Page 86 of Implode

I nod. He’s right. But I have to have trust in order to move past this, and right now, no matter who tells me otherwise, I have an eerie feeling that something is just not right.

“Even if you aren’t the mole, I don’t know how I can get my mind to trust you again.”

“So you are firing me?”

“You will get a decent severance package.”

Tyler stops and rubs his hair at the back of his neck, looking out at the boats floating down the river. “You know I have never done any of this for the money. All of my references should have checked out, and I have a stellar record of doing good work. Yet, whoever is trying to make you doubt me is the real winner. Because it obviously worked.”

“Sometimes it’s easier to doubt someone than to trust someone.”

“Isn’t that the truth.”

Tyler shakes my hand but doesn’t say goodbye as his eyes connect with mine. I feel the paper in my palm but discreetly keep it concealed. As he retreats back to where he parked his car, I carefully slide my hands into my pockets.

I have a growing pit in my stomach that tells me I may have done the wrong thing. Someone is out to get to either Graham or me, and I will find out who it is. I just need to get my head on straight. Claire’s news last night is not helping me think clearly. It feels like the answer is right in front of my face and I just can’t see it.

When I’m safely back inside my car, I pull out the note from my pocket and unfold it.

I’ll do anything to prove my innocence. -Tyler

Just seeing Tyler’s note has me more confused than ever. And why is he being so secretive about passing it to me? Unless…

He knew we were followed and being watched. He staged this meeting publicly to try to dispel doubt from himself and warn me that he’s working alongside me but in a parallel universe.

Scrolling through my contacts, I click on the call button for Asher.

“I think Tyler’s innocent,” I say with confidence.

“Well, that’s fucking obvious.”

“But that still leaves the issue of figuring out who is trying to frame him.”

I end the call and pull out of the parking lot. When I get back to my apartment, I am mentally drained and feeling like the wind has left my sails. If I’m going to eliminate the mole from HH, I have to play my cards right and learn about motives first.

Opening up my laptop, I start my own database search. I type in the name of my previously fired employee, Eugene Whitacker, and continue down the list of other people fired. If someone is going to try to take me down, they probably have some axe to grind.

While there was so much doubt cast on Tyler, I have to put my trust in Asher who introduced us to each other.

Looking at my screen, my eyes glaze over as I scan through lists upon lists of documents and photos—all featuring Eugene. Except he’s not alone in some of his photos…

He’s with my personal assistant, Brenna.

Now what are the odds that my ex-employee and my current assistant would be in a relationship?

Opening up my phone, I send off a text to Collins.

Nic: I need my personal assistant Brenna investigated as well as Eugene and Dan

Collins: On it

Nic: It appears from the time stamps of some photos I’ve found on a search that Brenna’s dating my ex-employee who was vying for my current lead position

Collins: I’ll see what I can find out from my own digging

Nic: Thanks, man. I appreciate it

When my mind can’t handle any more bombshells, I send a message out to Brenna to take a few days off and move to my bedroom to pack my bag for Hillsboro. With the wedding coming up, it isn’t that farfetched that I wouldn’t need my personal assistant in the office.

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