I sit in a chair across from him. “Who?”
He shakes his head without lifting it. “It’s best if you don’t know. I got rid of him,” he says.
I scoff. “So, you didn’tjustfind out.”
He lifts his head and arches an eyebrow at me. “I found out today and came to tell you as soon as I got rid of the problem.”
I nod in understanding. The less I know, the better. “I’ll talk to Arden. He’s always able to find out things that others can’t find out. Or sometimes he just knows,” I say. “Besides that, he can get in and out of places without being detected.”
Malachi wipes his hands down his pants and stands. “I’ve heard the rumors about Arden, but I’ve seen his reflection in mirrors.” As I stand, I laugh, not commenting one way oranother. “I have to get back to the clubhouse. There’s someone I need to check on.”
“You could have just called,” I tell him as I open my office door and follow him out into the pub.
He shakes his head. “I needed to clear my head. I needed the ride. See ya later.” Malachi walks out and I breathe in deeply as my mind reels with this new information.
I wonder if Alice Brighton is the same woman Leo has been seeing with Donovan. Grabbing my phone out of my pocket to call him, it begins ringing and Olivia’s name pops up. I smile and swipe on the green answer button.
“Hello, treasure.”
“Hi,” she whispers.
I can tell she’s not okay right away. “What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“I got another bouquet.” Her voice is so quiet I have to strain to hear her. My phone strains under the tightening of my fist.
“I’m on my way. Are Lincoln and Caroline with you?” I ask her.
“Yes, and James.” She’s being very short with her answers and I know it’s because she’s trying to keep herself together.
“I’ll be there soon,” I promise before telling her bye. I tell Lee I’m leaving, then call Leo to let him know what happened. After that, I call Lane and he answers on the first ring.
“What the fuck?” I ask him immediately.
“Sir, I’m following him back to the flower shop,” he answers right away.
“Why didn’t you stop him before he entered the building?” The pub is three blocks away from Olivia, so I’ll be there in just a few minutes.
“I was keeping an eye on the van to see if Donovan or one his guys was close,” Lane says.
“Alright. See if you can find out anything. We’re having a meeting tonight.” I call Arden right away.
Chapter fifty-nine
Olivia
Everyone except Caroline and Bass is sitting in Julian and Bailey’s new office building downtown, which is close to Victor’s pub and Lincoln’s office building. Victor moved me into his house last night after work. He didn’t ask. After he showed up at the office and I told him what happened, we met with Lincoln and James. Then he drove me to my house and told me to get what I absolutely had to have, promising we’d come back this weekend to get everything else.
I grabbed all my pictures, a few of my favorite outfits, the teddy bear my dad gave me when I was little, the memory box I kept when I was younger from the things I did with my mom, and my favorite coffee cup. When we got to Victor’s house, he made sure I was okay before he went to the lake house and had an extremely long meeting with Leo, Lane, and Arden.
It lasted so long I was asleep when he got back. All I remember was him wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest, promising me he’ll keep me safe. The only way I see that happening is if Donovan is dead. I realize everyone is looking at me, waiting for me to speak.
“I got another bouquet,” I tell everyone, my voice wavering. I’m tired of talking about this. I’m tired of being the center of attention. But Julian is helping me as he ventures out to become a private detective. It turns out I’m his first client.
“Who was it delivered by?” Julian asks.
“The security guard at the entrance said it was from a local florist,” Lincoln answers, handing him a piece of paper. “That’s the name of the place and the license plate number of the van it was delivered in.”
Victor told me this morning on the way to work that Donovan never sold the lake house and he’s been staying there. It makes sense. So, he has a place to stay where he can lay low.
