My racing circulation had me on the verge of fainting as my pulse thumped in my ears, drowning out all rational thought. Step by step, I walked behind CJ toward the large house. Stone slabs created a walking path leading to the main entry. With each step, another light came on, illuminating the outside and keeping the inside behind the unblocked windows a mystery.
“What if someone is inside?” I asked, keeping my volume low.
“No one should be. It’s been empty for months.”
“Should be? That isn’t reassuring.” When CJ turned back toward me, I asked, “Is there a security system?”
“Yes. Set to a code.”
“What if they changed it?”
“Then we go to plan B.”
I scoffed. “You always have a plan B.”
“I haven’t thought this one out yet, but yeah, I like to leave my options open.”
Once we were on the front porch, I turned the flashlight app from my phone on and shone the beam toward the realtor lockbox. I held my breath until the hinge released, and CJ opened the box, revealing a key.
“So far, so good,” he said with a grin.
The natural noises set my nerves on high alert. Around us the trees rustled in the breeze. Above, owls hooted, and bats flapped their wings. A low hum filled the air as CJ opened the door inward. Quickly, he went to a keypad near the door and entered another code.
The hum ceased.
“It worked,” he said. Then speaking louder, he called out, “Hello.”
CJ’s greeting echoed in the empty entry, bouncing off the hardwood floor and ceiling and ricocheting off the glass walls. After removing the lockbox from the outside door handle and locking the door from within, CJ reached for my hand. With our steps in sync, we went to the right, into a large master bedroom suite. Walls were either wood, stone, or glass. Everything was very open with natural materials. Furniture was present in a staged way that realtors do. There was nothing personal. The room and large attached bath were sleek, modern, and sterile.
After turning on lights and checking every nook and cranny, we walked back through the entryway toward the main house. I stopped for a moment. “The outside lights have gone out.”
“Motion detectors, I’d assume.”
That made sense.
As the sky darkened, and the inside brightness grew, the windows became mirrors. Through the next archway, CJ led us to the left. We discovered two more bedrooms, each with attached bathrooms. He searched in every closet, behind every shower door, and under every bed. Back out to the main hallway we turned left. The ceiling heightened as we entered a large open kitchen. Edison lightbulbs strung fourteen to fifteen feet above glistened off the quartz counters. The rectangular island contained a deep sink and was covered with a butcher-block top. The far quartz counter seconded as a breakfast bar with five high-backed stools separating the kitchen from the family room.
The main hall was all glass. CJ said it faced the lake. I’d have to believe him as nothing could be seen through the panes except darkness.
We kept walking, turning on light after light until we came to the far end of the house, a wide-open living room with a slate-stone fireplace, one that I imagined would be nice if the outside temperature wasn’t still near ninety.
Setting the safety, CJ placed the pistol on a table and reached for my hands. “We’re alone, Lena. You’re safe here.”
“Does Colton know we’re at his new home?”
“Not yet. I have about fifty voice messages from him. I say first, I bring in the things I purchased at the store, we eat something, and settle in. Then I’ll give him a call.” His turquoise stare shimmered in all the artificial lighting. “You asked me for my help. Now, I want to discuss our next move. You’re more in tune with your threat level. Tell me what you know, and let’s figure this out together.”
“How do you remember all those numbers?” I asked. It was hardly the most important information at the second. Nonetheless, I was curious and impressed. “How many times have you been here?”
“I don’t know how I recall numbers. I just do. Colton can do it too. And” —CJ grinned— “this is my second visit.”
“Are you a genius?” When his smile quirked, I justified my question. “Are you? I’m serious. The technology. The codes. You saw your brother enter them once. You saw me unlock my phone once. You’re very analytical.”
“And hungry. How about you?”
“Yes, first…” Wrapping my arms around CJ’s torso, I held tight, listening to the steady yet rapid beat of his heart, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, and sensing his determination. His arms followed suit, encircling me. With his chin on the top of my head, he reassured me again that we were alone and safe.
Lifting my chin, I met his gaze. “I feel the need to apologize. I’m not a woman who expects anyone, a man or woman, to pick up the pieces of her life and put them back together.”
“I’m not picking up pieces nor am I putting them back together.” CJ teased a rogue strand of hair away from my face with his finger. “I’m just holding the glue, Lena. Don’t apologize for asking for or accepting help. You said it today.”
I was listening.
CJ went on, “You said you buy companies, not to run them yourself or micromanage. You employ competent people who will strengthen your investment.” He shrugged. “Maybe not a direct quote, I was a little preoccupied with memories as I listened.”
“I was preoccupied with memories as I spoke. You could say I got up and talked about the benefits of pet adoptions or green energy. At this point, I’d have to agree with you.” I shook my head. “I don’t remember.”
“I remember your confidence, your knowledge.” He reached for my chin and held it in his grasp. “You trust others with your investments. Trust me with your greatest asset.” When I didn’t respond, he tilted his forehead down to mine. “You, Lena. Trust me with you.”
A few minutes later, I stood in the open doorway, watching as CJ pulled his Range Rover into one of the garages. With the garage door closing behind him, he walked toward me, the bags of groceries hanging from one hand and the twelve pack of water under his other arm.
Once he was inside, I asked, “Do they ever stock the bar for showings?”
“I don’t know. We can look.” After setting everything on the kitchen island, CJ walked toward the far end of the house. “There isn’t anyone close, but if we don’t want every boat on the lake to know we’re here, we should turn off some of the lights.”
As he went about the house, I pulled the groceries from the bags. No one would call me a good cook. In reality, I never tried. Madison, my sister, was more of a homemaker. That didn’t mean that I’d starve if left to my own devices. Based on the ingredients CJ bought, it appeared that turkey on wheat bread was our dinner. He even had an assortment of condiment packages. I grinned when I discovered the yogurt containers. He had breakfast covered and remembered what I’d eaten in Cancún.
With no plates, I opened the paper towels and laid a piece of bread on each. Searching the kitchen drawers, I found a stash of individual plastic silverware place settings. Our dinner was almost prepared when CJ appeared, coming from the way of the master suite.
“You didn’t need to make me a sandwich.”
I pushed the paper towel toward him. “I’m not a chef. But I can manage a sandwich.” Suddenly, what I’d said earlier in the day came back. “I’m not someone who takes care of others, but I can be a team player. You are hiding me away. I can make us something to eat.”
Sitting side by side at the breakfast bar, we ate our dinner and drank from water bottles.
With all that had happened, I found myself surprisingly calm.
“I checked in the master bath,” he said. “There are towels if you want to take a shower.”
Looking down at my blouse and skirt, I said, “This is all I have. No other clothes.”
CJ chuckled. “Who knew hiding out was so complicated? There should be a checklist of supplies.”
“I wasn’t planning on staying the night. This was a one-day trip.” Marveling at the house around us, I asked, “How many children do Colton and his wife have?”
“None. Why?”
“The house. It’s large.”
CJ got down from his stool and collected the remains of our meal. “The man who had this house built was an early investor in Architech. He and his wife have kids and grandkids. A year ago, his wife passed away. I would imagine this house was too full of memories. I don’t know what Colton offered, but I know he and Devon—that’s my sister-in-law—were excited to purchase it. They plan to travel and then come back and settle down.”
Smiling, I hummed as I sat back. “I have one sibling. A sister. She was always the one with the dream of a family. She never cared about money or a career. I didn’t agree with her goals, but I respected her choices.” I shrugged. “They weren’t mine.”
“What’s your sister’s name?”
“Madison.”
“Did she get what she wanted?”
I shook my head. “It didn’t exactly work out.”
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“Not really,” I answered honestly. “She has a daughter. My niece lives in San Antonio. Her other aunt, Brooklyn’s father’s sister, is raising her.” I looked out at the wall of windows where CJ said the lake would be visible in the morning. “I let my sister down.”
CJ came back, taking the chair to my side as he turned his attention on me. “How?”
“I moved on. I felt shut out, and I didn’t try to fight. Instead, I worked night and day to turn everything into more. More money. More power. More influence. I’d been beaten down, and I refused to stay that way.” My tone saddened. “In the process, I missed that my sister was ill and needed me.”
“Did she ask for your help?”
I shook my head again.
CJ’s warm hand covered mine, which was suddenly cold. “It doesn’t sound like you let her down. If she didn’t tell you…”
“I didn’t try to see. I should have.” I took in a deep breath. “I’m helping her now.”
“That’s what matters.”
“She’s in prison, CJ.” I couldn’t say what made me blurt out the information, but I did. “She is lost in her own mind. I wasn’t the only one who let her down, but I deserve a portion of the blame. Now, I’m doing all I can to get her the help she needs.”
CJ sat back, exhaling. “What about your niece?”
“I’ve offered her other aunt financial support. She has sole custody.”
His gaze narrowed. “Your brother-in-law?”
“Ex-brother-in-law. He’s in prison.”
“Did he hurt your sister?”
“Yes, but that’s not why he’s in prison.” I turned my hand until our palms met and our fingers intertwined. “I told you. I’m a whole lot of trouble.”
“I don’t believe in guilt by association. I also don’t believe that by concentrating on yourself and your career that you are culpable for your sister’s choices.”
“How are you so young and so wise?” I asked.
“My mom has told me I have an old soul. I’m not sure what that means. As to wisdom, I’ll give credit to years of watching Law and Order. I used to think I wanted to be a prosecuting attorney.”
“What happened?”
His cheeks rose. “I preferred video games to studying. Then I realized I wanted more out of the games.”
“That’s how Architech was born.”
CJ nodded. “I guess law school isn’t out of the question now.”
“Stay with Venus.”
He lifted our joined hands, bringing mine to his lips. “I won’t let you go again, Lena.”