21. Jareth
Fuck.
I cursed myself once again for allowing Hazel to ride with us to Bill’s house. I should’ve stood my ground and refused to let her come. It didn’t matter that she threatened to follow us. I could have found a way to keep her there.
Dex and I moved along the driveway. I slowed down my pace so I could discreetly take in the surroundings. A small, well-manicured front yard lay to the left of us, shielded from neighbors on either side by enormous coniferous trees. A large, well-used double-person swing with a faded red cushion swung gently in the breeze.
Amelia had sent specs of the house and it appeared only one of the two residents currently inhabited the premises. Although two people were listed on the deed, Bill and his wife. I didn’t ask how she was able to access real-time information like that. It was best I didn’t know. The gun at my back lay heavy against my spine. I didn’t want to use it if I didn’t have to. Partially because Hazel was here, and I didn’t need her to see that side of me. The other was because I hoped to get the information we came for without bloodshed.
I’d grown tired of being so heavy-handed in my dealings. I wasn’t a kid on the street who had to ruthlessly prove myself or use back-alley methods to keep my place in a company—I was the company. It was hard to let go of who I’d been for so long, but Hazel made me long for something different.
I drew in a breath and lifted my hand to knock on the thick, carved wooden door. I kept an eye on it, knowing Dex had my back. With no immediate response, I rapped my knuckles one more time.
Slowly, the door opened to reveal a man of average height, his salt-and-pepper hair cut short, and a faint flicker of recognition lit his eyes.
“Idris?” he asked, disbelief and a slack jaw revealing he had no idea we were coming. “God, Jareth? You look just like your dad.”
“Bill?” I asked as though I hadn’t seen his photo in the file Amelia sent me.
“Yeah. Wow. What’re you doing here?” He peeked behind me, noticing Dex. “Why don’t you both come in? This is such a wonderful surprise.”
“That would be great,” I answered with a well-practiced smile.
As Dex entered behind me, I walked past Bill, keeping my back to the wall. As Bill closed the door, he stopped short. My hand slid to my spine and Dex’s went to the front of his suit jacket, making me wish I’d changed into one myself before we left. It made concealing a firearm far easier. But a suit seemed out of place if I was trying to look like a carefree guy on vacation.
“Anything wrong?” I discreetly looked behind him to the still-empty yard, then to the empty living room.
“Do you have someone else with you?” He shielded his eyes from the sun, squinting toward the car.
I’d learned long ago to shed any nerves in high-stress situations. I’d honed a cool, calm persona that allowed me to keep a clear head. People joked that I was more robot than human, wondering how I stayed so unaffected. The reality was that I had nothing to lose, and I couldn’t fear something that didn’t exist.
Now, that wasn’t the case.
A chill skated down my spine. Hazel.
“Is that your girlfriend? Or wife. You must be married by now.”
I couldn’t tell if Bill was just being friendly or fishing for information. This was what a suspicious mind did to you.
My hand inched closer to the gun.
Bill waved toward the car. “She’s welcome to join us.”
My heart thundered in my chest.
Dex glanced at me, waiting for my instructions.
“We didn’t want to impose on you or your time.” I’d rather keep Hazel away from here.
Bill faced me and gave an exaggerated wince. “My wife would never let me hear the end of it if she knew I let your girl stay in the car.”
“And your wife is… ”
“At the market. She’ll be so sorry she missed you both.”
“That’s too bad.” It was good news for us not to have an audience if things changed direction from the pleasant welcome we currently faced. “Dex, let Hazel and Tony know they’re welcome to join us.”
Dex drew a deep breath, his baleful gaze telling me what he thought about bringing Hazel into the house. He and I were on the same page, but saying anything otherwise would raise suspicion.
“So, what brings you all to Bali?” Bill asked while we waited.
“Just a romantic getaway for Hazel and myself.”
“And those guys?” Bill gestured toward Tony and Dex, who escorted Hazel our way.
“Are around as an insurance policy. I’ve made enemies over the years.”
“Huh.” His guileless response was unexpected.
Hazel, now only feet from us, had pasted on a nervous smile. I wanted to tell her to return to the car and stay there.
“Hi, honey.” Once she crossed the threshold, the false brightness of her tone had me immediately by her side.
I took her hand in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Hello, Sunshine.”
“Come, let’s sit down.” Bill led the way into the living room.
Hazel let out a shaky breath and ducked her head into the crook of my arm.
“Everything will be okay,” I whispered, nuzzling her neck.
She shivered. “I know.”
With a hand on her back, I positioned her at the end of the couch closest to the door and sat beside her, letting Tony and Dex settle themselves on the large couch across from us. Bill sat in one of the armchairs to my left.
“Do you have a bathroom I can use?” Tony asked.
“Of course. Let me show you where it is.”
I kissed the top of Hazel’s head and muttered under my breath, “Tony will give the place a once-over. If he’s concerned, he’ll say he got an emergency text from the hotel.”
Bill entered the room with a smile that seemed a permanent fixture on his face. I vaguely remembered my father commenting that his friend always found the brighter side of things. It was hard to imagine he had a hand in my father’s death after seeing him again. However, if experience had taught me anything, it would have been that people often weren’t what they seemed.
He sat back down. “This is a wonderful surprise.”
“It is. You have a lovely home,” Hazel said, her gaze taking in the open-concept space, which included the kitchen beyond this room and a dining room overlooking a small inground pool. A large open doorway let in a breeze on this hot and humid day.
“Thank you. Hazel, right?”
She nodded, her shoulders relaxing a bit more. “We’re so sorry to barge in on you like this.”
I lightly squeezed her hand again to let her know she was doing great.
“Not a problem. I think the last time I saw Jareth was at his dad’s funeral.” Bill’s perpetual smile faded. A definite sadness filled his eyes. “Your dad was a good man.”
I cleared my throat. I’d known going into this that we’d have to mention my father. “I remembered you two being friends.”
“We were. His loss hit me hard.” Bill shook his head. “I can’t believe how much you look like him.”
I wanted to comment, but the words stuck in my throat. It had been so long since I talked about my dad. I thought it would be easier than this.
“What made you decide to move here?” Hazel asked, filling the silence.
I shot a grateful glance her way.
“About fifteen years ago, I decided to visit.” Bill gestured to a photo of him and a woman about his age. “I met my wife and stayed. She has a lot of family here, so it made sense.”
“She’s beautiful. Where is she?” she asked.
“Cinta went to the market and to meet with friends. She’s going to be sad she missed you.” The broad smile and softening of his blue eyes told me he genuinely loved his wife.
“Do you ever hear from anyone from the factory?” I asked, my hand settling on Hazel’s lower back.
Where the hell was Tony? He should’ve been back by now.
“Not really. I think the last time I talked to Terri was just before I came here. A bunch of us had gotten a sizable bonus. It’s how I afforded the trip.”
“And you haven’t tried to keep in touch with them either?” I held back from outright asking if he knew more about Dad’s death than he let on. I needed to bide my time and find out who he might have stayed connected to.
Bill shrugged. “I tried, but with the time difference and everyone’s lives moving forward those friendships just faded away.”
“You started at Arabian Nights when my dad did, right?”
“Not exactly.” Bill rubbed his chin as he ruminated out loud. “He was there about a year before me and trained me when I started. We ended up on many of the same shifts after that and would sometimes grab a coffee or breakfast. He moved to more of a management position before he… ” his voice trailed off.
My hand resting on Hazel tensed. Dad’s death had been labeled a suicide, a drug overdose, with an accidental fall down the steps within the factory while he was high. With the typed confession found in his office, it had been an open-and-shut case for the cops involved.
“Died,” I responded, forcing any emotion from the word.
Bill’s eyes grew glassy. “I was surprised by his death. That he would take his own life.”
I studied Bill’s reaction. He seemed genuine. “We all were.”
He let out a heavy sigh. “He loved you so much, Jareth. The sun rose and set on you.”
My stomach clenched.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think he could have been planning it long. “
I leaned back into the couch. Although my posture appeared relaxed, tension coiled inside me like a snake. “Why would you say that?” I’d read the note supposedly left by my father so many times that I could practically recite it word-for-word. The whole thing was ridiculously vague.
“Your dad was a happy man. He loved you and everybody at the factory. And they all loved him. But they say sometimes you never know what people are going through. After it happened, I wondered what signs I might have missed.” Bill’s gaze drifted toward the window, a frown settling on his face.
The more we talked, the more it seemed that Bill didn’t know anything. Or he was a damn good actor. I wondered if the Sultons knew I was watching them, and to retaliate sent me on a wild goose chase.
Tony entered the room and sat back down. “Sorry for the delay. You all might want to wait before heading into the bathroom for now.” He met my gaze and shook his head. At least there was nothing to worry about within the house.
Bill chuckled and then nodded toward my left hand. “I’m happy to see you’re wearing your dad’s ring.”
I looked down at the onyx stone. “It’s a replica. I never found the original.”
“Really? I could’ve sworn he was wearing it the day he died. We met at the diner for lunch.” Bill went quiet for a few seconds. “I remember him showing me his notebook. He was flipping through the pages and the sunlight streaming in through the window caught on the tiny diamond in the center.”
My brows drew together. Dad had kept numerous journals through the years. “You mean the blue one?”
A few months back, Jess and I had turned in a little blue notebook that we found to the Feds. It held pages of the coded language Dad and I used inside, leading them to the dates the Sultons had started to embezzle money from the company and which foreign accounts they used to hide it in.
“No, the brown one he carried everywhere.” Bill tapped on his chin. “He was always writing in that thing.”
“I’m not sure I remember that one.” I lied. I waited to see how Bill would respond.
Bill pursed his lips. “This one was definitely brown. It had a thick cover with a tree embossed on the front. I remember commenting on the tree when he opened it to the symbols he’d drawn inside. He’d been hoping for the two of you to get a tattoo of it together now that you were eighteen. I assumed you must have had it since the symbols on your arm look similar.”
“I’ll have to take another look at his belongings when we get back. Maybe it’s in there.”
“I hope so. I wish I could tell you what was in there, but most looked like that.” He gestured toward my arm. “I had no idea what it said.”
“Did you hear he was proven innocent of embezzlement charges a few months ago? It had been the Sultons all along.” My eyes locked on Bill, looking for any micromovement that would tell me he knew something.
“I knew he couldn’t have done it. Your dad was as honest as the day was long.” Bill’s quick grin disappeared, and his eyes narrowed. “But if he was exonerated for that… Shit, Jareth, do they know what might’ve happened? Your dad wouldn’t kill himself over something he didn’t do.”
“Not that they shared with me.” I’d known all along the Sultons had played a part in Dad’s death, but they were the type to not get their hands dirty. I knew someone else had to have been involved.
Bill scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “You don’t think… ” He swallowed hard. “The Sultons were awful, but to have anything to do with… ”
I stayed silent, waiting for Bill to finish formulating his response.
“Your dad was one of the good ones.” Bill stood and paced from one end of the living room to the other. “Are they investigating them? The Sultons, I mean.”
I shook my head. Over the years, I’d become adept at spotting a liar, and for all intents and purposes, Bill seemed to be telling the truth. His agitation was real. As disappointed as I was not to have found proof of Dad’s killer, if this bait and switch told me anything, the Sultons thought I was close to figuring out what happened. It was the only thing that made sense.
Bill sunk down into his previous seat. His bright blue gaze dimmed by the revelations I lay at his feet. “I’m sorry, Jareth. You know your dad would’ve been so proud of you. He wanted you to have the world, and it looks like you have the most important thing. Love.”
Hazel drew in a quick breath, and my body stiffened. Trying to hide my reaction, I slid my hand from her back and wrapped my arm around her. Bill thought we were a couple in love, and I didn’t hate that assumption.
Bill continued, missing our responses. “And with the bodyguards you have in tow, I’m guessing you made a success of yourself and are well-off.”
Hazel’s body relaxed, and she covered her mouth as she tried to hide her snort. I had a feeling it was the “well-off” comment that had set her off.
I shrugged. “I do alright. Listen, we should let you get back to your day and?—”
Bill stood, almost knocking back his chair in his haste. “Can you give me a few more minutes of your time? I recently found a bunch of old photos from back in the day while we were cleaning out boxes stored in our guest room. I’d love to show them to you.”
I hesitated. There was no reason to stay. I’d satisfied my curiosity about Bill and now needed to devise another plan to get information. I didn’t care about the pictures.
Hazel, who could read my mind half the time, squeezed my knee, effectively keeping me in place. “Of course. We’d love to see them.”
“What do you think?” she muttered under her breath when Bill left the room.
“I don’t think he knows anything,” I responded, looking at Tony and Dex, who each nodded in agreement.
“Here they are.” Bill perched on the edge of the couch and handed me a stack of photos.
I slipped my other arm out from around Hazel and flipped through the pictures, listening to Bill’s commentary on each one.
“That was someone’s birthday party. Your dad and Terri were good about sneaking in decorations to the breakroom, and one of the women, Brenda, I think, always made the cake.”
Hazel pointed to one of the pictures. “Is that your dad? He’s so handsome. I can see where you get your devastatingly good looks.” She kissed my cheek.
There were even a few photos of a young me hanging out at the factory.
“You were adorable.” She pointed to the one with my gap-toothed smile, long-ish hair, and coltish body.
“There’s Gena.” Bill said, motioning with his hand, to acknowledge the pretty redhead standing with my father. “She had the biggest thing for your dad.”
“Did they date?” I narrowed my gaze on the pictures, staring at the couple. It was strange to think of my dad with someone else. He’d never said a word to me. “I think I met her a few times at the factory.”
“Eh, I’d use the word date loosely. She wanted more, but Idris said he didn’t want anything serious and was better off alone.”
It was hard not to see the parallel in my relationship with Hazel. She wanted more from me. More than I was able to give.
“I don’t remember seeing her at the wake or funeral.”
“She stayed in the background. Said she didn’t want to intrude.” Bill cleared his throat. “We all suspected she was in love with him.”
I clenched my teeth so tight I thought they might break. I wanted my time with Hazel, but at what cost? Would she one day attend my funeral upset about the time she wasted, hoping I’d change my mind about having something long-term with her?
Bill shuffled through the rest of the photos, stopping at the last one. “This was a tough day. Terri, me, and a few of the guys from the factory got together to mourn your dad and have a drink.” He listed off everyone’s name in the picture.
I stood. I’d had enough of this traipsing down memory lane. “We should get going. I don’t want to take any more of your time.”
Bill’s startled gaze volleyed between me and Hazel before he nodded and held out the stack of pictures. “Why don’t you take these?”
I froze. The photos brought up feelings I wasn’t sure I wanted to revisit.
“Listen, I’ve got the doubles around here. These would just get thrown out.” Bill waved them at us.
When I still didn’t take them from Bill, Hazel reached around me to pluck them from his grasp. “Thank you so much for your hospitality.”
“Anytime. I’m happy you decided to stop by.” Bill shook our hands and waved us out the door.
On the way back to the villa, silence filled the car as I stared out the window. I finally remembered seeing a tired, pale face surrounded by bright red hair at my dad’s funeral. So steeped in my grief I didn’t think anything of it. Yet now, seeing my dad’s relationship with Gena almost mirror me and Hazel, I knew what I had to do.
I twined Hazel’s fingers with mine. I’d tell Hazel we were over when we got back to the villa. Even knowing I was going to end our fledgling relationship, I was a selfish bastard. I wanted the comfort of her touch one more time.