Chapter Seven

Aja Blue watched the scenery as Christian drove to her office. Something terrible had happened to Jay. Her stomach cramped with worry. He was such a good person with a kind soul, and it pained her heart to think he might be missing, or hurt, or . . . She couldn't finish the thought.

"What he does, it's harmless," she told Christian. It was vital for him to know that.

"I know it is, honey."

She was so worked up that she didn't have the energy to acknowledge the endearment. "He's not hurting anyone, and it's no one's business but his. It makes him happy, and he has a right to live the life he wants. Why would someone want to harm him because of it? What kind of monster would do that?"

Christian reached over and placed a hand over hers, giving her a gentle squeeze. Aja Blue's voice had risen with each sentence until she practically screamed the words. She took several deep breaths as tears filled her eyes. Christian's calm strength comforted and eased her from the ledge she'd been teetering on.

"We'll find him."

When he said it, she believed him, but she also heard what he didn't say: alive or dead.

"Aja Blue?"

"What?" She followed his gaze to see two police cars with flashing lights outside her office. "Oh, no." She whipped open the door.

"Wait—"

Christian attempted to grab her, but she jumped out as he slammed the brakes. She beelined for her office. Air whooshed from her lungs when she spotted Sara Lea talking to an officer. She was okay. Where were Marla and Darwin?

Sara Lea looked up and saw Aja Blue. She said something to the cop and came running toward her.

"Aja Blue, I was just about to call you." Sara Lea hugged her.

"What happened? Was anyone hurt?"

When Sara Lea didn't answer, Aja Blue glanced over to see her staring wide-eyed at Christian, who'd come up beside them.

"Sara Lea," Aja Blue prompted.

"What . . . oh, sorry. Everyone is okay, but someone vandalized the outside of the office."

Aja Blue had been so worried about her employees that she hadn't noticed her building. She took off to see the damage. Homophobic slurs mixed with death threats were spray-painted on the glass and stone fa?ade. The two pots of ferns flanking the door were overturned and broken, with dirt and fronds scattered everywhere. Sara Lea's lovingly hung wind chimes lay in a broken heap.

Aja Blue turned to say something to Christian, but he wasn't there. Panic had her spinning around to find him. He'd become her loadstone. Relief washed over her when she saw him talking to one of the uniformed officers.

"Who is he?"

She'd forgotten Sara Lea was there. "An old friend. He came for a visit."

"He is one mighty fine specimen."

That he was.

"He's welcome to stay at my place if you don't have enough room."

The stab of jealousy was totally unexpected. Christian wasn't hers. They weren't even dating. But the thought of him with anyone else had her seeing red. "That won't be a problem."

"Aja Blue, I was kidding."

She glanced at Sara Lea and registered the humor on her face. "I know." Crap, she had it bad. "Have you been inside to see if there's any damage?"

Sara Lea quickly schooled her features. "No. I pulled up at the same time as the police. Dr. Mulgrew from next door called them."

"Aja Blue! Sara Lea! What the heck happened?"

She turned to see Darwin and Marla rushing over. Sara Lea filled them in while Aja Blue watched Christian take charge. Even the cops seemed to defer to him. He was a powerful presence, so commanding and sure. Wow.

"It has to be the same weirdo who sent that creepy package last week," Darwin concluded, shaking Aja Blue from her Christian-induced trance. And the person who had trashed Aja Blue and Jay's homes. She didn't tell the others about the destruction. They had enough to worry about.

"Aja Blue, have you talked to Jay?"

She turned to Sara Lea. "No. You?"

Sara Lea shook her head.

"I bet he's in Tahiti or somewhere equally exotic, sucking on a Pina Colada and soaking up the sun," decided Marla.

Aja Blue wished that was the case. If Jay were lounging on a tropical beach, he'd check in. He was too responsible to go incommunicado this long.

Christian came over with Detective Herbert. Aja Blue hadn't noticed her arrive.

"Ms. LaLonde, I'd like you to accompany me inside the office to see if anything is missing."

"Okay." She turned to her employees. "I'll be back."

Aja Blue and Christian followed the detective as they wove through the cops standing around her shop. She took out her key, opened the door, and flipped the lights on.

Everything looked the same as when she'd left last week. Sara Lea kept the place spotless, which Aja Blue appreciated. It wasn't in her job description, but Sara Lea had taken it upon herself to make the office warm and homey. She cleaned, dusted, and emptied the trash. She placed fragrance machines around that smelled like lavender and vanilla. Plants grew happily in the sun-dappled windows, and when they were working, soft music wafted from the speakers placed strategically around the room. Aja Blue had planned it to be an open area where ideas could flow and be shared. She didn't have an office, instead opting for a desk with the others to be more productive. There was a conference room where someone could go if they needed privacy. Otherwise, they shared the common spaces.

"Nothing has been touched," she told the detective.

They checked the back door to make sure the lock held—it had. None of the windows had been tampered with. The vandalism only extended to the front wall.

Once Detective Herbert and the cops left, Aja Blue motioned for her employees to enter. Then she formally introduced them to Christian.

#

Aja Blue's office was modern and clean, with trendy furniture and a plethora of green plants. He recognized the sofa in the reception area as one he'd spotted when checking out her website. The matching chairs too. It was a welcoming space that felt creative and energizing.

The office was like the woman: sleek, elegant, and beautifully proportioned.

Christian shook his head. He wasn't here to wax poetic on Aja Blue's work environment. He needed to catch a vandal. The quicker the better before the threats accelerated into attacks. He approached Sara Lea.

She smiled up at him and batted her long lashes. "Hi, Christian."

"Hey. When was the last time you talked to Jay?"

Her brown brows scrunched as she gave the question some thought. "I guess it was when he left after we called the police last week. You know about that, right?" At his nod of confirmation, she added, "It was right before Aja Blue took off for a few days."

"You didn't talk to him when he called?"

Sara Lea shook her head, sending her riot of brunette curls tumbling over her shoulders. "He texted."

"Do you still have the message?" Christian asked.

Sara Lea grabbed her phone from her desk. "I think so." She pulled it up and handed it to him.

He read the message: Taking a few days off. "That's it?"

Sara Lea shrugged and nodded at the same time.

"What did he say?" Aja Blue asked, coming up behind him. He held the phone so she could read. "That is surprisingly brief for Jay. He's usually quite loquacious."

He didn't want to worry her, but it was a generic message anyone could have typed. There was nothing personal in the missive. It was blunt and to the point.

"Did it come to your phone or the company one?"

"You know, I hadn't thought about it before, but it came to the office number." Sara Lea looked perplexed. "I'm surprised Jay didn't text me instead. Usually, he would have done so."

Christian asked the other two employees, Marla and Darwin, but neither had spoken with Jay since last week. Both were visibly concerned. The group seemed tightly knit. It was unlikely Jay would've disappeared without contacting one of them.

Aja Blue approached. "We should search his workspace."

He was about to suggest the same thing.

He followed her to a modern wooden desk with copper accents. "Is this one of your designs?"

Aja Blue's cheeks pinkened. "It is."

"It's beautiful." He held out his arms to encompass the room. Each was unique, but they complimented each other. "They all are."

"Thank you. That's kind of you to say."

"I mean it."

Aja Blue looked pleased with his praise as she turned on Jay's monitor.

"I'll look through his drawers while you check the computer for clues about where he might've gone. Do you have access to his email?"

She shook her head. "I don't like to micromanage my employees. I trust them."

Jay's desk was neat and tidy. Two of the three drawers had organizers that held pencils, paper clips, scissors, rubber bands, and a pile of coins. The bottom one held larger items, including a box of tissues and a bag of Reese's Pieces.

Aja Blue glanced over and smiled fondly. "Jay loves them. I had them stocked in our vending machine, but the package wasn't big enough for him. He had to go out and buy the mega size."

Christian found nothing suggesting where he'd gone—no pamphlets touting the beauty of Bora Bora nor brochures expounding on the joy that was Disney World.

"I found his calendar," Aja Blue announced.

Christian stood and viewed the document over her shoulder.

"Look at this." She pointed to the screen. "He had three events planned for this week, two with Crystal Galaxy."

"Why would he take off if he had commitments?"

Aja Blue's head dropped to her chest. "He wouldn't. He's too responsible." A breath shuddered out, and she lifted her gaze to his. "Something happened to him, didn't it?"

Yeah, it probably had, but he didn't have the heart to tell her. Those beautiful ocean-blue eyes stared at him with worry and a bit of hope. He couldn't be the one to dull the sparkle. "We don't know that yet. Don't borrow trouble, honey."

Inwardly, Christian cringed. That was twice he'd called her that, and each time, it had slipped past his internal censors before he could stop it. As with last time, she didn't seem to notice. He offered her a smile, hoping to reassure her.

She nodded, but he wasn't sure she believed him. "I found nothing else."

"I didn't, either."

Aja Blue turned his computer off. "What now?"

"We keep digging for clues. I'd like to see the threatening letter you received and the box."

"Oh, yeah." She stood and walked to her desk, pulling out a drawer to reach inside. She handed the letter to him.

Christian donned a glove before opening it. The computer-generated message had been printed on generic white paper and could have come from anyone. Dead end.

"What about the box with the altered doll?"

"Oh, rats, I forgot. The cops took possession of it."

"Not a problem." He didn't expect to garner any clues from it anyway.

Sara Lea walked by them, and Aja Blue called out, "Sara Lea, is there anything I need to take care of?"

"Oh, yes, there is. Marla has proofs of your new planter line, which needs your stamp of approval to go into production."

Aja Blue turned to him. "This won't take long."

While she was conducting business, he checked the security of the building. There were two egress points. The locks were above average but could have been more airtight. The alarm system was standard. No cameras inside the office. Good, but not great.

He stepped out the front and noted a camera mounted on the building across the street. It could've caught the perpetrator. He made a mental note to have Tyler secure the feeds. The local police might not have the personnel to dig deeply into an act of vandalism, but CObrA Securities did. It could mean the difference between catching a bad guy or letting them get away with murder.

The street was busy, with cars zipping by right and left. At night, few businesses would be open. Down the block was a restaurant with a bar; otherwise, most places closed in the evening. There was probably little activity in the area in the wee hours of the morning, which was most likely when the vandal had struck.

If Aja Blue let him, he'd wire the place with state-of-the-art security. No one would get away with so much as a dropped gum wrapper. He knew she wanted to keep her employees safe, so it made sense to upgrade her protections.

A dentist's office and a yoga studio were on either side of her business. Several other stores took up space on the block, including one selling trendy clothes, a coffee shop, and a bank. Old-fashioned streetlights added charm, and overflowing planters with blooming flowers provided color. There were benches for people to rest, dog stations to scoop the poop, and trash cans to collect litter. Scooters and bikes were available for rent by the hour. Each shop's storefront was decorated with plants, welcome mats, and wind chimes. The vile words spray-painted in red marred the otherwise serene setting. Aja Blue's space had been desecrated. He sent a message to the office to see if they could find a company to clean up the mess.

After one last look around, he headed back inside. Sara Lea smiled at him, and he nodded. Aja Blue was inside the conference room with Marla, going over designs. He headed toward Darwin.

"I hear you know your way around a computer."

Darwin nodded and pushed his glasses up his nose with a knuckle. Uncombed black hair framed a round face, and he moved a hank away from his eyes. "Not to brag, but I'm not bad."

"If I outfitted this place with a security system, would you be able to monitor it?"

Darwin looked surprised that Christian had asked it of him. "I've never done it before, but I absolutely could handle it."

"Great. I'll need to talk to Aja Blue, but I hope to have it installed in the next couple of days."

"Awesome. I'd love to help. Let me know what I can do."

"I will."

Christian measured the office and made notes about which system he wanted to use. It would make Aja Blue's workspace safe and secure when he left. He rubbed a sudden ache in his stomach. What the heck was that?

The door to the conference room opened, and she stepped out. He was transfixed as she gave instructions to her employees. She must've felt his stare because she suddenly looked up, and their gazes collided. His vision was focused on her, watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest and the darkening of her eyes. Every molecule in his body called to her, and he was powerless to resist.

She shook her head and said something to Sara Lea. Then she walked to him. Christian had to physically force his arms to stay where they were instead of opening them for her to walk into his embrace.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

After stopping by the hotel to pick up Aja Blue's SUV, Christian followed her to a chain store with a vast lot. He'd instructed her to park away from other vehicles, and he was pleased to note that she did as told. She was headstrong, and he wasn't sure she'd follow his orders. There were no other cars in the vicinity as she slid out and walked to the building.

Christian shifted into drive and pulled up to the entrance. Aja Blue scurried back and jumped inside. He drove to a spot where they could monitor her Land Rover.

"What are the chances of this working?" she asked.

Christian's head bobbed from side to side. "Eh, I'd say pretty good. They've followed you so far, so why stop now?" He hoped the trap would work and they could catch the guy and end the threat. He hated the thought of leaving her, but he'd rather she be safe. That was the most important thing. His feelings had no part in the scenario.

"I'm worried about Jay."

He glanced over to see her chewing a thumbnail. "From what you've told me, it's not normal behavior for him."

"Not at all. He's dependable, almost compulsively so. The threats bothered him, but he wouldn't hide away without telling me. Plus, he's close with Sara Lea. She attends many of his shows, and they go bar-hopping all the time. If not me, he would've confided in her."

It didn't sound good. Why would Jay disappear without first notifying one of his friends?

"She didn't seem overly concerned. I didn't get a panicked vibe from her."

Aja Blue thought about that for a while. "I think she believed the text was from him and that he needed time. He was visibly upset when the package arrived at the office."

"Did you tell her about the destruction at his apartment?"

Aja Blue shook her head. "I didn't want to worry her or the others. Until we know what's going on, it's best if I shoulder that load."

She was an incredible leader, and Sara Lea, Marla, Darwin, and Jay were lucky to work for her. The traits he admired in her were the same his bosses, Luke and Logan, possessed.

Movement caught his eye, and he jerked his gaze toward Aja Blue's SUV. A black sedan pulled in front of it, and a man got out, glancing around the area.

"Aja Blue, look."

She gasped. "That's Johnny Cash!"

Christian checked his Sig. "Stay here. I mean it."

She grabbed his arm. "Wait, what are you doing? Where are you going?"

"To find out who he is."

"Christian, he has a gun. I saw it."

"Honey, so do I."

Christian slid out and glanced around the area. It was a busy lot, but no one was paying attention. He snapped pictures of Johnny and his vehicle. Christian would've gotten his license plate if he had one. Johnny was reaching into the wheel well, probably trying to find the tracer that Christian had moved before they'd left the hotel earlier.

"Do not move a muscle, asshole."

Johnny froze at the gun poking his back.

"Who are you? No, I said don't move."

"Go to hell," the man growled.

"I'll gladly send you there. Give me a reason."

"Christian!"

He turned at Aja Blue's panicked cry to see a man dragging her toward a vehicle. That split-second of broken concentration was all Johnny needed. He swung around and landed a blow against Christian's jaw, making him see stars. He wanted to retaliate but had to prevent Aja Blue from being kidnapped.

Before Christian could stop him, Johnny raced to his vehicle, jumped inside, and sped away. He couldn't risk shooting out his tires when there were innocent people around who might get hit by a stray bullet.

With a feral growl, he stashed his gun and turned toward Aja Blue. She was putting up a good fight as he quickly closed the distance. The man cocked back a fist to strike her when Christian dove for him, jerking his arm backward until he heard a bone crack. The man howled in pain. Christian thought it was from the broken arm, but it could've been from the obnoxious odor flooding their faces. His eyes burned and welled with tears. It felt as if his throat had closed, and he had trouble breathing.

"Oh, God, sorry," Aja Blue cried. "Did I get you?"

Christian would've answered if he could speak. He ignored the fact that his face was melting off and took the man to the ground.

"Ah, my eyes are on fire, and you broke my arm."

Christian disregarded his cries and looked in Aja Blue's general direction. He couldn't see her. "Are you okay?" His voice was a hoarse croak.

"Yes, and I'm so sorry. I was only trying to hit him with the mace."

"I'll be okay. Did you call the police?"

A wailing siren in the distance answered his question. That was fast.

Christian managed to zip-tie the man's legs together. He searched for a wallet or cell phone but didn't find one. He stood and kicked the man. "Who hired you?"

"Go to hell. I need a doctor. I'm in pain."

"Step back, everyone. I'm a nurse."

A woman wearing a baseball cap with lengthy, black hair spilling from the back pushed through the assembled crowd and dropped beside the man to check on him.

Christian's vision was clearing, though his eyes were still pouring. He'd only gotten a glancing shot of the mace. He reached for Aja Blue, needing to feel her to know she was safe. Having her alive in his arms had his heart beating sinus rhythm again.

"How did he see you inside the vehicle? The windows are tinted." No answer. He blinked down at her. Through blurry eyes, he noticed her wince.

"Aja Blue?"

"Hum?"

"What is it?"

She sighed. "I might've gotten out to help you."

The nurse jumped to her feet before he could chastise her for disobeying his orders. "My God, what did you do to this man?"

"Mace," Aja Blue answered.

"No, you did something else. He's dead."