Page 17

Mackenzie

The sound of the alarm jerks me out of sleep. My heart races as I blink up at the ceiling. Then it hits me.

Last night.

I groan and cover my face with both hands as the memory rushes in. Theo kissed me.

It wasn’t long—just a soft touch, a quick moment—but it’s stuck in my head like glue. It lit every nerve in my body on fire.

Why did I let that happen? That is the opposite of helpful right now.

I push the blankets off and sit up in bed. Moving into Theo’s condo was supposed to be a short-term plan, a way to keep Levi safe. That was it. Just safety. Just a place to stay.

But now? Things feel different. He’s so good with Levi, and I worry Levi is getting the wrong idea. And those old feelings I tried to forget?

They’re coming back. Like sparks catching fire.

This was a mistake. A big one, particularly if I’m now going to be working directly for him again.

I need to go back to my own place. I need to feel like me again—strong, in control—before I forget who I am and fall into something I promised myself I wouldn’t.

I check Levi’s room. His bed is made. Downstairs, I hear his laugh, light and happy. Theo’s deeper voice joins in, both of them talking like everything is fine.

I pause, my heart tugging. But then I get myself ready, take a deep breath, and walk downstairs.

“Kenzie!” Levi shouts when he sees me. He runs over, a soccer ball tucked under his arm. “Guess what? I’m gonna be the best striker ever!”

“Is that so?” I say with a smile, even though I feel all twisted up inside.

“Yep! And Theo says we can go play at Golden Gate Park this weekend!” Levi grins, his eyes shining as he looks at us like we’re the most important people in the world.

“I played soccer in school,” Theo says, leaning against the counter. There’s a spark in his eyes. He’s just as excited as Levi.

“Sounds like a plan,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. This is everything I’m worried about. What message does it send Levi? What message does it send me? “Now go get ready for school, champ.”

Levi runs off, and suddenly, it’s just me and Theo. I turn to leave, wanting space, but Theo steps closer and holds out a coffee cup.

“Thought you might need this,” he says.

The smell of the cappuccino is irresistible, and when our fingers touch, it sends a spark up my arm. I freeze for a second.

Our eyes meet.

Then I look away and take the cup, holding it close. “Thanks,” I murmur.

What is happening to me? I need to stay focused. I’m here to protect Levi, and I should be able to do that from home again soon.

Cappuccino in hand, I turn and head back upstairs to get ready for work.

A little while later, the City rushes by outside the car window, all tall buildings and traffic lights, as Phillip drives us through the busy streets. Levi chats, and it’s a bright sound, so different from the quiet between me and Theo.

When we pull up at Levi’s school, I turn to look at him. “I’ll be picking you up after school today,” I tell him.

“Really?” He beams.

“Yes, really.” I nod, even as my throat feels tight. I catch a flash of surprise on Theo’s face, but before he can say anything, I add, “Georgia worked late and has to study for a test.”

Levi squeezes my hand, opens the door, and runs off toward his friends, laughing as he goes.

“Test?” Theo asks, giving me a look as I close the car door.

“After the police interview, I’m going to work from my place,” I say. Then I take a deep breath and add, “And I think it’s time for Levi and me to move back home.”

Theo’s jaw tightens. “That’s Jim’s call,” he says at last. “You still need protection. Both of you.”

He’s right, but perhaps that could be done from my place. I let out a quiet breath. “Okay, but I’m going to ask him what my options are.”

I take a deep breath and look out the window. Next stop, the police station. With every block we drive, my nerves tighten until they feel like a rubber band ready to snap.

When we pull up, Grantham Wilks is already there, waiting. When Theo gets out of the car with me, his frown deepens. “Your meeting isn’t until later,” he says, sounding both confused and a little annoyed.

“I’m here for Mackenzie,” Theo counters, like it’s no big deal.

But it feels like a big deal. His voice is steady and strong, and the way he says it makes me feel safe. A chill runs down my back, even though the sun is warm. Why is all this happening now? My mind and heart are on overload. Between Justin and work and home and Levi, I think I’ve maxed out.

Grantham sighs. “You can’t go in with her.”

“I’ll wait,” Theo says. His eyes find mine and don’t waver. I nod, holding on to that steady look despite myself. One thing at a time.

My legs feel shaky, but I try to walk with the same calm confidence Theo has as I follow Grantham into the building. Before the doors shut, I turn to look one more time.

Theo is still there. Waiting for me.

Inside, I’m led to a small room that feels too quiet and too still. Inspector Harris is already there.

“Morning, Mackenzie,” he says as I take my seat. His voice is too cheerful, like we’re just chatting over coffee. “At least it’s not too foggy out there today.”

“That’s San Francisco for you,” I say, trying to smile. My fingers twist in my lap. I always do that when I’m nervous. “It never gets old, even after ten years.”

“Ten years,” he repeats, like the number means something. “So, you’ve been at EnergiFusion since the start?”

“Not the start, but I was the twenty-third employee, so I’ve been there since the early days.” I can feel Grantham watching me from the side.

Harris gives a short nod, then flips open his notebook. The friendly chat is over.

“Let’s get to it,” he says. “When was the last time you saw Justin Capriotti?”

“The Friday before he disappeared,” I answer right away. I remember it clearly. There was tension in the air. “He was at the office. Just like always.”

Harris taps his pen on the page. “And in the days before he disappeared—how was he acting?”

I pause. “He was…stressed.” The word doesn’t feel strong enough. “Grumpy. Distracted. More so than usual. Everyone noticed.”

I can still see him in my mind—working late, sending short emails, looking tired. I noticed. That was my job.

“Stressed about what?” Harris asks, watching me closely.

“Well, I guess I’m not totally sure. But at least part of it was meetings,” I say. “Deadlines. He was worried about making the deadlines we’d promised for the battery deliveries. It was a tough time for the company.”

Harris writes something in his notebook, and then looks up again.

He doesn’t say anything right away. So I brace myself.

Every question feels like it’s pulling me closer to a truth about Justin’s last days that I don’t see. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re about to find out more than anyone is ready for.

I sit up straighter as Inspector Harris leans in a bit. “Can you describe Justin’s relationship with the other partners?”

“Sure,” I say, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. I smooth the edge of my skirt. “They worked as a team. They’d known each other since college. There were hard times, but they always stuck together.”

Harris nods but keeps going. “What about Austin? Did Justin get along with him?”

“Austin…” I pause. I think of late nights at the office, arguing over plans, sharing jokes between bites of takeout food. “They were best friends. They didn’t always agree on everything, but that’s normal.”

Harris doesn’t answer. He just writes something in his notebook, his face unreadable.

Then he changes the subject.

“What about his wife, Crystal?”

The question hits me like a blast of cold air. I don’t even know what to think about her anymore. I glance at Grantham, then back at Harris. “From the outside, they seemed great.”

Harris watches me closely, like he’s trying to read between my words. “Were Justin and Crystal having problems?”

“I couldn’t say for certain,” I tell him, trying to be careful. “Crystal was taking fertility medications, and…she was hard to please.”

“Hard how?” he asks. His pen hovers, waiting for my answer.

I take a deep breath. “She expected a lot. Always wanted more. Justin gave her everything he could, but sometimes…it felt like she wanted something he couldn’t provide. Like even the world wouldn’t have been enough.”

I feel badly saying that, but it is the truth. Still, something about this feels wrong. They’re focusing on the wrong thing.

“Anything else that might indicate they were having problems?” the detective asks.

The memory hits me hard as I think about a call I answered for him after he was gone. It was a lawyer—her voice was sharp and all business… “I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but after Justin disappeared, he got a call from a lawyer I wasn’t familiar with. She called a few times, actually.”

“Who was the lawyer?”

“Teddy Pattison.”

Grantham looks at me, confused. I’ve not told anyone this.

“Are you sure?”

I nod as I reach into my bag and give Inspector Harris a copy of the bill. “Turns out she had a bill Justin needed to pay. Teddy’s a divorce attorney.”

The room goes silent. Grantham raises an eyebrow.

“Why didn’t you tell us that before?” Harris asks.

“I guess I didn’t realize it was important. Justin got a lot of calls,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. It certainly seems important now. “And this was after Justin was already gone. I didn’t know what kind of lawyer she was until I looked her up later.”

Inspector Harris ticks through a few more questions, but nothing I haven’t been asked before, and fortunately, there’s no other new information I have to reveal. But only when the door finally clicks shut behind me do I feel like I can breathe again. Four long hours of questions, and I’m worn out, my legs stiff, my mind foggy, just like the City outside. Heavy and slow.

But when I emerge from the building, Theo is still there.

His arms wrap around me without a word, and against my better judgment, I lean into him.

“You okay?” he asks quietly.

I nod against his chest. “They asked the same things they asked everyone else.” Saying it out loud makes it feel a little less heavy.

Grantham joins us, stepping up beside Theo. His face is unreadable. “The part about the divorce lawyer,” he says, “that’s new to everyone.”

Theo tenses. “What divorce lawyer?”

I step away from him, feeling their eyes on me. “Evidently Justin met with one.” My words hang in the air. “The call about the bill came in after…after we knew he was gone.”

Theo’s face changes. “Clear Security needs to check this out,” he says.

Grantham nods. “Yes. We need to look into everything.”

With that, we go our separate ways. Grantham to his office, and Theo to work.

Scott’s waiting by the car, calm as always. Just seeing him makes me feel a little better.

“Theo’s place, please,” I say quietly as I get in. I told Theo I would work from my place, but I suppose I should talk to Jim before going rogue. There’s enough going on today already.

The condo is quiet when we arrive. It’s so different from the hours of questions earlier. I like the silence, but it doesn’t make me feel better. It makes me think too much—about what I said, what I didn’t, and what’s still left unknown.

I change into jeans and a sweater. The soft clothes help me feel a little more relaxed. But I’m not ready to be alone with my thoughts.

I pick up my phone and find Tabatha’s name. I’m not going in to work today, but I need something normal. Something that makes me feel grounded.

Me: Late lunch?

Her response is immediate, and I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

Tabatha: Sure!

We work out the logistics and agree to meet in twenty minutes. After a quick change to more casual clothes, Scott drops me off.

The café is small and quiet, hidden away from the busy City. I grab a coffee and find a place to sit. As I wait, I run my fingers around the edge of my cup. It feels smooth and solid, and I remind myself these quiet moments matter. Life isn’t just big problems and stress. These breaks help me stay grounded. Tabatha and I can just talk. We can talk about her. I don’t have to get into all of what happened this morning with the police.

“Hey,” Tabatha says, sitting down across from me. Her smile makes the day feel a little brighter.

“Hey,” I reply.

We place our order and make small talk as we wait for our sandwiches. I pull at my napkin, the edges starting to come apart. The weight of the day, of all of this, presses down on me. I can’t shake it, even as I try.

Tabatha just watches, calm and quiet, waiting for me to get to the point. She knows I need to talk. And I probably do. I just don’t want to. But once our food arrives, I can’t put it off anymore. I have to give her something, so I rewind to catch her up on the big picture of what’s been going on.

“The board made a decision,” I tell her, then stop and take a sip of water. It doesn’t help my dry throat. “Theo’s the CEO now. For good.”

Tabatha’s eyes go wide. “For good?”

“Until he decides to quit,” I say. “I thought about quitting myself after the meeting. I don’t want to be trapped as an executive admin forever—particularly his executive admin.” I let out a short, flat laugh. “But then they talked me into trying it out for ninety days.” I let out a breath and pull at the bottom of my sweater. “I think this means I should move out of his house, though. But I have to get clearance from Jim. Everything is just a lot right now.” I pause for a moment. “Anyway, after the board meeting we had dinner and talked about Crystal being gone. Everything feels so different without her.”

“Have you talked to her since…?” She doesn’t finish the question.

I shake my head. “No. And it’s not just that.” I sigh. “I’m responsible for Levi now. And he’s great, but it’s not something I planned for. But my dad is so preoccupied with his job and whatever is going on with his current wife. He hasn’t even spoken to Levi since he’s been here with me. Thankfully Levi doesn’t seem to notice, but he will eventually.”

Tabatha reaches over and puts her hand on mine. No advice. No fake comfort. Just being there.

It’s what keeps me from feeling totally lost.

I push a cucumber slice around my plate. I’m not hungry. I’ve taken two bites of my sandwich, and the salad looks wilted. But it’s not the food. My stomach is tight with stress.

Tabatha leans back, her eyes curious. “So, what’s it like living with Theo?”

I sigh and poke at my salad. “It’s not what you think. We’re just two people living in the same place. We all have our own rooms. We’re only roommates.”

Tabatha crosses her arms and gives me a look. “Mackenzie Davis, you’re either lying to me or lying to yourself.”

I can’t hold it in any longer. The truth just slips out. “He kissed me last night.”

The words hang there for a second before Tabatha bursts with joy. “Ha! I knew it!” She bounces in her seat. “You two belong together!”

“Tabatha,” I groan, feeling tired just thinking about it. “Don’t get too excited. We’ve been through this before, remember? Watching all the women Theo brings around… It’s hard. I don’t think I can do it again.”

Her smile fades a little, but her voice stays strong. “Maybe,” she says softly, “but maybe this time is different.”

I wave that away. “I don’t have space in my brain for that right now. Tell me what’s going on with you.” I don’t want to talk about me and Theo. I haven’t worked it out for myself yet.

“You sure you don’t want to talk about it, or should I distract you with a long rant about the guy at the café who tried to convince me oat milk is a conspiracy?”

That makes me laugh. “Definitely the oat milk conspiracy.”

She dives in, weaving a ridiculous tale involving secret barista societies and almond-milk moles, and for a few minutes, the tightness in my chest eases.

Then she sobers. “But seriously, what’s going on with you today ? Why are you not at work?”

I hesitate. “I had my police interview. About Justin.”

“Kenzie,” she says softly, “I’m so sorry.”

“I told them about the divorce lawyer,” I whisper. “No one knew. Not even Theo.”

“That’s not on you,” Tabatha says firmly. “It’s the truth. You did the right thing.”

I nod. “It just feels like the more I say, the deeper we all fall into this mess. What if this is sending them off in the wrong direction? So what if they were having trouble? I don’t believe Crystal could ever harm Justin.”

Tabatha pats my hand. “They’ll figure it out. You just gave them a piece of the puzzle they didn’t have.”

“What if that lawyer was working for him on something else?”

“Then the police will talk to her and learn that. You’ve got this,” she reminds me. “And you’re stronger than you think.”

“Thanks,” I murmur. “I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime.” She looks at her watch. “Well, I have to get back to the office, but I’m glad you’re taking the day. You deserve it. And hey, when you’re ready, come over. I’ll make you my famous chocolate mug cake and let you pick the movie.”

“Deal,” I say, and this time, the smile on my lips feels real.

I wave goodbye, and Tabatha heads back to the office. I return to the car, and Scott drives me over to Levi’s school.

The air feels crisp against my cheeks. San Francisco weather is like my life right now, changing all the time, never staying still.

“Kenzie!”

Just after the bell rings, I hear Levi’s voice through the crowd of parents and kids. Before I can even look up, he runs right into me. His arms wrap around my neck, and I catch him just in time.

“I made another new friend today!” he says.

“You did?” I say, setting him down and taking his backpack. His happiness makes me smile, pushing away the heavy feelings. “Tell me all about it.”

As we walk to Scott’s car, Levi talks nonstop about his new friend and how much they both love dinosaurs. I smile and nod. Life is still simple for him.

Once we’re in the car and buckled up, I check my phone. There’s a message from Levi’s teacher. My stomach sinks. She’s worried about his reading and math. She suggests getting a tutor to help him catch up.

I feel a wave of guilt. I’ve been so busy with everything at EnergiFusion—the meetings, the changes, the stress—I didn’t notice that Levi was behind.

I look at him. He’s still talking, still happy, still the same sweet Levi.

We’ll figure it out , I promise him silently, even though I feel like crying.

At home, I change into comfy clothes and leave the heavy day behind. Levi and I curl up on the couch with his favorite books and some fun math games. He does struggle some, but I can tell he’s interested.

“How would you like a tutor?” I ask him. “Someone to help you become a super reader and math whiz?”

“Like a superhero?” His eyes go wide.

“Yes! Just like a superhero,” I say, squeezing his hand.

He thinks for a moment, and I worry he’s going to refuse. But then he nods. “Okay.”

“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll see what we can figure out.”

I add that to my mental list, but for a little while now, it’s just us.

No work, no stress. Just quiet and calm. And I’m going to lean into it as long as I can.