Chapter 9
TWO WEEKS LATER, AHRI ARRIVED at the center to begin her training with Rafe’s assistant, Cass. Kayn had fronted Ahri the money for a new wardrobe since the police had found the stolen truck burning in a field in Oklahoma. It and its contents had been a total loss.
That had led to another day spent crying. If she kept thinking that her precious things, the ones that could never be replaced, had been stolen by the same people who’d murdered her husband, she’d give herself an ulcer.
The time with Francie’s family had helped.
During the first days, they’d kept her distracted with their normalcy, and at night, Ahri had been able to grieve alone.
Her tears had been for Zed’s wasted life rather than the loss of their life together.
She’d finally accepted that it had been dead for a long time.
When she saw Bill waiting at the main entrance, Ahri’s stomach knotted. She doubted all new employees received an escort from the head of security. For such a nice man, he had a way of messing with her nervous system. Would he never have good news for her?
“Don’t worry. It’s not bad,” he said with a chuckle as he extended his arm.
“Then you’re not here to see me?” She shook his hand, the knot loosening a little.
“I am. I have some video I’d like you to look at.”
“What of? That guy who was following me?” When he nodded, she said, “I’m here for training with Cass.”
“I know. I sent her a message that you’ll be late.” He approached the central desk where a security guard watched him expectantly. “This is Ahri Shen. She’ll be filling in for Cass while she’s on maternity leave.”
“Nice to meet you.” The man handed her a guest badge. “HR will have your official tag when you attend your employee orientation meeting.”
Ahri thought it was fortunate that Kayn hadn’t introduced her around when she’d first arrived. Otherwise, showing up now with a different name and pretending not to be his sister would have been a problem.
Francie had taken Ahri shopping for work clothes and to a salon to learn to do her makeup differently.
Since she usually wore her long hair down, they’d opted to go for a sterner, pulled back look.
It made her seem older. With heavier makeup and platform heels to make her taller, she wondered if her own mother would recognize her.
“This way,” Bill said.
“This place is a labyrinth,” she said once they reached the section designated as Security. “How often will I get lost?”
“Frequently, in the beginning, but you’ll get used to it. Just ask anyone. They’ve all been through it.” He said to the people working in cubicles, “This is the Ahri Shen that we’ve discussed.” No one said anything, most merely giving her a nod in acknowledgement.
“They know about me?” she whispered.
“They have to. This way.”
Inside of Bill’s office, he indicated a chair and took his own. He turned one of his large monitors around so she could see the screen.
“These were from the night the moving truck was stolen.” He clicked a button and the video started.
It looked like it’d been taken by an outside surveillance camera.
The footage reminded Ahri of the kind on the news, dim and grainy.
Recognizing the moving truck, she leaned closer.
Three figures approached it, two keeping watch while one of them did something to the lock.
She gave a little gasp at how quickly they got inside and had the truck started.
“I’m not too late.” Rafe jogged into the office, a little breathless. “Kayn’s in a meeting and asked me to come for him.”
Ahri’s heart gave a sharp little twist that made her wince.
Her hand tingled at the memory of that incredibly intimate moment when Rafe had warmed her hands.
She’d only seen him at Sunday dinners since, and he hadn’t been particularly attentive.
It was stupid that she was both glad—he was her boss now after all—and disappointed at the same time.
Rafe pulled up a chair besides hers. Ahri started to scoot away, but he put his hand over hers on the arm. “You’re fine. What have we got here?” He dropped his hand and leaned forward.
“We’re hoping Ahri can identify these men.” Bill started the video again, and she shifted her attention back to the monitor. He must have put it on repeat because the short clip started again automatically. Neither man said anything as they scrutinized it.
“Can you play it slower?” she asked.
He touched something on his keyboard, and the images went into slow motion.
She studied the man who’d played lookout.
It seemed he must have known there could be a camera because he kept his face down, his head covered by a hoodie.
At one point he turned his head sharply, perhaps at a sound, and exposed his face.
“Stop,” she cried.
Bill had to move it back but then paused it at the right moment. Ahri felt queasy at the familiar face.
“That’s him,” she said, clenching the arms of her chair, “the guy who followed me. I don’t recognize the other two.”
Rafe gently covered her hand with his, and she relaxed her grip on the armrest. Once again, his touch calmed her.
“I’ll let Officer Warwick know,” Bill said.
“Do you think they found what they were looking for?” Rafe asked.
“Who knows?” Bill opened another screen. “I’ve got some more video from the funeral for you to view while you’re here. Having several people filming it from different angles gave us a lot of footage to examine.”
It had taken Ahri a week before she could watch the first video he’d sent over. She steeled herself to face it. Rafe laced his fingers over hers, and she let go of the chair, clinging to his hand instead, grateful for the support.
“You identified the family members and known friends or coworkers before,” Bill said. “We’ve narrowed it down to these people.”
Ahri watched closely, not recognizing any of them.
“They might be extended family that I never met,” she said.
“Or business associates,” Bill said.
“Of one kind or another,” Rafe added, his voice soft.
Would the people who’d killed Zed have dared to come to his funeral? A shadow moved near a tree in the background. Ahri leaned in.
“What do you see?” Rafe asked, moving closer to the screen.
“Maybe nothing.” She pointed to the tree line. “Is someone back there?”
Bill replayed it, slower this time. “Could be. One of my people marked it. Might just be a cemetery employee. I have my staff working to enhance it.”
After the three of them had watched the videos enough times that Ahri’s head hurt, Bill called an end.
“Did the decoy say if she thought she was being followed?” Rafe asked.
“Does she have a name?” Ahri asked. “Or are we always going to call her ‘the decoy’?”
“Her name is Sona Rakan,” Bill said. “To answer Rafe’s question, she did spot someone following her. Since we had obvious security, no one made a move,” Bill said. “On the trip back to New York, no one saw anyone who looked suspicious. I’ll let you know if I have more,” he said.
Ahri arched her back, only then aware that she was still holding Rafe’s hand. She relaxed her fingers, and he did the same.
“It’s not exactly the way you wanted to spend your first day at work,” he said, standing. “Thanks for letting me be here.”
“Thanks for being here.” She resisted the pull to take his hand again and picked up her purse instead.
“I’m heading back to the office, so I can show you the way,” Rafe said. “Keep me updated, Bill.” He left the office, apparently expecting her to follow, so she did.
As Ahri and Rafe walked, she took in the familiar artwork on the hallway walls, all of REKD champions. The large pictures brought color and character to what would have been a long, sterile corridor. It finally opened on the left, exposing a large area full of work stations.
“This section has some of the engineers and production crews,” Rafe said.
“It’s really open.” Ahri craned her neck, trying to figure out how many people were in what appeared to be a very congested area.
“That’s the intent. This whole business is based on creativity.
If someone has a question, it’s easy to pop up and see if the people they need are at their stations.
Others can chime in. It makes for some great synergy.
The layout also fosters chance interactions that can lead to important discussions.
” Rafe grinned and continued down the hall. “It also cuts down on emails.”
“Do you have a traditional office like Bill?”
“I do, but the guys and I also have stations like these.” He shot her a sidelong glance. “Sometimes we need to be out in the thick of things too. Will that be a problem for you? When my mother came for a tour of the place, she said it’d drive her crazy.”
“I’m used to working in a very traditional office.” Ahri thought that her last job and this one must be on opposite ends of the spectrum. “I liked the quiet, so this will be an adjustment.”
“It was for me too. I am my mother’s son, after all.”
And what a son he was. Ahri had been impressed with Rafe before, but as they continued, it surprised her how many people waved to him. He knew every one of them by name.
“How do you do it?” she asked softly.
“Do what? Learn to work in the chaos?”
“Know your employees so well. This is such a young company, and you’ve grown so fast. How can you keep track of everyone?”
“Don’t tell anyone,” he said conspiratorially, “but I have HR send me resumés and photos of all the new employees. I spend a little time each night going over files of the new people and refreshing my memory about others I don’t interact with often.
I can honestly say that I know everyone who works here. ”
“Wow. I’m . . .” Her words trailed off as she searched for the right word.
“Speechless?” He gave a dark chuckle. “My mother would say it’s because I don’t have a life.”
“And you’d say this business is your life?” she asked softly.
He stopped and turned, those deep blue eyes piercing through her, like he could see into her mind.