“You be careful,” she said. “You were hurt tonight. Maybe your boss should give you time off. Please tell him what happened on Diggins’s boat.”
He suddenly got off his bike and removed his helmet, then gestured for her to walk toward the lodge, which she did.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m seeing you inside,” he said.
“You don’t have to do that.”But I’m glad you are.
“Your friend is here,” he said.
“What friend?”
He gestured toward a vehicle. “Recognize that car?”
“Oh. The guy who followed me. The guy you didn’t question at the restaurant earlier.”
“Yeah, well, now I’m going to talk to him.”
“What about Mrs. Monroe and Madeline?”
“Your safety is more important.” Braden entered the lodge with her.
The overwhelming urge to forget about finishing Dad’s book rushed through her. Could she do that? Actually let it go? Or what if she simply left off this last one—theSpecter’s Bounty? She could still finish it. But too many questions needed answers, and she had never been one to back down, especially now that her father’s death had come into question. She just had to be careful. Be smart.
And Evelyn Monroe could have all the answers. She needed to talk to her, and she needed to get what Diggins asked for. And maybe Diggins would then tell her why he believed her father was murdered.
That just couldn’t be. Her mother would have made sure that her father got justice if that was the case. Mom was many things that Cressida disliked, but she was still a woman about justice, and despite the divorce, her mother had still loved her father.
Braden grabbed Cressida’s hand, again bringing her focus back to the moment. He tugged her down a long hall where he pulled her into Remi’s office. The door was open, and Remi and Jo stood with two men. Braden motioned for the men to follow him out of the office and instructed Cressida to stay.
He closed the door, and the three men left Cressida with Remi and Jo.
“What was that about?” Jo asked.
Where did she even start? “Apparently Mrs. Monroe’s assistant—Madeline—tried to kill her. I don’t think he was supposed to tell me that or say anything at all. So maybeI shouldn’t have told you, but you both know her, don’t you?”
“Oh no!” Remi pressed her hands over her mouth. After a few moments, she dropped them. “Please tell me she’s okay.”
“I think so, yes.” Cressida sank down onto the sofa and rubbed her head.And Dad might have been killed ... but why?
Jo and Remi bombarded her with questions. “Look, I don’t know anything. I was with Braden when he got the call.”
Remi sat at her desk and stared at her hands, and Jo sat on the sofa next to Cressida.
“I take it Braden’s investigating,” Remi said. “What did he need our guys for?”
“Your guys?”
“Oh,” Remi said. “Well, the lumberjack-looking guy is my husband, Hawk, and the other guy that looks like him only taller, slimmer, is his brother, Cole, and Jo’s fiancé.”
“So ... do you know what he wanted?” Jo asked. “Or why he wanted you to stay here?”
“I have a stalker, for one thing. Someone has been following me, and his vehicle is in your parking lot. Braden was headed to work on the investigation, but I suspect he wants to run interference on this guy.”
“Oh, Cressida,” Remi said. “Let me know whatever I can do to help you remain safe. You could stay at our place. Hawk and I have a house not far from here. It’s on the property. You’d be safe there.”
Wait. What? “I won’t be safe here in the lodge?”
