7. Chapter 7
Levi had spent the weekend moving the files and equipment he wanted to keep from his P.I. business to his storage facility. The plan was to sell the building to the developer who’d been hounding him for a few months now. He was going to make a profit on the sale, but he wanted to make sure he got everything of value out before he started his new job. The developer could deal with all the crappy used furniture. Closing the business had always been part of the plan. It just took longer than he’d hoped for Andrea to bring him into her business.
He also avoided her invitation to come to the house this weekend. It wasn’t a lie when he said he was busy moving, but it was also deeper than that. This was his last weekend of freedom. Luckily, he had said no. On Saturday night, Valerie went into labor with daughter number two. Addilynn Grace de Laney. She was a week early but healthy and cute as a button. The picture he had gotten of her made him smile every time he saw it. Andrea had kept the tradition of A names with her kids which surprised him. Her great grandfather, Andrew, started the trend and it seemed like even though she hated her own father, she was determined to keep that part of the family alive. Andrew, Anthony, Alexander, Andrea, Asher, Allie, and now Avrie and Addilynn. It was cute. Maybe one day he would have traditions with his own family.
Over the weekend, he also downloaded the file Victor had on Melanie’s stalker. It wasn’t a lot. Levi understood why with as busy as Victor was and the lack of leads he had, but it also seemed like he could’ve been doing more. In fact, the only reason anyone from DeLaney was even keeping tabs on Melanie was because Andrea had ordered it. The note in the file read: Boss assigned security. Target declined. Surveillance anyway.
Melanie declined to have people protecting her. He couldn’t blame her, yet he wished she would’ve just taken it. Stalking cases always escalated at some point. Right now, it seemed like hers was determined to keep his distance. Eventually that would change. So far, she had received some flowers, a card, and tickets to the symphony. Her apartment had been broken into and the furniture rearranged which was extremely weird. There had also been a dead bird left on her counter.
Whoever this guy was, he needed to work on his romantic abilities. Dead birds were never a good thing. Levi planned to check her computer and phones for bugs once he got his clearance to the HQ building. Whether or not she wanted him to, Levi planned to make finding the stalker his first mission. If anyone on the outside questioned it, he knew trying to find someone who wanted to hurt the DeLaney accountant was a good thing. Personally, even if he couldn’t date her, he still wanted to know she was safe.
Just when he was getting fidgety from sitting in his car, two DeLaney Range Rovers rolled up behind him in front of the building. Six months ago Andrea started traveling with two cars. When he asked about it, she had waved him off, but he knew something had happened she didn’t tell him about. She didn’t enjoy having more people with her yet she was doing it willingly. Just another thing he might figure out when he got full access.
He got out of his car and met her on the sidewalk. She was dressed in her standard tailored suit but looked like she needed another few hours of sleep. “Good morning,” he said as she approached.
“Morning.” Hutch and Anna flanked her and Levi. “I’m only here for an hour or so to introduce you and get your security clearance. Then I’m going back to the hospital. You’re on your own after that,” she said as they walked in the lobby.
“Ok.” That was fine. She needed to be taking care of the baby and her wife. He was just glad she was here at all because this would be more awkward if he had to officially meet everyone alone. “How are they doing?”
They got on the elevator and she hit the six button. Anna didn’t get on with them, she disappeared down a hall off the lobby. “Avrie didn’t want to go to daycare, so that was a thing,” she said with an eye roll. “Val’s exhausted, but Addy is perfect.” She had a smile on her lips when they stepped off the elevator. He could feel Hutch watching them closely. As always, he was silent.
Scarlett stood off the wall as they got closer. She eyed him carefully, and he prayed she didn’t remember their run in at the Mystic Unicorn a couple of years ago. That would just be awkward.
“Scarlett, this is Levi Warner,” Andrea said and punched in the code to her office. “He’s the one I was telling you about Saturday.”
“Right. The Intelligence guy.”
They shook hands. Her grip was too tight but he would let her have her dominance. She was number Two. He understood the hierarchy. “Good to meet you,” he said.
“Yeah. Except I’m pretty sure I know you from somewhere.” She followed Andrea in the office.
“He was a private investigator in town.” Andrea sat heavily in her chair. It seemed like Val wasn’t the only one exhausted. “You’ve probably seen him snooping around somewhere. Anyway, sit. I don’t have a lot of time.”
Judging by the way Scarlett was looking at him though, she wouldn’t let it go so easily. “Victor should be here any second.”
Right on time there was a knock on the door before Victor pushed his way inside. “Sorry I’m late, Boss.”
“We just sat down. Pull up a chair. You can make introductions after I’m done.” He grabbed the chair by Val’s desk. She leaned forward on her elbows when they all scooted around to make room for him. “This will not be a pissing contest of who’s in charge or who’s doing what. I’m in charge. What I want goes. Got it?”
“Yes, Boss,” Victor said while Levi and Scarlett nodded. He liked her better when she wasn’t cranky. It made him wonder if something happened because just being tired never made her bitchy.
“Security and Intelligence will run parallel to each other. Victor nothing changes except a few personnel.” She waited for him to nod before looking at Levi. “If Victor gives you a lead or asks for help you give it.”
“Got it.” He wasn’t here to disrespect the old man. Victor had rightfully earned his place. He had no intention of trying to take the spot.
“Levi reports directly to you, Scarlett. I expect to be kept in the loop on the investigations and finances.” Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out with a sigh. “I expect you all to work together on who gets transferred and who, if anyone, we hire from the outside. Excuse me.” She stood up and went into her private bathroom with her phone to her ear.
The three of them looked at each other. Of course Scarlett was the one to break the silence. “We knew there was someone feeding her information, we just didn’t expect it to be…”
“A kid,” Victor said when she struggled to find a word to describe him.
It made him smile. If all they had a problem with was his age, then he could work with that. “Only for about five years. She made me who she wanted me to be.” He shrugged and glanced at the door hoping she would come back soon. “I’m only here to help. I swear.”
“Well,” Scarlett looked at Victor and back to him, “All I can say is you better be what we need or I’ll put a bullet in your head myself.” Even though she looked more than serious, Levi knew it would never come to that. There was no way he would fail.
“I’ll remember that,” he said and gave her a smile. What he wanted to say was he loved her attitude. No matter who she was talking to she always in one form or another liked to threaten them. He’d read enough texts and listened to more than enough of her calls to know when she meant it though. “You’ve done a lot of good things since becoming Two. With all of us working together now, we can do more.”
“Oh God. He’s an optimist,” Victor grumbled and stood up to grab a water from the hidden fridge in the cabinet.
“It seems a little unfair that you know us and we don’t know you,” she said and accepted the water Victor handed her too.
“Ask what you want.” If playing twenty questions was going to ease their minds, he was game.
“How many tunnel entrances are there?” Victor asked before Scarlett could swallow and ask her burning questions.
He knew he shouldn’t know the answer. There were a lot of things he knew that he shouldn’t. Maybe in this case it would make Victor like him. “Twenty-nine from outdoors. Four from houses. One from the mansion. Ten from DeLaney buildings. One from City Hall. One at the courthouse. And one from this office.”
“Where’s the one in this office?” Scarlett asked.
“Nice try. That’s a secret.”
The look of approval on Victor’s face was all he needed. “He’ll do.”
“Not so fast.” Scarlett turned to look him in the eyes. “Where do I know you from?”
He really didn’t want to answer that but obviously she wouldn’t let it go. “You introduced yourself at the Mystic Unicorn.” That wasn’t answer enough because she scrunched her brows together. “The night Bril setup Roslyn.” Saying that seemed to be better than saying when you were heartbroken and the day before Andrea got married.
“Jesus. I hit on you,” she said with a groan. “Fuck my life.”
“Hey, I took it as a compliment,” he said with a wink. “I knew who you were, which is why I declined.” Better to say that then the thought of her in bed terrified him.
“That’s embarrassing.”
“She’s done worse,” Victor said and chuckled.
The door to the bathroom opened, and Andrea came out straightening her blazer. It was a habit when she was stressed or nervous. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this, but I need to go. Victor get Levi access to the computers and a code for the doors. Full access.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Scarlett, make time to go over personnel changes and decisions with both of them. Whatever works with all of your schedules. I want the final approval on the list so get it to me when you’re done.”
“You got it.”
“After you’re done with Victor, there’s a contractor coming at ten. Explain to him what you want for the eighth floor, Levi.” When he nodded, she looked at her watch. “After that, meet with Melanie about the money. She’ll explain what I’ve set aside and what I want. I want your estimated budget by end of day tomorrow.”
“Yes, Boss,” he said. It felt funny to say, but it was the right thing to do.
The look she gave him said it was weird for her too. “My plan is to have all this up and running by the end of next month.” It was fast, but everything with DeLaney was fast. “I’m sure there are questions, but I don’t have time for them today. Catch me individually when you call or we’ll set something up for the three of us for Friday or early next week.”
When Victor and Scarlett stood up, he did too. “We’ll be fine. Go do what you need to,” Scarlett said and headed toward the door. Victor followed her. He figured that was his cue too since he was supposed to get with Victor after this.
Andrea said, “Levi, wait for a second.”
He paused, and when the door was closed, turned back to her. “What is it?”
She walked to him. “I’m sorry I’m throwing you to the wolves. I wanted to be here.” She looked incredibly conflicted and his chest tightened. It was time for him to show her he could handle this on his own.
“I’ll be fine as long as Scarlett doesn’t bite me,” he joked.
It at least made her smile. “Thank you for doing this.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a lot to ask of you.”
“It’s what I want.” He shrugged and squeezed her hand before she could pull it away. “Go be with your family, Mama A. Whatever happened is more important than worrying about me right now.”
“Nothing happened. Val’s amazing and the girls are healthy. The doctor’s are just being cautious.” She straightened out her jacket for the millionth time and took a deep breath. “DeLaney has gotten so big, it’s hard to know if I’m taking us in the right direction. It feels right to take this step, but if I’m wrong…I just want to have a company my kids can be proud of.”
“Well, I’m proud of you.” It might have been too sappy, but sometimes the truth was.
“I’m proud of you too,” she said with a smile. “Now, I really need to go. Call me if you need to and be nice to Melanie. She’s brilliant. Listen to her ideas.”
He shook his head and opened the door. Of course she would go there. “Bye,” he said and watched her walk to the elevator.
“Alright, Superstar, you’re with me,” Victor said and took off down a hall. With a nod to himself he followed. Today was going to be too long if they were already starting out with nicknames. It was better than just being called ‘kid’ though.