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Virginia
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Virginia shut down her laptop and rubbed the spot between her eyes where a dull ache had taken up residence. She’d been scouring for some mention of something, anything, that might give her a clue as to Chris’s whereabouts. Granted, she hadn’t really thought it would be that easy, but she had to do something. This sitting around, this waiting, was nerve-wracking.
The internet was a wealth of information, and not all of it was good.
Nor was it accurate or reliable, she thought irritably.
They’d gotten some things right, though. Chris was extremely wealthy and had a penchant for beautiful women and occasional hedonism. However, since he was also a reclusive, private man, much of that information was based purely on speculation. Occasionally a tiny crumb of truth did make it out there, and it would be swiftly and ruthlessly crushed or expertly spun to his advantage by his public relations team, depending on the content of that crumb.
As expected, no new clues about his current whereabouts had magically appeared. There was no recent mention of him or his father. She’d even sunk low enough to scour the gossip rags that sometimes sensationalized Darius’s alleged exploits. The old man was not only an international terror, he was a notorious womanizer as well. Apparently, there were plenty of women willing to overlook a lot to get close to that much wealth and power. Virginia’s search efforts had been reduced to hoping that some foolish, reckless paparazzi had managed to snap a photo and she’d spot Chris in the background. No such luck, however.
Virginia rose, taking a moment to stretch out the kinks. She’d tried a new Pilates workout earlier and her forty-five-year-old body was feeling the effects. It was still too early for bed, and she was feeling restless, so she opted for a walk in the estate gardens. The early summer night was mild, and some fresh air would help her relax and clear her head.
Things were quiet as she made her way down the stairs and through the hall. The day staff was long gone, and with Chris God knew where, everyone else had probably retired for the night.
The gardens were located on the south side of the estate, accessible from either the east or west wings. Virginia preferred to use the French doors in her office. There was less chance of running into anyone that way.
She frowned when she found her door open, certain she’d locked it when she’d finished earlier. Hadn’t she?
She stepped into her office noiselessly and held her breath. Moonlight streamed in through the French doors and windows, casting a silver glow over the furnishings. She flicked the light switch and looked around, exhaling when everything looked exactly as she’d left it. A brief check assured her that her desk and file cabinets were still locked and secure.
Virginia turned the lights off again and bolted the door from the inside, chastising herself for letting her imagination get the best of her. Even if someone had come into her office and looked around, they wouldn’t find anything more interesting than schedules, appointments, and contact lists.
She stepped outside, taking a moment to slip off her shoes. She strolled silently along the dew-laden path, eyes and ears open, avoiding the motion-activated lights along the way. When she reached the gardens, she inhaled deeply, drawing in the scents of exquisite blooms and damp earth. That, along with the feel of cool stone beneath her bare feet, re-grounded her and helped her put things back into proper perspective. Despite her ever-growing sense of unease, there was no solid evidence that Chris was in danger. There had been no threats, no ransom demands, and nothing to indicate foul play.
With each step, she forced herself to think positive thoughts, and only positive thoughts. Chris was fine. He’d return soon. Things would get back to normal and she’d start to nail down the arrangements for their upcoming trip to Greece. Chris travelled back to his father’s private island at least once a year, and this year, he’d promised to take her with him!
By the time she reached her favorite fountain, she’d almost convinced herself that everything was going to be all right, because if it wasn’t... well, she didn’t want to think about that.
The feeling of peace that had begun to settle over her vanished with the sound of male voices approaching. Virginia instinctively stepped back into the shadows of the large fountain.
“I don’t like it,” a man said. Virginia recognized the speaker as Sander Argyros.
“I don’t like it either, but we don’t have the luxury of choice,” Gregory answered. His voice didn’t hold the same haughty tone as it did when he talked to her or anyone else he felt was beneath him. “Christos’s continued absence is drawing unwanted attention. I’ve been informed they will be sending someone to assist in the next few days.”
“Να πάρει!” Sander cursed in his native Greek, which Virginia translated loosely to “goddamn it.”
“They assure us things will be handled with the utmost discretion, but trusting anyone at this juncture would be foolish.”
“How do you wish to handle it?”
“Exactly as we have been. Appear to cooperate, answer their questions, but don’t provide unnecessary information. Use your discretion.”
Their voices and footsteps faded. Virginia waited a while longer before stepping out onto the path and heading back the way she’d come. She was halfway up the stairs, shoes still in hand, when Gregory’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Out for an evening stroll, Ms. Miller?”
She schooled her features into a mask of mild annoyance and turned to face him. His dark eyes looked up at her, glittering with accusation.
“Yes,” she answered evenly, reminding herself that she hadn’t done anything wrong. She squared her shoulders and faced his glare head-on. “That is still allowed, isn’t it?”
“Be careful, Ms. Miller,” Gregory said darkly. “Another sudden and unexpected disappearance is not something I wish to deal with at the moment.”