Chapter Six
Noah
Noah waited patiently, the phone pressed to his ear as Aubrey gathered her thoughts. After a few moments of silence, he furrowed his brow, leaning back in his chair.
“Hello? Miss Gray?” Noah tried again. When she didn’t immediately reply he frowned and debated whether she was in trouble or if she’d called him on accident. Deciding it was likely an accident, he began to move the phone away from his ear.
“Hi,” Aubrey’s quiet voice said. Noah frowned, straining to hear her.
“Aubrey? Are you okay?” He asked, leaning forward in his chair.
“Sort of?” She said, sniffling before huffing a laugh.
“Did you mean to call me?”
“Yes.”
“Okay…how can I help you?” Noah asked, concerned. Last time they spoke she had been adamant that she had no need for security and he was shocked she called him.
“Actually, I… It’s just…” She hesitated for a moment. “I’m in a bit of trouble and could use some help.”
“Tell me more,” Noah said, grabbing a pad of paper and pen so he could take down any pertinent information. Noah waited for a moment and frowned when she didn’t continue.
“Miss Gray?”
“Aubrey.” She corrected softly. “We may as well be on a first-name basis if we are going to work together.”
Noah’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. They were going to work together?
“Aubrey,” Noah replied warmly, letting her name roll off his tongue. He could work with this. He could handle the woman who was hesitant to hire security. Whatever happened must be serious. She was asking for help even though she clearly wasn”t used to it.
Noah decided to try to lighten the mood. Maybe she’d respond well to that. “More tire trouble?” He asked playfully.
Aubrey chuckled quietly. “I wish. It’s actually kind of complicated.”
Noah waited, letting the silence settle between them.
“There was a threat on my life I need to take more seriously.” Aubrey said pensively, “I think I may need to hire a bodyguard for a little bit.”
Noah could practically feel his brain stutter to a halt. Was there a type of threat people didn’t take seriously? “Do you know who is threatening you?” He asked.
“I…can we talk about it in person? I’d feel more comfortable if I could show you.” Aubrey pleaded.
Noah released a breath. “Of course. We always meet prospective clients as a team to get information on what’s going on and then decide as a collective if our company is a good fit. Are you able to come to our office?”
“Where is the office?”
“Downtown Trenton. I can text you the address when we hang up if that would be helpful.”
“That would be perfect. I can be there in an hour.”
“Is it safe for you to leave your home on your own, or do you need one of us to escort you in?”
“I think I’m safe to come in on my own.” She said hesitantly.
“Listen to me, Aubrey. Two things: First, make sure you’re attentive to your surroundings. If you think someone is tailing you or you have any other physical concerns, you give me a call immediately, and I will come to you and escort you to the office. Secondly, listen to your gut. If you step outside and something feels off, go back inside, call me, and I’ll come and escort you to the office.”
“Thanks, Mr. Hawthorne.”
“Noah.”
“Noah. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon. Drive safe.” He added, his traitorous mind replaying the sound of Aubrey saying his name. He liked how his name sounded coming from her.
As soon as the call ended, Noah picked up his phone and dialed Theo’s extension.
“Miss me already?”
“Aubrey Gray called me just now,” Noah said, moving the pen and paper back to their designated spot so his desk was clear. He needed to be able to focus. “She’s in trouble.”
“Fill me in.” Seriousness took over the banter from a moment before, and Noah leaned back in his chair, replaying the conversation with Aubrey in his mind.
“I’m not entirely sure. She mentioned there was a threat to her life that she needed to take more seriously.”
“Is there a threat to her life she doesn’t take seriously?” Theo asked incredulously.
“Apparently—” And he would get to the bottom of that too. Any threat to life and limb should be treated as serious. “She’s going to come in to meet the team. She wanted to discuss the threat in person. Meet me in the conference room in about an hour with whoever isn’t on assignment. We’ll collect information, assess the problem, and determine which contract would be the best fit.”
“Sounds good. Need anything right now?”
“Will you let the rest of the team know about the meeting?”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks, man.”
Noah ended the call and stared at the ceiling. He felt responsible for Aubrey Gray in a way he hadn’t since Lettie and her case had nearly destroyed him. A vision of Lettie’s dead body flashed through his mind, and he grimaced. He wouldn’t lose Aubrey. He’d get the information and tell her that all threats to life and limb should be taken seriously. He wasn’t able to protect Lettie, but he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
***
Aubrey
The drive to Trenton was blessedly uneventful, though Bree obsessively watched her mirrors to make sure she wasn’t being followed. On one level, it seemed unlikely that someone would be tailing her, given the fact they sent the gift to her public post office box, but what if it was a trap? What if it was meant to lure her into a false sense of complacency, and they actually knew where she was? Bree shuddered. No, she’d take paranoia over being the woman in the horror movie checking out strange sounds in the haunted basement. Man, was she glad her house didn”t even have a basement.
Bree parked her car and walked up to the average-looking brick office building. Honestly, if the door didn’t say Hawthorne Security on it, she could just as easily be walking into a DMV or a bank. Inside the door was a small reception area that was surprisingly well-decorated. The natural light from the big windows brightened the space. There were a couple of white sofas near the windows and a coffee table in front of them, staged with a stack of magazines and a blue vase full of real flowers.
An older woman with short gray hair sat behind the computer at the reception desk and smiled as Bree walked in.
“Good morning! How can I help you?” She asked warmly.
“I’m here to see Noah Hawthorne,” Bree said, rubbing her hands on her jeans.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, ma’am. But he is expecting me.”
“What’s your name?”
“Aubrey Gray.”
“Have a seat on the sofa, Miss Gray. Mr. Hawthorne will be out to get you in a moment.”
“Thank you,” Bree said, her heart racing. She could do this. She clutched the box she was holding and walked over to the couches that looked far more comfortable than the couch she currently had. Her home decorator had definitely picked it for its style instead of its function. Bree perched on the edge of the sofa, drumming her fingers quietly against the cardboard box.
A few minutes later, a door to the right of reception opened, and Noah walked out. He spotted her immediately in the small space, his eyes scanning her quickly. Seemingly satisfied that she was uninjured, he walked over to her and held his hand out. “Thanks for coming in,” Noah said.
Bree stood, shifting the package, and shook his offered hand. “Of course.”
“Come on back. I’ll introduce you to the team, and then we can discuss what’s going on. Sound good?”
Bree swallowed nervously. What if they thought she was overreacting? Noah was watching her closely, likely observing all of the expressions crossing her face. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, except her face was a giant billboard for her emotions. If her mouth didn’t say it, her face definitely would.
“Yeah. Yeah, that’s fine.” She said.
Noah led the way to the door and scanned his badge. A dull buzzing sound preceded the click that let them know the door was unlocked. Noah pulled it open, and Bree looked at it warily.
“It’s okay. It isn’t locked from the inside or anything. We just don’t want just anyone able to walk back into our offices or conference rooms, given the nature of our business.”
“Fair enough.”
They walked down the brightly lit hallway, various portraits of landscapes evenly spaced throughout the hall. Noah guided Bree into a room on the left, and Bree paused, her anxiety spiking. What was she supposed to say? A warm hand rested on her lower back, and she turned to look up at Noah.
“You’re safe here, Bree. I’ll introduce you to Peter—you’ve already met Theo—and then you can give us the rundown of what’s been going on. No pressure.” He said quietly.
Bree walked into the room and set the box she was holding down on the table gently. Noah pulled out the chair at the head of the table and gestured for Bree to sit. Nerves rattled around in her stomach as she sank into the chair.
Noah took the chair immediately to the right of Bree and waited for Peter and Theo to get situated before taking a breath. “You’ve met Theo,” Noah said, gesturing to the man at his right.
Theo waved at Bree, his brown hair looking constantly rumpled. He was skinnier than the other men but still fit. He smiled at Bree and waved a hand.
“Theo is our resident tech expert. He is almost always in the office working behind-the-scenes magic for us,” Noah said.
Bree smiled at Theo and nodded her head in greeting.
“This is Peter,” Noah said, gesturing to the man across from Theo. Peter nodded at Bree, giving a forced smile—almost like his mouth wasn’t quite sure how to smile and make it believable. Maybe he was socially awkward like she was. She could empathize with that.
“Peter knows everything about everything. He specializes in corporate protection and takes on our clients who are high-level executives in various companies.”
Noah continued, “Zach and Eli are out in the field, but you’ll meet them another time. Eli specializes in diplomatic protection, and Zach does protection details and also coordinates with local and national police departments, security agencies, and witness protection.”
Bree nodded and waited for Noah to give her the floor. She could do this. She sang in front of crowds full of people, for goodness sake. She could manage a conversation with three adults.
“So tell us what’s going on, Bree,” Noah said.
“Three days ago, an article was released in a national paper—in print and online,” Bree said, pulling the article out of her purse and handing it to Noah. Noah perused the article and passed it on to Theo.
“Okay,” Noah said. “It seems like a pretty normal article. What happened?”
“I never told anyone where I live. I have all of my mail sent to a PO box in Chattanooga, and I vary my schedule whenever I pick it up.” Bree watched Noah as he processed the information. Theo passed the article to Peter, who read through it quickly.
“The picture in the article was taken at the museum I visit whenever I pick up my mail. I ran into the Millers there and spoke with them, but there wasn’t anyone in the atrium with us. Not that I could see anyway. Regardless, anyone who ran the article would assume I lived in Chattanooga since that’s where my mail goes, and I’m a member at the museum.”
Understanding crossed Noah’s face as he furrowed his brow. “The article specifically mentions Rhodes. So someone knows you don’t live in Chattanooga.”
“Exactly.”
“But plenty of people live in Rhodes, Aubrey. Any one of them could’ve mentioned you live there.”
“But how would the journalist have found a random person from Rhodes if they thought I lived in Chattanooga? They’re not exactly neighboring communities.” Bree said pointedly.
“Fair enough. We can come back to that. So, the article was posted three days ago. Then what?”
Bree hesitated. Maybe she should’ve sent that video to Noah as soon as she got it.
“Aubrey?” Noah asked.
Bree sighed, “The immediate result was a new social media comment on a threat I received a few weeks ago that I had dismissed.”
“A threat you dismissed?” Theo said incredulously.
“Yes. I reported it to Detective Ramirez and sent a copy to my former agent for the file we keep, but then I let it go.”
“What was the threat?” Noah asked, his tone lowering dangerously.
“The commenter threatened to put an end to my ‘self-indulgent existence’ as soon as the media leaked where I was ‘hiding’ from my responsibilities.”
Anger flashed across Noah’s face so quickly that Bree would have missed it if she hadn’t been staring right at him.
“After the article came out, the same commenter replied to their original comment with a picture of the article and Rhodes, Tennessee circled several times along with a message that says ‘got you’. Or something to that effect.” Bree said.
“That’s a big deal, Aubrey.”
“Not really.” Aubrey shrugged. “It kind of comes with the territory of being famous.”
“Actually, although 41% of Americans have dealt with online harassment, women tend to experience more. And since you were threatened with physical harm—specifically death—it actually puts you in the ‘more severe’ category of online harassment, which accounts for around 5% of the instances. So it is more of a ‘big deal’.” Peter countered.
Bree’s jaw dropped, and she quickly snapped it shut.
“He has a photographic memory.” Theo supplied helpfully. “But he is right, Aubrey. Someone threatening your life is a big deal.”
Bree could feel Noah’s eyes on her and felt the moment he realized she was here for something else.
“You’re not here for this threat, though, are you?” Noah asked incredulously
Having Noah’s full attention on her made her feel like she walked into class for an exam she’d never studied for. She could try and fake her way through it, but no way was she going to be able to fool anyone. It was like he could see right through her.
“No, I’m not. I received another message that day on my socials. It included pictures and a video.” Bree pulled up the pictures and video on her phone and handed it to Noah. Theo scooted closer so he could see, and Peter walked around the table to look on from behind.
“The photos are from my old house in Los Angeles which hasn’t been take over by the new owners yet.” Bree said.
She paused as Noah tapped on something—she assumed the video—and watched the emotions cross their faces. Confusion, followed by focus—probably looking at the note—, and then surprise.
“Tell me about the bear,” Noah said evenly, handing the phone back to Bree.
“It was a gift from my Nonna. I hired movers to pack and move my stuff—well, my agent did—and they left it behind.”
“They were inside your home? Adam and Steph have mentioned you”ve been getting some nasty notes, too…Do you have a stalker, Bree?” He asked, the threat of death and violence clear in the deep tones of his voice.
“I…I don’t know. I mean, some level of harassment comes with the job. Not that it should, but it’s expected. The notes fell into that category. They were left on my dressing room table, and they were scary, but it wasn’t like this.” Anxiety rose in Bree’s chest, and she rubbed her fingers on her jeans. This meeting was not doing much to soothe her nerves.
“That’s helpful information but not what I asked. Do you have a stalker, Bree?”
“I think I might,” Bree said softly. “But I’m not convinced he’d come to Rhodes. Or at least I wasn’t until they ran a story with my town listed in it.” Maybe she should move. Her home was finally devoid of boxes except for the pesky kitchen ones. She loved Rhodes, and she loved her house. She didn’t want to go. She took a deep breath and looked pointedly at Noah. “I need to show you something.”
Bree gently pushed the box toward Noah. He reached for the box and paused, his gaze meeting hers in question.
“Open it.” She said flatly.
Noah slowly pulled the top off the box and took in the decapitated bear lying in the box, surrounded by the wrapping, the note carefully tucked in next to it.
“Bree—is that?”
“The same bear from the video,” Bree said with a nod.
“Why do you have it?”
“It was in my mailbox in Chattanooga. I finally got around to opening the packages I picked up last week,” Bree said, watching him lean closer to the box to examine all of the items sitting on it. “When I opened the last package, that’s what was in it.”
“Did you notice anything unusual about the note?” Peter asked.
“Not really. It’s a plain white square—like printer paper—and says, ‘Don’t worry…we came back for you.’”
“And it came to your mailbox in Chattanooga?” Theo asked.
“Correct.”
“So this one must have been mailed before the article. I presume your fan mail PO Box is listed in publicly accessible areas.” Peter said thoughtfully.
“It is.” Bree nodded.
“With the threatening message, the note indicating someone ‘got you’, and the headless bear, it sounds as though someone—or multiple someones—are going to great lengths to cause problems. Now, what we don’t know is whether their goal is to make you uncomfortable or scare you. Or whether they’re legitimate threats and your safety could be compromised.” Noah said.
Bree’s heart sank. She didn’t want to do this anymore. Figure out who was trying to scare her or hurt her or worse. She should’ve just ignored her parents and gone to art school after high school like she wanted. She should’ve made them figure out their own way to take care of Jess. Panic threatened to bubble up, and Bree shoved it aggressively back down. She could have a breakdown later. Not here.
“You need to install security cameras at your home, Aubrey. Just in case. You also should have security with you when you are out—particularly in crowded areas like the gala you’ll be speaking at.” Noah said, gesturing to the article.
Bree bristled at his tone and felt her hackles rise. She didn’t like being told what to do. But since she was clearly in need of security and security was his speciality she needed to try and work with him.
“I don’t want to put up security cameras,” She argued. “But, I would like security to and from the last of my collaborations and any errands.”
Noah leaned back in his chair, a scowl etched on his face. “You’re leaving yourself open to danger, Aubrey.”
“What good is a security camera? They don’t prevent crime, they just record it as it happens. I don’t need people watching my every move.” She’d had more than enough of that when she was still in the spotlight. And when she had lived at home. She was finally free to have peace and privacy—the pesky article on the gala notwithstanding.
“It could help with identification if the stalker leaves something or comes to your house. It could help us find any cars that routinely go by that aren’t part of the neighborhood. No one is going to sit at the office all day and stare at your house.” He argued. “But it can help us in the investigation and in proactively keeping you safe.”
“We’ll revisit the security camera idea later,” Bree said primly.
“Fine—we will revisit it. Soon. In the meantime, we can figure out a rotation to help with covering you as far as events and errands go. I would also suggest having one of us around if you’re going to meet anyone you are suspicious of. That way, we can observe them and the interaction, and we’re there to intervene in case things get out of hand.”
“Is that likely?”
“It depends. While normally I would say no, someone selling the image to the paper and revealing where you live when you would know that it only could have a handful of people speaks to a certain level of desperation. If it was a large group of people who knew you, knew where you lived, and knew your routines, I’d say it was someone just trying to make a quick buck, and they’re less likely to escalate. But, if you find or confront this person or their access to you is cut off—and thus their money supply is cut off—then it could get ugly. I’ve seen people break over less money than what I’m sure they got from the papers.”
A fresh wave of tears threatened to fall as blistering anger and crushing hopelessness ran through her. The picture, taken in her place of refuge, was bad enough. But knowing someone sold the picture and where she lived to the press was enough to overwhelm her entirely. Who could hate her that much? Everyone who knew her knew that she liked her privacy and peace. They knew she kept where she lived out of the public eye—especially now that she was retired.
“We can help take care of this Aubrey.” Noah encouraged.
Bree nodded and furiously wiped the tears away from her eyes. “So, how much does all of this cost?” She asked, cringing internally at what was sure to be an astronomical number. Security wasn’t cheap, and private ‘as needed’ security—which was what their arrangement sounded like—was likely to cost even more.
“We’ll need to know more about your daily schedule, upcoming events, et cetera, before I’m able to provide an accurate estimate. Because it isn’t likely to be around-the-clock protection, it will be less than if we planned to provide a 24-hour protection detail. It’ll probably be in the realm of $3,500 to $5,000 per month depending on travel, events, number of private outings, and the like.”
Bree nodded. Expensive, but not more than expected.
“Thanks, Noah.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled stiffly as though he had to remind his face it was supposed to smile at prospective clients rather than because he actually felt joyful.
“If you could put together a list of collaborations, regular errands, appointments, the gala, and anywhere else where you expect to need private security over the next few months and send it to me via e-mail so I can take a look at the schedule, I’d appreciate it. Then I can send you the paperwork along with a more precise quote.”
“Will do,” Bree said, picking up the box with her bear and standing. “It was nice to meet you and nice to see you again.” She said to Peter and Theo respectively.
“I’ll walk you out,” Noah said, standing as well.
“Thanks.” She said with a grateful smile.
Noah gestured for Bree to walk ahead of him, and they walked down the hall in relative silence.
“Are you comfortable going home on your own, or would you like me to escort you?” Noah asked as they reached the door to reception.
Bree paused. She didn’t want to bother anyone, and she hadn’t formally hired them, so she really didn’t want them to go out of their way—especially all the way to Rhodes. But what if someone was watching her? Following her? A shiver crept up her spine.
“I can go on my own. I’m sure it’s fine.” She said, a forced smile on her face.
Noah didn’t look like he believed her, and, honestly, she didn’t believe herself either. Noah opened the door, and they walked out into the reception area.
“I’ll be careful.” She added.
“Text me when you get inside your house,” Noah said, leading the way to the front doors. He held the door open for Bree, following her outside as she walked to her car.
“Okay,” Bree said, unsure of whether she would or if she’d chicken out from this whole security thing altogether. She unlocked her car and opened the door. Maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing.
Noah leaned against the car door for a moment, his intense gaze meeting hers. “If I don’t get a message, Aubrey, I’ll personally come by to make sure you’re okay.”
Bree’s heart skipped a beat, and she grimaced. Stupid hormones. She nodded to Noah as she grabbed the door handle.
“I’ll text you.”
Seemingly satisfied, Noah stepped away from the car. “Drive safe, Aubrey.”
Bree’s heart stuttered again. When was the last time someone told her to drive safely? Or cared about her safety at all—except Steph and Adam. Man, she missed them. Bree nodded, unable to speak around the knot in her throat, and closed her car door softly.
She would go home and send Noah the information he needed to put together a schedule and quote, and then she could decide if she was going to hire Hawthorne Security. While she didn’t want to be too stupid to live, she also didn’t want to be the woman who cried wolf.