Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 67144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
I hold up a hand. “We haven’t even gotten to the fun part yet.”
Ford’s face sobers.
“She received an email this morning,” I say.
“What kind of an email?” Ford asks.
I glance down at Dahlia. She’s wary. Without thinking, I again place my hand on the small of her back. Just like before, she immediately relaxes a little.
I don’t know what to think about this discovery—or if I want to think about it. Ever.
Dahlia turns back to Ford. “The email said that I should run or die.” She shudders against my palm. “It had pictures attached that show me at different places over the past month or so.”
Lincoln sets his mug on the table.
“I’m not sure what to do,” she says, glancing at the three of us. “It said not to tell the authorities or whoever it is will kill me. I think that’s what it meant. And I don’t think it’s a joke because of the pictures.” She tries to smile. “What am I supposed to do? Leave? Never come back? Do I walk around for the rest of my life knowing someone is out there … watching me?”
Ford stands, straightening his tie. “Don’t panic.”
“Troy said I could, and I’m teetering on the edge. It might be a relief to spiral into the abyss.”
Ford looks at me, and I shrug.
“I was kidding,” Dahlia says. “Can you guys not take a joke?”
“Do you have any thoughts on who might be behind this?” Ford asks, refocusing. “Is there anyone upset with you? Anyone who would want to hurt you?”
“I have an ex-boyfriend, Freddy. We broke up because he has a drug problem. Something I didn’t put together until it was too late.”
“Has he been coming around? Calling?” Ford asks, jotting notes on a pad of paper. “Threatening you?”
“Yes. Not really threatening me, just saying he can’t live without me. I thought it was probably him breaking into my house. But I doubt he’d threaten to kill me. We weren’t that serious.”
I clear my throat. “Whoever was breaking into the house was also involved in the pictures. One photo was of her in her bathroom.”
Dahlia’s jaw drops. “I didn’t think of that.”
“All right. I’ll have additional questions, but for now, let’s get a plan together,” Ford says.
I start to speak, but Dahlia cuts me off.
“No. Ford, no.” She shakes her head adamantly. “You do not have to do this.”
“Do what, exactly?” he asks.
“This isn’t your problem. You’re not even supposed to know about it.” She grips the back of a leather chair that faces his desk. “I’m going to call the police. Then I’ll go home, get a few things, and leave town.”
As if Ford’s waiting for my reaction, he turns to me with an expectant look.
There’s only one solution to this. While it might make things messier in the long run, and I wish to hell there was another answer because this is going to kill me, I trust no one else. It has to be me.
I nod and answer his unspoken question. “Vacation.”
Lincoln walks toward us. “I have a house on Kiawah Island. You can’t even get on the island without credentials. There are roaming security guards, gatehouses, and then I have my own security system, of course.”
“Jason Brewer owes me a favor,” Ford says, taking his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll borrow a Brewer Air plane. You’ll be there in a couple of hours. You can land at the executive airport and take a car to the island.”
Dahlia scoffs. “While you wrap up your vacation plans, I’m going to my desk to make some calls.” Her eyes widen in disbelief. “I don’t know if this is my resignation, Ford, or if … yeah. I don’t know.”
Ford chuckles. Lincoln grins. I look at the ceiling because I know her better than they do. She’s gonna be pissed.
“I’m glad you guys think this is funny,” she says, irritated.
Ford comes around the corner of his desk. “You’re not resigning, Dahlia. You’re going on a paid vacation.”
Her forehead wrinkles.
Ford looks at me.
Sure. Let me deliver the news.
“Do you know how I didn’t know if I was going to Laina’s or taking a vacation?” I ask.
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Yeah.”
“I chose a vacation.”
“Good for you.”
“And you’re going with me.”
She takes a step back, her eyes wide. “What?”
Lincoln chuckles, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. If this weren’t a serious conversation, I’d tell him to fuck off.
“I’m not going on a vacation with you,” she says, laughing in disbelief. “Have you not heard what I just said? Someone’s threatening to kill me, guys. Kill me. I have to leave.”
“You are leaving,” I say. “With me.”
“You are out of your mind, Castelli.”
“Quite possibly.”
She throws her hands up and turns to Ford. “You can’t be serious. I don’t know who’s after me. I don’t know when I can come back. You can’t pay me for … who knows how long. And what about Troy? You have stuff for him to do.”