Pru went into the hotel with her security by her side. Seconds later, a woman stepped out from the shadow of the building and followed Pru into the building.
A gasp had Gabe looking at Pru. She was staring at the video.
“That’s Erika Wilde.”
Gabe knew the name, but couldn’t place it.
Pru filled him in. “She’s Kurt’s girlfriend. The one he left me for.”
“Do you think it’s a coincidence she’s at the hotel?” Pru asked.
Chad shook his head. “Sam found another video of her in the hotel lobby the following day when you were leaving for the venue you were playing that weekend.”
“I cross checked Kurt’s band’s schedule with your tour and there are two more times you guys were in the same city near the same time. I’ve got the computer looking for videos from those cities now.”
“You guys can go back to your house, Gabe. Sam and I will be running full background checks on your team, the band, your bodyguards—anyone who could be behind this, PJ. We’ll keep going on the Erika lead also. We’ll come by to talk about the results tomorrow. You have security arriving in the morning, Gabe?”
“Yes, Zach’s sending two of his people over at daybreak. We’ll keep them at the house with us, and then take them with us when we go on the road.”
Gabe could feel PJ’s eyes on him. He hadn’t exactly told her he planned to go on her tour with her and stay on the tour for as long as she needed.
“All right. Sam and I will be over in the morning, but I’ll call if we find anything major in the meantime. Let me know if you hear from this guy again.”
Gabe nodded and pulled PJ up to her feet, then guided her to the back door. She seemed a bit shell-shocked as they walked back down the beach.
Chapter 13
PJ felt numb as they walked up through Gabe’s backyard. He entered the code to the back gate and held it open for her, then ensured that it clicked shut behind them before they continued up to the patio.
When her phone chimed, she pulled it out of her pocket, tense but comforted when she felt Gabe’s strong hand on her back. She didn’t mind at all that he looked over her shoulder, and she angled the phone toward him to allow him to see. Aunt Susie and Uncle Brian had sent a text.
Call when you can.
She hit the button to make the call and put the phone to her ear. Brian picked up almost immediately.
“What is it?” PJ asked. “Is Matthew all right?”
“Yes, PJ. But, we wanted to let you know,” he paused, and she felt a jagged pain in her gut, dreading what was coming.Had her blackmailer found Matthew? Had he contacted them?
Brian continued. “We told Matthew about you. We told him you’re his birth mother.”
PJ felt hollow and then felt Gabe’s arm around her, all but holding her up. Her head was reeling. “I always thought…. Well, I always just assumed….”
Matthew had known for years that he was adopted, but they hadn’t told him PJ was his birth mother until now. She thought she’d be a part of that conversation when the time came.
“I’m sorry, PJ,” Brian’s voice softened. “We just felt we needed to tell him before he found out some other way. We didn’t want to wait and then have him see something on the news.”
She squared her shoulders. “Yeah…. No, I get it. That’s fine, Brian. I understand. How did he take it? Can I talk to him?”
There was hesitation in his voice when he answered. “I’m sorry, Peej, honey. He’s upstairs. He doesn’t want to talk right now. I think he’s still processing it.”
PJ broke down when she heard that. Tears ran down her cheeks as Gabe’s arms came around her and held her tight. She tried to talk, tried to ask if Brian thought Matthew would be all right, but she couldn’t.
In her head, all she could do was berate herself for crying like this. Matthew was the important one. Only his feelings mattered here.
But somehow, knowing he knew the truth about where he’d come from and might choose never to speak to her again…well, it brought back all of the memories of having to turn over her tiny, incredible, precious baby the day he was born.
For months after she gave him up, her arms felt hollow, like she should be holding him but wasn’t.