8. Lexi
8
Lexi
“ D on’t go anywhere until I come and get you.” That’s the last thing Gabriel said to me in the meeting room before he went off to talk to Peter. The social media video of us together got a zero reaction from him—except for a muffled growl. I have no clue what he thinks of our conversation, but if I were him, I wouldn’t call it a success.
Living with Gabriel is the last thing I wanted, but now that I am, I need to come up with a plan to keep him out of my affairs.
First things first, though. I have to warn Lena about what’s happening. My fingers fumble for my phone in my purse. One ring, and she picks up.
“Where are you?”
“I’m out. Do you need anything? How did it go with Lucas today?” Lena asks.
“I didn’t see Lucas. He didn’t come to the office. But my new friend from last night, Gabriel, came by.”
“Aw, tell me more. The hot guy?”
“What? No. More likely, the insufferable know-it-all. Look, I’ll explain everything, but you need to meet me. How soon can you get here? ”
“Now you’re getting me worried. I’m not that far. Maybe ten minutes. Where exactly should I come?”
“Head straight to the underground parking at my office building. I’ll tip security to let you in as a visitor. Just flash them a friendly smile, and please don’t mention you’re a journalist. Take the elevator down to minus three. Please don’t call. I’ll leave my phone in the office. I’ll come find you there.”
“Are you serious? What’s going on?”
“Come on, Lena, I don’t have time.”
“Fine, I’m on my way. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I drop my phone back in my purse on the table. Maybe it’s paranoia, but I can’t shake the feeling Gabriel has me under constant surveillance.
The meeting room door clicks shut behind me. I make a beeline for the elevator, praying it goes straight down. Thankfully, the doors whoosh open. But first, I need to tell security about Lena coming. But not on this floor, where Gabriel can walk out of his meeting with Peter anytime and spot me. The elevator goes down quickly, and I dash out onto the ground floor. A quick call from the front desk phone later, and the guards know to expect Lena. Mission accomplished, I jump back into the elevator and press minus three. Gabriel’s car is on minus one, so our paths won’t cross even if he were to leave right now.
The parking lot looks deserted and dark. As I walk in, motion sensors flicker on, casting long shadows across the rows of cars. This place is mostly empty except for forgotten boxes and cars people leave here for long periods.
A thud echoes from the shadows behind me. I whip around, heart pounding. Thanks a lot, Gabriel, for filling my head with paranoia. Now I’m spooked by every sound. But maybe, just maybe, he has a point. Last night’s car accident was more than just a fender bender and some creepy letters.
Still, something about these threats feels off. The idea of someone wanting me dead seems… excessive. Wouldn’t they just get it over with? No one would waste their time scaring me if they wanted me dead. That’s what Gabriel and Peter don’t get—this feels more like a deliberate scare tactic by some nut job I ticked off. They want me gone, not dead.
The rumble of an engine cuts through the silence. It has to be Lena—that was quick.
She pulls over next to me and gets out. I’ve never wanted to hug someone so badly. Lena is my rock, my person. She’s always had my back since we were kids, never let me down, and even stayed with me in the hospital after Dad’s surgeries, at the risk of losing her job. Whatever life throws at us, Lena always looks me in the eye, hugs me, and says, “ You got this, kiddo.”
“You scared me, girl. What’s with the mystery? Why don’t you have your phone with you?” she asks.
“Hold up, we can’t talk until we check if we’re in the clear,” I cut her off.
“In the clear?” she says, puzzled.
“We need to check for microphones and hidden cameras. These things are so small, someone can stick them anywhere.” I scan myself, brushing off my clothes and running a hand through my hair—every spot where Gabriel might’ve touched me.
“You’re being paranoid. He had to hold you to put a microphone on you.”
“Well, he did,” I confess, without looking her in the eye. If she sees I’m even remotely interested in Gabriel, she’ll run me down with questions. Damn it, maybe I am .
“Really?” Lena’s jaw drops. Shit. There’s no way she’ll let me out of here without a full confession.
“I’ll tell you all about it. Can you double-check my clothes, please?”
She does, with a smirk of satisfaction.
“It’s fine. You’re fine. Now, come on, spill the tea. Why did you ask me to come here? Couldn’t we talk on the phone? And why are you freaking out?” Too many questions, but I can see why. I barely explained.
“I’m not freaking out. I’m just being cautious. My life’s going to change from today. Long story short, Peter’s concerned about my safety, so he hired Gabriel to guard me day and night from any potential attackers and threats.”
“Did you say day and night? How is the night shift going to work?”
“Well, I’m moving in with him so he can watch over me 24/7.”
“Do you mean you’ll share a bed with Mr. Smoking Hot? Now that’s what I call private protection.”
“Now’s not the time for it, Lena. This stuff is serious, don’t you get it? I won’t be able to do anything or go anywhere alone.”
“But I can. Relax. There are always ways. We’ll go to Plan B.”
“There’s a Plan B? I didn’t even know we had a Plan A.”
“Well, that’s what we’re doing now. Okay, so the goal stays the same. It’s just our methods that need to change.”
As usual, Lena is super confident. She’s an investigative journalist who constantly finds herself in impossible situations, but she’s incredibly resourceful. When I got here less than two months ago, she opened her home to me and listened to me go on and on about how I needed to find the man who destroyed our lives.
I have a mission but no plan yet. So, it’s been mostly improvising so far, like with the invite to the Casino ball. That could’ ve been my chance to search for pictures and evidence about the car at Lucas’s house. But then, Gabriel happened.
“Absolutely. I’m not giving up my plan to sink the Maiers.” I feel more determined than ever.
“Well, I can keep asking questions and searching around car shops,” Lena offers. She knows a ton of people. “Since you still have access to the company records, see if you can dig up any paperwork on that car they used to hit you: title, purchase records, anything. We’ll keep moving forward, but if you suspect one of them was behind the wheel, the truth will come out. It always does.” Lena squeezes my arm, giving me a reassuring look.
“There’s no doubt about it. I saw it with my own eyes—a sports car, for sure. We’ll track it down. It can’t have disappeared completely. I know it’s special because of the gold symbol sticker it had. That should help us find it,” I continue.
Lena has some graphic designing skills, so she helped me look up the golden Celtic symbol and then superimposed it onto a photo of a sports car matching the one that hit us. I saved the image on my phone, eager to compare it to the real thing. Research pointed to the symbol being a Celtic Love Knot—two artistically intertwined knots forming a downward-facing heart at each end.
The Celtic Love Knot symbolizes devotion, much like our modern wedding rings. And that’s what I find strange about this. Someone with a loving heart wouldn’t have left us stranded like that.
“There’s something else we haven’t thought of.” Lena drums her fingers on the wall we’re hiding behind. “Maybe it disappeared, but like, metaphorically. Have you heard of the Harbor Black Hole?”
“I just read about it in a document Peter brought. It seems to be a hidden part of the port where stolen goods supposedly disappear without a trace. But I don’t know if that’s a real thing. ”
“I mean… it’s one of those urban legends, but there’s some truth to all of them. I’ll ask around. Let me think about it.”
“Lena, please be careful. You got mixed up in my affairs, and I’m afraid you could get hurt.”
Lena is the type of person who dives headfirst into her investigations. Like when she waltzed into one of Dominic Monti’s clubs, hidden camera rolling, dodging security. She’s been obsessed with exposing criminal networks and high-level corruption for a while now. When Dominic caught her recording without permission, they clashed. He threw her out, angry she hadn’t talked to him first, and their hostility lingered. But even though she got kicked out, she’s still hell-bent on exposing some of his regular clients.
“I don’t think your story is any riskier than my investigations. I’m going to miss you,” she says. “We made such a great team. I got the info, and you solved the puzzle. You’re my secret weapon.”
“I won’t be gone for long. I’ll figure it out. If I push back too hard now, Peter might get suspicious.” The thought of Gabriel keeping me apart from the only two people who love me, Lena and Dad, is terrifying. I’ll be all alone.
“Just tell me again how you ended up agreeing to move in with him,” she says with a smirk.
“I don’t know what it’ll be like or where he lives. He just said he’ll come and pick me up later and send someone to your place to get my clothes. Please pack whatever you can. Oh, and something else that’s important. You still got that burner phone?”
“Yeah. Why do you need it?”
“I’m worried Gabriel’s watching every move I make. He’ll probably bug my phone or track me with apps. This burner phone should be safe, though. I’ll use it to call you when we need to talk about the car or the Maiers. Otherwise, I’ll use my normal phone. ”
“Are you sure he’ll go that far? Aren’t you being a little paranoid?”
“I don’t even know. But it doesn’t hurt to be careful. He straight up asked me why I was working for Peter. It’s like he knows something about me or got hired to snoop around.”
A wave of unease washes over me as we reach Lena’s car. The trunk is a mess from last night’s collision.
“And you be careful, Lena. Gabriel gave me the address of a repair shop for you. He’ll take care of the cost. Check for any tracking devices when you pick it up.”
“Don’t worry. I know a guy who can get rid of everything. I could’ve helped you, too, but you’ll be stuck with Gabriel all the time. By the way, what’s the sleeping situation going to be? Do you get your own bed?”
“Come on, Lena. Is that what matters now? The guy doesn’t even like me. I made sure of it. I called him an asshole. A few well-placed barbs should keep him at a safe distance.”
“Too bad. He’s hot. You can at least admit it.” I give her a half-smirk.
Under different circumstances, maybe I’d act differently, too. But if it weren’t for the threat, Gabriel probably wouldn’t have given me a second look. I’m sure he’s got plenty of women. And from my recent experience in his arms, I understand why they would want a man like him.
“There’s no way he’s single; he’s too good-looking,” I blurt out. “Anita practically glued herself to him last night, and I’m sure there’s a waiting list a mile long. He’s friends with Dominic Monti. Nightclubs, parties… so you can imagine the secrets that land on his lap. He keeps his ear to the ground on everyone’s affairs, from his buddies to his business partners. Lena, the guy’s a fixer. He didn’t want to explain why he was doing this job for Peter. Well, besides the money. What else is Peter paying for?”
“God, Lexi. Your imagination’s gone wild. He’s not going to make you disappear into the Harbor Black Hole. Not now, when everyone thinks you two are a couple. What I saw in that video was super romantic. And you didn’t even bother to tell me last night, you sneaky little thing.”
“That’s a problem, actually. Nothing to be happy about. It’ll keep Lucas away from me. He’ll think Gabriel and I hooked up.”
“Okay, I see where you’re going with this. But why do you think it was one of the Maiers who hit you and your dad?”
“It all points back to them. They’re the only ones with factories in our hometown, rolling up in those flashy, sleek cars that are not good for our dirt roads. And here’s the kicker: Peter’s never been known for throwing money at injured workers. He sticks to the contracts and plays by the rules. Yet, here we are, Dad’s surgeries covered even though the accident happened off site. Everything about it screams guilty.”
“What if you find the car here in the city, and it’s not theirs?”
“I’m going to put whoever did it behind bars. Seven years in prison is the maximum, and I’ll make sure they get it.”
“Look, don’t get me wrong. I’ll back you up whatever you decide. But maybe your dad’s right. You need to let go of the past, move on, and live in the present. Won’t you consider putting this to rest? Leaving the Maiers behind and going back to school?”
“Shit! Dad. I forgot. Oh, and get this, this annoying Gabriel thinks Dad needs a babysitter. One of his guys, no less. I need to call him and let him know. What the heck am I supposed to say, so he doesn’t freak out?”
“You’re kidding me. Gabriel’s sending his guys over there? I hope he doesn’t think about having me followed, too. ”
“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. Give me your phone so I can call my dad.”
Lena pulls out her cell and calls my father. It’s almost noon, so Dad’s probably buried deep in his workshop. He doesn’t come out until around four when he gets famished. When I’m there, I usually make him a sandwich. Huh, is Dean going to take care of that now? Thanks for messing up my life, Gabriel. I won’t forgive you for this.
“Hey Lena, what’s up, honey?” I hear my dad answering.
“It’s not Lena, it’s me, Dad. Lena and I went out for lunch, and I left my phone at the office.” I’m not happy lying to him, but it’s for his own good.
“Oh! Hi, sweetheart. How are you? I haven’t heard from you since yesterday morning. How was the ball?”
“It was a charity gala to raise money for a hospital, Dad.”
“Still. Any event in that gorgeous Casino is like a ball. Did any prince sweep you off your feet?”
Lena smiles. Dad’s always loud, so she can hear everything. I make a face and continue. “Dad, just so you know, you’re going to have a guest. He’s cool. He’ll be there later this evening.”
“A friend of yours? He’s welcome.”
“Well, he’s not exactly a friend. He works for Peter Maier. And he’s coming to stay with you for a while. I’m sure you two will find a lot to talk about.”
Lena flips me a thumb down. That’s basically to say my explanation sucked. But I don’t have a better one.
“How long is this friend of yours going to stay?” Dad asks.
“A few days, maybe. He’ll tell you more. He promised not to bother you.” But can I count on Gabriel to keep his word on this? Apparently, his MO is taking over his clients’ lives and calling all the shots .
“I’m not worried about that. I just wanted to give him a letter for you. It came yesterday. Maybe something from the university? Let me open it now and tell you what it says.”
“No, Dad. Don’t.” Too late. He probably put the phone down to open the envelope. What if it’s another threat? My heart starts pounding.
“Dad? Can you hear me? Come on, Dad, talk to me.” Silence. He’s probably reading, terrified of the threats. How did I let this happen?
Lena’s eyes widen as my voice explodes on the phone. I struggle to hear the muffled sounds from Dad’s end. What’s going on?
“It’s a note,” Dad says as he picks up the phone again. I hold my breath, waiting for his next words. “It’s on a blank sheet of paper, no stamp or letterhead. Let me put on my glasses.”
It’s a threat letter. It must be. And Dad’s all alone. If only Dean could fly. This can’t be happening, not to my dad.
“It’s actually for me,” he says. “ You’d better keep your daughter close. She doesn’t belong in the city. Unless you want empty chairs at the dinner table forever. ” He reads from the letter and then pauses before talking to me. “Lexi, what’s going on? Did you do something?”
“No, Dad. This is about Peter. I helped him with some stuff, and some people got upset. But Peter’s taking care of me, so I’m safe. It’s temporary; just precautions.”
“Lexi, I thought you and I agreed you’d only use your skills in school to become a professor or a scientist. Not for small, petty things.”
“They’re not petty, Dad. I helped Peter. He was losing money; people were stealing from him. You know he was good to us.”
“I don’t like it when I can’t trust you. You kept looking for that car, didn’t you? I want us to put this story behind us, Lexi, and live our lives, not stir up misery and resentment. Please stop, you promised me. ”
“I can’t, Dad. How do you expect me to forget? Every time I close my eyes, I see you drenched in blood, and I taste the grit of dirt and feel the brutal impact that split my lip. That engine roaring, closing in, and then… gone! Just the dust settling. It’s like a horror movie that I can’t turn off! My blood boils every time I see that damn car in my head driving away. How do you get over something like this? I don’t. I’ll make them pay.”
“Nothing good will come of this, Lexi. Please stop. And above all, be careful, sweetheart.”
“I’ll call you, Dad, I promise. And I’ll be careful. You’re safe with Dean. Everything will be over soon, and I’ll come and see you.”
“Lexi, please think it over. This is a bad idea. You know how they say, You reap what you sow? It’s true. I don’t think we can handle much more.”
“I can handle it, Dad. Trust me. But I need to ask you something while Dean is there with you. Please don’t tell him about my childhood or Mom. He wouldn’t be interested, and it’s a sad story.”
“I thought you said he was a friend…”
“He is, sort of. Just not the kind who needs to know everything. And Dad, please let him take care of you. Look, I have to go now. Don’t worry, Lena and I will call you. You’ll get news soon. Take care, okay?”
I hang up after hearing my dad say, “Don’t forget Daddy loves you, okay?” I don’t answer back. I can’t, not without choking up.
“Lena, this is bad. They must be on to us if they’re going after Dad. I need to get to Gabriel immediately and tell him what’s happening. He’ll be furious that I left, but Dad’s safety is more important. We need a plan, and we need it fast.” My voice cracks. What kind of game is this? Who’s the enemy here? I’m closing in, the pressure’s on, and someone’s desperate. Are they coming after Lena, too ?
Lena squeezes me tight, and I hug her back and whisper, “Take care, okay? Be careful.”
“I’m used to stirring shit up, don’t worry. I’ve done it so many times with my work. Nobody messes with journalists. We’re fearless,” she smiles reassuringly.
A weak smile tugs at my lips. I wish I could be like her, but I have Dad to consider. I didn’t think I was putting him at risk when I started digging.
“What the heck did we do recently to escalate the threat? Did Lucas catch on?” I say, looking into Lena’s eyes.
“I sent an email yesterday asking for access to the port area, claiming it’s for documentation on a story I’m doing on luxury goods. That must be it,” Lena says.
“Okay, so it has to do with the port. That’s where we need to start. I’m off to meet the ogre now. I’ll call you soon. Take care.”
“That ogre is your best chance right now, Lexi. Think about it.”
“Lexi, please answer me if you’re here,” Gabriel calls out. How the hell did he find me?
I see Gabriel coming our way with a frown and a death stare. Before I can react, his angry voice booms, “You vanished, after I specifically asked you to listen to me. Can I really not trust you?”
He then turns to Lena. “Hi. Lena, right? The partner in crime?”
I shoot Lena a pointed glance, a silent message flashing in my eyes: I told you Gabriel knows more than he lets on.
“What partner?” Lena stammers.
“Don’t encourage her to sneak out. You’re both putting yourselves in danger. Just like last night. Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?” He stands a few feet away, gesturing nervously and pointing at me.
“Oh, come on, we’re in a secure access building. You’re overreacting. I had to talk to Lena. How did you find me? ”
“You called the security guards to let Lena in. I’ve been searching for you on every damn floor.”
Tough luck. So, he got a little tired, trying to find me. That should show him he can’t boss me around. But I won’t say that. No way. The last thing I want is to piss him off and give him even more ideas. Shit. If I refuse his help, Peter’s going to get suspicious. If I let Gabriel control me, I won’t be able to do what I set out to do, and I’ll run out of time. I only have a month to find the car and put the culprit behind bars before the statute of limitations runs out. A month of Gabriel breathing down my neck.
“Before you get mad, you need to know something.” He listens closely, raising an eyebrow in surprise, then turns around and points to a man standing behind him.
“Before you get mad, you need to meet someone from my team. This is Mike. He’ll stay with you until I get back. I wanted to introduce you before I leave.”
I notice a tall, buff guy in jeans and a leather jacket, his hair cut short. He could carry me up the stairs in one arm if he wanted to.
“Is this show of force really necessary?” I grumble, swallowing nervously as I see Gabriel’s lips curl into a satisfied smirk.
“It’s exactly what’s needed. It’s a message. So that no one dares to send you any more letters or lay a finger on you.”
I roll my eyes, but he’s right. We need the show off. “Gabriel?” I swallow hard, trying to steady my voice. “They got to Dad. He received a letter, too.”
“Damn it, Lexi. You should’ve started with that. Mike, take her inside.” Not bothering to wait for confirmation, he whips out his phone and dials a number.
“Hi, Dean. Before you get to Lexi’s dad, send some guys from one of our secure locations nearby. Have someone there in ten minutes.” He finishes the call and points to the elevator. He’s mad, but he tries hard not to show it.
I turn to Lena, hug her, and whisper, “This will be harder than I thought. Don’t forget to pack that burner phone for me. Stuff it in my underwear so they won’t find it if they check my luggage. I’ll call you. Keep your phone close, please. I’ll need you.”