Page 36 of Axel (Reed Hawthorne Security #6)

Axel

Despite my urge to go to the office to see what was done firsthand, Durango is right. I stay put. Until we can change the public’s perception of Savvy, I’m protecting her.

There’s a knock on my door. Must be Durango stopping by with more information. I check. It’s Agent Stevens.

“This is a surprise,” I say.

“Can I come in?” she asks.

I step to the side to allow her in. I close the door and motion for her to sit on the couch. She remains standing instead.

“I need to talk to you about a few things.” Her eyes go to Savvy, who is standing nearby. “Privately.”

Savvy’s brow goes up. Then she shakes her head. “I’ll be upstairs.”

After she crosses the top of the stairs, Stevens visibly relaxes.

“Our boss is going to investigate whether Agent Myers leaked confidential information to Peter. I shared the podcast with him, and he agreed Peter had information on his first season that he should not have known.”

I nod. “Will Myers be charged?”

She sighs. “He said he would investigate and then decide the appropriate actions.”

“What the hell? Between that and the stunt Myers pulled with Savvy, he’s given them two reasons to at least fire him.” I haven’t yet shared my suspicions that he’s working with the cartel. I need to. “I’m pretty sure he’s working with the cartel.”

Stevens sighs. “I understand why you would think that, but I don’t think he is.”

“I’m certain he is,” I say.

“Well, whatever is going on, hopefully, our boss will figure it out.”

That asshole better be fired at the least, arrested would be better.

Stevens moves to the couch and sits down. I guess there is more.

I sit in the chair across from her. “Was there something else?”

She turns to me. “Peter is missing.”

“What do you mean by missing ?”

“His grandmother found my card on Peter’s bed and called me. She said he left the day before, stating he would be back that night. But he didn’t come back. Normally, I wouldn’t think anything of him staying out, but his grandmother said he left a note that if he didn’t return, she was to call me. ”

Why does this sound like a ploy for attention?

“Any idea where he was going?”

She shakes her head. “His credit card was last used at a gas station near their house. We searched, and his car wasn’t picked up on any toll cameras.”

“Could he be hiding?”

“Maybe. But I don’t have a good feeling about it,” Stevens says. “But I wanted you to know, in case he comes here.”

“Do you really think he’d come back here?”

Stevens shrugs. “Not likely if he’s on the run. Unless he thinks you’d protect him.”

I can’t help but bark out a laugh. “I doubt he’d come to me for help. If anyone, he’d go to Myers.”

The thought seems to hit us both at the same time based on the panicked look on her face.

“If Myers knows he’s being investigated, he might want Peter silenced,” I say.

“Shit,” she says. She pulls her phone from her pocket. “I’ve got to go.”

She has it to her ear before she’s even to the door. “Yeah, we need to get officers to Myers’s place. Peter might be there.”

After she leaves, Savvy comes downstairs. “I’ll bet Peter is in California by now.”

I grin. “You were listening?”

She smiles. “Of course I was. She wasn’t here to discuss some private work matter. She was here to talk about the case I’m smack in the middle of.”

“True. But she’s just following protocol. ”

Savvy sits on the couch. “Screw protocol.”

I sit next to her. “Wow. What happened to rule-follower Savvy?”

She puts her feet up on the ottoman. “She got chased by men trying to kill her and another telling lies about her. She’s tired.” On cue, she yawns and then lies down with her head in my lap.

My phone buzzes.

“Hmm. Kind of like a head massage but not as good.”

I laugh. “The vibration isn’t on that high.”

“I beg to differ. If I’d been sitting on your lap, I’d have a smile on my face right now.”

That makes me laugh. When I first met Savvy, she seemed so buttoned up and sharp tongued. But now that I’ve gotten to know her, she’s funny, open, but still does have a bit of a sharp tongue.

I check my phone. Reed sent out a group message.

Reed: A reporter wants me on record stating my case in order to poke holes in Peter’s podcast. My dad set it up. I said no because RHS doesn’t need any more publicity.

The responses are coming in fast.

Durango: You should do it. RHS already has publicity, and it’s negative. This might help stop more people from vandalizing the place.

Ozzie: I agree with Durango.

I respond as well.

Axel: It will support the video Savvy and I made. And ours will support you. The public needs to hear that Peter is lying.

Reed: I’ll talk it over with Stormy and get back to you .

Stormy is not one to hide from trouble, so I suspect he’ll tell Reed to do the interview.

This is one of many reasons I like Reed. Aside from being a great boss, he also treats us all like we are a part of the team. And we are. But what Peter has done is hurt RHS’s reputation. Reed could try to handle that on his own. I’m glad he doesn’t.

“Reed is debating doing an interview to address Peter’s allegations,” I say.

“He should,” Savvy says. “The more people who refute what Peter has said, the better.”

“We need more than that. I need to see Stacy.” I check the time and visiting hours begin soon.

She sits up. “When?”

“Now. I’ll call Moose and have him stay with you.”

“No, I don’t need a babysitter. Plus, he’s already been through enough because of me. Go. I’ll watch a movie and be fine.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

While I don’t want to leave her alone, I need to talk to Stacy. What she’s doing to Reed and Hawthorne’s family is unforgivable. I doubt she’ll listen to me, but I have to try.

I arrive a couple of hours later. I’m taken to a no-contact visitation area. On the other side of the glass is a woman I barely recognize.

She’s already holding the phone to her ear. I grab the one on my side.

“Axel! It’s so good to see you!”

I glare at her .

“Oh, not a friendly visit then?”

Her once-blond hair is now brown. And I hadn’t realized how much makeup she used to wear until I see her now with none.

There are fine lines around her eyes. She looks less like the gold digger she used to and more like a…

ah, yes, there it is. I’d bet my salary that she changed her look to help gain more sympathy from the public.

“Yes, I look different. When you don’t have access to the salons, you have to make do. So, I let my natural color grow in.”

“I suspect that’s not the real reason,” I say.

She smiles. “You always were the smart one.”

“I’m not here to discuss your hair,” I say. “I want to talk about Reed.”

She leans back. “What about him?”

“What you’re doing is wrong. You are smearing the reputation of a good man, and you know it. And for what? You aren’t getting out. Nothing Peter has presented is actual evidence.”

She smiles, and I can feel the evil emanating from this woman. “What Peter is doing is swaying public opinion. Did you hear there have been protests calling for my release? Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Wonderful? You should rot in here for what you did to Hawthorne.”

She shrugs. “He had cancer and was going to die anyway. What I did was prevent him from suffering those final months.”

She’s never admitted it before. “You admit it then? That you had him killed? ”

Stacy glances around to make sure no one is listening.

“Yes. I know you know. Like I said, you’re the smart one.

But facts don’t matter in the world we are living in now, do they?

” She smiles, and it’s repulsive. “My attorney thinks there are grounds for reversing my conviction. That’s why she’s working on it right now. ”

She really thinks she’s getting out.

“You better hope you don’t get out,” I say.

She tilts her head to one side. “And why not?”

“After hurting Reed this way—and all of Hawthorne’s family—you better believe we will make your life hell.”

She laughs. “I appreciate the effort you’re giving here, but we both know you’re a good man. All of you are. You aren’t going to come after me.”

On the first point, she’s right. We are good men. But I don’t think she realizes she’s pushing us to our breaking point.

“Is there anything else, or did you just come here to tell me to back off?”

“How much do you want?” I ask.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re doing this for money, aren’t you? You do everything for money. So, how much do you want to stop trashing Reed?”

Her smile fades. “You don’t get it to you? This isn’t about money. What would I do with money in here? No, I want my freedom. And once I get it, then I’ll get my money.”

“Your money? ”

“Yes, my inheritance that was stolen from me. And I’ll probably get a book deal.”

“Your brother said you offered him half of everything to do the podcast.”

She laughs. “You do your research. Yes, Peter’s my brother. And he would do anything for money.”

“Including lying about you and your innocence?”

“Including that. And trashing Reed’s reputation? Well, that’s a bonus.”

I lean forward. “Why are you being so honest about everything now?”

She leans forward. “Because I’m about to be free, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

One thing I can count on with Stacy is that she doesn’t think things through. She left evidence, and that’s why she’s in prison. And now, after today, I’ll make sure she never gets out.

I have nothing else I want to say to her, so I stand up and leave.

There is some banging on the glass. I’m sure it’s Stacy trying to get my attention. Finally, I can ignore her for good.