“Okay.”
Jessica glances at me through the small window in the door. Her eyes are filled with uncertainty and fear. I give her a gentle smile, trying to encourage her. She’s a strong woman. She wanted to talk to the doctors by herself, and I know she can do it. If she gives me any sign that she wants me to come in, I will. Until then, I’ll stay out here to keep an eye on things.
I glance down the hall, looking for Jessica’s stepmother. She’s nowhere to be seen, which is odd, considering her husband is gravely ill. She vanished thirty minutes ago and hasn’t been back since. Her behavior hasn’t sat right with me since the moment Jessica and I arrived at the hospital. The way Allison avoided eye contact, her nervous demeanor—it all seemed off. I pull out my phone and dial Matrix’s number.
“Meet me at the hospital. Something’s going on with Jessica’s dad.” I keep my voice low, not wanting to draw attention from the hospital staff.“While you’re at it, run a background check on Allison, Jessica’s stepmom. And bring some prospects from the club with you.”
“Got it. We’re in town running errands anyway, so we’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Thanks, brother.”
I end the call and shove my phone back into my pocket. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to Jessica’s well-being. The thought of someone harming her or her father makes my blood boil. I want to know everything about Allison and her past. Matrix will be able to get that info quickly.
As I wait for Matrix and the prospects to arrive, I think about how strong Jessica has been through all of this. But even the strongest people have their limits. She must be terrified. Her father looked horrible when we found him. He doesn’t look any better now. In fact, he appears to be getting worse. If the hospital staff don’t do something soon, I’m afraid we’re going to lose him. I can’t let that happen to her.
The clock ticks slowly. Each second feels like an eternity as I stand guard outside the hospital room. When Matrix and the prospects finally arrive, we’ll be one step closer to uncovering the truth. Hopefully, he’s got something useful to share about Allison.
As I glance down the hallway, Matrix and several prospects from the club approach. The grim expression on Matrix’s face doesn’t bode well.
“What did you find?” I ask as soon as they’re within earshot.
“Man, it’s not good. Allison’s previous husband died under mysterious circumstances. The police were never able to prove she was involved, but they’ve been suspicious of her for years.”
“Damn,” I mutter, clenching my fists.“So, it’s possible she poisoned Randolph.”
“Definitely. According to the ME who did the autopsy, there was no discernible cause of death. He suspected poisoning, but nothing came back when they ran the labs.”
“How’d you get a hold of him so fast?” I ask, impressed.
“I’ve got my ways.” Matrix smirks.“But check this out, there’s more …”
“What?”
“I found Randolph’s will. If he dies, everything goes to Jessica. But if Jessica dies before him, Allison gets it all.”
“How much are we talking?”
“Between his businesses and his real estate? Millions. And that’s not even counting the life insurance.”
“That gives Allison plenty of motive to want her dead.” I grit my teeth and glance over my shoulder, keeping an eye out for Allison.“She could be the one who hired someone to stalk Jessica.”
“Why stalk her? Why not just kill her?” Matrix asks, clearly puzzled by the situation.
“I don’t know,” I admit, my mind racing as I try to connect the pieces.“But I’m going to find out.”
“I’ll help in any way I can. I’ve got your back.”
“We all do,” one of the prospects says.
I give him a nod, acknowledging his loyalty. This group of prospects is everything we need to keep the club going for years. I’m confident they’ll all get patched in if they keep doing what they’ve been doing.
“What’s our next move?” Matrix asks.
“First, we’ve got to keep an eye on Allison. She wandered off a while ago and hasn’t been back. I don’t like it.”
“I’ll text her driver’s license pic to the guys.” After tapping his phone, the prospect’s phones ding in response.
“We’re on it,” one of the prospects says. He and two others branch off to search the hospital.
