Chapter 30
Calvin had beenspecific about me coming alone. What had he found out about Aimee?
I’d dreamed about Aimee last night. I hoped she knew her parents and I were still searching for her. That we’d never give up.
I needed to make time for Christmas shopping for Kaylee as well. My dad called yesterday to let me know he’d be in Vietnam with Rose for the holidays. I was happy he was going away with her. Rose had taken care of him in more ways than one. I knew Dad was hesitant about starting a new relationship. He’d told me once that my mom was his soulmate, and he didn’t want to betray her by loving another woman.
That had been years ago, and I prayed that one day he’d understand that Mom would’ve wanted him to be happy. My parents’ love for each other was the ideal relationship I had dreamed about all my life. Would I ever find someone who loved me that deeply?
Mom left The Triad because she loved my dad. She left a dangerous family for a more peaceful life.
Arrow’s face popped into my mind, and I smiled at our impending duel. He was the first man to make me feel safe and hopeful. I wasn’t as tense or stressed about everything when he was around. But I didn’t want to depend on someone else. What if things didn’t work out between us? Where would that leave me?
Dependence made a person weak, and I’d been relying on myself for too long to change my routine. Yet I couldn’t help letting myself go when he held me.
A reminder buzzed on my phone. Kaylee was staying late at Whiz Kidz because she was presenting her dating app to the software team, along with the other kids. I would’ve attended to support her, but I couldn’t miss this important meeting with Calvin. Kaylee promised to send me the recording of her presentation for me to watch later.
I walked into Bella’s Bistro, and a youthful and vibrant atmosphere greeted me. It had interesting artwork on the colorful walls and unique lighting running across the ceiling. At four in the evening, the eclectic restaurant was packed with people. Three people stood waiting at the pickup section. A group of students huddled in the corner with their drinks, backpacks, laptops, and phones.
A few college students with their Brown University and RISD sweatshirts occupied a couple of tables by the wall. The lively restaurant was in a shopping strip with an adorable boutique, flower shop,and two other restaurants farther down. I planned to take Kaylee here one day.
I ordered a chai latte, got an empty table by the window, and waited for Calvin.
A minute later, Calvin arrived wearing a beanie hat, a leather jacket, jeans, and boots, looking more exhausted than the last time I’d seen him.
“Hey.” He smiled, pulled out a chair, and folded himself into it.
“You want anything to eat? Or a drink?”
“No thanks.” Heglanced around the restaurant, probably looking to see if Arrow was around.
“He’s not here.” I sipped my drink. “You asked me to come alone, so here I am.”
He smirked and leaned into the table. His expression turned serious, and I was afraid of what he was about to say.
“I’ve got some news for you.”
My stomach knotted from the somber tone. “Did you find her?”
“Yes and no.”
“What does that mean?”
“I saw someone who looked like her in Chinatown and at the front of the Boston Children’s Museum. I parked my car and went to look, but couldn’t find her. She was with a man both times, but she didn’t look terrified.”
“Maybe she was scared. Maybe he forced her to act that way.”
“Could be. The girl looked like her.” A kid from a nearby table dropped a drink on the floor, drawing his attention away for a moment. When he turned back, he said, “I’ve got some stuff I need to deal with. I won’t be able to continue helping you. You should head to Chinatown and the Children’s Museum. Ask around. Maybe someone recognized her there.” He met my eyes. “Consider our deal nullified, okay?”
“Our deal with the mystery price?” I asked.
“Yeah. That one.” He smiled.
“If you had continued to help me, what would’ve been the price?”
“A date.”
My eyes widened. “Why?”
“Because I want to annoy Arrow.” He shrugged. “Just to see what he would do. He seems very protective of you.”
I rolled my eyes. “You have that much time on your hands?” Shaking my head, I asked, “When did you see the Aimee lookalike?”
“Yesterday. I was in the city for a meeting.” He sighed. “I know it’s not the best news, but it’s something you can work with.”
“Thank you. It’s useful information. Right now, anything is helpful. It gives me hope,” I said. “I’ll check it out.” He looked tired, making me wonder if there was chaos within The Triad. “Is everything okay with you?”
He flicked me a look. “Dealing with traitors is never okay?—”
The fire alarm shrieked out over the crowd, startling everyone. My body jerked from the loud noise.
“Let’s go, everyone!” shouted the chef and the hostess.
People rushed out of the restaurant.
“Let’s get out of here!”Dion rushed out with his group of friends.
If I had seen him earlier, I would have gone over to say hello. He fist-bumped Tim and Raul, who had come from somewhere. Then the boys rushed off around the corner.
Calvin and I walked across the street, where everyone was standing around. I didn’t see any smoke. The fire alarms were blaring all along the strip mall. What had happened?
“Protective and possessive,” Calvin muttered and glanced at his watch. “Gotta go. I’ll let you know if I receive more info on Aimee.”
“I thought you can’t help anymore?”
“I’m not obligated to help you because we no longer have a deal. But that doesn’t mean I won’t if time becomes available.”
I appreciated his gesture. “Thank you for meeting me today.”
When he left, I stood on the sidewalk watching the fire engines and police cars arrive. The firefighters went into the stores. They returned a few minutes later and told everyone we could go back. It was a false alarm.
Suspicion percolated in my head. This was no accident, and I knew who was responsible. The idea hadn’t dawned on me until now. The perfect distraction to disrupt everything. My lips twisted in annoyance, and I decided it was time to confront him.