Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Devon rubbed a hand across the stubble on his chin. It was past midnight, but he couldn’t sleep.
He kept picturing Aurora. Remembering her taste. The way her skin had felt against his.
Stop, he told himself. Enough. As if his heart would listen.
Chase had gone back to his temporary lodgings for another night. Devon had offered his own apartment since Chase’s house was in shambles right now after getting shot up. Chase had turned him down, saying that so long as Max Bennett was paying, he’d enjoy the fancy digs.
But Devon hadn’t gone back to his own place, either. Instead, he’d stayed for dinner, fed Haley her bottle, and rocked her to sleep.
Now, his mom was in bed and Ruby was in her own room. Devon remained in the living room, staring at his laptop screen. He’d been trying to get his mind off Aurora by focusing on the men who’d attacked her. The Escalade driver, to be exact.
When he’d left the office earlier, he’d been sure Aurora was completely safe. But tomorrow, she’d be testifying. That meant going out into the open, at least briefly. If they’d missed something important, Devon wanted to know.
And despite the revelations from Dominic Crane and all of Max’s and Sylvie’s research, they hadn’t found out the Escalade driver’s identity.
That didn’t sit right with him.
Devon decided to risk a call to Sylvie. He found her extension on the Bennett Security website and called using his mother’s phone, since he didn’t have one at the moment. I’d better get a new one tomorrow, he told himself, because sharing my mom’s cell is ridiculous.
“This is Sylvie Trousseau.”
“Hey, it’s Devon.”
“Dev!” There was a sound of rustling, like she was moving around. “Oh my gosh, it’s good to hear your voice. Are you all right?”
He was getting tired of people asking that. But of course, Sylvie meant well.
“I’ve been better. Sorry to call so late, but I figured you’d still be at work.”
“Excellent guess. It’s Workaholics Anonymous over here, as usual, only nobody gets better.
And it’s not the same without you.” There was a pause.
“Everybody’s talking about how you quit.
I’m not going to ask what went down, because it’s your business.
But if you need an ear, I’ve got one. Two, in fact. ”
He smiled halfheartedly. “Thanks.” He was relieved that he didn’t have to go over his failings yet again.
Sylvie’s voice lowered. “Aurora’s really torn up. She was screaming at Max in front of the whole office. Whatever happened, it’s clear she’s on your side.”
He didn’t know what to make of that, so he just forged ahead. “I’m calling about Aurora’s case. Any progress on ID’ing the Escalade driver?”
Sylvie huffed. “Nothing. It’s like the guy doesn’t exist. At least, not in California. I’ve been talking to all my contacts, both official law enforcement and not so official. Nobody knows this guy.”
Devon walked across the living room into the kitchen. He was too full of nervous energy to sit down. “I keep thinking about what Aurora said. That she thought she saw him at Wolfson’s club. But then, we couldn’t confirm it.”
“Right. That’s bugging me, too. Crane insisted this guy wasn’t part of his crew. Yet, if he was at the club, he must’ve had just as much knowledge as they did of our security cameras, because he avoided them so well. I’ve been over the footage from that party three times.”
“But I’m wondering if maybe Aurora didn’t actually see him at the party. What if she saw him at the club some other time, and the cameras had a better angle?”
Sylvie hummed thoughtfully. “That’s not bad. It’s entirely possible. Especially if he had some connection to Wolfson that we don’t know about.” There was the sound of fingers clacking against the keyboard. “Do you have a computer there?”
Devon glanced around. The laptop Sylvie had brought him yesterday remained at Bennett Security, since it was work property. His own was back at his apartment.
“I could use my sister’s.”
“Great. I’m going to email you a temporary link for access to our servers, so we can go over the footage together. Aurora was planning that party at The Lighthouse for several weeks, right? So, there’s a lot to go over.”
Devon rolled his neck, trying to release some of the tension there. “But do you think that would be okay with Max? I don’t work there anymore. I shouldn’t have access to anything.”
Sylvie blew air between her lips. “I don’t care what Max says. We need you on this team. Who else would be up at this hour working, except you and me?”
“Good point.” Devon went over to his sister’s room and knocked quietly. He asked to borrow her computer and then brought the device out to the kitchen table. “Okay, I’m ready. Opening my email now.”
Sylvie’s message was already waiting. He hadn’t even realized that she knew his personal email, but then again, he shouldn’t have been surprised.
Everyone at Bennett Security went to Sylvie for help with finding people.
She was better than anyone at combing through data and accessing info no one else could find.
Maybe all her methods weren’t completely above board, but she wasn’t the type to give away her secrets.
He opened the message, and over the phone Sylvie gave him a one-time passcode to gain access to their servers. “You’re sure this is okay? I have no idea what Ruby does on this computer. It could have viruses all over it.”
“It’s not ideal, but our connection is encrypted. And any access I’m giving you now will automatically cut off in twenty-four hours.”
A few clicks, and he was on their database. “Should we divide and conquer? I’ll start with the camera footage from a couple months back and you take the week after?”
“Man after my own mind.”
They got off the phone and switched to a secure messenger.
Devon combed through days of recordings.
His heart leaped when he saw Aurora park in front of the club and get out.
She’d been dressed in a suit and heels, which he’d never seen her in before.
This looked like it might’ve been the first meeting with Wolfson’s people.
He switched through the various camera feeds, tracking her through the club as she first met with a dark-haired woman, who Devon assumed was Wolfson’s assistant.
And then Wolfson himself and his wife. For several seconds, Devon couldn’t tear his eyes away from Aurora’s face.
So open and animated, making the others laugh and nod.
Of course, they had loved her. Who wouldn’t?
He forced himself to refocus on his task—finding the guy who’d attacked her.
Devon’s eyes were bleary, and he’d lost track of time when Ruby came out of her bedroom. “You’re still up?” She was rocking Haley in her arms.
Devon sat back, stretching. “I had some stuff to finish.” Though he hadn’t had any sign of the Escalade driver in the videos from The Lighthouse. Maybe he was wrong, and this was all pointless. Maybe he was just wasting his and Sylvie’s time.
“Everything all right?” he asked his sister.
Ruby glanced down at the baby in her arms, who was sucking contentedly on a bottle. “She still wakes up around this time every morning. Hungry little thing.”
“Want me to hold her?”
“Would you? It’s not going to bother your arm?”
“I’m slightly tougher than that, Rube. A baby isn’t going to be the final straw that does me in.”
Ruby turned over the bundle to him. He sat on the couch. Haley’s round, brown eyes stared into his. She felt so impossibly tiny up against him.
Immediately, he thought of Aurora. She hadn’t even met his family. They’d probably adore her. And they’d make him look good.
“You’d say nice things about me, wouldn’t you?” he whispered to Haley. “Aurora would fall for it. Who could say no to that face?”
Ruby poured a glass of orange juice from the fridge. “What are you telling her?”
“Just uncle stuff.”
“How to field strip an M-16 in ten seconds?”
He chuckled. “Something like that.”
A kitchen chair scraped back as Ruby sat down. “Sorry I yelled at you earlier.”
“No biggie. Must’ve been building up for a while.”
“A long while.” She looked down into her glass. “There’s more. I accepted the job at the salon on Ocean Lane.”
Guilt twisted its knife once again in his stomach. “Because I lost mine? I told you, I’ll figure this out.”
“That’s not it. I accepted the job after the last time you and I spoke.
I want to work, Dev. I want to pull my weight in this family, but even more than that, I miss being a stylist. I love making people feel good about themselves.
And as much as I adore being Haley’s mom, I can’t deny this other part of myself. ”
Her fingers twisted together, and her eyes pleaded with him to understand. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his sister so nervous.
“I get it. We’ll find the best day care for Haley, so that mom doesn’t overtax herself. We’ll make this work. Together.”
She snorted a laugh. “This is going to sound awful, but maybe the near-death experience was good for you? Because I can’t believe those words just came out of your mouth.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re the poster boy for self-sacrifice. Now suddenly, you’re all chill about sharing the burden. It’s…refreshing. Could it possibly have something to do with a certain woman you might have met?”
Devon groaned, and Haley’s little brows knit together with a frown. “What did Chase tell you?”
That traitor. Spilling their private conversation to his sister? Really?
She tipped back the last of her orange juice. “He said you’re crazy about her, but that you’re not sure if it can work.”
“You and Chase seem cozy these days. Anything you want to share?”
“Ha. So not going there. Quit trying to change the subject.”
Devon sat quietly, hoping his sister would give up. But she waited patiently for him to explain. “I was supposed to be Aurora’s bodyguard. You can guess why I had to quit. I never planned on falling for her.”
“Then fuck your plans, Dev.”