“Ask.” She knew he meant to test her, could see it in his eyes. He would kill to protect Emery and right now he was making sure she wasn’t a threat.
“Why do you care about Emery or what happened to him? Why do you need to solve this case so badly?”
She didn’t answer right away, but sorted through the truths that filled her like crystal water in a large stone basin. She’d peered into that water long enough, for so many years, that she knew what mattered and what he wanted her to say because it’s what she would have wanted someone to say if she’d asked the question.
“The man who took my friend, the man who took Emery…they can’t go free. It’s a battle waged every day. Good people try to protect innocent lives, but we don’t always win. When someone is lost…we have to find a way to pursue justice. We can’t allow people like that to go free, to harm others. I never really wanted to be a journalist, but I owed it to Rachel, to give her justice. If not her, then the thousands of other victims whose lives were violently ended and too soon. Emery deserves to have peace and know he’s safe, at least from the man who killed his brother. I wish I could have peace for what happened to Rachel. It’s about righting the wrongs, fighting evil. It’s my burden, my price. Do you understand?”
“More than you know,” he replied in a low voice. He focused on her intently. “What do you need from me?”
She was slightly surprised at his abrupt agreement. Whatever she’d said must have swayed him, and for that she was grateful. “First, I want you to get me everything you know about the Lockwood family. I need every police report, witness statement, anything you’ve got connected to that night.”
“You got it, babe.” Cody winked and picked up his keyboard again. “Let’s catch some bad guys.”
***
Emery leaned back in the massive cherrywood chair at the end of the large conference table. Brant and seven other board members watched him. They’d just spent the last thirty minutes discussing whether the latest GPS locator was ready for its launch. The board would sometimes get their feathers ruffled when Emery went over their heads to get gadgets out on the shelves faster. To him it was simple. If the product had passed the safety and warranty tests, then it was ready to go. There was no need for large-scale delay and massive release parties to build hype around the product. Lockwood Industries had been founded on one concept: get a good product, make it affordable, and get it out into the hands of the consumer.
In essence, Emery built products that could rescue people. Waterproof GPS locators, cellphones with satellite connectivity options, ground-penetrating radar. The goal for the devices to help people was of key importance. After everything that had happened to him as a boy, he’d wished he’d had something like the products he made. He’d have given anything for a cellphone that his parents could have traced to find him, but there hadn’t been anything like that then. Now, he made product that saved lives. And to Emery, that’s what mattered. Not a huge launch party for a product that might reveal massive defects only a month after it hit the market.
“Gentleman, I think you’ll find releasing the Black Widow locator a week early will generate more interest and increase profits.”
The murmur or reluctant agreement made him nod and stand. “I thank you all for coming.”
The board members filed out of the room until only he and Brant remained. Morning light bathed the walnut-paneled room in rich gold. Emery was content to stay in the sun for a moment, absorbing its warmth. After last night, he felt as though the chilly rain had sunk deep into his bones.
“What is it, Brant?” he finally asked.
Brant placed his palms on the edge of the chair he’d been sitting in and looked Emery in the eye.
“The board is concerned about you. You need to start coming to Manhattan for the meetings. They’re breathing down my neck about your reclusive tendencies again. A little mystery is all fine and well, but if the general public ever got wind of your…well, that nasty little club you frequent, things could go south for you very quickly. Spending more time with the board might win you support if that were to happen. We need to be meeting at the LI offices in Manhattan, not hopping on planes to come to you. I know you have issues…”
Emery laughed, the sound bitter. “Come now, cousin, let’s not bandy words about. We both know you think I’m crazy.”
Brant scowled. “I’ve never said that. You’re eccentric, that’s all.”
“Uh huh.” Emery knew his cousin well. Sadly, it was only a matter of time before Brant would try to oust Emery from the CEO position.
“Look,” Brant said, “I’m sorry to bring it up. We can talk later.” He glanced down at his watch and then attempted to make conversation again. “I suppose you aren’t coming to your parents’ costume ball, are you?”
Emery started to shake his head but paused at the sound of musical laughter drifting down the halls. It stilled his heart for a mere instant, then it fluttered to life with the wild thrum of a hummingbird’s wings. How long had it been since he’d heard that? Laughter filled with innocence, joy, pleasure?
Not since the kidnapping. Twenty-five years.
His eyes closed. Time spun back on a gilded spindle, unweaving the span of dark years to a moment in his life when he had no fear, no pain.
“Emery, look!” Fenn grinned and pointed out the window of their father’s study. The sun teased Fenn’s unruly locks, casting a shimmering halo of gold over his head. He splayed his hands on the window pane and pressed his face flat against the glass, making faces at Todd, the young gardener. The man laughed, a rich sound that had Emery laughing too.
He joined Fenn at the window and pressed his face against the glass, making faces at Todd. Todd grinned wickedly and raised the garden hose he’d been holding, aiming it at the window. Water splashed right at the glass in front of their faces. Both Emery and Fenn leapt back before realizing they couldn’t get wet.
“No wonder it takes Todd so long to water the flowers.” A deep rumbling chuckle came from behind them.
Emery spun, finding his father watching them from the doorway of his study. His father was a handsome man. His dark brown eyes warmed like the black coals and orange flames in the grill when he cooked hamburgers during the summer.
“Dad!” Fenn ran to their father, catching his arm. “Mom says we can go outside since we’ve finished our lessons. Wanna come?”
Emery joined his brother, grabbing his dad’s other arm. “Yeah, Dad, come on!”
Their father laughed and shook his head. “I’ve got some work to finish, but I’ll join you in an hour.”
