Page 8

Rhys

T hat evening, I knock on the heavy, nondescript door of Bourbon and Branch and give the password to the door attendant. After a moment, he welcomes me into the speakeasy. The sounds of clinking glasses and subdued conversations fill the air as I wave at the bartender. She points to the bottle of whiskey I usually order, and I nod before walking into the Library, a private room my friends and I tend to frequent. It’s perfect when we want to have a discreet discussion. Austin insisted on this spot tonight, said it was fitting for the topic at hand, something Theo needs to discuss.

Theo waves as I enter, his fingers drumming impatiently against the wood. I can tell he’s been waiting to unload whatever’s on his mind.

Austin looks up from his whiskey, eyes sharp, assessing. “You’re late,” he chides, but it’s half-hearted. We both know time is a luxury we can scarcely afford these days.

“Traffic,” I lie. That sounds better than admitting I was dragging my feet, dreading whatever news Theo has. I slide into the chair across from them as the server places my drink.

“Out with it then,” Austin says, turning to Theo. His impatience mirrors my anxiety.

Theo doesn’t hesitate, leaning forward, his voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper. “Last night, I met Crystal for dinner,” he begins, and already, alarm bells ring in my head. “She was off her game. Nervous. And then she let it slip. Justin’s been calling her.”

I stare at Theo, his words sinking in slowly. Justin calling Crystal changes everything, and yet it also changes nothing. There are still so many questions. If he’s alive and in contact, why the silence with the rest of us? Why not call any of his partners? And why hasn’t Crystal been forthcoming with this information?

Worry churns in my stomach, sharp and unpleasant. I glance at Theo, wondering if he’s thinking the same. But the words stay locked in my throat. Until we know more, accusing Crystal—or even admitting my doubts—feels like lighting a match near gasoline.

“He’s calling her?” I confirm. “What does he have to say?”

“She just said he’d called,” Theo explains. “I couldn’t really get her to elaborate.”

“What do you mean? Is this recent or has this been going on regularly since he disappeared?” Austin asks. “Didn’t you ask more questions?”

“I don’t know.” Theo plays with his drink. “When I pressed the matter, she was vague, and I’m not sure how comfortable she is sharing. I got the sense the calls are fairly recent, but it took a long time for her to finally say it’s just ‘I love you. I miss you.’” Theo shrugs, but his brow is furrowed, betraying his concern. “She did say he told her he’s doing this for all of us, like vanishing is some noble act of self-sacrifice.”

We exchange skeptical glances around the table, trying to crack the code of Justin’s motives. It doesn’t add up. If it’s for our good, why only involve Crystal? Why reach out now?

“Could be guilt eating at him,” Austin suggests, fingers drumming on the wooden table. “Or maybe he’s laying groundwork for a return.”

“Or setting up a play we can’t see yet,” I add, the pieces of the puzzle refusing to fit together in my head. “I only trust her so much.”

“You two have never gotten along well,” Theo says.

“I don’t think it’s just me who has concerns,” I counter. “Back in the day, we all agreed that she didn’t look very hard for a new job and just lived rent-free in a cramped two-bedroom apartment with the four of us. She never paid for food either.” I sigh, trying to stop myself from sounding petty and bitter. “But I know my anger should have been at Justin and not Crystal. He created that situation, and ultimately, EnergiFusion wouldn’t have done as well without her. I was the first to agree that we should give her part of the business.”

“In any case,” Theo interjects, “we need more to go on. Which is why I’ve already reached out to Jim.”

That gets my attention. Jim and Clear Security will get this figured out. I have no doubt.

“Jim’s already looking into the calls,” Theo continues. “Crystal wasn’t clear about whether they were on her cell or landline, but he’ll figure it out. Subtly. The last thing we need is her figuring out we’re investigating her.”

“And what happens if she goes?” I ask, my tone sharp. Theo’s gaze flickers toward me, but he doesn’t respond immediately.

I press on, leaning forward. “Crystal isn’t exactly predictable, Theo. If she catches wind that we’re looking into her, this could blow up in our faces. She’s already frustrated with the board for not agreeing that she should be CEO. This could give her an excuse to make things even messier.”

“You think she’s hiding something?” Theo’s question is casual, but there’s a weight to it, like he’s testing me.

I hesitate, looking down at my hands. “I don’t know. Maybe.” I meet his gaze again. “She didn’t come to us with this when it happened. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s holding something back.”

Theo finally nods. “Jim will be careful. If there’s something to find, we’ll handle it.”

I nod, but the unease lingers. The truth is, I don’t know what I’m hoping for. That Crystal’s innocent or that she’s behind Justin deciding to leave.

“The idea is to do it without Crystal catching on,” he continues. “We can’t afford to spook her or make her think we’re interrogating her. That’d be game over for my relationship with her and possibly our chance at understanding Justin’s angle.”

“Smart,” I acknowledge, despite the tension knotting my stomach. “If anyone can manage that tightrope walk, it’s Jim.”

“Exactly.” Theo nods. “We’ll have our answers soon enough. And hopefully, with no collateral damage.”

I sip my drink, but the warmth of the bourbon fails to dispel the chill of uncertainty. With each tick of the clock, the stakes seem to grow higher. But we’re in motion now, a plan forming. It’s a start, and that has to be enough.

“Justin’s playing a dangerous game, no doubt about it,” Austin muses, swirling the ice in his glass. “But if he’s in trouble, why stay silent? Why reach out to Crystal now? And why not any one of us?”

“Could be a cry for help,” I suggest. “Or maybe he’s trying to signal us without tipping off whoever he’s tangled up with.”

“Either way,” Theo adds grimly, “he took off with a chunk of company cash. And as far as the law sees it, since he’s a partner it’s not exactly embezzlement.”

“Right.” I nod. “The police have pretty much walked away since we confirmed he was checking email. He’s free to come back whenever he pleases, unless there’s more we don’t know about.” It’s an unsettling thought. Justin’s legally free but potentially mired in deeper peril.

The conversation lulls, our speculations hanging in the air.

“All right gentlemen,” I say, pushing up from my chair. “Let’s call it a night. We’ve left it in Jim’s hands, and if anyone will get this figured out, he will.”

We say our goodbyes and head back out to the sidewalk. I exhale slowly, my thoughts drifting to Jade. She’s nothing like Justin. Nothing like the precision and calculation that ruled our friendship or the endless strategizing of this company. She’s wild, unpredictable, alive in a way I haven’t been in years.

And that terrifies me.

Maybe that’s why I can’t stop thinking about her. She doesn’t plan her way through life, doesn’t measure every step like I do. She just moves, trusting herself to figure it out along the way. There’s something magnetic about that.

But needing someone, wanting someone—that’s dangerous. I’ve never been able to manage it before.

Still, my mind can’t leave it alone. The way Jade talks about her work, so sure of herself, so unapologetically passionate… It’s a reminder of everything I’ve let slip away. She’s got this fire, this drive, that feels so different from the controlled world I’ve built around myself.

And maybe that’s the problem. The thought twists in my chest, part hope, part fear. She feels like the kind of risk I’ve always avoided, but for the first time, I’m not sure if I want to keep playing it safe.

When I step outside, Scott greets me, and I slip into the backseat of the Escalade.

“Back to the office?” he asks.

Glancing at the clock on the dash, I see it’s after nine thirty. I know I should return to deal with the piles of paper on my desk. I have so much to do. But I just can’t. “Not tonight. Let’s go home. The work will be there tomorrow.”

I need some rest and maybe to watch mindless sports highlights on ESPN. The drive home passes in an instant. My mind returns to pick at the question of why Justin is reaching out now, and why only Crystal? Scott pulls into the garage and cuts the engine.

Where are you, Justin? What game are you playing? I wonder, half expecting an answer to drift back on the wind. The thought that he might be manipulating us flits through my mind. This is not just about the company. Justin’s absence is a personal betrayal, the break in trust that gnaws at me.

“Come back,” I say softly as I get out of the car. “We need to fix this together.”

I try to shake off the unease, but Justin’s shadow looms large. Then my thoughts shift to Jade, unbidden, as I enter the house. Her laugh cuts through the heaviness like sunlight breaking through fog—bright, unexpected, and impossible to ignore.

And her question about having fun. What do I do for fun? In school there were chess pieces advancing and retreating on a board, the roll of dice in a game of Dungeons and Dragons, my friends and I lost in imagined worlds. Was it really fun or just a way to pass time?

These days we have expensive toys. We go up to the racetrack in Napa to show off our cars and inject some adrenaline into our veins. “Is that really fun?” I muse out loud. It is, but the fun is fleeting.

A sigh escapes me as I flop down on the couch. There must be a reason Jade keeps showing up in my life.

She was a vision in that wedding dress, sure, but when I saw her in those running tights and windbreaker, something about her struck me differently—her raw, unfiltered zest for life. She’s beautiful, but it’s not just that. I’m drawn to her in a way that goes beyond the surface. But she’s newly single, I remind myself. Then a new thought dawns. That could mean no complications, no expectations. She’s safe and fun.

I feel a flutter of anticipation at the thought of seeing her again, of hearing what she has to say. If anyone can coax me out of my shell, it’s someone like Jade, someone who doesn’t just walk through life but dances along its edges, unafraid to get messy in the studio or anywhere else.

The thought feels reckless, but maybe that’s the point. After all, what’s life without a little risk? It’s ridiculous to think someone I barely know could be the key to rediscovering fun, but then again, life has a funny way of surprising you when you least expect it.

I flip on the television and get myself the ESPN I’m craving, though it’s not as much of a distraction as I’d like. It’s exhaustion that finally claims victory over my restless thoughts. With a sigh, I push myself off the couch, where I’ve been sprawled for hours, and stumble toward my bedroom. I’m meeting Jade to run in the morning, and I smile as I slide between the cold sheets. That means tomorrow is going to be a good day.