15. Kamaya
CHAPTER 15
Kamaya
We arrive to work together Monday morning after Max and I spent the entire weekend in bed. When we weren’t on the bed, we were on the couch, on the floor, and even in the shower. A sex-filled weekend and the best I’ve ever experienced. Finally, I felt like I was with the right man. The man that was designed perfectly for me. Neither of us were ready to go anywhere now that our relationship had veered towards romantic, which was still an odd concept. On Friday, Maxwell Scott was my friend. Now come the start of a new week and he’s my boyfriend? Lover? We hadn’t discussed any labels, and my relationship PTSD had me not wanting to broach that topic right away. I needed to learn how to just let things breathe before taking charge like I normally did. It wouldn’t be easy for me.
I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit I was scared. Max and I discussed nothing about the future. For now, we were together. No mention of how this could proceed moving forward with our coworkers, friends, and family. It wasn’t like they’d be meeting a new person in the other person’s life, but it would mean having to reintroduce ourselves as more than friends. I’d be lying if I said the thought of having to do that wasn’t giving me some anxiety.
I’d also be lying if I didn’t say I was thrilled by Max and I together too. We fit perfectly together, literally and figuratively, and part of me wishes it had happened sooner, but everything in its own time.
Thinking about all of what could lay ahead was making me spiral to all of the worst what-ifs. Right now I needed to focus on the job at hand, which was finding out what exactly was going on at the Financial Journal and putting a stop to the crimes they were committing.
Currently at my workstation, I click through what I have gathered so far and who we could try eliminating. Katie Lucas who worked under Zach didn’t seem to be a person of interest. If she was a part of all this, then I doubted she’d worked alone. I also felt Jacob was genuine from the beginning, if not fearful of losing his newly given position. The jury was still out on him. I’d narrowed my own suspect list down to Franco, Zach, Charles, and Harry.
Franco’s and Harry’s motives were the clearest to me, but Zach, notwithstanding his suspicious behavior, made the least sense. What was the motivation? What could make Zach, with a high-earning position and important role at the publication, want to turn on them like that?
“Earth to Kam. We have a meeting in five,” Maxwell says.
I turn in my desk chair and smile up at him. “Sorry, I’ve just been going over my notes here, and this assignment has thrown us for a loop. I’ve even employed an AI algorithm tracker to see if that could help trace the person who sent Harry that email, and I’m still having the hardest time tracking this person, or persons, down. It feels like we’re missing one important puzzle piece.”
Maxwell crouches down so I’m not craning my neck to look up at him. He’s eye level now with my notes on the screen and reading over everything.
“We should present this to everyone in the meeting. Maybe we need more than the two of us.”
It was a good idea. More of us working together could help, but I hated looking incompetent. Like I’d failed. This was the most responsibility I’d been given since I’d started and already I felt like I’d let Brandon and Maxwell down.
Hell, I was letting myself down because I hadn’t been able to crack this case sooner.
“Hey, why are you making that face?” Max asks, placing my chin between his thumb and index finger and tilting my face to peer back up at him. His handsome face made me feel calmer. I shouldn’t feel apprehensive about telling him how I feel, but my perfectionism persists.
“I’m beginning to doubt myself. When Brandon assigned the Financial Journal case to me, I thought for sure I’d be further along by now. I’m just scared I may let everyone down.”
“Listen to me. You have made amazing progress so far. You’ve been braver than I could have ever expected. Approaching potential bad guys, nearly getting arrested at a college protest. Kam, you have amazed me at every turn of all this. Don’t beat yourself up now.”
I could always count on Max to make me feel more confident and see the bigger picture. One of the best parts of our friendship is how we always cheered the other person on. I hoped that wouldn’t change because we’re entering a more romantic relationship.
“You always know what to say,” I reply.
“Charm is what I know best,” Max quips. “Now let’s head over to the conference room before we’re late.”
We make our way down the hall and enter the meeting space, and so far Bree is the only one seated.
“For a second I thought I got the time wrong,” Bree says. “Westin couldn’t make it because he’s on protection detail in LA for the rest of the week.”
Before either Max or I get a chance to respond, the door swings open again, and our boss enters. There’s a woman with him who I’ve never seen before. Possibly a new client scoping us out to hire for protection detail. Occasionally people would want to stop in and meet the team before hiring us.
“Great, everyone is here now,” Brandon says. “Team, this is Harlowe James. She’s recently moved to New York from Atlanta. We met a few years ago at the Executive Protection Institute and kept in contact. I’ve been trying to recruit Harlowe for years now.”
“Just a little harassment on Brandon’s part, but I’ve finally made it to the illustrious Tri-State Security office,” Harlowe says.
Her light Georgia drawl is sweet. We all take turns greeting Harlowe, and afterwards she takes a seat next to Brandon for the meeting to commence. She appears to be early thirties like the rest of the team in office. The engagement ring and wedding band she’s sporting are the largest I’ve ever seen in person. Almost like a celebrity level of jewelry. There was definitely more than meets the eye about our potential new teammate.
“So, what do you all have for today?” Brandon asks.
“I can go first,” Bree says. “I’d like to discuss a potential job with the mayor’s office. A contact of mine at my previous precincts mentioned it to me yesterday.”
Bree speaks for the next ten minutes while I gather my thoughts. Maxwell nudges my elbow to speak up.
“Max? Kam? What have you got?” Brandon asks.
I open my laptop and proceed to review the lists of potential suspects, save one. Zach. I’m not sure how to tell Brandon about his friend potentially being suspicious.
“Um, there is one other person I think we need to look into. Your friend, Zach Stapely.”
Brandon’s and Bree’s eyebrows raise at the same time. Saying Zach’s name out loud felt like ripping a Band-Aid off. The relief was powerful, just getting it over with.
“You think Zach has been the person behind this?” Brandon appeared like I’d given him a blow to the stomach, but Max and I were at a point now where we couldn’t afford to withhold any more info. Even if that affected Brandon.
Max speaks up before I can respond. “I know this is hard to hear, but after Kamaya went out with Zach, she got a bad vibe from some of the things he was saying. Not to mention that I overheard him saying ‘Everything is going according to plan. Under the impression the journal was hacked’ at your wedding.”
Brandon looks between the two of us for a beat before responding. “At most, this sounds like circumstantial evidence against Zach.”
“Well, all of this is circumstantial. Right now, the most probable person is Harry Cooper, Cecily’s son, Franco DiLaurentis, and, well, Zach.”
“Not to mention Charles Dennis,” Brandon adds.
I can see Brandon wrestling with hearing about his friend. I felt for him. Hell, I went out with the man hoping there was potential between us. “This is what Max and I have come up with so far. I’m planning to look into spoofed IP addresses after the meeting and see if I can track anything that way.”
“Brandon gave me some backstory to what you and Max are working on. A similar event happened at Clark University. I have a friend at my former office who may be able to help you all,” Harlowe adds.
“Perfect,” Brandon says, leaning back in his chair. “Reach out to your contacts.”
“Speaking of,” Bree says, “my friend from organized crime didn’t have any cases related to what you and Max are working on. She found it strange that no one from Financial Journal reached out about it as of yesterday if this has been an ongoing problem.”
Brandon releases a deep sigh at what Bree informs us of. Maybe this would reiterate Zach’s possible involvement.
“Thank you for your help, Bree. For now, we’ll take any assistance we can, Harlowe. Finally, before the meeting adjourns, there is one more important thing,” Brandon says, looking towards Max. “Ava and I are temporarily moving to the UK, and that’s why I brought Harlowe along today to get a feel for what we do here in New York.”
“What! When did you decide to do this?” Bree asks.
Brandon proceeds to inform Harlowe and Bree of his wife’s new career opportunity in London and his longstanding desire to open another branch in the UK.
“Moving to London? That’s why you’ve been pressuring me to get here,” Harlowe says.
Brandon laughs. “I’ve always thought you’d be a great addition, but now more than ever the team will need more help. I’m grateful that Max has finally agreed to take the leadership role and step in while I’m away.”
“Wow, congrats, Max!” Bree says.
“Max is the perfect choice,” I say, angling to my left at Max. He was more than ready for the position; I just hoped it wouldn’t interfere with what we were building.
Once the meeting adjourns, Max and I begin heading back to our workstations while Harlowe, Brandon, and Bree head towards the kitchen area.
I wished I could kiss him, but that would not be appropriate. Have to keep my head on straight when we’re at work together.
I check the time on my phone just in time to see an incoming message from Dani.
“It’s Dani. She says her afternoon classes have been cancelled.”
Maxwell frowns. “That’s odd. Did something happen?”
My phone vibrates in my hand. Another message comes through on the lock screen from Dani: omg did you hear
Before I have a chance to respond, Dani forwards an article from local news site.
HARRY COOPER ARRESTED AT CITY UNIVERSITY – STORY DEVELOPING
What! I had no idea. Are you safe?
Daniella takes what feels like forever to respond. Her apartment she shares with two roommates wasn’t too far from here. If she needed me, I could make it to her place fairly quickly.
Yes I’m ok. Afternoon classes were cancelled today because police are all over campus. I’m back in apt now and safe
Glad you’re okay -- keep me updated ??
“Turn the TV on!” I say to Max. He reaches for the remote and the television breathes to life. “Local news, please.”
Brandon, Bree, and Harlowe emerge from the kitchen and stand next to Max and me. “What’s going on?”
Everyone gasps in unison as the first story is the arrest of Harry Cooper. The anchor advises of the lockdown at the college. The End Elitism coalition has handcuffed themselves to various structures all over the campus and were refusing to move. The camera pans to Harry yelling into his bullhorn with his free arm, “End Elitism now!”
“Who is that?” Harlowe asks.
Max and I try filling her in on how we met the teen, his connection to Cecily, and the assignment we were working on.
The next shot is of the police using a tool to cut through the throng of protesters and trying to move all of them while many are shown resisting arrest. Then there’s a shot of Harry being tackled and handcuffed by police and campus security before he’s hauled away.
“Do you still think he’s innocent?” Maxwell asks, turning away from the TV.
I shake my head. “Never thought he was completely innocent, but now I have more questions.”
The phone in my hand is ringing. A number I don’t recognize. I could let it go to voicemail, but Harry’s arrest and Friday’s date with Zach have me on edge. I answer.
“Hello?” No response at first, but then I hear someone clearing their throat. “Ms. Blake? It’s Franco, and I think I have some information that can help you.”