Control (Harper Security Ops #18)

Twenty

TWENTY

Alana

“Nervous?”

Ty’s arm came around my back and settled on my opposite shoulder just as that question came out of his mouth. I tore my eyes away from the headstone and glanced up at him, noting the concern in his features. “Maybe a little.”

“He should be here any minute, but if you want to talk about it until he arrives, I’m happy to listen,” Ty offered.

God, I appreciated him.

The way things had gone down recently, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Ty attempted to set some ground rules or tell me he needed me to stop trying to uncover the truth about Annie. No doubt he’d seen a lot of unsavory things in his line of work, and it would have made sense if he’d felt compelled to step in and make demands about how to proceed.

He didn’t do that. Ty allowed me to make the decision for myself—a choice he wouldn’t have judged me for either way—and supported me when I decided to continue searching for answers.

I let out a sigh and returned my attention to the headstone. “There’s this part of me that thinks about this situation, about who we’re here to talk to, and I find it crazy to believe this man could have done this to her. I mean, if what Clover and Bethany said is true, they were obviously in love at one point. It’s just so sad to think it could have gone from that to this.”

His hand squeezed the outer cap of my shoulder, curling my body slightly in toward his. “It’s awful to consider the possibility. But no matter how unsettling it is, we can’t ignore the reality. Based on what we’ve been told, he seems like the most likely suspect.”

Nodding, I agreed. “I know he is. I’m just sad about it. To think a man she loved, a man she might have—at least at some point before their differences split them apart—believed she would have married could have done this to her is heartbreaking. Maybe it’s because we’re here in the cemetery that it’s impacting me like this. My heart hurts for her.”

Ty pressed a kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering there and offering comfort. When I felt his hold on me grow just a bit tighter, I had a feeling I knew why.

I tipped my chin up and saw him looking off into the distance. “He’s here.”

“How do you know it’s him?”

“He’s got two cups of coffee, and he’s walking this way,” Ty answered.

“Okay. Well, I don’t want to be obvious, so I’m not going to turn around.”

Ty released his hold on me. We wanted Mark to believe that we were working on a story about Annie, and it was likely he’d question that if Ty and I were outwardly affectionate with one another when we should have been working.

When I heard the crunch of brown grass come closer to us, I improvised. “It’s just so devastating. I hope we’ll be able to do her the justice she deserves.”

“Excuse me?”

Ty and I turned around to find Mark just a few feet away from us. “Hello,” I greeted him.

“Are you friends of Annie’s?” he asked. The circles around his eyes were dark; he looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks.

If Mark knew who I was, he was an excellent actor. He seemed genuinely curious about my response. “I wish I could say we were. My name is Alana, and this is Ty. I’m an independent reporter, and we’re actually working on a story about Annie.”

Surprise washed over him. “A story? About what, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Her life, and the legacy she left behind,” I shared. “It’s no surprise that there’s been a bit of a dark cloud hanging over this town since she died. We thought that after all the good that she did in this community, it might help to lift people’s spirits if they had the chance to get to know her a little bit better. Did you know her personally?”

His expression grew solemn. “Believe it or not, Annie was my girlfriend.”

“Oh? I didn’t realize she was dating anyone.”

“Well, we had split up with each other about a year ago, and I wound up leaving town for a while. But I came back a couple of months ago, and we were working on getting back together,” he shared, turning to face the headstone. “But now we can’t. Ever since she…well, I’ve been coming here every day since.”

Something about this didn’t feel right. Or, well, it didn’t feel how I had anticipated it feeling. Call me crazy, but I believed the guy was genuine. I had a feeling he didn’t have a clue who we were and what information we were really after.

But just to be sure, I said, “You’re Mark?”

He sent a curious look my way. “I am. How did you know that?”

“I’ve been meeting with people who knew or worked with Annie,” I started. “Over the last few weeks, I’ve talked to individuals who worked with her at different organizations or charity benefits. And more recently, I spoke with her mom. Her brother was there, too. And a few days later, we talked to Clover and Bethany.”

His eyes narrowed. “And someone mentioned me?”

I nodded. “Her friends did.”

“I can only imagine what they had to say,” he muttered. “Especially Bethany.”

That caught me by surprise. I didn’t know why, but I hadn’t expected him to have anything to share with me about Annie’s friends or family. I came into this today with the completely wrong mindset. Shaking my head, I insisted, “They mostly just shared with me what you just did. Were you not friendly with Clover and Bethany?”

He shrugged. “I knew them, of course. Clover is fine. She’s always been bubbly and outgoing, and she was nice enough to me. Bethany was always irritable, angry at the world. Sometimes, I wondered why Annie, so sweet and caring, would choose to be around someone like Bethany when she already had one other person like that in her life, one she didn’t have a choice with.”

I had a feeling I knew precisely who he was referring to. “Who is that?”

“Reed. You said you met him, didn’t you?”

“We did,” I said, as Ty offered a nod. “But he wasn’t exactly happy to see us. We spent our entire visit talking with Monica. I don’t know. We had sort of shown up unannounced, so I assumed he was upset because we interrupted something.”

He huffed. “No, that’s probably not it. Compared to Reed, Bethany is a saint. I swear, those two are made for one another.”

The more Mark spoke, the more I reconsidered my entire perspective. I had a feeling I’d gotten this all wrong. Had I suspected the wrong man all along?

Were Reed and Bethany the problem?

Thinking back, I recalled that Bethany hadn’t even wanted to meet with me, while Clover happily did. And Bethany had been especially defensive and protective of Reed, making excuses for him about everything. Not even Clover agreed with her on things when it came to Reed.

As for Reed, there had definitely been something going on with him. That meeting we’d had in the Sanders’ mansion was far too tense for my liking.

Taking a step back to consider all the possibilities, I had two possible suspects. Mark, the man who’d brought an extra cup of coffee with him while he visited the woman he’d loved and lost, the woman who refused to take him back. Reed, the brother who’d been at odds for years with his sister, because he believed she’d spend the family’s fortune.

Both men had motives, even if I couldn’t quite decide which was more tragic. And if I really took the time to consider what happened to me, there was no question Reed had the resources to pull something like that off. Maybe Mark did, too, but I got the feeling he was honest with his reaction when he learned I was doing a story on his former girlfriend.

“Clearly, I’ve said too much,” Mark mumbled. “Am I going to wind up in this story as the bitter ex-boyfriend?”

“What? No. Of course not. I don’t see you as that, but even if I did, this is supposed to be a positive, uplifting piece. Is there something you’d like to contribute, something you think others should know about Annie?”

Mark focused his attention on the headstone again, and even through the heavy layers he was wearing, I couldn’t miss how his breathing had changed. It took him some time, but when he returned his attention to Ty and me, his eyes were wet and red-rimmed. “Her confidence.”

I tipped my head to the side, surprised by his answer. “Her confidence?”

He dipped his chin. “Annie knew what she wanted, and she went after it. She lived her life doing what she felt called to do, what made her happiest. If there was a thought in her mind about something she wanted to accomplish, she didn’t let anything stop her. I don’t think she ever thought her life would be cut so short; I don’t think any of us ever thought that, but even if she did, I don’t think she would have changed a single thing about the way she lived her life. If people can learn anything from her, it’s to live like that. To live with confidence that they’re making all the right decisions. Some of us won’t get that chance again.”

Mark paused, and I had a feeling he wasn’t done speaking. Rather, he needed a moment to collect himself. He held up the two cups of coffee. “I’ve been buying two cups of coffee every day since she died. One for each of us. I come here and sit with her, and I apologize for the things I did wrong when it came to her. I sit here and wish I could go back… do it all over again. We never think it will end. We get caught up in how we believe things are supposed to be, how we believe we want them to be, but the moment it all gets ripped away, it’s the moment we realize just how wrong we were. There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t give for a second chance to do it right with her. Maybe then, I’d still have a piece of her here with me. I come here, because it’s the only way I can be close to her.”

Kids.

He was referring to the kids Annie had wanted. The kids he hadn’t wanted.

“I’m so sorry for the loss you’ve suffered, Mark. I can’t imagine the pain you must feel,” I said softly, genuinely.

No matter what my instincts days ago told me, no matter how I’d perked up when I’d first learned about Mark after meeting with Bethany and Clover, this man did not kill her. He was consumed with remorse. But it wasn’t remorse because he’d killed her. It was remorse because he’d lost her.

Maybe he’d been selfish when she was alive. He’d live with that regret for the rest of his life. But deep down, I fully believed there wasn’t a chance he was the one who killed her.

“Thank you. I think you might be the first person who isn’t related to me that has said that,” he shared.

“I came here, hoping for an angle on this. I was looking for some inspiration on that very personal part of Annie I wanted people to feel. I think I’ve found it now, and I hope when it comes out, you can find some peace and comfort in it.”

He nodded. “I’ll look forward to it.”

I offered a friendly smile and shifted closer to Ty, a silent indication I was ready to leave. After he took two steps in the opposite direction, I said, “We’ll leave you to enjoy your coffee with Annie. But can I offer just one piece of advice?”

“Sure.”

“You know who Annie was, perhaps better than most. You know what made her proud. I think, if you really wanted to be closer to her, there are other ways than this. I can’t imagine anything would make her happier than to know someone was carrying on the important work she did while she was here on Earth. Who better than the man who loved her like you?”

Something dawned in his expression, but he didn’t say a word.

Then again, I barely took in his surprise before I ended, “It was nice to speak with you, Mark. I hope you can find some peace.”

I turned and walked away, Ty following just a step behind me. And as we walked to the car, it was safe to say I didn’t know how to feel.

It was four days after we saw Mark in the cemetery when Ty and I finally got more action. Admittedly, I’d been grateful for the time, because I had been reeling for a bit after the meeting with Mark.

But once I’d gotten through the emotional turmoil that encounter had taken on me, I knew we needed to keep pushing for answers. Next up, Bethany and Reed.

Since both were so standoffish, I didn’t expect we’d be able to set up a meeting or interview with them. It was going to require surveillance of both.

And that’s where Blaze came in. He did some investigation on his end, gave us names of some spots he recommended scoping out, and we’d done that for the last two days. Yesterday hadn’t gotten us anything useful.

Today was proving to be different.

Because for a girl who claimed she was so unlucky when it came to love, who claimed she had been rejected by the man she loved, Bethany was certainly cozy with Reed this afternoon.

Ty and I had decided to follow Bethany today, to get a feel for her. And after sitting in Ty’s vehicle for about thirty minutes this morning at the place where Bethany worked, she left for what we could only assume was her lunch break.

But not long into the drive, we found ourselves wondering if we’d gotten it wrong. Because Bethany wasn’t staying close to her place of employment. She drove twenty minutes away to this restaurant. And when she got out of her car mere moments ago, she walked right into the arms of her dead best friend’s brother and kissed him.

“Why would she and Clover tell us that Reed wasn’t interested in her?” I asked Ty.

“Well, maybe Clover doesn’t know,” Ty reasoned. “I mean, they’ve come to this place on the outskirts of town, away from prying eyes. Maybe they don’t want anybody to know there’s something going on between them.”

“But why? That doesn’t make any sense, especially if Annie had tried to hook them up at some point,” I argued. “I don’t like this. I don’t like the way it feels.”

“Because it gives us more questions than answers. What an eye-opening couple of days this has been. So, how do you want to play this?”

Ty and I took the next few minutes to come up with a plan, but we realized we were mostly going to have to wing it. If this was a lunch break and they needed to return to work, we wouldn’t have much time.

We had considered waiting outside for them to leave, to make it seem like we’d arrived right as they were leaving, but since we didn’t know where they were seated and realized they could have had a view to us in the parking lot, we decided it was best to go in.

The restaurant was small—a mom-and-pop shop, not a chain. So, when we walked in and noticed just one big dining area, I realized I was going to have to be quick on my feet. It took all of a few seconds for me to lock eyes with Bethany, and the moment she saw me, her face blanched, her jaw falling open.

I smiled brightly at her and waved, moving in that direction. “Hi, Bethany,” I said.

“Hi, Alana.”

Pretending I hadn’t yet seen Reed, I glanced at him, pulled my brows together, and said, “Reed?”

His eyes narrowed on me, and it made me feel wildly uncomfortable. I redirected my attention to Bethany. “I thought you and?—”

“Nobody knows,” she shared.

“Beth,” Reed said, his voice low and holding an edge of warning.

I was grateful to have Ty at my back, because Reed gave off vibes that could best be described as menacing.

Bethany looked at Reed, panic in her stare. When she focused on me again, she explained, “We got together, but we didn’t want to tell anyone yet. It happened right before Annie. Then it seemed insensitive.”

“That’s enough, Bethany.” Reed’s eyes cut to mine. “Are you following me?”

“What? No. Why would I be following you?”

“Because you’re a reporter who was just at my parents’ house, snooping around for information about my sister,” he fired back. “Because you then met with my sister’s best friends for the same reason. And now you’re here.”

Without turning around, I could feel the fury building inside Ty. I got the distinct feeling he was going to lose his cool if Reed continued to be as condescending as he was.

Wanting to smooth things over, I said, “Well, I’m honored that you believe my skills as a reporter are so refined that I’d be able to follow someone as high profile as yourself. As it turns out, I do work on several projects at one time, and today, I’m doing a restaurant review.”

Reed clearly did not like the way I’d spoken to him.

If not for how angry Ty could possibly get if this situation escalated, I wouldn’t have cared.

Then again, if Reed was the guy responsible for killing his sister, attacking Yasmine, and coming after me, maybe I needed to care.

“Please don’t say anything,” Bethany begged. “Reed and I are trying to work this out. We don’t want anyone to know. Not now. Not yet.”

“Bethany, it isn’t her fucking business. Will you stop?”

“Do you want her to report on us? I can see the headline now. Annie’s brother and her best friend find comfort in one another following her tragic death.”

Reed looked at me again, completely ignoring Ty. “She won’t tell that story. I think she knows better.”

That was it. That was all it took for Ty to act. “I know you didn’t just threaten her.”

Reed focused on Ty and shot a sinister look his way. “Of course, I didn’t. But I would suggest that she heed my warning. Things can get messy when people do things they shouldn’t.”

Ty took half a step forward, and I was sure he was going to attack Reed, but I put my hand out to his forearm as my phone rang.

I pulled it out, and despite not recognizing the number, I said, “I’m sorry, I have to take this.” I was going to take this chance to get out of this. “Please, enjoy your lunch.”

I tugged on Ty’s arm and urged him to follow me across the dining area to a table on the opposite side of the room. As we walked away, I lifted the phone to my ear and answered, “Hello.”

“Hi, Alana?”

“This is Alana. Who’s calling?”

“I’m…well, I’m not sure if you remember me, but this is Georgia.”

My brows drew together. “Georgia?”

“Yes, I work at The Taylor Group,” she reminded me.

As soon as she said it, I remembered Georgia was the receptionist who worked with Jackson Taylor. “Oh, right. Hi, Georgia. How is everything?”

“Well, I had your number, and you said to call in case there was anything else to add regarding Annie Sanders,” she returned.

I was in the middle of figuring out this whole twisted story with Bethany and Reed, attempting to make sense of something that didn’t make any sense. While I didn’t want to be unfeeling, I really needed to stay focused.

“Of course. If Jackson Taylor has something else that he’d like to discuss about Annie, I’d be happy to set up a time to meet with him. When is he available?”

There was a long pause. In fact, it was so long, I thought we might have gotten disconnected. “Georgia?”

“Yes, I’m here. Um, the thing is, Mr. Taylor doesn’t know about this call.”

My body froze, my eyes landing on Ty’s. “Pardon?”

“I’m on my lunch break and left the office to reach out to you,” she started. “I’m the one who has something to share, and I was hoping you’d be willing to meet me when I finish with work today.”

It seemed impossible things could get any crazier than they already felt. If she’d said anything different to me than she had, I might have delayed meeting with her. But that Georgia was making this call without Jackson Taylor’s knowledge, I was more than curious.

“Yeah, I think I can make that work,” I told her. “You name the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

Georgia gave me the time and place she wanted to meet, and we disconnected our call.

“What’s going on?” Ty asked.

“Things just got a whole lot more complicated.”