Chapter 10
Ten
Damien knew he should walk down the hall and out of the police station, but when Marcus spoke, he listened.
“What’s the problem?” Pryce asked.
“I can’t reach Harmony,” Marcus said, sliding a look at Damien.
“What?” Damien snapped. “It’s been hours since I saw her. She could be hurt. She could be…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word.
“I sent someone to her apartment and her work. They haven’t been able to locate her,” Marcus said.
“She was going to work after breakfast. We drove separately from her apartment so she didn’t have to double back.” Damien ran a hand over his head. He needed to find her. Now.
“Until she’s missing for twenty-four hours, we can’t do anything,” Pryce said.
“Fuck that. I’m going to find her,” Damien said. He walked away from the two cops, knowing Marcus mentioned Harmony in front of him for that exact reason. Damien would find her.
He climbed in his SUV and tore out of the police visitor lot, turning toward Harmony’s apartment first since it was closer.
He drove around the parking lot, but her car wasn’t there. It didn’t mean she wasn’t, but he had a feeling she was at work, where she said she would be.
Damien debated going straight there, but he knew he needed to update his boss on his own situation. He tapped the screen and called Montgomery.
“Rose.”
“Harmony is missing.”
“What do you mean, missing?”
“Marcus has been trying to reach her, but he can’t get in touch with her. I’m on my way to her school to see if she’s there.”
“What do you need from us?”
“Nothing right now. I just wanted you to know.”
“I guess I should be grateful you haven’t been arrested,” Montgomery said.
“I was worried for a minute, but Pryce is handling the investigation.”
“At least it’s someone who knows you’re not going to go after someone for revenge. He knows you’d never murder someone.”
“Yeah,” Damien agreed, well aware it could have been much worse. He’d had things like that go much worse.
“Keep us posted on finding Harmony. We can try to get her on some traffic cameras if you need us to track her.”
“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.”
“Agreed. Are you coming back here after you find her?”
“I hope so,” Damien said, turning onto campus. “I’m here. I’ll call you when I know.”
“Copy.”
Damien hung up, his eyes focused on the vehicles he passed. Now that he knew what Harmony drove, he had a better chance of seeing if she was there.
The campus was busy. Cars were parked in every available spot. He started close to her building, but when he didn’t see her car, he moved farther and farther away. After searching the entire lot outside her building, he noticed a small driveway that seemed to disappear into the building.
Damien drove down the alley, going slowly in case someone was coming out. When he made it to the interior, there were a dozen vehicles parked near a door marked Employees Only.
Damien sighed heavily when he saw Harmony’s blue sedan with the dented rear passenger door and scraped bumper.
He knew he’d never get into the building using the solid steel door with keycard access, so he went back to the main lot and lucked into a parking space not too far from the door.
Damien hurried across the parking lot to the front door and came face-to-face with the same guy who had told him Harmony wasn’t there before.
“Can I help you?” the guy asked. His sweater vest was the same shade of navy blue as his mug. He wore a crisp white button-down shirt underneath it, with pressed dress pants and shiny shoes.
“I need to see Harmony.”
Sweater Vest shook his head. “Harmony? I don’t know anyone with that name.”
“Yes, you do. My name is Damien Joseph. I’m a friend of hers. I’m worried she’s in danger, and I need to see with my own eyes that she’s safe.”
The guy smiled like Damien was losing his marbles. “I’m sorry your friend is in danger, but no one named Harmony works here.”
Damien knew the guy was protecting her. He knew he was being a good person. And if the situation were any different, he would be grateful for it.
But Damien wasn’t grateful. He was fucking pissed. It was his job to keep her safe. And he was going to make sure he saw her. No matter what it took.
Damien took a step toward the guy. Sweater Vest flinched but stood his ground.
“I need to see her. I was on a date with her last night. I spent the night with her. I don’t know what twisted thoughts you have about her, but I promise you, I will get past you.
I will see her. I can do things your way, or I can do them my way, but I will see her. Now.”
“I wish I could help you, but—”
“Harmony!” Damien shouted. “Harmony Gibbs!”
“Keep your voice down,” the man standing between Damien and Harmony hissed.
“Screw you.” Damien shouldered his way past the guy, sprinting down the hallway and around the corner before Sweater Vest could catch up to him.
Damien spotted a staircase and headed down, remembering Harmony mentioned working in the basement.
He shoved through the doors at the bottom of the stairs. He found himself in a long hallway that stretched out in both directions. Which way?
Damien heard footsteps on the stairs behind him and took a left. He peeked into each lab on his way, then turned a quick corner as the door behind him burst open.
He smelled something cooking in a microwave and took a chance she was getting something to eat. Damien followed the scent of food and found the only open door on the floor.
“Harmony,” he breathed when he saw her in the break room.
“Damien! What are you doing here? How did you get in here?”
“I called security,” Sweater Vest said.
“You haven’t been answering your phone,” Damien said.
“I don’t get reception down here.”
“The woman who followed you last night is dead,” Damien said.
“What? Why? How? Did you…?”
“Fuck. No. I was with you all night,” Damien said.
Sweater Vest made a noise, reminding Damien and Harmony he was still there.
“Thank you, Reed, but Damien isn’t going to hurt me.”
“Are you sure? You just asked if he killed someone.”
Damien didn’t look away from Harmony.
“I know he never would. It just sort of came out. But I’m safe with Damien,” Harmony whispered, as if she couldn’t believe the words until they were out.
“I’ll be next door,” Reed said, hardening his voice in what Damien assumed was supposed to be a threat.
“Thanks, Reed.” Harmony stared after the man for a minute, then focused on Damien. “What are you doing here?”
Damien took a step toward her but stopped and retreated. “I thought something happened to you.”
“So you broke into my school and lab?”
“I was fucking terrified.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Wow.”
“Wow what?”
She exhaled a breath and sat down. “It’s been a long time since anyone noticed if I was around or not, let alone cared.”
Damien dropped to his knees in front of her.
“I care a lot, Harmony. I notice you. I…” Damien swallowed roughly.
“When Marcus called and said the woman who followed you was dead, my first thought was about you. I tried to call you on my way to the station, and Marcus said he kept trying to reach you, too. I couldn’t sit back and hope you were fine. I had to make sure.”
“Thank you.” She reached for him, sliding her hand across his cheek.
He leaned into her touch, turning to kiss her palm. “I’m so fucking relieved you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. I promise.”
“I can’t… Is there a way to reach you when you’re here? A number for your lab or something?” Damien asked.
Harmony nodded. “There’s a phone in the lab. I’ve never needed to use it because…”
He understood. She never had anyone who called her. She never had anyone at all. “You have me, Harmony.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re really okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I… I’m sorry I worried you.”
“It’s okay. But the bad news is the police want to talk to you.”
“What?” she screeched.
“It’s fine. Do you remember the cop we met this morning? Pryce?”
She nodded.
“He’s handling the investigation. He needed to talk to me, too. Since we had a run-in with the woman, Pamela Mercer, he needs a statement.”
She breathed roughly. “I’ve never been questioned by the police.”
“Then it’s a good thing you didn’t do anything wrong, and they won’t think you killed her.”
She winced. “I’m sorry I asked if you did.”
“It’s okay. I should have phrased it differently.”
“No, you… It’s all me.”
Realization hit Damien, and he pushed to his feet. “Are you afraid of me?”
“No. Not at all. I promise you.”
“Are you sure?”
She stood and walked right up to him, sliding her hand around his neck and bringing his lips down to hers. She gripped his neck tight, not letting go of him as she teased his lips and plunged her tongue into his mouth.
Damien sucked in a breath and resisted the urge to take over the kiss. He let her lead, answering each swipe of her tongue with one of his own. She whimpered against his lips, and he hauled her against his body, letting her feel the effect she had on him.
She broke the kiss with a reluctant sigh. “I am very sure I’m not afraid of you.”
“Good,” he whispered against her lips.
“I’m not super excited to go to the police station, though.”
“Do you want me to drive you?”
“You don’t have to do that. You have a job.”
“My boss knows where I am and is on board with whatever I need to do. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll take you there and bring you back here.”
Harmony hesitated a minute, then nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”
Harmony chewed on her lip as Damien checked in with his boss and the police captain to let them both know she was safe and he was bringing her to the station. It had been years since anyone noticed anything about her whereabouts, let alone broke in to find her.
Twice.