Annihilate Me (Vol. 4) (The Annihilate Me Series) (12 page)

As
concerned as I was about attending, if I didn’t attend, they would win, which I
refused to allow.
 
So, I stealed
myself for what might come, felt a flash of anger at the situation they’d put
me in, got my back up, and thought as clearly as I could.
 
Tank
’
s team would surround us.
 
They
’
d watch the crowd.
 
They
’
d take action if they needed to.
 
They
’
d do their best to stop anything that might
happen.
 
If we let Tank know about
this now, he could have more men in place to protect us.
 
That
’
s what needed to happen.”

“Sorry.
 
I
’
m
going.”

“No,
you
’
re not.”

“Yes,
I am.
 
I
’
m not going to be bullied.
 
My father bullied me my whole life.
 
I
’
m
going to stand next to Alex, whom I love.
 
Tank will protect us.
 
He has
a team of men that will protect us.
 
We need to make certain that there are enough of them present at the
press conference.”

“What
needs to happen just changed.
 
We’re
no longer having a public press conference—I
’
m scrapping that.
 
Only those with press credentials vetted
by Wenn will be allowed inside the lobby to listen to what Alex has to
say.
 
That
’
s it.”

She
turned me around so I was facing her.
 
“Everything I said to you earlier?
 
All of that ridiculous sparring?
 
I was just trying to make you laugh, which I did a few times, and that
made me happy because I know you need to be distracted from your concerns.
 
But this?
 
This is serious.
 
This is a game changer.
 
Now, I
’
ve seen it for myself.
 
I
’
m
not about to lose you—and neither is Alex.
 
Or the world.
 
You
’
re too precious.
 
We will fight this together with Alex
and Tank.
 
OK?”

“Do
you really think that
’s possible?
”

“
I do.
”

“I’m
not so sure.
 
At some point, they
might win.”

She
looked at her watch.
 
“Enough of
this talk.
 
We need to go to Alex
and Tank.
 
Immediately.
 
Tank needs to gather a larger team and
get them in place.
 
He needs time to
make that happen.
 
Alex also needs
to know what you received.
 
So, come
on.
 
Be with me now.
 
I need you to come back into yourself, I
need you to be focused, and I need you to be the strong woman I know you to
be.”

I
looked at her, but somehow, it was as if I was looking into an abyss.
 
“Fine,” I said.

“I
know you
’
re upset, but I need you
to focus.”

So,
I did.
 
I took a deep breath, closed
my eyes, found my ground, and looked at her with new eyes.
 
“Let
’
s go,” I said.
 
“Who knows?
 
Maybe Alex received an email of his
own.
 
If not, Tank can have this
photo and figure out where the person was standing when they took it.
 
When I left my building today, there had
to be a dozen photographers waiting for me.
 
Perhaps one of them saw someone or
something unusual.
 
Photographs were
being taken of me from every direction.
 
What I know is this.
 
Whoever
took that photo was captured by someone else
’
s camera.”

CHAPTER NINE

When
we entered Alex
’
s
office, we found him standing in front of a mirror putting on a tie.
 
One look at us caused him to pause.

“What
’
s the problem?”

Blackwell
stepped forward.
 
“Jennifer just
received another defaced photograph with a note stating that she
’
ll be dead by two.
 
It was taken when she was leaving her
apartment building.
 
I
’
m recommending that the press conference no
longer take place outside.
 
Instead,
it’ll happen in the lobby.
 
Only
those with confirmed press credentials shall be allowed inside.
 
If you agree, please call Tank and have
him start to organize the change immediately.”

Alex
crossed to his desk, made the call, and gave Tank his instructions.
 
When he was finished, he came over to
me.
 
“Are you all right?”

“I’m
OK.”

“May
I see what you were sent?”

I
removed my phone, turned it on, and showed it to him.
 
He looked at it for a moment.
 
Then he gave the phone back to me and
took me in his arms.

“I’m
so sorry.”

I
looked up at him and saw the deep well of concern in his eyes, and knew I had
to pull myself together for him.
 
I
stifled my fears and patted his chest.
 
“I
’
ll be fine.
 
Don
’
t worry about me, OK?
 
Obviously, they
’
re going to continue to play with us until
we end this.
 
I
’
m more committed to doing that now than
ever.”
 
There was anger in my voice
when I said, “Whatever it takes is what it takes.
 
Whatever you need from me, I
’
m there.
 
I
’
m
sick of this shit.
 
It needs to end
soon.
”

 
Alex turned to Blackwell.
 
“You
’
re right, of course.
 
This takes place in the lobby.
 
Everyone who comes inside will be
searched and vetted.
 
If they
disagree with any of it, they aren
’
t
invited in.
 
If they pitch a fit, we
shut everyone down, we take Matt Kelly from the
Times
and only allow him
and his cameraman inside.
 
They
’
ll get an exclusive.
 
The AP will pick up the story, and
we
’
ll get the proof we need that I am indeed
back in New York and running Wenn.
 
That
’
s it.”

He
went back to his desk, called Tank, and gave him the updated information.
 
“If it
’
s just the
Times
, then it
’
s just the
Times
,”
Alex said.
 
“Are
we clear?
 
Good.
 
Thank you, Mitch.”

But
when it came time to go to the lobby, where a dais has been set in the middle
of the space, there were at least a dozen reporters waiting for us, and just as
many cameramen and women already positioning themselves along the
periphery.
 
I recognized most of them
from previous press conferences and parties.
 
Those I didn
’
t recognize were wearing their press
credentials around their necks.
 
I
looked over at Tank.
 
He caught the
concern on my face, and came over to me.
 
He dipped his head to my ear.

“All
have been searched, even if it wasn
’
t
necessary.
 
I know everyone
here.
 
So does Alex.”

I
kept my face neutral and composed, not wanting to reveal anything for the
cameras.
 
“Did anyone leave?” I
asked him in a low voice.

“No.
 
Everyone who was outside waiting for the
conference is now here.”

“So
that photo was just more of their bullshit?”

“
We don’
t know that.
 
If the conference had been held outside,
somebody could have approached us on the sidewalk.
 
It
’
s
happened before.”

I
remembered that night as if it were yesterday.
 
Leaving the restaurant.
 
Three men approaching us with guns
drawn.
 
The chase that ensued.
 
The smell of men roasting in that
burning vehicle.
 
Me shooting a man
who died in front of me just after he shot me.
 
“So it has.”

“You
’
re fine.
 
You
’
re protected.
 
Stand next to Alex.
 
It looks as if he
’
s about ready to go.”
 

I
took my place next to Alex while Blackwell moved off to the side with
Tank.
 
Alex gave a brief speech, and
took questions about why we had left Manhattan and why we were back now.
 
Camera flashes went off in a blinding
succession of lights, and after about twenty minutes of a flurry of questions,
mostly centered on why Alex and I were being targeted, the questions died down
because Alex repeatedly had no comment.
 
It was over.

But
not for Alex.

He
looked at the crowd of reporters as they were preparing to leave.
 
“Off the record, folks?”

Probably
since all knew Alex well—or perhaps because they were just
intrigued—they agreed and came forward.
 

“My
fiancée was sent another threatening photograph about two hours ago.
 
That
’
s the reason we held the conference
inside.
 
I
’
m wondering if any of you were at Ms. Kent
’
s apartment building earlier today in hopes
of getting a shot of her?
 
If you
were, you might be able to help end this.
 
The photograph Ms. Kent was sent was taken when she was leaving her
building to come to Wenn.
 
If any of
you were there to photograph her, there
’
s
a great likelihood that you also took a photograph of whoever sent that photo
to her.
 
All of you know each
other.
 
If you were there today, you
’
ll know when you look through your
photographs if you see anyone in the crowd taking photos whom you
’
ve never seen before.
 
If you could do us all the great favor
of letting us know if you come upon such a photo, I personally would be
indebted to you and you will receive credit for helping us solve the
crime.
 
Thank you for helping if you
can.
 
If any of you were there,
please contact Tank.
 
You all know
him.
 
Feel free to talk with him now
and let him know if you might be in touch.”

I
was stunned that Alex had had the same thought that I had, but disheartened
that not one reporter approached Tank.
 
They just nodded at Alex, gathered their equipment, and left.

And
with that, Alex reached for my hand, squeezed it tightly in his, and we turned
toward the elevators.
 
Blackwell was
holding one of them open for us.
 
When we stepped inside, I turned to Alex.

“They
left,” I said.
 
“Not one of them
went to Tank.”

“That
doesn
’
t mean that one won
’
t call him.”

“The
reporter from the
Post
was there,” Blackwell said.
 
“Out of all of them, the
Post
is
the one that would have a photographer waiting for you to exit your
building.
 
There
’
s a chance, Jennifer.
 
We just need to see if any of them come
through.”