Chapter 8
T he elementary school Chloe had worked for up until this past spring wasn’t the same as the one our complainant worked at, but a twisting in my gut had me looking it up to see what district it was in.
As soon as I had the confirmation they were in the same district, I closed out of her folder, then hurried back to the unorganized documents. Opening and closing them as I looked for any other information I might’ve missed this week—any indication that would’ve had Chloe panicking the way she had.
When I found nothing, I opened a new tab on the internet browser and searched for Owen Vance and Chloe Whitlock. But the only links and news sites that loaded were for Vance alone—his accomplishments and outcomes of meetings. The insane amount of praise he seemed to get fromeverywhere.
The school board and schools he was over. Mom groups and PTAs. The city in general.
All things Gray and I had already looked into earlier this week.
Just as I was finishing setting the website up the way it’d been when she’d left, Chloe came back around the corner, and I narrowed in on her excited features as she spoke.
“Goodness, sorry,” she said brightly, then gave a little shiver. “I didn’t find it on me, which worries me more because now I know it’s somewhere up here.”
A grunt crawled up my throat at the easy way she lied now that she’d composed herself. And she truly had.
As they had been ever since I’d barreled into her days before, her eyes were dancing and her smile was bright, but not too bright. Almost as if she knew exactly how much to give without looking like she was trying too hard or in a beauty pageant. Then again, her entire joyful, bubbly personality was like that: as if she knew exactly how much to give to draw a person in, to charm them, without coming across like an over-excited cheerleader on too much caffeine.
Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t so easily played.
“You’re fine,” I finally said as I stood, vacating the chair for her. “I killed it.”
At that, her hazel eyes darted up and locked onto mine. The flash of worry in them told me she was acutely aware that I wasn’t lying to play hero; but that I was in on her lie.
“U-um,” she began, then cleared her throat before that feigned joy was bursting from her on a stuttered laugh. “I didn’t realize Superman also killed spiders. But thank you.”
Another rumble sounded in the back of my throat, but I just lifted an eyebrow and gestured to the computer. “You understand everything?”
Chloe’s gaze flashed to the computer, then fell to the floor. “Yes,” she said softly, then added, “Yep,” more resolutely as her eyes once again met mine. “Thank you.”
I didn’t bother responding as I left, ignoring the way the subtle scent of coconut and vanilla teased me as I brushed past her.
I hated that scent. I wanted to get that girl out of this office before whatever threat she posed was unleashed on the people who had become my family. And yet, I faltered in my steps, wanting to breathe her in as I studied those eyes so I could unveil every one of her secrets.
With a harsh shake of my head, I stalked away from her and through the building, to Briggs’ office, mentally cursing overly bubbly women who wore Star Wars tees and high heels.
I opened Briggs’ door as I knocked and muttered something resembling an apology when I realized I’d walked in on an argument between him and Rush. Then again, it could’ve just been a conversation—Briggs made every normal conversation seem like an argument.
“Couldn’t wait?” Briggs ground out as I shut the door behind me.
“I told you I don’t trust her,” I said in way of answering.
Briggs rolled his eyes as he sat back in his chair, his hands dragging through his hair and intertwining on top of his head, but it was Rush who spoke.
“Trust who?”
“The new girl,” I answered at the same time Briggs muttered, “Chloe.”
Rush’s chest pitched with a laugh. “Why?”
I gave him a look like I wasn’t sure why he was questioning me, then gestured to Briggs. “The fact that either of you are questioning me instead of just believing me says a lot about what you think of my specific skill set.”
At that, shock stole across Rush’s face. “Wait, you’re serious?”
“Apparently,” Briggs said under his breath. “And we’ve never questioned you, Thatch. We rely on you more than you realize. But Chloe’s?—”
“Lainey’s housemate,” I cut in irritably. “I know.”
Briggs gave me a look to let me know I was pushing it. “Not what I was gonna say,” he went on. “I was saying she’s fine. I checked her—like I told you.”
“Background checks don’t show everything,” I said, aggravation coating my words. “You know that. You know they can be faked.”
“Wait, you’re the one trying to get rid of Chloe?” Rush said as if just putting something together, then released a disbelieving huff. “Her first day, she said someone was already trying to, but I didn’t think she was serious. And I wouldn’t have thought she was talking about you .”
I lifted my hands to the sides before folding my arms over my chest. “That I’m-so-happy act she’s got going on? It’s just that—an act.”
“Thatch...” Briggs mumbled as Rush let out another huff of a laugh.
“She’s hiding something.”
“That’s how she is every time I see her,” Briggs maintained. “Lainey said she’s been that way for as long as she can remember.”
“Doesn’t mean she isn’t hiding something,” I argued.
“Or maybe it isn’t what you think,” Briggs countered.
My head jerked back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He let out a long sigh before pinning me with a glare. “I did extensive searches into her, her family, and her extended family. There are no areas for concern,” he said, refusing to answer and trying to end the conversation, given his tone.
But I wasn’t done.
“I also think she knows something about our Donut.”
At that, the feeling in the room shifted as Rush and Briggs gave me their full attention, both seemingly ready to hear me out. Finally.
“I was showing her how to file client paperwork and was gonna have her start a new folder for this Donut. When she opened the first document on the superintendent, she started reading it and panicked. Shoved away from the desk and nearly fell over herself trying to get out of her chair.”
Briggs gave Rush a concerned look before focusing on me again as I continued.
“She tried playing it off—said there was a spider. There wasn’t. And up until last spring, she was working?—”
“As a teacher,” Briggs finished for me with a subtle nod. “Same district?” At my confirming grunt, he mumbled a curse and let his attention drift to Rush again.
“We need to question her,” Rush said, sounding at once apologetic and worried.
My eyebrows pulled tight as I glanced his way, wondering why he cared so much about the new girl only to wonder why it bothered me that he did.
Because she’s a threat, I told myself.
“I know,” Briggs finally acknowledged, only to slant his head. “But Lainey’s gonna kill me for this.”
“We can hold off,” Rush agreed a little too quickly. “See what Monroe found in the school first, then I’ll talk to Chloe.”
“If anyone’s gonna question her, it’s gonna be me,” I cut in, surprised by the possessiveness pounding through my veins. From the way both Briggs and Rush’s eyebrows lifted, they were equally surprised.
But that wasn’t what this was—it couldn’t be.
This was just me protecting my family.
“She’s a good liar,” I added, trying to explain away my harsh tone just seconds before. “I knew she was lying to me earlier, and she still could’ve fooled me with how easily the lies fell from her.”
Long seconds passed in tense silence before Briggs gave a single dip of his head. “Not yet though. Let’s wait to see what Monroe has to say at the meeting.”
Just as I started turning for the door, Briggs’ voice stopped me. “You’re sure you’re not picking up on anything from Evans?”
I slowly looked back at him before turning fully to face him. With a quick glance at Rush, I answered, “Positive. Why?”
From the silent conversation Rush and Briggs had, the tension in the room mounting until it felt the same way it had when I’d first stepped inside, I knew I’d had it wrong before.
I hadn’t walked in on an argument.
I’d walked in on them discussing something big. Something that had Briggs asking about the loyalty of Evans. Which could only mean one thing—one family— Wreckers .
“I’ve been getting...messages,” Briggs finally admitted, a dark look washing over his face as he focused on me. Grabbing a tri-folded paper and photo off his desk, he held them out for me to take and said, “The picture was inside my car, on my driver’s seat, when we finished our security detail Saturday.”
My eyebrows shot up at the news, but I just let my stare fall to what was in my hand as he continued.
“The letter was taped to my garage when I got home last night.”
I paused in unfolding the paper, then continued. Glancing between the two, I studied the picture of our newly repaired office building, a target drawn over it in red Sharpie, before reading the handwritten letter.
How thrilling to see we didn’t do any irreparable damage to you and yours.
Yet.
“Ominous,” I muttered as I placed the picture on the paper and folded it once again before handing it back to Briggs. “Why now, when we’ve had the office finished from their rampage for a while?” Before Briggs could respond, I added, “Why now, when we haven’t had anything to do with them in months?”
“That’s the question,” Rush answered for him.
“Are they reminding me they’re there,” Briggs continued smoothly, “or are they letting me know they’re not done?”
My head bobbed as I thought before quickly shaking. “Evans is solid,” I said confidently. “Like I told you this weekend, he wouldn’t go that way. He’s too by-the-book. He’s hurting and betrayed by his dad, and that’s coming out as anger, but he isn’t gonna betray us by joining the Wreckers.”
“Then you can back off him,” he said, accepting my evaluation of our youngest member, before hurrying to add, “ slightly . But we need to be vigilant until we know what exactly the Wreckers meant by this letter. Checking cars. Checking our houses and apartments. Everything.”
“Understood,” I said as I took a backward step toward the door. “Do the others know?”
“About to,” he muttered, then stood with a sigh. “Evans needs to know the same as the rest.”
Surprise wound through me at the irritated way Briggs had tossed the last part out. But before I could wonder if he was trying to convince me or himself, Rush said, “I know.” Seeming to relent as he did.
Maybe I had walked in on an argument...
“He’ll realize I’m treating him differently. It’ll push him away.”
“I already agreed, man,” Rush said on a sigh. With a look at me, he said, “Maybe don’t back off watching Evans just yet. Wait a few days.”
Briggs grunted in agreement, then gestured irritably to the door, silently telling me to lead the way out.
But once we all filed out of his office and made it into the main part of the building, where the rest of our desks were, Monroe and Evans were standing in the middle, talking in hushed tones.
Gray was nowhere to be seen.
Before any of us could ask about Gray, Monroe shot us all an irritated look and gestured toward the front of the office.
“Was anyone gonna tell me?” she asked. “I just walked in to find Ada gone, her replacement spitting sunshine, and Gray laying it on thick to make her fall head over heels.”
“I told him no ,” Briggs seethed, but I was already heading in that direction. Telling myself with each step that the feeling pounding through my veins was suspicion for the girl Gray was trying to pick up.
That was all.
That had to be all.
Funny how suspicion felt a lot like possession and jealousy.
When I rounded the corner, I tried not to look at Chloe as I grabbed Gray’s shoulder and jerked him away from where he was leaning on the desk. I tried reminding myself this was actually something I wanted . For Gray to do what he did best—make Chloe fall for him, then break her heart.
But the thought of her actually falling for his charms had my jaw aching with how hard I was clenching it. The thought of him getting to spend any kind of time with her had me gripping his shoulder a little too tight before I managed to shove him toward the main office. And despite my intentions, I couldn’t help but look at the girl, hating that some part of me craved just the smallest glimpse of her.
But when I saw the faint blush staining Chloe’s cheeks from whatever Gray had been saying to her, the suspicion trying to pass off as jealousy flared in my chest until I was seething, “This office ran a lot smoother before you,” as I stormed off.
“I’m this close with her,” Gray whispered from where he was slowly walking backward, a knowing grin slipping across his face as he held up his hand, index and thumb nearly pressed together.
“Congratulations,” I mumbled.
A bemused look stole across his face at my aggravation. “Did I step somewhere I wasn’t supposed to?” he asked, seeming genuinely surprised and curious. “Last I checked, she wasn’t what you normally go for.”
“She isn’t, and, no .” I jerked my head at him and pointedly said, “But in the handful of days the new girl has been here, she’s already proven to be a constant distraction for you, and we need to work.”
His next grin was wicked. “But she’s such a beautiful distraction.”
“We have a meeting,” I let him know. “You know...in case you forgot what we do every morning.”
Gray huffed a laugh as he twisted in time to swipe his tablet off his desk. “You have a date lined up for the weekend?”
For one absurd moment, I stopped walking as I wondered if he was asking because he wanted help getting Chloe out in a group setting. Wouldn’t be the first time Gray had done something like that when a girl wasn’t immediately swept away by his charms—eventually, they always were.
But just as quickly, I reminded myself it didn’t matter.
Whatever feelings were rising in me over Chloe, they were lies, just like her mask. I didn’t know her, and I didn’t want to. I just needed to figure her out, then get rid of her.
“No,” I finally answered Gray. “Why?”
He shot me a look as if surprised I didn’t already know. “Listen to you, Thatch. Haven’t seen you this irritable in a long time. Go find someone.”
“We have Kaia’s party tomorrow,” I said as if a kid’s birthday party would take up my entire weekend.
Gray’s head dropped back, a groan leaving him as if he’d forgotten before his attention snapped to me, that wicked smirk stealing across his face again. “And I bet our new admin will be there.” He shrugged as he continued toward the conference room. “Just like that, I’ve never been so excited for a birthday party.”
And I was suddenly dreading it, not that I’d been thrilled to go before.
I had nothing against kids. I’d been surrounded by little gremlins my entire life, having grown up in one of those families where there were always so many siblings and cousins around, you could never separate them, or remember how many there were. But kids’ birthday parties were the worst.
However, I would do absolutely anything for Briggs’ niece. We all would.
Suffering through a one-year-old’s birthday party included.
But knowing Chloe would most likely be there with her dancing eyes and all that joy to hide her lies? Knowing I’d have to suffer through watching Gray try to take her home the entire time? I was kind of wondering if I could get out of it.
Biting back a sigh, I followed Gray into the conference room and sank heavily into my usual chair, my thoughts on the blush that had been staining Chloe’s cheeks and the way I’d just realized she’d been looking at me.
Her eyes hadn’t been dancing. They’d been a confusing mixture of surprise and worry, hope and sadness.
It wasn’t until Monroe started talking, drastically shifting the tone in the room, that I realized I’d been too wrapped up in thoughts of Chloe to pay attention to the meeting. Again.
That beautiful distraction . . .