Page 52 of Battle with a Billionaire

“I will,” she said before they ended the call.

She set the phone down, a chill snaking down her spine as she considered the meeting tonight. Had she made a foolish decision by not telling him? Or anyone?

Likely not. Perhaps it had nothing to do with DG Industries. She’d do a little recon and go from there. Maybe she’d end up with a new suspect to put through the rigors.

She spent the rest of the afternoon trying to focus on clearing the work that had come across her desk earlier in the day.

As the sun lowered in the sky, she glanced at the clock. Just over an hour to wait. She sent Evelyn home for the evening, telling her she was just going to finish up a few emails.

Instead, she spent thirty minutes drumming her fingers against the polished mahogany wood as the shadows grew across the floor from the sinking sun. She hoped at the twilight hour, she’d have a clear enough view of the meeting.

As the evening hour approached, she grabbed her purse and hurried to her car, navigating through the streets to the popular city park. Even at this hour, she should be able to blend in and hide from whoever Christopher Metcalfe was meeting.

She parked nearby and entered through the north entrance, cutting across the grass toward the meeting spot. Several people milled around the water’s edge, jogged along the trail, or sat on the benches in the picturesque spot.

A cool breeze rustled the leaves on the tree she placed between her and the entrance. She eyed the entrance as the lights sprang to life along the walking path. She held her breath as Christopher Metcalfe strolled in, holding a set of folders under his arm.

Her heart pounded as she awaited his partner’s appearance. Would she finally be able to put a face to the DG Industries name?

The seven o’clock hour passed. She waited ten minutes, wondering if the meeting was a bust. Metcalfe paced back and forth near an empty bench. By quarter after, she worried he’d been stood up until a figure made its way down the path toward him.

He recognized the person, as his pacing stopped. Julia leaned closer, her fingers grabbing the rough bark of the tree trunk as she waited to get a clearer image.

In a second, she had it. Her eyes went wide as her heart hammered. “Lydia!” she whispered.

She stood in stunned silence as the woman approached Christopher Metcalfe. He handed her the folders, and she perused them. A smile twisted her features, and she glanced at the man, speaking a few words before she handed the paperwork back, spun on a heel, and strode away.

Julia stood for another few minutes. She needed to tell Grant. Lydia had some involvement with these plans. Was she the head of DG or merely another pawn?

Either way, she was involved. She had to let Grant know. They’d fed right into the woman by inviting her into their home. She had access to everything there.

Julia forced herself to hurry toward her car on wobbly legs. She dug her phone from her purse as she reached the car. After sliding behind the wheel, she pressed the call button next to Grant’s name and pressed the phone to her ear.

The line trilled as she locked her doors, her heart still thudding against her ribs. She fired the engine and waited, but she got his voicemail. “Grant, call me. I think I know who may be behind everything that’s been happening.”

As a light rain started to fall, she casually tossed the phone into her cup holder. Thunder rumbled in the distance, marking the unexpected arrival of the storm, much like Lydia.

Julia pulled from the lot, aiming for Harrington House. Her mind went over all the events they’d lived through in the past year. Had Lydia been the one behind them all? She would certainly know how to strike at Grant.

The city faded as she left it, the rain falling harder. She flicked her windshield wipers a notch higher as she rounded a bend and a shiver raced down her spine.

Her phone buzzed in the cupholder. She glanced down at it as she passed through an intersection. The slight moment of distraction meant she never saw the car speeding through the stop sign.

In a heart-stopping moment, the world turned into chaos. Bright lights raced toward her, slamming into her, t-boning the sporty ride. Metal screeched and glass shattered. Julia’s senses were engulfed in a maelstrom of noise and pain. As the airbag deployed, a white cloud enveloped her. Every moment of her life flashed before her eyes. Then her world went dark.

When her eyes fluttered open again, a flurry of activity and flashing lights blurred around her. She lay on wet pavement.

“She’s awake,” someone said. “Ma’am, stay with us, okay? We’re taking you to the hospital.”

Someone jostled her and pain shot through her entire body. The stars in the night sky melted above her as she rolled toward something. Every bump sent agonizing pain through her body.

She struggled to keep her eyes open but lost the battle.

They snapped open again as fresh pain bloomed. She was moving again, rolling somewhere. Someone barked out information as bright lights burned her eyes as she struggled to keep them open.

A familiar voice sounded. “What do we have?”

“Multiple vehicle accident. Guy ran a stop sign and t-boned her. Air bag deployed. She’s in and out of consciousness. Multiple injuries, but nonresponsive primarily. Vitals are all over the place.”

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