Page 31 of Defended By Love

Forget soul mate, she’s my hero. Change is slow to happen, but it does: one brave, reckless woman at a time.

Putting my pen down, I consider my next question carefully.

“This isn’t an official question,” I start. Then, I throw caution to the wind since this is most likely a time loop and she won’t remember any of my professional oversteps. “But do you think Hart Link Incorporated is polluting? Should I risk building a case over this? Is Zagreus Hart really that bad?”

A smile quirks at the sides of her mouth. “No. Yes. Yes.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“No, I don’t think it’s pollution. There’s no way that all that life was just gone and then back. There’s…” She pauses and considers her words. “There’s more to the world than most people think. I mean, you’ve seen it in the news, I’m sure. There are aliens and ghosts and… more. This, Hart Link Incorporated, is something more. I would bet my children’s future Stanley Cup on it.

“Yes, I think it’s worth building a case on this. I think we’re about to have the environmental event of our lifetime and it’s culminating, unseen.

“And yes, I think Zagreus Hart is that bad. He built his empire into a skull-shaped cliff. The history books, if there are any, are going to marvel that we didn’t lift a finger to stop him before it was too late. I really don’t think people get any more extreme than Zagreus Hart.”

I get a flash of the picture of Grant getting off the ferry, his windswept hair mopping at his face, his chocolate brown eyes offering each and every last one of his feelings on a platter to the world.

Nobody knows what Zagreus Hart looks like.

“He does seem to care about the environment, though. You said it yourself, his building exceeds all minimum standards.”

Lauren’s hand flits to her stomach. I guess the baby kicked. She smiles down at her belly and then up at me.

“Lesson one: open your eyes and see what’s in front of you.”

Chapter 16

Marigold, our firm’s private investigator, is the exact opposite of her name. Instead of shining like her namesake, she’s a sixty-plus woman who’s as thoroughly gray as the cloud that arises from her endless loop of chain-smoking. Fueled only by cigarettes and general disdain, she’s wiry with a perpetual hungry hollow to her cheeks.

Nevertheless, she’s the best at what she does.

Which is why I appreciate her—even if she does talk down to me like I’m a drunk relative trying to rope her into a pyramid scheme.

I contacted her before I visited Lauren, the DFO agent. I gave her instructions to sail out to Zagreus Hart’s headquarters and take as many photos as possible. I sent her the picture of Grant at the docks and told her to focus on him.

She told me that she doesn’t do boyfriend stalking. When I told her he wasn’t my boyfriend, she looked me over and said that makes sense. She also told me that trespassing on a scary skull island would cost extra.

The amount she named made me balk. Hopefully, this time loop reverses all credit card charges.

As I wait for her in a parking lot near the docks, I’m grateful that it’s not raining like it was last night, especially since I gave away my umbrella. Also, with that much rain, there’s a chance Marigold’s cigarette would go out. I do not want to face her without her nicotine.

Sure enough, when she pulls up on her motorcycle, she’s got a cigarette in her mouth, the ash flying back at her. Not that she seems to care. She’s got a Clint Eastwood stare, practically daring the debris to do their worst.

She walks over to me in the dim light of the parking lot with her motorcycle helmet under one arm and her phone in her other.

“Did you get the pictures?”

She glares at me. “Yeah, I got the fucking pictures. Although, I don’t see why you wanted to go all Peeping Tammy on pretty boy when there’s that tall guy with the scar. You want my advice, girly, go for a man who’s been cut up a little.”

I most certainly do not want her dating advice.

“Like I said, this is for a case.”

Marigold throws down her cigarette and lights up another one, staring at me all the while. A smile plays on her lips. “Sure. Let me guess, you already have a boyfriend?”

For fuck’s sake, is she mocking my love life? Marigold?

“Do you?” I counter. I’m not about to let Marigold get the upper hand in this conversation. Always be the one asking the questions.

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