Chapter 26 #2
I take a deep breath. The lobby even smells rich, like it’s been lightly scented with designer cologne.
The closest I can do at my house is to spritz an old bottle of Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea spray, which would probably repel people rather than invite them in.
I wonder if fragrances expire, because the one in my room is certainly at least a decade old at this point.
It’s hard not to be taken with the building’s sleek decor—no seventies wood paneling in sight.
Yet the fancy exterior and good smells cannot mask the perpetual cloud of loneliness that seems to hang over Alex’s apartment.
Most of his visitors are the aforementioned cadre of women he dates, and my guilt at my unavailability only heightens when I remember that I am the only consistently present person in his life.
“Hey!” Alex says as he opens the door, arms wide.
He eyes Amaya in the same way I’ve seen him do to women at the club, and I give him a warning look.
I finally have another female friend, and he isn’t going to ruin that for me by dating her.
“Nice to see you again, Amaya,” Alex says, sticking his hand out formally.
Amaya returns the greeting with a polite shake.
Bella, Alex’s dog, runs to me and jumps on me with excitement.
I bury my face in her fur. I love Bella.
Bella, a German shepherd, seems to understand me better than most humans.
Bella doesn’t care that I am a taxicab driver.
No matter what, she greets me as if I am a celebrity.
She just wants scratches and the occasional dog treat—low expectations that I feel particularly suited for.
“Have you found any leads?” Alex asks, handing me a black tea without my even having to ask. He asks Amaya if she wants anything to drink, and she declines.
“Maybe.” Now Amaya gives me a warning look. Don’t share too much information, she seems to say. Attorney-client privilege.
“James might have had some enemies. We’re going to look into it.
We did find a set of numbers in his wallet though,” I say as I scroll through my phone to find the photo.
I understand Amaya wants to keep this investigation under wraps, but thanks to Alex and my community, I’m free. I need everyone’s help on this.
“ ‘NYCRC Number 1045. Fourteen-ninety-eighteen,’ ” Alex reads aloud. “It’s a locker combo for New York City Racquet Club.”
“How do you know?”
“I have a membership to that place and I have a locker there.” For a second, it looks like Alex is flexing the muscles he developed from hitting balls against a wall. “Also, it’s written on a piece of racquet club stationery. I can see the embossed racquet, look.”
Now that he’s mentioned the club by name, I have a vague memory of Alex inviting me to it and me adamantly protesting.
“You invited me once, right?” I ask Alex to confirm.
“Yes! And you refused to go.”
If I recall correctly, the price of membership is well beyond my annual pay. It’s private and exclusive and apparently ungoogleable. I can already see the employees’ eyes narrowing at me if I tried to walk in and chat with them. I’d probably be mistaken for one of the cleaners.
“You know me…” Which is to say, I hate inserting myself into uncomfortable situations—like a fancy gym where I’d not only be the least athletic but also the least rich.
“If you remember, you were supposed to go with me in exchange for me going to not one but two film festivals with you!” Alex retorts.
He laughs to show he isn’t angry with me.
It reminds me that Alex has always been willing to go out of his comfort zone for me, but I’ve rarely, if ever, done the same for him.
“After this is all over, I promise to join you.”
Alex brightens. “This will all be over soon. And you can be my partner for doubles tennis. A certain childhood bully of ours is a member, and I’ve been dying to take him on…”
“Are you okay with us losing, then?” I laugh.
“As long as you’re there, I’m happy,” Alex responds.
“Aw shucks,” I manage to say with a grin.
Even Amaya looks touched from across the room, but soon she’s looking impatient. I can sense what she’s thinking. Let’s get this show on the road!
“Another question…New Frontier, have you heard of it?” I ask, eager to prove that I can add something to this investigation, even if it is by way of Alex. I detect a hint of recognition in Alex’s face at the mention of the company.
“Yeah, it’s new. It’s still private, so there’s not a lot out there on it. Private companies, by their nature, are not beholden to shareholders and have to disclose less. They are going to go public soon.”
“Do you know a guy named Brett? Personally or professionally, I mean?”
“Brett who?” Alex responds.
“Brett Ryan, the New Frontier CEO,” I clarify.
“Oh…no, don’t think so. The tech world is small, but not that small.”
“Are you sure? You were in the same class at Yale. You always go on and on about how you knew everyone in your class…at least a little bit.”
“I mean, there were over a thousand of us in my class. I didn’t know everyone.
Anyways, I’ll head to the racquet club tomorrow.
I’ll find the locker and call you with what I find,” Alex offers, running his hands through his hair.
“And keep me updated on your leads. Let me know what’s going on. I’m worried about you, Siri.”
“Of course, Alex. I will.” I’m grateful to have him in my corner.