Page 4 of Defending Love

Chapter Three

Dani

A s Darius stood, the man in the dark suit approached. Darius lifted his hands and turned toward the rest of us who were also standing. “I didn’t have anything to do with what happened to Dad and Marsha.”

Damien’s jaw clenched. “The police and our security are investigating every possible lead.”

Darius turned to me. “Dani, talk some sense into him. He’s wasting time when the real threat is still out there.” He scoffed. “He could be right there.” Darius jutted his chin toward Damien.

“Stop with the accusations.” I took a step back. “Stay safe, Darius. If this person’s motive has anything to do with Sinclair Pharmaceuticals, you could be on their radar.”

He smirked and jutted his chin toward Damien.

“He’s done all he can do to alienate me from Sinclair.

Now, with Dad gone, I’m sure he’ll do what he can to take over my stock.

Maybe I should take his offer. Getting away from this company could save my life.

” He reached for my arm and lowered his voice.

“Damien’s an asshole but listen to him about security.

You could also be on the assailant’s radar. ”

“Escort our brother off the premises,” Damien said. He gazed around as mourners made their way to their cars. “Where’s Dylan?”

“Mom took him to the car to stay warm,” Ella replied. She reached for my hand. “Are you all right? Earlier, you looked pale.”

“Tired,” I said with a sigh. “I want to go to bed for the next month, but I really should head down to Florida and check on Mom.”

“We need to call a board meeting,” Damien said. “We should let the members know the status of business affairs regarding Dad’s passing.”

The three of us walked away from the casket as workers prepared to lower it into the vault. Due to Indiana’s rainfall, all caskets were sealed in concrete vaults to avoid them springing to the surface during highwater.

“Grace Haas is out of the country,” I replied. “Without Dad and Mom, there won’t be a quorum.”

“If Mom gives you proxy, we can address filling Dad’s spot.”

Closing my eyes, I exhaled. “Can it wait until next Monday? Surely, no one expects us to meet following the funeral.”

“It’s been two weeks,” Ella reminded us. “We don’t have any problem members of the board, not since Gloria Wilmott resigned.”

That was a story for another day, a day when I had more energy. In a nutshell, Gloria attempted to blackmail Damien into marrying her daughter Amber. Thankfully, the two Wilmotts had slipped away, hopefully, under some rock.

Our conversation ended as Art Hatfield and Rachel Stokes came closer. Art was the treasurer of the Sinclair Pharmaceuticals executive board and Rachel was the secretary. “Our condolences,” Rachel said with sympathy in her gaze. “Derek was…” She inhaled. “He’ll be missed.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “Rachel, do you think it would be out of line to wait to convene the executive board until next week. I want to get down to Mom for a few days.”

Rachel reached for my hand. “Marsha should come first. I’ll call the other members of the board.” She turned to Damien. “I’m assuming as CEO, you agree with this schedule.”

Damien nodded as Stephen Elliott, a friend of Dad’s and the head of Sinclair legal, joined us.

“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Stephen said.

It was a sentiment we’d heard over and over.

Stephen lowered his voice. “I know now isn’t the time, but I wanted to remind you that Preston Ayers would be a perfect addition to the executive board.”

I shook my head, unwilling to give mind space to Dad’s replacement.

Damien stood taller. “As in the Preston Ayers who was the dean of research at Indianapolis University?”

“Preston’s running for governor and could be a powerful ally for tax incentives. He’s looking to make his name better known.”

“Stephen, this isn’t the time,” I said. “Send us his CV, and we can look it over.” With that, the three of us turned toward the waiting car.

Ella’s mother stepped from the funeral home’s limousine as we neared. She gave Ella and me a hug. “You all need some rest.”

By the pounding in my temples, I knew she was right.

Mrs. Crystal turned to Ella. “Dylan’s all buckled in.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Making my way into the limousine, I took in the interior and briefly wondered how many grieving families had ridden in this same vehicle. The woman entering the seat next to the driver looked familiar.

As I stared her way, Ella settled next to Dylan’s car seat and followed my line of sight. “Deidra Burton from Guardian Security. She worked with me for a short time last year.”

“She’s back? I thought Guardian didn’t do repeat assignments.”

“I spoke with Benjamin Clark right after Dad’s murder,” Damien said as the car began to move, driving slowly through the large cemetery.

“I asked if any of our previous bodyguards were available. At first, everyone was assigned elsewhere. Benjamin did whatever he does. Ms. Burton and Mr. Rhodes were reassigned to us.”

My lips pressed together.

Damien cocked his head to the side. “I thought you’d be happy. Eli is someone you know. He can accompany you to Florida.”

I lowered my voice. “I wish you would have spoken to me first. I’m fine with one of the other ones. Melinda has been with me for the last two weeks.”

“She has another assignment that needed her to return.”

That was what Eli said when he left a year ago—that he had another assignment.

It wasn’t the only reason he left. Truly, at that time, Damien’s paranoia and overprotectiveness was unjustified.

Darius and Amber pulled some stupid shit like breaking into our respective homes and planting cameras, but they weren’t a true danger.

Now things were different.

As the air around us rippled with tension, we were all well aware that this time, the danger was real.

My gaze went to Dylan, his eyes closed as the pacifier in his mouth moved in and out. “Ella and Dylan need the protection. Eli can work for them.”

Ella grinned at her husband. “Your insecure brother prefers I don’t have hot bodyguards.”

“I’m not insecure,” Damien said with a grin.

“Truth is that I asked for Deidra,” Ella said. “She’s effective and low stress. I don’t need any uncomfortableness added to my plate, especially with nursing Dylan.” She leaned forward. “I know we joke about how good-looking Eli is, but I thought you felt the same.”

That he’s handsome…yes.

That in the short time he was assigned to me, he wore down some of my insecurities about having him around. And also, that when he abruptly left with no further contact, I was affected more than I wanted to admit.

I sat taller. “It’s just a job, right?”

“Right,” Damien said. “Once the perp is found, we can go back to normal.”

With the lack of progress the police have made, his statement sounded like an impossible timeline.

“Have you thought,” I asked, “if Dad’s case could be like the insurance CEO in New York? Do you think someone is upset about one of our drugs?”

“Saline and insulin have been around for decades,” Damien said.

I had a thought. “Could it be Propanolol? If the person suffered from PTSD…” I left the sentence open-ended.

Propanolol not only saved Sinclair Pharmaceuticals after Darius almost ran the company into the ground, but it propelled our small company from obscure to a bona fide player in the pharmaceutical world.

Damien nodded. “I’ve spoken with the detectives in Florida and members of the FBI.

Ella is working with Johnathon to find physicians prescribing Propanolol and work from there.

There is a national database.” He exhaled.

“However, that’s only a drop in the bucket.

Propanolol is prescribed throughout the world. ”

Ella spoke up as her gaze met mine. “I don’t want to think that one of the Sinclair formulas was the motive.” She shook her head. “Until we know for sure, we all need to be extra-vigilant.”

“Have there been any lawsuits, filings against Sinclair?” I asked.

Ella shrugged. “There’s always something. But that’s a good idea. Johnathon and I will look at that angle and see if we can find a lead.”

The limousine pulled up in front of the building in downtown Indy that housed my condominium. As the driver opened the door, I noticed the black sedan pulling up behind the long vehicle. Stepping out of the sedan was none other than my new—old—bodyguard, Elijah Rhodes.

Securing my sunglasses over my eyes, I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath as my shoes hit the pavement.

I could do this.

It was just his job.

Nothing more.