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"Paige," he breathes, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I... I’ve been worried sick about you. I thought you were, well, I thought you were dead. I heard they were still searching for the plane, but they told us there was no hope."
“Yeah, well, I'm alive.”
I waste no time in launching into the story, recounting everything that's happened - from the crashed jet to the failed meeting with the whistleblower. Jeff listens in stunned silence, his eyes widening with each revelation.
When I finally finish, there's a heavy silence hanging in the air. Jeff leans back in his chair, his brow furrowed in deep thought as he processes everything I've just told him.
"This is serious," he says finally, his voice grave. "We need to get to the bottom of this, find out who's behind it."
“Is the whistleblower a real thing?” Travis asks.
“I honestly don’t know,” Jeff shrugs. “The communications were limited, and I haven’t heard anything since I sent you to Hawaii. But I can tell you one thing, if this is to do with our embezzling colleague, then we are in for a lot more trouble."
I feel a chill run down my spine at Jeff's words, but I don’t let it show. “Why?”
Jeff picks up a file. “He’s suing for wrongful termination.”
“He was embezzling! He was convicted and served time. Were you just supposed to let him keep stealing from you?”
Jeff sighs heavily, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "It's not that simple, Paige. Yes, he was convicted and served time, but now he's claiming that we didn't follow proper protocol when terminating him."
My heart sinks at his words. "Are you saying he could win the lawsuit?"
"It's a possibility," Jeff admits. "His lawyer is arguing that we dismissed him without giving a notice period, and they're trying to build a case around the fact that his criminal conviction was unrelated to his dismissal."
A groan of frustration escapes my lips. As an attorney, I know the tricks that can be used in court. This man had been sly in his embezzling schemes and clearly he hadn’t lost his cunning even behind bars. I shake my head, trying to organize my thoughts amidst the chaos that is threatening to consume me.
“Alright,” I say firmly, squaring my shoulders.
“This is the guy that’s trying to kill you?” Travis asks.
“It makes sense,” I nod. “He’s going full revenge mode.”
“We need to call the police,” Jeff said. “Sit tight. I have a connection. I’m not letting you leave until this is settled.”
Chapter 20
Travis
The tension was thick as Jeff picked up the phone, dialing quickly. I watch Paige, her eyes fixed on Jeff in anticipation. She has a determined look on her face, the strength in her gaze surprises even me. The woman had just survived a plane crash, discovered a plot to kill her and now was facing an embezzling ex-colleague who was back from prison with vengeance. It was enough to break anyone, but here she was, standing strong, ready to fight.
My thoughts from earlier rise up once again. Could it be possible I love this woman? Jeff is speaking quietly into the phone. He hangs up and looks at Paige.
“He’ll be here in twenty minutes,” Jeff says. “He wants you to stay put. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Water, please,” she smiles.
Jeff looks at me. “Water, thank you.”
After he leaves the office, I gently grab Paige’s hand. “Are you okay?”
She gives me a quick, tight smile and nods, but I see something flicker in her eyes - a hint of fear. The hand tightly gripping mine is trembling slightly.
"I will be," she says, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hand. "As soon as we get this all sorted out."
The room is silent for a few moments. I take the seat next to her. Jeff returns and hands us a couple bottles of water.
“I can’t believe you are both sitting in my office,” Jeff says. “The plane actually crashed?”
