Chapter Fourteen
BARRETT RUSHED INSIDEthe room, thankful that Zoey did the same.
He wanted to hurry downstairs, in case his help was needed, but he couldn’t leave her.
Zoey seemed to have the same inclination. “What was that? Let’s find out. I know CPR, though I hope it won’t be necessary.”
He lifted his hand to stop her. “If something happened, it wouldn’t be a good idea for you to get in the middle of it.” She already meant too much to him, though he couldn’t show it. “Besides, it could be a ploy to draw you out.”
She rolled her eyes. In someone else, it might’ve been irritating. In her, it was endearing. Maybe because he found everything about her endearing by now. “I don’t believe the world revolves around me, Barrett. Why do you always imagine the worst-case scenarios?”
Was that true? Wasn’t that his job? Or was he a pessimist? Either way, he preferred to call himself a realist. But something unspoiled about her spoke to him on a level he didn’t want to recognize. “Because I’ve seen the worst-case scenario play out too many times.”
“Okay, then I’ll stay here. You go.”
He shook his head. “I can’t leave you by yourself. Besides, the security is top-notch here. They’ll take care of whatever it is and report to Kennedy.”
“The security is top-notch here, as well.” She gestured around the room. “I mean, the locks are secure, and cameras are everywhere. The Italian vase and I will be safe. Besides, what if something happened to Kennedy and she needs help?”
He wanted to say Kennedy knew how to take care of herself, but so had many people whose deaths or kidnappings he’d investigated. “I’ll be right back. Please lock the door behind me.”
He hurried outside the room but waited precious seconds to hear the lock clicking. Then he dashed to the elevator that thankfully arrived fast.
His foot tapped the plush floor as the elevator took him downstairs. He was out of the cabin before the doors fully opened. The sight of the crowd beyond the glass door leading outside guided him to where, well, the situation was.
He pushed through the crowd centered on Kennedy, Sofia, and a young tall—definitely over six feet—guy in a waiter uniform who looked exceptionally pale. As if to make up for it, Sofia’s face was so red that, if it darkened a few shades more, it would match her lipstick. Todd was nowhere to be seen.
Kennedy stood there calm and collected as always—she’d probably look calm and collected in a tornado or a hurricane—but the skin around her mouth was stretched a bit. “Ms. Rossi, I assure you, we’ll get the camera footage and find out what happened to your bracelet. My security team is working on it as we speak. And the police will be here any moment.”
He cringed. A jewelry theft also occurred at his brother’s charity gala. Was history repeating itself? At least, that theft had brought Tex and Rachel together, and they were now deliriously happy.
And it seemed the culprit was caught red-handed this time. Something shifted inside Barrett. His gut told him the guy wasn’t guilty. It seemed too easy. Almost like it was... staged?
Sofia huffed. “First of all, it was a diamond bracelet. Second, I know what happened.” She pointed her long-nailed crimson finger at the waiter. “He stole it!”
Apparently, the fireworks had started already, only with a different kind of fire.
The guy flinched and straightened his spine to its full capacity, which was considerable. “I did no such thing.”
Barrett didn’t expect him to either steal or admit if he had. All the personnel at Kennedy’s hotels and her functions were vetted. But then, one never knew. Keeping hidden in the crowd, he pulled up the hotel grounds camera footage on his phone.
“But that’s the only explanation!” Sofia screeched, making Barrett look up. “I stepped out of the building to make an important call. I had the bracelet on. Then this guy walked by.” She pointed at the waiter again.
Barrett returned his attention to the phone and found the needed footage. Sofia had stood under a tall bald cypress near some hibiscus bushes. While he wasn’t an expert on flora, he had some knowledge of plants after some incidents in his career occurred outdoors—besides, almost any local could easily identify those genera.
Then the waiter passed by on the screen. He seemed to be texting, oblivious to the celebrity in his way. As he got closer to her, he walked around her, not lifting his head. The issue was, he blocked the camera view of Sofia as he walked by. When the view of Sofia was unblocked, the bracelet was no longer on her wrist. It didn’t bode well for the man. Barrett grimaced.
“This guy has a name, Mr. Horton,” Kennedy said.
“Mr. Horton was texting on his phone. He walked by close.” Sofia’s lips snaggled. “As if he didn’t see I was standing right there. As if he didn’t even notice me.” She clearly found it insulting when someone didn’t notice her. She continued, tears in her voice. “Now I know it was intentional. After he passed by, my bracelet was gone!”
While Sofia continued hurling accusations, Barrett inspected the asphalt, then slipped away from the crowd.
“How would I manage to get your bracelet without you even noticing it?” Horton’s voice rose.
Barrett found the cypress and the hibiscus bush, leading to the spot where Sofia must’ve been standing. The grass was flatter here, as well.
Sofia scoffed. “Some people can be very slick. Besides, did I mention I was engrossed in an important phone call? I wasn’t paying attention to the things around me. Now my diamond bracelet has been stolen! It was very valuable! I’m the victim here! Wait until my followers hear about this!”
A man in a security uniform made his way through the crowd.
Why hadn’t Kennedy looked at the footage from the start? Oh yes. She had someone else looking through recordings while she contained the conflict. Now that someone must be bringing her the results that would confirm Sofia’s words and throw blame at Horton.
Sirens split the air in the distance. The police would be here soon. Barrett didn’t have much time. Using his phone flashlight, he searched the area nearby, the grass, the thicket, and even the trees. First to no avail, but soon he hit pay dirt.
Yes! He did a mental fist pump. He couldn’t wait to tell Zoey about this. It would be so nice to be able to share some details of his work, of his life. Just like a bird who could sing beautifully, she put a song in his heart without even noticing it.
Itching to see her soon, he took several photos of the thicket and the item, then dashed to the parking lot as the patrol car arrived. He intercepted the police officer, explained the situation, then showed his find.
Because of the nature of his work, Barrett had worked with Officer Jennings previously and had even helped him on a few cases.
Jennings rubbed his hands. “I wish all my cases were as easy to solve.”
Unease clenched Barrett’s stomach. “I’m afraid it’s not solved yet. Did Sofia throw the bracelet away? Why the entire spectacle then? Was it for insurance? For attention? Or if it was Horton, was he trying to hide it here to pick it up later?”
Officer Jennings shrugged. “That’s up to us to find out.”
“Let me know whether I can be of any help.” Barrett would keep an ear to the ground. But now he wanted—ahem, needed—to get back to Zoey.
Because Sofia could’ve created this charade for a reason. To give someone an opportunity to get Zoey alone.
Barrett went cold as he dashed back inside the hotel, met by a warm wave of heated air, and then to the elevator. Every second of waiting seemed like an eternity, and he nearly took the stairs.
Once outside the penthouse door, he knocked on it. Kennedy had given him the key, but using it didn’t feel right. “Zoey, it’s me.”
There was no answer, and his heart dropped a little. He knocked again. Still no answer.
This time, his heart dropped all the way into the rich Persian carpet in the gilded private hall. “Zoey?” He didn’t like how panic crept into his voice.
He swiped the card and entered the room. His insides went cold. Nothing seemed to be broken or missing—including that Italian vase—but Zoey was nowhere to be seen.