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Well, notreallyreally.
The nightmares that used to plague me, but that I haven’t had very often in the last few years, are back. Terrors of waking up on fire or screaming. Horror-scapes of my mother calling for me as she burns to death.
Needless to say, I haven’t been sleeping very well. But I am determined to get past this. I amseton not getting stuck on the terrifying reality of what happened at that office space. Or getting bogged down in what it means thatthatfire-bomb—and it was a bomb—had the same chemical composition as the fire that killed my mum.
The police have mentioned that the use of both of the accelerants in the explosion are common in arson cases. They’ve cautioned us not to make any connections based on that. Which is… darkly amusing considering the same government is still accusingme, even after what happened the other day, of killing my mother.
“God, that’s fucking terrifying,” she shivers as we both sit on the little bench in the back-garden of Noel’s mansion.
Her eyes raise to mine.
“Do they…” Julianna shakes her head. “Never mind, sorry.”
“No, go ahead.”
“We don’t have to talk about—”
“Jules, I’mfine. I mean yeah, it was really scary, but…” I shrug. “I’m putting it behind me.”
“Do they know who…” she clears her throat.
Who they were trying to killis what she can’t bring herself to say.
“No,” I say quietly.
Which is true. The authorities seem to be stuck between myself or Jacob as the intended target of the fire. Jacob might have business rivals, but certainly no enemies that would go to those levels of trying to kill him.
And the same goes for me. The only person I can think of who would have ever actively tried to have me killed is Leo Argyros.
Would have.
I feel guilty that I haven’t told Noel, about any of that. But as of the other day, that entire part of my life seems to be settled and done with.
A strangely articulate Leo mysteriously texted me a couple of days ago saying he was “getting out of the business.”
Entirely. For good.
He wasn’t looking to collect another cent from me, and he even apologized for taking advantage of my desperation three years ago. He assured me, vehemently, that the only copies of those horrible photos he’d taken of me were destroyed, and said he only wished me peace and happiness.
So, he’s either been taken over by aliens who are now pretending to be Leo Argyros, or else he’s found God or something. Either way, it’s done. It’s finally over.
So that takes away that threat. But obviously, there are others.
“I doubt it was about Jacob or I,” I say quietly to Jules.
I know the reason Jacob and I are both being considered targets by the police isn’t about us at all. It’s the men who stand behind us: Oliver for Jacob; Noel for me. Who both haveseveralenemies, including each other.
She swallows. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m afraid of. This wasn’t about either of you. It was about…” she lowers her voice, even though Noel isn’t home. “Noel or Oliver. Or both.”
I shrug. “Maybe. Have you talked to Jacob? I only spoke to him briefly a few days ago. He seemed like he was doing okay.”
“Just a little bit. Yeah, I’ve heard he’s going to be okay after some physical therapy. That hit to the back was no joke, though. He lost some serious blood.”
I shiver, the explosion flashing through my mind.
I frown as I turn to her.
“Look, I don’t want to come off as a paranoid loon, but… are you being cautious? I mean, if thiswastargeted at Jacob and his company, your company is in the middle of patterning with his?”
