Page 12

Theo

As Philip pulls in front of the Sullivans’, the thought of Mackenzie staying with Levi and Scott at her flat gnaws at me. I have to convince Jim that she needs better protection—my protection.

As I get out of the car and walk toward the front door, I look around for her. An Escalade pulls in, and she gets out with Scott and Levi. Levi flashes a big, bright smile as they walk over, and I feel a wave of relief. But that feeling doesn’t last. As she turns to go inside, I catch Scott staring at her in a way that makes my stomach twist. No. That’s not okay. She deserves respect, not to be ogled like she’s just something nice to look at.

“Hey,” I call, but Mackenzie doesn’t look at me. She’s focused on getting Levi inside and out of a photographer’s sight. I follow them in.

As we walk into the Sullivan house, it feels good to be with friends who understand and are feeling the same way I am. Caroline Sullivan is always the perfect host, making sure everyone feels welcome and cared for, and tonight is no exception. She greets us warmly, and Mackenzie takes Levi’s hand, guiding him through the crowd.

“Everyone, this is my brother, Levi,” she announces. “He’s recently come to stay with me and is now a new student at Cobb Elementary School.”

They all smile and wave at Levi, who turns and faces her side.

“He’s not usually so shy.” Mackenzie brushes her hand through his hair and holds him tight.

“Levi, do you like video games, by any chance?” Caroline asks, leaning in.

“Yes!” Levi peeks out, his shyness forgotten.

“Then you’re in luck! My boys have quite the collection in their game room. They’re off at college now, so it’s all yours to enjoy while you’re here.”

“Really? That’d be awesome,” Levi says, grinning from ear to ear.

“Follow me. I’ll show you the way,” Caroline offers, directing Mackenzie and Levi toward an open archway leading to another part of the house.

I watch them walk away, and Mackenzie gives me a quick look over her shoulder. She’s strong and calm, handling everything so well, but I can’t stop thinking that she shouldn’t have to do it all alone. Tonight, I’ll make sure she knows I’m here for her.

I walk over to where Austin and Jim are talking quietly. “I think Mackenzie and Levi would be safer if they moved into my condo,” I tell them. “I have plenty of space, and I’m worried about them being in the Marina with all the press.”

Jim gives me a look that makes it clear he thinks I’m out of my depth. “She has Scott, who will stay with her and drive her as needed. Her place is small, yeah, but she’s never alone.”

“I was thinking she should move into my guest room,” I say, standing my ground.

Jim studies me, like he’s trying to figure out my angle. “If her flat’s too small, we can move her into the Fairmont.”

“I think she’d be better off at my place,” I insist.

Jim shakes his head. “I’m not forcing your admin to move into your condo. We’ll work with her to figure something out.”

That’s when I realize what he’s thinking, that I want Mackenzie in my bed. Is that what I want? No. I mean, I don’t know… But I’m thinking about her safety.

“Wait,” I clarify. “I’ll suggest it to her. My condo has an apartment for security and a chef, if I ever need one, and four bedrooms. She and Levi would each have their own space, security is onsite all the time, and you can add two more people without it feeling crowded.”

Jim exhales. “Her flat is fine for now, but since she’s tucked away at the end of a dead-end street, moving her would be safer. If she’s not interested in staying with you, though, we’ll move her to the Fairmont.”

I nod, feeling better already. “Great. I’ll talk to her.”

Jim steps away, and for a moment, I’m lost in thought, trying to figure out how to broach the subject of moving in with Mackenzie when Austin says, “Check your phone.”

I pull out my device, and there it is, a text from Rhys about an hour ago confirming their touchdown, wheels on home soil. A surge of relief floods through me. With Rhys back, I can slip out of the borrowed CEO shoes that have been pinching since his departure. The company needs him right now, and I need my old job back, the one where the weight of leadership doesn’t rest on my shoulders alone. “Good,” I mutter, pocketing my phone. “I’ve missed them.”

“Shouldn’t be long now,” Austin assures me, clapping a hand on my shoulder.

Almost like we called them by talking, the front door opens, and there they are. Rhys and Jade. They walk into the warm light of the Sullivan house, looking tired from their trip but okay. Finally, they’re home.

“Rhys!” I say, moving forward. His eyes meet mine, and we close the distance in a few quick strides.

“Hey, brother,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.

Austin joins us, and we collapse into a group hug. No words necessary. This embrace carries all our love, relief, and shared grief over this news about Justin’s death.

“Welcome home,” I whisper.

Mason clears his throat. “Hey, Rhys. How did you manage to get back so quickly?” he asks.

Rhys runs his hand through his hair. “We’d left the Amalfi Coast for Iceland, so it wasn’t that long a trip,” he says. “We flew back on the private plane.”

Mason nods. “Sorry you had to cut your honeymoon short. But circumstances being what they are, we’re glad you came.”

Before Rhys can respond, the doorbell rings, heralding Grantham Wilks’s arrival.

“Everyone, dinner is ready,” Caroline announces. “And I took a plate down to Levi already,” she adds, meeting Mackenzie’s eyes. “Didn’t figure he needed to be part of the discussion.”

In the dining room, a big pot roast dinner with all the sides is waiting. I’m not very hungry, but the smell of the food reminds me of my grandma’s kitchen, even if my heart still feels heavy.

A wave of homesickness hits me, made worse by the phone call I had with my mom earlier. Hearing about Justin was hard for her. She said she’s going to talk with Austin and Rhys’s moms to figure out how they can help Gina through this terrible time.

As I sit down next to Mackenzie, I feel a deep sadness. I’ll never have another meal with Justin. There are so many things we planned that we’ll never get to do.

The sound of forks and knives on plates fills the room as we talk quietly. It feels like we have to say something, even with the sadness. Rhys and Jade tell us about their trip—calm waters in Lake Como, the busy streets of Paris and London, and the glowing lights in the sky in Iceland.

“Sounds like you packed a lot into just a few weeks,” I say. “I’m glad you’re back. I’ll let you take over the board meeting. We’ve delayed it a bit in light of the news about Justin.”

“We’ll talk about it,” he counters.

I nod. This isn’t the time. I tuck it away for later when we can talk alone.

As dinner comes to an end, our attorney, Grantham Wilks, rises, and the room goes still, everyone waiting to hear what he has to say. “My contact at SFPD tells me that, two months before he disappeared, Justin rented the storage unit where his body was found,” he begins. “I talked to Crystal earlier this afternoon. She said she knew about the unit. He told her he was putting a few things in there, but she didn’t know what.”

He pauses, and then continues. “We already know most of this, but he gave me a few details we didn’t have, and for Rhys, this may be news.”

“Thank you,” Rhys says.

“After the flooding at the storage facility, they tried to reach Justin,” Grantham explains, “but his phone was disconnected. So they broke the lock and found a freezer, as well as a pool of water on the floor. That led them to get a court order. When they opened it…”

His voice fades, but we all know what they found.

Mackenzie’s breath catches, and I see tears in her eyes. I wrap my arm around her shoulders, and she leans into me, shaking a little.

There’s nothing left to say. We sit quietly, holding on to each other, facing the awful truth. Justin has been alone in the dark this whole time.

“Over the next week,” Grantham says, folding his hands in front of him, “the police will be speaking with each of you. I’ll also need to use the conference room to talk with those of you who work at EnergiFusion about Justin’s last days in the office.”

A chill runs through me. Just the thought of us being treated like suspects feels unreal. This could pull us apart.

“Is Crystal a suspect too?” Mackenzie asks.

Grantham nods. “Yes, she is.”

“Is she flying home?” I ask.

He pauses a moment. “No, actually she isn’t.” He shakes his head. “She doesn’t feel comfortable returning. But she says she wants to talk to you all, so reach out and try to schedule some time with her.”

My stomach tightens. That doesn’t make any sense. Crystal is out there, holding this news all by herself. Just thinking about it feels like a cold hand squeezing my heart. Why wouldn’t she come back? She can’t be that worried for her safety, can she? What does she know that she’s not telling us?

I move closer to Jim and lower my voice so the others—busy whispering their own worries—don’t hear me. “Do you still know where Crystal is?” I ask.

Jim’s face gives nothing away. He looks calm, but I can tell he’s being careful. “It’s complicated,” he says quietly. “Right now, only her…bodyguard and I know. Crystal can’t find out we’re watching her.”

“Bodyguard?” I repeat. It’s a relief to know she has someone with her. That makes me think of the last person I saw with her. “Is Turner Bishop on the suspect list?” I ask, turning to Grantham. “Crystal and he have been—”

“Close,” Grantham finishes for me. “Yes, Turner is under consideration, just like everyone connected to Justin.”

Close doesn’t fully capture what seemed to be going on between Crystal and Turner. Chummy? Involved? I really don’t want to go there, but there’s been more between them since Justin disappeared, something quiet but personal. “When Turner’s band broke up, he approached us and wanted to take Justin’s spot at EnergiFusion,” I say. “He was always around Crystal, and we all saw them together at that fundraiser last year.”

Could they be hiding something? Was Crystal’s loyalty to Justin that flimsy? I stop myself. I can’t possibly understand her situation, but that’s a scenario I’m not ready for. Turner is one big question mark. If he’s setting Crystal up, I swear, he will pay for it.

I turn and look straight at Jim, hoping to find something real, something I can trust when everything else feels like it’s falling apart. “Can we be sure Turner isn’t behind Justin’s disappearance?”

Jim doesn’t respond, but I can see worry in his eyes, even if he’s trying to hide it. Before I can ask him anything else, Grantham clears his throat, and everyone turns to him.

“I’d like to meet with each of you tomorrow,” he says, pushing his glasses up. “Please bring your calendars and be ready to talk about anything you remember about the days before…this happened.”

I nod like everyone else, but my mind is spinning. “I’ve been keeping a journal with notes.” Everyone turns to look at me, surprised. “I thought maybe I’d write a book one day.”

“Does it include all the women you’ve been out with?” Mackenzie teases, but there’s a sharp edge to it.

“No,” I say, looking right at her, blocking out everyone else. “It only mentions one.”

The room goes quiet. There’s something in the air between us, words we don’t say but memories we both feel. I hold her gaze for a moment. Then she looks away, her cheeks turning red.

The room grows quiet again. After a moment, Caroline shifts from where she’s been sitting, tall and graceful even in such a hard moment. “I wasn’t close to Crystal,” she says. “She always seemed…distant. Not the kind of person who liked small talk or friendly get-togethers.” She brushes a piece of chestnut hair behind her ear. “But if you need me to talk to the police or share anything I know, I’m happy to help.”

Grantham nods and writes something in his notebook.

“What about Justin’s funeral?” Austin asks. “Has anything been planned?”

“We expect his body will be released by the coroner in the next few weeks,” Grantham replies. “The family can then proceed with the arrangements.”

Mason clears his throat. “When Nate Lancaster’s first wife, Cecelia, was killed, there was a sizable public turnout. But the actual funeral was kept private, invitation only.” He scans the room, assessing our reactions. “It might be wise to follow a similar protocol for Justin.”

I nod. “That makes sense. We should start a guest list. Just family and close friends, people who really cared about Justin.”

“Since Crystal is…not around,” Austin says, looking at me for a second before going on, “we should work with his mom on the details.”

I feel a sharp ache in my chest. Crystal not being here makes everything harder, not just the investigation, but moments like this when we’re trying to say goodbye.

“The news about Justin being a hero to the environmental and automotive communities is already coming out with articles,” Jim notes. “So be on the alert. Don’t make any new friends and keep your body person with you at all times.”

Unease grips me, but I don’t think it’s my own safety that concerns me. Instead, the idea that Crystal might be blamed for Justin’s death won’t leave my mind. The room is full of quiet voices, but all I can hear is the pounding in my ears.

How could she know and not come home? Grantham spoke to her. She knows about Justin. I would think she’d come back right away, to be with us, to help, or at least to say something. But maybe this makes her even more afraid. Regardless, her silence feels loud. I know grief can stop someone in their tracks, but what if that’s not it? What if she’s not just sad? What if she’s hiding something?

I take a sip of water, but it doesn’t help the dryness in my throat. I glance over at Mackenzie, who seems calm and steady, even with everything going on around us. She’s carrying so much, and still, she doesn’t fall apart. I wish I could take some of that weight from her, protect her from all of this. Protect all of us.

“Everything okay?”

Austin’s voice brings me back from my thoughts. He’s looking at me, an odd expression on his face.

I give a small smile, but it doesn’t feel real. “Just thinking about Crystal,” I say quietly.

He nods and pats my shoulder before walking away, and I’m thankful. I know I’m not alone. Nonetheless, I hate the way this feels. I let out a slow breath, trying to stay calm.

I don’t know everything, not yet. But I will.

For Justin, Crystal, and all of us.

Because the truth is still out there, hidden under sadness and lies. And no matter how deep I have to dig, I won’t stop until I find it.