"I'll be quick," I promise with a wink in his direction, and then gesture to Elijah with a nod, telling him without words that his brother needs him right now. Ellie's already realized as much and is lying over Elijah's feet.
He's bent over the table against the wall, looking at the documents and files Atticus has spread out there as well as pegged to the corkboard above, but I don't think he's really seeing any of it. He's there so he doesn't have to look at us. Look atme.
"Hey," Atticus calls, and I can't help the frown I feel pulling down at the edges of my mouth as I turn my attention to him. "I ordered food. Should be here any minute, so don't be sketched out if someone comes in to drop it off to you."
I nod and close the office door behind me, heading to the front to grab my hamper from where I tossed it atop a washing machine. The place is run-down, the machines old, and I realize that I'll need to use the change machine to break a bill into coins just to be able to make them work. No wonder the place is empty.
It looks like it hasn't been touched or updated in fifteen years at least. I make sure to select the delicate cycle, worried about my expensive clothes from Paris getting ruined in the washer's ancient barrel.
As I'm finishing, I see the delivery guy pull up outside and look confusedly at the laundromat exterior. I meet him at the door, so he doesn't leave without dropping off dinner.
"Hi," I say as I push the front door open. "I think that's for me."
He lifts a brow. "Aurora?"
Of course, Atticus put the order in my name. I take the two plastic bags and head back through the laundromat, not goinginto the back room until the driver has pulled away from the curb.
"Sorry, had to get change," I mutter as I reenter the office. "And the delivery guy almost took off without delivering your order."
My words trail off as I realize everyone is crowded around the monitor, and my throat goes dry.
There's no way we have a reply already, is there?
Ellie whines, sensing the anxiety I'm trying to hide as I lock the door and drop the food on the table.
Atticus shifts his massive, hulking form a bit to the right so I can see the message on the screen. It's a reply from someone called Linette Berkley, executive assistant to Ambrose De La Rosa.
Hello, Miss Bellerose. Thank you for submitting your information through our #FindDelilah form.
Mr. De La Rosa is eager to meet you and has requested that I set up a formal interview at your earliest convenience. As luck would have it, Mr. De La Rosa is currently on business in the United States, overseeing the grand opening of his casino and hotel in Atlantic City. Given his busy schedule, he's hopeful you'll be able to conduct the meeting there. Your expenses will be paid, of course, and I can handle all necessary bookings once I have your dates of availability.
Thank you so much for your time,
Linette Berkley
"Is this normal?" I ask, a flutter in my chest. "You said he doesn't meet the candidates anymore."
There's a beat before Atticus replies. "No. He doesn't."
There's a knot between his brows. "We knew your likeness to his wife and the generated photo of his daughter would help, but?—"
"So this isn't normal?"
Atticus shakes his head, still staring at the screen, not looking at me even though right now I want him to. I need to see his eyes, but he won't turn to face me, even as his jaw flexes.
"No. They always meet with someone from his team. An assistant, a lawyer, whatever. They'd conduct the interview on Ambrose's behalf and take the samples for the DNA test. When the tests inevitably came back negative—" He shrugs. "There was no reason to meet them."
Fuck.
"I don't like it," Eli growls. "I don't like it one bit."
Seven stares at the message on the screen like he might be able to decode it with a piercing glance alone.
"But he has paid expenses to facilitate the interviews a handful of times in the past," Atticus adds, and I can tell by the way his tone has changed that he's trying to placate me and the others. "It's your photo," he adds. "It has to be. The resemblance is definitely there."
Seven's tone is low and taut when he speaks. "Heisalready in the States on business. Maybe that's also part of it?"
I can tell he doesn't fully buy that, which means I don't either.
