if I didn’t want it so badly myself. I took a small slice of each. “I like both flavors.”
Everyone chuckled.
“Evie is lovely. I still communicate with her on social media,” Carolina said. “She’s had a few rounds of cancer, in different places in her body. I know it was hard on Jared. Their mom died when Jared and Evie were just out of high school. I met him a couple years after that.”
Carolina described how Jared tried to keep up with medical bills for his sister.
“There’s definitely motive there,” Rhonda said. “And now Carolina tells us he is in town.”
“I was thinking I’d hang out in the diner more,” Bryan said. “I could meet with your sales team there, too, and hopefully he will come in to try to talk to Carolina.”
“Two of my interns have questions about someone in your accounting department. A Shawn Callum?” Rhonda was looking at her phone notes.
Greg and Burris both groaned.
“Of course,” Burris said. “Our EAP program has helped him with gambling more than once. He really seemed to be doing better.”
“I’ll talk to him tomorrow, see if he’s getting income elsewhere for company information,” Rhonda said.
“Anyone else?” Greg said.
“No. The interns said the staff seems very loyal, down to the warehouse workers and drivers. Several said staff seemed suspicious of them and asked many questions.”
“I got a friendlier response, as I’m supposed to be placing a big order,” Bryan said. “But I did notice that the staff was heading me off from meeting with anyone outside of the sales team.”
“They are probably worried about what is happening and didn’t want to jeopardize the big sale.” Burris said.
“I wish there was a big sale,” I said, imagining the staff looking forward to better days at the company.
“Oh, there is,” Bryan grinned. “My cousin is really a buyer for the chain. He’s looking at a few companies, but I’ve sent him samples of the new home office furniture, and he wants to place an order when this is all settled.”
Burris shook Bryan’s hand. “We appreciate that, man. There will of course be a discount.”
“That’s what I told my cousin,” he said. “I plan to stay in town and oversee the whole deal for him.” He glanced at Rhonda.
I wasn’t thrilled about Carolina being a bait to help catch Jared, but I caught myself before saying something. I’d learned how annoying overprotective behavior was first hand that day.
As Rhonda, Bryan, and Carolina got ready to leave, Rhonda turned to Greg and Burris. “You know, you may want to stay at a hotel or change up your routine for the next few days until we get to the bottom of this. Someone knew where you were today.”
“We had the mechanic team go over the car for a tracker,” Greg said. “There was one under Burris’s car. It was removed, and we rented a different one to come here.”
I hadn’t even noticed they’d come in a different car. I’d just wanted to see them.
***
When the others left, I rejoined the guys on the back patio, where the soft strung bulbs gave the enclosed patio a romantic feel. took a deep breath. “Why don’t you both stay here tonight at least?”
Both men stepped in close to me.
“We don’t want to bring the danger to your door,” Burris said.
“And I want to help keep you safe.”
“I’m not used to someone else doing that for me,” Greg said, kissing my neck. “I’m kind of used to being in charge.”
“I noticed,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But you know, it is kind of remote out here, and maybe I don’t want to be on my own.”
“In that case,” Burris said, pulling me close. “We’ll stay as long as you like.”
