I’m sorry about a lot of things, but my biggest regret is in pushing you away when I should have held you closer. It is because of this that you had to suffer so much that evening, and when I think of what could have happened, I’m afraid of what I would have done if I had Blake within my reach.
Thankfully, the police found him that night and took him in for drunk driving. I asked them to hold him longer until I could come back to my office and do more digging.
I was able to trace the faxes from Kirkman in our offices to Blake, thanks to you and Grant.I have reason to believe Landon and Maggie were also involved, though I can’t yet prove it.
As this all continues to unfold, my father wishes to deal with Maggie and Landon in his own way, but I doubt they’ll stay out of the news for long. I’m afraid even you may eventually be called upon to testify, and for that I’m sorry as well.
I hope one day you can think of me in a better light than you do now.
Colin
I raceddown the stairs to my floor and snuck into the bathroom. The mirror showed that my tears had not caused my mascara to run down my face.
I hadn’t decided yet on whether to speak to Colin and ask him why he’d asked Grant if he was in love with me.Why had that mattered to him?But this letter made it all even more confusing.
There were apologies and regrets in there… concern for my welfare… warnings… but nothing more. Sure, he felt bad thatI’d almost been assaulted in his house, so of course, he was experiencing some guilt.
He’d wanted to check on me after I left the island, and I’d had my phone off.Should I correct him and tell him I wasn’t specifically blocking his calls?
What was the point?
My heart sank as I realized the truth.
I’d fallen in love with Colin. Seeing him and sensing the distance between us, but knowing how it could be, solidified it. But it was cruelly one-sided.
The fact was that I’d been wined and dined as part of the investigation, and the only thing he felt now was guilt.
Suddenly I had a double pang of remorse for Kaitlin because I knew she’d liked Grant, and we’d used her. Just like I’d been used.
I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror anymore. I turned around and walked back to my desk, folding the letter and throwing it into my bottom desk drawer as if it were dangerous.
Grant tried to get me to divulge more information about the weekend in Brightwater, but I told him I had to focus on my work.
And that’s what I did. For the next few weeks, I lived to service my accounts and follow up on any leads. I was able to rescue some of the stolen accounts and bring them back to the agency.
I was working more hours and taking fewer breaks. Meetings on weekends prevented me from visiting my mom. A few meetings I set up on my own, but whenever I needed a wingman, Grant came along to keep the expected social atmosphere going.
One Wednesday afternoon, I hung up the phone and smiled to myself.
“Grant,” I said without turning around. “What are the chances you can come with me to Chicago tonight?”
“Tonight? What are you talking about?” he asked.
We faced each other.
“I have the Sheldon & Bing Group ready to meet us again tomorrow at 8 AM at their offices in Chicago. It’s the only option they gave me, Grant, and I had to take it.”
“K, I can’t. Not tonight.” He looked down and slid his pen from one hand to the other. “I have a date.”
“Really?” I was intrigued and happy. “Who’s giving you the time of day?”
He looked around the room, stood up, sat down, stood up again, and then sat back down.
“Grant, what the hell?” I said, waving my arms around. “If you’re going to tell me something, just do it. Is it Kaitlin? You know, she’s really not as annoying as we thought. She’s been so helpful in getting me all of my reimbursements lately for the lunches and dinners.”
He shook his head and looked down again at the pen he clicked over and over.
I took the stupid pen from his hand and threatened to stab him with it.
