Max
The envelope came back positive. It was Isabel’s saliva, but something more interesting came back, as well—Hunter’s fingerprints. I knew he was involved somehow. Running away is something Isabel would not do. She would not entertain such an absurd thought. She loves me. Now I feel ashamed that I doubted her loyalty, her love for me. A part of me is insecure when it comes to Isabel and Hunter’s relationship. I will never have whatever hold Hunter has over her. Isabel and I will never have the type of relationship Hunter and her have shared. In truth, I am envious of him. He could truly have Isabel if she even second-guessed our relationship. But I won’t let him come between us. Ever. Isabel will be my wife, even if I have to track her down and persuade her.
Reaching back to massage the stiff muscles of my sore neck, I stare down at the lab results again. Tie advised me that this is not substantial enough to convict Hunter of my allegations. It’s strange that I need more evidence before there is an investigation. Hunter is not only the suspect here, he is the perpetrator. Hunter is guilty and I’m going to prove it…
Clicking through my email, I open up a link Tie sent me.
It’s an article from Harrow Times about a local retired firefighter’s daughter coming home to take care of her ill father in his final days. In the upper right corner there is a small photo of a frail elderly man in a hospital bed with a somber version of the girl that stole my heart so many years ago. Lily sits next to her father with tears in her eyes, clutching his hands in both of hers. I close my eyes as an odd relief floods me. I have finally found Lily…and she’s in Pinner with her father. Lily fled to the UK. I have so many questions for her, so many things I never got to say.
Pressing a button on my desktop phone, I give my secretary a ring. “How may I help you, Mr. Gabai?”
“Schedule me a flight for Pinner, Greater London UK.”
“Absolutely, sir. But, may I remind you, you have unlimited excess to your companies’ jet. I could make sure it’s fueled and ready, if you wish.”
How easily I forget about the perks of being a CEO. “Great. We’re going to hold off for a while, though. There is something I need to get done first.”
***
Failing to push my anger down, I slam my truck door and mount Hunter’s porch. My fists ball painfully tight at my sides after I pound on the door. I wanted to do this the correct and rational way. Before I even attempted to confront him, I wanted to have a calm mind and I wanted to have my emotions under control. Half an hour I sat in my car, working on breathing techniques before I got here. Nothing worked. My irritation only grew and peaked until I could no longer bear it. Just the thought alone of Isabel being held against her will and forced to do indescribable acts…has me fuming.
Hunter Knight.
He has Isabel.
He interfered in our bliss.
He caused this chaos in my life and it’s about time he be penalized for it.
The door swings open and I have to compel myself from physically reacting on contact. My fists unclench. A teenage girl with long colorful hair dangling around her young oval face answers the door in a Batman pajama-styled onesie. Her eyes are a bit swollen from crying.
“Is Hunter here?”
“He left two hours ago, Max. He didn’t bother to tell me where he was going. As if he would, anyway.”
My eyes narrow. “Have we met before?”
“Yeah.” She wipes her runny nose with the balled up tissue that she squeezes in her hand. “It’s me, Ivy. We met once at Isabel’s—”
“Yes, I remember now,” I say, interrupting her. “Ivy. You are unrecognizable. Younger. You look younger without makeup and heels.” In spite of her sniffling, she blushes crimson and looks down at her feet. I see why Hunter keeps this one around. It’s almost scary how close she and Isabel resemble each other. It’s not only their looks in which they are similar. Isabel and Ivy have some of the same traits, as well. The shyness and nervousness of their timid behavior pushes my natural protective instincts into overdrive.
“I’m sorry about Isabel.”
“Me to,” I whisper, stepping closer and suppressing the urge to cradle her miserable face in my hands, willing to do anything to make her smile again. I have to remind myself she’s not Isabel.
Yes.
Pity the fool.
She gradually lifts her wide eyes to mine in a sweet and ingenuous kind of way. “Would you like to come in?”
A reason unknown to me, I smile. “I would love to.”
Ivy nods and steps aside, opening the door completely. Taking a deep breath, I cross the threshold. Golden light fills the living room area. I never took Hunter as neat freak. Everything is pristine and orderly. There isn’t even a watermark on the polished mahogany coffee table—he has crystal coasters. If he had any evidence from any wrongdoing, I’m sure he has enough sense to get rid of it long ago. Hunter is intelligent. Or so I assume.
Ivy locks the door and turns to face me. “Everyone else kinda left in a hurry. Is there anything I can help you with? Things have been pretty busy around here lately.” She gives me a big smile. Though, the smile is a spurious one.
“I’ll come back. I just wanted to ask Hunter—”
She hastily yanks her ringing phone out of her pockets. Ivy’s dark blue hair hangs around her face as she stares down at her mobile in her hand. The very ends of her hair are curly and brilliant turquoise in color. “Give me a moment. But please make yourself comfortable. I would say ‘make yourself at home’ but I doubt you would want to live here.”
Shoving my hand in thick waves of my hair, I snort. “Smart girl.” I manage to get a real laugh from her.
“Sit or stand. Whatever your preference. This won’t take long,” she says over her shoulder. Nodding, I watch her go into the kitchen and take the call. Since I am here snooping, I don’t sit nor stand. I inch closer to the kitchen opening and stay perfectly hidden within the shadowy depths of the corridor.
“…Blue’s gone. She’s turned her phone off. Hunter. God, you should have seen his face. It was devastating. I thought he was going to go berserk. Neither one of them uttered a word after Charlie explained. It killed me to see them both like that. It’s been two days, and everything has gone to shit.” Ivy collapses on barstool and bangs her forehead hard against the edge of the marble countertop of the island. If she doesn’t stop soon she’s going to have a brutal bruise there. “Do you think we did the right thing? Maybe…maybe I should have told them that I knew, Caleb. Jesus. We should have said something.” She listens to the voice on the other end and takes a deep breath. “You’re wrong. They won’t forgive me if and when they find out I knew they were cousins all along. I would not forgive myself in their positions. They’ll hate me.” Her voice quivers as tears run down her cheeks. “I continued to screw the both of them knowing…” her voices drops to a low whisper, “knowing that they were related, Caleb. I am disgusting. I am an awful person. I can’t hate myself more than I already do.”
Hunter and Blue are related?
She said they are cousins.
Then that would mean Charlie was unfaithful during a period in his marriage. Caleb has a half sister, who has a daughter, Blue. It all makes since now. I force myself to walk away from Ivy, who is losing her battle with tears and guilt and then I carefully exit out the door and proceed down the steps.
I glance at Hunter’s truck. How strange. He left without his truck. Where has he been for the past two days? Not far, I guess.
Pulling the handle, I check the door of his truck. It’s unlocked. Hunter’s house may be immaculate, but his vehicle is filthy. There’s trash and dirty clothes everywhere, in the masses. But a soiled piece of clothing stands out from all the rest. It’s a cotton white shirt stained with blood. My heart races, so does the thoughts in my head.
What the hell did he do to her?
With swift fingers, I snatch the shirt from the mound of clothes and push it down within my suit jacket to conceal it. After quietly closing Hunter’s truck door as if not to trip the alarm, I glance back at his house and Ivy still hasn’t notice my absence.
Good.
Whistling, I start the engine of my SUV.
I got what I came for.