Chapter 14

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

NOW, BENCHMARK SUNNY DAYS RETREAT, DAY 3

First thing in the morning, Maddie slipped out of her room.

She was still shaky as she remembered Jared. As she remembered being followed back to her room.

As she remembered that note someone had left beneath her door. What did that message mean? And why had the words "cruel intentions" been in all caps?

The threat didn't make sense, but it had definitely left her on edge.

She prayed today would be a better day. One without mishaps. One where she realized she'd been overthinking all of this. One without any drama or reasons for her to feel paranoid.

She had a feeling that was wishful thinking.

Benchmark was hosting a breakfast buffet in the conference room downstairs. She'd told Josh she would meet him there.

If she was vacationing by herself, she would have worn sweats and a tank top to breakfast. But not while she was here with Josh. He'd told her those kinds of clothes weren't suitable for someone dating the future CEO of Benchmark. She needed to dress for success.

For that reason, she'd donned a bright green sundress and sandals. This look would be her basic uniform while she was here—unless she was going to the beach, on an excursion, or to the gala at the end of the week.

After breakfast, she'd go back to her suite and change into something more appropriate for the UTV ride through the mountains. From what she understood, the outing was dusty, and red dirt would cover her from head to toe afterward.

She made her way down the long, winding hallways of the resort until she reached the expansive, lush lobby. Marble columns rose at strategic places, massive windows displayed the ocean and palm trees, and exotic trees laden with parrots grew in an arboretum in the center.

Maddie turned and headed into the large conference room.

Once inside, she paused and took another moment to stand in awe of the huge open windows that stretched at least twenty feet into the air. A koi pond, complete with swans, stretched on the other side of the windows.

The scene was serene and awe-inspiring.

Maddie wasn't sure if she'd ever been in such a beautiful hotel before. Part of her felt like she'd be quite content to live here forever.

She pulled her gaze from the scenery and glanced at the crowd. Probably thirty people from Benchmark were already here dining. But she didn't see Josh yet.

Her gaze stopped on Darla.

Just the person she wanted to talk to.

Maddie had seen Darla before at past company functions, and the woman was icy, to say the least. Not exactly the warm and friendly type.

But Maddie would take her chances right now—especially if the payoff meant putting her mind at ease.

She hadn't gotten much sleep last night. She had too many things on her mind. Too much to think about.

Besides the scares she had, she'd also thought a lot about the conversation she'd had with Detective Kalani. That encounter had left a knot in her stomach.

The man thought she might have something to do with Jared's death. What if he continued to think that? If he continued to pursue evidence that might point to her as a killer?

Maddie's head swam at the thought.

She grabbed a plate before getting behind Darla in line.

When the woman glanced back at her, Maddie plastered on a smile. "Aloha. Darla, right?"

The woman was tall with impossibly long legs, dark hair styled in a pixie cut that totally worked for her heart-shaped face, and dark-rimmed glasses that made her look both sexy and smart. Actress: Natalie Portman.

Darla looked her up and down before saying, "You're Josh's fiancée."

"I am." Maddie took a spoonful of scrambled eggs and put them on her plate. "Are you enjoying yourself here so far?"

"Who wouldn't at a place like this?" She paused near some salmon, and her gaze swept the room with an arrogant smirk that made Maddie feel as if her question was stupid.

"I agree."

They continued down the line, and Maddie spotted some fried rice with kimchi. Was this a Hawaiian thing? It looked interesting.

Maddie hesitated before venturing with, "I'm really sorry to hear about Jared. I heard you worked with him."

"Don't you mean he worked with me ?" Darla cut her a look, her eyes a little narrower than before. "It's all such a shame. He was bright and full of potential."

"Was it like him to go out so early to the beach?"

Darla sighed. "How would I know? I only knew him on a professional level. I have no idea what he did in his personal time."

There it was again. That snobbishness. That hierarchy of importance where people in leadership were at the top and everyone else was well below them—and not as worthy.

Maddie could hardly stand it.

"Something must have been going on with him last night," Darla continued, spooning some fruit on her plate. "He sent me a bunch of emails that didn't make any sense."

Her breath hitched. "What kind of emails?"

She pursed her lips as if annoyed by the fact that Maddie kept talking. "Like I said, ones that didn't make sense. Maybe Jared was drunk or something. All I know is what he wrote wasn't coherent."

What if those emails had something to do with his death? Had Darla told the detective this?

Even more, did those emails have anything to do with the message Jared had sent Maddie? The reason he'd wanted to meet her on the beach?

She was about to ask more questions when a hand squeezed her side.

She turned to see Josh behind her, a fresh plate of fruit in his hand.

"I was wondering if you'd come down yet." He displayed a wide but shallow grin.

Maddie raised her plate, which only had eggs and kimchi fried rice on it. "Just got here."

"The food looks delicious." He turned to Darla, his expression tightening. "Good morning, Ms. Bowman."

Darla plastered on a fake smile. "Good morning to you also, Mr. Harding."

It was hard to ignore the awkwardness pulling taut between them. Was it always like this for these two? Even at the office?

Either way, it looked like this conversation was done for now.

She wished she had a way of finding out more about those emails. But there wasn't—not without sounding suspicious, at least.

The truth was that Darla didn't care enough about those who worked for her to find out anything about them outside of work.

As Josh led her to a table, Maddie tried to let those thoughts drift out of her mind.

Maddie tried to make polite conversation during breakfast as Josh talked business to those around him at the table.

As people stood to get seconds, Josh's shoulders sagged—almost as if he were exhausted from being "on." Instead of talking to her, he glanced at his phone.

He frowned.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket. "Yes, of course. Just trying to stay on task for the retreat. Jared's death has been a PR nightmare."

Despite his words, she felt certain there was something more he wasn't telling her.

His mood could go back to what happened with Derek. Was Josh concerned the man might show up here in Hawaii for some type of revenge or something?

The possibility didn't seem likely.

Then again, neither had finding a drowning man on her first morning here.

Maddie excused herself to get more fruit. But as she walked by the omelet bar, a conversation between two Benchmark employees waiting in line caught her ear. Though the two men spoke in low tones, she could make out some of what was being said.

"I'm not sure Josh is going to make the cut," one of them said.

Her eyes widened. Had she just heard him correctly?

Maddie wished she knew who the man was who'd said that. But she was nearly certain both men were on the board. In other words, they were decision makers.

"Nico, on the other hand, has been very impressive," the other man said in a hushed tone.

Nico Rankin was another vice president at Benchmark. He was older than Josh—in his early fifties—and he'd been at the company for a couple of decades. He'd been the righthand man of Josh's father—who'd started the company.

"Let's face it. Personally, Josh is a failure—just like his dad," the first man said.

Just like his dad? What did that mean? Maddie had always liked Mr. Harding. For the most part, at least. Like his son, he was hard to get to know. Driven. Focused. But he'd been kind to her, even if it was in a very standoffish way.

"He's not very personable," the second man said. "If he wants to be named CEO, he really needs to rally support somehow. Thankfully there was a clause in his father's trust that made it clear the board could choose someone different if his son wasn't qualified or could ruin the company."

Josh had made it sound like he was a shoo-in for this new job.

Did he know Nico might be named instead? Did he know about the clause? He had to . . . right?

Maddie wasn't sure, nor was she sure she should bring it up. It seemed like a touchy subject.

As the men's omelets were served, she grabbed her juice and made her way back to the table.

Just as Maddie took her last sip, Josh turned toward her. "Our excursion is leaving in twenty minutes. I suppose we should go meet the rest of the group."

"That sounds perfect. I just need to change first."

But really, the only thing she was looking forward to was knowing that Adrienne, Brody, Bree, and Fowler would be on this tour with her also.

Those four might just be her sanity—not only on this excursion, but on this entire trip.