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“I know, but if her mother can help the investigation move forward, we need to do it.”
“Right. I’ll be in touch.” If there’s anything to be found regarding the mother, I’m confident Todd will find it.
Now I just have to find the right moment to tell Allie.
Chapter twenty-three
Allie
The holidays are nearly here, and the in-store promotions are becoming more chaotic. Thank goodness I only have one more to do tomorrow. It’s been a little stressful being amongst crowds of Christmas shoppers and the regular group of paparazzi, but at least it means I’m never alone. When the latest message arrived a few days ago, I again had to become vigilant. I know Todd thinks whoever is doing this isn’t in New York let alone the city, but that only goes some way to reassure me.
Mind you, I seem to be coping better than Logan. His constant asking if I’m okay or insisting I give him an hour-by-hour rundown of my schedule has been impossible. But also very sweet. I’ve never had somebody be so worried about my well-being. It feels good and my heart does a happy little skip when I think of it.
I rush through the door of my apartment, throwing my keys and phone on the hall table. Todd is meeting us in Logan’s apartment in twenty minutes and I want to quickly change from today’s dress and heels beforehand.
I hope Todd has some good news for us because I don’t want this hanging over me all through the holidays. Katie arrives in a couple of days for the annual Carlson Charity Gala, and I want to be able to relax and enjoy the limited time we’ll have together. I’m excited to see my best friend again even if it means Logan and I will either have to tell everyone about us or keep it a secret. Maybe after our meeting with Todd tonight, we can discuss and agree how best to break the news to our friends and his family.
Todd arrives on time and only minutes after me. In fact, I’m still wrapped around Logan, our lips locked in a hungry kiss, when he knocks on the door. We spring apart before I leave Logan to let his friend in, and I scoot down the hall toward the living area. It only took Logan minutes to mess up my freshly brushed hair and I quickly run my fingers through the tangled mess. I look like we’ve just finished having wild sex on every available surface. I smile to myself when I think about how many places in his apartment we have had sex. It’s a lot.
We gather around Logan’s dining table like we’ve done each time before when Todd has arrived. We could do the meeting in my apartment, but it doesn’t make sense to change the original arrangement. Tonight, he places only his laptop on the table and a thin A4-sized brown envelope beside it. I hope that means that he has some news.
Logan takes the seat opposite me, and I try to catch his eye. What’s up with him tonight? He looks nervous, and to be honest, the kiss a moment ago was more frenzied and desperate than usual. He sits quietly at the table waiting for Todd to log on to his laptop. I don’t expect him to have turned into an extravert conversationalist, but he’ll usually say something to Todd rather than the grunted response he just gave him.
Todd hits a few more keys more forcefully than is needed, then looks up at Logan first, then me. “Right, I’ll start with the main point. I’ve found your mother.”
My mouth falls open, freezing momentarily like I’m one of those carnival clowns you put balls in. I expect I look just as ridiculous. My eyes dart back and forth between Logan and Todd. Both sets of eyes stare back, waiting. Todd’s not giving much away. Logan’s eyes don’t want to hold mine.
Finally, I land my glare on Todd. “When was this discussed?” I grind out through clenched teeth, while a heaviness builds in my chest threatening to cut off the breath from my lungs.
But it’s not Todd who speaks. “Allie, I asked Todd to find her,” Logan answers in a low, deep voice that’s like a punch to the gut.
“You did what?” I demand, unleashing my anger behind each clearly articulated word. My stomach rolls like I’m on the deck of a boat in the middle of a violent storm, and I’m not sure if the sushi I had for lunch isn’t going to be rejected. I place my palms flat on the table in front of me in an effort to stop the sickening sway. A red haze clouds my vision and I drop my eyes as I try to gather the last remnants of my composure.
“Allie, are you okay?” Logan’s voice comes to me from a long way off. But when his words sink in, a new burst of anger flows through my veins, giving me the much-needed strength to retaliate.
My eyes dart back up to meet his. “No, Logan … I’m not. And you just lost any right to ask me that.”
It barely registers that Todd has closed his laptop and is preparing to leave. He stands, moving the brown envelope to the center of the table between Logan and me.
“All the information is in the envelope. We can discuss this further next week.” He tells us, but still Logan and I stare at each other. Our eyes arguing in a fiery clash of wills, just waiting to explode into words the moment we’re alone. The apartment door closes.
“You had no right going behind my back like that,” I yell at him. Standing up, the scrape of the chair jars on my nerves as I continue, “Not every situation is there for you to control. This is my life and my choices.” My fists clench at my side, the only way I can stop them from shaking.
“Allie, we needed to do something to move this forward.” He stands up too, then comes around the table toward me.
I hold up one hand, so he knows not to come closer. “Stop! I know I didn’t specifically tell you my mother was off-limits. But she is. I don’t want anything to do with that woman. I don’t want to know where she lives. What she’s doing. Nothing. Am. I. Clear?” My voice is still raised louder than it needs to be given he’s only standing a few feet away. I don’t care. Furious doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings toward him at this point. I cross my arms over my chest and plant my feet hip width apart.
“You don’t understand—” he begins, but I don’t let him continue.
“No, I don’t. So please mansplain to me, you arrogant asshole.” He reaches for me, and I take a step back. “Don’t. Logan, I asked for your support. I didn’t ask for you to takeover.”
“Honestly, I was only trying to help,” he says and the muscle at the corner of his left eye twitches.
I turn to leave. “Well, that was the most unhelpful thing you could have done.” I begin to walk away.
“Allie, what about the envelope?” he asks. I spin back to face him and he’s holding the brown envelope that Todd left behind, in his outstretched hand. I don’t even want to look at the envelope now that I know what it contains. There’s no way I’m going to take it.
“Burn it,” I growl at him and then leave, slamming the door behind me. The sound reverberates in the hallway, signaling a closure to more than just a piece of wood.
