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“I need to go to the office for a while. Okay?”
He dipped his head. “As I said in Paris, it’s your life.”
“Right. You’re just along for the ride.”
His eyes moved to the mirror, a small frown on his face. Why did she sound angry about that?
He didn’t respond. The car slid into the basement, and Noah slid his iPad into his computer bag, his eyes scanning the basement on autopilot, unprepared for anything unusual. But he saw it anyway, the moment it crossed his vision. “Stop the car.”
The driver took a second to react, but pressed the brakes lightly, so there was no squeal.
“What is it?”
Damn it. What he wouldn’t do to save Max from sounding scared like that. “Stay here.” His voice held a warning, and he turned to the driver as if to enlist his help with keeping Max in the car, then pushed out, his hand reaching for his hip, where the pistol sat.
Her car space was covered in what appeared to be, at first glance, red paint but which, as he got closer, he recognized as blood. Animal blood, he’d guess, and enough of it to dry tacky on the walls.
“Oh my God.”
He could have throttled the driver. Max was right behind him, pale as a sheet, her eyes filled with tears. “Who’s doing this?”
She moved closer to him on autopilot and without a second thought he put an arm around her, holding her to him, as if through that contact alone he could keep her right where she was.
“I don’t know, Max, but I swear to you, I will find out. And until then, you are safe. I will keep you safe if it’s the last thing I do.”
She was shivering uncontrollably.
“It’s animal blood,” he said, as though that might reassure her. She nodded against his side.
“But…why?”
“Because this person is sick. That’s the only explanation.”
He looked over his shoulder for the driver. “Take our suitcases to Max’s office. Thanks.”
He pulled out his phone, dialled his friend – DCS Wingrave – and asked for the best forensics team to be sent immediately, his eyes not leaving Max’s face. He then waited for the driver to return, giving strict instructions to remain with the car until the police arrived. They stood there, silent, for the twenty minutes that took, and then Noah had a quiet word with Wingrave.
“I don’t suspect the driver, but I can’t rule him out completely. Treat him with caution. This has to be an inside job.” He flicked a glance at Max, to be sure she couldn’t hear him. “There’s too much access, way too little trail. Anything you can turn up would be appreciated.”
“Of course, mate. We’re on it.”
“I’m going to need to be kept informed.”
It wasn’t protocol, but their friendship went way back, so too did the trust between the two men.
“I’ll send you a report by the end of the day.”
Noah dipped his head in thanks. “I want this bastard caught, Drew. Yesterday.”
“Understood.”
“I’m fine,” she assured him, when she felt anything but fine. “It’s just animal blood. A stupid prank. It doesn’t mean anything.” It meant something. It meant something dark and dangerous and scary, too much to analyse.
She forced a smile to her face as she greeted Rachel. “Hi, Rach.”
Max’s assistant dipped her head and stood, not missing a beat. “Lunch is on your desk, and I’ve prioritized your emails. There’s a two o’clock meeting you need to be in on, to do with the restructure of the Aegean contract. I’ve flagged anything else urgent.”
Noah strode into Max’s office, anger flashing through him – an anger he’d never experienced in a professional role. He’d missed something. He hadn’t done enough. There was no other explanation for the access this person had.
