Page 55 of Defending Love
“Yet they didn’t interfere when the people were removing things from your father’s office. What I don’t understand is why the thieves didn’t open the safe if they knew of its existence. Those safes aren’t that difficult to crack.”
“They must not have known about it.”
He nodded again. “My conclusion too. How then did they find out that we’d opened it?”
I inhaled and exhaled. My fingers went to my temples. “It’s all a big jigsaw puzzle, and I don’t think we have all the pieces.”
“At this point, I’d be happy to have the outline in place.”
I stood, pacing near his chair. “A disgruntled employee would have gone after Damien, not Dad.” I spoke my thoughts aloud. “A patient upset with their medication would have gone after Damien. This wasn’t random. Whatever decision Dad made is why he’s dead.”
“Agent Timmons is actually Chad Broadrick.” Eli scooted his chair to the desk, hit a few keys on the keyboard, and brought up a picture of the man whom we’d spoken to last night. “He’s had a few run-ins with the law and even done some prison time. Basically, he’s a gun-for-hire.”
My eyes opened wide. “So you do think he killed Dad.”
“I don’t know. I think that there’s a good chance that someone else is pulling the strings. More than likely, the shooter was hired. He wasn’t alone. To disappear the way he did, he had help.”
“Cue his sidekick, Special Agent Wilson.”
Eli shrugged.
“What did Dad do, the decision he referenced, to warrant killing him?”
“I’m more concerned about why and how they found us here. If they’re afraid you found evidence, you’re in greater danger than before.”
I closed my eyes and sighed.
“Dani, keeping you safe is my top priority. I think we should head back to Indianapolis today.”
“I told Mom I’d be here until Sunday.” I looked at my watch. It was nearly eight. “I need to be to the facility by ten. She’s supposed to meet with the physical-therapy team. I want to be in on their plan and learn how long she’ll be in rehab. I also want to ask her about some of the people in Dad’s pictures.”
“While you’re there, Jack can watch over you. I’m going to try to pull some strings and get us back to Indy today.” He met my stare. “Call your brother to send down the plane.”
“If I call Damien, he’s going to ask why I’m coming home early and honestly, I’m not sure what to tell him. Maybe we’re wrong about Dad. I don’t want to be the one to tell Damien if we don’t have all the answers.”
I hated to leave Mom a day early, but at Eli’s prompting, I packed all my things, including the items from Dad’s safe. He secured them all in the back of the SUV.
As Eli drove me to the physical-rehabilitation facility, my mind was overwhelmed by what we’d learned and all the questions we still had. On the seat to my side was the striped beach bag containing only one item, the photo album.
From the back seat, I could see Eli’s wide shoulders and the top of his head. The rugged handsomeness from earlier this morning was gone; his immaculate bodyguard persona was back in place. Eli’s hair was again tethered at the nape of his neck. His muscles, the ones I felt flex against me last night, were covered by his tailored dark suit and white shirt.
Eli’s sunglass-covered gaze went to the rearview mirror. “How are you doing?”
“Confused and scared.” I watched the scenes pass by the SUV windows. “Maybe going back to Indy today is best.” I sat taller. “I’m not going to tell Mom about the letter. I don’t want to put her in more danger.”
He nodded. “I think that’s best.”
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Eli
* * *
I parked the SUV behind the facility and walked Dani to the employees’ door. At only nine thirty in the morning, the temperature was already oppressive. Why anyone would want to live in Florida’s relentless heat was beyond me. The cool air conditioning met us as we stepped inside. Thankfully, there were no employees wandering the back hallways. My hand made its way to the small of Dani’s back. The urge to keep her close was overpowering.
Up one flight of stairs, we found ourselves close to Marsha Sinclair’s room. Jack was at his post, sitting outside her room. He stood as we approached. A few inches shorter than I, Jack Webb was still a formidable man. His shaved head gave him a look of distinction and made it difficult to estimate his age.
