24. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
AJ
B lake stayed silent for the rest of the drive. Which was good, since I had to focus on not reacting to Jack’s continuous stream of updates while watching Blake for signs of another panic attack.
I appreciated Jack updating me on the big picture stuff, but it was hard not letting my anger show.
SSI moved fast to get information on the attacker. He worked for one of the guys at the top of our suspect list. An untouchable, career criminal who everyone suspected had DA Davenport on his payroll. Davenport had a significantly higher than average history of not prosecuting several of the people on our list. Often citing lack of evidence, mishandled investigations, or some random undotted I or uncrossed T in the paperwork.
My orders were to keep Blake in the dark. I refused to believe she was involved in any way, but that didn’t mean she was ignorant about her father’s activity. Jack’s voice sounded off in my head. “Don’t let your feelings get in the way.”
My feelings weren’t the reason I believed Blake was innocent; her actions and reactions were. You can't fake that kind of panic .
When we got to Jamie’s, he met us in the driveway. It was a risk having us meet here, but it was less obvious than the office.
Plus, Jay was staying with Jamie and Emily until he found a place of his own, and Jack would be there soon. Emily would be there to offer moral support, and Meg said she’d be there too. I didn’t have the words to convey how much their support meant to me, knowing Blake would need their comfort.
I could tell by Jack’s tone he wasn’t happy his wife put herself in the line of fire, but Meg was a force to be reckoned with and wouldn’t back down. Emily was a little less forceful, but she wouldn’t back down either, and I was one hundred percent sure Jamie was freaking out about it.
Emily played hostess to Blake while Jamie and I locked everything down. He had a top of the line security system, including cameras covering every inch of the house’s exterior. Jack did too. It went without saying that Doug had installed the same system in the house he now shared with Beth. Shockingly, John hadn’t yet. But then, he was old school.
Just as we were finishing up, Jack and Meg arrived. Once Blake was settled at the table with Meg and Emily, the rest of us went to Jamie’s office.
“You should sit,” Jack said when I leaned against the wall.
“That bad?”
“Yes, and no.” His answer wasn’t helpful.
I sat. “What’d you find out?”
“The guy who attacked Blake works for Richard Roman. And while we don’t have anything concrete, there’s a mountain of circumstantial evidence linking Davenport and Roman,” Jamie said.
“Why the threat?” That part still didn’t make sense. If he was dirty, caused them to threaten Blake?
Unless .
“Do you think he’s trying to cut ties?” That would explain the wording on the note. They’d be pissed off if he decided to clean up his act.
“It’s possible, but it’s only speculation,” Jamie answered. Jack nodded in agreement.
“You’ve spent the most time with her. Has she said anything that might help us?”
I counted to ten before unclenching my fists. Jack wasn’t accusing her, and it was a logical question, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to punch him for asking it.
That violent reflex is exactly why you can never be with Blake, my inner voice reminded me.
“No, she hasn’t. She has an innocent’s trust in her father.” I thought back to the few conversations we’d had. “There’s no way she knows anything. She’s genuinely confused about the entire situation.”
Jack and Jamie shared a look. That was never a good thing.
“Spill it.”
“We think they’re targeting Blake for her money,” Jack said, not giving me much to go on.
“You mean hold her for ransom?” If her father was taking bribes, why would they hold his daughter for ransom? Did her father borrow money from the wrong guy? Did he take payment and not deliver as expected?
“No. Blake is due to inherit millions when she turns twenty-five,” Jamie answered.
Millions? I felt like I did a good job of not letting my eyes pop out of my head, but it was hard to know for sure.
“Say that again.”
“Blake’s grandfather was a millionaire.” Jack sounded exasperated.
I knew that.
“He left most of his wealth to Blake," Jamie said.
I didn’t know that, but judging by Jamie’s tone, I should have. It was probably in the part of the file I didn’t read because Blake’s picture had hypnotized me.
“That explains her friends.” I used air quotes, which triggered Jack to ask, “What about them?”
I could practically hear the investigator wheels turning in his head. Could one of them be behind the threat? I doubted it. But then again, you never know .
“They all want something from her. Especially Danny. He’s a whiney little bitch, and it’s clear he’s using her.” They nodded. My opinion of Danny wasn’t a secret. “Let’s just say Blake’s too trusting, and people abuse it.”
“That sucks,” Jack said.
It did. I’d be her friend, a real one, if she’d let me. Who am I kidding? I want to be a lot more than friends.
I’d gotten glimpses of the real Blake, and I wanted more. She hid who she was because she hung around with people who didn’t really care.
But I cared. I wanted to know everything about her. To show her what it felt like to be supported and loved for who she was, not what she stood to inherit.
“Is her father having money issues?”
“He is, but it’s not public knowledge. His wife is still spending money like they have it to burn,” Jamie said.
“Rumor has it Priscilla married Davenport, thinking he’d inherit the millions. She wasn't pleased to hear he left most of it to Blake.”
“Is she a person of interest?”
“Not really. We can’t find a shred of evidence against her,” Jack answered.
Jamie added, “Though we haven’t removed her from the list.”
“We’ve secured a safe house. Jay is picking up supplies, groceries, and some clothes for Blake,” Jamie said.
Jaden was picking out clothes? That sounded like a disaster waiting to happen.
Jack was quick to put my fears to rest. “Don’t worry, Meg is helping him via text.”
I sighed in relief. “That’s good.” Meg would do right by Blake.
I texted Meg with my best guess of Blake’s size and what she liked to wear. Meg replied she’d have Jay pick up things in different sizes, just in case.
“He’ll take her to the safe ho-”
I cut him off. “I’ll take her.”
Jack huffed out a laugh. “Told you,” he said to Jamie.
“Fine, you’ll take Blake to the safe house. We’ll assign Jay to over-watch for the night. Dean can have the night off.”
I nodded. “Has Davenport asked for security for himself?”
“No, we suggested it, but he refused. Said they have a state-of-the-art security system at home, and his office is a secure government building. His driver doubles as security.” Jamie sounded as skeptical as I felt.
I scratched my chin. “Blake won’t be happy about this,” I said.
“Maybe not, but she seems to understand the threat is real now, so it shouldn’t be too hard to convince her it’s for her safety,” Jack said. He’d overheard most of our conversation on the drive here.
“Maybe.” I knew better. She was scared and transferring her fear to something she could control. For her, that meant freaking out about missing classes, and failing mid-terms.
For Blake, who’d grown up in a sheltered existence, it was easier to focus on school than reality.
I have my work cut out for me .