Page 117 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

I checked my watch. “I thought I had twenty-five?”

“Not if you want to get out of here without the secretary seeing you.”

I grumbled under my breath and quickly went to work checking through their desk drawers. “I’m not finding anything.” Frustration was rising and eating away at my concentration.

“Think about what you know about your parents.” James prompted me.

I continued to look around the office. “Besides the fact that they’re assholes you mean?”

He chuckled. “Yeah.”

“They’re sneaky, appearance is important to them...” I took stock of the furniture in the room. My parents liked that each piece showed off their wealth in some way. I ran my fingers over an antique bookcase that used to belong to my grandmother that now housed various expensive tchotchkes.

“They’re sneaky,” I repeated.

“You said that,” James responded quizzically.

A memory of when I was six and had to stay home from school flashed before me. I’d snuck into my parents’ town car, and was so quiet it took them a few minutes to realize I was even there.

They’d been furious. When we reached the office, they called my nanny and made her come get me, but while I waited, I was in their office. I hid under a small table trying to stay out of their way.

I closed my eyes picturing that morning, my stomach clenched as I recalled the hateful things they spewed at me, about how I’d ruined their day. I’d only wanted to spend a little time with them.

“Jess?” James called my name softly. “You only have about another ten minutes, babe.”

“Okay, sorry. I got distracted.”

I slowly made my way around the room to the table I’d hidden under. It was still here. At one point my parents had begun to look for me and I shifted to hide behind the loveseat that had been placed next to it.

The loveseat was gone, but the small table remained.

They bickered between themselves wondering where I’d gotten myself off to, and in the end decided it didn’t matter. I was the nanny's problem once she arrived.

I ran my fingers under the right side just as I’d seen my mother do until I felt a small button beneath the tip of my middle finger. Pushing on it gently, a sliding sound of wood against wood came from under the table.

It was funny how until this very moment I’d forgotten that day and being here.

When the small drawer opened, I noticed one item inside. A safety deposit key. I stared at it. Was this what we were after?

“Jess, three minutes. We have to go. Something is off. We need to go. Now.”

I knew not to discount James’ senses.

I quickly shut the drawer and hurried to the door to let myself out. Before I could, a female voice filtered over James’ earpiece.

“Well, hello. Can I help you with something?” the woman practically purred.

My eyes narrowed. I wanted to go out there and throat punch her. It sounded a lot like one of the marketing executives that was recently hired.

“Maybe,” James responded in a low voice. One I was not happy he used on her. “I was looking for Mr. and Mrs. Sulton.”

“Oh, they’re not available for the next few days, but I’d be happy to help you in the meantime, Mr....”

James quickly sidestepped her inquiry. “I must have gotten my days mixed up. I’ll just have my secretary reach out to them.”

“Oh, but uh...”

“I’ll just close your door for you. I’m sure you have a lot to get done today.” The soft click of the door shutting was my cue to get out of there.

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