Page 19 of Wicked Rush

“I kind of can. I did. How the hell else am I supposed to get answers? I told you I found that key down at the beach. Well guess what? The doc would like it back. Apparently that’s what she was after last night. When I went to the gala, I had a little chat with her. We were supposed to meet tonight, but she tried to lift it. Still don’t know why she thought she’d be able to break into my house. She’s not exactly telling me the whole truth, that’s for sure.”

“So she just voluntarily decides to spend the night with you?” Seth glanced outside and back to Lars with a suspicious smile.

“She was tired. Hypothermia does that to a person. Now this morning…that was another story. Come on,” Lars told him, setting forks and napkins onto the counter. “Breakfast is getting cold. We’ll eat outside.”

“Hold up there. How’d you get her to stay?”

“Let’s just say I struck a deal.”

“What kind of a deal?”

“I, uh, you know…I may have cuffed her to the bed.” Lars shrugged.

“What the hell? So you’re telling me she sleeps in your bed and then allows you to tie her up? No way.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say she was a fan…”

“Holy shit, Lars. You handcuffed her? To your bed?” Seth shook his head in disbelief. “Hey, it’s not that we don’t do this kind of shit, but if I’m understanding you correctly, you aren’t having a relationship with her. Restraining someone in your house without consent…you’re treading a slippery slope.”

“What was my choice? If I called the police, hell even if I’d called Dean, there’s a good chance she would have been arrested. She would’ve ended up in cuffs one way or another. No matter what she was trying to do last night, and believe me I’ve been thinking about this, it wouldn’t have worked. I think she was coerced into it. That woman out there isn’t a criminal.” Lars sighed and blew out a breath. “Let me rephrase. She isn’t the kind of person who makes a living out of breaking into houses. I don’t think she knew what the hell she was even doing. She could have been killed down at the surf. Her actions scream desperation. Now why she’s doing these things? Who’s making her do it? Who shot at her? Shot at us? I don’t know.”

“Let’s say all this is true. Someone is making her do these things. Silencing her. Why handcuff her?”

“I didn’t want her leaving when I was in the shower. She hasn’t opened up yet. I need answers and I need her to trust me.”

Seth gave a hearty laugh. “And handcuffing her to a bed is gonna do that? Seriously, man. I’ve been around a lot of women in my lifetime, and tying them up if they don’t want to be tied up, that’s, uh, that’s a new approach.”

“I just told you. She would have taken off. So the choice was cuffed by me or cuffed by the cops. If Dean came to the house, she’d be in serious trouble with the law. Probably have a record. So you tell me, which would you choose?”

“I get what you’re saying, but I’m just a little worried that maybe she’s not as innocent as you’re thinking she is. Maybe, Lars, just maybe, she should be locked up.”

“Too soon to tell. But I just have a feeling she’s innocent. Something isn’t right. I can’t let it go.” Lars turned to Seth, a sober expression crossing his face. He couldn’t be certain he should confide in him, but since he’d been shot at too, he deserved the truth. “Garrett and Chase. I can’t ask you to keep this from them if they press you on it. But last night I saw them at the Bart-Aqua event. They wouldn’t say why they were there but I know he’s keeping a watch for Giordano. You know how Garrett is. He’s a tight lipped son-of-a-bitch. It’s why I trust him when we’re thirty thousand feet in the air. But last night.” He paused. “I don’t know. They don’t want me investigating what happened on the beach. Frankly, it doesn’t make any sense to me. What difference does it make to them?”

“It shouldn’t affect Emerson Industries,” Seth commented.

“Exactly. It doesn’t directly affect Garrett or Chase or Emerson Industries. Now Dean? He’s another story. He was A-Okay with buying Dr. Rollin’s story, and leaving the case open. If he thinks I’m questioning his integrity or the competence of the police force, he would have every right to be pissed that I’m questioning Brae behind his back. But Garrett? It’s not like him to warn me off of this.”

“Not unless he’s got a stake,” Seth responded.

“Exactly.” Lars went silent as their eyes met in a moment of understanding.

“You know I can’t divulge what’s going on at Emerson. I’ve got my own division I run, and my hands are full with that.”

“I’m not asking you to breach confidentiality.” Lars knew full well that any divulgence would be a serious offense. They each had top secret clearances, and it would jeopardize their businesses if he even asked. “I want to be clear. We both have loyalties to our respective companies. But if you know whether Garrett and Chase are involved in this, I’d appreciate a heads up.”

“I swear to you, I don’t know. I’ve never even heard Garrett discuss Dr. Rollins. I knew about the congressional hearing, but that’s it.”

“I’m going to ask him again and see if I can get him to bend. This thing with Braelynn…none of it is adding up.” Lars stretched his neck left to right, attempting to ease the stress that had crept into him. He hoped like hell that his instinct on this was wrong, but he suspected Garrett had withheld critical information about the shooting.

“I’ll keep my eyes and ears open. If this business with Dr. Rollins has to do with Emerson, you know I won’t be able to tell you details, but I’ll sure as hell confront Garrett. Chase too. We could’ve been killed that day.”

“Absolutely. To be fair, both of us do shit every week that could get us killed, but bullets whizzing by our heads while we’re out catching waves is an entirely different scenario.” Lars glanced down to breakfast and began to slide the plates into his hands. “Hey, can you grab the forks and napkins?”

“You got it.”

“And Seth,” Lars said, giving him a look of warning.

“Yeah.”