“This will all be over soon.”
Pressing her fingers to her lips, she blows me a kiss.
Thirty minutes later, I’m pacing my office, tossing around the small stress football, and trying to figure out the best course of action for this meeting. I can’t let him think that I’ve located her, but I also can’t give him the impression I haven’t been trying to.
The office door opens, and the look on Margie’s face says it all—my appointment is here, as pleasant as ever.
With a roll of her eyes, she says, “Your nine o’clock is here.”
“Great.”
With a new resolve, I’m suddenly looking forward to this meeting.
Showtime.
“Send him in.”
A moment later, Devlin appears in my office. One look at him and I’m ready to throttle the asshole. I remind myself to remain calm, professional.
“Mr. Young,” I say in greeting, trying to hold back the anger.
“Have you found her yet?”
“No.”
“What the fuck am I paying you for?” His voice is raised, his face flushed. The man looks desperate.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Why do you want to find her so badly? Sounds like she’s nothing more than a liability.” I rest against my desk. Even if the half-seated position, I tower over him. He’s so used to being the one in control—the one in charge—I feel the need to assert dominance over him.
He needs to fully understand who he’s messing with.
“I love her.” The line comes out so smoothly, I almost believe him. Almost.
I nod.
“We’ve had a few leads, but nothing has panned out as yet. Is there any other information you can give me that might help?” That question is for me. It’s my way of trying to gain more knowledge about Ember or, at the least, confirm what she’s told me. The more time I spend with this guy, the more likely her story seems. She’s not the unstable one—he is.
“I gave you money. What more do you need?”
Prick.
I hand him the report I put together—the one I drafted with nothing but lies.
“Everything we have so far is in there. If something new arises, I’ll let you know.”
He takes the file, puffs out his puny chest, and stares me down. “I want her found by the end of the week. Understood?”
If I wasn’t already aware of how he treated Ember, this might actually be comical.
“Oh, I understand, alright.”
“Hey, baby.” Norah.
Christ. I don’t need this right now.