25. Damien
Damien
T aking an extra-long look at her shapely legs as she climbed in, I helped Ella into my SUV. As I came around to the driver’s side, and sat behind the steering wheel, Ella was buckling her seat belt. “You know, I didn’t manipulate your flight to LA.” I grinned. “Watching you fasten your seat belt reminded me of that fateful day.”
“I wasn’t supposed to be on that flight.”
“I volunteered to go to LA with Van in hopes of seeing you, but that’s where my input ended.” I squeezed her hand. “This is meant to be, Ella. There’s no denying it.”
She leaned her head back against the seat as I drove out of the parking garage. It wasn’t until we were under the sunny evening sky that she spoke. “How did the emergency board meeting go?”
“It was more symbolic. As chairwoman, Dani needed to inform the members of the day’s happenings.”
“Have you told your mom?”
I shook my head. “Mom told us to handle things. We are.”
Ella turned, her smile growing. “You two are good together. I always admired your bond. Charlotte and I are close, but not like the two of you.”
There wasn’t a secret to our relationship. We’d always been there for one another as long as I can remember. There wasn’t competition between us. If I gave that more thought, I might decide that Darius was our competition. Dad’s second-marriage children against the son from his first marriage. That probably wasn’t healthy, but who was I to judge?
“Did you get a chance to talk to Dani today?” I asked.
“Not about the night you broke things off with Amber. Last night, I wanted to ask her. Today, I decided I didn’t need to.”
I lifted my right hand. “I swear she would confirm my recollections.”
“It doesn’t matter. I choose to trust you.”
“I don’t deserve you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever let you go.”
As we drove, Ella told me more about her meeting with Millie Barns as well as her lunch with Niles. While I knew for certain there was nothing romantic between Ella and Niles, there was still a small part of me that wished her best friend was female. I wouldn’t say that to her because the more I thought about it, the more I realized my best friend was female—my sister. And so was the person I wanted to spend my forever with.
“Did you get any work done with the campaign?”
“Talking with Millie helped me prioritize some things.” She grinned. “I can’t tell you more.”
“What the hell?”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “I decided that Millie either trusts me to pull this off or she gave me enough rope to hang myself. If it’s the latter, I won’t give her the satisfaction.”
“She likes you.”
Ella nodded. “She does. I also got the feeling that without Julia’s call, things could have gone south fast. I want to make this work.”
“I have no doubt.” I turned her direction. “How about we spend tonight at our other place.”
“Since we’re only engaged, I think we can refer to our respective homes.”
“Houses,” I corrected. “A home is where we are together.”
A smile curled her lips. “You’re such a romantic.”
“On Tuesdays, I have meals delivered. Currently, only three a week. We’ll have to cook them, but all the ingredients are there.”
“Cooking in that kitchen,” she said, her words coming out singsong. “Yes.”
“What about Duchess?”
“Let’s stop by my place. I’ll pack clothes for tomorrow and cosmetics. For today we can just set the automatic feeder. Hey, did the company do inspections of our security systems today?”
“They were supposed to.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I have been crazy busy.” I tilted my head toward the phone holder in the console. “Check my messages and see if they sent me a text.”
Ella looked suspiciously at my phone. “You want me to look in your phone. That’s a little personal, don’t you think?”
“Last night, my tongue was in your cunt. I think we’ve passed the personal boundaries.”
She scoffed. “When you put it like that.” Ella picked up my phone. “What’s your code?”
“1216.” With a sly grin and a sideway glance, I watched for Ella’s reaction.
“That’s my birthday.”
“Easy to remember.”
“Oh,” she said, “there is a message. It just says to call a man named Anthony.”
“He’s my contact. I’ll call him in the morning.”
“It’s odd,” Ella said. “My cameras have been off since I got out of the meeting with Millie.”
“I’m sure it was them.”
“You’re probably right.”
I pulled the SUV up to the curb near Ella’s place. Although I’d shrugged it off, I didn’t like hearing about her cameras. Looking up at the townhouse, everything appeared normal. “Maybe I should go in first.”
“Why?”
“Your cameras,” I reminded her.
“Don’t do that, Damien. Stop adding worry where it doesn’t exist. Don’t you think we have enough shit going on?”
I lifted my hands. “Okay, guilty as charged. And besides, Darius was busy this afternoon in IMPD booking.”
“You didn’t have him charged,” Ella said as she unlocked the front door.
“I did. We can drop the charges. I want him to know I’m serious.”
“Duchess,” Ella called as we entered the condo. “Will you go fill the automatic feeder while I go upstairs and pack?”
“Don’t be long,” I said, leaving a kiss on her lips. “Duchess,” I called, thinking how the cat was usually our greeting committee. Maybe I was no longer novel. “Ella,” I yelled as I entered the kitchen. “Ella, get down here.”
Fuck.
I ran toward the steps as she was coming down.
“What’s the matter?”
“The glass door to your deck is open.”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “No, I wouldn’t leave it open. Duchess. Oh my God. Duchess.”
“Is anything else out of place?” I asked.
“Did that company do this? Damien, we need to find Duchess.”
Did the security company leave a door open?
They better the fuck have not.
I pulled out my phone to call Anthony when Ella’s desperate calls refocused me. Find the cat. Then call the security company.
I searched Ella’s backyard. I suppose it could be called that. It was lush green grass and manicured bushes and flowerbeds all surrounded by a tall, stained fence. “Duchess.”
Looking up at the height of the fence, I felt minutely better. Duchess couldn’t jump over the privacy fence. I shone the light from my phone under the deck and called the cat’s name. From the open door, I could hear Ella’s voice grow more desperate.
Once inside, I closed the door and continued my search.
Under the sofa.
Behind the television stand.
Duchess was the only cat I knew. I had no idea where she would hide.
Finally, I began opening cabinets.
“Damien.”
I turned to take in Ella’s tear-streaked face. Simply seeing it made my heart break. Her hands were empty. “We’ll find her,” I said.
“She’s not here.”
Her hands trembled as I pulled her to me. “We’ll find her.” I stroked her hair. “Let me call the security company.”
Ella nodded.
Taking out my phone, I hit Anthony’s cell number. He answered on the second ring. “Did you do a security check of the three houses?”
“We were able to check Dr. Sinclair’s place. She has a top-notch system in place. I have a few upgrades to recommend.”
“What about Ms. Crystal’s condo near downtown Carmel?”
“I thought she would have told you.”
“Told me what?”
“When we arrived, she said to come back tomorrow.”
My grip of the phone tightened as I pulled it from my ear and hit the speaker button. “Anthony, there’s a problem. Ms. Crystal left her house this morning about seven thirty. What time did your men arrive?”
“Mr. Sinclair, I have the notes right here.”
Ella’s eyes were growing wider with each passing second. Her hand was near her mouth as if she wanted to cry out.
“What time?” I asked louder than before.
“Right here. The notes say Ms. Crystal was home and asked us to return tomorrow. The time is 9:20 a.m.”
“Call the police,” Ella said.
“Your people never came in the condo?” I asked for confirmation.
“No, sir.”
“Can your men describe the woman they saw?”
“I’ll call my guys and call you back.”
“Hurry,” I said, disconnecting the call.
My gaze met Ella’s. “You should call the police. Someone was here.”
“Who hurts a cat?”
“Duchess is fine. She probably got scared and ran out. We can call the humane society. I know, go on your neighborhood app and post a picture.”
My phone buzzed.
It was a text message from Anthony.
“Still talking to them. Blond woman. Tall. I’ll call soon.”
Fuck .