How to Kill Your Boss (29 page)

Sasha’s eyes narrowed. If she were psychokinetic, I’d be dead.

“Not acceptable. I want you to know, I will find him. Me.” She pounded her index finger against her chest. “I’ll be the one to bring him home. Your relationship with Reed is over. Do you understand? He’s been compromised because of you. Stop indulging his fantasy. Let him go, or the agency will be forced to take action.”

It was in that moment I realized I loved Franklin. Deep. Fierce. Forever. I knew, because the absurd idea of letting him go ignited a possessive fury in my gut. Losing him was not an option. I couldn’t imagine living one day without him by my side, whether it jeopardized his career or not. The man was mine. Always had been. Always will be. I wouldn’t let him go.

I choked back the anger rising in my throat. “I understand.” I said what she wanted to hear because I needed her to leave. I couldn’t let her see the emotion welling inside me. The fear that swirled and churned, telling me I’d lost him already. I needed to get out of there. I needed to find my hero.

Sasha Reed, a woman I never wanted to interact with again, stood, nodded at me as if we’d come to a mutual understanding, and sauntered out of my hospital room, cool as a cucumber. I closed my eyes and talked myself out of screaming. It wouldn’t be worth the pain.

After twelve long hours spent in the hospital, all of which were mental torture, Leland escorted me home. He searched my condo and stationed an officer outside my door. I’m sure there were more men in blue scattered throughout the building, but I didn’t ask.

“I’m going to work tomorrow,” I told him before I sent him on his way.

Turning on his heel, he clenched his fists and shook his head. “Not a good idea. You should wait until we find Masters.”

“Is that an order?” I raised my chin.

He looked like he wanted to throw me over his knee and beat some sense into me. “No.”

“Then I’m going to work tomorrow.”

“I’ll drive you, and that is an order.”

I didn’t argue. Quite frankly, I didn’t want to be alone or go anywhere. But I had resources at the office I didn’t have at home. I had to do something. I’d go completely out of my mind if forced to sit home alone and wait.

If the tables were turned, Franklin would’ve found me by now.

Blond hair fell in clumps at my feet. I snipped and laughed, snipped and laughed.

“Is this your natural color?” I asked with a sneer. “Or did Franklin make you dye it to look like me?”

Sasha whimpered and shook her head.

“Stop moving. I might slip and take off an earlobe or something.”

She mumbled through the gag in her mouth. I stepped back and pulled the wad of cotton from between her teeth. “What was that? I couldn’t quite hear you.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You are prettier than I am. I shouldn’t have said that.”

I shoved the gag back in. “Too late for sorry.” I brushed the last piece of long hair down the front of her face and cut straight across on the top of her forehead, leaving only half-inch bangs.

Yeah, she looked hideous—and it made me happy.

“Now, what should we do next? Do you like ink?” I asked, revving up my tattoo machine.

“No. Please, no,” she begged.

“You shouldn’t have threatened me.” I squatted to meet her face to face, then tweaked her nose. “The first one is going to say ‘Franklin loves Killer,’ and I think I’ll put it right
…
” I circled the needle around her face and settled it on her left cheek. “Here.”

I woke with a start, feeling lighter than I had in days. Sasha Reed had replaced Wallace Cruse as my REM nemesis. Nice. The moment reality settled back in, a black hole opened inside me, sucking air, blood, and life into its abyss.

Franklin.

Not one part of my body wanted to move. Everything hurt. I swallowed some ibuprofen and pushed through the pain. Foregoing makeup, I pulled my hair into a loose pony and slipped on my least binding outfit. Leland waited for me downstairs and as promised, escorted me to work.

“There will be someone outside your door. I’ll be back at five to take you home. Don’t leave, under any circumstance, without one of the officers. Got it?” Grumpy Leland was back with a vengeance and darn if he wasn’t starting to grow on me.

“I shouldn’t have any reason to leave. Don’t worry,” I assured him.

I headed in, trying my best to ignore the throbbing pain stabbing at my head and neck. When I stepped off the elevator, Nan passed in the hall and stopped short, eyes wider than the cup of coffee she held.

“For the love of God, Tatum. What happened to you?”

“Fender bender. No big deal.” I waved her off.

She grimaced. “With a Mac truck? You shouldn’t be here.”

“I can’t sit home. Need to keep busy.” I stepped past her and headed to my office. Nan followed. “Everything okay?” I asked her.

“Things are fine. Can I get you coffee?” She eyed me up and down, eyebrows pinched tight.

“That would be so nice. I’m exhausted just from the walk through the hall.” Talking was even a chore.

“Seriously, what were you thinking, coming to work today? And that was no fender bender. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Look at you.”

“I couldn’t sit home alone, Nan. I’ll take it easy. I promise.” I raised my hands in defense. Ouch.

“I’ll get your coffee. You sit.”

I did as told. I sat at my desk and put my purse away. Nan came back with a steamy cup of java thick with cream, then headed to her office. A few of my colleagues came by and stopped dead when they caught sight of my face.

By eleven o’clock, I’d had to explain the car accident to ten people, leaving out Franklin’s role in the tragedy. I didn’t have the energy to explain to anyone else why I looked like I’d been pushed through a meat grinder, and got up to close my door.

As I approached the threshold, Nan’s voice carried down the hallway. “Are you sure? No. I’m the only one with a key. The security system hasn’t worked for a few weeks. It’s on my to-do list. No, no, that’s fine. I’d rather you didn’t. I’ll check it out on my lunch hour. Thank you.” She slammed the receiver. “What a day.”

I closed the door and got busy at my desk. Wasn’t sure where to start. Google, Facebook, Twitter. The obvious go-to’s led me nowhere. A soft knock made me jump.

Nan peeked her head in. “How are you doing? Can I get you anything?”

“I’m peachy, Nan.” I rubbed at the bandage covering my ear. The throbbing amplified when I pressed against it.

She gave me her
I don’t believe you
eyebrow raise. “Can I take you to lunch?”

“I would love to go, but I have too much to do,” I lied. “Can I ask you something personal?”

Nan crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Of course.”

“Were you dating Wallace secretly?”

Sorrow dulled her eyes. “Yes, and no.”

“What does that mean?”

“I wanted to be exclusive. He didn’t. I chose to accept sharing rather than lose him altogether.”

Another reason for me to hate the man. He probably used her emotionally more than physically. Ew. Naked with Wallace? I wanted to hurl.

“I’m sorry. That had to suck.”

She sighed and pulled at a string on her cardigan. “We do crazy things for love.”

We? No, just her. And Franklin. I wanted to laugh but that would’ve hurt too much. So instead, I agreed, “Yes, we do.”

“You sure you don’t want to do lunch? You need to eat something. You certainly shouldn’t drive anywhere. Can I bring you anything? Maybe something from the Mexican truck up the street?”

Oh, Nan was bringing out the big guns. I couldn’t resist Mexican food. Damn, it was tempting. “No thanks.”

“I might be gone longer than usual. Wallace’s neighbor called. She thought she’d seen people in his window. I told her I’d check it out. Nosy old coot. Always in people’s business.”

“You have a key?”

She blushed. “I do.”

“Did you live with him?” Wow. Nan was full of secrets, too.

“No. He flat out refused to live together. Didn’t want to cramp his style.” She sighed and rubbed her chest, above her heart. “I haven’t been there since…well, you know. It’s your house now. I do have some personal items there that I’d like to collect, if that’s all right. Before you do whatever you’re going to do with it.”

Oh, poor Nan. I wanted to hug her. “No problem. See you when you get back. And Nan, thanks for everything you’ve done around here. This place would be nothing without you.”

“Thank you, dear.” Her eyes brightened. “I’ll see you soon.” She headed down the hall, heels clomping against the hardwood.

A tall brunette walked through the door and closed it behind her. “Tatum?” she asked, with an accent I couldn’t place. Holy cow, she was gorgeous. Long and lean, thick, dark brown hair. Dark eyes. “I’m Annalise, a friend of Franklin’s.” The woman I’d mistaken for a whore had a name. The woman who’d been drinking with my man after I gave him the boot. The gal who rocked leather pants like nobody’s business.

Awkward. “Hi.”

She didn’t waste any time getting down to business. “I want to help find him.”

“How did you know he was missing?” I asked.

I noticed a scar stretching from her left ear to between her breasts and disappearing underneath her shirt. “I can’t tell you that.”

“Let me guess,” I whispered, glancing toward the door. “It’s classified.”

She leaned a hip on my desk. “You can say that.”

I glared at her. More secrets. “You work together, for the agency?”

“We did. A long time ago. Couldn’t stand the new boss. What a bitch. I’m a private contractor now.”

I huffed. I couldn’t stand the boss, either.

“Listen. I’m not a threat. I love Franklin like a brother. Nothing more. He saved my life once. I need to return the favor.” Amber eyes stared at me, unblinking, and reminded me of the Irish whiskey Dad favored. Franklin trusted this woman. Maybe I should, too.

I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms. Ouch. Okay, trying to look tough wasn’t going to work, not today. I lowered my hands to my thighs. That was a little more comfortable. “You want me to trust you? Then give me something. What do you do for Franklin? What does he pay you for?”

Chewing on her bottom lip, she studied me. Then she smiled. “Let’s just say if there’s any hacking to be done, I’m the one to call.”

Okay. I could accept that.

I nodded. “We need to find Jay Masters. Can you help with that?”

She smirked. “I’m the best, Tatum. That’s why Franklin uses me. He’d never settle for less.”

Well, Annalise didn’t lack confidence, which was admirable. I couldn’t imagine she lacked much of anything.

She leaned a hip on my desk and spun my stapler. “So, tell me what you know, from the beginning.”

I filled her in on the gory details. From the first rose, to the car accident. She listened. Nodded. Waited patiently for me to finish.

“So they planted evidence to make you look guilty.” She crossed her arms.

“Yes. Here and in Wallace’s house.” A tidal wave of
oh shit
washed over me. “Wallace’s house!” I yelled. Ow! Holy hell that hurt. I cupped my ear. “His neighbor just called to say she saw someone through the window. Nan left to check it out.”

Annalise stood and crossed her arms. “Well, then. We better be on our way.”

I picked up the phone to dial Leland. He answered on the first ring. “Leland. Hi, it’s me. I know where—” The phone went dead, because Annalise yanked the wire from the socket.

“You can’t tell him about me.” The cord dangled from her hand, the glower she wore made the skin on the back of my neck tingle.

“Oh.” Classified. “You have a car?”

“I do.”

“Good. Can you help me sneak out?”

She laughed. “Do you know how to use a gun?” Like shooting were a natural talent every able-bodied female possessed.

“No.” Why did that make me feel inadequate?

“Good thing you have me then. Grab your things. Let’s go,” she ordered.

I snatched my purse and followed her to the elevator. When we reached the bottom floor of the parking garage, she held up her hand to hold me back, then peaked through the opening.

“Hello again, officer.” She lowered her voice and her lashes.

He placed a hand on his belt, shot me a glance and nodded. “Afternoon.”

Annalise struck him once in the throat and he fell to the ground. “Let’s go.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward an inconspicuous minivan. I wasn’t surprised to see computers and weird-looking equipment where the back seats should’ve been.

“Did you knock him out?”

“No. Just down, long enough for us to get out.”

Gritting my teeth to absorb the pain, I buckled myself in. “I can’t believe he’d take Franklin to Wallace’s house.”

She pulled out of the garage and into traffic, cutting off a taxi. “It’s brilliant, actually. The perfect place to hide.”

We drove in silence for a few more blocks. I white-knuckled the edge of my seat while she weaved through traffic. “Franklin believed you were safe. That’s why, when you told him you never wanted to see him again, he didn’t come after you right away. He told me he’d give you one week to come to your senses. That’s why he drank and wallowed. He believed you were out of danger. Otherwise, he would’ve taken you back to one of the safe houses.”

I rolled my eyes. What I wanted to do was spin in joyous, girlie glee. I should’ve known he had a plan. “I’m surprised he gave me a week.”

“Me too,” she huffed.

Twenty minutes and twelve broken traffic laws later, we pulled over a block from Wallace’s house. Nan’s car sat crooked in the brick driveway.

“Is this house for real?” she asked, craning her neck to get a good view. “Is that a parapet?”

“Sure is,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“You’re shitting me. And a turret? Who was this guy?”

I chewed the inside corner of my mouth. I remembered sitting in the turret with Dad as a child. He used to let me look across the sound with Wallace’s binoculars. Well, until I witnessed an indecent act on a yacht drifting on the water. I wasn’t allowed back up after that incident. The salmon paint and mint green trim would have to go bye-bye. I was sure the neighbors wouldn’t complain.